The Hong Kong Rickshaw: Star Ferry Episode II

Or more accurately:
Die Hard IV: The End of the Rickshaw

The Hong Kong government stopped issuing new licenses for passenger-carrying rickshaws in 1975. To remain operational, these licensed "vehicles" are required to cough up $50 HK ($7 US) annually to keep the licenses current. Today, there are only four working rickshaws for the transportation of passengers in Hong Kong and they have been operating from the Star Ferry terminal in Central. The owners of these last rickshaws say that the relocation of the Star Ferry pier could spell the end of their business, which has fallen dramatically since Nov 12th when the old terminal was closed.
So, since the new terminal is further away, why would business fall off?

That’s because each license stipulates a set route and that route runs from the old terminal to Statue Square. Most of the people riding in the rickshaws are tourists. They were ridden around City Hall, the Legco Building, and Statue Square for about $6-20 US. You can also get your picture taken in the rickshaw for $2 US. But now, of course, there are no more tourists pouring off at the old Star Ferry pier. One rickshaw owner, a Mr. Chan, said that he used to earn $100 HK (about $13 US) a day, but now he is earning only $25 HK daily ($3 US). I didn’t tell you this, but Mr. Chan is 79 years old. He just wants to sell the thing. Going rates for rickshaws are hard to find, but he hope to sell his vehicle for about $130 US.

The owners could apply for amended licenses but until they do, they are not allowed to pick up passengers at the new pier. As to my knowledge, none have applied for a route amendment. Transportation officials have responded that the rickshaws will have to follow certain "requirements" in order to obtain an amended permits. However, and I quote from one official, "It is outside of my department’s scope of influence if the rickshaws are parked on the pavement or used by tourists as a photo opportunity, rather that for carrying passengers, but they cannot cause any nuisance to any passengers or disrupt our operations."

Now here’s the thing. I have never seen anyone take a rickshaw ride. Personally, the thought of taking one is just plain suicidal! In Hong Kong, the auto rules! Even at the old terminal, you were in the midst of buses, taxis, and cars. I imagine that their most prominent use has been as props for tourist pictures. It is very sad when a part of history disappears, but I believe the Day of the Rickshaw in Hong Kong may very well be over. So if you want a rickshaw ride, ask Brad Pitt and Angelina. I read that they found one in Pune, India, just don’t cause a riot like they did... .... Talk later, Mart

The Star Ferry

Everyone’s visit to Hong Kong usually includes a trip on the Star Ferry. When I came with RL to Hong Kong in 2004, the Star Ferry was the easiest way to get from our hotel in Kowloon to Hong Kong Island. We took the ferry several times, it is just the coolest trip. The Star Ferries connect Hong Kong Island with several locations in Hong Kong SAR, but the most famous route is the crossing between the tip of Kowloon peninsula at TST (Tsim Sha Tsui) to Hong Kong’s major business district on Hong Kong Island , known simply as "Central."

It really is a fun trip and a very useful means of getting around. As you cross Victoria Harbor you get to see quite a panoramic view of the city of Hong Kong. At night, it is quite a magnificent sight. Since moving here, I have been told that National Geographic Traveler magazine has rated the Star Ferry as one of the top 50 travel experiences of a lifetime. I am not too surprised. I have also been told that the Star Ferries have appeared in movies, one example given is the movie "The World of Suzy Wong." Anyone see that?

These ferries are double-decker, open-air with one end air-conditioned.......pretty nice in the summer. According to all the articles in the South China Morning Post, these boats carry about 53,000 locals and tourists back and forth every day, "offering an unparalleled view of the Hong Kong skyline" for a mere 2.20 Hong Kong dollars, or less. That’s about 30 cents in US currency. People here rely on this cheap form of transit to get to work, school, and just connect to either side of Victoria Harbor. A taxi ride from TST to Central not only takes longer, it also is much more expenive.

During our visit in 2004, we were able to walk from our hotel to the ferry and disembark in Central right at the hub for connecting to just about anywhere on Hong Kong Island. Walking out of the the port terminal in Central, you were (note the past tense) at a giant bus hub, taxi queue, and you were really close to lots of office buildings and the Metro (MTR) station.

I wanted to write about this because soon the port and pier at Central will be torn down and a four lane highway will replace it. Anyone who visits us will never get quite the same experiences that we have had.

Hong Kong is quite good at land reclamation. The airport into Hong Kong, for example, is built on what used to be water. The same is true for the site where the Central port/pier has now been relocated. The new port/pier terminal opened November 12th. It too has been built on reclaimed land and is much less convenient than the old terminal as it is quite a distance to the original shoreline. It is expected that travel by ferry will decrease by at least 12%. What a shame. You can take the MTR from Kowloon to Central. It is a little more expensive, about $1.00 US, but the subways are just packed most of the time.

Making things even worse, the new pier has an Edwardian design and looks like it could be in Disney Land. It has been criticized as being neither modern nor authentic - more like something taken from a film set. It really does not quite fit in. The pastel green also has also been criticized as out of sync with the white and green color signature of the ferries and the old pier. Hopes are that the new pier, which is more spacious and friendly toward disabled users (that is one very positive point, as the old one was dismal), will become more than a ferry stop. As usual with Hong Kong, there will be plenty of shopping, many restaurants, a rooftop bar/café, and a 5,000 sq foot exhibition area for public hire as well. Anyone want to plan a "destination wedding?" This could be it!

