Ten years ago Hong Kong was buzzing with optimism about the Internet. PCCW made headlines for purchasing the domain name cyberworks.com for $1,000,000 U.S. dollars, and dot com hysteria quickly spread to other local businesses.

The hunger to appear up-to-date and part of the next big thing gave birth to some truly ridiculous names for Hong Kong companies. Pretty soon every advertisement featured a name with the prefix ‘e-something’, ‘i-something’ or with the word ‘cyber’ awkwardly appended. The only trouble was that most people had no clue what the Internet was useful for, or how to make a business from it.

As dot com fever reached its peak, even Central’s nightlife was affected. Often you heard people asking “Are you going to the launch party tonight?” There was even a building on Wellington Street legally rechristened ‘Dot Com House’ during those days.

It was in this frenzied environment that I first I met Casey Lau, the gregarious organizer of the upcoming StartupsHK event on August 7th. Even back then, Casey stood out as one of the few people who fathomed the power and usefulness of the Internet.

Fast-forward to 2010 and Casey is a veteran of Hong Kong’s Internet scene, a successful entrepreneur, a savvy content guy, and the only person I know who had a full-costume Star Trek wedding (yes, that pushes him into über-geek territory.)

Casey’s StartupsHK event on Saturday, August 7th, promises “no suits and no PowerPoint.” The one-day event, which features guest speakers (including Pat Lee from rottentomatoes and alivenotdead,) is a great way for aspiring startups to meet and share information. The other benefits include hearing tales from experienced entrepreneurs, learning about existing resources in Hong Kong, discussing funding channels, and the ability to generate buzz by demoing their projects.

For a quick look at the speakers, panels and agenda go here.

Best of all it’s FREE, and just requires registration in order to attend.

For more information, please visit the StartupsHK website.

Recommended!

StartupsHK
Saturday, August 7th, 2010
10am to 7pm
Cyberport
Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong
FREE!

In case you haven’t noticed, it’s World Cup fever again in Hong Kong. The city’s nightclubs offer no escape, in fact, many of them have chosen to cater to fans, instead of offering a respite. As many of the games air live at 2:30 am, top clubs such as Dragon-i, Volar, Roxie, and Tazmania Ballroom have all been partially transformed into sports bars.

Somehow they manage to juggle the dual forms of entertainment. Dragon-i, for example, was functioning normally inside on Tuesday night, although there was a huge screen outdoors showing the Brazil / North Korea game. Roxie, which is normally quiet on Tuesdays, was loaded with yellow and green jerseys and people in face paint.

Even if you’re not a big fan, it’s fun to witness the national cheers, jeers and songs that come from normally apathetic people during World Cup matches. Each nation has their own football culture, and a trip to Hong Kong clubland during World Cup allows you to pick up on some of these traditions.

For example, what do people scream during a missed opportunity, or yell when an amazing play is made? Cultural anthropologists can find out here.

The crowd interaction will only intensify as the competition wears on. A brief note to visiting d.j.s – expect some temporary distractions during your sets, as game time falls exactly during prime clubbing hours.

Check out images from around Hong Kong during the last World Cup.

Throwing beer after a goal – a Brazilian tradition?

One of the small pleasures of attending events in Hong Kong are those moments when you spot something unintentionally ironic, humorously inappropriate, or totally absurd.

The intended atmosphere of the event is suddenly pierced by something random that just doesn’t fit, or is simply inexplicable.

I was reminded of this phenomenon recently while attending a hair show.

A short way into the production, a person dressed as Predator (from the Arnold Schwartzenegger film of the same name,) took to the stage. For the next twenty minutes he cavorted around, at first with a d.j. and dancers, and later sharing the platform with models during a live hair styling demonstration.

It’s moments like this where you find yourself scratching your head, wondering what the organizer was thinking.

But there’s one benefit to these intrusions – they make an otherwise average event fun and unforgettable!

Last year I missed the Chinese New Year market in Victoria Park. This year, I was back again with a vengeance, making the trip two nights in a row.

Stepping out of the MTR station on the first night, the streets were literally overflowing with people. I don’t think I’ve ever seen Causeway Bay more crowded.

Jumping into the fray, I cut a path straight towards Victoria Park, the site of the yearly market.

What’s the attraction? Why is it worth visiting? Why go back every year?

