Sai Kung Magazine June 2016

FAMILY | FOOD | HOME | SPORT | LIVING

June 2016

Exploring Po Toi O

The charming fishing village

Casa moves into the Square

PCCW hits back Panda-monium

Top gifts for Father’s Day

Chengdu’s furry friends

Yat, yee!

Your guide to Dragon Boat Festival

Reade rs Awar’dChoice s 2016 VOTE

ONLIN NOWE!

ovin’

Camps for kids and cool things to do

The really useful magazine JUNE 2016

PEOPLE

FIVE MINUTES WITH...

4 Snapped!

Sai Kung’s social life.

22 Sam Ng Sai Kung’s Olympian kayaker.

THE PLANNER

NEWS FROM THE GREENS

8 Happening in June What’s on.

23 Octopussy Tunnel toll payments aren’t getting any easier.

OUTDOORS 12 The dragon’s back Your guide to the Dragon Boat Festival.

FAMILY 14 Dear Dad Gift ideas for Father’s Day. NEWS 16 What’s going on?

In your backyard.

GIVEAWAYS 20 Free stuff Fab things to win.

LOCAL 24 PCCW HKT’s message to Sai Kung Defiant telecom giant gives customers a PCCW of its mind.

VILLAGE FOCUS 26 Welcome to Po Toi O Famous for its seafood restaurants and appearance in a Hollywood blockbuster.

FEATURE 28 Fun in the sun Your guide to Summer camps for kids.

EATING 36 Casa² Casa moves into the Square. Plus nibbles.

EDUCATION 38 The Waldorf way Behind the scenes at Garden House Kindergarten and Pre-school.

SPORTS 44 Aussie rules On the pitch with Hong Kong Auskick.

BIG DAY OUT 46 Free-wheelin’ Biking through Hong Kong’s wetlands.

TRAVEL 48 Eats shoots & leaves Cuddle up with the pandas in Chengdu.

HEALTH & BEAUTY 52 Chill out Hong Kong’s first cryotherapy treatment.

PETS 54 A hot matter How to prevent heat stroke in your pet.

HONG KONG CREATURES 54 The blue-spotted emperor dragonfly Hong Kong’s regal dragonfly.

VINES IN SAI KUNG 60 Weekend gridlock The weekend rush, pesky property developers and some nasty emissions in Sai Kung old town.

f

Find us on Facebook Sai Kung Magazine

“SUMMER FLING, DON’T MEAN A THING, BUT, OH, OH, THOSE SUMMER NIGHTS.” - GREASE

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contributors

Esther Chan

Kristy Wong

Belinda Bamford

Curious about everything from arts to current affairs, fitness to fashion, Esther is an avid journalist after enjoying a brief stint in the fine art world. Drawn to new ideas and interesting conversations, she isn’t scared to try everything at least once. Esther puts that to the test with a visit to Hong Kong’s first cryotherapy treatment centre on page 52.

While completing her internship at Sai Kung and Clearwater Bay Magazine, Kristy is also currently a law major at the University of Hong Kong. Kristy is a keen traveller and in her free time, she likes to wander around the city, exploring beyond the hustle and bustle. She visits Po Toi O on page 26.

Belinda is a freelance photographer. Her work has been featured by National Geographic and the Financial Times. Whether she’s getting caught up in the festivities of local tribes men in Papua New Guinea or being rained on by ash in the Volcano wasteland of Rabaul, Belinda’s passion is storytelling through images… and photographing big fish. If she stops you for a photo, smile and say hi, you could end up on the cover! Check out her work on page 4.

Want to write for Sai Kung Magazine? Contact editorial@fastmedia.com.hk

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people Snaps from Sai Kung

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say cheese Snaps from Sai Kung

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people

Sai Kung Sports Carnival

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

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planner

JUN 12-19

Sai Kung Theatre Festival

STAGE RIGHT is bringing its third theatre festival with eight performances to Sai Kung’s Hong Kong Academy. Youngsters will learn a script, take on a character and bring some of their favourite stories to life. Register online at www.stagerighthk.com or call 9225 8924.

JUN 2 American School Hong Kong

JUN 3 Summer Lifestyle & Gift Fair

Parent information session for the new school on the block, set to open in September. 1pm2pm, Canadian Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong, 1301 Kinwick Centre, 32 Hollywood Road, Central, ashk.com.

Shop ‘til you drop (and before the kids break up). Browse gifts, stationery, homewares, fashion, baby gear, food and drink - all under one roof. Free admission. The Conrad Hotel, Grand Ballroom, Pacific Place, 88 Queensway, Admiralty.

JUN 2-6 Sai Kung Cantonese Opera Festival Part of the Tin Hau Festival celebrations and organised by the Sai Kung Kai Fong committee, the Cantonese Opera Festival is back with a different theme each night. Yi Chun Street, Sai Kung, starts at 7.30pm. Tickets $100-$200 from the office inside Tin Hau Temple, 9363 6826.

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JUN 3-5 Roald Dahl’s James and the Giant Peach Join James and his friends - Miss Spider, OldGreen-Grasshopper, Centipede, Ladybird and Earthworm - on their adventure of a lifetime as they venture to New York City in their giant peach. Lyric Theatre, HKAPA, 1 Gloucester

Road, Wan Chai. Tickets $265-$595 from www.hkticketing.com, 3128 8288.

JUN 4 Summer Sparkles Get your summer shop on at this glamorous event, with lucky draws, free entrance gifts and vendors from around the world.

11am-8pm, The Mira Hotel, Tsim Sha Tsui, kowloonbazaar.com

JUN 4 Boogie by the Bay Boogie the night away at Hebe Haven Yacht Club’s fundraising event. Children can enjoy games, with live entertainment and dancing for adults. All proceeds go to The Dragon

happening in June Development Fund. 6pm, Garden Bar, HHYC. Tickets $150 (includes one drink), $500 for four tickets, sailing@hhyc.org.hk, 2719 0926.

JUN 8 Fluffy Breaks Even

JUN 11 MHSK Concert@Pier 2016

Gabriel Iglesias, one of America’s most famous stand-up comedians, along with a team of eccentric tour mates, presents this live show in Hong Kong for the first time.

8pm, Asia World Expo Runway 11. Tickets from $688, www.117live.com/

Saturday music concert at Sai Kung waterfront. $150 per ticket, includes two beverages. Free for children under three years old. For more information, contact Music Horizon, enquiry@music-saikung.com, 2791 7676.

JUN 9 Sun Life Stanley International Dragon Boat Championship

JUN 11 VRC Open Water Swim

Don’t miss out one of the most competitive and exciting dragon boat races this year.

8am-5pm, Stanley Main Beach, dragonboat. org.hk. For loads more info and pictures, turn to page 12.

Open to children aged seven to 15 years, 7am-11am, Victoria Recreation Club, Tai Mong Sai Road, Sai Kung, email skbasecamp@ gmail.com or see Facebook page VRC Open Water Swim for more info.

JUN 10-11 Serenade and More JUN 4 & 11 Summer Garage Sales & Markets 190 stalls selling new and secondhand goods. Food, drink and parking available, free admission, 9.30am-3pm, LG3 undercover car park, Hong Kong University of Science & Technology, Clearwater Bay. Further information gujean@ust.hk or 9045 5942.

JUN 5 Ceramic workshops Children aged two to 12 years old can learn how to make their own plate or vase at Mirth.

