Sai Kung Magazine February 2013

February 2013

240

Flats for Sha Kok Mei

Village green for Po Toi O

Hiram’s Highway Plans jammed

The really useful magazine FEBRUARY 2013

THE PLANNER

FEATURE

4 Happening in February Welcome the Year of the Snake.

LETTERS 7 Have your say Alfresco dining action and making life better for one Philippines community.

NEWS 8 What’s going on?

Sha Kok Mei to get 240 flats; new golf course coming our way.

14 Road (no) works Gridlock! The latest on the Hiram’s Highway improvement plan.

EATING 17 Tables for two Valentine’s Day dining deals.

Plus restaurants you’d like to see in Sai Kung.

WINE 20 Great Hungarian wines (Yes, really.)

INTERIORS

LOCAL 10 Green community How Po Toi O united to build a playground.

21 Warm feet...

And other reasons to install underfloor heating.

MOTORING

INTERVIEW

22 Supercar club Carspotting with the millionaire petrolheads.

11 Mark Tilden Robot man.

VINES IN SAI KUNG

EDUCATION

12 Shivers!

Stephen Vines gets the chills.

24 Ni hao?

Where to learn Mandarin.

FAMILY 26 Red packet etiquette Lai see do’s and don’ts.

HEALTH & BEAUTY 28 Power arms How to get arms like Michelle Obama’s. (And a body like Sonny Bill Williams’.)

HIKES 30 Up country Pete Spurrier takes the high road to Lead Mine Pass.

TRAVEL 32 Romantic weekends in Macau Pool villas and more.

PETS 34 Licking a problem Controlling compulsive cats.

GARDENING 36 Winter colour Jane Ram brightens up dull days.

MARKETPLACE 38 Your guide to shops and services Cool stuff to buy and do.

ON PATROL 35 Neighbourhood watchers required Looking for eyes and ears in the community.

BIRD AT MY WINDOW 43 The cinereous tit David Diskin on Hong Kong birds.

CLASSIFIEDS 44 Loads of random useful local stuff.

ULTIMATE GUIDE 46 All you need to know Numbers that make life easier.

PEOPLE 48 Oh snap!

The social side of Sai Kung.

LAST ORDERS 50 Too many cooks Iain Lafferty enters the kitchen.

“The sun is up, the sky is blue, it’s beautiful, and so are you” – THE BEATLES

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planner

happening in feburary

Feb 11

Lunar New Year Fireworks Start the Year of the Snake with a bang, with the annual harbour fireworks display. Starts 8pm.

Jan 30-Feb 16 Bamboo Theatre

Feb 7 SAI KUNG SAMPLER

A capella and jazz artists share the stage with Hong Kong’s best Chinese opera troupes.

Western Kowloon Cultural District, Canton Road entrance, www. bambootheatre.wkcda.hk.

Closed Feb 10-11.

Feb 8 Lito & Friends

The monthly pop-up market night at Steamers.

From 6pm, 66 Yi Chun Street, Sai Kung, 2792 6991.

Local band Lito & Friends rock at Steamers.

Look out for grooving golfers – it’s also the bar’s monthly golf society day. 66 Yi Chun Street, Sai Kung, 2792 6991.

Feb 1-9 Kidsfest

Children’s favourites Mr Benn and The Gruffalo live on stage. Tickets from www.hkticketing. com, 3128 8288.

Feb 4-9 Lunar New Year Flower Market Jan 31-Feb 3 Michael Morpurgo’s Kensuke’s Kingdom Join Faust International Youth Theatre for a fantastical ocean voyage to an island of orang-utans. HK Jockey Club Amphitheatre, HKAPA, Wan Chai. Tickets $220-$270 from www.hkticketing.com, 3128 8288.

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Sai Kung basketball court joins parks and playgrounds across Hong Kong blooming with festive orange trees and other flowers.

For the biggest display, head to Victoria Park, Causeway Bay, from noon daily.

Feb 6, 20 Quiz Nights Sharpen your wits for the twice-monthly quiz at Hebe One O One. 8.30pm, 112 Pak Sha Wan, 2335 5515.

Feb 9 Boulder Trackway Walk Friends of Sai Kung’s Guy Shirra leads a hike on historic boulder paths from Ma On Shan to Sai Kung. Meet 1pm, Wong Nai Tau bus terminus, Siu Lek Yuen. For details, email guyshirra@gmail.com.

Feb 10 Lunar New Year Night Parade Tsim Sha Tsui turns into a big street party with brightly coloured floats and performers.

Festivities start at 6pm on the harbourfront.

planner Feb 10-23 Well-Wishing Festival

Feb 18-24 Hong Kong Salsa Festival

Get cultural at the famous wishing tree and giant windmill. 8 Heung Kung Sho Road, Lam Tsuen, Tai Po, www.hkwellwishingfestival.com.

Sashay down to the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre for a week of salsa dance workshops, competitions, performances and parties, www.hksalsafestival.com.

Book now

Feb 12 Chinese New Year Race Day Feb 21-Mar 22 Hong Kong Arts Festival Horse racing plus lion dancing, cultural The city’s premier performing-arts event attracts world-class opera, theatre, music and dance. For details, visit www.hk.artsfestival.org.

performances and a bazaar. Sha Tin Racecourse. Gates open at 11am.

Mar 5 Adam Lambert Live

The American Idol runner-up returns to Hong Kong with his second album, Trespassing. Star Hall, KITEC, Kowloon Bay. Tickets $590-$790 from www. hkticketing.com, 3128 8288.

Mar 22 Russell Peters Live

Until Feb 14 Hello It's Me, Goodbye: Andy Warhol's Cinema

The Canadian comedian will have them rolling in the aisles at the AsiaWorld-Expo, Lantau. Tickets $488-$1,088 from www.hkticketing.com, 3128 8288.

Feb 28 Hong Kong Masters

For the first time in Southeast Asia, the Osage Gallery in Kwun Tong is screening a selection of Andy Warhol's films to commemorate the 25th anniversary of his death. For details, visit www.osagegallery.com.

Elite show jumping featuring the world’s top 25 riders and a programme of horse clinics, photo shoots and meet-and-greet opportunities.

AsiaWorld-Expo, Lantau. Tickets $150-$450 from www.cityline.com, 2111 5333.

Feb 14 Valentine’s Day

Feb 24 Hong Kong Marathon

Cupid strikes again.

Feb 22-24 Asia Hotel Art Fair

Apr 19-28 Dirty Dancing

Cheer on the thousands of able-bodied and wheelchair racers from Nathan Road, Tsim Sha Tsui (near The Mira) to Victoria Park, Causeway Bay. From 6am. For details, visit www.hkmarathon.com.

Exhibition of more than 3,000 artworks at the Mandarin Oriental, Connaught Road Central.

For details, visit hotelartfair.kr.

Baby and Johnny burn up the stage in a live production of the 80s movie classic.

Hong Kong Cultural Centre, Tsim Sha Tsui.

Tickets $395-$995 from www.cityline.com.

If you have an event in Sai Kung, please email the details to editor@saikung.com

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What’s yours?

Sai Kung Campus opens August 2013. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis for PK1 – Grade 12. For more details or to book into one of our upcoming Information Sessions, please call 2655-1112. www.hkacademy.edu.hk

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letters

have your say

Thank you Sai Kung!

We are writing to thank all of you in Sai Kung Magazine for the exposure of D'Oli charity (Local, December 2012 issue).

It generated a lot of donations of used clothing, toys and used shoes etc, and a Filipino organization helped us to pack it up to send to the flood victims of Compostela Valley, Philippines.

Dolly and Olivier D’Oli, Sai Kung Councillors get cracking

By Jove, we should be impressed with our newly “elected” councillors. They have certainly cracked the whip and got down to solving urgent local problems.

As Sai Kung residents, we cannot fail to notice the many improvements made in the town since the elections: new recycling bins, colour coded; new notices on guardrails warning cyclists of the penalties for illegal chaining; and updated portraits of councillors on the same rails.

Less important issues have had to be put on the back burner because a of a busy schedule of party-political events. Rubbish-strewn beaches, triple parking, weekend congestion and pollution, high food costs and rentals and the takeover of local businesses by international chains are small potatoes compared to scrapping for influence in LegCo. John Brennan

Alfresco dining action Regarding an article in the January issue of Sai Kung Magazine on alfresco dining in Sai Kung, it mistakenly describes our crackdown on outdoor tables in Sai Kung as a “New threat to alfresco dining”. This is not the case.

The restaurants along the waterfront have taken over the whole promenade, while the restaurants at the side of Man Yee Park have taken over the park and the pavilion, leaving no room for pedestrians and resulting in many complaints from visitors and the community. We have to take action to ask the restaurants to move back to stay within the alfresco dining boundary.

We would like to see alfresco dining continue in the community, but the restaurant operators need to obey laws and abide by their permits.

Maureen Siu JP Sai Kung District Officer

Please email your letters to editor@saikung.com. We may edit for length.

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news Samplers pop up

240 new flats for Sha Kok Mei

Sai Kung’s population is likely to grow by at least 1,000 people now the go-ahead has been given to build 240 new flats in Sha Kok Mei, close to Sai Kung town.

The flats are to be built on a 166,000 sq ft site, currently used mainly by feral cows, which was sold to Sino Land for $1.46 billion ($5,840 per sq ft) last month in a government auction.

Under the terms of the government tender, the maximum height limit has been set at eight storeys and a minimum of 240 flats are to be built with a gross floor area of almost 249,133 sq ft.

No cows allowed.

The move ends years of speculation over what would be built on the site, officially known as Lot 1949, DD 221. It was sold at the same time as a site in Sha Tin, which fetched $1.47 billion. The Sai Kung site attracted 14 bids.

"The sites are in the traditional luxury residential areas," Alvin Lam Tze-pun of Midland Surveyors told the South China Morning Post. "The tender results reflect developers' confidence in the luxury market." No indication was given on when construction would begin.

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Sai Kung Sampler, the monthly pop-up market at Steamers, has proved so successful that organisers are starting two more in Stanley and Hong Lok Yuen. The format will be similar, with the focus on small local businesses. The first Stanley Sampler will be held on March 5 at Saffron Bakery in Stanley Plaza, 4pm-8pm.

And the first Hong Lok Yuen Sampler will be held outside the General Arms on March 13.

Pop along.

New private golf course coming Noticed the cranes hovering over the large construction site near Tai Chung Hau Road (the KK Horticulture turning)? They mark the site of a spacious new golf course that stretches behind the village. It’s being developed by Hip Seng Construction, which remains hesitant to release any significant information regarding the details of the course. Its website, www.hipseng.com, ambiguously says only: “coming soon”.

in the know

Playball opens

Lego land Children who like Lego will love Bricks 4 Kidz, a new activities centre that opens in Sai Kung next month. It uses the famous little bricks in hands-on classes for children from two to teens. Sessions start with a teacher-led discussion, followed by a chance for students to explore and collaborate on a design that resolves a set task.

“I think Lego is just the greatest thing,” says franchise owner Frank Kauer. “It's still a challenge for older age groups, particularly when you get into robotics and need to coordinate the programming on the computer with the design of your engineering,” Kauer says. “We're also looking into ‘Mommy & Me’ playgroup sessions.”

The weekly, hour-long classes will follow the school calendar – with holiday camps and weekend sessions – with new students welcome any time. 65 Man Nin Street, Sai Kung, www.bricks4kidz.com. 6184 6229.

International children’s sports education activities company Playball will begin offering classes at the Ho Chung soccer pitch in April.

“We find younger children get bored of just doing one sport for an hour,” said director and head coach Cornel Marais. “So we teach them a series of fundamental skills that, when they put them together over time, allow them to become all-round athletes.”

Children learn ball skills, teamwork, balance and mid-line crossing, all essential for sports such as football, hockey and tennis.

