Sai Kung Magazine June 2015

FAMILY | FOOD | HOME | SPORT | LIVING

June 2015

Summer camps round-up

Take to the hills

With the Sai Kung hash

Here be dragonboats Your guide to the festival

Inside Hanoi

Beyond the tourist trail READERS’ CHOICE AWARDS 2015

VOTE ONLINE NOW!

198 cool things to do on hot days

The really useful magazine JUNE 2015

PEOPLE

FIVE MINUTES WITH…

4 Snapped!

Sai Kung’s social life.

20 Fond farewell SKIP principal Louise Duncan steps down.

THE PLANNER

LOCAL

8 Happening in May What’s on this month.

22 Trash talk Hong Kong’s lap sap beaches.

NEWS 12 In your backyard The latest from Sai Kung.

GIVEAWAYS 16 Free stuff Something for everyone.

OUTDOORS 18 Return of the dragons The lowdown on local dragonboat teams.

NEWS FROM THE GREENS 24 One way to fix Hong Kong Pick up a ballot paper.

FEATURE 28 Fun in the sun Your guide to summer camps.

EATING 36 Alfresco a go-go Where to eat when the sun shines.

Plus Nibbles.

EDUCATION 42 Hello Harrow Inside the elite boarding school.

HOME 46 Burglary alarm Beef up your home security.

TRAVEL 50 Bespoke Hanoi Vietnam’s new luxury travel service.

HEALTH & BEAUTY

HONG KONG CREATURES 56 Longfin snake-eel One more thing to watch out for.

MARKETPLACE 58 Your guide to shops and services Cool stuff to buy and do.

VINES IN SAI KUNG 64 Litter bugs Stephen Vines questions how to tackle the litter problem.

54 Hash tag On the trail of the Sai Kung Saturday Hash House Harriers.

PETS 56 Be more dog Sally Andersen thinks canine.

f

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“AFTER ALL, THE BEST PART OF A HOLIDAY IS PERHAPS NOT SO MUCH TO BE RESTING YOURSELF, AS TO SEE ALL THE OTHER FELLOWS BUSY WORKING.” – KENNETH GRAHAME

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people Snaps from Sai Kung

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say cheese

Photo credit to Polly McGovern

Sai Kung Pink Ladies, Sundowners by the Bay at Hebe Haven Yacht Club

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people

DB Lovers Championships, Sai Kung

Share your event photos with us at photo@fastmedia.com.hk. Get snapping!

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planner

JUN 2-30

Hong Kong Colours

Exhibition of sketches and paintings of Hong Kong’s streets and villages by Gary Yeung.

1pm-7pm, Part-Of Gallery, 16 Sik On Street, Wan Chai, www.studiogario.blogspot.hk.

JUN 3, 17 Quiz Nights Tricky questions, good prizes, top pub quiz.

8.30pm, Hebe One O One, 112 Pak Sha Wan, 2335 5515.

JUN 4 Tiananmen Square Anniversary Light a candle in memory of the mainland students who died fighting for democracy in 1989. 8pm, Victoria Park, Causeway Bay.

JUN 4 Yappy Hour – Sai Kung Stray Friends Fundraiser Drinks for dogs. For one night only, The Tavern in SoHo is holding Yappy Hour, selling discounted drinks in aid of Sai Kung Stray Friends. 6pm10pm, 16A Elgin Street, Central.

JUN 5-7 The Wind in the Willows

JUN 4-7 Legally Blonde The Musical Bend and snap! Elle is back in a fun-filled musical by Face Productions. Shouson Theatre, Hong Kong Arts Centre, Wan Chai. Tickets from www.urbtix.hk, 2111 5999.

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Mole, Rat and Mr Toad take on the weasels.

Drama Theatre, HKAPA, Wan Chai. Tickets $195-$435 from www.hkticketing.com, 3128 8288.

JUN 6 Storytelling with Matt Cooper Local children’s author reads Black Rain Day. 10am, Dymocks, Man Nin Street, Sai Kung.

JUN 6 Summer Garage Sale Get ready to rummage. Shop for new and preloved goodies at our favourite garage sale. LG3 Car Park, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clearwater Bay, 9045 5942, gujean@ust.hk

JUN 6 Cesar Millan Live – Love your Dogs Tour The international dog behaviour expert demonstrates his unique techniques for training dogs. Cotai Arena, Macau. Tickets $280-$880 from www.cotaiticketing.com, 6333 6660.

happening in june JUN 7 Sai Kung Sunday Market

JUN 13 & 27 EtonHouse Open Days

The monthly indoor farmers’ and craft market that champions all things local. 11am-5pm.

Hong Kong Academy, Wai Man Road, Sai Kung, www.saikungmarkets.com.

Get a sneak peak at the new EtonHouse international kindergarten in Pak Shek Kok, Tai Po. 9.30am-4pm. To attend, please RSVP online at www.etonhouse.com.hk.

JUN 11 Studio SKink Pop-Up Art Jam Paint, drink bubbly, eat nibbles at this pop-up arty party. All materials provided. 1/1 Wan King Path, Sai Kung. Tickets $650 from studioskink@ gmail.com, 9123 8664.

JUN 12-14 Dance Drama: The Legend of Mulan The Hong Kong Dance Company retells the story of China’s woman warrior – a girl worth fighting for. Grand Theatre, Hong Kong Cultural Centre.

Tickets $100-$320 from www.urbtix.hk, 2111 5999.

JUN 14 David Guetta Listen Tour Hong Kong 2015 Bust some moves. AsiaWorld-Expo, Lantau.

Tickets $580-$880 from www.hkticketing.com, 3128 8288.

JUN 20 Dragonboat Festival Public holiday – watch the races in Sai Kung, Stanley, Aberdeen, Cheung Chau and Tai O from 8am.

UNTIL JUN 21 The Sound of Music A few of your favourite things… the Von Trapps come to Hong Kong via the London Palladium. Look for local kids in the cast. Lyric Theatre, HKAPA, Wan Chai. Tickets $395-$3,488 from www.hkticketing.com, 3128 8288.

JUN 13-JUL 26 Disney’s Beauty and The Beast

UNTIL JUN 21 The Faust Festival

The tale as old as time turns 20.

See it live at the Venetian Theatre, The Venetian Macao. Tickets $280$788 from www.hkticketing.com, 3128 8288.

Mini performers take the stage. McAulay Studio, Hong Kong Arts Centre, 2 Harbour Road, Wan Chai. Tickets $80-$120 from www.urbtix.hk, 2111 5999.

JUN 21 Father’s Day Hug a dad.

What is the Best Annual Event in Sai Kung?

Tell us by voting in our Readers’ Choice Awards. Vote now at www.saikung.com

JUN 26 School’s out Best day of the year? ESF and other international schools break for summer.

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planner

BOOK NOW JUL 22 Blur Live in Hong Kong Britpop’s back, girls and boys. HKCEC, Wan Chai. Tickets $480-$1,080 from www.hkticketing.com, 3128 8288.

JUL 23-26 Ice Age Live! A Mammoth Adventure See Manny & co live in a fun family musical on ice. AsiaWorld-Expo, Lantau.

Tickets $380-$680 from www.urbtix.hk, 2111 5999.

Got an event? We can publish the details for free. Email editor@saikung.com.

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planner

JUL 25 Life in Colour World’s Largest Paint Party 2015 A dance party-slash-art event that gets messy. Wear white and let the paint fly.

AsiaWorld-Expo, Lantau. Tickets $480-$780 from www.hkticketing.com, 3128 8288.

AUG 15-16 Hi-5 House of Dreams Wild and wacky dream adventures with the Hi-5 gang. Shows at 11am, 2.30pm and 6pm.

AsiaWorld-Expo, Lantau. Tickets $250-$688 from www.hkticketing.com, 3128 8288

AUG 23 Imagine Dragons Smoke & Mirrors Tour

SEP 23 Robbie Williams Let Me Entertain You Tour

Look who’s back. AsiaWorld-Expo, Lantau.

Tickets $480-$780 from www.hkticketing.com, 3128 8288.

Rocking more than the DJ. AsiaWorld-Expo, Lantau. Tickets $880-$1,480 from www.hkticketing.com, 3128 8288.

SEP 25-OCT 11 Singin’ in the Rain The West End production, complete with umbrellas, rain and Make Em Laugh. Lyric Theatre, HKAPA, Wan Chai. Tickets $445-$995 at www.hkticketing.com, 3128 8288.

Got an event? We can publish the details for free. Email editor@saikung.com.

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news

Open days for EtonHouse Tai Po EtonHouse International Preschool is inviting curious parents for a sneak peek at its new Tai Po campus on June 13 and 27, 9.30am-4pm.

The new kindergarten will open in September on the picturesque waterfront at Pak Shek Kok. It’s the second Hong Kong preschool for the Singaporean group, which opened a

successful campus in Tai Tam last year.

Prospective parents can explore the 14,000 sq ft preschool, which boasts spacious classrooms, an indoor play area with treehouse, outdoor sandpit, art studio and sensory garden.

There’s plenty to keep little ones entertained.

Founder Ng Gim-choo says, “We are

humbled by the positive response we have received from parents and hope to continue to strengthen EtonHouse in Hong Kong to ensure that your children have a strong foundation in the early years and beyond.”

For details, visit www.etonhouse.com.hk or call 2353 5223.

Hong Kong schools raise money for Nepal Following devastating earthquakes in Nepal, local schools have rallied to raise much-needed funds for the stricken country.

Woodland Preschools went into overdrive and raised $241,028 for educational charity First Steps Himalaya. The group’s deputy general manager, Michel Sealy, says: “This tragedy is just awful. The 22 villages where the schools are have suffered massive damage.

I would like to call on other schools and organisations in Hong Kong to match our efforts to help First Steps Himalaya rebuild the classrooms and the shattered lives of these children and their families.”