10am-10.45am, 11.30am-1pm, $350-$450. 66 Yi Chun Street, Sai Kung, info@mirthhome.com.

JUN 5 Sai Kung Sunday Market Browse through over 60 stalls of food vendors and artisans at this well-established indoor market. Children can enjoy face painting and cuddles with adorable puppies, while you eat, browse and shop. 11am-5pm, Hong Kong Academy, 33 Wai Man Road, Sai Kung.

A mixed bill featuring four ballets from a trio of choreographers. 7.30pm both evenings, Grand Theatre, Hong Kong Cultural Centre.

Visit hkballet.com for more info.

JUN 10-12 Chitty Chitty Bang Bang Join the Potts family for an adventure of a lifetime as Face productions transports Chitty Chitty Bang Bang to Hong Kong. Watch out for the childcatcher! Drama Theatre, Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts, 1 Gloucester Road, Wan Chai. Tickets from $195-$395 from www.hkticketing.com, 3128 8288.

JUN 10-12 Hong Kong International Dragon Boat Carnival Three days of festivities and racing. This event will be held on Victoria Harbour, with spectator viewing at TST East Promenade, hkdba.org.hk

JUN 12 Junior Sailing Family Fun Day Young sailors can get a taste of Hebe Haven Yacht Club’s sailing sessions at the Junior Sailing Family Fun Day. Participants are taken out on dinghies and will be introduced to basic skills, games and a friendly race. Suitable for children aged four to ten. Children must be accompanied by one adult. 10am-1pm and 2pm-5pm. $365 for members; $525 for nonmembers, includes child and adult. To register, email sailadmin@hhyc.org.hk

JUN 5 Tong Chong Street Market Runs all day, every Sunday at Taikoo Place.

JUN 7-19 Faust Festival The annual celebration of live theatre returns for a 17th triumphant season. Two weeks of a variety of shows all performed by Faust’s budding young actors. Y Square, 238 Chai Wan Road, Chai Wan. Tickets $125 from URBTIX, www.urbtix.com, 2111 5999.

JUN 17-18 Ladies Who Lunch Pop Up Shop Find versatile, easy-to-wear dresses at local pop up shop located at Basecamp gym, opposite Pepperoni’s Sai Kung. Sizes 6-16 available. 3pm-8pm on June 17; 12pm-6pm on

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planner June 18. For more details, contact Sara Hopkirk on 9132 6884.

the variety of academic, sports and art based programmes. Half day sessions start at $2,000. Camps are open to HKA and non-HKA students. For more information, call 2655 1111 or visit hkacademy.edu.hk/extendedlearning

JUN 17-19 Mister Maker and The Shapes live on stage Mister Maker’s first ever live theatre tour in Hong Kong with only eight shows. Lots of audience participation and kids can share the fun of singing and dancing with a fabulous supporting cast. Play Mat zone available for children. Hong Kong Jockey Club Amphitheatre, HKAPA, 1 Gloucester Road, Wan Chai. Tickets start at $225, www.hkticketing.com, 3128 8288.

JUN 19 Father’s Day Don’t forget the main man in your life, good old dad. From classic cufflinks to socks with a pop of colour. Check out page 14 for gift ideas.

JUN 19 Hong Kong Adventist Academy Seminar Special P1 Admission seminar for 2016-17, 3-5pm, 1111 Clearwater Bay Road, Sai Kung, hkaa.edu.hk.

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JUN 19 Air Supply 40 years - Live in Hong Kong Be part of the duo’s memorable evening where they bring their iconic sound and legendary songs to Hong Kong. 8pm, Star Hall, Kowloon Bay International Trade & Exhibition Centre.

Tickets start at $380, www.hkticketing.com.

JUN 20-24 & 27-30 HKA Summer Extended Learning Programmes Students aged two-17-years old can attend

JUN 30-JUL 2 Carlos Acosta - A Classic Farewell One of the most famous ballet stars, Carlos presents his last classical ballet performance in Hong Kong. The programme includes renowned pieces such as Swan Lake and Winter Dreams.

Grand Theatre, Hong Kong Cultural Centre.

Tickets start at $160. www.lcsd.gov.hk

What is the Best Annual Event in Sai Kung?

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

BOOK NOW DEC 8-JAN 1 Wicked

JUL 22-AUG 7 Shrek the Musical

The spellbinding musical is set to take the stage in Hong Kong this December as part of an international tour. Inspired by L. Frank Baum’s beloved tale The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, Wicked tells the story of an unlikely friendship between two girls - the popular Glinda and the misunderstood, green-skinned Elphaba - and their journey to becoming the iconic ‘Glinda The Good’ and ‘the Wicked Witch of the West’. Tickets from $445 at www. hkticketing.com, 3128 8288. Lyric Theatre, Hong Kong Academy for the Performing Arts for a strictly limited season as part of a major international tour.

Everyone’s favourite ogre from a faraway land comes to Macau. This live adaptation features over a dozen fairytale misfits including donkey and a not-so-handsome prince. The Venetian Theatre, The Venetian Macau. Tickets from $180 from Cotai Ticketing, www.cotaiticketing. com, 6333 6660.

NOV 25-27 Clockenflap The annual music festival will change location to Central this year, after five years at the West Kowloon Cultural District. The line-up includes Icelandic post-rockers Sigur Rós, reggae Kiwi band Fat Freddy’s Drop and Swedish indie folk singer-songwriter and guitarist José González.

Tickets from $790, www.clockenflap.com.

Concessions available.

Got an event? We can publish the details for free. Email editorial@fastmedia.com.hk.

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outdoors

Paddles up

It’s Dragon Boat Festival on June 9.

Y

ou’ve no doubt heard the drumming of the practice sessions out on Sai Kung waters for the past few weeks, ahead of the team's big day on June 9. The national holiday, also known as Tuen Ng, will see spectators flocking to beaches and waterways all over the territory to cheer on local teams as they power their way along the race course. The best way to enjoy the festival is to take part. Join a dragon boat team and fast track your exercise regime, which will give you a toast-rack tummy and a great upper body workout. If you’re not ready to get involved in the action, mingle in the festivities and throw back a few cold beverages on a hot summer’s day.

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Join the club Blue Sky Water Sports Club This hard-working club trains all year and runs men’s, women’s and mixed teams, as well as 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. The team is coached by Hong Kong coach Ray Chan, training takes place on Sha Ha Beach. Contact Pauline Dear for more details, thedearshk@gmail.com.

HKA Dragonflies Coached by Karin Maddox and Benjamin Thomas, HKA Dragonflies is a mixed team made up of Hong Kong Academy teachers, staff and friends.

Training takes place twice a week in Sai Kung. hkadragonflies.weebly.com.

Hong Kong Dragon Boat Association A large association that organises competitions, rents dragon boats and organises training sessions in Cantonese and English in Sha Tin. Details at 2504 8332, 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.

outdoors

The dragon's back Sai Kung Dragon Boat Races Get in on the festivities at Sai Kung waterfront promenade. Races start in the morning from 8am to about 2pm, with a festival continuing on in the afternoon.

Sha Tin Dragon Boat Races A major event held along Shing Mun River in Sha Tin sponsored by the Sha Tin Sports Association. Races run from 8am till 1pm.

Hong Kong International Dragon Boat Races A three-day event with local and international teams taking on Victoria Harbour, held from June 10-12. There will be entertainers, marching bands and lion dances. East Tsim Sha Tsui waterfront, free admission.

