Gmy GoTravel 3838

Peak Tram!!

noreply@blogger.com (Gmy) — Sun, 13 Feb 2011 20:54:00 +0800

Posted by gmygotravel

The Peak Tramway (traditional Chinese: 山頂纜車) is a funicular railway in Hong Kong, which carries both tourists and residents to the upper levels of Hong Kong Island. Running from Central district to Victoria Peak via the Mid-Levels, it provides the most direct route and offers good views over the harbour and skyscrapers of Hong Kong.

The Peak Tram is owned and operated by the Hongkong and Shanghai Hotels Group (HSH), the owner of Hong Kong's famous Peninsula Hotel along with many other properties. The line, along with HSH's Peak Tower leisure complex at the line's summit, is promoted using the brand The Peak.

Hong Kong Tramways!!

noreply@blogger.com (Gmy) — Sun, 13 Feb 2011 20:47:00 +0800

Posted by gmygotravel

The Hong Kong Tramways is the tram (streetcar) system run exclusively with double deckers. The electric tram system was proposed in 1881;[7] however nobody was willing to invest in a system at the time. In August 1901, the Second Tramway Bill was introduced and passed into law as the 1902 Tramway Ordinance. Hong Kong Tramway Electric Company Limited, a British company, was authorised to take the responsibilities in construction and daily operation. In 1904, the tram system first got into service. It was soon taken over by another company, Electric Tranction Company of Hong Kong Limited and then the name was changed to Hong Kong Tramways Company Limited in 1910.

The rail system is 13 kilometres (8.1 miles) long, with a total track length of 30 km (18.6 miles), and it runs together with other vehicles on the street. Its operation relies on the 550V direct current (d.c.) from the overhead cables, on 3'6" gauge (1067 mm) tracks. The trams provide service to only parts of Hong Kong Island: they run on a double track along the northern coast of Hong Kong Island from Kennedy Town to Shau Kei Wan, with a single clockwise-running track of about 3 kilometres (1.9 miles) around Happy Valley Racecourse.

MTR of Hong Kong!!

noreply@blogger.com (Gmy) — Sun, 13 Feb 2011 20:41:00 +0800

Posted by gmygotravel

MTR, or Mass Transit Railway, is the rapid transit railway system in Hong Kong. The MTR first began service in 1979. The present-day MTR network includes 211.6 km of rail with 150 stations, including 85 railway stations and 68 light rail stops. The MTR system is currently being operated by MTR Corporation Limited (MTRCL). On 2 December 2007 the Kowloon-Canton Railway Corporation (KCRC) granted a 50-year service concession (which may be extended) of the KCR network to MTRCL, in return for making annual payments to KCRC, thereby merging the railway operations of the two corporations under MTRCL's management. At the same time MTRCL changed its Chinese name from "地鐵有限公司" (Subway Limited Company) to "香港鐵路有限公司" (Hong Kong Railway Limited Company), but left its English name unchanged.

Under the government's rail-led transport policy, the MTR system is a common mode of public transport in Hong Kong, offering efficiency and affordability, with over 4 million trips made in an average weekday. As of first-half 2009, the MTR has a 42% market share of the franchised public transport market, making it the most popular transport option in Hong Kong. The integration of the Octopus smart card fare-payment technology into the MTR system in September 1997 has further enhanced the ease of commuting on the MTR.

In 1967, construction of the MTR was prompted by a government-commissioned study. The Hong Kong Government had previously commissioned a study in the 1960s to find solutions to the growing traffic problem caused by the expansion of the territory's economy.Construction started soon after the release of the study, and the first line was opened in 1979. The MTR was immediately popular with residents of Hong Kong; as a result, subsequent lines have been built to cover more territory. There are continual debates regarding how and where to expand the MTR network.

Rail transport in Hong Kong!!

noreply@blogger.com (Gmy) — Sun, 13 Feb 2011 20:27:00 +0800

Posted by gmygotravel

Hong Kong has an extensive train network. Public transport trains are operated by the MTR Corporation Limited. The MTR operates the metro network within inner urban Hong Kong, Kowloon Peninsula and northern part of Hong Kong Island with newly developed areas, Tsuen Wan, Tseung Kwan O, Tung Chung, Hong Kong Disneyland, the Hong Kong International Airport, the northeastern and northwestern parts of the New Territories.

The Hong Kong Tramways operates a tram service exclusively on northern Hong Kong Island. The Peak Tram connects Central, Hong Kong's central business district, with the Victoria Peak.

Hong Kong International Airport!!

noreply@blogger.com (Gmy) — Sun, 13 Feb 2011 20:21:00 +0800

Posted by gmygotravel

Hong Kong International Airport (IATA: HKG, ICAO: VHHH) is the main airport in Hong Kong. It is colloquially known as Chek Lap Kok Airport (赤鱲角機場), because it was built on the island of Chek Lap Kok by land reclamation, and also to distinguish it from its predecessor, the closed Kai Tak Airport.

The airport opened for commercial operations in 1998, replacing Kai Tak, and is an important regional trans-shipment centre, passenger hub and gateway for destinations in Mainland China (with over 40 destinations) and the rest of Asia. Despite a relatively short history, Hong Kong International Airport has won seven Skytrax World Airport Awards for customer satisfaction in just ten years.