Meanwhile, parents, staff and students at International College Hong Kong (ICHK) Hong Lok Yuen joined forces for a fundraising initiative that raised more than $100,000 in just one day. The money raised by the Tai Po school will also help teams on the ground in Nepal to rebuild schools.

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in your backyard

Arty parties at Studio SKink

May madness Set up by local artists Helen Boyd and Sharyn Ridley in the heart of Sai Kung, Studio SKink is running its first pop-up art jams next month.

Artists of all ages and abilities from complete novices to the more accomplished are welcome to go along and get arty, putting paint to canvas and creating a piece of art from their own photographs or from the still life provided.

Nibbles and bubbly will help get creative

juices flowing and canvases and all materials will be provided in what promises to be a lively night. $650 each, June 11, 7pm-9pm, and June 13, 4pm-6pm.

Studio SKink will also be starting life drawing classes in June.

1/1 Wan King Path (above the former bank), Sai Kung, studioskink@gmail.com, www.helenbronteboyd.squarespace.com.

Pink Ladies raise $108,000

VRC kayakers to clean up Emerald Bay

Local charity group Sai Kung Pink Ladies have worked their magic once again, raising $108,505 for the Hong Kong Breast Cancer Foundation. The group’s Sundowners by the Bay party at Hebe Haven Yacht Club last month welcomed more than 250 guests and saw wellknown local faces and fitness trainers strutting their stuff on the catwalk. The Pink Ladies will be back later this year for the Ladies’ Long Lunch.

Kayakers from the Victoria Recreation Club will be cleaning up Emerald Bay, near Sai Kung Country Park, on June 6 for World Environment Day. Paddlers will collect rubbish along either a 5km or 8km route, followed by a barbecue on the beach. The VRC’s Deep Water Bay branch will hold a similar event on Hong Kong Island.

The global paddling event hopes to create awareness and contribute financially towards marine conservation and cleaner oceans.

Non-members are welcome and the VRC will provide kayaks.

Tickets cost $200 (or $250 including barbecue and T-shirt) and paddlers are required to RSVP by emailing events@ victoriarecreationclub.com.hk or calling 9168 0469. VRC, Tai Mong Tsai Road, Sai Kung.

Perhaps there was something in the water last month – and, let’s face it, there was a lot of water around – but Sai Kung seemed to be constantly in the headlines.

Black and red rainstorms stopped the traffic with flooding around the area, including Sai Sha Road (above), and caused mayhem in Hang Hau on May 20 when hundreds of commuters were left stranded as at least 10 101M minibuses sheltered from the rain in the bus terminus.

The downpours caused one cheeky duo to strip off and run naked along Hiram’s Highway, near Sun On Village. The two western men caused quite a stir on social media and local news outlets, but evaded arrest.

Other things that came in twos last month were Burmese pythons. A 10-foot python caused havoc at the New Being Oasis Drug Rehabilitation Centre in Pak Tam Chung, eating a cat and a baby goat and killing the mother goat before being trapped, too full to move. A few days later, local snake catcher Dave Willott was pictured with another 10-foot python on Yan Yee Road.

Householders across the area doublechecked their home security following the kidnapping of Bossini heiress Queenie Rosita Law from Clearwater Bay Road (see p.46). After her family paid $28 million ransom, she was found unharmed and her abductors were later caught by police after days of intensive searches and roadblocks.

The money is still missing, however.

What does June have in store, we wonder?

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news

in your backyard

Paws for a drink

Hong Kong Colours

Good news for Sai Kung Stray Friends. After years of struggling to find permanent premises, the local dog-rescue charity has now gained permission from the Town Planning Board to build kennels in Ma On Shan. To raise funds for the new facility, the group is holding a fun fundraising event at The Tavern in SoHo on June 4. As well as a raffle and auction, there will be hotdogs and a special Yappy Hour, with discounted drinks from 6pm-7pm and all proceeds going to Sai Kung’s four-legged friends. 6pm-10pm, The Tavern, 16A Elgin Street, Central.

Local artist Gary Yeung will be holding a solo exhibition “Hong Kong Colours” next month.

Inspired by Hong Kong’s past and present, the exhibition will feature drawings, paintings and live urban sketches of locations including Tai O,

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Sham Shui Po and Central. It runs June 2-30 (closed Mondays), 1pm-7pm, with a reception on June 6, 6pm. Part-Of Gallery, 16 Sik On Street, Wan Chai, www.studiogario.blogspot.hk

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free stuff

gimme gimme

The Palms Retreat Win a five-night stay and detox programme (worth US$1,375) at The Palms Retreat on Koh Samui, Thailand, and get a dose of healthy living. To celebrate its opening, the wellness resort is also offering a special 25 per cent discount on accommodation throughout June, with a further 25 per cent discount going to the second person if two people share a room. Prices start at US$249 a night, including a daily massage, soups, smoothies and fitness activities. (Note: the prize does not include airfares.)

Deadline: June 30

Vote in the Sai Kung Readers’ Choice Awards 2015 Innrstyl Win a $1,000 cash coupon to spend on Innrstyl’s (www.innrstyl.com) clothes and accessories for men and women. Fun, functional and fashionable, the brand is all about innovative, wearable designs that can be purchased at the click of a button.

Deadline: June 12

Want to bag prizes worth up to $10,000?

Vote online now in the Sai Kung Readers’ Choice Awards 2015.

For details, see page 26.

To enter, click the Giveaways tab on our website, www.saikung.com

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outdoors

RETURN OF THE DRAGONS It’s Dragonboat Festival on June 20. Annie Wong sizes up local teams.

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For the past few weeks, Sai Kung’s waters have been buzzing with dragonboats day and night as the teams get out on the water ahead of their big day on June 20.

Dragonboat Festival, or Tuen Ng, was voted “Best Annual Event” in our 2014 Readers’ Choice Awards and it’s easy to see why, with thousands of spectators crowding the waterfront to watch teams battling it out for glory, a trophy and a roast pig. Last year saw 2,800 paddlers from 180 teams take part in 35 races, followed by a stonking after-party that went on most of the afternoon.

The best way to enjoy the festival is to take part. Joining a dragonboat team is not only a fast route to a toast-rack tummy – paddling is a top workout for core muscles – but it’s a fun way to meet new people, followed by chucking down a few cold beverages on a hot summer’s day. Some companies organise their own teams, or join one of the teams that train in and around Sai Kung.

paddle up

What is the Best Workout in Sai Kung and Clearwater Bay? Tell us by voting now in our Readers’ Choice Awards at www.saikung.com.

Join the club Blue Sky Water Sports Club Blue Sky trains all year and runs men’s, women’s and mixed teams, plus a youth training programme. Training takes place Monday, Wednesday and Saturdays at Sha Ha Beach.

Details at 2791 0806, www.bluesky-sc.com.

Blazing Paddles A ladies-only team comprising mainly Sai Kung mums that regularly takes the competition by surprise. Their secret? The team is coached

by Hong Kong national coach, Sammy Hun. Details from Annabel Adams, 9136 0138, annabel.archer@turner.com.

HKA Dragonflies A mixed team of Hong Kong Academy staff, parents and friends that trains regularly in Sai Kung and welcomes all paddlers, with no tryouts needed. Contact Karin Maddox at hkadragonflies.weebly.com.

Hong Kong Dragon Boat Association A large association that organises competitions, rents dragonboats and organises training sessions in Cantonese and English in Sha Tin. Details at 2646 2147, www.hkdba.com.hk.

Way Young Dragon Boat Club A non-profit sporting organisation with a women’s and men’s team that trains in Pak Sha Wan. Details at 2566 9988, www.wayyoungdragon.com.

Here be dragonboats Sai Kung Dragonboat Races Held near the original pier off Sai Kung waterfront promenade, the dragonboat races take place in the morning from 8am to about 1.30pm, with the after-party and festivities continuing until 5pm.

Sha Tin Dragonboat Races Colourful boats take part in about 23 races along the Shing Mun River, 8.30am-1pm.

Hong Kong International Dragonboat Races For those who can’t get enough of the “yat-yee” action. Winning local teams from the Tuen Ng festival and international teams take to Victoria Harbour in a threeday event on July 3-5. East Tsim Sha Tsui waterfront, free admission.

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five minutes with...

Sales & Marketing Head of Sales & Marketing Karman So karman@fastmedia.com.hk

Louise Duncan SKIP’s departing principal looks back on nine years at the preschool with Polly McGovern.

Business Development Manager Tristan Watkins tristan@fastmedia.com.hk

parents as well as the children, this is where they meet friends and get to know new people. It’s invaluable in a transit society.

Sales Manager Oliver Simons oliver@fastmedia.com.hk

Parents respect my knowledge not only on a professional basis but also because I am a parent and I can share my experiences of bringing up children in an expat community.

Sales & Marketing Executive Alastair Grigg alastair@fastmedia.com.hk John Lee john@fastmedia.com.hk Office security Cat the dog

I am going to miss the children, first and foremost, but also their families and my colleagues. Leaving SKIP is a new page in my life. I would like to spend more time with my family in Hong Kong and in Britain without being tied to school holidays.

Accounts Manager Connie Lam connie@fastmedia.com.hk

Printer

Apex Print 11-13 Dai Kwai Street, Tai Po Industrial Estate, Tai Po, Hong Kong

Louise Duncan. www.saikung.com ads@fastmedia.com.hk @saikungmag facebook.com/SaiKungMagazine

GIVE US A CALL! Admin: 3568 3722 Editorial: 2776 2773 Advertising: 2776 2772, 3563 9755 Sai Kung Magazine is published by Fast Media Ltd. This magazine is published on the understanding that the publishers, advertisers, contributors and their employees are not responsible for the results of any actions, errors and omissions taken on the basis of information contained in this publication.

The publisher, advertisers, contributors and their employees expressly disclaim all and any liability to any person, whether a reader of this publication or not, in respect of any action or omission by this publication. Fast Media Ltd cannot be held responsible for any errors or inaccuracies provided by advertisers or contributors. The views herein are not necessarily shared by the staff or publishers. No part of this magazine may be reproduced in any way, part or format without written permission from the publisher.