The 14th Sai Kung Summer Vigor A full-day of mini dragon boat races as local teams battle it out at the Jockey Club Kau Sai Chau Public Pier, Sai Kung. September 18, racing runs from 8am-4pm. dragonboat-hk.org

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

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family

Soda Pop Socks $110 a pair from Happy Socks, www.happysocks.com

Converse Jack Purcell Signature CVO x Hancock Collection $999 from Converse, EXi.t., 1 Hysan Avenue, Causeway Bay, 2890 7012.

Dear Dad

Fitbit Blaze $1,598 from Fitbit, www.fitbit.com

Gifts for the coolest man in your life.

Blue Mother of Pearl Cufflinks $660 from Blue Nile, www.

BlueNile.com/hk

Aimondbury iPad Mini Case $250 from Jack Wills, Shop 415, New Town Plaza, Sha Tin, 3580 2858, www.jackwills.hk

Marsden Classic Silk Tie $370 from Jack Wills, Shop 415, Level 4, Phase 1, New Town Plaza, Sha Tin, 3580 2858, www.jackwills.hk

Nespresso Maestria Rosso $4,688 from Nespresso, www.nespresso.com/hk

Personalised Minimalist Kit $1,200-$2,000 from Tonic, www.tonickit.com

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The Engineer L21 $1,950 from Cronometrics, available to purchase at www.15squarestreet.com

Burlington note and card holder $2,000 from Smythson, Shop 243, 2/F, Pacific Place, 88 Queensway, Admiratly, 2918 9100, www.smythson.com

Black Cedarwood and Juniper Jo Malone Cologne $580 (30ml) and $1,160 (100ml) from Shop G307, Gateway Arcade, Harbour City, Tsim Sha Tsui, 2918 4865, www.jomalone.com.hk

Garmin Rorerunner 235 From $2,799, www.escapade.com.hk

family

Pearl River Mens Shorts $1,400 from Mazu Swimwear, www.mazuswimwear.com

Coin keyring $620 from Patinova, www.patinova.com

Blue Wave Tee $290 from G.O.D, G/F, 2 Yi Chun Street, Sai Kung Town, 2791 7122, god.com.hk

Lets Morning Drive flip flops $228 from G.O.D, G/F, 2 Yi Chun Street, Sai Kung Town, 2791 7122, god.com.hk

Selection of cards by kikki.K From $45 each, www.kikki-k.com

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news Clearwater Bay School wins Battle of the Books 2016 Students of Clearwater Bay School read and memorised details of 20 books to win the Hong Kong Battle of the Books competition primary category.

This year’s competition saw a total of 100 schools participate in the competition, with 32 schools in the Primary Schools category.

Clearwater Bay School student, Megan Li, who participated in the competition, said, “reading is an important skill that you need to develop throughout your life to succeed. By participating in Battle of the Books, we learnt teamwork, paying attention to detail and never giving up. We had close to 40 sessions in total to win the trophy, thanks to everyone’s support”.

The competition hopes to encourage a passion for reading quality literature and broadening students’ knowledge of classic books.

The competition has expanded from its debut in 1999 for International schools to record its largest ever number of participants this year. Well done to all those who took part.

All systems go for new Brit school

A night at the opera

The foundations have been laid for Malvern College, the latest British to arrive in Hong Kong. Originally founded in Worcestershire, UK, in 1865, the school ranks within the top 5% of UK schools nationally.

Malvern’s Hong Kong-based independent, co-educational day school aims to eventually provide 960 spaces for primary and secondary students in the Territory. It will use the International Baccalaureate as its backbone curriculum, along with a broad co-curriculum focusing on sport, drama and the arts.

The school will be placing special emphasis on Chinese, developing a tailored Mandarin

The awesome sight of the bamboo theatre has returned as the Sai Kung Cantonese Opera returns for another year. In celebration of Tin Hau Festival, the opera has been a Sai Kung tradition for more than 60 years. The basketball court has been cleared, traffic rerouted and the temporary bamboo theatre is erected on Yi Chun Street. You can catch the event from June 2-6. Tickets $100-$200 and can be purchased from the office inside Tin Hau Temple.

Remember that there is no metered parking on Man Nin Street until June 12.

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curriculum in conjunction with Beijing Normal University. There will be further exchange opportunities for students with Malvern’s sister schools in Qingdao and Chengdu.

Malvern also aims to be the first school in Hong Kong to introduce the Forest School curriculum, where students are encouraged to interact and learn from nature.

The school will be located adjacent to Hong Kong Science Park in Tai Po, New Territories, and hopes to open its doors to students in September 2018. The admissions process begins this coming September.

For more details, see malverncollege.org.hk

in your backyard

Alfresco dining petition

Community art project for Hong Kong’s refugees

Alfresco dining licensing remains a hot topic in Sai Kung. Following a meeting with the Chairman of Sai Kung, long-time resident and Founder of Facebook group, Occupy Seating in Sai Kung, Rosemary Torrance has launched a petition in a bid for clearer licensing guidelines and zero on the spot fining. A handful of the restaurants in Sai Kung have attained their outdoor eating license while some are still waiting on the seal of approval from the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD).”The FEHD licensing procedure is making it difficult for new establishments to have alfresco seating, there are so many regulations to comply with when applying for an outdoor seating license”, says Torrance.

‘We want Sai Kung to prosper and be a starting point for unobstructed alfresco dining in Hong Kong’. For more information or to sign the petition, visit www.change.org/p/fehd-unobstructedalfresco-dining-in-sai-kung

Local artist Katherine Sparrow and filmmaker Polly McGovern are launching an independent multimedia art project called ‘We Are Here’.

The project aims to raise awareness for the estimated 11,000 refugees in Hong Kong. The art works, photos and videos are the culmination of a six month project working closely with the refugee community in Hong Kong.

“We want to show that refugees can bring positive influences to Hong Kong and our work reflects this.” said Katherine.

“We should not forget that many asylum seekers are fleeing war-torn countries and have had to endure immense suffering in their home lands. We have met lawyers, journalists, politicians and victims of torture. All they want is to be safe and allowed to start a new life.” said Polly.

‘We Are Here’ will launch at the Hive Studios in Kennedy Town on June 16 from 7pm-9:30pm. Limited tickets are available at $200 per person and all proceeds with be donated to the refugee community. The project

participants will attend and there will also be drumming performances from the refugee community.

School children from the ESF Kowloon Learning Campus will show their support for the project by wearing masks and participating in a group photo to help raise awareness for World Refugee Day on June 20.

For more details, visit www.facebook.com/ weareherehongkong or you can email the organisers directly at weareherehongkong@gmail.com.

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news

MacLehose trail makes the world’s top hikes

A view from Tai Long Wan, apart of the MacLehose Trail

The National Geographic Society has named Hong Kong’s first and longest trail, the MacLehose Trail, as one of its top 20 hikes in the world. Compiled by a list of outdoor luminaries, featuring a mixture of trail runners, adventures and authors, the MacLehose Trail was selected by writer John Fayhee who said “it kicked my ass” during his week long hike.

In more accolades for the area, Sharp Island was voted

by CNN as one of Asia’s nine most underrated attractions.

The island was nominated for its clean and clear water making it an ideal location for snorkeling.

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One for Health new in town Drs B.S. Vaughan & Associates (Chiropractors), a well-known practice in Hong Kong for 50 years with a main office in Central, has opened a new practice in Sai Kung.