However, HKIA ranked second and third in 2009 and 2010 respectively for the Skytrax World Airport Awards, although it still remains as the best airport taking into account passenger numbers annually.

HKIA also operates one of the world's largest passenger terminal buildings (the world's largest when opened in 1998) and operates twenty-four hours a day. The airport is operated by the Airport Authority Hong Kong and is the primary hub for Cathay Pacific Airways, Dragonair, Hong Kong Express Airways, Hong Kong Airlines and Air Hong Kong (cargo). It is a focus city for Vietnam Airlines, Garuda Indonesia, China Airlines and Air New Zealand to a lesser extent Qantas and Virgin Atlantic, both of which use Hong Kong as a stopover point for flights on the Kangaroo Route between Australasia and Europe.

Both United Airlines and Air India use Hong Kong as a stopover point for flights respectively from the United States to Singapore and Ho Chi Minh City as well as from India to Osaka and Seoul. In the near future, Garuda Indonesia is considering making Hong Kong their transit hub for flights to Europe while Swiss International Air Lines considers Hong Kong to be a major transfer hub for its network.This shows that Hong Kong International Airport is a key Asian airport for global airline operations.

Flights are operated by roughly 90 airlines to over 150 cities across the globe, and in 2009 it was the 13th busiest airport worldwide in terms of passenger throughput, registering 45,560,888.HKIA is also an important contributor to the Hong Kong economy, with 60,000 people employed at the airport.

In 2009, it was the second busiest airport in the world in terms of cargo traffic, handling 3,384,765 tons of cargo.In 2010, HKIA became the busiest airport by cargo traffic in the world, ahead of Memphis Airport in USA, along with Hong Kong flag carrier Cathay Pacific holding the title of the world's largest international cargo airline.

Kai Tak Airport!!

noreply@blogger.com (Gmy) — Sun, 13 Feb 2011 20:15:00 +0800

Posted by gmygotravel

Kai Tak Airport (traditional Chinese: 啟德機場; Jyutping: kai2 dak1 gei1 coeng4) was the international airport of Hong Kong from 1925 until 1998. It was officially known as the Hong Kong International Airport (traditional Chinese: 香港國際機場; Jyutping: hoeng1 gong2 gwok3 zai3 gei1 coeng4) from 1954 to July 6, 1998, when it was closed and replaced by the new Hong Kong International Airport at Chek Lap Kok, 30 km to the west.

It is often known as Hong Kong Kai Tak International Airport (traditional Chinese: 香港啟德國際機場; Jyutping: hoeng1 gong2 kai2 dak1 gwok3 zai3 gei1 coeng4), or simply Kai Tak, to distinguish it from its successor which is often referred to as Chek Lap Kok Airport (traditional Chinese: 赤鱲角機場; Jyutping: cek3 laap6 gok3 gei1 coeng4).

With numerous skyscrapers and mountains located to the north and its only runway jutting out into Victoria Harbour, landings at the airport were dramatic to experience and technically demanding for pilots. The History Channel program Most Extreme Airports, ranked it as the 6th most dangerous airport in the world.

The airport was home to Hong Kong's international carrier Cathay Pacific, as well as regional carrier Dragonair, freight airline Air Hong Kong and Hong Kong Airways. The airport was also home to the former RAF Kai Tak.

Central–Mid-levels escalators!!

noreply@blogger.com (Gmy) — Sun, 13 Feb 2011 20:04:00 +0800

Posted by gmygotravel

The Central–Mid-levels escalators (traditional Chinese: 中環至半山自動扶梯) in Hong Kong is the longest outdoor covered escalator system in the world. The entire escalator system covers over 800 metres in distance and elevates over 135 metres from bottom to top. It was constructed in 1993 to provide a better commute by linking Central and Western District on Hong Kong Island.

The escalator runs through Cochrane Street between Queen's Road Central and Lyndhurst Terrace. Then it runs along Shelley Street (些利街).

The escalator bisects the following streets/roads:

Des Voeux Road Central (德輔道中)

Queen's Road Central (皇后大道中)

Stanley Street (士丹利街)

Wellington Street (威靈頓街)

Gage Street (結志街)

Lyndhurst Terrace (擺花街)

Hollywood Road (荷里活道)

Staunton Street (士丹頓街)

Elgin Street (伊利近街)

Caine Road (堅道)

Mosque Street (摩羅廟街)

Mosque Junction (摩羅廟交加街)

Robinson Road (羅便臣道)

Conduit Road (干德道)

Bus services in Hong Kong!!

noreply@blogger.com (Gmy) — Sun, 13 Feb 2011 19:58:00 +0800

Posted by gmygotravel

Bus services have a long history in Hong Kong. As of 2005, five companies operate franchised public bus services. There are also a variety of non-franchised public buses services, including feeder bus services to railway stations operated by MTR, and residents' services for residential estates.

The bus service of Hong Kong can be roughly divided into 3 types: Franchised bus, Non-franchised bus and Public light bus.

Franchised bus

As of 2007, there are 5 privately owned bus companies that provide franchised bus service across Hong Kong, operating more than 700 routes. Hong Kong is one of the few cities in the world that has no publicly-operated bus service.

These are the five franchised bus companies in Hong Kong:

Kowloon Motor Bus Company (1933) Limited

Mainly provides service in Kowloon and New Territories, operating total 402 routes. Some of them are cross-harbour routes.

