In Europe: Shopping with the Kids

In Europe is a series of blogs I post while I am on travel to Europe.

Hong Kong is a place known for shopping. And busy people too. So when parents are faced with two facts in Hong Kong life, they ought to mix it together to form a quality time with children by going shopping with their kids. The surprising thing is that they do these things for the purpose of physical fitness.

Two-thirds of Hong Kong parents say the only exercise they do with their children at weekends is to walk them around shopping malls, according to a survey published Monday.

I am now in a rainy day in Amsterdam, the Netherlands where I seldom see obese people. In contrary, Hong Kong begins to see a rising trend of childhood obesity.
Only one of 1,146 primary school children interviewed said their parents did any exercise with them and a third said their parents preferred to spend their weekends resting.

Definition of exercise may be misunderstood as more than half of parents think that mere walking at malls qualifies as such. Sports and family don't seem to be a good mix in Hong Kong. Sports ranked sixth in terms of preferred family activity.

The most popular leisure time activity for children were playing computer games, watching television and surfing the internet, researchers found.

Special lanes here in Holland are devoted to bicycles, an important means of transportation from homes to schools or train stations. Skating rinks are also alive with skaters on winter season. The Dutch are also big fans of footballs who not only stay awake late at night to watch their favorite teams; they also play ball. No wonder this country is a place where obesity has minimal effect.

In Europe: The Cyberdream

In Europe is a series of blogs I post while I am on travel to Europe.

Sun Bin's take on the state of Cyberport is easy to agree on.

Five years after it was launched, nothing much changed. Overhyped promises in the past never gained steam. Now, as opposed to being a known Information Technology center in Hong Kong, Cyberport now appears to head on another direction. Karen, Esther and Junjun now work in the area for PCCW, the leading proponent of the project that cost 3.89 billion dollars to build.

The location is primarily the culprit of such unpopularity to visitors. That should be okay, as Silicon Valley in its heydays of dotcom booms were intended for businesses to thrive more than as tourist attractions. Yet Cyberport, aiming to be a complete package does more than just accommodating technology services; it also provides entertainment and accommodation a la Googleplex in its very scaled down version.

In my opinion, despite of the government's support and media attention, Cyberport failed to achieve what many Hong Kong people have envisioned it to be. A mall was constructed but calling it a mall is slowly becoming an understatement. It also hosts fine cinemas and I have been there twice but see not much people in attendance. A luxury hotel nearby reportedly closed its executive floor and lounge, adjusting to what the market is dictating. Microsoft established its offices there but is almost peerless in terms of popularity. Yahoo chose Causeway Bay probably because its business in Hong Kong requires much client contact and convenience is key.

But business sense aside, Cyberport remains as one location that provides genuine allure with its sunset view. Its distance from the crowded districts of Wan Chai and Central enabled it to provide nice surrounding for people who want a little more peace of mind. Which is why I think it could have been more suitable to be a luxury residential location rather than a technology hub.

In Europe: Filipinos losing numbers to Indonesians

In Europe is a series of blogs I post while I am on travel to Europe.

A recent article by South China Morning Post indicates that the number of caucasians and Filipinos in Hong Kong have declined in recent years. On the other hand the number of Indonesians grew during the same period.

Stats show that in 2006, the number of gweilos stood at 36,384, down from 46,584 in 2001. The possible causes could be:

1. Fewer whites are interested in working in HK after SARS and the pollution issue.
2. Companies are less generous in offering huge perks.
3. As world economy generally improved, westerners chose to work close to home.

The number of Filipinos also declined from 142,256 in 2001 (the year I arrived in Hong Kong) to 112,453 last year even if we remain to be the top minority in 2006 with 1.6% of total population. Indonesians on the other hand gained 50,494 within the same period. Chinese make up 95% of total Hong Kong population.

Though the number of Filipinos in Hong Kong dropped, the percentage of workforce employed as professionals increased from 29% in 1996 to 33% last year. Did they consider the Super Maid scheme in the counting?

Traveling again

Just as a quarter of my colleagues head back to the office after the Chinese New Year holidays I am off to travel and take the remaining days of my 2006 annual leave. I am traveling alone again, but hopefully this will be the last that I am gonna fly on my own.