I just can’t wait to check it out. RL and I hope to take a ride on the ferry this weekend to Central... I’ll update you later.... Take care all and smooth sailing--Martha

Autumn Weather In Hong Kong

Hong Kong Weather: October and November

I have had a little experience with weather in Hong Kong, so I thought I would briefly describe what the past 50 days have been like.

Autumn in Hong Kong is pretty sweet. It is certainly warm. Temperatures range in the low to mid 80's, but the humidity can vary, from 70 to 90%, making it feel warmer than it is. I get up every morning at 5 AM and run. Many times there is a very cool breeze then, and Charlie and I truly enjoy those mornings. We still perspire some, but I know it will get much worse in June.

Some of the Hong Kong’ers complain that they are cold on those mornings. One fellow living in our complex had a sweat suit on and a toboggan hat.. .. And you see lots of people with sweaters and coats on. They are mostly gone by noon, but believe me, at best it borders on “pleasant.” Frankly, I am envious. I imagine these folks won’t mind the heat as bad as I will in August!

It has been really dry, a drought actually for Hong Kong. We have had one day of rain during this period, and a day or two with sprinkles. Perfect, as RL said it rained quite a lot while he was here in August. I am sure I will have many rainy days in my future, so I am really enjoying this.

It has been overcast about a half of the time. Everyone blames that on pollution. During my run the other morning, I saw vapor swirling around the street lights. Could it be fog sometimes? Who knows.

The stores all have winter clothes in their windows for sale, including down ski jackets! It is November 16th, and I am walking around in short sleeves, shorts and sandals....and it still is warm. We dined at an Italian restaurant last night, on their patio. I was sweating a little then. I cannot imagine ever needing wool pants and sweaters... but that is what is available to buy right now. RL says we need to buy a space heater for the brief period of time when it gets cold. Best I can tell, this is around the middle to last of December. No worries, I’ll keep you posted!

Chat later-- Mart

Saturday, November 11, 2006

Saturday night was a very special, monumental, incredible experience for me.....I had my first foot massage! I am melting as I write, just remembering .....

We started out the evening at a Malaysian restaurant, Good Luck House in the Lan Kwai Fong area of HK Island. Lan Kwai Fong is a very happening location on the Island, lots of bars and restaurants. Good Luck House kinda gave RL and I a feel of the Caribbean. We ate outside on long picnic tables under lights strung over the area, giving it quite the festive mood. The food was really spicy and quite delicious. We were there with about 12 people, so we ordered a bunch of dishes and just passed them around. The place is ran by"Melvis, the Malaysian Elvis", a very friendly guy with, you guessed it, Elvis hair and side burns. He is quite the character and is well known in this area of HK.

This night was organized by Jonathan and Retta, a young couple from Lexington who have lived here about a year and a half. They are going home in July. This is one of their favorite restaurants. After they dine at the Good Luck House, they like to go for a foot massage at the “Happy Foot", so, off we go....Stupid me did not want to get one. Someone touch my feet---–yuck. But it was just simply great. Whoever the person was who figured out all the pressure points on the foot was a genius!

We were each ensconced in a large, comfy chair that was surrounded with pillows. I wanted to buy that whole set-up as soon as I sat down. The young lady that provided my massage came out with a hot, steaming bowl of tea. While my feet soaked in that, she massaged my arms. Then, she got to the best part.. my foot. For those of you who don't know, the foot has pressure points that they believe are connected to organs all over a person's body. A trained foot masseur/masseuse can tell what's wrong with you just by the various points of tension in your foot. Of course, they then try to correct the problems by trying to mash the knots to death, which is not always the most relaxing experience, but do you ever feel good afterward. Individual teapots of hot tea were provided for everyone, but I was in such ecstasy, I never moved! Several of the guys pointed out the drool on my pillow. Fifty minutes of pure bliss!

At the end, after they finished doing both feet and calves, they did our backs briefly, which I, of course, thought was a fabulous ending. Then we were left to gather ourselves and make our way down to the front desk to pay $20 US. I think you can get the same thing, maybe even longer in China for less than 10$ US....But who cares what it costs, with the walking you do here, a regular foot massage is a must!

I do believe that next time I will go have a little bit more night life fun before getting the deal as I was like a limp noodle afterwards. I think I was half asleep on the train going home. It was wonderful......

Any of you who plan to visit, you can count on a session! Your piggies will love it ......

Talk later---- Martha

Prosper with 888-888-8888, Nov. 8, 2006

The Chinese appear to me to be even more superstitious than I am. My father use to really laugh at me when I worried about such things as broken mirrors, walking under ladders, and my refusal to wear this opal ring he bought me because I was not born in October... well, maybe I am just as bad as they are, come to think about it....but about different things!

