boxst

Andy:

And is the man in question steamed or just lightly fried?

Steve.

clarence

XO have since fallen out of favour in HK. The favourite alcoholic drink is red wine.
As for turtles, etc. I've never seen them in Sham Shui Po. If u want to eat 'strange' things, then u're out of luck. Eating dogs & cats are illegal here. Possibly the most exotic stuff u can have here is either snake or shark's fin.

clarence

330uk,

What sort of info are u after??

juan

330,

Congac is the big businessman's drink out there, particularly the Chinese. Make sure its a good un though. They will know
Played drinking games with some 21 year old cognac last time with a friend's boss (He owned a block of Lan Kwai Fong buildings hence could afford to chuck it around. Not a fan myself. The older it gets the worse it tastes to me, and scotch. No culture! Needless to say it was a rough night)

How many Cognac ads do you see on the box over here? none? over there 1 in 5 is for a watch and 1 in 5 for a cognac, 1 in 5 for an airline. Well a couple of years back anyway.


Oh and a really tasty pigeon restaurant. Think it was in New Town Plaza in Sha Tin. Roast pigeon. Sounds cr@p but actually pretty tasty. Also some restaurants do the most amazing garoupa dishes. Whoever gets to eat the head is honoured. Thankfully not me

Some great places to eat if you have friends out there. Awesome hotpot restaurants in Causeway bay, awesome Korean BBQ littered about.

[Edited by juan - 1/14/2004 2:30:08 PM]

Andy Tang

iTrader: (3)

clarence,

I wasn't aware of that, but then I don't deal with Chinese businessmen! I was thinking of the sort of gifts my dad would give or what he would get given!

Thanks
Andy

330uk

Nice one mate. Going to buy him a few bottles of cognac. Its difficult buying them gifts because they can get just about anything there.

The guy is based in Shenzhen, well his business is in the Shenzhen econimic zone. I will be flying from Manchester directly to Hong Kong. I know he will be busy in Shenzhen and I dont want to ask him to come all the way to Hong Kong and basically baby sit me.

I would prefer to get off at the airport in HK spend some time there maybe a few nights and when I get bored Ill go see him in Shenzhen. But my main worry is getting around in HK.
Do you think this is possible without a good grasp of the language ? How hard is it to cross the border from HK to Shenzhen ?

DO you think its best to have a guide because this is not an issue but I prefer to discover places on my own.

clarence

Andy,

Cognac is a very 80's drink, it's the staple drink of nightclubs then. Nowadays, ppl don't go to nightclubs anymore (a few big ones closed down recently).
The fad nowadays is red wine, u can get red wine in any restaurant, even those large Chinese restaurants in government housing estates.
If u talk abt Mainland Chinese, then anything with alcohol goes. Whether it's Whisky, Cognac, wine, or Chinese wine (40 odd % proof).

Andy Tang

iTrader: (3)

Buses are very cheap and taxis are reasonably priced!

Worth getting a guide book or something, as I'm sure there are many sites in Hong Kong I haven't seen. Most roads and buses are marked out in English, so it should be a problem. The train and tube network are well laid out, so none of the issues of say travelling in the UK using trains and underground!

You'll probably want to see:

Hong Kong at night (travel up on the Peak Tram before dusk and watch nightfall at the top)
Stanley
Repluse Bay
Catch the Star Ferry
Lantau Island
Kat Hing Wai (Kam Tin Walled Village) which has been there since about 900AD and is my ancestral home!