I will be returning to Vienna (via Doha) but will use the city as starting point to other cities. This vacation is just short but Europe's geographical feature is tempting that I'll try taking Duesseldorf (I am careful with that spelling!) and Cologne in Germany, Rotterdam and Amsterdam in Holland (The Netherlands) and Brussels in Belgium in a little over a week. That's a little similar to my 2004 trip to Singapore, Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok in just five days.

***

I agree, it's not the number of lai see that you receive but it's about the total amount you get. This year's red envelope value I got more than doubled what I got last year. An indicator that more people are generous (the first one I got was from an unexpected giver, a close friend who recently got married)? Or is it because the economy has gotten better? Anyway, thank you for your generosity.

Piglets Over Puppies

In the Year of the Pig, more Hong Kong people have become enamored with keeping piglets as pets instead of the more traditional puppies. So the tables have turned: it's Babe over 101 Dalmatians, Beethoven and Lassie.

And it's not just for entertainment, it's also for luck; the first day of Chinese New Year saw Hong Kong Airport catered to 872 flights, the highest ever recorded -- and attributed to travel-happy Hong Kong people as well as tourists from China and elsewhere. Taipei, Guilin and Bangkok were the top destinations. Ngong Ping 360, infamously known for its cable breakdowns, even had a surge in ridership with 13,000 recorded last Tuesday.

Back to the piglet discussion, it is unimaginable to me to see people getting amused with newly-adopted pets after six months to a year. If piglets they're craving for -- prices can reach to HK$2,000 -- are the typical ones, they'd easily become ready for roasting or a mouthful of pork chop. These piglets aren't just from Hong Kong, they are imported from as far as Taiwan and Japan. While the ones mentioned aren't those typical farm pigs, it is difficult to distinguish the two. In Hong Kong, it is illegal to keep pigs without obtaining license from the government, according to a spokeswoman Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

Who knows it's not just cruelty but outright cannibalism.

Warmest Lunar New Year

I always thought that every Lunar New Year is celebrated amid thick winter clothing apart from the usual family gatherings. This year -- my fifth Chinese New Year in Hong Kong -- is different. It is unusually warm and there was no feeling of excitement over wearing thicker jackets on Cold Weather Warning notices from the Hong Kong Observatory; there were no such notices during the holidays. In fact, the 25.3C temperature recorded last Sunday broke the previous record of 24.6C set in 1982.

The Standard reports that Hong Kong is among the top violators of Kyoto Protocol, which sets standards in allowable greenhouse gases.

Under the protocol, which came into effect on February 16, 2005, signatory industrialized countries will reduce their collective emissions of greenhouse gases by 5.2 percent compared with the year 1990.

As a signatory of the Protocol, Hong Kong is bound to abide by its regulations. To date, the territory has failed to implement such conditions, Hong Kong Environmental Protection Association said through its spokesperson, Fan Hai-tai.

There have been efforts in curbing different types of pollution that's plaguing the territory: no smoking policy which took effect on New Years Day this year; the efforts to minimize plastic bags waste is currently enforced.

But these efforts may not be enough. Traditionally, incense burning is part of Hong Kong heritage. Power plants use hydrocarbon fuels to generate electricity. Cities across the border have great appetites for energy in whatever form, including heavy pollutants.

Last October's Stern Research showed that an increase of 5C in global temperatures could submerge Hong Kong, along with New York, London and Shanghai.

I wonder if people are well aware of the effects of global warming as the American people hardly consider the problem as a priority. Their current president doesn't mind it that much either; he has his mind all over the war in Iraq.

Educating Hong Kong people may be difficult as the government's effort in spreading the message is not enough.

Hong Kong's current available land space is already not enough. We can't afford to wait for global warming to further shrink the available land for everyone.

Valentines Day and Six Years in Hong Kong

A day after Valentines Day marred by the scary KCR fire and me sidelined for plantar fasciitis, comes a milestone: my sixth year in Hong Kong. Again it has been a wonderful ride so far, despite some rough sailing earlier on.