I used to come to SKIP as a parent. I am from London and moved to Hong Kong in 1993. I met my husband here and both my children were born locally. I taught in a Kowloon Tong school for 10 years but I wanted to be nearer our home in Nam Shan. As a parent, I got to know the staff and liked the set-up so when a vacancy came up I applied.

I started as the playgroup leader in 2006, soon became the class teacher and I moved into the principal’s role in 2007.

SKIP embraces the whole family and not just the child. Our staff get to know the children extremely well because it is so small. Parents volunteer in the classroom and help with the fundraising.

The philosophy is learning through play, which often takes second place to academia in Hong

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fond farewell

Kong. We have managed to keep the play-based curriculum and environment to a high standard.

One of our keys to success is the dedication and invaluable teamwork of the staff.

I have learned so much as principal. It’s a big juggling act and takes patience and perseverance to stay true to what you believe in.

There is more opportunity to put your stamp on a place like SKIP than in a big organization with a senior management team. It is a huge responsibility.

Hundreds of families come through SKIP. When my mum visits and we have a coffee in Sai Kung she always says, “I can’t believe how many people you know, Louise!” I think it is one of the nicest things about living here.

SKIP is a community school and we try to embrace that. For a lot of

My son is 14 and my daughter is 12 and they think I am too young to stop working, but with exams and school I feel the need to be around more. As they get older I have found it gets harder, not easier.

SKIP embraces the whole family and not just the child I am also going to do some volunteer work with the charities Box of Hope and First Step Himalayas in Nepal. I would like to give something back.

SKIP is a home from home for me and will always hold a special place in my heart. We have two lovely teachers. One has already been working with us for the past year and we have a new teacher joining, so I am quite confident the school will continue to thrive.

SKIP, 159 Che Keng Tuk Road, Sai Kung, 2791 7354, www.skip.edu.hk

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local

lap sap coast

Editorial

Senior Consultant Editor Jane Steer jane@fastmedia.com.hk

Staff Writer Callum Wiggins callum@fastmedia.com.hk

Design

Art Director Kelvin Lau kelvin@fastmedia.com.hk Graphic Design Setareh Parvin setareh@fastmedia.com.hk

Thanks to Adele Brunner Brian Lam Carolynne Dear Helen Brighton Paul Zimmerman Pauline Cheung Polly McGovern Sally Andersen Shreena Patel Steffi Yuen Stephen Vines

Publisher Tom Hilditch tom@fastmedia.com.hk

Published by

Fast Media Floor LG1, 222 Queens Road Central, Sheung Wan, Hong Kong

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Photo credit: Andy Ching / WWF-Hong Kong

Digital Editor Annie Wong annie@fastmedia.com.hk

Trash talk

Cleaning up Lap Sap Wan near Shek O.

Shreena Patel reports on the rubbish piling up on our beaches.

Hong Kong’s beaches are awash with marine debris. Almost 15,000 tonnes of marine refuse was collected from our shores in 2013 and 2014, according to the Marine Refuse Study by the InterDepartmental Working Group on Clean Shorelines.

More than 80 per cent of the litter was generated on land in Hong Kong: non-local refuse, identified by simplified Chinese character labels, accounted for less than five per cent of the total.

And these figures do not include the uncollected rubbish piling up on our coastlines, or in the water.

Sai Kung’s beaches, despite often being left strewn with litter following the weekend junk invasion, are the cleanest in Hong Kong. The worst affected are on the territory’s south and west coasts owing to the Pearl River outflow and ocean currents.

In April, Hong Kong’s Coastal Watch team led volunteers to survey Lap San Wan (“Rubbish Bay”) on Cape D’Aguilar, Shek O. The beach was knee deep in litter, with 185 tonnes of rubbish piled more than 60cm high in places.

About 90 per cent was plastic.

Beaches such as Lap San Wan are drowning in the by-products of our disposable lifestyle, and what goes around comes around.

Aside from the visual impact on the scenery, it is the danger to marine life and the entry of plastic pollutants into our food chain that Hongkongers should worry about.

Fish bite marks are commonly found on marine debris.

Coastal Watch’s project manager, Patrick Yeung, says, “The case of Lap Sap Wan is just the tip of the iceberg. A lot of heavily polluted beaches are remote and not frequented by the public so left unattended.”

The study identifies 27 priority sites prone to litter accumulation, including Lap San Wan, which the government has said will be cleaned more often. Just two are in Sai Kung: Sha Ha Beach and Nam Wai are of “moderate concern”.

Other measures it suggests include the installation of more water fountains at beaches to reduce consumption of bottled water, but its prime focus will be education, since 80 per cent of marine rubbish can be attributed to shoreline and recreational activities

and comprises disposable items.

“While this is encouraging news, the report fails to admit the seriousness of the marine litter problem in Hong Kong,” Yeung says. “Besides the 27 priority sites, the government should step up efforts to inspect other remote coastal areas in the long term to review the seriousness of the marine litter problem, work out more effective cleanup strategies, and most importantly, look at source reduction. We also call on the public to reduce waste at source by handling rubbish properly and responsibly, recycling, and using fewer disposable items such as polystyrene food containers, disposable utensils, and bottled drinks.”

Set up by WWF-Hong Kong in 2014, Coastal Watch is a two-year project that conducts scientific surveys, public seminars and coastal cleanups (volunteer at www.coastalwatch.hk).

The Working Group is also holding Shoreline Cleanup Days (see box).

As for Lap San Wan, the government has initiated cleanups recently. Ultimately though, cleaner coastlines require new habits.

“When society’s attitude towards marine litter changes, we believe clean shorelines will return soon afterwards,” Yeung says.

Shoreline cleanups Volunteer at www.epd.gov.hk.

June 13 Saturday morning cleanup at Sha Lan, Tai Po, co-organised

by ICHK.

July 26 Sunday morning cleanup at Wu Kai Sha, Sha Tin, co-organised by Sheung Shui Government Secondary School.

August 8 Saturday morning cleanup at Shui Hau Mangrove, Lantau.

Co-organiser required.

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news from the greens

tick the box

Every vote counts If you want district councillors who care, register to vote, urges Paul Zimmerman.

When it comes to helping Hong Kong, the most important question is: are you a registered voter?

People often ask me “how can I help make Hong Kong a better place?” But when it comes to helping Hong Kong, the most important question is: are you a registered voter?

Unfortunately, I do meet permanent residents who have not registered to vote.

Some don’t know that a “PR” (permanent resident), irrespective of his or her nationality, has a right to vote in the District Council,

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Legislative Council and Chief Executive elections.

Others question whether their vote can have an impact. My resounding response: Yes, your vote counts – a lot.

District Council constituencies each have roughly 20,000 residents and a few thousand are eligible active voters. A single vote can make the difference between a district councillor who fights for better planning, reducing pollution, protecting the environment, more greening, improving walkability and transport, and making Hong Kong a better city for all, or a district councillor who worries

about landed interests, who at every turn blindly supports government and the ruling establishment. 2015, 2016 and 2017 are important years. District Council elections will be held in November, followed by Legislative Council elections next year and Chief Executive elections in 2017.

All one needs to do is to register and to make sure your address is up to date. The deadline for registering as a voter is July 2 and the deadline for updating your address is August 25. To have your say, download the form via www.voterregistration.gov.hk. Do it today so you will not forget, and make sure your friends and neighbours do the same. This way we will get councillors who make a difference.

Paul Zimmerman is the CEO of Designing Hong Kong, a Southern District Councillor and the co-convenor of Save Our Country Parks alliance.

We see the individual.

Hong Kong Academy offers a rigorous international education that engages students as unique individuals with different interests, goals, and approaches to learning. As an IB World School for students ages 3 to 18, Hong Kong Academy challenges all students to reach their potential and prepares them for life in a dynamic and diverse world.

To learn more about our school and community or to arrange a tour, please visit www.hkacademy.edu.hk or call 2655-1111.

learning, growing, understanding

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GRAND PRIZE

Sailing course for two at Hebe Haven Yacht Club Valued at $10,000 www.hhyc.org.hk 26 | WWW.SAIKUNG.COM

Vote now!

Go to www.saikung.com, to vote for your favourite places and services in Sai Kung and win great prizes

Ultimate pampering journey for two at Sense of Touch Valued at $5,800 www.senseoftouch.com.hk

Eight body-shaping sessions at Hypoxi

South Stream Seafoods groceries’ vouchers

Valued at $5,325

Valued at $5,000

www.hypoxi.hk

www.south-stream-seafoods.com

Entry deadline: July 15 Six months of top-quality meat from Farmers’ Kitchen Valued at $3,000

Monster Kid 10 x $300 gift vouchers Valued at $3,000 www.facebook.com/monsterkidhk

www.farmerskitchen.com.hk

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feature WET, WET, WET Ark Eden Environmental group Ark Eden is running Eco Adventure camps on Lantau Island every Monday, Wednesday and Friday from June 29 to August 14. Kids can go wild, getting back to nature with activities such as tree planting, organic farming, habitat exploration, composting, eco art and jungle trekking. From $650 a day, including an organic vegetarian lunch. Contact jasmine@arkedononlantau.com

Great camps for busy kids.

By Callum Wiggins.

Surf Hong Kong Learn to ride the waves at Tai Long Wan, one of Hong Kong’s most stunning beaches with the best breaks in the territory. Three-day surfing camps – including two nights sleeping at the beach – will run all summer for children aged eight-17 years. Pick up and drop off in Sai Kung or Central. From $2,700. Details at www.surfhongkong.com.

Treasure Island Catch the waves on five-day Treasure Island Surf Camps at Pui O beach on Lantau from June 22 to August 14. Grommets day camp is for beginners aged five to nine years and includes

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surfing, beach games and ocean education.

Surfers Intermediate day camp for nine- to 15-year-olds is ideal for returning surfers to hone their skills. For those who would like to sleep under canvas, the Adventure Camp for nine- to 15-year-olds combines kayaking, hiking, mountain biking and one night under the stars.