Citybus Limited

Mainly provides service on Hong Kong Island, operating 154 routes. 72 routes are on Hong Kong Island, 32 of them are North-Lantau and Airport routes, and the final 50 of the routes are cross-harbour routes. Other than those, Citybus operates shuttle routes B3, B3A and B3X between Tuen Mun and Shenzhen Bay Port.

Long Win Bus Company Limited

Mainly services Tung Chung, Disneyland Resort and routes shuttling between the Airport and New Territories.

New World First Bus Services Limited

Mainly provides service on Hong Kong Island.

New Lantao Bus Company (1973) Limited

Mainly provides service on Lantau Island, operating a total of 20 routes.

Founded in 1933, the Kowloon Motor Bus Company (1933) Limited (KMB) is one of the largest privately owned public bus operators in the world. KMB's fleet consists of 4,058 buses on 402 routes and a staff of over 12,000. In 1979, Citybus began its operation in Hong Kong with one double-decker, providing shuttle service for the Hong Kong dockyard. It later expanded into operating a residential bus route between City One, Shatin and Kowloon Tong MTR station. New World First Bus Services Limited (NWFB) was established in 1998, taking over China Motor Bus's franchise to provide bus services on Hong Kong Island together with Citybus. NWFB's parent company later bought Citybus, but the two companies have basically been operating independently.

Hong Kong franchised bus routes have a fixed path, fare, service hours and schedule. Urban routes mostly operate with double-decker buses, which have become a distinguishing feature of Hong Kong. Passengers are required to pay their bus fare when they board the bus, and all buses accept payment by either Octopus card or coins. Some routes such as cross-harbour routes and Disneyland Resort routes are operated jointly by two companies.

Non-franchised buses

The non-franchised bus services of Hong Kong are provided by different private bus companies as a means to relieve the demand on franchised buses and green public minibuses in rush hour. They also serve some remote places which are non-profitable for franchised buses and green public minibus operators. According to the Transport Department, there were 7206 registered non-franchised buses in Hong Kong up to 31 December 2003. Generally speaking, the services are divided into the following categories:

Tourist services (A01): Literally called "Travel bus" (旅遊巴), providing transport services for tourists between tourist attractions.

Hotel services (A02): operated by hotels or by bus companies, providing transport services for hotel customers.

School services (A03): operated by schools or by bus companies, providing transport services for students.

Employee services (A04): operated by different institutes or by bus companies, providing transport services for employees.

Residential services (A06): Literally called "Estate bus" (邨巴), providing feeder services between new towns and urban areas; they sometimes also operate between the management company of private housing estates and bus companies, as a mean to carry residents from where they live to major transport interchanges.

Contract hire services (A08): Hired by a person or groups for transport services.

Public light buses

The public light buses in Hong Kong are passenger transport vehicles (minibuses) with a capacity of 16 passengers. The capacity was 14 before 1980s. They provide feeder services to buses and the railway. According to the law, there can only be 4350 minibuses. They can be divided into two types: red public minibuses and green public minibuses. Other kinds of light bus services, for example, the Nanny van transports provided by such van owners during 1980s are considered illegal beyond their operation routes.

Roman Catholic Diocese of Hong Kong!!

noreply@blogger.com (Gmy) — Sun, 13 Feb 2011 19:46:00 +0800

Posted by gmygotravel

The Catholic Diocese of Hong Kong (CDHK, traditional Chinese: 天主教香港教區) is a Latin Rite ordinary diocese of the Catholic Church headed by Bishop John Tong Hon. Though the bishop is subject to the Roman Pontiff, he is not the vicar of the latter: he governs it in his own name. The diocese takes its name from the see city, the community where the bishop resides. The Roman Catholic Diocese of Hong Kong is part of the Ecclesiastical province of Guangzhou. For more information, see Roman Catholicism in Hong Kong.

There are about 353,000 non-Filipino Catholics (as of August 2009) and 130,000 Filipino Catholics in Hong Kong. They are served by 306 priests, 60 brothers and 496 sisters. There are 51 parishes, comprising 41 churches, 32 chapels and 25 halls for religious service. In education, there are 317 Catholic schools and kindergartens which have about 202,000 pupils.

Hong Kong Sheng Kung Hui!!

noreply@blogger.com (Gmy) — Sun, 13 Feb 2011 19:43:00 +0800

Posted by gmygotravel

The Hong Kong Sheng Kung Hui (abbreviated SKH), also known as the Hong Kong Anglican Church (Episcopal), is the Anglican Church in Hong Kong and Macau. It is the 38th Province of the Anglican Communion. It is also one of the major denominations in Hong Kong.

The Most Reverend Paul Kwong is the current Archbishop and Primate of Hong Kong Sheng Kung Hui and Bishop of the Diocese of Hong Kong Island with his seat at the St. John's Cathedral. It is notable that the Rt Reverend Dr. Thomas Soo, Bishop of the Diocese of Western Kowloon, is also the chairman of Hong Kong Christian Council and the Board of the Hong Kong Bible Society.