For those of you who’ve never been, the Chinese New Year fair is a unique experience. The location runs across Victoria Park from Causeway Bay all the way to Tin Hau. It’s a crowded, chaotic atmosphere with people yelling and hawking all sorts of merchandise simultaneously.

If you’re searching for peace and quiet, this is definitely not the place!

The experience is almost like being in a weird sort of parade, as you wrap your way down different aisles checking out the items for sale and being enticed to either side by people shouting at the top of their lungs, waving their merchandise at you.

I wouldn’t recommend the market for the claustrophobic, for very young children, or those in a rush. If you choose the wrong aisle you could easily be trapped in standstill traffic for 30 minutes, with strangers pressed up onto you. The place even proves popular after 1am in bad weather, so it’s difficult to suggest a time when it’s less hectic. If you navigate the different aisles carefully, it’s possible to work your way around to most places in the market.

This year was particularly packed, despite the rain on the final night.

Except for large plants, which are kept in the last aisle, most things for sale are inexpensive, with prices below $50 HKD. On the final night, on the eve of Chinese New Year, the prices drop as hawkers look to get rid of their inventory.

There’s a huge assortment of objects corresponding to the particular year (animal) of the Chinese zodiac. Therefore it changes every year, on a twelve-year cycle, often with creative new additions.

The items for sale fall into a few different categories: traditional, lucky, cute, and sometimes, just plain funny. An example of classic, more traditional items are things like over-sized pinwheels, small orange trees, flowers such as peach blossoms (‘to fa’,) and willows.

These are thought to bring luck in one form or another. Some target relationships, while others are for business or wealth. Occasionally, you also find the type of stuff sold on infomercials, such as stain-removers, shoe trees and other miscellaneous objects.

Less plastic and more plush
With this being the tiger year, there was a huge assortment of tiger-themed merchandise for sale including hats, costumes, claws, paws and stuffed animals.

Most of them were created using furry plush, rather than the blow-up plastics commonly used in the last few years.

As usual there were some extraneous cute items – though nothing as standout as the giant ‘gai daan jai’, ice cream, or Chupa Chups from previous years. Maneuvering through the thick crowds I spotted a giant egg tart with a re-arrangeable face, and a nearly meter long McDonald’s pie.

This camera was one of the few non-tiger blow-ups I spotted

One item that perhaps only proved popular on the final night (when it was raining,) were the ‘acid-proof’ umbrellas.

These reference a few unfortunate incidents of someone throwing acid from buildings onto crowded pedestrian streets over the last year. Not sure how tasteful or auspicious they are however…

Especially popular were the many different styles of tiger hats, as well as varieties of giant soft tiger claws. Some even made a noise (more like a monkey than a tiger actually,) when a particular spot was pressed.

Have a look at photos from previous Chinese New Year posts: 2006, 2007, 2008, (also from 2008), and 2009.

Best wishes from Hong Kong Hustle to you in year of the tiger!

Every year at exactly the same time something changes on the city’s streets. Just past New Year’s Eve, taxis, normally everywhere, suddenly become scarce commodities (or at least pretend to be!)

What happens next?

Chaos erupts in the streets! Roving hordes of revelers, having had enough partying, walk down the middle of busy roads attempting to flag down a taxi. The nightlife areas become a free-for-all with people practically jumping in front of cabs, desperate for a ride.

Instead of pulling up and allowing passengers to get in, the taxis often want to know where you’re going, and then they’ll quote you an exorbitant price. (What a pleasant way to ring in the new year, by price gouging!)

This routine brings back fond memories from Seoul. On any given night you can go through a similar trial. Taxis will slow down and ask you where you want to go, but only take you if they’re interested in heading in that direction!

Back in Hong Kong, I opted to extricate myself from this situation entirely. What many people don’t realize is that the MTR runs 24 hours on January first. Instead of fighting for a cab, attempting to negotiate a deal, and being stuck in traffic, I opted to take the train from Kowloon station at 3am and got to Central quickly, with no hassle.

Wishing you all a Happy New Year and the very best in 2010!

For a year or two, I sort of put this out of my mind. Scooting up the escalator, it no longer makes my blood boil as it once did when it was first installed around five years ago. But that doesn’t mean I don’t catch a glimpse every now and then that doesn’t re-ignite my fury.

Yesterday was one of those days!

What is 80′s clip-art doing on the walls of the escalator?