Marais tries to turn every activity into a game. One day it’s dodging pirates, another it’s hitting tennis balls at aliens, he says.

Playball, which currently runs classes at Renaissance College, will be starting programmes for children aged four to five and six to seven at Ho Chung in April, and Marais is hoping to offer classes at Clearwater Bay School. For details, visit www.playballhk.com.

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local

toast of the town

Senior Consultant Editor Jane Steer jane@saikung.com Managing Editor William Whitaker william@fastmedia.com.hk Art Director Sammy Ko sammy@fastmedia.com.hk Graphic Designer Carly Tonna carly@fastmedia.com.hk Sales Manager Nobel Cho nobel@fastmedia.com.hk Sales Executive Jackie Wilson jackie@fastmedia.com.hk Traffic Coordinator Cecile Chui cecile@fastmedia.com.hk Accounts Manager Clara Chan accounts@fastmedia.com.hk Publisher Tom Hilditch tom@fastmedia.com.hk This month’s contributors Kawai Wong Carolynne Dear Cynthia Smillie David Diskin Hannah Grogan Iain Lafferty Jane Ram Joshua Kindler Kevin Yeung Louis Doctrove Pete Spurrier Robby Nimmo Stephen Vines Tim Sharpe Printer Gear Printing Room 3B, 49 Wong Chuk Hang Road, (Derrick Industrial Building), Wong Chuk Hang Published by Fast Media Limited LG1, 222 Queens Road Central Hong Kong Give us a call!

Editorial: 2776 2773 Advertising: 2776 2772 Sai Kung Magazine is published by Fast Media Ltd. This magazine is published on the understanding that the publishers, advertisers, contributors and their employees are not responsible for the results of any actions, errors and omissions taken on the basis of information contained in this publication. The publisher, advertisers, contributors and their employees expressly disclaim all and any liability to any person, whether a reader of this publication or not, in respect of any action or omission by this publication. Fast Media Ltd cannot be held responsible for any errors or inaccuracies provided by advertisers or contributors. The views herein are not necessarily shared by the staff or publishers. No part of this magazine may be reproduced in any way, part or format without written permission from the publisher.

www.fastmedia.com.hk

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It takes a village As Po Toi O celebrates its new village green, resident Alison Maddren explains how it united the community.

Clearwater Bay village Po Toi O had a big party last month to celebrate the opening of its new village green. Officially known as the “Po Toi O Beautification Works”, about 70 people, including village heads Leung Lin-sang and Cheung Kam-chuen and Sai Kung District Officer Maureen Siu JP, gathered to toast a project that has united the community.

A collaboration between expat residents, generationsold indigenous families and the government, the piece of land on a rise near Seacrest Villas and Fairway Vista was little more than a rubbish dump six years ago when enterprising residents saw its potential.

We removed the random concrete blocks, cleared the weeds, laid turf, closed the area to car parking and created a pretty playground. Open to residents, villagers and tourists alike, it quickly became popular with local children – and offered a rare chance for Hong Kongers to feel the grass between their toes.

Then three years ago, the Sai Kung District Office announced

it had a budget to spend on improvements to Po Toi O – a charming fishing community at the end of Clear Water Bay Road that is famous for its seafood restaurants. Crammed around the water’s edge, it’s a higgledypiggledy village in spectacularly beautiful surroundings, with narrow pedestrianised streets thronging with dried seafood stalls and tourists at weekends. What it needed was recreation space.

Eyes turned to the playground on the hill. Various proposals were put forward, including one plan to turn the area into a concrete football pitch. But what could have become a subject of contention instead brought the community together.

Po Toi O has always been a friendly sort of place. Residents of Seacrest Villas and Fairway Vista

have an amicable relationship with the indigenous villagers who had been here for many years before the residential area was built. We are always invited as honoured guests to festivals and it is not unusual for us to be seen raising a glass with our village friends.

So when it came to the “beautification works”, village heads Mr Leung and Mr Cheung, residents Derek Smyth, Corinne Varty and myself and officials from various government departments put our heads together to devise a plan that would meet everybody’s needs.

Many compromises were made along the way but the relationship between the indigenous villagers and the residents has grown from strength to strength. And now we have a facility we can all be proud of and which is in keeping with the natural beauty of the area. The revamped village green is a public garden that features a pagoda, a sheltered entrance and a sitting-out area, as well as a renovated road and car park.

More importantly, it has cemented relationships within our community.

interview

the machine age

Mark Tilden

in plasticine in 20 minutes. It’s an incredible process. In North America such concept design work could take six weeks and involve up to 30 people – 2-D industrial designers, 3-D modellers, then prototype engineering, 3-D rendering, and on and on.

The Canadian physicist and former NASA scientist talks robots with Robby Nimmo.

Alan’s a Sai Kung boy who can sculpt models of your eyes before your eyes in plasticine, almost while you wait. And he’s as original as it gets. Before my drink gets warm, Alan can take my idea and create something incredible.

Working this way is the difference between taking a cruise and sailing yourself. We’ve bred so many computer engineers who are good at pressing buttons; we’ve lost sight of people who are good with their hands. These skills have not yet been lost in Hong Kong and China, and though less precise, I find them a lot more organic and fun.

Sai Kung’s where you live when you’ve ‘made it’.

Sai Kung town is a waypoint for interesting people. On any summer Sunday morning, I like to watch the weekend warriors line up at the pier – the guys who come out in full military kit from Mong Kok. They’ve taken video games to the next level and it’s probably much better for their cardio.

One of my robots crashed on Mars. I used to work as a NASA scientist designing robots, I was also a university professor, now I’m mainly a technology consultant for toy and product design, taking old NASA prototypes and putting them in plastic. I invented a new form of robotics (BEAM robotics) that can replicate many biological tasks. In 2004, I introduced the Robosapien toy and around eight million have been sold worldwide. Many others have followed.

fairly menacing, but for me it’s about giving kids fun while having some myself. They’re still selling my robot science kits at Solarbotics.com, and my advanced products can be seen at Wowwee. com. There’s also my science work, but you can just Google my name for details on that.

At NASA, I used to build one robot for a million dollars, now I get a dollar to build a million robots.

I’m a Kowloon cowboy, but I spend a lot of time near Sai Kung fire station. Across Hong Kin Road, there’s some storage sheds and workshops that is the base of two people I work with. One is Alan Wong, who is an amazing modeller. He and his guys can render my ideas

“An elf enforcer for the Santa Claus Militia” is what I’ve been called. At 6ft 4in and 270lb, I look

I’m working on a robot prototype that can make your mother a cup of tea the way she likes it. Not as easy as it sounds.

Sai Kung is like a chakra point of politeness, peace and prosperity. There’s the wharf fishermen, the tourists, and the weekend warriors that happily jostle and co-exist with little friction.

I also get the feeling Sai Kung’s where you live when you’ve “made it”. There’s a fair chance I’ll retire to Sai Kung.

Hong Kong is a “popcorn” society where businesses live and die before you can even remember where they were. Look for your favourite baker or bar and – pop! Where will I get my favourite sticky buns now?

Despite Sai Kung’s constant change, you can turn a corner and find yourself in an alley that seems strictly out of 1875 (but clean). It’s exactly this kind of uniqueness that charms me.

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vines in sai kung

stephen says...

Jordan Valley Park near Choi Hung.

Cold shoulders Stephen Vines gets the chills.

A cold shiver I know, really I do, but even those of us who originate from places much, much colder than Hong Kong still have complaining rights over the winter chills that sweep through at this time of year.

Not only that but there are also the dread words that seem to accompany every weather forecast, namely: “... and it will be a couple of degrees cooler in the New Territories”. They are rarely wrong. It is always cooler out here in the sticks, which is fine if you go out for a hike in the bracing chill but back home it is a real pain.

Most buildings in Hong Kong are designed neither for the cold nor for the hot weather.

Walls are too thin; rooftops are built with an eye to economy. The net result is we spend a fortune on heating and cooling.

I have decided to do something about this by putting another layer of insulation on the roof of my house and covering it with planters for growing vegetables and herbs. The problem is these planters need to be surrounded by a frame covered with netting to keep off the birds.

Now I am waiting for some bureaucrat with a clipboard to turn up and declare this to be an illegal structure. Anyone who claims to know their way through the mindboggling array of regulations that governs these structures is either a fraud or a genius.

The bottom line is that the system is far too complex and patently doesn’t work. An application of good sense and reform of the system is urgently required. Instead all we get are threats of prosecution, vague talk of

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amnesties and an overwhelming sense that although the system is broke no one really wants to fix it.

The war on pleasure continues Talking of men with clipboards brings me to the report in the last issue of this magazine headed, “New threat to alfresco dining”. Yup, here we go again. The wonderful folk at the Sai Kung District Council are threatening a crackdown on one of the things that gives this place its character and so much pleasure to so many people.

The bottom line is that the system is far too complex and patently doesn’t work.

Naturally they are starting at the place where it will cause maximum grief to the largest number of people, Sai Kung town waterfront.

The kicker in the notice sent to restaurant owners warning them over infringements, and reported in Sai Kung Magazine, is “we very much looking forward to joining hands with you to maintain the environmental hygiene and beauty of Sai Kung town”.

Irony is a stranger in the world of government departments and so it is highly unlikely anyone in the district office has the slightest idea how daft is their latest communication. However, the intention was not to entertain but to threaten.

I have never met anyone inconvenienced by outdoor restaurant and bar seating nor anyone who thinks it is a blight on the landscape.

Of course there needs to be some regulation of the use of public space but please let it be intelligent and not require the kind of unnecessarily complex and burdensome application procedures currently in force.

The sensible way of approaching this is to have a presumption of the desirability of alfresco dining and work backwards from that point. Over in government land the presumption is always “how do we stop this happening”. What a pity.

A little gem hidden in plain sight It is worth giving credit to a government department where credit is due: step forward the Leisure and Cultural Services Department which was responsible for the creation of the Jordan Valley Park near Choi Hung on New Clear Water Bay Road. This former landfill has been turned into a little gem of park with a fabulous view over Kowloon. I have sped past it many times before bothering to stop and see what’s on offer.

The government people are very proud of its “international standard” model-car racing circuit.

But the real deal is the rest of the park.

Stephen Vines is a journalist, broadcaster and entrepreneur.

He is the former editor of the Eastern Express and Southeast Asia correspondent for The Observer.

feature

Highway hell With Sai Kung in gridlock, William Whitaker and Josh Kindler find out the latest on the Hiram’s Highway expansion.

No news is good news, they say. Except, perhaps, when it comes to Hiram’s Highway.

With weekend and rush-hour gridlock seemingly becoming worse with every passing season, growing numbers of Sai Kung residents are asking what has happened to the plans to expand Hiram’s Highway to a dual carriageway, due to begin in May 2012. The answer seems to be: nothing.

“I was initially against the dual-carriageway plans – but not any more,” says one resident, who has lived in Sai Kung for 13 years. “The traffic over the past couple of years has got so bad, I avoid Sai Kung on weekends. And it’s only

December 11, 1941: Japanese forces break through Gin Drinkers Line, a British line of defence from Tsuen Wan to Sai Kung. The Japanese begin constructing roads and tracks in the area, often over old Chinese paths.

going to get worse. With plans going ahead for a big hotel and international school in Sai Kung, and now 240 new flats in Sha Kok Mei, it seems inevitable that Hiram’s Highway needs to be widened. I just wish they’d get on with it.”

Sai Kung Magazine first reported on the controversial planned expansion of Hiram’s Highway in May 2010. The work was to be in two phases. Stage 1 was to begin in May 2012, and included the construction of a dual carriageway at the top of Hiram’s Highway, near the junction with Clearwater Bay Road, and from the Ho Chung roundabout to Pak Wai, beyond Marina Cove.

Plans for Stage 2, from Pak Wai to Sha Ha, near Continued on page 16

1960-61: Shaw Studios opens in Clearwater Bay. Bruce Lee is spotted on Hiram’s Highway.