One for Health combines a chiropractic clinic on the ground floor and a ‘negative ion’ relaxation spa on the first floor. Managing chiropractor Dr. Kamilla Holst will spend three days a week at the new Sai Kung clinic and will be joined by a team of trained chiropractors. 65 Yi Chun Street, Sai Kung.

Managing chiropractor Dr. Kamilla Holst

Clockenflap returns Tickets are now on sale for Clockenflap, Hong Kong’s biggest music festival. This year sees the event move to a new venue at Central Harbourfront while the West Kowloon Waterfront is being redeveloped. The whole weekend is free for children under 12 and discounted for full-time Hong Kong Student ID holders and under 18s.

November 25-27, more info and tickets from clockenflap.com.

news

A piece of work

Helpful hand for choosing healthcare An English-language health guide has been launched this month, providing quality of care information about Hong Kong’s hospitals.

The independent online guide has been set up by The Zubin Foundation, a social policy thinktank and registered charity founded by parents Shalini Mahtani and Ravi Gidumal in memory of their son, Zubin, who died in 2009 aged just three.

The platform covers all of Hong Kong’s 41 public and 11 private hospitals. It uses patient feedback to rate hospitals for their quality of care. It is hoped the guide will enable users to make better informed decisions about their health care.

“As patients, we know so little about

hospital treatment. We rely almost entirely on what a doctor may suggest but patients have to be engaged too to ensure the best possible outcome,” said Mahtani.

Patients can fill out a survey online to rate the performance of the hospital, answering specific questions that have been devised in conjunction with The Harvard Global Health Institute and the University of Hong Kong. “Experience in the US and elsewhere shows that patient experience surveys can provide important insights about the quality of care in hospitals,” said Professor Ashish Jha of the Institute.

The platform can be found at HospitalAdvisor.org.hk.

Hong Kong installation artist Edmond Wong has created a lifesize 3D printed ox on display at the Hong Kong Jockey Club. Working with 3D printing company Print-Rite, Wong used a 3D scanning device to scan the local animals before using the company’s printer to print out the animal in multiple parts. Wong hopes to remind residents and tourists of the crucial role that stray cattle played in local agriculture a few decades ago.

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giveaways

win at www.saikung.com

Treasure Island Group Celebrating its 20th year of adventure camps and surf schools, outdoor education and adventure specialist Treasure Island is giving one lucky youngster a summer camp to remember on beautiful Pui O Beach, Lantau Island. Choose between a week-long Grommets Beginner Surf Camp (for ages five to nine) or Adventure Camp (for ages nine to 18). www.treasureislandhk.com Deadline: June 24

Hong Kong Ballet The Hong Kong Ballet is performing their season finale ‘Serenade and More’ on June 18.

Watch some of Asia’s finest dancers as they take the audience through a mixed bill of four acts including Balanchine’s ‘Seranade’ and Fei Bo’s ‘Over There’. We have two pairs of tickets worth $680 each to give away. www.hkballet.com

ChewsWize Snack box company ChewsWize delivers personalised healthy snacks to your office or home every week. Subscribers can personalise each box by choosing from over 40 artificial-free, tasty snacks. We’re giving away a free six-week subscription worth $528. Just choose from the Original, Skinny (snacks under 150 calories) or Kids Box. www.chewswize.com

Deadline: June 7

Escapade Sports Escapade Sports aims to help athletes reach their full potential - and that includes preventing pesky mosquito bites! Escapade stocks Parakito, an all-natural mosquito repellent available in wristband or clip form.

Each repellent contains essential oils that mozzies hate and lasts for up to 15 days.

We have five bracelets and clips to give away. www.parakito.com Deadline: June 28

Deadline: June 27

Subscribe to our e-newsletter to get all our giveaways delivered straight to your inbox: saikung.com/subscribe

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five minutes with...

mr. Olympic

Editorial Managing Editor Callum Wiggins callum@fastmedia.com.hk Editor Annie Wong annie@fastmedia.com.hk News Editor Carolynne Dear carolynne@fastmedia.com.hk Contributing Editor Shreena Patel shreena@fastmedia.com.hk

Design

Art Director Kelvin Lau kelvin@fastmedia.com.hk Graphic Designer Sérgio Marçal sergio@fastmedia.com.hk

Digital

Digital Marketing Manager Charmaine Mirandilla charmaine@fastmedia.com.hk

Thanks to

Belinda Bamford Esther Chan Dr. Anders Kulhavy Anne Murphy Simon Parry Stephen Vines Kristy Wong Steffi Yuen Paul Zimmerman

Publisher

Tom Hilditch tom@fastmedia.com.hk

Published by

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

Sam Tsuen Man Ng

Fit and healthy at 67.

As teams start to descend onto the beaches of Hong Kong for the Dragon Boat Festival, we catch up with Sai Kung’s Olympian kayaker.

I was born into a fisherman family in Sai Kung. I went to school at Yim Tin Island, most of the fishermen’s kids went to the same school if they had the chance to study.

My grandfather was a local fisherman in the area and our whole family worked together to catch fish for a living. I spent most of my childhood living on a fishing boat. I had to paddle to the open ocean towards Sai Kung town and back from a very young age. I encountered some scary situations, like falling into the open ocean from the boat. There were quite a lot of sharks out there.

I love the people in Sai Kung and the ocean around us. These days, there are too many people and there

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are traffic jams and car accidents almost every weekend.

The Olympics was the best experience of my life, I got to connect and compete with people who are the best in the world.

My friends introduced me to kayaking when we were 15 years old. I did paddle training on my own as there was not much support back in the day. I was my own trainer.

I competed in the 1976, 1980 and 1984 Olympics in kayaking.

My results weren’t as good as I had hoped but at least I did not come last. I won gold at almost every local competition during my peak years.

I used to be a lifeguard on the beaches in Hong Kong. I am now a consultant for Blue Sky Sports Club

where I provide professional advice to trainers and students such as ways to train efficiently and how to stay safe in sudden rainstorms.

I’m 67 years old now and I still kayak for leisure. Round Island, Sharp Island and Kau Sai Chau are my favourite areas to kayak.

I am very passionate about sports, especially watersports as they allow you to connect with nature while you work out.

My best achievement is that I am still strong and healthy, something that you can’t buy with money.

I hope to stay that way as I get older. There is no secret to it, but my advice is to keep exercising and enjoy the experience. Go out every day if you can, even for half an hour.

It’s that simple.

news from the greens

Octopussy

The gloves are off on tunnel tolls. By Zimmerman, Paul Zimmerman.

O

K, I admit, as a motorbike rider I have a vested interest in paying for tunnels with my Octopus. Taking off my gloves, fiddling around to find money without dropping whatever else is in my pockets, putting back the change, closing up, putting my gloves back on... the process is even slower when it’s wet and cold. I’m fully aware of the traffic I’m holding up.

In the absence of Autotoll for bikes, I’m in favour of a quick swipe of my Octopus card, stuck under my glove on top of my right hand.

Close to 2,000 people supported our campaign last month to have Octopus as a tunnel payment option. But despite LegCo having approved the Government’s request for $45 million for electronic stop ’n’ go payment, there has been little progress. Autotoll surely worked hard to stop the move. It rightly expects that fewer drivers will want to pay its fixed monthly charges. Legislators are focused on Octopus’ near monopoly and want the Government to give all electronic payment systems a chance.

