The top picture is a picture of shopper in Mongkok and the picture at the bottom is a picture of Tsuen Wan with the Nina Tower.
____________________________________________________
Hong Kong appears to be just as busy as usual even with the world financial crisis. All of the world markets went down big-time on October 25, 2008 and Hong Kong was no exception: Hang Seng Index closed down about 8% to 12, 630. The index is down by about 60% from a year ago.
On our recent trip to the Mongkok District, one of the many major shopping areas in Hong Kong, we saw a lot of people spending a lot of money. These shoppers appear to be mostly locals, but some foreign shoppers. We saw a lot of tourist from China and Europe, but not too many from States.
This morning we have invited Sister and Yee Gor for Breakfast here at the hotel. Later we will meet Jenny’s niece, Betty and her husband, Jack for dinner at the House of Beijing in Tsuen Wan. Now that should be some good eating.
Tsuen Wan was one of the first “new town” developed by the Hong Kong Government in the ‘70’s and really started to boon after the completion of the first section of the subway system (MTR) in 1979 that linked Tsuen Wan with Tsim Sha Shui, Hong Kong Island and other districts. Today it has a population of well over 300,000.
I had an interesting conversation today with Jack, Betty’s husband, at the House of Beijing restaurant. He asked, “Why did the Republicans select John McCain to run against Barack Obama”. I told him I really didn’t know but the conservative wing of the party had a lot to do with it. So, why we were talking about the presidential elections I asked him who the people of Hong Kong would like to see elected US President. He said, "we really don't care"! The America Government doesn’t care about Asia, and certainly not Hong Kong. The people of Hong Kong are more interested in what happens in China"; makes sense to me.
Using English to teach in local schools here in Hong Kong has been a big issue since the return of Hong Kong to China in 1997. In 1998 the government mandated that all public schools had to teach in Cantonese (one of the many dialects of the Chinese Language and the predominate one in Hong Kong) even when teaching English. Ten years later they have found out, surprise! That the students in the schools, who were being taught English in Cantonese, were not learning English and were at a distinctive disadvantage in trying to get into a college and finding work. Now they are looking at transitioning back to teaching in English in subjects where it makes sense e.g. math, English and science.
Here it is almost the end of October 2008, and the weather is still very warm: high around 28c (about 84f) and low around 23c (about 75f with humidity in the mid 70’s. Did I say warm?
Today we are cooling our heels, as we would say in North Carolina. We were down at the pool for a couple of hours and now relaxing in the apartment having some noodles. The pool is a great place to go for a swim and to lie around and read. Hardly anyone is ever there during the week days.
Tonight we see the rest of Jenny’s family at Sister’s flat. The family always gets together at Sister’s flat at least once a week for dinner. Then during the weekend they will occasionally go out for yum cha (literally means drinking tea) and that is when they spend hours eating dim sum and just talking. I usually take a paper and eat the delicious dim sum and read my paper.
A word about a typical flat in Hong Kong! Hong Kong is a great place to live if you can afford good housing. From my experience, after living in Hong Kong for about five years, visiting Hong Kong over the past twenty-five years, and visiting local families at a number of flats or apartments, the size of their homes are unbelievable small. Most families, I would venture to guess, are living in flats that are about 400 sq ft or smaller ( just a little larger than your living room); some who live in 700+ sq ft are extremely fortunately. Now don’t get me wrong: the well-to-do live in unbelievably large accommodations as you might expect.
Listed here are two current listings in the area that Sister lives: for sale, 500 sq ft flat for US$149,000 or about US$280/sq ft. and for rent 480 sq ft one bedroom service apartment for US$5000/month. Ouch! A comparison of cost/ sq ft: the market value of a typical home in upstate New York is in the area of $150/sq ft. or less. Of course location is everything!
Dinner with Jenny’s family was great. The food was fantastic and being with her family is always a joy. In a word: Beautiful family, sorry that is two words!
There were a total of thirteen for dinner; three grandnieces and no TV running in the background! The family was just talking about what interest them; kind of the way we remembered as kids! Betty and Helen, Jenny’s nieces are always trying to teach English to the three grandnieces; somehow the oldest, Kitty, who is fourteen years old, who been has been taking English for years and who is still struggling with her English (see previous note regarding teaching English in Hong Kong schools) decides to turn the table on me saying that it was time for me to learn Cantonese. So maybe I can help her and she can help me.
