Nights in Hong Kong

The Asian metropolis is going partying at night. In fact, the best places are not filled until midnight. The Sinophiles can venture out to spend a typical night of karaoke with some beers in the body and with the microphone following Cantonese pop music, or go to one of the nightclubs in the darkest part of Kowloon.

Lan Kwai Fong, the famous square kilometer of Central district, has a relaxed atmosphere during the day and the most intense night parties. Even it is a place with a powerful nightlife, although its promoters have shifted their interest to Shanghai. Which gives Mid-Level stairs, is an area with a little more chic and relaxed locals.

The locals tend to favor Tsim Sha Tsui, riddled with bars and nightclubs. Despite sound ridiculous restrictions imposed on the events held outdoors, live music enjoys wide acceptance and there is a wide range. 

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Chinese family is the largest donor to Harvard

Harvard University received the maximum individual donation in its 378 years of history, with a guarantee of $ 350 million (million dollars) to support the School of Public Health, part of a rich family dedicated to real estate in Hong Kong .

The gift from the Chan family represents over 75% of the recent campaign goal of raising for the School of Public Health at Harvard, which is seeking 450 million dollars for 2018. Dean Julio Frenk, said it was a transformative donation that could boost research programs and student scholarships. The gift will help find and promote solutions for the four global threats: pandemic, physical and social environmental hazards, humanitarian crises and inefficiencies in health systems, school officials said.

The contribution will go towards the bottom of larger donations, about 32 billion dollars, the largest in the United States, and its $ 6 billion fundraising campaign, which ends in 2018.

While medicine tends to focus on individual treatment, preventive public health initiatives can have impact on entire communities, said Gerald Chan, who graduated from the Harvard School of Public Health in the 70's.

Chan made ​​the donation in honor of his late father, TH Chan, for whom the school is renamed. A man "who was just" TH Chan founded one of the largest corporate real estate in Hong Kong, Hang Lung Properties.

Gerald and his brother Ronnie occupy 17th place in the Forbes list of the richest people in Hong Kong, with a net worth of $ 3 billion. Gerald Chan also said it owns more than 120 million dollars in Harvard Square properties.

The family has made many donations before, but Chan said he and his brother wanted to give a great gift now, when his mother was still alive and well. The second largest philanthropic effort of the family was founded Morningside College, The Chinese University of Hong Kong.

The School of Public Health has made discoveries that have led to the polio vaccine and the eradication of smallpox, among other achievements.

Hong Kong Language and Culture

Hong Kong can especially thank its colonial history and its international port to the rich mix of cultures that have given their singular character. While most of the city's population speaks Chinese, a simple stroll through the streets of the city will expose you to a mix of Asian and European languages​​. 


Chinese 

88% of the population of Hong Kong speaks Cantonese, a minority dialect of mainland China. However, they also present other Chinese dialects such as Hakka, and taishanés Teochiu and of course Mandarin, the official dialect of China, which has been spoken more in Hong Kong since reunification in 1997. 


English 

Since Hong Kong became a colonial port, through his time as manufacturing center and to its current role as an international financial center, the city's population has always looked out of their borders. As a result, English is widely spoken. Currently is the most used language in government, business and tourism. All official signs and signals of public transport, as well as most of the menus are bilingual. As a visitor, you will usually have no problems communicating in English, since most taxi drivers, vendors, employees in the tourism sector and the police have a good command of English. In fact, many of the locals often include words or phrases in English when spoken in Chinese. 


Multiculturalism 

The ease with which these languages ​​and dialects coexist reflects the high level of cultural tolerance of Hong Kong, where Christian churches of multiple denominations share space with popular Chinese temples; Buddhist, Taoist and Sikh temples, mosques and synagogues. Furthermore, the presence of ancient and enduring cultures in a society that has had to constantly adapt to change has resulted in a unique contemporary culture that is a true blend of tradition and innovation. Hong Kong is the place where you will see old people play old Chinese board games and digital tablets, where Christmas is celebrated with the same fervor as the Chinese New Year and where the skyscrapers of the latest generation are designed consulting the masters of feng shui . 

Easy money policies a boon for Hong Kong real estate sector.

With excess investment dollars being generated by loose economic policies by the major central banks, global investors are looking for places to park their money.

For real estate specifically, investor demand tends to be polarised, according to property consultants.
They are focusing either on perceived safe markets with defensive characteristics or seek to target higher, more opportunistic returns via investment in riskier assets.

Considered as a safe market, Hong Kong would benefit and see an increase in activity and upward price pressure after a dull 2013.

Prime Hong Kong real estate is considered defensive and safe. The economy is stable, there is strong governance and rule of law, the current interest-rate environment makes it possible for investors to achieve immediate positive returns and yet the market benefits from China's strong growth drivers.

Meanwhile, there is a tight supply of land and commercial property in the city. All of this puts upward pricing pressure on the market

However, Dennis Fung, the head of Asia-Pacific forecasting at DTZ, reckons the rebound cannot be taken as an early signal of market revival.

Activity was largely supported by Citi Group's HK$5.42 billion purchase of a large office building in Kowloon East.