It appears that this has landed us all once again in the famous black hole of government decision making: trying to balance interests. After 14 years of experience in public policy, whenever a bureaucrat murmurs “balance” my alarm bells go off. It is a grand excuse for delays, inaction, or quietly pandering to the more powerful. Picture common sense and tough decisions neatly hidden among stacks of paper in a brown folder, held together by dark green string with metal tips.

Back to Octopus. The decision is simple. Providing a quality service to customers is about making their lives easy. Octopus is a common electronic payment system and more popular than cash for many types of transactions. To balance interests, the Government can publish the software protocol for payment transactions, install USB ports and power plugs at the toll booths, and welcome whoever wants to install a card reader. And Autotoll? It will have another chance.

Ultimately, Hong Kong needs one mandatory drive-through payment system for both Electronic Road Pricing and tunnel tolls, covering all vehicles. And the sooner the better to improve traffic management, reduce Paul Zimmerman is the CEO of Designing Hong Kong, a congestion, reduce air pollution and Southern District Councillor and the remove the very unhealthy job of a toll co-convenor of Save Our Country booth operator.

Parks alliance.

Hong Kong – let’s fix it.

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local

a work in progress

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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.

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(from left): Joe Leung, Assistant Vice President of Broadband Services Marketing, Max Wong, Vice President of Broadband Services Marketing, Law Wai-Kay, Area Manager of Field Service, Frederick Law Chuen, Assistant Vice President of Broadband Access Network Design

PCCW HKT’s message to Sai Kung

Defiant telecom giant gives customers a PCCW of its mind, writes Simon Parry.

P

CCW HKT has delivered a blunt message to the Sai Kung Magazine readers who bombarded them with complaints about poor service and appalling download speeds: you can have faster broadband but it’ll cost you.

The company was unapologetic when we delivered a dossier of some 60 reader complaints to its Mong Kok headquarters, saying it was the only company prepared to invest in broadband for the Sai Kung area and it was doing all it could to bring highspeed internet to rural areas.

Village heads and landowners were often to blame for making the process of extending broadband lines to parts of Sai Kung so longwinded and costly, however, high speed broadband can only be provided where it is commercially viable, officials argued.

The message was plain: PCCW HKT is a profit-driven business and anyone who wants high-speed internet in a rural village must take the initiative to

recruit neighbours, apply together, and then be prepared to pay a fivefigure one-off installation fee for the privilege.

Sai Kung Magazine was granted an audience with four of the telecom giant’s executives in response to an avalanche of complaints collected in just 12 hours and published in part last month over the slow speed and high price of broadband services in the district.

Many parts of Sai Kung have speeds of only 6.8 megabytes per second (Mbps) compared to 100 Mbps in urban areas and yet pay higher monthly fees, in part because PCCW HKT is the sole service provider.

In their opening salvo, Frederick Law Chuen, Assistant Vice President of Broadband Access Network Design for PCCW HKT, stressed how costly and complicated it was to provide broadband services to rural areas like Sai Kung.

“We need to get permits from

the government which takes six to nine months. Also even when we get the permits, we need to get the agreement from the landowner.

Most of the land is private land”, he said, adding that dealing with village heads could be complex and expensive.

“Sometimes there are Feng Shui considerations. When we need to dig the road, they say we cannot. We may be laying a line for 30 customers and passing one certain property and the owner says, ‘stop you cannot pass my property’. There are a lot of issues”.

Asked if he was surprised at the anger of customers in the Sai Kung area in the complaints we presented, Mr Chuen said of the service, “that is the best we can do today. We are planning to bring (high-speed broadband) to all the territory including Sai Kung but we need to do it step by step”.

The officials repeatedly declined to say if they believed it was fair for customers in Sai Kung to pay equal

local or higher prices for a broadband service that is some 15 times slower than that offered in urban areas - at one point maintaining a 20-second collective silence in response to the question.

Max Wong, Vice President of Broadband Services Marketing for PCCW HKT, came closest to offering an answer of sorts when he held up one of the bottles of distilled water set around the table in the meeting room and remarked, “I can’t say if it is reasonable (for Sai Kung residents to pay so much). Price depends on many factors. For example, this type of water in different areas can be different prices”.

He argued, “we are not a monopoly. The market is open and anyone can come and provide an internet service in any part of Hong Kong, other competitors can come into the village and rural areas. We want to have highspeed internet service in those areas but there are many limitations”.

Stella Wong, Corporate Communications Manager at PCCW, intervened, “we are trying to provide a good service. There are lot of challenges and the cost of the investment is high.

Why are other operators not in the (Sai Kung) market? It is because of the cost of investment”.

Ultimately, it is overwhelmingly about investment cost. Joe Leung, Assistant Vice President of Broadband Services Marketing of PCCW HKT said the bottom line was the cost

of providing the service to a particular village or community. “Broadband has to be commercially viable”, he said.

That is why PCCW HKT says it wants residents to band together and then approach the company together to reduce the cost of installation - although the one-off fee may be anything from $2,000 to $30,000 per household (the executives declined to put an approximate figure on it) before monthly fees.

The process involves turning customers into salesmen. Isn’t this something PCCW HKT should be doing itself? Wong responds, “we believe the neighbour effect is more effective because they know each other and they can get the information in a faster way.” Chuen adds, “we have some success stories where residents get the information and we have been able to provide the service more quickly”.

Fair or not, the message from PCCW HKT appears to be that if you choose to live in Sai Kung, you can expect to have slower broadband in many areas for the time being – and if you want to move to a high-speed service you have to not only pay up but find neighbours who are willing to do likewise.

What message of hope, if any, can they offer the customers who voiced their deep unhappiness through Sai Kung Magazine?

“They can hope for a high-speed service”,

Wong suggests, “our message is we plan to have a high-speed service in rural areas but of course it takes time”.

Footnote: Max Wong lives in Eastern and pays “two hundred-something dollars” a month for his internet service of 100 Mbps. None of the other executives at the meeting lived in the Sai Kung area, although they said they have friends and colleagues who do.

The unanswered questions PCCW HKT repeatedly declined to answer these two questions before and after the meeting with Sai Kung Magazine: Q1: PCCW boasts that 86.5 per cent of people in Hong Kong now have high speed broadband of around 100 Mbps or more.

How many customers do you have in the Sai Kung area and what percentage have high speed broadband?

Q2: Is it fair and reasonable for Sai Kung customers to pay as much if not more than customers on Hong Kong Island for a broadband service that is in most cases 15 times slower?

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village focus

village people

Welcome to Po Toi O

Famous for its seafood restaurants and appearing in a Hollywood blockbuster, Kristy Wong finds out more from the residents of Po Toi O.

M

ake your way down Po Toi O Chuen Road on Clearwater Bay Peninsula and its not long before you are greeted by the smell of saltwater and the sound of a few dogs barking. “Po Toi” which translates literally as ‘sack bay’ reflects the shape of the bay and surrounding land. The village of Po Toi O dates back more than two centuries and was only accessible by road around 40 years ago.

Most villagers are indigenous Hakka people and still bear the family name, Po. As well as the village houses of Po Toi O, there are two seafood restaurants, a few stalls selling fish products and small businesses renting out motorboats. Two luxury housing developments, Seacrest Villa and Fairway Vista, lie on the hill above the village. Hung Shing

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Temple, said to be some 300 years old, remains one of the village’s landmarks.