On our recent trip to the Mongkok District, one of the many major shopping areas in Hong Kong, we saw a lot of people spending a lot of money. These shoppers appear to be mostly locals, but some foreign shoppers. We saw a lot of tourist from China and Europe, but not too many from States.
This morning we have invited Sister and Yee Gor for Breakfast here at the hotel. Later we will meet Jenny’s niece, Betty and her husband, Jack for dinner at the House of Beijing in Tsuen Wan. Now that should be some good eating.
Tsuen Wan was one of the first “new town” developed by the Hong Kong Government in the ‘70’s and really started to boon after the completion of the first section of the subway system (MTR) in 1979 that linked Tsuen Wan with Tsim Sha Shui, Hong Kong Island and other districts. Today it has a population of well over 300,000.
I had an interesting conversation today with Jack, Betty’s husband, at the House of Beijing restaurant. He asked, “Why did the Republicans select John McCain to run against Barack Obama”. I told him I really didn’t know but the conservative wing of the party had a lot to do with it. So, why we were talking about the presidential elections I asked him who the people of Hong Kong would like to see elected US President. He said, "we really don't care"! The America Government doesn’t care about Asia, and certainly not Hong Kong. The people of Hong Kong are more interested in what happens in China"; makes sense to me.
Using English to teach in local schools here in Hong Kong has been a big issue since the return of Hong Kong to China in 1997. In 1998 the government mandated that all public schools had to teach in Cantonese (one of the many dialects of the Chinese Language and the predominate one in Hong Kong) even when teaching English. Ten years later they have found out, surprise! That the students in the schools, who were being taught English in Cantonese, were not learning English and were at a distinctive disadvantage in trying to get into a college and finding work. Now they are looking at transitioning back to teaching in English in subjects where it makes sense e.g. math, English and science.
Here it is almost the end of October 2008, and the weather is still very warm: high around 28c (about 84f) and low around 23c (about 75f with humidity in the mid 70’s. Did I say warm?
Today we are cooling our heels, as we would say in North Carolina. We were down at the pool for a couple of hours and now relaxing in the apartment having some noodles. The pool is a great place to go for a swim and to lie around and read. Hardly anyone is ever there during the week days.
Tonight we see the rest of Jenny’s family at Sister’s flat. The family always gets together at Sister’s flat at least once a week for dinner. Then during the weekend they will occasionally go out for yum cha (literally means drinking tea) and that is when they spend hours eating dim sum and just talking. I usually take a paper and eat the delicious dim sum and read my paper.
A word about a typical flat in Hong Kong! Hong Kong is a great place to live if you can afford good housing. From my experience, after living in Hong Kong for about five years, visiting Hong Kong over the past twenty-five years, and visiting local families at a number of flats or apartments, the size of their homes are unbelievable small. Most families, I would venture to guess, are living in flats that are about 400 sq ft or smaller ( just a little larger than your living room); some who live in 700+ sq ft are extremely fortunately. Now don’t get me wrong: the well-to-do live in unbelievably large accommodations as you might expect.
Listed here are two current listings in the area that Sister lives: for sale, 500 sq ft flat for US$149,000 or about US$280/sq ft. and for rent 480 sq ft one bedroom service apartment for US$5000/month. Ouch! A comparison of cost/ sq ft: the market value of a typical home in upstate New York is in the area of $150/sq ft. or less. Of course location is everything!
Dinner with Jenny’s family was great. The food was fantastic and being with her family is always a joy. In a word: Beautiful family, sorry that is two words!
There were a total of thirteen for dinner; three grandnieces and no TV running in the background! The family was just talking about what interest them; kind of the way we remembered as kids! Betty and Helen, Jenny’s nieces are always trying to teach English to the three grandnieces; somehow the oldest, Kitty, who is fourteen years old, who been has been taking English for years and who is still struggling with her English (see previous note regarding teaching English in Hong Kong schools) decides to turn the table on me saying that it was time for me to learn Cantonese. So maybe I can help her and she can help me.
No comments:
Post a Comment