Pick-ups and drop-offs at Central pier. Details at www.treasureislandhk.com, 2984 8711.

Blue Sky Blue Sky’s Wet & Wild camp is five days of soaking wet fun. Each day consists of a different watersport: stand-up paddling, dragon-boat racing, snorkeling, kayaking and wakeboarding.

Activities run from 10am to 4pm in the beautiful waters off Sai Kung. Details at www.bluesky-sc.com, 2719 9682.

summer camps Hebe Haven Yacht Club Cool off at Hebe Haven Yacht Club’s popular week-long summer courses in July and August.

Its adventure watersports weeks include sailing, raft building, mini Olympics, dragon boating and beach barbecues. Older kids and more serious sailors can take part in HKSF certificates, Optimist and race-training courses. Pak Sha Wan, Sai Kung, 2719 0926, www.hhyc.hk.

RUN, JUMP, KICK ESF Educational Services Multisport summer camps for children of all ages, including non-ESF students, will be held at campuses across Hong Kong, including Hong Kong Academy, Renaissance College, Australian International School and Kowloon Junior School.

Specialist football clinics will be held at King George V School and week-long swimming clinics at Renaissance College and Sha Tin College. Details at www.esf.org.hk or email sportscamps@esf.org.hk.

RugBees Using fun themes and lots of imagination and energy, RugBees teaches preschoolers basic sports skills such as catching, kicking,

coordination and teamwork. From July 6 to August 15, children aged one to four can sign up for a minimum of six sessions at locations across Hong Kong. Get a group of five or more friends together for private sessions at convenient locations. Details at www.rugbees.hk, 2117 3055.

Sport4Kids Kids aged three-12 can develop their skills at Sports4Kids’ Multi Sports Camps, with sports such as basketball, soccer, rugby, tennis, gymnastics and volleyball. Classes are held at venues across Hong Kong, including Clearwater Bay Country Club and Tseung Kwan O. Details at www.sport4kids.hk, 2773 1650.

IT’S SHOWTIME Faust International Youth Theatre Kids take centrestage at Faust’s summer theatre courses and creative writing courses from June 29 to August 28. The five-day full- or half-day workshops take place at Beacon Hill School in Kowloon Tong or Sheung Wan. Children aged three to 14 can develop their drama skills, or explore themes in creative writing. Details at www.faustworld.com, 2547 9114.

International Academy of Film and Television The IAFT is running summer filmmaking and acting workshops for students aged 13 to 17 years. Whether they prefer to be in front of the camera or behind the scenes, the groups will work collaboratively over six days to produce a short film from an original script. Details at 5808 3445 or email admissions@iaft.com.

Katterwall Little songbirds can twitter to their hearts’ content this summer with classes for kids of all ages and singing ability. Held at Katterwall’s rehearsal studio, Song Birds sessions are split into different age groups with themes such as Disney, Mary Poppins and Summer Fun. The courses end with a mini-showcase for families and friends, and cost from $1,400 for three days. Musical Teens for children aged 10-18 will introduce composers such as Andrew Lloyd Webber, Sondheim and Schwarz & Menken.

Prices start at $3,240 a week. 2-12 Queen’s Road West, Sheung Wan, www.katterwall.com, 2575 3931.

Children of all ages can learn to surf at Treasure Island’s summer camps.

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feature Kids’ Gallery With centres throughout Hong Kong, including Kowloon Tong and Yau Tong, Kids’ Gallery offers more than 50 choices of workshops and camps, such as arts and crafts, magic classes, soap making and graphic design. Fun performing-arts courses include hip-hop, tap, ballet and musical theatre. Details at www.kidsgallery.com, 2501 4842.

Rumple & Friends The amazing team at Rumple & Friends is running a summer circus school, drama and musical theatre classes, and a new puppetry course in July and August. The five-day courses are organised by age, with three- to sevenyear-olds in morning sessions, and eight- to 11-year-olds in the afternoons. All end with live performances. Courses cost from $2,500 and are held at Hong Kong Arts Centre, Harbour Road, Wan Chai, info@rumpleandfriends.com, 2582 0200.

Starlit Voice Starlit Voice’s summer workshop will be based on Roald Dahl’s beloved novel James and the Giant Peach. Learn all about the theatre and how to put on a production with experienced

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It’s “Fun 4 All” at ESF Educational Services’ summer camps.

drama teachers and directors. The curtains rise every Friday for the young actors to give a short presentation to friends and family. For details, visit www.starlitvoice.com or call 2108 2182.

Red Shoe Dance School This Hong Kong Island dance school is running two summer camps. On June 29-July 3, Summer Dance 2015 introduces different styles:

ballet, jazz, lyrical, contemporary, hip-hop, and AcroDance, with two-hour classes every day for five days. Sessions are split between beginners, intermediate and advanced levels and are held in Aberdeen. On July 6-10, the Hip Hop Dance Camp in Central includes breakdance, popping and locking, house and jazz funk. Prices start from $2,500. For details, visit www.redshoedance.com.

xxx

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feature FEELING CRAFTY Anastassia’s Art House Get messy at arty summer camps with lots of exciting and creative activities to get stuck into. Each art camp explores a theme through projects specifically geared towards different age groups. 9 Hoi Pong Street, Sai Kung, www.arthouse-hk.com, 2719 5533.

Bricks4Kidz Learn, build and play with Lego. The team at Bricks4Kidz has a wide variety of activities to get kids exploring their creative potential including Minecraft, Angry Birds and even advanced robotics and movie-making. 65 Man Nin Street, Sai Kung, 6184 6229, www.bricks4kidz.com.

Swiss Art Studio Get arty this summer with a course of 12 art lessons, held every Monday and Thursday from June 29. Budding young artists will get to paint, draw and take inspiration from French artist Henri Matisse. From $2,550 plus $200 for materials. 14A1 Po Tung Road, Sai Kung, 3188 4127, www.swissartstudio.com.hk THINKING CAPS ON Berlitz A budding linguist in the family? Berlitz Language

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Drama queens and kings take the stage with Faust.

Centre is running two-week summer camps in various languages from June 23 to August 21.

The courses comprise 12 hours tuition and cost from $4,960. Enroll by June 19 for a 20 per cent discount. 8/F Harcourt House, Gloucester Road, Central, 2157 2211, www.berlitz.com.hk.

ESF Language and Learning Language and learning classes are held at various school campuses, including Renaissance College. As well as Mandarin and Spanish courses, ESF is offering enrichment courses for

kindergarten, primary- and secondary-school children focusing on writing, art, drama, science and cookery. There’s also a playgroup and K1 preparation sessions. Details at www.esf.org.hk.

ITS Educational Services Budding history enthusiasts learn all about Hong Kong during World War II on a course that includes visits to Wong Nai Chong Gap Trail and the Museum of Coastal Defence. Intensive writing courses teach children in years three to six what makes a good story, poem or script.

feature Summer camps at Hong Kong Academy Courses are based in Kowloon. Details at 2116 3916, www.itseducation.asia.

Jumpstart Mandarin Using arts and crafts, games, songs and other fun activities, Jumpstart Mandarin gives kids aged three to seven a joyful introduction to Chinese. Over summer, three-hour sessions cost from $450 a day and run from July 6 to August 14. 2/F, 9 Tak Lung Back Street, Sai Kung, 2791 4838, www.jumpstartmlc.com.

YWCA There’s dawn-to-dusk action at the YWCA this summer, with a huge variety of camps for children aged one to 13, including Mandarin, soccer, gymnastics, cooking, swimming and science. YWCA, 1 Macdonnell Road, Central, 3476 1340.

FOR THE SMALLS Anfield Creative Mandarin summer programmes at Anfield’s language centre in Kowloon Tong will teach through play, music, arts and crafts.

Sessions are split into two groups, June 26-July 17 and July 20-August 7. Details at www.anfield. edu.hk, 2794 3668.

From little girls who dream of singing like Princess Anna from Frozen to budding David Beckhams and mini Steve Jobs’, Hong Kong Academy has summer camps to appeal to every child.

Following successful winter and spring programmes, HKA’s Summer Extended Learning Programme will run throughout the school holiday from June 22 to August 14.

Open to all children from age two to 18, not just HKA students, the courses make use of the school’s facilities, including its state-ofthe-art 350-seat theatre.

Taught by HKA faculty and outside experts, there’s a huge variety of five-day camps available, including app and web development, African drumming, gymnastics, basketball, football, kung fu and even a Frozen dancing princess camp. The school is also partnering with the Hong Kong Harp Centre for the Harp Summer Academy. Most camps are organised by age, run three hours a day for five consecutive days, and cost $2,000-$3,000. For the full schedule, click on Extended Learning on the school’s website.

And look out for Live@HKA events, which will showcase some of the work produced by summer students and is open to the wider community.

33 Wai Man Road, Sai Kung, 2655 1111, learning@hkacademy.edu.hk, www.hkacademy.edu.hk.

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feature Lighthouse Playroom Fun and creative English and Mandarin summer camps are aimed at children aged six years and above. For littlies aged two and three, there’s a Super Tot kindergarten-preparatory class in Cantonese and English. The Happy Friday parties are a blast too. 183B Po Tung Road, Sai Kung, 2791 2981.

Groups in Mandarin, Cantonese and English are available at Lighthouse Playroom.

Easy Peasy Services Using age-appropriate games, role-play, storytelling and art to cultivate learning, this counselling and tutoring service aims to improve confidence, social skills and emotional self-awareness. Starting June 29, summer programmes are flexible depending on the group of children. 81B Sai Kung Road (opposite Centro), Sai Kung, www.easypeasyservices.com, 2468 3749.

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Garden House Kids aged one to seven years can sign up for a minimum of two weeks or a maximum of seven weeks for this year’s summer camp.

Each week features a different theme including doll making, tie dye and photo frame-making.

July 6 to August 21. Two weeks from $1,440. 7 Silverstrand Beach Road, Clearwater Bay, 2358 1177, www.gardenhouse.hk.