Islam in Hong Kong!!

noreply@blogger.com (Gmy) — Sun, 13 Feb 2011 19:37:00 +0800

Posted by gmygotravel

Islam is practiced in Hong Kong by about 250,000 Muslims. About 10,000 of the Muslim families in Hong Kong are 'local boy' families, Muslims of mixed Chinese and South Asian ancestry descended from early Muslim South Asian immigrants who took local Chinese wives and brought their children up as Muslims. Hui Muslims from China also played a role in the development of Islam in Hong Kong, such as Kasim Tuet of Guangzhou, one of the pioneers of Muslim education in the city, for who the Islamic Kasim Tuet Memorial College is named.

Four principal masjids (mosques) are used daily for prayers. The oldest is the Shelley Street Masjid on Hong Kong Island, which was built in the 1840s and rebuilt in 1915. The Kowloon Masjid and Islamic Centre in Nathan Road, opened in 1984, can accommodate about 3,500 worshippers. The Masjid and Islamic Centre at Oi Kwan Road in Wan Chai was opened in September 1981 and can accommodate a congregation of more than 700 worshippers. The Cape Collinson Muslim Cemetery also has a masjid.

University of Hong Kong!!

noreply@blogger.com (Gmy) — Sun, 13 Feb 2011 19:32:00 +0800

Posted by gmygotravel

The University of Hong Kong (or HKU, traditional Chinese: 香港大學) is the oldest tertiary institution in Hong Kong. Its motto is "Sapientia et Virtus" in Latin, meaning "wisdom and virtue", and "明德格物" in Chinese. The official language of instruction is English.

The University is referred by Quacquarelli Symonds as a "world-class comprehensive research university". In 2010, it was ranked 23rd in the QS World University Rankings[4] and 1st in their Asian University Rankings. In another rankings, the 2010-2011 Times Higher Education World University Rankings cooperating with Thomson Reuters as the new data supplier since 2010, the university was ranked 21st in the world and 1st in Asia.

Religion in Hong Kong!!

noreply@blogger.com (Gmy) — Sun, 13 Feb 2011 19:27:00 +0800

Posted by gmygotravel

Religion in Hong Kong is part of the culture of Hong Kong. Religious freedom is one of the fundamental rights enjoyed by Hong Kong residents. It is protected by the Basic Law and relevant legislation. There is a large variety of religious groups in Hong Kong, including Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Sikhism and Judaism. Approximately 43 percent of the population practices some form of religion.

The region is home to approximately 700,000 Buddhists and Taoists, 320,000 Protestant Christians, 243,000 Roman Catholics, 90,000 Muslims, 40,000 Hindus, 8,000 Sikhs, and 4,000 practicing Jews. Confucianism is also prevalent in the HKSAR. Apart from offering religious instructions, many major religious bodies have established schools and provided social welfare facilities.

Demographics of Hong Kong!!

noreply@blogger.com (Gmy) — Sun, 13 Feb 2011 19:23:00 +0800

Posted by gmygotravel

Hong Kong is one of the most densely populated areas in the world with an overall density of some 6,300 people per square kilometre. The term "densely populated, green city" is used to describe the majority of the people living in apartments in high-rise buildings, and most land reserved for open spaces, country parks, and woodland.

Hong Kong has one of the world’s lowest birth rates—0.9 per woman of child-bearing age, far below the replacement rate of 2.1. With just 1,032 babies born in 2009 to every 1000 fertile women, it is estimated that 26.8% of the population will be aged 65 or more in 2033, up from 12.1% in 2005.

Han Chinese residents generally refer to themselves as Hèung Góng Yàhn (traditional Chinese: 香港人; Cantonese Yale: Hèung Góng Yàhn; literally "Hong Kong people") (traditional Chinese: 香港華人), however the term is not resticted to those of Han Chinese decent. Due to Hong Kong's nearly 150 year colonial history that saw the stationing of English, Indians and Russians among other ethnic groups as civil servants or traders. Thus a distinct and legitimate non-Cantonese culture with specifics to Hong Kong grew.

Mixing of cultural groups did not occur much beyond governance and business due to two main reasons:

Between Chinese and other ethnicities: the Cantonese language posed a significant barrier for newcomers. Far too often non-Chinese were stationed in Hong Kong for fixed periods of time (2-,4-,8-year terms) and thus motivation to learn the language was reduced. Furthermore pre-1970's Hong Kong saw official governance favouring English or British culture for the most part. For example English was the only official language and educational institutes of quality were also English speaking. Therefore a continuation of English culture by recent English immigrants was simple and official policy; the need to integrate with the Chinese populations was thus limited. Furthermore Chinese population were largely unable to learn English due to the lack of proper educational facilities in pre-1970 Hong Kong. Racial tensions arose as a result of perceived unbalances, leading to the 1966 and 1967 riots.

Between non-Chinese ethnicities: most non-Chinese ethnic groups came to Hong Kong as traders, civil servants or soldiers in which one's race played a significant role in the determination of class. For example, the 1928 HK Police handbook, clearly assigns power, responsibility and rank based on race (White, Indian and Chinese).

In English the term "Hong Kongers" (or sometimes Hongkongers) and 'Hongkongese' are becoming more popular to describe the people of and unique local culture of Hong Kong.

Chinese make up 95% of the population with the other groups floating at around 5%]. The national census does not break down people of European descent into separate categories, nor are Chinese ethnic subgroups separated in the statistics.