One very interesting superstition they have is for the number "four and the number "eight". Chinese is probably one of the very few languages where several different words meaning different things can have identical pronunciation. For example, "zhong" can mean center, enter, royal, end, clock, bell, love, sincerity, or rice dumpling. "Tong" can mean same, copper, child, servant and barrel. I suppose that is why our neighborhood is called "Kowloon Tong" -- it's just more of Kowloon!

Anyway, back to the number 4.. The number 4 (pronounced "shi") can mean generation, world, is, or death. "14" pronounced "shi-si" means "accidents". Many hotels and apartment buildings omit any floor with a four in it and also 13 (they hedge their bets that the Western culture could be right about 13, too). When you drive up to our tower, you pass Towers 5, 6,7,8,9,10,11,12, then the next one is ours, 15. They totally skipped 13 and 14. This is fairly common. When you hear of a high rise in Hong Kong and they say it has 37 floors, it probably only has 32.

The number 8 (pronounced "ba") sounds close to "fa" which means "prosper". It also sounds like "faat" the word for making money. So, it is lucky to have. It is almost an unwritten rule that you will pay extra for the number 8 in your telephone number or car license plate. Most of these are supposed to carry a good omen or blessing for the "prosperity" of the enterprises.

Here are some "prosperous" Hong Kong telephone numbers:

The Peninsula Hotel: 2920-2888
Citibank: 2868-8888
Bank of China: 2828-6888
China Merchant Bank: 3118-8888
DBS Bank: 2290-8888
UBS AG: 2971-8888
United Overseas Bank: 2910-8888

By the way, you can get a great deal on a "444444" car license plate, however you won't be able to sell your car....no one will buy it!

Cheers and many 8's to you, Mart

Chinese Names, November 2, 2006

Chinese Names

We have all met Chinese people with the last name Li (Lee). There is Bruce Lee for one, then Jet Li and a number of other Chinese stars. Oh, and Bruce Lee is incredibly loved here, by the way. Come and visit and you can see his statue on the boardwalk in TST (Tsim Sha Tsui). That's the statue to your left. Getting your picture made my his statue in a Kung Fu pose is a tourist must!

It seems as if every other Chinese person's name was Li. In reality, however, the most common Chinese last name is Chen, often spelled in English as Chan. The second most common last name is Lin, the third Huang (Hwang, Hwong), and only the fourth is Li. In fact, there are over two times as many Chen's as Li's. Here is a list of the most common last names: Chen (Chan), Lin, Huang (Hwang, Hwong), Li (Lee), Zhang (Chang), Wu (U, O, Oh), Wang (Wong), Cai (Tsai), and Liu.

Over 50% of all Chinese people have one of these nine Chinese family names. And just 50 different family names are sufficient to name 90% of the population of China, that is, over a billion people!

All the Chinese I meet here have Western names along with a string of other Chinese names, which made me pretty curious as to what is going on. . If interested, here is what I have discovered is true for Chinese names here in Hong Kong. Bear in mind that this may not be true for other areas of China. My example is a female, and I am pretty sure there are a lot of places in China that do not give much thought to a girl’s name.

Example: Miss Eva Wang An-Dao
Her business card: Eva Wang
How to address her formally: Miss Eva Wang

Wang is our example's surname, so you would call her Miss Wang.

An-Dao is her given name. You never call a person by the two word hyphenated "given" name. This is very personal and is used only by family and very, very close friends. You have to be invited to call her An-Dao.. The "given" name usually is very thoughtfully chosen and translates to lofty aspirations and hopes that contribute to the child’s destiny.. They do not name children after ancestors. In this example, Miss Wang’s given name means "peaceful path." Grandparents are usually the people that name children, and I may be wrong here, but I think it is officially done by the grandfather.

Eva is a western name that Miss Wang has chosen for herself. If you know Miss Wang well enough, you can call her Eva. Western names are not official and can be changed on a whim. Eva could suddenly decide that she just loves Nicole Kidman and change her western name to Nicole.

(Note: I asked RL if anyone at Lexmark has done this. He said one lady did it, but everyone kept calling her by the name she had been going by, so it was pretty pointless.)

So now in our example (and why I chose a female), Miss Wang gets married. She now retains her maiden surname and adds her husband’s surname. However, she continues to use her maiden name in business as well as her "Miss" title. You don’t mention or bother to dwell on her married status. (Our joint bank statement lists me as "Miss Martha Jane Bandy". It's been a real long time since someone called me Miss!)

Example: Miss Wang marries Mr. Li
Her new name: Miss Eva Li Wang An-Dao
Her business card: Eva Wang
How to address her formally: Miss Eva Wang

Within the family, my understanding is that they do not often use given names either. Instead, family members have nicknames that note their place in the family, i.e., #1 brother, #2 brother, #1 sister, etc. If Miss Wang was the eldest sister, she would be called "Ga Jie" by all the brothers and sisters in the family. Cousins, mother’s parents, father’s parents, etc all have complicated but very precise nicknames depending on their relationship in the family.

One thing more on the choices in Western names ----- most are normal first names that we use---Tim, John, Amy, you get the picture. Others choose names like G-force, Vulva, Amoeba, Icecap, you name it, it’s out there!

So, get creative and re-name yourself! Joi gin!