SKIP There will be lots of messy and water play, arts and crafts, circle time and singing and dancing at Paint & Play classes for preschoolers held every weekday morning from July 20 to August 14. Designed for children aged one to five, sessions cost $150 each and tickets need to be purchased in advance. Children must be accompanied by an adult at each class.

159 Che Keng Tuk Road, Sai Kung, 2791 7354, www.skip.edu.hk.

Sunshine House Little rays of sunshine will be kept busy at the Clearwater Bay preschool’s summer camps, which are all about the great outdoors and feature beach trips, camping and other excursions. Sunshine House will explore a different theme each week from July 6-August 14, with separate groups for children aged 12-

feature SURVIVING STICKY SEASON What’s your family’s favourite way to beat the heat?

Jennifer Watson-Schmitz “The Sai Kung pool, absolutely.

And Hoi Ha beach is brilliant. I also like the Hong Kong Heritage Museum in Sha Tin.” Lauren Decoff “In the middle of the day, I think it’s good to go to the Playhouse and MegaBox when it’s really hot.

During late afternoon, when it cools off, it’s great to come out by the water or go to Sai Kung or Tseung Kwan O pools.”

Teenagers and children can get Wet & Wild at Blue Sky this summer.

30 months and two to six years. Two days from $620. Silverstrand Shopping Centre, Clearwater Bay, 2358 3803, www.sunshinehouse.com.hk.

Woodland Pre-schools Woodlands Pre-school in Sai Kung and branches across Hong Kong will be throwing open their doors for a summer fun programme. Starting from

July 6, each week will have a different theme including robots and toys, time travel and a journey through the Milky Way. Camps run for seven weeks for children aged six months to seven years. There is also a programme entirely in Mandarin. Marina Cove, Hiram’s Highway, Sai Kung, 2559 4855, www.woodlandschools.com.

Julie Harris “It’s great to get away from the air conditioning, we love to go to Clearwater Bay beach or swim in a waterfall... anything to do with water.”

John and Miles Newland “We love to go fishing out at sea or take a trip to the country parks or even swimming and kayaking.”

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eating

top decks

Alfresco a go-go When the sun shines, eat out. By Pauline Cheung

From top: the roof terrace at Hebe One O One; surf and turf at Piccolo’s.

International Hebe One O One Good food, good view, good company – Hebe One O One ticks all the boxes for a great meal out. Located in a two-storey village house in Pak Sha Wan, it has alfresco tables next to the ground-floor bar and on the rooftop, and even the first-floor dining room brings the outside in with one wall replaced by balcony railings. Sunny days bring a holiday vibe, with the Mediterranean decor and views of the boats tootling across Pak Sha Wan or gently swinging at their moorings.

The international menu by executive chef Steven Keys features plenty of crowd pleasers, including a fine steak and Guinness pie, plus plenty of seafood (freshly shucked oysters, Cajunrubbed cod), prime cuts on the grill and classic desserts (duo of crumbles, anyone?). The bar is a great weekend or post-junk party pitstop, with casual dining, a daily happy hour until 9pm and fortnightly quiz. 112 Pak Sha Wan, Sai Kung, 2335 5515, www.hebe101.com.

Italian Piccolo’s Part of the Castelo Concepts restaurant group

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– which also runs the ever-popular Jaspa’s nearby – Piccolo’s is a relaxed family restaurant, with friendly service and alfresco tables handily located for the playground in Sai Kung’s main square. It’s a top spot for people-watching on busy weekends or just kicking back with a big bowl of pasta. The food is fusion with a distinctly Italian accent and plenty of childfriendly dishes (pork belly lollipops, pizza, burgers), plus seafood, pasta, meat dishes and lots of salads. Try it on Monday or Tuesday evening, when Piccolo’s offers buy-one-getone-free deals on meals from 6pm to 9pm. 20 Wan King Path, Sai Kung, 2791 9233 Fine dining One Thirty-one Picture the perfect sophisticated alfresco dining experience: shades on, champagne sparkling in the sunshine, manicured lawns, and course after course of delicately plated modern French food. Welcome to One-Thirtyone. Situated waterside in a village house overlooking Three Fathoms Cove, this serene little restaurant feels more like Europe than Hong Kong. Diners can sit outside under the wooden pergola or in the

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eating

Alfresco dining in Hang Hau at La Piazza, where thin-crust pizza (right) is a speciality.

cosy dining room. Either way, you’ll be served a four-course set lunch or six-course dinner using organic produce grown in the farm next door and herbs from the restaurant’s garden, with the chef personally introducing each dish. 131 Tseng Tau Village, Shap Sze Heung, Sai Kung, 2791 2684, www.one-thirtyone.com

Cantonese seafood Seafood Island For people who live elsewhere in Hong Kong, Sai Kung and Clearwater Bay are all about seafood.

City types visit our neck of the woods seeking great Cantonese seafood, an authentic fishingvillage vibe and the sea breeze in their hair. They find all three at Seafood Island in charming Po

Toi O, a small fishing village with temples, dried seafood stalls and narrow, car-free alleyways at the end of the road in Clearwater Bay. Perched above the water, overlooking fish farms and a pier, this is a quintessential Hong Kong seafood restaurant with a tin roof and open sides, tanks of doomed marine life, steaming plates of freshly cooked seafood and big noisy groups of friends and families cheerfully littering big round tables with shells. What’s What cuisine would you like to see more of in Sai Kung? not to like? Shop B, 7 Po Toi O, Tell us by voting now in our Readers’ Choice Awards at www.saikung.com.

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eating Spanish Plaza Mayor With its warm decor, black and white tiled floor and proudly displayed leg of Iberico ham, Plaza Mayor is a slice of Madrid in Sai Kung. It serves classic Spanish tapas, such as garlic prawns, anchovies marinated in vinegar (a must-try), padron peppers, ham croquettes and plates of Iberico ham. More substantial meals include paella and classic tortilla omelette, and staff will help pair dishes with Spanish wines or go for the ever-popular jugs of Sangria. It took time, but the restaurant now has alfresco tables in the square.

22 Wan King Path, Sai Kung, 2362 7021.

Italian La Piazza While not exactly on the picturesque streets of Florence, La Piazza is Hang Hau’s answer to alfresco dining, Italian-style. Situated near Lardos in Hang Hau village, next to a gaggle of Chinese restaurants, it’s a simple restaurant with a cosy atmosphere and a wide selection of wine.

La Piazza offers deliciously thin pizza, ample portions of Italian staples such as spaghetti Bolognese and a daily selection of meat and fish dishes that you can eat inside or outdoors.

G/F, 24 Hang Hau Village, Tseung Kwan O, 2719 5688.

Italian Cielo (pronounced Sea-el-lo)

Dine in the sky – well, on the rooftop of the 47-storey Crowne Plaza Kowloon East in Tseung Kwan O. Higher than neighbouring skyscrapers, this Italian restaurant has a large terrace overlooking the eastern harbour approaches and the surrounding mountains. Go for happy hour, 5.30pm-7.30pm, and watch the sunset with a sundowner cocktail or glass

of wine at discounted prices. As well as a good selection of Italian dishes, the restaurant recently introduced a sizzling lava stone grill, with meat cooked on hot stones that is said to enrich the freshness and tenderness of the food. 47/F, Crowne Plaza Hong Kong Kowloon East, 3 Tong Tak Street, Tseung Kwan O, 3983 0688.

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eating

Nibbles Rawthentic chocolate at The Bottle Shop Rawthentic Foods’ guilt-free chocolate bars are now available at The Bottle Shop in Sai Kung. A popular stall at the month Sai Kung Sunday Market and other pop-up events, Rawthentic Foods is run by chocolatiers and sisters Priscilla Soligo and Rachel Whitfield.

Their Raiz the Bar chocolate is made from ethically sourced, cold-pressed organic cacao beans sourced from a cooperative in Indonesia. The sisters process the raw cacao and mix their own couverture in gluten-free, dairy-free and nut-free premises in Kwun Tong. Each batch takes four days to be stone-ground, poured, tempered, moulded and packaged. No fillers, sugars, dairy or preservatives are added, just natural, healthy and mostly organic flavourings such as chia seeds, white mulberries and vanilla bean.

“We believe in keeping our chocolate as pure as possible… we opt to make our chocolate from scratch, which requires more steps, more time, more equipment and a whole lot of love,” they say.

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Two dishes from the new spring menu at Sha Tin 18 in the Hyatt Regency Sha Tin.

The bars are $75 each. The Bottle Shop, 114 Man Nin Street, Sai Kung, 2791 1600.

Music for Nepal Casa raised $6,800 in aid of Nepalese earthquake relief through T-shirt sales and donations at a live music event last month.

A host of Sai Kung’s talented musicians performed, including popular local band The Pineapple Jam, who are gaining quite a

following in the Kung. Catch them and other local acts at Casa’s open-mic nights, every Wednesday. Shop 1, Siu Yat Building, Hoi Pong Square, Sai Kung, 5594 0007.

Spring dining at Sha Tin 18 Sha Tin 18 has a new spring menu featuring hand-picked produce. Dishes include doubleboiled pork consomme and preserved plum, marinated winter melon, wok-fried carp fish

eating deli suppliers. An expanded cheese range includes British Cheddar at the bargain price of $55 for 500g and Italian Grana Padano for $110, in addition to the ever-popular range of sundried tomatoes, artichokes and a large range of olives ($35 for 100g).

Owner Claire Brownless also makes sinfully delicious desserts for The Occasional Tart, including caramel apple bake, carrot cake and Jaffa cheesecake. To order, please email notonlyolives@gmail.com.