August 8, 1945: The end of WWII and the Japanese occupation of Hong Kong. British Major John “Hiram” Wynne-Potts oversees reconstruction of the Japanese track by prisoners of war. His nickname, “Hiram”, gives the road its name.

May 4, 1975: The first of 147,000 Vietnamese boat people arrive in Hong Kong.

Many will be transported to the High Island Refugee Camp in Sai Kung Country Park.

1974-80: The II (Illegal Immigrant) era. Under the Touch Base Policy, mainland Chinese who reached Hong Kong’s urban areas and registered for an ID card could stay; those caught in the “closed area” were turned back. Thousands sneak through Sai Kung.

1970s: One 1950s: 100,000 people a month arrive in Hong Kong from China.

almost continuous weekend traffic jam – until Sai Sha Road opens, linking Sai Kung and Sha Tin and providing a second route out of the area.

1956: Anti-communist riots in Hong Kong; 59 die.

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feature February 23, 2008:

May, 2012: The scheduled start date for Stage 1 passes.

Reprieve for Spidey.

Initial plans are released for Stage 2 improvements, from Marina Cove to Sai Kung town.

September 8, 2008: The last published document regarding Stage 2 is released.

1978-1982: Marina Cove is built on 8 sq km of reclaimed land – the construction traffic is a nightmare.

July 1, 1997: The Hong Kong handover. PLA tanks do not roll up Hiram’s Highway.

January 8, 2013:

December 2002:

The Highways Department presents a report on Stages 1 & 2 to the Sai Kung District Council (www. districtcouncils.gov.hk/sk/ doc/en/dc_meetings_doc/ SK_2013_020_EN.pdf).

New Hiram’s Highway opens.

February 11, 2011:

November 2002 -June 2003: SARS hits Hong Kong, suspected victims are ferried to quarantine camps in Sai Kung.

January 2002: The new bridge at Ho Chung is found to have hairline cracks and its opening is delayed. SCMP columnist Kevin Sinclair is annoyed.

March, 1999: Construction begins on New Hiram’s Highway, a $139 million dual carriageway that bypasses a steep, twisty section between Nam Wai and Ho Chung.

Amendments are made to Stage 1 plans.

March, 2010: Hiram's Highway Improvement Stage 1 plans are published, detailing construction of a dual carriageway between Clearwater Bay Road and Pak Wai. Property owners object. The plans mean the Spiderman building and Kam Hei Café at Ho Chung must be demolished.

May 4, 2008: Plans are announced to improve safety on Hiram’s Highway, leading to the installation of crash barriers, a bus lane on Ho Chung Roundabout and speed cameras.

May 1, 2008: A bus carrying

July 6, 1998: 1.28am – Kai Tak Airport closes. Sai Kung-based pilots find new routes to work.

61 worshippers on their way to the Shumei Church of Divine Guidance in Chuk Yeung Road crashes at Ho Chung roundabout. Eighteen people are killed and 44 injured.

June, 2012: The Transport Department begins design consultations.

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feature Continued from page 14

Sai Kung town, were still to be finalised.

“The proposed $400 million expansion of Hiram’s Highway has taken another step towards reality,” we wrote at the time.

This, of course, has not happened. On January 8, the Highways Department presented its latest updates on the highway expansion to the Sai Kung District Council. Its report states that, rather than beginning construction, in June 2012 it continued consultant design investigations on the project, namely: “detailed site investigations for slope works and bridge foundations, tree transplanting… [and] noise barriers”.

These investigations continue, according to the report, and the Highways Department “will carry out further consultation based on the detailed design at a later stage”. When that will be, however, the report does not say and there is no new start date for the project.

Stage 2 also remains effectively stalled.

The Transport Department’s senior engineer assigned to the project, F.S. Wong, says: “We are currently looking into various options, like the scope of the improvements, the number of lanes and potential land requirements.”

Among the proposals is a plan for a 3.6km dual carriageway between Marina Cove and Sai Kung town. A second option is to create a 3.4km

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two-lane tunnel between Pak Wai and Sha Ha. Once the Highways Department has decided on its preferred option, a process of creating more detailed designs will begin, followed by various consultation procedures.

This is frustrating to Sai Kung motorists, who frequently find themselves gridlocked. One Friday morning in January, a commuter phoned this magazine to express his frustration at a traffic jam that extended in both directions from Ho Chung Road, where the flow was down to one lane. The gridlock that morning affected an estimated 1,500 vehicles and lasted more than two hours.

“The traffic was so bad I turned my engine off no less than 27 times,” he fumed. “It took me more than an hour to go four kilometres.”

Given that the average person moves at 5km/h, he would have been better off walking.

What’s in a name?

The road gets its name from Major John “Hiram” Wynne-Potts, an engineer with the British Royal Marines, who was in charge of rebuilding a path built by the Japanese during World War II. Major Wynne-Potts was nicknamed Hiram, allegedly because of his name and fondness for a brand of tinned sausages – Hiram K. Potts – airdropped by US cargo planes during the war.

The name stuck.

eating

Food of love

dining à deux

Clockwise from top left: Hutong's Wishing Tree, Cielo rooftop bar, Sha Tin 18, Patisserie cupcakes, romantic Hebe One O One, the Hyatt Regancy Sha Tin's Amour package.

Josh Kindler finds tables for two for Valentine’s Day. Cielo Glamorous new rooftop bar and Italian restaurant Cielo is making the most of its spectacular location atop the Crowne Plaza Kowloon East with the “Love is in the Air” candlelit dinner ($488/person). The menu includes an antipasti buffet, pumpkin risotto with cuttlefish, grilled lobster, beef fillet with caramelized shallots and chocolate mimosa cake with strawberry sauce.

Every couple also gets a sweet surprise – a box of Lindt chocolates. 3 Tong Tak Street, Tseung Kwan O, 3983 0688.

Hebe One O One It’s all hearts, flowers and aphrodisiacs at this romantic restaurant. Mood lighting, roses on the tables and fine wine accompany one of the sexiest menus around. Every course is based around the foods of love, including an amusebouche of smoked salmon pate and caviar, fine de claire oysters, rose of gravlax, champagne sorbet, fillet of prime US beef with lobster parcel, rose ice cream, and chocolate-dipped strawberries with gold leaf. With a stunning view of Hebe Haven and attentive service, it promises to be an extravagant and memorable evening ($988/person). 112 Pak Sha Wan, 2335 5515.

Hutong With one of the most glorious views and beautiful interiors in Hong Kong, this contemporary northern Chinese restaurant makes a fitting setting for a romantic night. Hutong will be celebrating both St Valentine’s Day on February 14 and Chinese Valentine’s Day on February 24 with gifts of traditional Chinese flour dolls for ladies and a chance to add your own special romantic wish to its “Wishing Tree”.

On the menu ($988/person) are favourites such as scallops with pomelo, Red Lantern crispy chicken with Sichuan chilli and crispy apple rolls with sesame ice cream. 28/F, One Peking, Tsim Sha Tsui, 3428 8342.

Steamers Snuggle up with your sweetheart at a table a deux in a cosy corner of Steamers and feast on the Valentine’s Day dinner. The set menu ($488) will include smoked salmon and asparagus salad, a choice of beef fillet with bearnaise sauce or grilled cod with red pepper sauce, warm chocolate pudding and glass of sparkling wine each. 66 Yi Chun Street, Sai Kung, 2792 6991.

One of the most glorious views and beautiful interiors in Hong Kong.

Hyatt Regency Sha Tin Spoil your Valentine with an overnight stay at the Hyatt Regency Sha Tin. The hotel’s Amour package includes a night in the luxury hotel, a bottle of red wine, chocolates, breakfast for two at the Cafe, late checkout, and a $600 voucher to spend in one of its food outlets.

We recommend the eight-course Valentine’s menu at its Dongguan and northern Chinese restaurant Sha Tin 18 ($688/person). And treat her to the adorable I U cupcakes ($128 for four) from The Patisserie. The Amour package is $1,720 for two. 18 Chak Cheung Street, Sha Tin, 3723 1234.

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eating

Fantasy food If you could choose a new restaurant for Sai Kung, what would it serve? Marysia Marchant canvasses opinions.

Japanese, Indian, Italian, Chinese, Belgian, Sri Lankan, American... for a small town, Sai Kung can boast a diverse range of eating experiences. And yet we yearn for more. How about a Greek restaurant, with a bouzouki setting the atmosphere for a mezze of olives, spanakopita, tzatziki, taramasalata, moussaka and marinated octopus? Or a place serving afternoon teas with bone china tea services and multi-layered cake stands piled high with savouries, pastries and cakes, perhaps with Elgar playing softly in the background.

Taste buds tantalized, we asked people around town what new restaurants they would like to see on Sai Kung’s dining scene.

Kev is nostalgic for a New York deli, with delicious sandwiches served on rye, wheat and wholegrain bread and stuffed with cold meats and salad. “We loved the deli thing when we were in the USA. It would go down really well here,” he says.

Steve votes for a German bar-restaurant with kartoffel, potato salad, wursts and sauerbrauten. “You can’t get a decent sausage here – you have to go all the way into Tsim Sha

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Tsui,” he complains.

Dom’s choice would be Mexican – with more authentic food than the ubiquitous chilli, nachos and tortilla wraps – served with margaritas and icecold cerveza.

Vegetarians are not well-catered for in Sai Kung and Mitch thinks an excellent salad bar would be a great addition.

“Even better if it offered organic vegetables and lunch options of grated beetroot with a dash of sour cream and vinegar, or a chickpea salad with a crunchy baguette.”

A Greek, Turkish or Lebanese restaurant appealed to Jo: “They have such a variety of delicious cheap and easy meals that are just great for eat in or takeaway.”

The people we asked had one overwhelming preference: A tapas bar.

Liz suggests a speciality pie shop with creamy chicken and mushroom or steak and kidney pies served with mash and peas. And dessert, of course. Cherry pie with custard or ice cream would be glorious.

But the people we asked had one overwhelming preference: a tapas bar serving little plates of tasty tortillas, garlic mushrooms, sardines and patatas bravas with a wine list of blancos, tintos and cava from well-known bodegas – preferably with our wonderful view of the sea.

With tourist numbers growing and Sai Kung’s traffic problems such a disincentive to city dining at weekends, it’s the perfect time for restaurateurs to open exciting new eating ventures. Right, where for lunch?

sponsored recipe

Beef Wellington

By South Stream Seafoods While Valentine’s Day may warm the hearts of lovers, February typically brings Hong Kong’s coldest days. Time for hearty soups, filling stews and delicious roasts from South-StreamSeafoods.com. Beef Wellington makes an impressive dinner presentation for guests, family or that special someone on Valentine’s Day. Adjust the recipe accordingly.

Method 1 Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees

6 Place the beef in a 9 inch x 13 inch baking

2 Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, or until browned.

dish, cut a few slits in the top of the dough, and brush with egg yolk.

Remove from pan, and allow to cool completely. Reserve pan juices.

Ingredients

(Makes 8 servings) 1.5 kg beef tenderloin from south-stream-seafoods.com 6 tbsp butter, softened 1 onion, chopped 1/2 cup sliced fresh mushrooms 3oz liver pâté 3 tbsp butter, softened salt and pepper to taste 1 package frozen puff pastry, thawed 1 egg yolk, beaten 400ml beef broth 3 tbsp red wine

making sure the seams are not too thick.

C). Place beef in a small baking dish, and spread with two tablespoons softened butter.

3 Melt two tablespoons butter in a skillet over

medium heat. Saute onion and mushrooms in butter for five minutes. Remove from heat and let cool.

7 Bake at 450 degrees F (230 degrees C)

for 10 minutes, then reduce heat to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C) and cook for 10-15 minutes, or until pastry is rich, golden brown. Keep warm.