While the area is usually a sleepy corner of minimal activity, the 2003 Hollywood blockbuster Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life filmed a six-day shoot on location in Hong Kong which included scenes shot in and around Po Toi O. If you venture into the village during an early weekday afternoon, the area is tranquil and you are unlikely to cross paths with many people.

Cats lie lazily under the shade while old men sit outside their homes under the sun, the sound of Cantonese-language radio is never too far away. Some play mahjong inside their homes with the front doors ajar, inviting neighbours to join in the fun.

Walk further into the village and you will soon stumble upon stalls selling dried fish maw, fish tripe and dried shrimps. “These are all self-made fish products, you can’t get them elsewhere", explains Mr. Lee, long-time owner of one of the fish product stalls. A peculiar sight at first, a bucket containing golf balls for sale for $4 each sits next to the fish products. “Golf balls are swung from the nearby Clearwater Bay Golf Club into the water and are caught by the fishermen’s nets. We didn’t know what to do with them at first, but they are high quality golf balls so we decided to sell them!”.

The village turns into a popular destination during weekends as many visitors make a beeline for the seafood restaurants. Difficult to grab a

table during the weekend, weekdays are much quieter. The restaurants may look basic - a white piece of tablecloth, wooden tables and plastic chairs - but the quality of the seafood draws in the crowds. Many local species are prepared including mud crabs and coral trouts.

Tucked away in the peninsula of Clearwater Bay, the village’s authenticity and traditions are well-kept. If you are looking for a quiet afternoon with good food, Po Toi O is an ideal place to go.

Want to have your village featured? Email editorial@fastmedia.com.hk

How to get to Po Toi O • Take the No. 16 green minibus from Po Lam or Hang Hau MTR station, costs $8.8 per trip and takes 30 minutes. At the final stop you will see the village on your right.

• Take a taxi from Po Lam MTR station, takes around 20 minutes.

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feature

Summer time fun There’s heaps on offer this holiday to keep the kids on their toes — and from under your feet, says Carolynne Dear.

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feature The great outdoors

Sport

Treasure Island

ESF Sports

Hebe Haven Yacht Club Go wild with the club’s week-long Adventure Watersports programme. Try your hand at sailing and kayaking, plus beach games, mini-olympics and oodles of fun on the sea biscuit. The programme is aimed at seven-14 year olds and runs from June 27 to August 19. Further Optimist and Hong Kong Sailing Federation courses are also available. hhyc.org.hk

Blue Sky Sports Club The Sai Kung-based watersports experts will be running five-day Wet ‘n’ Wild camps from June through to August for eight-16 year olds. Expect swimming, stand-up paddle boarding, kayaking, wakeboarding, surfing and dragon boating. If you want to hone particular skills further, there are also five-day SUP and kayak adventure camps. bluesky-sc.com

Ark Eden One-day wild and woolly eco camps on Lantau designed for kids to reconnect with nature.

Experiences include Walking With Waterfalls,

From multi-sport, to football, to specialist swimming, gymnastics and tennis clinics, ESF summer camps will have them bouncing up and down throughout July and August.

Half-day and full-day options are available from two years and up. Camp locations include AISHK in Kowloon Tong; Discovery College on Lantau; Kowloon Junior School in Kowloon; Renaissance College in Ma On Get wet and wild with Hebe Haven Yacht Club Shan; South Island School in Aberdeen; and Bushcraft & Survival and A Day on the Farm.

HK Academy in Sai Kung.

Suitable for five-11 year olds. Drop-off and pickesf.org.hk up from Central Ferry Pier 6 or Mui Wo Ferry Pier. arkedenonlantau.com Hong Kong Basketball Academy Shoot some hoops and with the HKBA summer Surf Hong Kong camp which aims to improve a player’s all-round Beginners and intermediate surfers of eight basketball skills including dribbling, passing, years and older can ride the waves at Sai Kung’s shooting and rebounding. Camps run from June Tai Long Wan beach. The camp focuses on 20 to August 13 at locations in Stanley, Wong surfing, stand up paddle boarding, kayaking and Chuk Hang and Sai Ying Pun. canoeing. Pick up and drop off at Sai Kung and hkbaallday.com Central Piers. Three-day surfing camps starts from $3,200.

Sport4Kids www.ateamedventures.com Get stuck in with camps covering gymnastics, arts and crafts, football, rugby and basketball.

Fitkidz Biathlon Summer Camp There will also be loads of competitions and camp Suitable for children aged nine years and older, games. Open to all high-energy kids aged 18 students can improve their fitness level, running months through to 15 years. technique and build their confidence in the www.sport4kids.hk swimming pool and open water. The camp runs throughout July and August in Clearwater Bay Asia Pacific Soccer School and Tseung Kwan O. Jumpers for goalposts? Not likely with this waz.warner@gmail.com professional outfit. This year the School will be

Photo courtesy of Hunt Smith

Surf’s up on Lantau this summer, with week-long camps for grommets (five-nine years) and intermediates (nine-12 years), including an overnight camp on the beach for the older age group. Meet at Central Ferry Pier 6 at 8am, returning at 4.40pm. treasureislandhk.com

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feature Bricks4Kidz Learn, build and play with Lego. Favourite camp themes include Galaxy Far Away, Jurassic Brick Land, Minecraft, Ninjas and Superheroes.

A special Brick Olympics will also be held to coincide with this summer’s Olympic Games in Rio. Older children can work with computers to produce stop motion animations, program and design their own robots. Those signed up for a full-week camp will get to make their own Lego minifigure to take home at the end of the week. bricks4kidz.com

Hong Kong Art Tutoring Kicking goals with Asia Pacific Soccer School

running two-and-a-half hour sessions for players aged five years and up in a variety of venues, including Stanley Ho, King’s Park, Kowloon Cricket Club and HK Academy Sai Kung. Each week is themed - Euro Superstars, Street Soccer and Summer Fun to name but a few. They will also be running Kinder Kicks classes for under fives. kinderkicks.hk (five years and under); apsoccer.hk (five years and up).

add a touch of Brazilian flair to their game with the Brazilian Football Academy. Running six days a week from July 2 until August 20 at Stanley Ho Sports Centre in Pok Fu Lam, training sessions include skills and flicks, magic passing and Brazilian samba games. Saturday will be tournament day full of friendly football matches. bfa.hk

Hong Kong Academy The Sai Kung-based school will be hosting gymnastics classes (ages three-12 years) and volleyball camps (ages eight-15 years). Each class focuses on essential techniques for competent and confident play. hkacademy.edu.hk

Summer soccer programmes for one to four year olds at the Stanley Ho Sports Centre in Pok Fu Lam. Little ones can learn some skills of the beautiful game in a safe and structured but above all fun way. Classes start from July 2 and run until the end of August. tinytots.com.hk

Hong Kong International Tennis Academy

Creative

Serving up aces all summer long, HKITA will hold mini and junior tennis camps for three to 12 year olds. Locations include Po Tsui Park in Sai Kung as well as courts in Kowloon and Hong Kong Island over July and August. hkita.com

Brazilian Football Academy Future football stars can hone their skills and

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Tinytots Soccer

Summer courses in drawing, painting, printmaking and sculpture run by Gail Deayton who has nearly 20 years experience of teaching in international schools. Courses run from June 13 until August 19 at the North Point studio. All materials are included with a maximum number of 10 students per class. hkarttutoring.com