Five Coffee Company’s cappuccino now comes iced; Secret Ingredient’s prime rib Father’s Day special.

maw, pan-fried rice vermicelli with garoupa, and more. New desserts include assorted nut chocolate brownie and brown sugar ginger with preserved plum panna cotta. 4/F, Hyatt Regency Hong Kong, 18 Chak Cheung Street, Sha Tin, 3723 1234.

up, cool down with its new range of iced drinks such as iced banana cappuccino and strawberry and chocolate milkshake. The cafe is also now serving handcrafted beers from Europe for those who really need to chill. 3 Hoi Pong Street, Sai Kung, 2613 1010.

Five summer specials Summer has arrived at sweet old town cafe, Five Coffee Company. As the weather heats

Easy cheesy New items are available to order by email from Not Only Olives, one of Sai Kung’s favourite

Prime beef for dads Celebrate Father’s Day on June 21 by cooking one of the most macho cuts of beef on the planet, bone-in US prime rib, courtesy of meal-delivery company Secret Ingredient. The company has sourced steakhouse-quality meat for its Father’s Day special menu, which includes a 1.2kg prime rib, dry rub, herb BBQ sauce, summer lime coleslaw and almond-crusted pumpkin salad, all prepped and ready to cook at home in minutes. $950 for three-four people or $1,800 for six-seven people. Pre-order from June 8 for delivery anywhere in Hong Kong. Order at www.secretingredient.com.hk, 2108 4000.

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education

playing fields of hongkers

Hello Harrow Life inside Hong Kong’s famous boarding school. By Adele Brunner.

Steeped in four centuries of tradition, the original Harrow School in London, England, has been a household name virtually since its foundation under Elizabeth I. So when news broke that a purpose-built sister school would be opening in Hong Kong in September 2012, the territory buzzed with anticipation.

Fast-forward three years and while the dust around Harrow International Hong Kong has settled, it still retains an aura of being the new kid on the block.

“We are a new school but we have the feel of something far more established because we have a 400-year history to draw on,” explains headmaster Mel Mrowiec, who came directly from Harrow School in England, where he had been head of geography and the school’s first ever deputy headmaster.

“We’ve tried to build on the ‘Harrow-ness’ that underpins the school and balance those traditions and philosophy with the nature of Hong Kong and being an international entity.”

Situated on the Gold Coast, near Tuen Mun, the imposing, semicircular white stucco building

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is based on the architecture of the Royal Crescent in Bath, England, and is a contrast to the modern high-rises in the neighbourhood. All traditional-style vaulted ceilings and columns on the outside and state-of-the art facilities within, Harrow Hong Kong is set in 3.6 hectares of grounds, including a full-sized Astroturf pitch, swimming pool and sports centre.

The school currently has 1,030 pupils, ranging from fledgling K1s to mature year 13s on the cusp of flying the nest, but with more construction – and consequently more facilities – on the horizon, full capacity has yet to be decided.

Before the school opened, it was rumoured that the majority of students would come from the mainland. While Harrow embraces all nationalities, mainland Chinese children are only accepted if their parents have invested in Hong Kong and the school has capped the number of Hong Kong passport holders at 50 per cent of the student body.

The school is divided into the Lower School (early years K1 and K2 and pre-prep years one

to five) and Upper School, which includes the preparatory school (years six to eight), senior school (years nine to 11) and sixth form (years 12-13). It follows the British National Curriculum leading to external exams in the final years; IGCSEs in year 11 and A-Levels in year 13.

However, Mrowiec believes Harrow’s style of teaching sets it apart from the rest.

Owing to its boarding-school ethos, the school day is long and even day pupils don’t finish until 5pm because extra-curricular activities are integrated into the timetable.

Students can take part their chosen sports for up to five hours a week, plus an extra hour-long session after school.

“This is a big site for Hong Kong, but it’s still not big enough for the very traditional games afternoon where everybody does sport, so we need to stagger it,” Mrowiec says. “We believe the skills from doing sport, music, art, drama and so on complement and enhance what goes on in the classroom.”

Harrow, he continues, is not all about academics. With the vision statement “leadership for a better world”, the school aims to make sure students leave with the motivation and skills to become effective leaders, defined as making a positive difference to the lives of others. He also wants to empower students with the skills, confidence and self-esteem to make informed decisions on their own.

“Too many schools are focused solely on the achievement of high public examination results,” Mrowiec says. “Students can look well qualified on paper, but when you meet them in an interview you get turned off straight away because they haven’t got any personality.

Ultimately, if you want to get into one of the elite universities, you have to convince a tutor sitting on the other side of the interview table that you’re interesting and engaging, that you can be inspiring. We genuinely inspire children to want

Children get the intensity of the boarding experience but have weekends for family time to learn.”

Another fascinating aspect of Harrow is its optional boarding, which starts in year six.

Just over half of all students currently board and although there are some full boarders, who remain at school at weekends, most board weekly.

“Weekly boarding suits Hong Kong because families get the best of both worlds, particularly when both parents work full time,” Mrowiec says. “Children get the intensity of the boarding experience but have weekends for family time.”

Like many other schools, every pupil is assigned to a house for competition and activities, but at Harrow this extends to living arrangements.

There are four boys’ and three girls’ houses.

Up to three younger pupils share a room while older children have the luxury of their own space, often with an ensuite bathroom. Children share with others in their year group, changing rooms and roommates every half term to promote communication and the experience of learning to

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education get on with all kinds of characters.

While the school is co-ed, the accommodation is strictly single sex with each house presided over by a house master or mistress, who has rooms off the recreation room, a comfy space with sofas, a pantry and A/V equipment.

Each boys’ house is twinned with a girls’ house and there are shared recreation rooms as well as mixed classes and activities. Day pupils each have a locker and everyone begins the day in their house for “call over” at which notices are read out. Lunch is the big meal of the day, with the whole house sitting down together, and emphasis is placed on manners and the art of conversation. Dinner often sees staggered groups owing to all the activities going on.

Head boy, Akshay Gaur, and head girl, Samantha Li – about to head off to university to study medicine and law respectively – are enthusiastic about the house system.

“Your house is like your family while you’re at school. It’s a pretty nice place to live and the food is a good standard, with lots of choice,” they say. “We get so wrapped up in school life, we sometimes forget about the real world.”

38 Tsing Ying Road, Tuen Mun, 2824 9099, www.harrowschool.hk.

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Currently Harrow International has 1,030 students, but with more construction and even more facilities on the horizon the school’s final capacity is to be decided.

sponsored column

Teaching the whole child ITS Education Services explores how schools ensure holistic education is more than jargon.

Teaching the whole child? Let’s hope so. After all, it’s not as though teachers should aim to teach an arm, leg or just from the shoulders up.

Unfortunately, the phrase “teaching the whole child” – along with “holistic approach” – has become overused in the education sector. One has to question what these terms actually mean.

It goes without saying that schools should deliver a broad and engaging curriculum that encompasses the full spectrum of academic work, sport, art, music, drama and social skills.

We don’t need a special phrase to tell us that.

Actions speak louder than words The concept starts with valuing primary-school education for its own sake, instead of merely as a stepping stone to the senior school of choice. Primary schools are responsible for the formative years of a child’s education. They lay the foundation for future academic success and ensure children acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to develop a life-long love of learning.

It is also important to teach children essential social skills so they learn to treat

people with kindness, respect and consideration.

It is important to help them develop good manners and the ability to conduct themselves properly in a variety of scenarios. After all, every parent wants their child to be confident, articulate and well-rounded.

Choosing a school Instead of latching on to pointless phrases, we should be focusing on what really works; a broad, integrated, balanced curriculum with equal emphasis on all subjects.

It is advisable to consider schools that prepare children for the 21st century with traits such as resilience, the ability to think laterally and independently, to question everything and seek answers. If a school follows a programme of summative assessment that doesn’t allow children the freedom to explore, take risks and make mistakes, how honestly can you expect a teacher to shape a child into a well-rounded individual who is adequately prepared for the challenges of life?

If you choose a school that includes a full

programme of extracurricular activities to develop risk-taking, independence, courage and spirit of adventure, then your child is on the track of learning in a complete way.

Considerations Examine a school’s curriculum for inbuilt creativity. Does it support children in becoming confident and articulate? Does the school have inclusive sport, music and drama programmes, with an expectation that all participate? Does the school allow an exam system to dictate teaching methods or does it have a broad and engaging curriculum that naturally prepares children for exams?

ITS School Placements provides an education consulting service that works with families and employers to find the right schools for individual children in Hong Kong, from nursery to secondary schools. ITS also offers research, policy and advisory services for corporations. For more details, contact es@itseducation.asia, 3188 3940 or www.itseducation.asia.

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living & home Safe as village houses?

Following a spate of break-ins, Carolynne Dear has tips for beefing up home security.

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burglary alarm The kidnapping last month of Bossini heiress Queenie Rosita Law from a house on Clearwater Bay Road plus a spate of robberies over the past year have highlighted the need for better home security, particularly in low-rise village houses. Reports of intruders entering homes through windows, balcony doors, back doors and via roof terraces have put the community on guard.

“I’d just put the children to bed and I could hear a rustling somewhere near the lounge area,” said one Razor Hill resident. “I was in the TV room and assumed it was my helper; she was in the kitchen assuming the noise was me.

Then a man’s head popped round the door and I got the shock of my life. I screamed and he ran. He’d just walked in through the (unlocked) front door.”

The burglar left empty-handed, but other

householders have not been so lucky. Jewellery, cash and small pieces of tech are commonly taken, and one country-park resident came home to find an entire safe had been stolen from her wardrobe.

“The house was empty, so I guess they had time on their side,” she said. “Annoyingly there was nothing of much value in the safe, it was full of documents – birth certificates, marriage certificates, passports. The headache of replacing them all has been unbelievable.”

Sai Kung Police have since set up Operation Castle Hill, an intelligence network through which village residents share information about suspicious activity and break-ins. Police say most burglaries in the area take place in houses with minimal security.

“It is rare to find a professional criminal using strong equipment to enter residences in the area,” said Station Sergeant Paul Lau. “Criminals normally enter premises

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living & home via unlocked windows or using fairly simple equipment to damage minimally secured window locks and doors.”