Ecosystems in Hong Kong!!

noreply@blogger.com (Gmy) — Sun, 13 Feb 2011 18:34:00 +0800

Posted by gmygotravel

Mangroves are habitats of enclosed intertidal mud flats with wave action greatly reduced, located near sources of fresh water. Popular mangrove habitats in Hong Kong are located along Deep Bay, such as Pak Nai and Tsim Bei Tsui, where salinity is very low under the influence of fresh water from the Pearl River, and along some mud flats where salinity is lowered by surrounding streams, such as Three Fathoms Cove and Ting Kok. Trees living in this habitat are called mangrove trees.

The following are the sites of Mangroves in Hong Kong:

- Deep Bay

- Tolo Harbour

- Hoi Ha Wan

- Long Harbour

- Hebe Haven

- Tai O

- Tung Chung

- Tai Tam Harbour

- Pui O

Rocky Shores, The tidal range of Hong Kong is about 2.5 meters and the distribution of species is situated into this area must be tolerant of both conditions that the shores are covered with sea water during high tide and the shores are exposed to the air directly during low tide, for hours or days. Species which have adapted to these different conditions are described as specialized to successfully exploit narrow vertical zones on the rocky shore.

The species inhabiting Hong Kong rocky shores varies in accordance with the exposure to the wave action from the sea. The sessile filter feeding organisms inhabit the wave exposed shores. They are able to attach on the rock surface and remove food particles in the turbulent water while the mobile herbivores and carnivores inhabit in the sheltered shores. The varieties of the organisms also different from seasons, especially in Hong Kong where oceanic currents change with season: very few erect foliose macro-algae are found in summer because they may suffer from the burning heat; a lot of foliose algae are found on the shores in winter.

The following are the sites of rocky shores in Hong Kong:

- Luk Keng

- Kei Ling Ha Lo Wai

- Cape D'Aguilar Marine Reserve

Streams, There are two kinds of freshwater habitats: lentic water, such as lakes, ponds, ditches, and lotic water, such as rivers, streams. Streams are an example of a lotic habitat Hong Kong.

There are three main factors to differentiate the habitats in Hong Kong: variability of current, amount of detritus and variable oxygen content. These factors contribute to make the animals adapted in different ways. They have to attach themselves to the surfaces, become predominantly detritus feeders and have a mechanism for obtaining maximum oxygen supply.

The followings are the sites of streams in Hong Kong:

- Wa Mei Shan

- Lam Tsuen River

Sandy Shores

The following are the site of sandy shores in Hong Kong:

- Starfish Bay

Environment of Hong Kong!!

noreply@blogger.com (Gmy) — Sun, 13 Feb 2011 18:27:00 +0800

Posted by gmygotravel

The ecology of Hong Kong is mostly affected by the results of climatic changes. Hong Kong's climate is seasonal due to alternating wind direction between winter and summer.

Hong Kong has been geologically stable for millions of years. Flora and fauna in Hong Kong are altered by climatic change, sea level alternation, and human impact.

Hong Kong's climate is subtropical but half the year is temperate. The territory is situated South of the tropic of Cancer which is equal to Hawaii in latitude. In winter, strong and cold wind generates from the North to Hong Kong; in summer, the wind reverses in direction and brings the warm and humid air from the South.

The total land area of Hong Kong is 1,076 square kilometers, but about 75% of it is open countryside, which contains more than 2600 species of vascular plants, about 450 species of birds, about 200 species of butterflies, about 100 species of dragonflies, 40 species of mammals, 80 species of reptiles and more than 20 species of amphibians, including some species endemic to the territory.

Hong Kong is considered rich in number of species. The number of species of birds in Hong Kong is one third of that in China while the number of butterflies species is also one sixth of the total butterfly species in China according to surveys reported.

Climate of Hong Kong!!

noreply@blogger.com (Gmy) — Sun, 13 Feb 2011 18:23:00 +0800

Posted by gmygotravel

The Four Seasons in Hong Kong

In winter, the weather is generally cool by local standards, with temperatures hovering between 15°C and 20°C. However, northeast winter monsoons bring frequent cold fronts which can cause the temperature to dip below 10°C, despite Hong Kong's tropical latitude and coastal location.

Conversely, warm maritime airstreams also commonly raise the temperature well above 20°C. Temperatures as high as 29°C have been recorded in February. Winter starts sunny in December and becomes cloudier towards February.

Spring brings warmer and more humid weather. There is a sharp increase in rainfall around April. Spring is the cloudiest time of the year, with March and April both averaging around 100 hours of bright sunshine.

Summer weather is hot, humid and unstable. Thunderstorms and brief showers are common, as well as sunny conditions. August has the highest average rainfall of any month. Temperatures usually exceed 30°C during the day, which, coupled with a high humidity, can result in an extreme heat index. Nights are also warm with an average minimum temperature of 26°C. Hong Kong is frequently hit by typhoons in summer.

Fall is generally considered as the most pleasant season. Temperatures are still high (20-27°C) while humidity and ranfaill are considerably lower. Moreover, fall is the sunniest season in Hong Kong, with October and November both averaging close to 200 hours of bright sunshine.

Districts of Hong Kong!!

noreply@blogger.com (Gmy) — Sun, 13 Feb 2011 17:44:00 +0800

Posted by gmygotravel

The Districts of Hong Kong are the 18 political areas by which Hong Kong is geographically divided. Each district has a district council, which was formerly known as a district board. The districts were established in the early 1980s, when Hong Kong was under British rule.