Worth looking here

clarence

330uk,

Don't worry abt language etc. in HK, all signpostings are bi-lingual (Traditional Chinese & English). U can find ur way round very easily in HK, all streets have English names & are signposted. A tourist map & a good sense of direction are all that's needed.
Having said that, the standard of English spoken by the average person here is sort of ok (better than Korea/Japan/Taiwan, but not as good as Malaysians/Singaporeans). Most ppl in the main shopping areas (Mongkok, Causeway Bay, Wanchai, TST) speaks English. Whether u need a guide is up to u, but I'm sure u can find ur way round HK very easily. I think u can find more info on HK from HK Tourist Board's website. If u're interested in hiking, there are many hiking trails in HK. The views from above makes a change from the hustle & bustle of the city.
As for Shenzhen, u can either take a train or a cross boarder bus. Trains to Shenzhen from Hunghom (main train station in HK)takes abt 30mins. U get off at the last stop on the HK side (Lowu), & then clear immigration & customs there. The 'other-side' of Lowu belongs to Shenzhen. Basically, Shenzhen is a boarder city. Remember, u'll need to apply for a Chinese visa in order to visit China (I think it can be done via China Travel Services here in HK). I would recommend u asking ur friend in Shenzhen to guide u around there, cos of the extremely high crime rate (57% increase last yr, with kidnapping increased 75%) & general lawlessness there. Not many ppl speaks English in Shenzhen.
If it is not a must to visit Shenzhen, then I would recommend u to pay a visit to Macao instead. Ferries from HK takes 1hr to get to Macao, & u don't need a visa to enter into Macao. That place have a definite Portuguese flavour in terms of architecture. Spend a day or 2 there (1 night's hotel accommodation plus round trip ferry tickets costs 30 quid per person). Macao also have many casinos, as well as the best Portuguese cuisine outside Portugal.

330uk

Cheers guys. Scoobynet is amazing, I get more information on here than I do from some of the Expat forums.

Is the crime really that bad in Shenzhen ? I have to go to Shenzhen though becuase I have to fill a 40' container. Its a business trip more than anything.

Oh I just relised Ive totally hijacked somebody elses thread. Sorry Dude

Simon Lau

yeah and Henrik, you wanna be getting this and getting that...

Henrik, Henrik???

Henrik

iTrader: (5)

Still here, Not kidnapped yet

330uk: don't worry dude, it's all interesting reading

Thanks for all the info on tourist sites and stuff as well, I reckon this will be one cool trip, better than Tokyo

Now, all I need to do is find some cool gadget that doesn't exist in England and then ???? and then become a millionaire Can't wait for my TypeRA

clarence

330uk,

Shenzhen is REALLY BAD, especially at nighttime. That's y I suggested u to ask ur business friend to escort u whilst u're there. Sane ppl will not venture out after 9pm.
There are many cases where criminals bribe the local police there, & there are times where criminals pretend to be policemen. There are also many cases where ppl got kidnapped & are forced to withdraw money from their bank accounts. Rogue taxi drivers also get into the act. There are stories where they take u for a very very long ride, right onto the lap of waiting robbers. Petty theft is also very rampant.
As I said, today's papers in HK reported an overall 57% increase in all types of crimes in Shenzhen, with kidnapping increased by 75%.
It is also better for ur friend in SZ to take u to reputable restaurants there, cos it is totally un-regulated there. There are recent tales of soya sauce made using human hair, & rice noodles made using 20yr old rice stocks. We also do not know whether they are currently covering up cases of SARS. In the current SARS public inquiry in HK, the ex-head of the local health department gave evidence saying that when she enquired about the then mystery disease last year, officials in Guangdong (province where SZ is) told her they cannot disclose anything as it's state secret.
That's why it is best to visit SZ only if u're on essential business.

Simon Lau

henrik, if there was something on the local market worth millions in the UK, do you think i'd be sitting here talking to you however you'll find those things you mentioned of interest to ladies available on ebay aplenty in the night markets. these markets also open during the day (called night because they use to open at only night...would be cheesy to call them night & day markets ) but if you are looking for these items then go in the evening!

300uk, personally i think you'll only be using shenzhen for border crossing and won't stay overnight as it's literally a stones throw away from hong kong. thus you'll be there for business during the day and be back in hong kong come late afternoon/early evening! moreover most factories are located well inside shenzhen city away from the doggy eateries and barbarians . also like clarence says get your visa sorted. apply for a 6 month multi entry if you are going to visit the place more than once otherwise it’s a single entry visa with max 30 day stay!

Henrik

iTrader: (5)

SimonLau: Uhm... good point I suppose I'll drag wife along to the night market Maybe I can get a good price for her

330uk

Henrik: Ive got the perfect thing you can bring back. Why dont you bring back Burberry cap's and handbag's. They sell for loads on Ebay and they cost a few quid in HK. Even if they are fake's some are sooo good nobody can tell. I know Burberry stuff is crap but it sells...