Lau advises installing a burglar alarm, security lighting, grilles on windows, and good quality locks on windows and doors.

“And remember to lock all windows and doors every time you leave home,” he says.

Security experts recommend doors and windows are kept locked at all times, not just when the property is empty, with deadlocks fitted on front doors. And if any part of your property adjoins open land or is not visible to guards, install closed-circuit television (CCTV) and motion-detector security lights. Barbed wire on perimeter fencing is also a good deterrent.

And get a dog.

“It might be worth getting the village together and investing in a security system as a community,” suggests Terrence Wong of Securitas HK. “This could include CCTV, sensors and alarms.”

Police recommend leaving valuables in a

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bank safe, especially if you are away for a period of time. It is not unknown for safes weighing tens of kilos to be ripped out and taken. Usually only the larger branches of banks hold safety deposit boxes and costs vary with the size of the box.

Make sure you photograph valuables and keep the receipts, which may be required by

the police and insurance companies in the event of theft. Engraving jewellery or expensive items can also act as a deterrent.

Intruders seem to be getting bolder.

Last month, there were break-ins at the official residence of the Australian Consular General and the home of billionaire Li Ka-shing, both in Deep Water Bay. Closer to home, of course, was the Law kidnapping. The 29-year-old was released unharmed, but not before the family paid a ransom of $28 million. The kidnappers have since been arrested but at presstime the money had yet to be recovered.

living & home Criminals normally enter via unlocked windows or using simple equipment Hong Kong is no stranger to high-profile kidnappings with the snatching of Victor Li Tzarkuoi (son of Li Ka-shing) in 1996 and Sun Hung Kai Properties billionaire Walter Kwok Pingsheung in 1997, both by “Big Spender” Cheung Tze-keung. Li was released after $1 billion had been paid to the abductors and Kwok was freed after agreeing to pay $600 million. Cheung was caught and executed in Guangzhou in 1998.

More recently, “kidnappers” have been targeting parents by phone, pretending to hold their child captive and demanding ransom money. Police recently distributed letters to parents of schoolchildren on Hong Kong Island warning that some parents had received calls “with simulated fearful cries of their children or claiming the abduction of their child with the intention of deceiving money (from them)”.

If this does happen, police advise you check the caller’s identity, do not disclose any personal information, call the school to confirm the safety of the child, and contact the police immediately.

To prevent imposters getting hold of

personal information, check your online security settings, including Facebook and WhatsApp. Profile photos often include children and provide hackers with personal information about your family status. If you haven’t already done so, go to WhatsApp, click Settings, then Account, then Privacy to see who can view your profile photo and status. For Facebook, click the padlock icon on the top right of the screen. IT professionals recommend checking your security status every six months.

In the event of a break-in, call 999.

For details of Operation Castle Hill, or to report suspicious activity, call Sai Kung Report Room on 3661 1630.

If you are targeted by would-be kidnappers, call the Regional Crime Prevention Office on 2880 4376 or 2880 4377.

For home-security advice, call Securitas on 2273 2378.

To update locks, call Mr Locksmith on 6888 0000.

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travel

insiders’ guide

Bespoke Hanoi Weekends in Hanoi just got way better. Tom Hilditch samples the city’s new luxury travel service.

Hanoi has long been the place for handmade suits, silks and intricate craftworks. Now there is one more bespoke indulgence to add to the list: the travel package itself.

And to be honest, tourists to the Vietnamese capital need help. The city is stunning, but it can be maddening. Hanoi delivers delicious food, wonderful souvenirs and iconic photos, but it’s vast and confusing.

It was founded as a major city more than 1,000 years ago and it still isn’t finished.

Without supervision, things can go quickly wrong. One false turn and you are up the creek mumbling about “the horror”, like some tourist Colonel Kurtz.

New high-end bespoke travel company Journeys to the East makes visiting Hanoi a joy.

It’s run by former Hong Kong resident, Nguyen Viet Loan Foster. Loan (pronounced Low-Ann) is a polyglot, historian, mum and global networker.

Years of living abroad have equipped her with an eye for exactly what discerning travellers want to experience on trips to Vietnam.

“Sometimes that can be the best seats at the opera, and sometimes it’s the best seat in a local pho stall with an incredible view,” she says.

“Whatever the visitor wants we aim to offer the ultimate.”

Touchdown The flight from Hong Kong to Hanoi takes just 90 mins. Loan’s driver meets us promptly at Hanoi’s Nội Bài International Airport and takes us to the Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi. And it really is a legend.

Opened in 1901, this is where William Somerset Maugham wrote The Gentleman in the Parlour, Graham Greene wrote The Quiet American and Joan Baez taped her anti-war anthem, Where Are You Now, My Son? (an air-raid warning is audible in the recording).

It’s totally colonial, except nothing creaks and everything works. White-gloved doormen welcome us and carry our bags, and pretty soon we find ourselves under rattan ceiling fans sipping the best gin and tonic east of Suez.

Set on the banks of Hoan Kiem Lake, the hotel is the perfect base for exploring the old town. We stroll around the lake. At a little cafe, we order Vietnamese iced coffee (ca phe sua da) with extra condensed milk and sit on little blue plastic chairs to watch the sun go down over the lake.

After dark we are driven to a private dinner at Loan’s stunning home, a French colonial villa on the shores of the West Lake. Renovated by Hong Kong architect Grover Dear, it featured

on the cover of Architectural Digest. Its stunning interior harbours about 50 guests, including four ambassadors, the CEOs of 10 major corporations, Vietnam’s biggest lifestyle publisher, The Economist’s man in Vietnam, various luxury brand movers and shakers and an old communist with a fantastic combover.

The food is provided by a chef from a Michelin-starred restaurant that Loan has flown in for the week. And as the party includes a couple of wine merchants, the wine is “Grand

We find ourselves under rattan ceiling fans sipping the best gin and tonic east of Suez Cru Class A”. By 11pm, we are getting an insight into the life and business of Hanoi that no tourist ever sees. By midnight, one of the embassy reps is getting very indiscreet.

The house Loan has built is a gem. The top storey is a bolted-on 19th-century Mandarin ancestral hall. It has now been earmarked as a heritage site, but when Loan bought it from the Communist party (for pennies) in the early

Opposite: tranquil Hoan Kiem Lake. Above: luxury at the Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi where former guests include Graham Greene and Joan Baez.

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travel 1990s it was due for demolition, and it was in a village 40 miles away. Loan hired craftsmen to take the house apart and move it stone by stone and plank by plank. It is now one of Hanoi’s most remarkable homes and the hub of Loan’s social and business network.

The evening ends in a blur, with the Australian embassy guy taking everyone to a nightclub where David Beckham once got mobbed.

Saturday morning Breakfast at the Metropole is pretty good. We run into the Economist journalist and his fiancée and share breakfast at wrought-iron tables streetside. We chat, learn more about Hanoi and watch the world amble by. At 11am, Loan and her team arrive and we take cyclos to the French Quarter. It’s a beautiful way to travel. We scoop endless photos as we go.

Lunch At the iconic restaurant Cha Ca La Vong (14, Pho Cha Ca, Hoa Kiem 825 3929), we climb rickety stairs into a bright, noisy dining room and gather around a communal table set with little charcoal burners and icy Vietnamese beer.

The restaurant is 100 years old and during that entire time it has served exactly one dish, also

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Cha Ca La Vong has been serving only one dish for 100 years – and it’s awesome.

travel called cha ca la Vong. A skillet of fish and other components arrive and we assemble lunch out of turmeric, dill, shrimp paste and fish sauce.

It’s awesome.

Mid-afternoon we wobble down Pho Hang Gai and on to Pho Hang Bong to shop. The streets are packed with tailors, embroidery stores and serious art galleries. You can get measured for a dress or suit and pick it up 24 hours later. Giddy with lunchtime beers and super-low prices we buy lots of stuff.

Saturday night Loan has another dinner. But I am hungover and the Metropole has me in its wood-panelled tractor beam. I stay in. “No problem, see you tomorrow,” Loan says.

us to a market to buy ingredients then back to the magical setting of Loan’s Mandarin ancestor hall for a lesson in how to roll the perfect Vietnamese spring roll, Hanoi-style.

Sunday lunch We gather in Loan’s dining room to enjoy the fruits of our labour, plus some other dishes that our Michelin chef has knocked up. The Grand Cru Class A is still flowing. We meet more Hanoi movers and shakers, plus Loan’s teenage daughters (who attend a local international school) and learn all about Hanoi pop culture.

Sunday Another lovely breakfast. Half the city seems to be exercising on the banks of Hoan Kiem lake.

Grannies are waving swords and fans, while the younger generation bash shuttlecocks at each other or jog around the lake. We fill our Facebook feed with pictures.

Sunday afternoon Time is running out. In a warm and fuzzy haze, we travel across town collecting our various purchases – a suit, a silk dress, ceramics and a bunch of new impulse buys – then it’s off to the airport. It’s always nice to return to Hong Kong, but as we shamble off the plane into the ordered warehouse of Chek Lap Kok, carrying our own cases and organising ourselves, I start to miss the chaos of Hanoi and safety of Loan Foster’s bespoke travel bubble.

Mid-morning The Michelin chef arrives. Loan has arranged for him to give us a cookery lesson. He takes

Journeys to the East, 34 Tu Hoa Road, Tay Ho District, Hanoi, +84 4 3719 7371, www.journeys-to-the-east.com.

Journeys to the East brings order to chaotic Hanoi.

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health & beauty

Hash tag Enjoy off-road running? Join the Sai Kung hash.

Helen Brighton explains how it works.

What Hashing is a version of “hare and hounds”, with runners following a chalk trail through some of Hong Kong’s most beautiful countryside and socialising afterwards.

Invented by expats in pre-war Malaya, some of whom lived together in the original Hash House at a club in Selangor, hashing long had a whiff of the colonial. But today, thanks to groups like the Sai Kung Saturday Hash House Harriers (SKSH3), it has evolved into a fun way to keep fit for the whole community.