8 Place reserved juices in a small saucepan

4 Mix together pâté and two tablespoons

softened butter, and season with salt and pepper. Spread pâté over beef. Top with onion and mushroom mixture.

5 Roll out the puff pastry dough, and place beef

in the centre. Fold up, and seal all the edges,

over high heat. Stir in beef stock and red wine, and boil for 10-15 minutes, until slightly reduced. Strain, and serve with the beef Wellington.

Note: Beef Wellington should always be pink in the middle. Don’t overcook!

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wine

In vino veritas The truth about Hungarian wines.

Hungarian wines could be one of the best-kept secrets of the old world. During the Soviet era, Hungary produced wine solely for the Eastern Bloc, with a focus on quantity not quality. But since 1990, the Hungarian government has invested heavily in its age-old wine industry. And for the past 20 years, Hungarian wines have been in resurgence.

Csilla Maroti Fisher (pictured), who grew

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up on her family’s vineyards in Hungary, believes the time has come for the country’s wines to stand up and be counted. So she set up Veritas Wines to import its best wines to Hong Kong.

“Hungary lies along the same latitude and has the same climate as central France, but many people do not know that it makes highquality wine,” she says. “You get the greatest, nuanced wines in some of the humblest places in Hungary.”

She imports six wine labels, each representing one of the country’s wine regions. And she ensures its quality by shipping it in climate-controlled containers.

“Hungary, Georgia – we all have wonderful wines and wonderful history, and one thing I love is walking people through it,” she says of Veritas Wine’s fortnightly wine-tasting events.

And the name? “Veritas Wine comes from the Latin saying in vino veritas, ‘in wine there is truth’,” Fisher says. “Because it is so true that Hungarian wines are amazing.”

For more details, visit www.veritas-wine.com.

Fast facts Austro-Hungarian Emperor Franz Josef sent Queen Victoria an annual birthday present of Tokaji Aszú wine, one bottle for every month she had lived. On her 81st birthday in 1900, this totalled 972 bottles.

Northeast Hungary's Tokaj wine region is home to the world's first vineyard classification system, preceding the Bordeaux classification by a century. In the 18th century, Tokaj vineyards were classified into first, second and third class, depending on the soil, sun exposure, and the potential to develop Botrytis cinerea.

Recommended wine Etyeki Kúria Pinot Noir 2010 $238 Veritas Wine’s awardwinning “flagship” label is the country’s finest pinot noir, made from a grape that is relatively new to Hungary. It reflects the Old World-style with more body than its New World cousins, intense forest fruit aromas on the nose, and juicy fruitiness and an elegant velvety texture on the palate.

interiors

toasty

Home comforts Create the perfect indoor climate whatever the weather with Eco Living’s environment-management systems.

“Ours is a lifestyle element; we work to make the home extremely comfortable,” says Ilkka Hyttinen, a pilot and director of Hong Kongbased company Eco Living, which provides European-standard heating and ventilation systems for homes.

Its flagship product is Ensto underfloor heating, an “invisible” system that involves laying 3mm-4mm cables under a concrete or wooden floor.

Once installed, it is maintenancefree and safe for homes with small children and pets. Thermostats prevent the floor becoming too hot and control the air temperature.

Popular in northern Europe, underfloor heating keeps the home toasty in winter, and can be left on in warmer months to help reduce

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humidity, making it an excellent tool in the fight against mould, particularly in damp areas such as bathrooms. It’s also economical to run.

“We're trying to teach people that it doesn't cost that much to buy good products that you can leave on and let do the work for you,” Hyttinen says.

In conjunction with the underfloor heating, Hyttinen recommends homeowners install insulation to improve comfort levels and keep energy costs down.

“A big problem in Hong Kong is that few homes are insulated,” he says. Not only does this lead to heat loss in winter, but it causes our homes to overheat during summer, leading to greater use

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And he recommends investing in a decent ventilation system that helps purify the air of unwanted pollutants and further reduces humidity.

“It brings the pollutants down to an industryapproved level, in particular the carbon dioxide levels. Over summer, it can remove up to 60,000 litres of water from the air and take it away from the house.”

Hyttinen is such a firm believer in Eco Living’s systems that he is currently in the process of installing them in his own home.

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Photo: Daryl Chapman

motoring

Kevin Yeung joins the millionaire petrolheads on a Sunday morning drive.

Hong Kong is home to the world’s highest concentration of sports cars and supercars per capita. The city’s collection of exotics comfortably humbles London’s and even Beverly Hills’. Garaged during the week, these gems are taken out and exercised by their lucky owners at weekends.

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motoring Carspotting Enthusiast Daryl Chapman offers a field guide to Hong Kong’s rarest motors.

There are two favourite destinations for these supercar Sunday drivers: Shek O at the southern tip of Hong Kong island and Luk Keng in the northeast New Territories. Enthusiasts drive to these locations along some of Hong Kong's most scenic roads then gather and mingle over simple breakfasts. Everyone is an enthusiast and happy to share their interest in cars. The atmosphere is always friendly and inviting.

These weekend gatherings of supercars have also become popular with photographers.

One of Hong Kong’s most respected action photographers, Daryl Chapman, is a regular.

He has been capturing stunning photographs of exotic cars over the years.

Kevin Yeung is a Hong Kong resident and entrepreneur.

He is a founder of Feeding Hong Kong and a motoring enthusiast.

1. Pagani Zonda Absolute This Pagani Zonda Absolute is a one-off special edition made especially for Macau Grand Prix racer and avid car collector Eddie Yau. On a humdrum carspotting day, we checked Facebook and saw a photograph of it at Luk Keng had just been uploaded. We jumped in a car and drove to West Kowloon just in time to photograph it heading through the Western Cross Harbour Tunnel.

2. Gumpert Apollo In 2009, a street-legal Gumpert Apollo set a lap record of 7:11:57 at the Nürburgring racetrack in Germany, wiping 11 seconds off the time set by the previous record holder.

1.

You can count on one hand the number of Gumpert Apollos in Hong Kong, even fewer are licensed – most are collected like stamps and kept in a garage somewhere. So spotting this one was a great surprise.

3. Ferrari F40 The F40 has been voted the best supercar of all time (even Top Gear’s Richard Hammond and Jeremy Clarkson agree on this). It is not a limited-edition car – 1,315 were built from 1987 to 1992 – but many are locked up in private collections or museums, making it very rare on the road. So seeing this one at Luk Keng in April 2011 was a golden moment.

2.

3.

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Picture: www.preslanguage.com.

education

Pursuing Putonghua Mandarin – how hard can it be? Josh Kindler finds out.

Hong

IRST

Kong's Flay sessions

ugby p lers ated R dedic -schoo for pre

adopts a 'Play & Learn' ethos, where children are taught key motor & social skills geared towards Rugby principals such as catching, footwork, balance, co-ordination, spatial awareness, teamwork and most importantly fun.

Our structured programme plays on child ren's imagination to create themes for each session, mak ing use of stories, animal play, music and creative equipment, so children learn key Rugby skills through play orientated activities.

Term themes:

Jan-Mar Underwater Explorer theme 8th April-14th April Special Easter camp week April-June Space Crusaders theme

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Enrol your child at a class near you Discovery Bay Happy Valley Kowloon Pokfulam Stanley Repulse Bay Mui Wo Sai Kung Tung Chung Wanchai 24 | WWW.SAIKUNG.COM

For non-Chinese speakers, learning Mandarin can seem a daunting task, with its notoriously tricky tones and upwards of 100,000 characters to memorize. But, people, it’s not brain surgery (or rocket science, for that matter) and more than a billion speakers worldwide prove it can be done. And that you’ll have plenty of chances to use your newfound skill.

Which is not to say that it’s easy. Mandarin is notably different to Indo-European languages, in particular, although many learners may welcome the lack of verb conjugation in Chinese.

“The grammar is different, too,” says teacher Flora Wan of the Hong Kong PRES Language Centre. “For example, in Chinese language questions and statements have the same sentence order, whereas in English they don't.”

Pronunciation requires different mouth configurations to those most Westerners are used to, she says. But it’s those tones that cause the most difficulties. Modern Mandarin has four, which can be difficult to nail down for non-tonal language speakers. Beginners can expect to spend five to six hours a week on tones and pronunciation – and still are unlikely to be understood perfectly.

“It takes quite a long time,” Wan says, “about a whole year to learn conversational skills and longer sentences.”

Wan suggests beginners start with pinyin – romanized characters and to start as young as possible.

“Younger students definitely learn faster,” she says. “They pick

it up quicker and have a better memory. But there are no real limitations for learning at any age.”

Sai Kung has a host of quality language centres teaching mandarin.

Jumpstart Mandarin Learning Centre Small group classes in Mandarin for children aged two to 12, with an emphasis on task-based learning through stories, games and other activities. 2/F, 51 Yi Chun Street, Sai Kung, 2791 4838, www.jumpstartmlc.com.

Sai Kung Tutors Offers private language tutors for children of all ages. For details, contact Sean, 6907 2514, www.saikungtutors.com.

Easy English for Kids EEK runs a Mandarin playgroup for preschoolers, with the emphasis on learning Mandarin through play.

28F Sai Keng Village, Sai Sha Road, Sai Kung, 3487 3053, www.eek.com.hk.

Sunshine House This Clearwater Bay preschool offers bilingual and Mandarinimmersion programmes. Level 7, Silverstrand Mart, 2 Cape Road, Clearwater Bay, 2358 3803, www. sunshinehouse.com.hk.

Clay Story Studio Learn through play with clay at Mandarin ceramic classes for children aged four to 10.

32A Po Tung Road, Sai Kung, 2791 6126.

sponsored column

Which primary school?

ITS School Placements offers fast facts on non-ESF international primary schools.

For parents still mulling over what primary school is the best fit for their child for 201314, there are alternatives to the English Schools Foundation system. Here is a brief overview of some of Hong Kong’s other international primary schools.

American International School Curriculum: Designed to meet US educational standards, the programme balances knowledge in all subject areas with the development of learning skills. 125 Waterloo Road, Kowloon Tong, www.ais.edu.hk.

Anfield British School Curriculum: British National Curriculum following Key Stage 1. The curriculum is broad, diverse and subject based, focusing on the core subjects of English, mathematics, science and ICT. World Wide Gardens, Tai Wai, Sha Tin, www.anfield.com.hk.

Delia School of Canada Curriculum: Ontario Curriculum. This diversified programme focuses on four core academic areas – English, mathematics,

science and technology, and social studies – plus health and physical education, the arts, and international languages. Tai Fung Avenue, Taikoo Shing, www.delia.edu.hk.

Island Christian Academy Curriculum: International Primary Curriculum.

A cross-curricular, thematic, and rigorous teaching structure, designed to engage children of all abilities. 70 Bridges Street, Sheung Wan, www.generations.edu.hk.

Japanese International School Curriculum: IB Primary Years Programme.

Children participate in six Units of Inquiry examining the themes “Who we are”, “Where we are in place and time”, “How we express ourselves”, “How the world works”, “How we organize ourselves” and “Sharing the planet”.

These themes promote the trandisciplinary study of science, philosophy, social studies, geography, history, mathematics and language.

4663 Tai Po Road, Tai Po, www.es.jis.edu.hk.

Kingston International School Curriculum: IB Primary Years Programme.

Follows the IB PYP while fostering a strong bilingual environment. Waterloo Road, Kowloon Tong, www.kingston.edu.hk.

The Harbour School Curriculum: The Harbour School (THS) has adopted a flexible, best-practice curriculum that incorporates different educational approaches from Britain and the US. 23 Belcher’s Street, Kennedy Town, www.theharbourschool.edu.hk.

ITS School Placements provides an education consulting service that works with families and employers to find the right schools for individual children in Hong Kong, from nursery to secondary schools.

ITS also offers research, policy and advisory services for corporations. For more details, contact es@tuition.com.hk or 3188 3940.