***

If you are fond of walking through the foot spa placed by the government on public parks, be careful. Better yet, skip that health exercise, according to Dr Thomas Ho, the attending physician I talked to when I recalled my ordeal the day after I made a round walking through the foot massage facility in Mid-Levels, along with Sasa and Dei. "You fell into that trap. That's baloney. The government must stop installing them."

***

Valentines Day was a busy business day for flower shops, chocolate shops and teddy bear shops. While all are great gifts, the real gift comes from the heart. It's not bad to buy flowers or order chocolates for delivery but I wish guys who do away with these gifts devote more time to their partners and never break their hearts. Shame on me not to send any flower or chocolate.

***

Chinese New Year is around the corner. Must be very exciting even if I am not Chinese. Meanwhile I am off to Macau tomorrow afternoon.

You know you're from Hong Kong when...

I got this piece of article from Blogthings although I am not sure which is the original source. What I know is that some of the items listed don't seem to apply to me in my English speaking perspective.

I am sure some items refer to ethnic Chinese living in Hong Kong and not a foreigner like me. (In bold: questionable)

You go to Chinese restaurants to yum cha every day.

You go to concerts more that going to church.

Your backpack weighed more than 40 pounds since primary school.

You love to put stickers with Chinese phrases on your car.

Your regular slang includes: pk and dnlm.

You love the number "8" (bak).

You have a pager.

You wear a pair of oval-shaped glasses even though you don't need one.

You call your secondary male teachers AH-SIR.

You call your secondary female teachers MISSE.

You wear designer clothes.

You wished to join RHKPD when you were young.

You had at least one nick name throughout your primary and secondary school.

You are proud of your nationality - BDTC/BNO.

You could drink alcoholic beverages LEGALLY when you are 18.

You like to drive Japanese/European cars but not American.

You know what "Form One Jai" means.

You don't call lottery as "lotto." You call it "Mark Six" instead.

You are so "inch" (tsoon).

You pretend you know Mandarin even though you DON'T.

You only use the word "toilet," you never use the words "bathroom," or "restroom."

You started singing karaoke when you were five.

You drive an Integra.

You are an expert in MJ.

You tip only 10% in Hong Kong.

You prefer Sony or Aiwa.

You have more than 30 cousins.

You know what this means: hem ga chan.

Ancient HKers call police as "Green Clothes."

You don't know much about the "Basic Law."

You can't tell the difference between "Welcome" and "Wellcome."

You have many many credit cards.

You usually have more than two DVD players at home.

You love to wear famous brand clothes: DKNY, Versace, Chanel, Polo, etc.

You love to gossip about HK entertainment.

You like discos.

You watch both "Chinese" or "American" movies more than any other nationalities in the world.

When you say "how are you" in Mandarin, you are actually saying some bad words.

You never "french kiss" in the public.

You speak Cantonese loudly although there are many Americans around.

You only carry the latest cellular phone.

12am is too early for you to sleep.

12pm is too early for you to wake up.

You never study until the day before the quiz.

You like to skate.

You play badminton.

You drink Vitasoy drink.

You wear Seiko and Citizen.

You eat instant noodles too much.

You are majoring in engineering or business management.

You read "tsing tao" instead of "world journal" or "china press."

You like to use Chinese slang.

You don't wear shorts in summers.

You never order appetizers at a restaurant.

You wear long sleeves in summer.

Your Chinese handwriting really sucks.

You nick a lot of McDonalds' napkins.

You ask for extra coffee in McDonalds.

You build a mountain of salad when you eat in Pizza Hut.

Your stationeries are full of your favorite cartoon character.

Your school bag cost well over $1000 dollars and is made of real leather.

You are known by your foreign friends as somebody who knew martial arts since birth.

You also have a collection of robot models, built or yet to be built.

You call Lexus cars "Luss-us" instead or "Lex-us."

If someone buys ANYTHING, you brag about how its cheaper in Hong Kong.

You've bragged about the Hong Kong airport at least once.

You call bus "bah see."

You call cheese "chee see."

You call Mercedes Benz cars "Benz- see." (If I may add SARS was referred to as Saa see)

You see everyone around you with SARS protection mask!