Over the past 18 months in which price increases in Hong Kong have remained relatively subdued, other global markets such as London, New York, San Francisco, Sydney and Tokyo have moved at a quicker pace.

This could lead to some investors writing a credible investment plan towards investing in Hong Kong.

According to JLL, investment activity of commercial real estate globally saw volumes up 28 per cent to US$297 billion in the first half when compared with the same period in 2013. US and Europe have continued to see strong growth in transactional volumes over the first half, with gains of 44 per cent and 37 per cent respectively.

In Hong Kong, its transaction activity in the second quarter rebounded 46 per cent year on year to US$2.2 billion. This is the highest volume since the first quarter of 2013, when the government implemented double stamp duty to curb speculative investment, according to DTZ.

Whilst they do not like it, buyers have adapted to the governments' cooling measures and the market is now acting more normally albeit with higher 'friction' costs between trades. This has and will continue to limit liquidity. However, importantly, it hasn't killed it.

As all investors become frustratingly familiar with additional costs, the trading of assets will return and investment volumes will increase, he said.

But he warned that most of these markets including Hong Kong have been driven by the weight of money targeting the sector and not necessarily the old fundamentals of expected future growth.

When global economic policy returns to some form of long-term normal trend, some of the yields people have been accepting in these global cities will appear challenging.

The culture of Hong Kong.

Hong Kong's culture was born in a sophisticated fusion of East and West. It not only kept many Chinese traditions, but also experienced a baptism of western culture. This situation led to the diversity of its culture and the people there are open-minded to accept variety. To have a better understanding of this cultural phenomenon, you can give a research on the following aspects.

• The population of Hong Kong is formed by Cantonese, Shanghainese, British, Indians and Jews mainly. Cantonese is the majority and Cantonese culture is the mainstream there. Thus, many Chinese concepts like 'family solidarity', 'family glory', 'saving face' and 'modesty' carry significant weight in Hong Kong's culture. On the other hand, many locals adopted western ways of life.

• Cantonese is used most widely. Since the city's reversion to China in 1997, local government has adopted the biliterate and trilingual policy. That's to say, Chinese and English are regarded as the official languages; Cantonese, Chinese mandarin and English are spoken languages.

• As a culinary capital of Asia, Hong Kong boasts various delicacies in the local or from overseas. The city is influenced by western countries and some of the foods there combine the flavors of Chinese cuisine and western cuisine.

• In Hong Kong, people celebrate the Chinese traditional holidays, such as Chinese Lunar New Year, Ching Ming Festival  and Mid-Autumn Festival. And also they have a holiday on Good Friday, Eastern Monday, Christmas Day and other western festivals.

• Kung Fu is accepted as a form of entertainment and exercise. Tai chi, sometimes referred to as Shadow Boxing, was developed many years ago. There are groups of people practicing Tai Chi in the park at dawn. Kung Fu movie of Hong Kong is also well-known.

• Founded in 1844 by British, Jockey Club in the city provides an avenue for horse racing and gambling. The club was closed for several years during the World War Two. In 1975, the lottery Marks Six was introduced into the club. In 2002, the club started to offer wagering for football world champion games.

• Cantonese opera is a highly respected art form that blends Chinese legends, music and drama into an exciting performance. Hong Kong values Cantonese opera very much and it provides various trainings of Cantonese opera to its people. For instance, the Chinese University of Hong Kong offers the course of Cantonese opera. Additionally, in recent years, the English version of Cantonese opera came into being, which is very popular with foreigners. 

• Taoism, buddhism, christianism, Islam and other religious beliefs exit in the region. Especially, Buddhism and Taoist temples are very common there. The Taoist concept of Feng Shui, or 'Wind and Water', is believed by many locals. It is a 3,000 years old system of geomantic divination teaching humans how to achieve harmony with the forces of nature and change, thereby gaining well-being and prosperity.

21 Foods That'll Rock Your World in Hong Kong.

Put down the Chinese take-out menu and learn the words "cha chaan teng." Pronounced just as it looks, a cha chaan teng is the term for the Hong Kong-typical casual restaurants serving up cheaply priced, richly flavored eats at all hours of the day. Yeah, they're kind of like diners, diners with specialties like roast goose, pineapple buns and hot ginger Coca-Cola, and they're a lifeline to locals and adventurous travelers willing to step outside malls and Michelin-starred restaurants.

1. Black sesame tong yuen.
Excellent for breakfast or dessert, Tong Yuen are glutinous rice balls filled with sweet black sesame or red bean paste, then topped with chopped nuts. It doesn't look pretty, but is so tasty it now figures in our food daydreams.

2. XO sauce.
XO Sauce is a spicy condiment made of dried scallops, shrimp, onions, garlic and chili oil. Add it to tofu, fried rice, dim sum, or really anything that could use a kick of spice.

3. Milk tea and Yin-yang.
At left, a very traditional iced Hong Kong milk tea, which is only black tea with the addition of evaporated or condensed milk. At right, the Yin-yang, which is a mix of Hong Kong milk tea and coffee. The latter is thicker, stronger and more filling, but traditional milk tea has the advantage of being downright refreshing.