WWW.SAIKUNG.COM | 25

family

Red packet, red alert?

Kate Zhou dissects some lai see myths and misconceptions.

Happy Year of the Snake! Lunar New Year is here again. I give many talks on Chinese culture and over the years I’ve come to realise that this annual festival is the one that causes most concern and stress in the expat community – notably in relation to the giving and receiving of lai see.

Called hong bao in Putonghua, which translates as “red packet”, lai see is money given in red envelopes to wish the recipient good luck and happiness. Here are four things you need to know.

Lai see is not a tip A student of mine, when she was still a newbie to Hong Kong, gave her favourite doorman $1,000 in lai see. The next day, he knocked on her door with the red packet in his hand and a puzzled expression on his face. He said: “Madam, I think you made a mistake.” He wondered if my student had wrongly given him lai see intended for a wedding or a newborn’s celebration.

My student was mortified and couldn’t understand his response. She equated the amount to a reasonable Christmas tip for her doorman back home in New York. And therein lies the rub.

Lai see is not a Christmas tip or yearend bonus, it is an offer of good blessing.

In Chinese, lai see can be written as 利 是, 利事 or 利市. Each is pronounced exactly the same. The character 利 means “good or smooth”, whereas 是 and 事 refer to “things” or “matters”, and 市 to “market/business”.

So lai see is essentially a packet of good luck to wish the recipient a smooth future.

Over-giving can be incongruous My student’s favourite doorman was a man of integrity. Someone else might have happily pocketed the $1,000 and she would have been none the wiser. It is safe to say, however, he would have appreciated the sentiment even if the amount was smaller in correspondence with the Hong Kong social norm (see box).

The Chinese believe that luck is a twoway road; the more good seeds you sow, the more good luck is likely to reciprocate.

The quantity inside each lai see packet is irrelevant. A bigger amount does not equal to better luck.

When I first arrived in Hong Kong from mainland China, my building’s management had a lai see fund to which

Many expats stress about the amount to put into each red envelope when it really isn’t about the money at all.

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kung hei fat choi

tenants/owners contributed. I offered my share and thought that was that. Then one day I saw my neighbour personally giving out lai see to the doormen, security guard and cleaners. I asked why she did that since we had already contributed and she explained that the giving of lai see was meant to be a joyous act of spreading good cheer. For her, it was like sending Christmas cards or throwing confetti.

Many expats stress about the amount to put into each red envelope when it really isn’t about the money at all. However, the practice by non-locals to treat lai see like a year-end tip has turned the well-meaning act into a materialistic exercise.

We live in a world that worships the almighty dollar and we – myself included – often think if we give too little lai see, people might think us stingy. This is wrong. But the original concept of giving lai see is being bastardised as we unwittingly teach this error to our expat friends and children.

Children should not give lai see More egregious than over-giving is a growing trend among expats to have their children hand out lai see, especially to service staff. This isn’t cute, it is inappropriate. And it can be insulting.

Of course, service staff will most probably courteously accept your token of good fortune, but it is bad etiquette. There is a hierarchy to giving lai see that is still strictly adhered to in the Chinese community: older to younger, married to non-married, or between people of the same generation. For giving to people who work for or with us, the adult does the giving, not the child.

Children do not give lai see, they only receive.

The 15-day grace period Lunar New Year is celebrated for 15 days from day one of the lunar calendar, and lai see is given only during this period – not before or after. This year, the grace period falls from February 10 to 24.

Kung hei fat choi!

Lai see FAQs

How much should one give?

Give $20 for an acquaintance (such a doorman who you see regularly but don’t know well), $50 for somebody close to you (friends’ children or your hairdresser), $100 as a generous gift to someone you care about (the minimum a boss gives to a subordinate). Lai see of $500, $1,000 or $2,000 is not unheard of, but it is usually given with a good motive or during ceremonies.

Does the design of the envelope matter?

A bigger envelope doesn’t equate to a bigger token. The design is a personal preference. But keep it to the hues of red.

When to give out lai see?

During the first 15 days of the Lunar New Year (February 10-24), and during celebrations of marriage, births or birthdays.

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Photos: Hannah Grogan

health & beauty

A call to arms Trainer Nonie Yung reveals how to get power arms without going to the gym.

How many women over 40 are happy to show off their upper arms? Well, Michelle Obama, 49, Stella McCartney, 41, and Gwyneth Paltrow, 40. But most women are faced with a choice: do you confront the cursed bingo wings or forever wear loosesleeved tops?

With the power arm set to be de rigueur in 2013, it’s time to tackle those wobbly bits.

Good news, ladies: You don’t need to spend hours in the gym.

All you need is a stool, space to spread your arms and these simple gyrotonic exercises.

Once your fingertips arrive at the vertex, exhale, and slowly point your hands towards the sides of your ribs as if reaching for inner pockets.

Touch the sides of your ribs and slide your hands towards the pelvis.

Sideway arch This set of exercises helps you wind down.

With your arms by the sides of your body, straighten the fingers and point the tips upwards. Draw a circle upwards by stretching the elbows in the direction of your fingers. Inhale as the arms rise, feeling the chest open as the arms go out, and the lower abdominal muscles pull.

Rotate your shoulder joints so that the palms meet at the vertex.

Then, like eagles, let your arms relax downwards returning to the sides of your body.

Do eight sets before moving on to the next exercise. Repeat for three cycles.

Good news, ladies: You don’t need to spend hours in the gym.

Arch, curl and spiral Sit on a stool with your legs spread in a comfortable V shape, toes and knees aligned in the same direction.

Push your heels to the ground to create a space under the arches of your feet and curl your toes upwards. Arch your back and, with palms facing out, straighten your arms and spiral them in a circle upwards. Stretch your elbows as far from the body as you can.

As your arms rotate upwards, you should feel your pelvis narrow and a pull on your lower abdominals. Inhale as your arms expand outwards and upwards.

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Nonie Yung is a certified gyrotonic and gyrokinesis master trainer. Nonie Studio, 1601 Tung Sun Commercial Centre, 194-200 Lockhart Road, Wan Chai, 2333 2027.

the right tone

Touch, pause, engage!

Photo: Fcdn.blogosfere.it

Getting a rugby player’s physique is not easy, Campese. Louis Doctrove tackles the discipline.

The days of rugby players being considered bulky, overweight and lazy are long gone. Every player on the pitch, from winger to forward, is built like a tank, lightning quick and extremely agile. At 1.91m and 106kg, Sonny Bill Williams, a centre for the New Zealand national squad, is a perfect example of a player who possesses all these attributes.

Elite rugby league players can perform a 40-metre sprint test in just over five seconds. They also possess good speed off the mark and acceleration power.

They have aerobic capacities that are moderate to high allowing them to sustain a high work rate for a full 80-minute match.

To train like a rugby player, here are a few examples of exercises you can perform in the gym, that focus mainly on explosive strength and plyometrics. The aim is to increase strength, power and muscle mass.

Basic exercises could involve dead-lifts, barbell cleans, olympic lifts and weighted squats. As the aim is to increase power and

strength, you should be looking to perform two to three sets for each exercise, consisting of six to eight reps. This means you will be lifting slightly heavier weights than normal, so I would recommend training with a partner to prevent injuries. Leg strength plays a vital role in a rugby player’s performance, so try to include at least five different exercises targeting the legs in your workout.

These could include box jumps, front lunges with weights and Bulgarian squats.

All this training won’t mean anything if you don't back it up with proper nutrition. To gain muscle mass you should consume about 1.5 grams of protein per kilo of body weight per day. Increase your meal count to five to six small meals a day, with protein featuring each time. Protein shakes will help you achieve this on the go.

With the rugby sevens coming up on March 22-24, this is the perfect chance to get the physique you have always wanted. Train three to four times a week – and stick with it!

Louis Doctrove (louisdoctrove@hotmail.com) is a NASM-certified personal trainer with a Sports and Exercise Science BSc. He specialises in strength training, weight loss and TRX suspension training.

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hikes

Take the high road Pete Spurrier follows the Wilson Trail through the Lead Mine Pass.

Warm your bones on a cold winter’s day by tackling the Wilson Trail. Some sections of the long-distance route climb into Hong Kong’s highest altitudes, right in the middle of the New Territories. It’s a long hike with several steep uphill sections, so it’s recommended only for walkers with lots of stamina. You’ll need four to five hours’ walking time, so set off early.

Take the MTR to Tai Po Market station, and catch the 23K green minibus beneath the Tolo Highway and up a steep, narrow valley into the hills, flanked on both sides by new village houses trying to outdo each other in baroque gates and balcony railings. At the end of the line, near San Uk Ka village, get off and carry on walking up the quiet road.

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Sections of the longdistance route climb into Hong Kong’s highest altitudes.

At a map board and pavilion, turn left and keep climbing. Tai Po can be seen far below.

Soon, the Wilson Trail departs from the road by means of steps that strike off to the right. (This higher point in the valley can also be reached by minibus 23S from Tai Po – not a frequent service – or green taxi.) From here, the path

rises steadily over roots, earth and boulders on its way up to Lead Mine Pass.

Lead was indeed once mined on the slopes of Tai Mo Shan, Hong Kong’s highest peak, but the miners stopped work over a hundred years ago owing to the poor quality of the metal ore.

However, this valley is also rich in kaolin, used for the production of pottery, and so a porcelain industry sprang up in the villages below. There are still some ruined kilns in the undergrowth, and the Fan Sin Temple in Wun Yiu village, which the minibus passes, is the only one in Hong Kong dedicated to the patron saint of potters.

At the pass, many paths converge. The MacLehose Trail crosses from left to right, on its

get your boots on

Scenes from the Wilson Trail, the "other" great New Territories route. Right: Shing Mun Reservoir.

way from the Tai Po Kau forest reserve to the summit of Tai Mo Shan. Our route lies directly ahead, down an easy, sun-dappled paved track that drops towards the Shing Mun reservoir.

This part of the country park has some of Hong Kong’s most mature woodland. The Shing Mun Arboretum, on the left, is an area of native tree species planted in the early 1970s. You are likely to see (or hear) macaques swinging through the trees on your way downhill.

At the fork in the paved road, turn left. It’s signposted towards the main dam. Beyond the picnic area just around the corner, you can make a detour onto a wonderful grassy meadow at the head of the reservoir. Bordered by attractive paper-bark trees, the grass is kept short by feral cattle and in times of heavy rainfall, the waters rise and the trees are partly submerged.

The trail leads around the edge of the reservoir eventually reaching the main dam, built in the 1930s to supply water to fast-growing Kowloon. Here it meets the MacLehose Trail again. Turn right and follow the waterworks road around the banks of the reservoir, passing barbecue sites, to the stop for green minibus 82, below the face of a smaller dam. The bus descends into the noisy market streets of Tsuen Wan, and a short walk across footbridges to the MTR. Pete Spurrier is the author of The Leisurely Hiker's Guide to Hong Kong and The Serious Hiker's Guide to Hong Kong (FormAsia).

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travel

We

Macau

Plan a romantic getaway to Asia’s own slice of European charm.

Hannah Grogan and Megan Corbett visit Macau.

Banyan Tree Macau Part of the new, $1.9 billion Galaxy Macau resort complex, the Banyan Tree Macau looks mysteriously Oriental. Outside, it’s all golden domes and soaring angles. Inside, the 246 contemporary, marble-floored suites each comes with its own indoor relaxation pool – heated to suitably steamy temperatures. Had enough of playing in the pool? Submerge in the Japanese-style wooden bathtub, complete with complimentary incense and candles for the full romantic ambience. Some suites even have their own private spa-treatment salon for two – try the couple’s “rainmist” treatment, a Banyan Tree innovation that involves a dousing by a tropical cascade on your treatment bed.