Outdoor. Smoking. Restaurant

Based on the No Smoking Law here in Hong Kong, can anyone define what does outdoor and restaurant mean? It seems easy to get around the law by placing restaurant tables outdoors and let smokers do their stuff.

Thinking about the students

Six years ago I moved out of Davao City, a city I regard as the best in the Philippines (sorry for the bias), because I got tired of my teaching job even if it was a part time job while working as a programmer at the university I graduated.

I went to Cagayan de Oro, Manila and came back to CDO then to Manila again before reaching Hong Kong only to realize I have to go back to part-time teaching. This time I am serving a group of Filipina domestic helpers and no longer college students.

The reason for posting this is that sometimes when I am working in the office I got to imagine also how these fellow kababayans (countrymen) doing heavier work than I am yet receive less. Sometimes I complain of certain things yet fail to acknowledge the blessings in front of me.

Some of them are verbally or sexually abused, paid less and forced to work even when they're sick by their selfish employers who think of them more like robots than humans.

So when they are noisy on Sundays and makulit in my class, I'd have to understand that's mostly the time they get their freedom from a week's worth of work.

Maybe, many of them are happier than many of those who are earning six-figure annual salaries working in the comforts of excellent sea-view offices in Central, Admiralty or Quarry Bay. So one thing that I should keep in mind is to be happy with what I have while strive on what's achievable.

More children means less tax

Last Thursday I got the chance to talk to our Human Resource officer who just returned from her maternity leave last week. She just delivered a first-born baby boy. She admits raising children in Hong Kong is costly and does not plan to have one more baby.

There is no question Hong Kong people are generally well-off but the issue goes beyond the cost of education and other financial constraints associated with raising children. To me, Hong Kong isn't the best place to raise children. In fact, a LOT of countries fare better than Hong Kong in terms of raising a family, notably Singapore. Now wonder that a wave of migration to other countries happened in a not so distant past, coupled with fears on Hong Kong's eventual return to mother China.

Tax incentives will be offered to encourage people to raise families, according to Chief Executive Donald Tsang, whose 2-year term is going to end soon. This move was made amid worries of birth rate which is among the lowest in the world. With an average of 0.9 babies per woman, this figure is down from about three in the 80's. The territory is moving towards the same direction as Japan, with aging population and a looming labor problem.

But how can you have a bigger family if your space is not even comfortable enough for its fewer members?

Controlling the Hong Kong paparazzi

After all the invasion of privacy involving celebrities that ended up showing their private life in public, the government is yet to implement tougher laws that corresponds to the Privacy Ordinance. And the public supports it.

According to a survey commissioned by the Hong Kong University and a local artists group, 80% of respondents agreed that paparazzi trespassing using electronic devices should be considered a criminal offense.

Technology is apparently on the side of these type of people who want to take a glimpse of their favorite stars or were asked to do so by their selfish bosses. Hidden cameras, mobile phones or outright show of insensitivity with flashing SLRs and run away have become real troublemakers especially for offending parties. And a handful wouldn't want to do it if money or a few minutes shot to fame to the perpetrator is involved.

If you look at magazine tabloids in Hong Kong, a few of whom will feature intriguing photos that tell gossip around the lives of Hong Kong stars and wannabes. Any kind of publicity is good publicity so for others who still have long way to go, this shamelessness could be a blessing in disguise.

In 2004, there were 253 photos across Hong Kong publications were classified as illegal and should have never been published. This number increased to 381 in 2005. Such classification is based on suggestions by Law Reform Commission. Celebrity pictures involve walking, frolicking on the beach, doing some make up or other strange posture that could stimulate the minds.

Next Magazine ranked as top offender with Eastweek and Sudden Weekly rounding up the three most cited publications printing such photos, according to the survey.

Among 1,013 respondents, almost half would admit not interested in reading those type of content on suspicion of inaccuracy.

In terms of accountability, 70 percent of 1,000 respondents said the magazines should be held responsible, 39 percent blamed personalities, 27 percent said it was the government and 24 percent said it was the readers themselves.

I think this is one legislation that should be enacted soon. Respecting ones privacy should a responsibility of all.