Performing arts Faust International Hong Kong’s theatre and performing arts specialists will be hosting Creative Writing (ages six to 13) and Summer Theatre camps (ages three to 14) throughout July and August. The weeklong workshops will see kids develop their written language skills while the drama workshops focus on a different theme each week to encourage confident performance skills. faustworld.com.hk

Anastassia’s Art House The Sai Kung branch will be teaching children to create animals and landmarks from around the world. Classes are separated into age groups, three to five years old and each week is thematically based on each country. Classes start from $270 per day and runs from June 27 till August 13. arthouse-hk.com

Drama workshops at Faust International

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feature July 4 to August 12. Classes are held in the centre’s two New Territories locations - Hang Hau and Sai Kung. jumpstartmandarin.com

Tutor Time This multi-location education centre has fun, hands-on workshops exploring science, technology, engineering and maths. Aimed at kids aged two to six years, the imaginative camps include Ramps & Pathways, Grow it! Eat it! Cook it!, and Technology Transformers. Camps are open July 25 to August 19. tutortime.com.hk

HK Kidz Dance like no one is watching at Bome Dance

Stage Right Youth Theatre Week-long drama camps will let children work on creating an original drama performance. Family and friends are welcome to view the show on the final day of the camp. The camps run at locations in Sai Kung and Hang Hau throughout July and until August 12. stagerighthk.com

Rumple & Friends The Big Top Academy Summer Camp promises to be the biggest yet in its brand new Sheung Wan venue. Every week kids embrace drama, puppetry, circus and musical theatre to explore a different weekly theme. Themes such as space, magic and circus, mythical beasts and superheroes should fire little imaginations, guided by professional performers. The week-long courses run from June 27 until August 26 for ages three and up. rumpleandfriends.com

Junior Snappers The five day summer camp will see young filmmakers create a short film from story concept to shooting and editing. Two separate sessions will run for students aged eight to 12 years and 13 to

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16 years in the morning and afternoon respectively.

Camps are held at their Sheung Wan studio. juniorsnappers.com

IAFT IAFT is running both filmmaking and acting workshops for children who love to be in front of the camera or enjoy making it happen from behind the scenes. All students will work collaboratively to make a short film from original scripts. admissions@iaft.hk

Little linguists will love these fun, activitypacked camps. Learn English, French, German, Spanish or Mandarin through song, storytelling, drama and role-play. The Culture Enrichment Programme includes specialist courses in arts, drama, cooking and science & discovery taught in all of the afore-mentioned languages. Aimed at kids aged one-and-a-half to 12 years and held at campuses in Central, Wong Chuk Hang and Sai Kung, the company is offering a 10% on enrolments before June 15. hkkidz.com

Bome Dance Bome Dance is run by a team of professional British dancers which promotes small group classes for its little dancers. This summer children over six can learn Latin and Ballroom dancing at the Lockhart Road studio. bomedance@gmail.com

Academic Jumpstart Mandarin Improve their Mandarin in fun classes - cooking, role play, arts and crafts, song and dance and more. Two, three-hour sessions per day from

Puppetry, magic and superheroes at Rumple & Friends

feature SKIP Littlies are kept busy at Summer Paint & Play playgroups with outdoor and indoor play, arts and crafts and various sensory activities. Sessions run during July and August and are suitable for children aged one to five years old and need to be accompanied by an adult. skip.edu.hk

PEKiP

Get your brushes ready at Garden House

ESF Language & Learning

Kaplan

Morning language and learning camps from a wide range of activities including drama, science, writing and coding courses. Children can keep up their language skills too with English, Spanish and Mandarin lessons. Programmes are flexible and can be booked on a weekly basis over the whole summer holidays. Stay the whole day and take part in multi-sports and art camps in the afternoon. esf.org.hk

Improving essay writing skills and developing critical thinking and debating are some of the key areas covered during Kaplan’s summer programmes. Six classes run for three hours per day over two weeks. Suitable for children from 12 years old. hkenglish@kaplan.com

GAIA Language

Lighthouse Playroom

Camps at three different levels will help kids to boost foreign language skills. The Spanish/English Bilingual camp (ages three- to six years) uses songs and stories to help with fluency in a fun and interactive way. Courses for older children look to boost fluency in a natural language acquisition setting and include courses in English, Spanish, Chinese and German. Test taking skills for older children with exam preparation also available.

Camps run from July 4-22 and August 1-19 with two or three day per week options. gaialanguage.com

Lighthouse Playroom’s classes are available in English and Mandarin for children aged two to six years old. Super Tot Preparatory Class are designed for younger children preparing to start kindergarten and older children can brush up on their academic learning in the Bilingual Summer Camps programmes. www.lighthouseplayroom.com

Littlies

Even the teeniest tiniest tots are catered for at PEKiP (the Prague Parent-Infant Program). Aiming to encourage development, each group session includes baby massage, games and sensory integration for babies aged six months to walking.

Simple exercises prompt muscle development to encourage crawling and exploration. The classes are led by therapists specially qualified in infant massage and rhythmic movement. The PEKiP studio is located in Aberdeen and boasts heaps of specialist equipment and games. pekip.com.hk

Garden House Kindergarten The Clearwater Bay Waldorf Pre-school invites littlies aged from two to seven years to play and learn. The fun includes weekly themes and loads of playbased learning through painting, singing, waterplay, puppetry, baking and craft. Healthy snacks prepared with help from the children are also included. July 11 to August 26. gardenhouse.edu.hk

Woodland Pre-schools Woodland Pre-schools across Hong Kong are inviting youngsters to get active this summer with Motion Sports & Games Programme and Summer Soccer Camp. The Summer Phonics Camp will use songs and games to help with language acquisition. Courses run from July 4 to August 12. woodlandschools.com

WWW.SAIKUNG.COM | 33

Sai Kung Readers’Choice Awards 2016

Grand Grand Prize Prize

NextWave Charters

A four-hour charter for up to eight people on board the Wave30 Valued at $12,000

Hebe Haven Yacht Club An Adult Dinghy Sailing and Keelboat Sailing Course Valued up to $5,500 each www.hhyc.org.hk 34 | WWW.SAIKUNG.COM

www.nextwavecharter.com

Sense of Touch Sai Kung Spa Journey for one Valued at $5,000 www.facebook.com/senseoftouchsaikung

Vote now!

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

Entry deadline: July 15

Venture Studios (HK) Limited Three Venture Photography packages

Bricks4Kidz A children’s party for fifteen at Bricks4Kidz Sai Kung

Valued at $3,500 each www.venturephotography.com

Valued at $3,000

Hong Kong Golf & Tennis Academy (HKGTA) Two golf and tennis training packages

Louella Odié Nine bags from the Island Life collection

Valued at $2,000 each

Valued at $900 each

www.hkgta.com

www.bricks4kidz.com.hk/saikung

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WWW.SAIKUNG.COM | 35

eating

double trouble

Casa²

As Casa opens a new location in the Square, Annie Wong speaks to Co-founder Nathan Fleck and Bar Manager Niko Smirnoff.

The new kid on the block - Casa Square

What’s behind the move into the square?

It was a combination of factors. The main issue was the lack of progression with Casa’s outdoor seating license which prompted the revamp of Casa on Hoi Pong Square. Business at Casa was being affected as we were having to serve food and drinks on biodegradable plates and cups. And when the space of Sauce in the Square came up, we saw the opportunity to do what we’ve always wanted - have an outdoor seating area.