But for the ultimate luxury, check into one of its 10 pool villas – 450 square metres of sheer indulgence, each with its own indoor and outdoor pools, garden, sunbathing deck and “resort host” to cater to your every whim. It’s a hedonistic haven worth leaving only to slurp down oysters in Belon restaurant, set your tastebuds singing in Saffron Thai restaurant, or cruise past the canopied day beds and private cabanas around the main pool before slipping back into the incense-scented cocoon of your own private idyll. For details and reservations, visit www.banyantree.com.

A pool villa at Banyan Tree Macau.

Galaxy Hotel The Galaxy Hotel lies at the heart of the giant playground that is the mighty Galaxy resort complex. Its 1,500 rooms and suites offer contemporary luxury, with tasteful furnishings, Egyptian cotton sheets, LCD TVs and all the other details you might expect from a five-star hotel. But what really sets the Galaxy apart is the fun factor: this is the place to come to be entertained. Watch a world-class stage performance, listen to live jazz, ride the surf in the wave pool, pilot an inflatable jet ski or catch the latest movie from a private balcony box. It’s enough to give anyone an appetite.

There are more than 30 food outlets across the resort, from authentic Korean barbecue at Myung Ga to Portuguese-Macanese classics at Gosto. For Valentine’s Day, try Italian fine dining at Terrazza or catch the chefs in action at Yamazato’s kaiseki performance grill.

For details, visit www.galaxymacau.com.

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travel Rocks Hotel.

Rocks Hotel For a more traditional romantic getaway, try the old-world charm of the Rocks Hotel. This fivestorey boutique hotel has just 72 rooms, each boasting Victorian architecture and romantic interiors: gilt mirrors, mahogany beds, roll-top desks and pretty floral wallpaper. Our favourite feature is the lacy wrought-iron balconies off every room, which beg to be enjoyed with a bottle of bubbly. Take in views of Macau and the sea from the comfort of the rooftop bar and Sky Lounge, or graze the fine Australian produce on the buffet tables at Vic's Cafe. Located 10 minutes from the Macau-Hong Kong ferry terminal, it’s close to the Macau Fisherman’s Wharf and historic city landmarks such as Monte

Forte, Leal Senado and the facade of St Paul’s, and a bungee jump away from the adrenalinpacked attractions at Macau Tower. For details and reservations, visit www.rockshotel.com.mo.

Wynn Hotel The Wynn Hotel, Macau is the first resort in the city to win the prestigious Forbes Five Star hospitality award (which it has achieved for four consecutive years). It is all about sumptuous living, from the pillow-topped beds to the floorto-ceiling windows with views of the city skyline.

Keep an eye out for the famous fire-breathing fountain at the Perfomance Lake, which never fails to awe, and quirky attractions such as the moon jellyfish aquarium. Dip into the cosseting

Wynn Hotel.

whirlpool and dry out in a private cabana. Or, for the ultimate relaxation, head to the Wynn Hotel Spa. This oasis of rejuvenation has a menu of more than 30 therapies to relieve every last knotted muscle and soothe away all those urban tensions. Dining options are suitably luxurious, with two hotel restaurants winning two Michelin stars: northern Chinese restaurant Golden Flower, and Cantonese restaurant Wing Lei, with its amazing flying crystal dragon. Treat yourselves.

For details, visit www.wynnmacau.com.

WWW.SAIKUNG.COM | 33

pets Repeat repeat Dr Cynthia Smillie tackles compulsive disorders in cats.

When I first saw Pogo he was a very sorrylooking cat. He was covered from head to toe in a rather damp body suit that had been made by his distressed owners in an attempt to prevent his compulsive licking behaviour. Underneath the suit Pogo’s skin was red and scabby and he had lost most of the hair from his abdomen and flanks.

Animals suffer from a variety of compulsive disorders and while Pogo's case was extreme, it is not uncommon. In cats compulsive behaviour is generally associated with repetitious or exaggerated grooming, which leads to self mutilation. However, it may also involve light spotor shadow-chasing, wool sucking or a condition called pica in which the cat ingests a variety of materials including fabrics, plastic, cardboard or rubber, with the risk of intestinal obstruction.

Stress and anxiety are significant factors in overgrooming and so it is important to improve the cat's living environment, particularly as many of the cats I see with the condition are confined indoors.

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hello kitty

Indoor cats have no chance to engage in normal cat behaviour and so may increase the time spent on activities such as grooming as a substitute for frustrated hunting and exploratory behaviour. Another cause may be the social stress of competition and conflict between cats living in the same household. Oriental breeds such as Siamese and Burmese show a higher incidence of compulsive disorders as do cats that were hand reared as kittens.

Before diagnosing overgrooming and self-mutilation as compulsive disorders it is important to exclude medical causes such as allergies, parasites, localised or referred pain and diseases such as feline idiopathic cystitis or feline hyperaesthesia. Even if the condition is a true compulsive disorder your vet may need to treat the skin with antibiotics or anti-inflammatory drugs.

Early intervention is important in any compulsive disorder because the behaviour becomes reinforced over time as the cat learns

Stress and anxiety are significant factors in overgrooming and so it is important to improve the cat's living environment. that repetitive behaviours such as licking provide relief from stress. It then becomes a substitute for other normal behaviours and even when the environment has been improved, the cat may continue to behave compulsively.

Treatment includes increasing the cat’s range of activities through environmental enrichment so it has less time for the behaviour as well as removing stressors, which may include other cats. However, progress is seldom achieved without anti-anxiety medication and

relapses are common. It is also important not to punish a cat or attempt to soothe it when it is engaged in overgrooming as this will cause distress or simply reinforce the behaviour.

Pogo still has some way to go, but most of his hair has grown back and he is a much happier cat. His overgrooming has been considerably reduced and there has been a noticeable increase in normal activity. His owner is delighted because instead of hiding away Pogo is now spending time with the family again and playing with the dog. It is not just people who want to hide on a bad-hair day.

Dr. Cynthia Smillie BVM&S PG DIp CABC MRCVS is a veterinary behaviourist and deals solely with behaviour problems in companion animals. For appointments please call 9618 2475 or visit www.petbehaviourhk.com.

WWW.SAIKUNG.COM | 35

gardening

all things bright and beautiful

Shades of winter Jane Ram colours in winter gardens. the author says in her introduction, once you understand the wealth of information conveyed by the Latin name, it makes everything easier to remember.

Winter colour Pyrostegia ignea (or firecracker vine to you and me!): Winter colour does not get much brighter than the firecracker vine that blazes away this season. I am happy to “borrow” the bright orange flowering shoots that intrude into my garden from a huge nearby plant, but year-round this is not one of my favourite creepers. In relation to its relatively brief flowering span – about six weeks – it requires too much space and attention. It’s a rank grower and needs to be kept in check by heavy pruning. Try your luck with hard-wood cuttings taken after the flowers end. Or layer a few pieces in a pot.

Holmskioldia sanguinea Holmskioldia sanguinea (or Chinese hats, cup-and-saucer, parasol): Latin for Gardeners Originating in the Himalayan lowlands, This year’s best Christmas present was this straggly but colourful shrub will reach three undoubtedly a copy of the new Royal Horticultural metres or more if left to its own devices. As with Society book, Latin for Gardeners. In addition to bougainvillea, the colour comes from bracts that an A-Z listing, author Lorraine Harrison explores surround insignificant flowers. The dark red colour many other areas including plant profiles, plant typically lasts four to five months a year. Out of hunters and plant themes such as origin, terrain, season, however, it is not a pretty sight and easily colour, fragrance and taste. It’s not exactly a gets out of hand. Once the flowers finish, keep picture book, but it has enough botanical paintings trimming it hard until September, when you can and drawings to successfully leaven the text. As leave the flower-bearing shoots to riot away.

Gardening tasks: Beat the pests It stands to reason that healthy plants are more resistant to diseases and pests. My plant mentor, Ah Choi, advises that a little action at this time of year can save a great deal of grief as the weather becomes warmer and more humid.

Powdery mildew, rust and black mould all spread fast once a plant is contaminated.

He suggests regular preventive spraying with neem oil solution plus a few drops of liquid soap and recommends a few cloves of garlic stuck into the soil as a general bug repellent.

He sprays weekly with garlic, chilli, onion or ginger water: Finely chop the raw ingredient and let it steep in water for a few hours or more. Filter the liquid before pouring it into your sprayer. He rotates the flavours so pests do not become too accustomed to them.

I am experimenting with neem cake, which is the residue left when neem oil is extracted from the seeds. It works like a slow-release organic fertiliser-cum-pesticide that needs to be sprinkled on the soil surface about once a month. Its strong garlicky odour will hopefully deter aphids, caterpillars and the ants that carry mealy bug and many other gardening challenges.

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The nectar is a magnet for sunbirds, which is a great reason for growing it. It strikes easily from cuttings at any season and will grow in a pot, although it does better in the ground. If you see the pretty lemon-yellow version (citrina) in a nursery, buy it – it is hard to propagate and is rarely available. I have read about a special pale pink and violet blue version (H. taitensis) that looks highly covetable.

Tomatoes Black cherry and sungold tomato seedlings are thriving in a big trough on my roof. I have read they will reach a height of two metres or more, so I have rigged up a bamboo framework to which they can be tied and enclosed the whole structure in netting. I hope this will not count as an illegal structure. Fortunately tomatoes don’t need insects to pollinate them as they mainly rely on the wind – unless grown indoors or in a greenhouse where the air is still. So I don’t need to get busy with a paintbrush to help nature along.

Gardening events Saturday workshops Feb 16: Ferns. Mar 16: Hibiscus.

Apr 20: Passiflora family.

Art with Roz Draw closer to nature in some of Hong Kong’s most beautiful gardens on Wednesday and Saturday mornings.

Feb 6 Shenzhen Chinese New Year Flower Market A cross-border coach trip to the enormous annual market.

Mar 20 A hands-on creative day in a superb old colonial home and garden in the New Territories, with bread baking, paper making and cutting, painting and drawing close to nature.

Late April Enjoy Guangzhou’s spectacular Alpinias at their best in the South China Botanical Garden.

Jane Ram is a professional writer with a passion for plants.

She has been gardening in Hong Kong for more than 30 years and is still learning. For queries, and details of events, please email janetaipeng@gmail.com.

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STRESSED BY YOUR PET?!!!

PET BEHAVIOUR PROBLEMS? Hong Kong’s first and only Behavioural Veterinary Practice can help resolve aggression, fear, anxiety, separation related problems, compulsive disorders, inappropriate toileting, noise phobias etc.

Not all behavioural problems are simply training issues.

Dr. Cynthia Smillie BVM&S PG Dip CABC MRCVS

Tel: 9618 2475 cynthia@petbehaviourhk.com

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marketplace

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marketplace

on patrol...

community policing

Eyes and ears required Join the Neighbourhood Watch Scheme.

I have been in Sai Kung for more than 10 months and I’m still getting my head around just how large the police division is. We are officially the largest land division in the police force with a total area of about 140 square kilometres stretching from Hoi Ha to the top of Hiram’s Highway. It’s a constant battle to deploy police officers in the most effective and efficient manner. Do I send officers to beef up patrols in Ho Chung following a recent burglary, or do I send them to Tai Mong Tsai following reports of shady characters in the area? Decisions, decisions.

Crimes occur even with police in the vicinity so it is vital we continue to receive information from the general public about what is happening in their communities.

Crime prevention and community safety

40 | WWW.SAIKUNG.COM

is about all sections of the community taking responsibility for creating a safer environment.

This means building partnerships between police, community organisations and individuals.

We already have a successful Neighbourhood Watch Scheme, however, I would like this to be expanded to the wider residential community, ideally with a partner in every village and estate in Sai Kung. For interested residents, I would send out periodic crime alerts in both Chinese and English via email, including recent crime trends, incidents and anti-burglary advice.

Volunteers would simply need to pass on the information, perhaps printing out the documents and posting them on a notice board.

I want the scheme to be a two-way communication process with the volunteers feeding back information of crime interest, such as suspicious cars parked or loitering strangers.

