Category Archives: Sports

Horse racing in Hong Kong

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An evening at the Hong Kong Jockey club in Happy Valley

 

Perhaps the British never imagined that horse racing would be a legacy of its colonial rule in Hong Kong! Now it is THE most popular sport event for locals and tourists alike, attracting crowds every week for ten months of the year. Whether you like gambling or not, it is a fun, sociable and eye-opening event that will enable you to feel and possibly understand what the thrill is about.

 

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Main: An untamed winning horse

 

Unlike horse racing events like the Ascot in the U.K. where many would dress up for the occasion, horse racing in Hong Kong is casual and down to earth. I once watched the races while having dinner at the member’s restaurant above the racecourse and the atmosphere was completely different… it was way too civilised! Hence, drinking from plastic cups and eating kebabs next to the gamblers felt much more atmospheric and authentic!

 

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Racehorse is a great place for people-watching

 

Aside from the ecstatic atmosphere, the racecourse is a great place for people-watching. It makes you wonder about the psychology behind gambling and its addictive effect on people. I betted, and although I won, it did not cover my original bet payment, which was about $40. I was tempted to bet again, but my rational mind stepped in and decided against it in the end…

 

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Homeless shelters outside of the racecourse

 

As we left the racecourse, we walked past a few homeless shelters in the underpass right outside. It prompted me to wonder if they were once gamblers who lost everything to the Jockey Club? And surprisingly, they looked quite clean and organised compared to other homeless shelters that I have seen, which made me wonder more about the stories behind.

The contrast between the worlds ( inside and outside of the racecourses) is a good testimony of the widening wealth gap in Hong Kong, but unfortunately, I can’t see much light at the end of the(ir) tunnel. It is sad but true nonetheless.

 

The tranquil beauty of Yangshuo

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Main: Camel hill in the background; bottom right: Moon hill

 

It has been years since I last visited China ( Hong Kong and Macau don’t count), and Guilin has always been on my mind, so I suggested it to a friend who was also keen on exploring this part of China.

Our original plan was to spend more time in Yangshuo ( an area famous for its natural scenery outside of Guilin) and do activities such as cycling and hiking. However, we were not prepared for the sudden drop in temperature on the first day and my friend fell ill the day after ( luckily it wasn’t bird flu). Hence, apart from bamboo rafting on the first day, she spent the next day in bed and I ended up cycling and doing sightseeing on my own.

 

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I have heard a lot about Yangshuo’s picturesque scenery, yet beyond the specular views, I also felt very calm here. Being able to hear the sounds of birds, hens, cows and dogs, and seeing farmers and villagers working and living like their ancestors for generations was wonderful. Yes, there were some tourists traps too, but this is China after all, so it is almost unavoidable.

 

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Top and main: Bamboo rafting down the river; bottom left: Yulong bridge from the Ming dynasty; bottom right: plastic bottles and rubbish floating around!

 

Bamboo rafting was an activity recommended by our hotel, and despite our hesitation at the beginning about safety issue, we finally agreed to do the 90 minute ride down the river. Once on the raft, we noticed that it didn’t have any life jackets, but we were also relieved to see that the river is actually quite shallow. Our initial dam got us both slightly wet and made us laugh hysterically, but we were able to enjoy the ride more afterwards. The activity itself is very commericalised with many eager photographers taking photos of us and trying to sell them back. Though for most part of the journey we were alone on the river, which was fun and relaxing. The downside was seeing plastic bottles and other rubbish floating around at one point, which was a real shame.

 

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Cycling in rural Yangshuo…

 

The next day, I cycled around the rural countryside, which was probably the most popular and best way to see the area. A local elderly woman on a bike saw me reading a map ( hand-drawn by the hotel staff) and told me to check out a nearby ancient village called Jiuxian. I was slightly sceptical at first but she told me to follow her ( and her bike) and then showed me the route into the village. Thanks to this kind local, I spent the next hour or so wandering around this small village but intriguing historical village dating back to 621 AD ( Tang Dynasty).

With the rapid development of China in recent years, ancient villages are disappearing fast, so to see this village still intact was quite a pleasant surprise. I only wish that other historical villages like this one would be preserved and not be demolished or rebuilt into “Disneyland style” villages ( wishful thinking)…

 

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An authentic and historical village, Jiuxian

 

Later in the evening, I went to see the rather touristy and chaotic ( in terms of traffic and people at the entrance) light show, “Impression Sanjie Liu” directed by Zhang Yimou. And no surprise, it reminded me very much of his opening ceremony at the Beijing Olympics. There are some spectacular visual effects, and I like the fact that all the performers are all locals ( farmers, fishermen and children etc), however, I just didn’t ‘feel’ for it.

Overall, I enjoyed my short stay in Yangshuo, I like its ruralness, lushness ( which reminds me of the English countryside) and friendly people… and it triggered my interest to explore other rural parts of China that hopefully also convey the same authentic and charming quality.

 

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The people and animal…

 

 

London’s ‘green’ Olympic park

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A showcase for British horticulture

 

The park

One of attractions of London is that it is a huge cosmopolitan city with lots of greenery. There are parks and squares in every neighbourhood, which makes this city a livable city despite the traffic and dense housing.

