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Our articles about Hong Kong are grouped as follows – just click on the section that interests you, or scroll down to see the most recent articles. If you can't find what you're looking for, please leave a question in the discussion forum.

Visit Hong Kong
Move to Hong Kong
Hong Kong daily life
Old Hong Kong

Car culture in Hong Kong?

A recent trip to the USA, the Los Angeles/Orange County area in particular, brought to mind some of the differences between living in a ‘car culture’ such as southern California, and a compact urban environment such as Hong Kong.

What are some of the signs that the LA area is the ultimate ‘car culture’? Read more »

Gecko

Gecko

Are geckos welcome at your house? Leave a window open in Hong Kong and eventually you'll find one pays you a visit. Height doesn't seem to be a problem - the one in this picture climbed up to see us and we're on the twentieth floor. Read more »

MissB's kindergarten - did we make the right choice?

This time last year we were taking MissB along to kindergarten interviews. She’s just finishing her first term, and I'm pleased to report it's turned out really well. But though we're happy with our choice, it seems noone else is! Read more »

Food in Hong Kong: what's environmentally sound?

I recently read an interesting book, The Omnivore’s Dilemma. The author, Michael Pollan, traced the sources of all the food in four very different meals: a McDonald’s fast food lunch; a couple of organic dinners, one from ‘industrial’ organic sources, i.e. Read more »

Chinese medicine

Have you ever tried Chinese medicine? If you subscribe to the “the worse it tastes, the more good it does you” view of medicine, you’d expect miracles from some of the foul-smelling soups that get served up by Chinese doctors. Still, given that Hong Kong has the second longest life-expectancy in the world, it must be doing something right!

Even if you never visit a Chinese doctor, your stay in Hong Kong will still feel the influence of the Chinese medicine system. Your first encounter is likely to be when you notice the distinctive appearance of a medicine shop, or the smell from a herbal tea stall.  Read more »

How to buy a flat / apartment in Hong Kong

If you are planning to buy your first flat (aka apartment or condominium) in Hong Kong, you’re probably wondering how to get the best deal, while avoiding any expensive mistakes. Read on for Batgung's recommendations on trouble-free house-hunting.

Bus stops

Today’s article goes nowhere important. I offer no sweeping generalizations or insights, just a few snapshots of Hong Kong daily life, linked (tenuously, I admit!) by bus rides. Read more »

Comfort zones

As I’ve mentioned before, trivialities like the weather have been known to set me off on deep, spiraling rampages of self-pity. I’ve tried to combat this failing with inspirational words and ideas, but I still frequently fail. Read more »

Beware

Beware

There have definitely been days when I needed this sign for my door.

Seen on the MTR ventilation tower in Causeway Bay. Read more »

Should you add more to your MPF?

Some time ago I wrote that Hong Kong is an attractive place to be an investor, and suggested that regular purchases of the Hang Seng Index (HSI) is an easy way to make a simple investment. This month in my bank's MPF (Mandatory Provident Fund) newsletter, I see they want me to add extra personal contributions to my MPF each month as a way to save. It uses their Hang Seng Index Tracking Fund as an example, but as we'll see there are more cost-effective ways to invest in the HSI.
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