If you are willing to become an active volunteer, please sign up by emailing your

name, residential area and email address to skdiv-ops-room@police.gov.hk.

A policeman’s lot is not always a happy one so it is nice to receive some positive feedback.

On patrol recently, I bumped into a lady who was effusive in praising Sai Kung officers’ actions after her two-year-old granddaughter accidentally locked herself in a bedroom. When the little girl started to panic, they called the police, who arrived within minutes along with fire services and had the door open a short while later. The tot was rescued unharmed but understandably a little teary. The grandmother was also impressed by subsequent police questioning into whether this could be a case of child neglect or abuse. In this case, it clearly wasn’t but she fully appreciated the officers had the child’s welfare at heart.

Meanwhile, Happy New Year to all Sai Kung’s residents. May you live safely and prosper in the Year of the Snake. Stay safe.

Tim Sharpe is the Police DVC for Sai Kung.

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bird at my window

The cinereous tit aka Parus cinereus

If you look for the cinereous tit in the index of the field guide, The Birds of Hong Kong and South China, you will not find it. However, you will find the great tit, Parus major, a grey, black and white bird. To anyone from Western Europe, it looks like a monochromatic version of the green and yellow bird that frequents feeders in the region’s gardens.

For years, the version we have in Hong Kong was considered a subspecies of the great tit because of its appearance, behaviour and calls.

But over the past 25 years the taxonomic classification of birds (as well as other animals and plants) has been transformed owing primarily to genetic analysis. Scientists can now compare the DNA of birds to establish how closely different species and subspecies are related. This has resulted in the “splitting” of a number of species. The cinereous tit is a good example: mitochondrial DNA analysis of the “great” tits that occur in southern Asia established that Parus cinereus diverged from Parus major about 1.5 million years ago.

The cinereous tit is abundant and widespread throughout Hong Kong. It is a “generalist” species, meaning it is at home in a wide variety of habitats wherever there are trees, although it is less frequent in urban parks and gardens than great tits in the West. Pairs build nests in natural holes in trees, laying four to six eggs and raising two broods a season. Breeding has been recorded in Hong Kong from the end of February to August.

David Diskin is a writer and photographer based in the New Territories. His latest book is Hong Kong Nature Walks: Kowloon, Hong Kong & Outlying Islands. Details at www.accipiterpress.com.

WWW.SAIKUNG.COM | 43

classifieds LOCAL Property Western Living Resort Villa HK$50K-Sai Kung 2100' Three Storey Detached House.

4 Bedrooms (2 ensuite), Maid's Room, Roof, Lawn and Wood Decking Garden, Fitted Open Kitchen, Spacious Bedrooms with Fitted Wardrobes, Shared Pool, Carpark, Westernised Community, Quiet Location.

Angela 92882529 (Private Listing)

Overseas Property NEED A HOLIDAY? PHUKET VILLA FOR RENT! Luxury 5 beds villa with swimming pool located in Surin area. Walking distance to beaches.

Reasonable rates! Website: www.phuketvilla4rent.com Email the owner: info@ phuketvilla4rent.com

Services

Western Style Family House — HK$34K Sai Kung close to country park Available mid-Feb Two storey 1400sq. ft. village house with fantastic courtyard, living area, kitchen with ample storage plus dining, guest bathroom, pantry/maids room. Upstairs are 3 good size bedrooms (1 ensuite) plus 3rd bathroom. Parking available. Call Philip 68499487 or rental@pobox.com (No agent fees)

COMPUTER SERVICES Microtechhk(HK).COM provides onsite support to day-to-day computer (MAC/ WINDOWS) usage since 1992, Call us for any Hardware/software, internet problems, wifi setup, data recovery Reasonable Price 24/7 hotline : 23976418 PHOENIX CARPET CARE LTD for 20 years Hong Kong’s premier cleaner of carpets & upholstery.

Phoenix ensure true quality workmanship at reasonable cost.

Hand cleaning of Oriental rugs.

Steam extraction of fitted carpets.

Upholstery cleaning. Scotchgard Protection. Call 2328 2287 or 9517 5436 for free quote/inspection.

3000 SF ‘INDEED’ GDN ~ $28. 5M Detached 2100 sa/sf 4 Bedroom Village House in Clearwater Bay. Elevated position with Stunning Sea Views. Modern Décor Huge Private Walled Garden, 3 c/p. Sought after Location.

Ref ~ CWB439 www.thepropertyshop.com.hk 27193977 C-027656

BRIGHT & AIRY $60K Attractively Renovated Detached Village House. 3 Bedrooms plus Study, Fully Fitted Open-plan Kitchen, Family Room, Large Terrace & Beautiful Mountain Views. Situated in a Quiet Location.

Close to Public Transport.

Ref ~ SK183 www.thepropertyshop.com.hk 27193977 C-027656

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NATIONAL HARBOUR RENOVATIONS Home and office reno upgrades.

Plumbing, electrical and handyman services.

Call Charles 90851886 info@nationalharbour.com.hk www.nationalharbour.hk PaintSpecs Boat Painters PaintSpecs is a great little team with ability to transform your old hull boat into gleaming thing of beauty, with just the swish of a spray gun. Please contact us for a free quotation. mobile - Allen 92450039, Ray 54430923 E-mail - paintspecs@live.com ShenZhen DayTrip Shopping Hk 2,000 with 7-Seaters Lighting Mall Furniture Mall Art village Homedecoration , Carpet and Rugs.

Franki (90362128) happyday2128@netvigator.com

EUROPEAN MOTORS LTD of Sai Kung since 1975.

Buy and sell used cars All our cars are fully checked and come with a written warranty. We are on the main road opposite the Sai Kung. Police Station next to Chez Uno and Wicka on the corner by the Sha Kok Mei junction and where there is ample parking. Open 7 days a week.

Just call Paul Gross on 9027 4846 www.europeanmotors.com.hk SAI KUNG PODIATRIST Treatment of foot problems including ingrown toenails and nail deformities, corns and callosities.

Bunions, flat feet, toe deformities, warts, fungal infections, diabetic foot problems etc.

Tel: 62550088 or 23351694 for appointment booking.

Health and Well being Massage @ Home, Hotel Body massage, Chinese Tui Na, Swedish Massage, lymphatic drainage & aromatherapy massage. Our therapists offer mobile (outcall, housecall) service $700/2hrs (text in Chinese Address & speak in Chinese 66903658) www.ablemassage.com

Yoga with Yoyo Build up a Yogic Body with a Vedic Mind Peaceful environment with High Energy vibrant in Sai Kung Town Email: info@yoyoyoga.net Tel: 93023931 Website: www.yoyoyoga.net

random but interesting Tuition Tennis Performance Asia Limited Lessons/Training : Private, Groups – Adult, children, Ladies Coaching Kowloon, NT, HK Island HK, Australian, USPTA Qualified Coaches Contact Senior Coach Todd Hooper – 97335197: todd@tennisperformanceasia.com www.tennisperformanceasia.com [TPA] Director – Ray Kelly

MUSIC TUITION AT HOME: Individual lessons for piano repertoire / music theory / piano accompaniment and aural practice for other instruments' exams / competitions. English / Chinese instruction. Holder of LTCL with Distinction of Trinity College London. Years of teaching experience. Member of professional charity choir. Please call 9336 8059 for details.

HOME SCHOOLING / TUTORING Well qualified / experienced teachers available.

- Primary / lower secondary - Individuals / small groups - lessons tailored to individual needs - special needs qualification - your home or ours Email: hilaryrampton@hotmail.com Tel: 94211495 (after 6th Jan)

Jesse Taekwondo & Hapkido Korea Kukkiwon Black-belt 5th Dan International Instructor Provide One-on-One personal training, Group training & Family classes. http://www.supra.com.hk/jessetkd Master Chow 9467 7787

VIANNE'S MUSIC WONDERLAND PRIVATE PIANO COURSE @ YOUR HOME ﹣www.mymusicwonderland.com ﹣Experienced tutor accept students aged 3 and over. Student Annual Recital/ Practical Examination/ Competition/ Theory/ Accompaniment/ T:6014 - 9389 for Trial lesson/ mschanpiano@yahoo.com

Spanish lessons by native speaker with high qualifications.

Please contact sylvia.marti@hotmail.com or 51840045.

Charity The Samaritans’ Support Group for People Bereaved by Suicide An English-speaking support group meets on the first Wednesday of each month, 8 pm, The Mariners’ Club, TST. Free & confidential. For further information, please tel 2896 0000 or check http://www.samaritans.org.hk

REGISTER AS A VOLUNTEER Give a few hours of your time to Sai Kung Stray Friends. If you want to do something worthwhile come and help at our holding facility in Sai Kung. Any day or time suitable to you. Various tasks, sweeping, cleaning, dog walking, paddock Mum or just providing some love to the dogs. Dads are welcome too for mowing duty!

Email: saikungstrayfriendshk@gmail.com Call Narelle: 9199.2340 (English) Jessie: 9097.4591 (Chinese)

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the ultimate guide to sai kung COMMUNITY & HEALTH Hang Hau Community Hall 3740 5328 / 3740 5346 Li Pang Tat Chinese Medicine Practitioners 2328 9913 Resurrection Church 2358 3232 | www.resurrection.org.hk Sai Kung District Community Centre 2792 1762 Sai Kung Outdoor Recreation Centre 2792 3828 The Sai Kung Jockey Club Town Hall 3740 5328 / 2792 1487 Annerley — maternity and early childhood professionals www.annerley.com.hk Wellness & birth, pre & postnatal home care 9022 1779 | www.wellnessandbirth.com info@wellnessandbirth.com

DAILY NECESSITIES City Lifestyle 2791 5485 Mannings 2791 4432 Market Place by Jasons 2358 0542 ParknShop 2791 0471 Wellcome 2791 1841

FINANCIAL SERVICES Bank Of China (Hong Kong) 2792 1465 Kwiksure 3113 1331 | christian@kwiksure.com www.kwiksure.com Standard Chartered Bank 2792 1351 Financial Planning Excellence info@fpehk.com | www.fpehk.com

TRANSPORT & Travel SERVICES Webjet HK

Unit 1706, BEA Tower, Millennium City 5, 418 Kwun Tong Road, Kwun Tong, Kln, Hong Kong 2313 9779 Onlinetravel@webjet.com.hk www.webjet.com.hk Crown Relocations 2636 8388 | hongkong@crownrelo.com www.crownrelo.com/hongkong Kwong Hing Motors Ltd 2791 4949 | http://khmwhk.com Expert-Transport & Relocations Warehouse 2566 4799 | www.expertmover.hk Scorpion RIBS Hong Kong 2511 8337 | scorpionribshk@gmail.com www.scorpionribs.com Club Med 3111 9388 | www.clubmed.com.hk Hebe Haven Yacht Club pr_mgr@hhyc.org.hk | www.hhyc.org.hk

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HOME Box Design

2573 3323 info@boxdesign.com.hk www.boxdesign.com.hk

Box Design 2573 3323 | info@boxdesign.com.hk www.boxdesign.com.hk Best United Eng. Ltd. / lawnings, roll shutter & insect screen 2344 9028 info@bestunited.com.hk www.bestunited.com.hk Brooks Thompson Ltd 2851 3665 | iqbalhk@netvigator.com Chez Uno 2791 9662 / 2723 8990 www.chezuno.com Eco Living 2792 2998 | askus@ecoliving.hk | www.ecoliving.hk The Handyman HK 9268 0514 / 6376 7950 thehandymanhk@gmail.com Marco Electrician, Plumber, House painting 6190 8051 | marco_yenug000@hotmail.com JCAW Consultants 2524 9988 | jcawltd@biznetvigator.com Lift Lifestyle International Ltd 3907 0386 liftlifestyle@gmail.com | www.liftlifestyle.com Everything Under The Sun 2554 9088 | www.everythingunderthesun.com.hk