I was particularly curious when I heard that wild flowers would be planted all over the Olympic park. And as I expected, the greenery and flowers really made a difference to the park against the backdrop of contemporary architecture. I think the park would have looked soulless and more like ‘Disneyland‘ without the green landscape, so this was a job well done!

I was also glad to colour-coded recycled bins all over the park, but I wish that more councils esp. Westminster would apply this in Central London soon!

The graphics

I don’t want to mention the hideous Olympics logo and mascots, as I think they are insults to a country full of talented and creative designers! But I was keen to examine the park’s signage and graphics, and overall, I think the designers did a good job. Personally, I am so not sure about the shocking pink, but I guess it is unmissable to say the least!

Architecture

As much as I respect Anish Kapoor, like many Londoners, I fail to understand what he was thinking when he decided to create this ‘art or statement’ piece. I walked around it, tried to take photos from different angle and yet I did not feel warm towards it. In fact, I think it is quite ugly and utterly pointless.

Luckily, over on the other side of the park, there is an inspiring interactive pavilion, the Coca Cola beatbox designed by Pernilla & Asif, whose work has probably outshone stadiums and structures designed by more well-known architects and artists.

In many ways, it was a relief to know that many stadiums like the basketball are only temporary because I think it is more sustainable in the long run.

 

The Coca-Cola beatbox, basketball stadium & Velodrome

 

Despite the economic groom in the U.K., I think the overall impact of the Olympic games will be positive ( psychologically) in the long run esp. after seeing how excited, united and supportive everyone has been throughout the games. ( N.B. the tubes are also running better than normal!) When times are hard, people need this ‘community spirit’ to get through things, so perhaps the government need to re-focus on the mental well-being of the nation ( like Bhutan) rather than constantly focusing on the economical aspect. And like the vision of Danny Boyle, it is the people and values that matter, not the wealth.

I have never seen such joy and pride in London and like many Londoners, the Olympics have made me realise how much I really love this city! I just hope that this is the turning point for things to really change in the country: back to basics.


 

 

Olympic fever in London

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Like many of my London friends who left the city to avoid the Olympics, I was a bit sceptical about the event ( esp. with all the bad press beforehand) until I was out walking along the river with friends from overseas the day before the games.

The sun was shining and there were hundred of street performers, artists, along with locals and tourists, everyone was so excited and joyful which really changed my view about the event. But the highlight came when we were dining by the river and saw the fireworks at Tower Bridge, it was so unexpected that it took all the diners by surprise ( we found out later that they were rehearsing for the Opening Ceremony the evening after).

 

 

Call me bias but I felt quite emotional and proud to be a Londoner by the end of the opening ceremony. I have fallen out with London many times, but would always return to my birth city; and last night, I realised how strongly I feel towards this multicultural, creative, quirky, tolerant and historical place.

I feel sorry for those who didn’t get the irony, humour, and the eccentricity of the ceremony; honestly, there might have been some confusing and disjointed acts, but surely the overall vision of reflecting on the past, respecting different races, classes or great individuals, and encouraging the youth is not so difficult to comprehend, right? Some critics said it was too left and political correct, but I think its many imperfections made it more humane, authentic and unique.

 

 

There is no point in comparing this to the Beijing Olympics, because that was more like a expensive dinner banquet continuously serving dishes like sharks fin soup, abalones, lobsters and suckling pigs etc, spectacularly presented, precisely and perfectly cooked, but too rich to digest after a while. The London one was more like eating multiple courses prepared by Heston Blumenthal ( unfortunately, I have yet to try it), original, unpredictable, bonkers at times but immensely fun and very British.

For me, the best part of the show was not Mr Bean, The Queen, Daniel Craig or the rock music. It was Danny Boyle‘s decision to include ‘real’ people like the builders of the Olympic stadiums, the deaf percussionist Dame Evelyn Glennie and disabled children/ Chaos singing choir in pajamas ( you could never imagine this at other Olympics opening)… Last but not least, the 7 young athletes who lit the stunningly beautiful and one of a kind Olympic cauldron designed by one of my favourite designers of our era, Thomas Heatherwick. An ingenious concept!

No, the ceremony wasn’t perfect, but then again, I think most Brits/ Londoners would value creativity and authenticity over egocentricity and perfectionism at any time.

 

My tickets to the games…

 

 

My Cigno Seventy

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Finally, the sun is out and I was able to take my beloved Cigno Seventy out for a ride in my local area…

As a huge supporter of online shopping, I buy almost everything online ( except for fresh food) including my bicycle from Italy! Two years ago, I was looking for a foldable bike for leisure, and when I saw the the Cigno range of retro bicycles inspired by the legendary Graziella, icon of the years 60/70, I fell in love with them immediately! I was slightly torn between buying a Brompton or a Cigno, but decided to go for latter, which was also cheaper! With so many colours to choose from, it was hard to make a decision, but I eventually went for the orange Amsterdam… ( I wonder if this subconsciously influenced the colour of my company’s logo?)

I have to admit that I am a sucker for beautiful designs, so practicality sometimes is not too high on my list! I think this bike is comfortable and great for leisure, but probably not suitable for commuting on the busy streets in Central London. It is also not very light, so it is not as practical as the Bromptons and cannot be carried around easily. However, my bike does attract a lot of attention and compliments, and it does its job very well, so I can say that I am a proud and happy owner of this lovely bike!