Who Anyone and everyone (and their dogs) is welcome to join the Sai Kung hash. Men, women and children of all ages, walks of life and levels of fitness, from serious cross-country runners to those who enjoy the occasional good walk, take part.

Started in 2007 by long-time Hash House Harrier Guy Shirra, SKSH3 is a sociable group that meets on the third Saturday of the month and new members are

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welcome at any time (details of runs are posted on the group’s Facebook page).

How it works The trail is set by a “hare”, usually with a 7km option for keen runners (known in hash jargon as “Rambos”) and an easier 5km route for “Wimps”. Runs vary each month and may be anywhere in Sai Kung, often using lesser-known boulder paths and tracks that offer wonderful opportunities to explore the district’s wild side. If the route is not circular, the hares transport the runners’ belongings to the finish point.

On on Hashers meet at the start point about 15 minutes before the run.

The hares explain what to expect on the trail, which is especially useful for newcomers, including a breakdown of the markings, distance and special features such as long grass (“shiggy” in hash speak). Then they point runners in the right general direction and the pack sets off in search of the first

hare around sai kung similar checks, sometimes with false trails and check-backs designed to slow down the front runners and keep the pack together.

On on: hashers follow a chalk trail cross country.

check, or chalk marking.

Once found, runners (usually Rambos) head off in different directions looking for the next marking. The person who picks up the trail shouts “On On” and the pack sets off along the correct route. The check is marked to show the right direction so wimps and walkers can follow. The run continues through a series of

Down down After the run, the hash’s social traditions are played out. Once the runners have all returned and cleaned up, the group forms a circle and the elected GMs (one man, one woman) call members into the circle to drink “down downs”, normally a small beer drunk down in one like a shot. This starts with the hares and some good-natured teasing about any mistakes they may have made.

Most hashers find themselves called into the circle and there’s plenty of banter and laughter.

Afterwards most people go out to a nearby restaurant for dinner.

How to join Newcomers are welcome to turn up at any hash, although it is useful to have an idea of how many people will be running. For this purpose an event is usually created on Facebook with details on the Sai Kung Saturday Hash House Harriers Facebook page and website (sites.google.com/ site/saikungsaturdayh3/calendar).

SKSH3 next meeting is at 5pm on June 27 at Tiu Keng Leng. Come and join us.

What is the Best Day Spa in Sai Kung?

Tell us by voting now in our Readers’ Choice Awards at www.saikung.com.

WWW.SAIKUNG.COM | 55

pets

be more dog

My life as a dog Sally Andersen tries to think like her favourite canine companions.

perspective of a dog. Like every dog owner who has read it, I’m sure, it made me stop and think about my life – my human life – as dogs view it. What must they think of us and our strange habits? How frustrated they must get being unable to make us see what they are trying to say. How much simpler it would be if they could explain to us why they behave in such a way, what makes them happy or sad or when they aren’t feeling well.

What must dogs think of us and our strange habits?

There was a time when I was never without a book on the go, but after years of never seeming to get past the first page, I gave up.

Then someone recently introduced me to The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein.

It isn’t new and neither is it a dog book as such, rather a good story written from the

I put this to the test with the dogs closest to me and tried to imagine what was going through their minds as they carried out specific behaviour patterns.

Janie’s whole day seems to be based on the hope that in the evening I’ll watch a DVD. She’s right there next to me as quick as a flash when I sit down, her face turned towards the television screen. I’m never really sure if she’s following the action, but some dogs genuinely love watching TV. Griffin’s favourite time of the day is when

I go to bed and we have a game before I turn the light out. This usually involves him rolling on top of me, legs waving in the air, with something in his mouth that I have to try to take off him. It could be anything from a tiny rag of towel or a bit of chewed plastic to a dog toy, but this nighttime ritual can never be missed. When it’s time to sleep he pulls the bed covers around until he is satisfied, then settles down for the night squeezed as close to me as he can get.

A dog is as individual as any human and each has his or her unique traits and characteristics. Trying to package the canine species into one box and expecting they will all behave and respond in the same way to people, things and experiences is to totally deny the whole point of why dogs are so special. If all dog owners spent even just one day thinking like their dog, there would be a lot of happier hounds and far fewer frustrated owners.

Sally Andersen is the founder of Hong Kong Dog Rescue, a charity that rescues, rehabilitates and re-homes unwanted or abandoned dogs.

hong kong creatures Longfin snake-eel The longfin snake-eel, also known as the burrowing snake-eel, can grow up to 108cm long, although most are about 50cm. It has no scales and the skin colour may be grey, black or brown, with a long dorsal fin with broad dark edges. The eel’s head and tail are pointed for burrowing, and it has a short snout with a row of small conical teeth on both jaws.

The longfin snake-eel swims by moving its body in S-shapes, like a sea snake, and feeds on small fish, invertebrates (octopus, squid and cuttlefish) and crustaceans. It spends most of the day buried in sand or mud patches with just its head exposed: at night, the eels may be seen in loose groups.

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While not endangered, the eel is affected by reclamation and pollution. It is commonly found in tropical to warm temperate seas, especially lagoons and estuaries, from the Red Sea to Australia, including the waters of Kenya, Madagascar, South Africa, Taiwan, Thailand and the Philippines.

Snake-eels are usually seen near coral rubble, but have adapted to various habitats including shallow coral reefs, coastal mudflats, mangroves and rivers. In Hong Kong, they are mainly found in freshwater.

Where to find them in Hong Kong: freshwater areas.

Steffi Yuen

Photograph by Brian Lam

aka Pisodonophis cancrivorus

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marketplace

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marketplace

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marketplace

distribution

where to find us

Sai Kung Magazine continues to extend its reach in the community, here is the latest in distribution news.

30,000 readers. 10,000 copies.

SAI KUNG PENINSULA

Shatin

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HONG KONG ISLAND

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Health and Fitness

- Sara Thai Massage - Seasons Fitness (Central) - Sense of Touch - Tala’s Hair and Beauty - Zone @ Sai Kung Reflexology Centre

Schools and Kindergartens - Anastassia’s Art House - Clearwater Bay School - Garden House - Hong Kong Academy - Hong Kong Adventist College - Kellett School - Mills International School - Music Horizon - Sunshine House - Sai Kung English - Tutti Music - Woodland Pre-School

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vines in sai kung

stephen says...

Parks and recreation Litter bugs, developers and bureaucracy, Stephen Vines on the trials and tribulations of the country parks.

creation of a holiday resort. In an attempt to give cynicism a bad name the developers are classifying this as an “environmental and conservation project” to be run by an alleged non-profit non-governmental organisation called the Greenlife Conservation Foundation.

This alleged NGO has no track record for other “conservation” projects, but does appear to be linked to Tuenbo. As if we didn’t know it: people intent on wrecking the country parks are nothing if not persistent and agile.

Out of the frying pan...: An application has been made to build a holiday resort at Tai Long Wan.

Littering the countryside Anyone familiar with the country parks will, unfortunately, not be surprised to learn that about 3,800 tonnes of litter was collected from bins in the parks last year, according to official figures. There are no figures available for uncollected litter but I reckon that not only would this considerably boost the total but that even in small amounts the prevalence of litter is deeply disturbing.

An alliance of green groups has launched a Tidy Up, Bring It Back campaign. This can only be a good thing, however, there are questions as to its effectiveness. The worst places for littering are in barbecue pit areas, which provided with litterbins so there is absolutely no excuse for the louts who cannot be bothered to push their waste into these bins. There is also a fair amount of litter at junctions on major trails where hikers tend to pause. Because they can be quite remote, there are no bins in these areas as collection would present formidable problems. However, this is not really a bin issue.

The real issue is awareness and a vigorous campaign is required to shame litter bugs into behaving better. As matters stand there are a number of timid little signs informing Country Park users to take their litter home but timid don’t cut it.

The small village where I live, close to the Sai Kung Country Park’s main entrance, was plagued by a proliferation of litter on its

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periphery. The neighbours got together and cleaned up this area and, precisely because it is now considerably cleaner, it has remained so for the time being. It seems that an absence of other people’s litter discourages the louts from adding their own. So maybe there’s also a need for a big clean-up push to get this ball rolling.

A vigorous campaign is required to shame litter bugs No good deed goes unpunished A rare piece of good news recently emerged from the Town Planning Board, the developers’ friend, which knocked back a construction application from the family of Thomas Sit, an assistant director at the Ag and Fish department, which was planning to build five houses in Tai Long Wan village. Why Dr Sit, whose job is supposed to involve preserving the countryside, thought he would get away with it remains a mystery, or maybe not.

Anyway, it looks as though that maxim about every good deed never going unpunished is about to be applied. A company called the Tuenbo Group is making an application for an even bigger development in this area, which would involve far more construction and the

Bureaucrats can be creative, but not in helpful ways Apologies for devoting a whole column to harping on about the country parks but let me end with another country park-related matter, however, this is really about the way the wonderful ways the Lands Department bureaucracy operates.

I’ve recently had to renew the annual permit for driving my car into Sai Kung Country Park beyond the barrier that marks its entrance. As ever this necessitates an enormous amount of paperwork and because the beady-eyed officials at the Lands Department have a quite rapacious appetite for paper they are rarely satisfied with the documents they are given and search avidly for excuses to knock back the application pending more paperwork.

Even though I’ve been making this application for more than two decades, every single year has produced new and ingenious demands for “evidence” that I am who I say I am and that I live where I say I live. Trying to anticipate these demands never fails to defeat me. This year the paperwork was knocked back because the photocopy of my driver’s licence was deemed to lack sufficient clarity and the company chops were insufficiently numerous.

Why either company chops are required or evidence of a driver’s licence is necessary is hardly the point unless you share the wholly reasonable conviction that these bureaucrats need something to fill their time.

I anxiously await next year’s “creative” reasons for time wasting.

Stephen Vines is a journalist, broadcaster and entrepreneur. He is the former editor of the Eastern Express and Southeast Asia correspondent for The Observer.