REAL-ESTATE AGENCIES Vega Suites 3963 7888 | enquiries@vegasuites.com.hk www.vegasuites.com.hk Sino Group 8207 7608 | www.sino-homes.com Hong Kong Sotheby's International Realty 6280 3566 | lilian.lue@hksothebysrealty.com hksothebysrealty.com

TOYS, ACCESSORIES & KIDS' PARTIES Bumps to Babes

2552 5000 (Ap Lei Chau Main Store) 2522 7112 (Pedder Building Branch) www.bumpstobabes.com

Hazel Ltd saleshazel@biznetvigator.com Hong Kong Toy Club 8216 3870 support@HongKongToyClub.com www.HongKongToyClub.com EEK Toy Shop 3487 3053 Tiny Footprints 2552 2466 | www.tinyfootprints.com

LEARNING CENTRES Anfield School admin@anfield.edu.hk | www.anfield.edu.hk Antsmart Learning Centre / Playgroup, Math 2335 1261 tangfrancis@hotmail.com | www.playgroup.com.hk Grand Piano www.grandpiano.hk La Petite France 3403 9887 | info@lapetitefrance.com.hk www.lapetitefrance.com.hk Hong Kong Academy 2655 1111 | www.hkacademy.edu.hk Hong Kong International Tennis Academy 9048 2810 | lea.lai@hkita.com | www.hkita.com ITS 3188 3946 | jennifer.c@tuition.com.hk Leapfrog Kindergarten 2791 1540 / 6413 8247 admin@leapfrogkindergarten.org www.leapfrogkindergarten.org Little Hands Workshop 5431 3122 info@littlehands.com.hk | www.littlehands.com.hk New Song Christian Kindergarten (Sai Kung) 2791 2472 newsong@netvigator.com | www.newsonghk.com Sai Kung Tutors 6907 2514 info@saikungtutors.com | www.saikungtutors.com Southern School of Dance 2872 6917 | www.southernschoolofdance.com ESF Educational Services 2760 3934 jim.hackett@esf.org.hk | www.esf.org.hk Mills International Preschool 2717 6336 preschool@millsinternational.com.hk www.millsinternational.com.hk Morrison Education 5189 5200 | juliea_morrison@yahoo.com Bricks 4 Kidz saikung@bricks4kidz.hk | www.bricks4kidz.hk Capoeira 9225 8924 | saikung@capoeira.hk www.capoeira.hk The Edge Learning Center 2783 7100 / 2972 2555 info@theedge.com.hk | www.theedge.com.hk Imran Cricket Academy 2575 3400 / 9745 2700 imran@imranacademy.com | www.imranacademy.com Jumpstart Mandarin Learning Centre 2791 4838 jumpstart@netvigator.com | www.jumpstartmlc.com Lighthouse Playroom 2791 2918 | info@lighthouseplayroom.com www.lighthouseplayroom.com Playball info@playballhk.com | www.playballhk.com Rugbees Play & Learn www.rugbees.com Russian Ballet School 2159 4192 / 9505 9305 info@russianballetschool-hk.com Facebook: Russian Ballet School – Hong Kong Vianne’s Music Wonderland 6014 9389 | mschanpiano@yahoo.com www.mymusicwonderland.com

directory FASHION & BEAUTY

PETS & VETS

Au Lait Online Nursing & Maternity Wear www.aulait.com.hk B Two Hair Salon 3194 4181 / 2861 2638 | btwohairsalon@gmail.com Nuan Cashmere sales@nuancashmere.com | www.nuancashmere.com Podiatrist – Heidi Corcoran 2335 1694 / 6255 0088 info@ntpodiatry.com Sense of Touch 2791 2278 | ask@senseoftouchhk.com www.senseoftouch.com.hk Tala’s Health and Beauty Centre 2335 1694 info@talashairandbeautycentre.com www.talashairandbeautycentre.com Tranquility Foot Spa 2792 0821 | Tranquility.skhk@gmail.com Natural Day Spa 2791 0606 | info@naturaldayspa.com.hk A-Nails 2972 1099 | www.a-nails.com.hk Zone@Sai Kung Reflexology Center 2886 8804 / 9779 0761 info@zone-massage.com | www.zone-massage.com

Animal Behaviour Vet Practice 9618 2475 | cynthia@petbehaviourhk.com www.petbehaviourhk.com Animal Emergency Centre 2915 7979 | trilby@animalemergency.com.hk Ferndale Kennel 2792 4642 | boarding@ferndalekennels.com www.ferndalekennels.com Vet2Pet 6999 1003 vet2pet@yahoo.com | www.vet2pet.com.hk Best Friends Veterinary Hospital 2792 8555

MULTIMEDIA

2/F., 14A1 Po Tung Road, Sai Kung, NT, Hong Kong 2792 3939 | saikung.gallery@gmail.com www.saikunggallery.com

SOCIAL, SPORTS & EQUIPMENT Curves

2234 9000 www.curves.com Blue Sky Sports Club 2791 0806 | info@bluesky-sc.com www.bluesky-sc.com Cambridge Weight Plan Hong Kong 2525 7165 www.cambridgeweightplan.hk OKU Oxygen Limited 6904 3093 | okuoxygen@gmail.com Outdoor Fitness 9043 4674 | www.outdoorfitness.hk dayle@outdoorfitness.hk Weight Watcher 2813 0814 kmahjoubian@weightwatchers.com.hk www.weightwatchers.com.hk Pilates Plus 9756 1659 | brubar@netvigator.com Nonie Studio 2333 2027 / 5198 9903

Get listed call 2776 2772 email marketing@saikung.com

The Reading Room (Sai Kung)

21 Sai Kung Hoi Pong Street, Sai Kung, New Territories 9199 5900 | seasidereadingroom@gmail.com Dymocks 2791 9110 | www.dymocks.com.hk Jackie Peers 9121 1470 jackie@jackiepeers.com | www.jackiepeers.com Hong Kong Arts Festival www.hk.artsfestival.org Chunky Onion Productions Ltd. 3188 1874 | birthdays@chunkyonion.com www.chunkyonion.com

UTILITIES, SERVICES & EMERGENCY China Light & Power Emergency Services 2728 8333 China Light & Power Customer Info Line 2678 2678 Electrical Appliance Repair Hong Kong Mr Ho 9846 8082 Sai Kung District Council 3740 5200 Sai Kung Fire Station 2792 1553 Sai Kung Police Station 3661 1630 / 2791 5129 Sai Kung Post Office 2792 2243 Typhoon Emergency Centre 2773 2222 Water Fault Reports 2811 0788 Water Supplies Department 2824 5000

Food & BEVERAGE South Stream Seafoods

Units 202-204, Lai Sun Yuen Long Centre, 27 Wang Yip St East, Yuen Long, N.T. Hong Kong 2555 6200 fish@south-stream-seafoods.com www.south-stream-seafoods.com Casteloconcepts 2869 1766 | www.casteloconcepts.com Colour Brown Coffee 2791 7128 | shop.colourbrown.com.hk Hebe One O One 2335 5515 info@101.com.hk | www.hebe101.com La Petite France 3403 9887 info@lapetitefrance.com.hk www.lapetitefrance.com.hk Natural Springs 2484 1388 | www.naturalsprings.hk Pacific Rich Resources (HK) Ltd 2316 7290 | office1@pacificrichresources.com Paisano’s Pizzeria (Sai Kung) 2791 4445 | www.paisanos.com.hk Pizza Express (Hong Kong) 2123 1083 | info@pizzaexpress.com.hk www.pizzaexpress.com.hk Organic Experience Management Group 2981 2888 | www.organicxp.com The Dutch www.thedutch.hk Top Chefs Food Services Ltd. 2358 2332 | http://tcdeli.com Edible Arrangements 2295 1108 / 2385 0158 www.EdibleArrangements.hk Green dot dot 3181 4488 | www.greendotdot.com

OTHER SERVICES Airstar 2264 0300 | facebook.com/aworldoflight Biocycle 3575 2575 | info@biocycle.hk | www.biocycle.com.hk Christian Environmental Health 2370 9236 | a-s-a-p@ceh.com.hk | www.ceh.com.hk Everfine Membership Services Limited 2174 7880 enquiry@evergolf.com.hk | www.evergolf.com.hk Grand Hyatt Hong Kong 2956 1234 http://hongkong.grand.hyatt.com Lunchbox Theatrical Productions 8203 0299 Sum Hing Carton Box Factory info@boxx.hk www.boxx.hk Federal Elite Consultants Ltd. 3568 4691 | info@federalelite.com Uglow www.uglow-alg.com King Kong Ping Pong info@kingkong-pingpong.com www.kingkong-pingpong.com

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people Oh snap!

Out and about in Sai Kung.

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Photos: Hannah Grogan.

say cheese

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back page

Last orders Too many cooks spoil the TV I’ve never thrown a brick through the front window of a global fast-food restaurant, but I don’t eat in them either. I can’t stop these corporations from exploiting their workers if the government chooses to enforce an unrealistic minimum wage and poor employee protection laws. And in a pluralistic society people have the right to choose an unhealthy diet of sugar, salt and fat if they want to. However, obesity now kills more people than malnutrition and our love and enthusiasm for fast food in all its processed forms is largely to blame.

Poor food choices are all too easy to find and cheap to buy. Subsidized largescale monocropping and battery-farmed cattle on more drugs than Lance Armstrong supply a supersized junk-food industry that aggressively promotes its wares to the young and impressionable. Hong Kong has one of the highest densities of fast-food restaurants in the world and prices by global standards are extremely low. The culinary pornography of the highbrow gastronomes is no better.

Celebrity chefs dominate the cultural landscape with endless lifestyle books and highdefinition programming. Their ivory tower is a TV kitchen bigger than a village house and they preach uninvited at regular intervals throughout the day, like Cordon Bleu imams calling the faithful to impractical dinners. Have you ever tried following a Heston Blumenthal recipe in

a typical domestic kitchen? It’s like trying to service a Formula One racing car with a Swiss Army knife.

Yet their power and influence is such that, like pop stars before them, they think they can change the world. Sting hasn’t saved the Amazon rainforest and African debt is still piling up in the shadow of Bono’s

tax-free royalty cheques. The smug Jamie Oliver drew attention to the poor quality of school dinners by scalding a few underpaid, poorly trained dinner ladies for the benefit of the reality TV cameras. However, his real agenda was the promotion of the Jme product line,

which includes everything from birdhouses to breadboards. What’s next? Nigella Lawson’s easy desserts and a solution to the Euro crisis, ready to serve in 20 minutes?

We need to recalibrate our relationship with food. But if meat is murder, are eggs then rape and salad aggravated assault? That doesn’t leave us with very much to eat.

The more convincing arguments for vegetarianism are political and go far beyond animal welfare and a healthy human diet, while the case for a carnivorous lifestyle never really gets past the irresistible nature of the bacon buttie. Does meat really taste so good that it’s worth all the grief?

As the world’s largest source of C02 emissions – well in excess of global traffic – the meat industry doesn’t stand up to any sober cost-benefit analysis.

Food has been used as a weapon of war from Biafra to Bangladesh. Most recently the Syrian Government has targeted bakeries with airstrikes in a cynical attempt to starve the civilian population into submission.

Perhaps belligerent TV chef Gordon Ramsay would have something to say about this. But what would his message be to President Assad, a man who wilfully destroys kitchens? Who knows exactly, but I’m sure the second word would be “off”.

Iain Lafferty

photo competition

shoot for it

Submit your shots Here at the Sai Kung Magazine office, we love receiving beautiful pictures of Sai Kung and Clearwater Bay from our readers. Each month we publish our favourite. To enter, simply email your best shots of Sai Kung and Clearwater Bay, along with a brief description, to photo@saikung.com.

Happy snapping!

This month’s winner: Cathia Magnenat "Yim Tin Tsai Village."

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