Hong Kong Island (香港島)

- Central and Western (中西區)

- Wan Chai (灣仔區)

- Eastern (東區)

- Southern (南區)

Kowloon (九龍)

- Yau Tsim Mong (油尖旺區)

- Sham Shui Po (深水埗區)

- Kowloon City (九龍城區)

- Wong Tai Sin (黃大仙區)

- Kwun Tong (觀塘區)

New Territories (新界)

- Kwai Tsing (葵青區)

- Tsuen Wan (荃灣區)

- Tuen Mun (屯門區)

- Yuen Long (元朗區)

- North (北區)

- Tai Po (大埔區)

- Sha Tin (沙田區)

- Sai Kung (西貢區)

- Islands (離島區)

Rueili, The Advent of the Tourist Season!!

noreply@blogger.com (Gmy) — Sun, 13 Feb 2011 16:37:00 +0800

Posted by gmygotravel

Wisteria are the jewels of the botanic world; easy to look after, very long lived, vigorous, and simply magnificent when in flower.

Wisteria should be pruned twice a year to encourage flowering; once lightly in September, and again in February / early March just before flowering.

March is a rare wisteria open season!!

There is an old and beautiful wisteria legend: There is a beautiful girl wants a love, so she prayed every day to fulfill the sky red joking. Finally red joking piety touched by the girl, in her dream, she said: "In the spring comes, the mountain in a small woods, she met a white man, and that is what she wants The Food of Love. "wait until the spring of the day, silly girl came alone, such as about the mountain grove. Love waiting for her beautiful - the arrival of white men. Can wait until the night was coming, or does not appear that the white man, the girl down in a tense time, but was bitten by a snake in the grass of the ankle. Girls can not walk, it is difficult to return home, and was quite frightened. Helpless despair at the time of the girl, white man appeared, the girl pleasantly surprised to cry for help, white men came forward to help her mouth to suck out of the ankle had been bitten by a snake sera, the girl fell in love ever since Him.But the white man, a poor family, their marriage was against the parents of the woman. The final two people who love both jumping partiality. The edge of the cliff in their sentimentalism grow a tree, the tree that actually wrapped around a cane, and falling out of blossoming flowers, purple in with blue, illuminating as heavenly clouds. That after the person out of the vine wisteria flowers, wisteria wrapped around the tree to be born, can not survive alone, some people say that Wisteria is the embodiment of girls in white man is the tree, Wisteria born for love, for love Death.

Rueili (Ruìlǐ) is a small, quiet, temperate-mountain community that thrives on tourism and tea growing. It’s always been one of our favourite places in the Alishan region and the fact that we can now walk there from the Fenchihu train station makes it all that more special. Rueili excels in eye candy for the nature-lover. There are panoramic mountain scenes, bamboo forests, caves, waterfalls and historic walking trails.

瑞里的旅遊旺季來臨 !
從梅‧桃‧李‧杏花開始後，接著就是浪漫的紫藤花要綻放了!
３月是稀少紫藤花開的季節，物以稀為貴，貴以美為無價！

紫藤花語：纏綿的愛情，代表對你的執著，最幸運的時刻！
歡迎大家在３月至四月初來嘉義瑞里這走走！

紫藤花又名朱藤、招藤、招豆藤、藤蘿等，為蝶形花科紫藤屬落葉攀援灌木。紫藤花語：醉人的戀情,依依的思念。紫藤開花後會結出形如豆莢的果實，懸掛枝間，別有情趣。有時夏末秋初還會再度開花。花穗、莢果在翠羽般的綠葉襯托下相映成趣。

紫藤花有個古老而美麗的傳說：有一個美麗的女孩想要一段情緣，於是她每天祈求天上的紅衣月老能成全。終於紅衣月老被女孩的虔誠感動了，在她的夢中對她說：“在春天到來的時候，在後山的小樹林裡，她會遇到一個白衣男子，那就是她想要的的情緣。”等到春暖花開的日子，痴心的女孩如約獨自來到了後山小樹林。等待她美麗的情緣--白衣男子的到來。可一直等到天快黑了，那個白衣男子還是沒有出現，女孩在緊張失望之時，反而被草叢裡的蛇咬傷了腳踝。女孩不能走路了，家也難回了，心裡害怕極了。在女孩感到絕望無助的時刻，白衣男子出現了，女孩驚喜地呼喊著救命，白衣男子上前用嘴幫她吸出了腳踝上被蛇咬過的毒血，女孩從此便深深地愛上了他。可是白衣男子家境貧寒，他們的婚事遭到了女方父母的反對。最終二個相愛的人雙雙跳崖徇情。在他們殉情的懸崖邊上長出了一棵樹，那樹上居然纏著一棵藤，並開出朵朵花墜，紫中帶藍，燦若云霞。後人稱那藤上開出的花為紫藤花，紫藤花需纏樹而生，獨自不能存活，便有人說紫藤就是女孩的化身，白衣男子就是那棵樹，紫藤為情而生，為愛而亡。

３月是紫藤花盛開的季節，紫藤花語：纏綿的愛情,代表對你的執著!帶著你的戀人一起來享受最幸福的時刻!! 寒帶的日本，有一種植物叫紫藤，開花時，就像紫色的瀑布一樣，相當漂亮，現在不用到日本，海拔一千公尺的瑞里就有囉!!

http://youye.okgo.tw/ (旅遊、住宿洽詢幼葉的林民宿)

瑞里 - 位於嘉義縣梅山鄉瑞里村，屬阿里山脈西部邊緣地帶，海拔1200米，丘陵起伏，峰巒蒼翠，一些斷崖峭壁，瀑布溪流分佈其間，到處山花野果，蟲聲燕語，充滿野趣，是山水兼具的風景區。

Public Holidays in Philipines !!

noreply@blogger.com (Gmy) — Sun, 26 Dec 2010 21:33:00 +0800

Posted by gmygotravel

If the date falls on the weekend the public holiday will be observed on the next working day. Also note that Easter is a major holiday in the Philippines and travel may be disrupted.