Before the horrific, out-dated clip-art (that has nothing remotely to do with Hong Kong,) was installed, there were just blank panels in place. It should have stayed that way.

Someone must have had the brilliant idea to put something on the walls to jazz up the escalator. A total idiot must have made the assumption that this clip-art was worthy of the task.

They should be punished. In fact, this is worthy of vigilante action.

It’s a disgrace and a joke. Don’t call this a world-class international city when over 55,000 people a day are forced to stare at imagery like this. It’s third rate. How about coming up with an idea, say, for illustrations of famous points of interest in Hong Kong. As tourists make their curious way along the escalator route, they might discover someplace else they want to visit. Or, if you had a little more ambition, what about establishing this as a famous outdoor art gallery sponsored by the city? Why do I need to suggest these things?

It’s infuriating me just thinking about it.

Here are some examples of the current “art” that adorns the escalator walls.

Yes, that’s a cassette-deck stereo.

Yes, that’s a VCR.

Wow, another cheeseburger.

Nice sun glasses, fighter jet and scooter!

High fashion?

Money: USD, Yen and Canadian money – how shameful can you get?

It’s an outrage!

For years we’ve endured smokey clubs until the wee hours of the morning and the collateral damage – second hand smoke, smelly clothes, and smokey hair. But July marked the end of smoking (at least legally,) inside Hong Kong’s bars and nightclubs. On behalf of our lungs, hair and clothes – thank you!

Now the question is – will it be enforced?

It seems that people have accepted the no-smoking rule rather easily – so far. Unlike karaokes, which I don’t believe ever seriously enforced the ban, Central’s clubs seem to be complying. Even late at Volar on Friday night I witnessed a security guard walk up to a VIP table and tell a model to put out her illicit smoke – she complied.

Newer venues have been opening with the ban in mind and have found spaces with outdoor areas strategically attached.

Two immediate hassles for clubs are going to be the extra flow of people at entry and exit points and potential noise complaints due to people congregating outside the venues. But so far, so good!

When Hong Kong supermarket chain Wellcome began offering a rewards program tied to a shopper’s Octopus card, things got a little weird.

It’s not uncommon for English words to be slightly mangled upon delivery, but sometimes the idiosyncratic localization of words produces some really strange results!

Consider the following scenario:

You’re at the checkout counter all ready to pay for your groceries, when the Wellcome cashier suddenly turns to you and says “Octopussy?”

It takes you half a second to understand the connotation and question. If you’ve registered your Octopus card for the rewards program, you now have an opportunity to collect additional points for your transaction.

Octopussy of course, is a word only uttered when referring to the title of a James Bond film from 1983. To hear it coming from the checkout counter while purchasing your daily necessities is mildly amusing.

Some native Cantonese speakers have linguistic habits that carry over into their English. For example, some people don’t like one syllable words or names. If your name is Ken, people will address you as ‘Ah Ken’. Similarly, some Cantonese speakers don’t like words that end in ‘S’. So words like bus are pronounced bus-EE. Octopus is occasionally one of these words!

(For the record, even though I’m a big fan of the Octopus card, I would never give out so much information about myself to the supermarkets and allow my purchases to be tracked. Do you really think they want to help you lower their income? The supermarket is just going to use the information they collect to find out more efficient ways to manipulate prices, so don’t help them! Plus it slows down the transaction time, which is already frustratingly long, unless of course you pay by Octopussy!)

There are a few cool cut-away views along the Central to Mid-Levels Escalator that make for interesting photos. I was walking down the pathway yesterday when I looked to my left, somewhere between Wellington Street and Queens Road.

The alley below contains outdoor food stalls, but all you can see is a patchwork of colors from the ramshackle umbrellas they use to protect their tables. Having just rained, the view was particularly vibrant and stunning. As far as the eye can see you have a collection of different awnings and tarps strung together.

Hong Kong is filled with such scenes of unintentional beauty.

The city has a way with wringing texture from man-made objects that decay gracefully. Worn away over time, they exist on a plane that is neither man-made nor natural, but somewhere in between.

I’ve taken some amazing photos before of things like the scraped up interior of an old industrial elevator, or paint peeling on a ferry pier. If you have an eye for it, you can’t help but spot this kind of unintentional art around the city.

Occasionally Hong Kong artists, photographers and filmmakers tap this phenomenon and you can spot it in their better work.