4. Eggette (gai daan jai).
An "Eggette" or gai daan jai in Cantonese, is an egg custard waffle cooked in specially shaped waffle irons over an open flame. The sweet egg batter becomes a bumpy waffle that's ideal to break into bite-size pieces for a hot snack while strolling.

5. Sweet rolls.
These sweet rolls are an excellent sweet side dish or a quick snack to accompany a Yuanyang. Essentially it's a sliced bread roll, toasted, buttered, drizzled with sweetened condensed milk and served hot.

6. Hot Coca-Cola with ginger and lemon.
Not sure we believe this is"good for you, but Coca-Cola boiled with ginger and lemon is surprisingly good for your tastebuds. Try it instead of hot tea or coffee and then try to convince your Facebook friends it's not something you just made up. 

7. Macaroni in tomato soup.
Definitely a comfort food, this is hot, filling, cheap and usually consumed at breakfast. Macaroni noodles swim in a huge bowl of steamy tomato soup, sometimes complimented by bits of ham, carrot, peas and corn.

8. Pineapple bun (Bor lor bao).
Bor lor bao is a soft, sugary sweet bun usually with a top crust that mimics the texture of a pineapple. It can be plain, or filled with all sorts of things, ranging from actual pineapple slices to BBQ meat, to a custard like with this mini pineapple bun. 

 

9. Pork floss.
OMG. Of every nummy food on this list, pork floss is the one we daydream about most. Imagine dried pork with the consistency of coarse cotton candy and you have a basic idea. It's just spectacular. 

10. Meats on sticks.
Various meats and fish balls on sticks. They may be BBQed, roasted, or drenched in a curry sauce, but you've gotta try them all. You could essentially eat food on sticks all day long in Hong Kong, depending on what neighborhoods you're frequenting. For juicy chunks of pork with a perfectly crispy skin, ask for Siu Yuk. 

 

11. Portuguese egg tart.
A Portuguese egg tarts is a simple, sweet baked pastry shell filled with egg custard. Though they were invented in Hong Kong, the nearby former Portuguese colony of Macau also enjoys claiming them as a specialty. Make sure you eat them hot, and it's okay to treat them as finger food. 

12. Coconut juice smoothies.
Calling these smoothies is a stretch, because these tiered beverages of coconut juice, fresh fruit, taro, rice balls or crystal jelly cubes are in a category all their own. Combinations are numerous, so there's always a reason to take a break and sip through mango bits to reach the delightfully chewy glutinous balls in the bottom of the cup. 

13. Osmanthus with wolfberry curd.
This is quite specific, but we fell in love with this exquisite dish on our most recent visit to Hong Kong, while noshing at the Michelin-starred Ming Court restaurant, known for their elevated Cantonese cooking. Aside from its aesthetic appeal, the little gelatin treats taste like heaven, a light, herbal tea with hint of exotic berry.

14. Roast duck and goose.
Do yourself a favor and order both the roast duck and goose to see how they can be so alike, and yet so different. Goose is a bit darker, heartier, and makes for a mouth-wateringly perfect crispy skin to crunch. 

15. Rice noodle roll (cheung fun).
Technically a part of dim sum, cheung fun also occasionally shows up as street food during the holidays in Hong Kong, which is where we last sampled it from a cart in the Sham Shui Po neighborhood. A delicate ricesheet is steamed and then cut and filled with shrimp or, our favorite, char siu (BBQ pork). 

16. Ramen luncheon meat breakfast.
Believe it or not, this is breakfast. There's scrambled eggs, a local green, two slices of lunchmeat, all atop a considerable helping of ramen noodles. It's hot, it's comfort food to the max, it's cheap and it actually sounds tasty at any time of the day. 

17. Vegetarian set meal.
Every single one of these mouthwatering dishes are completely vegetarian. It's not because that's how we've ordered it, but because that's the only way it can be on the premises of a Buddhist monastery. Here we have tofuskin in a lemon sauce, fried lotus root slices, spring rolls, local greens and a glass noodle soup with mushrooms. 

18. Meatless food made to look like meat.
In a city obsessed with meat skewers and meat in buns and roast meat and meat meat meat, Hong Kong is surprisingly vegetarian-friendly thanks to the Buddhist population and international influence.

19. Blooming flower teas.
Calendula, jasmine and more teas begin as dried bulbs, which then bloom and regain their vibrant colors under the hot water pour in the ceremonial preparation of tea. As these teas are a little pricier than regular loose leaf, we'd recommend grabbing a box for special occasions rather than a quick cup. 

20. Potato chips.
Where to begin? Hong Kong's international population assures that the snack variety in markets is second to none. Potato chips with flavors like Mongkok sausage and Unagi Kabayaki formed our first introduction to Hong Kong's culinary kaleidoscope. 

21. Dim Sum/Yum Cha.
 You think we'd forget dim sum? Also known as yum cha, this meal is comprised of a variety of dishes, ranging from congee and turnip cakes to bao buns and shrimp dumplings.