January 1

New Year's Day Araw ng Bagong Taon

Thursday before Easter

Maundy Thursday Huwebes Santo

Friday before Easter

Good Friday Biyernes Santo

Easter Sunday, date varies

Easter Sunday Linggo ng Pagkabuhay

April 9

Bataan and Corregidor Day ("Day of Valour") Araw ng Kagitingan

May 1

Labor Day Araw ng Manggagawa

June 12

Independence Day Araw ng Kasaringlan

June 30

Philippine-Spanish Friendship Day

July 27

Iglesia Ni Cristo Day Kaarawan ng pagkakatatag ng Iglesia Ni Cristo

August 21

Ninoy Aquino Day Araw ng Kabayanihan ni Ninoy Aquino

Last Monday of August

National Heroes' Day Araw ng mga Bayani

November 1

All Saints Day Undas/Todos los Santos

November 30

Bonifacio Day Kaarawan ni Bonifacio

December 25

Christmas Day Araw ng Pasko

December 30

Rizal Day Araw ng Kabayanihan ni Dr. José Rizal

December 31

Last Day of the Year Bisperas ng Bagong Taon

Electricity in Philipines!! General Information !!

noreply@blogger.com (Gmy) — Sun, 26 Dec 2010 21:16:00 +0800

Posted by gmygotravel

Electricity in Philippines is 220 Volts, alternating at 60 cycles per second. If you travel to Philippines with a device that does not accept 220 Volts at 60 Hertz, you will need a voltage converter.

There are three main types of voltage converter. Resistor-network converters will usually be advertised as supporting something like 50-1600 Watts. They are light-weight and support high-wattage electrical appliances like hair dryers and irons. However, they can only be used for short periods of time and are not ideal for digital devices.

Transformers will have a much lower maximum Watt rating, usually 50 or 100. Transformers can often be used continuously and provide better electricity for low wattage appliances like battery chargers, radios, laptop computers, cameras, mp3 players and camcorders. However, they are heavy because they contain large iron rods and lots of copper wire.

Outlets in Philippines generally accept 2 types of plug:
Flat blade plug
Two round pins

If your appliances plug has a different shape, you may need a plug adapter.

Currency of Philipines !! US-Philippines Coins !!

noreply@blogger.com (Gmy) — Sun, 26 Dec 2010 21:12:00 +0800

Posted by gmygotravel

After the Spanish-American war, Spain ceded the Philippines to the Unites States for a amount of 20 million dollars in the 1898 Treaty of Paris.

The currency situation was in a state of disarray. The colony needed a new working coinage system which showed the colony's new identity.

In 1903, all Spanish-Philippines issues were withdrawn from circulation and melted, replaced by the new series of coins.

The minor coins (the half centavo, one centavo, and five centavos) were made of bronze and featured the figure of an adolescent male seated at an anvil and holding a hammer in his right hand. In the distance is seen the smoking volcano of Mt. Mayon. The statement of value appears in English, while the name of the colony is written below in Spanish (FILIPINAS).

Silver was used for the larger denominated coins (10, 20 and 50 centavos and then the 1 peso). The obverses of these showed a standing figure of a female wearing a long gown and holding a hammer resting atop an anvil. Behind her is again Mt. Mayon.

Until the Philippine Commonwealth was founded in 1935, all coins bore a single reverse design: the federal shield with by an American eagle on top. The words "UNITED STATES OF AMERICA" and the date the coin was struck are also found on this side.

The obverses remained unchanged until the last US-Philippine coins were struck in 1945.The designs are credited to Filipino sculptor Melecio Figueroa.Several US mints struck coins for this series, namely Philadelphia, San Francisco, Denver and the Manila mint.

A vivid relation about the introduction of the US-Philippine currency can be found in chapter XII of Mary Helen Fee's book, A Woman's Impression of the Philippines. She was a teacher who was send to the Philippines in the early years of the US era.

The silver coins consisted of pesos, medio-pesos, pesetas (twenty-cent pieces), media-pesetas (ten-cent pieces), and it seems to me that I have a hazy recollection of a silver five-cent piece, though I cannot be certain. The copper coins were as mongrel as the silver.

Currency of Philipines !! Spanish-Philippines Coins !!

noreply@blogger.com (Gmy) — Sun, 26 Dec 2010 21:06:00 +0800

Posted by gmygotravel

There are few specifically Philippine coins from the Spanish era. This is so, because during most of the Spanish rule of the islands, the Philippines, like all Spanish colonies, used the same Spanish coins as legal tender. The world-famous "peice of eight" (8 reales) was one of the world's leading currencies during most of this time. It was accepted nearly anywhere, from North and South America to many parts of Asia and Europe, even outside the Spanish realm.