I was actually planning to stay in Shenzhen for a week. Somebody told me earlier that the crime is no worse than you would get in any modern city like London. Its just very high for a Chinease city.
Ive decided:
Im going to have a guide with me all the time when I am out and about in Shenzhen so hopefully it will be OK. My business associate is a pretty street wise guy and has his own car. Im going toa sk him to pick me up from HK and take me across the border. But whilst in HK I shall travel on my own. Also going to book a decent western hotel so I feel a little safer.

clarence

Crime in Shenzhen is much worse than Beijing or Shanghai. There is currently a shortage of manpower in Shenzhen's police force. I would say London is ten times safer than Shenzhen.
Unless u'll be there discussing business for the whole week, there really is no point staying there for 1 full week. Most HK ppl visit Shenzhen on a day-trip basis, they go there during the morning, buy some counterfeit stuff, have lunch, goto have a massage in the afternoon, have dinner, & then take the train back to HK.

clarence

330uk,

If ur business associate has a car that has both HK & Chinese registration, then he can pick u up from HK, or else it's no go. He may also have to queue either way, as road traffic is dominated by cross-border freight, & customs & immigration have to be cleared there.
It would be easier if he picks u up at the Chinese side of Lowu station.

[Edited by clarence - 1/15/2004 11:57:39 AM]

330uk

Clarence I meant I would ask him to come across the border and travel with me on the train/ferry/coach to Shenzhen.

Im now seriously thinking about travelling back to HK everyday. Ive just searched Google for crime+shenzhen and its quite shocking. Only downside to HK is the prices but hey at least Ill be safer.

clarence

No problem. Many ppl do day trips to Shenzhen/Guangzhou as it's cheap & convenient.
AFAIK, the cost of roundtrip train journeys from HK to Lowu is HK$66 (less than 5 quid). So cost is not a big factor in terms of travelling to & from HK. Anyway, the cost of living in HK is lower than UK, so u shouldn't find it expensive.
If u plan to do frequent day trips to SZ, then I would suggest u staying in the hotel that's on top of Mongkok train station. It's a 4 star hotel & right next to it is a large shopping mall. Within short walking distance is the shopping area of Mongkok. In Mongkok, one street has a lot of shops selling car parts & accessories, one street has all the shops selling sports goods, & then there's the Mongkok Computer Centre & the various A/V camera shops. Don't forget to visit 'Ladies Street', it's a day & night market. As always, becareful of ur personal belongings in crowded areas.
Btw, if u want to explore street markets, the other famous markets are in Sham Shui Po (Ap Liu St, market stalls selling electronic stuff) & Yau Ma Tei (Temple Street night market). They're located a few mtr stops either side of Mongkok.

330uk

Cheers mate. Cant quite stress how helpful you've been.

Are you of Chinease origin or do you just visti the place alot ?

clarence

On & off, I've lived in HK for 15 yrs. I am living in HK now.
U may have guessed, I am a Chinese of British origin (or a Brit of Chinese origin???).

SlowBoy

iTrader: (1)

Do they still mix fine reds with lemonade? You may laugh, but your average 'cultured' Chinese (mainland) guy with money over there is likely to take a nice bottle of claret and mix it with lemonade!

SlowBoy

iTrader: (1)

Just remembered, do they still keep the tags attached to the sleeve on their 'designer' suits on the mainland?

clarence

Slowboy,

Yep, they still do that (on both counts). They like to showoff to their friends.
They mix reds with not only lemonade, but with coca-cola as well (or any soft drink).

stevencotton

How long does it take to get from Hong Kong aiport to the city centre?

Cheers,
Steve.

clarence

Steve,

It takes abt 20mins by Airport Express to get to Central from Chek Lap Kok.

SlowBoy

iTrader: (1)

And what a cool airport!

Excellent exchange rate right now, too. Over HK$13.5 to the pound! And BA fly there for £300!!

If I didn't already have a holiday booked I'd go over there.