Counterstamps

The first Philippine coins came into existance around 1830. At that time many South American Spanish colonies became independent republics. King Ferdinand VII and Queen Isabella II (hence, F7 and YII). These counterstamps were used to legitimize the coins that arrived (as Spain did not recognize those country's independence until several years after).

Silver & Gold Series

In 1857, Queen Isabella II issued a degree, ordering the founding of the Casa de Moneda de Manila in the Philippines with the sole purpose of coining gold. It was established in 1861. Issues here ran from 1861 to 1868 in the denominations of 1, 2, and 4 pesos (rare years are 1867 and 1866). These are the very first coins that ever bore the name of the colony: FILIPINAS. In 1864 the operations of the mint were expanded to cover silver. All silver coins with the exception of the 1897 Un Peso were struck here (the latter was struck at the Madrid mint).

Silver coins bearing Isabella's image were struck from 1864 to 1868, and then again from a few years after using the 1868 dies (hence the reason 1868 is the most common year for this series). Coins in this issue are very similar to their Spanish counterparts. The only difference was the denomination they had: centimos de peso instead of pesetas.

Silver coins bearing the image of King Alfonso XII (who succeeded Isabella) were struck from 1880 to 1885 and are similar to their earlier Isabella counterparts. Here too, minting continued for a few years using the 1885 die. Coins of this issue differ from their Spanish counterparts in the denomination and the fact that King Alfonso faces in the other direction.

A very small number of gold coins bearing Alfonso's image were minted. Many mintage years are reported, but only 1882 and 1885 are confirmed. All of these issues from any year are rare.

A new one peso coin was struck in 1897 with the profile of the boy King Alfonso XIII. This coin was only minted for 1 year, and is, at the same time, the first silver coin to bear the name of the Philippines (Islas Filipinas) and the very last coin issued by Spain in the Philippines.

Currency of Philipines !! Philipines Coins !!

noreply@blogger.com (Gmy) — Sun, 26 Dec 2010 20:49:00 +0800

Posted by gmygotravel

In the Philippines, coins of 1, 5, 10, and 25 centavos (officially called sentimo), and 1, 5 and 10 pesos (officially piso) are in use. All older coins have been demonetized, and cannot be used anymore.

You will probably never see the one centavo coin for real, as they are very difficult to find (slightly over 18 million have been made, that is less than one for every four Filipinos), and also pretty useless, due to their low value. The five-centavo coin is exactly the same size as the one-centavo coin, but actually has less metal, due to the hole.

This coin is also not very useful, and sometimes seen as decoration on key-rings, or used as emergency washers. The the smallest coin you'll actually find in common use is the twenty-five centavo coin. The one peso coin, most common of all, depicts the national hero José Rizal, and the five peso coin freedom fighter Emilio Aguinaldo.

The bimetallic ten peso coin was introduced in 2000, and is not yet (in 2005) in wide circulation, although it is getting more common, and I have seen the first vending machines accepting it. This coin shows the freedom fighters Apolinario Mabini and Andres Bonifacio.

Note that the same heroes also appeared on the (former) bank notes of the same value.

Currency of Philipines !! Philipines Peso !!

noreply@blogger.com (Gmy) — Sun, 26 Dec 2010 20:45:00 +0800

Posted by gmygotravel

The currency in the Philippines is the Philippine peso (or piso), divided into 100 centavos (or centimo). Currently (January 2002), the U.S. dollar is worth about 52 pesos, and the euro about 46 pesos. Current are coins of 1, 5, 10, and 25 centavos and 1 and 5 pesos, and bank notes of 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200, 500 and 1000 pesos. The 5 peso note is no longer printed, but still legal tender.

Banknotes

5 Peso - The 5 peso note depicts Emilio Aguinaldo, a Philippine resistance hero who first fought the Spanish, and later the American occupiers of the country. The first president of the Philippines. On the reverse you can see the proclamation of Philippine independence, from the balcony of Aguinaldo's house. You won't find this note much in circulation today, as it has been replaced by a 5 peso coin.

10 Peso - The 10 peso note depicts Apolinario Mabini and Andres Bonifacio. You can also get across an older version with only Mabini. On the reverse is the church of Barasoain.

20 Peso - The 20 peso note depicts Manuel L. Quezon. On the reverse you can see the Presidential Palace, the Malakañang.

50 Peso - The 50 peso note depicts Sergio Osmeña. On the reverse you can see the Executive House. Be careful not to confuse it with the 20 peso note, as the color is nearly the same.

100 Peso - The 100 peso note depicts Manuel A. Roxas. On the reverse you can see the buildings of the Philippine National Bank.

200 Peso - Introduced in 2002, the 200 peso note commemorates the the June 12 Independence Day, and the EDSA II uprising. It depicts president Diosdado Macapagal, the father of the current president, Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, who is also depicted on the back of the note.

500 Peso - The 500 peso note depicts Beningno S. Aquino Jr.

1000 Peso - The 1000 peso note depicts Jose Abad Santos, Vincent Lim, and Josefa Llanes Escoda. On the reverse you can see the rice terasses in Banawe, and some tribal artifacts. You won't come across this note very often, and you shouldn't expect your taxi driver to have change from it.