Tell me about Casa Square Casa Square will serve the best of the old, popular items from Cellar Door (our Kennedy Town wine bar) and some new additions.

It’ll also have an extensive wine list that is suitable for every type of drinker as well as five beers on tap. We’ve got a new chef looking after the food at Casa Square, Elliot Beese, who is experienced with the menu, our food and most importantly, Casa. We use homemade ingredients where possible - including lemonade and brownies.

And the Casa on Hoi Pong Square?

We want to keep Casa as casual as possible and the emphasis on craft

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beer. We have five locally brewed beers, five custom-made Casa beers, and five guest taps. We are still working with local breweries like Lion Rock, Moonzen and Kowloon Bay Brewery. Everything else is new and adapted to have food ready quickly and efficiently.

We’ve simplified it all but it’s still as delicious as before - customers can expect some tasty Mexican-inspired tapas.

What’s the difference between the two?

Casa Square is a restaurant with good booze while Casa is a bar with good food. Casa

(from left): Nathan Fleck and Niko Smirnoff

Square is a concept we’ve always had and now we’re running further with it.

It’s been quite a few years for the Casa group We started with 20 staff in one restaurant and now we have 28 staff across three restaurants - it shows we’re getting better at what we’re doing. Naturally, the staff has grown, underwent training and developed their skills together. Having two places in Sai Kung and one new venue on Hong Kong Island, the Casa group looks strong and we’re beginning to see the fruits of our labour.

What is the future plans for Casa?

We’re testing out catering and a home delivery service. We will cater for junks and events anywhere in Hong Kong. Whereas our home delivery service will deliver what’s on our menu but only to the Sai Kung area to start with. As a side project, we also want to start making our own cider.

As long as it’s fun, we’ll continue to grow.

Since we opened our first Casa on Hoi Pong Square, it was never about money. We love doing what we do, and hope to keep doing more of it.

eating

Nibbles

Cool Fee Cafe and Dessert opens Cool Fee Cafe and Dessert has recently opened on Hoi Pong Square. Serving up a modern mix of Western classics including pasta dishes and fish and chips, the cafe also boasts a covered outdoor seating area. As well as breakfast and lunch sets, the cafe is open for afternoon tea with tempting options including cheesecake ($42) or truffle fries ($58) which come with a choice of coffee or tea. Sweet tooth? Hit the dessert menu which includes soft-scoop ice cream and gelato. Shop 3, Hoi Pong Square, Sai Kung.

Rice dumpling classes Just in time for Tuen Ng Festival, Yan Toh Heen’s Executive Chef, Lau Yiu Fai, will be hosting a handson class explaining how to make rice dumplings. Traditionally eaten during Tuen Ng or Dragon Boat festival, Chef Lau will teach amateur cooks how to make organic apple and black glutinous rice dumplings. The class will be held on June 4 at 11.45am. For $1,488 per person, guests will be able to enjoy Yan Toh Heen’s signature dim sum and tea, with special souvenirs to take home. Reserve your spot now on 2313 2323 or email hkghc.yth@ihg.com.

InterContinental Hotel Hong Kong, 18 Salisbury Road, Tsim Sha Tsui.

FAUCHON Paris Le Café in Sha Tin Cafe Deco Group has partnered with FAUCHON to launch Hong Kong’s first FAUCHON Paris Le Café. The cafe, situated in

New Town Plaza in Sha Tin, will occupy over 2,000 sq ft of dining space and serve French gourmet dishes, pastries and desserts. Shop 408 and 410, 4/F, New Town Plaza, Phase 1, 18 Sha Tin Centre Street, Sha Tin. Pinky’s up INA by Inagiku and JIN Cuisine have launched a new afternoon tea set which features specialities of both restaurants. The three-tier tea set ($118 per person for a minimum of two people) comes with three chilled snacks, panfried foie gras on toast, dim sum, Japanese delicacies and finishes with desserts including Japanese orange sherbet and macarons.

Served with tea or coffee. Only available Saturday, Sunday and public holidays from 2.30pm-4.45pm. Call 2623 2300/2333. 2/F, Holiday Inn Express, 3 Tong Tak Street, Tseung Kwan O.

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education

The Waldorf way

Garden House Kindergarten and Pre-school. Annie Wong takes a tour.

F

ollowing the Waldorf curriculum, Clearwater Bay-based Garden House Kindergarten and Pre-school was founded in 2008 by Sai Kung resident and mum Cannie Pang. The school welcomed seven students in its first year and is now the school of choice for 120 beaming students and a dedicated group of teaching staff.

A relatively unfamiliar curriculum in Hong Kong, Garden House Kindergarten and Preschool’s ethos is deeply rooted in the Waldorf

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philosophy. Established by Rudolf Steiner in 1919, the Waldorf method places a stronger emphasis on physical expression and a creative hands-on approach rather than a conventional academic curriculum. The alternative education technique encourages learning and education for the head, heart and hands, whereby students identify with the world through nature, culture and society. “We believe in teaching children in an unconscious way with elements of repetition and rhythm while developing reading and fine

motor skills at the same time”, says founder Pang.

The school values a small student to teacher ratio. Younger age group classes comprise of 20 students with three teachers and two teachers for older classes. Programmes are suitable for children aged one to seven years old with English, Mandarin and dual stream options.

Children are accompanied by their parents for the first year and progress into kindergarten by themselves from two to seven years old.

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education

Stretching across 10,000 sq ft of space on Silverstrand Beach Road, children have plenty of space to run, learn and explore in the school’s classrooms, kitchen and playground. Rooms are naturally lit with softly muted coloured curtains and walls painted a soft shade of pink. “It’s a colour of comfort

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and warmth”, says Pang. “We want to create a wholesome environment that nurtures the physical, emotional, social and spiritual development of each child in preparation for primary school”. Typical of Waldorf education methods; themes, nursery rhymes and songs are introduced and repeated for three weeks.

“As teachers, we help children understand the world by providing predictability through rhythm, giving them a dependable sequence for the day and consistent pattern throughout the week”, says Pang.

The school’s incorporation of the Waldorf curriculum can be seen by their use of handson activities, like arts and crafts and cooking, as well as in their use of wooden tables, chairs, play structures and toys to engage the students’ senses. Mathematical and scientific concepts are introduced to students in a natural way by setting the table for snack time, counting out bowls and measuring ingredients for baking and cooking. “We strive to provide a rich supply of natural materials and surroundings that encourages imagination and exploration”, says Pang. Students engage in what the school calls contraction (light reading and down-time activities) and expansion (running, playtime) exercises, circle time that introduces nursery rhymes and extra-curricular activities including Mandarin, jazz, taekwondo and cooking, which are also open to nonGarden House students.

Garden House owns a 3,000 sq ft farm ten minutes away from the campus in Ho Chung, where students are taken once a week to grow and harvest crops including lettuce, beans, papaya and peanuts. “There

education

School Report Garden House Kindergarten and Pre-school is a sense of fulfilment when the students can see the outcome of their input - from planting the seeds, watering them and seeing it grow into something beautiful”, explains Pang. The school makes use of the crops by bringing their harvest back to the school to cook. Chinese New Year festival saw freshly picked turnips turned into turnip cakes which are traditionally eaten during that time.

A mix of nationalities make up the school cohort with Pang explaining in recent years more and more Asian families are becoming

aware of a Waldorf style education. Previous Garden House students have gone on to secure places in international primary schools including German Swiss International School, Hong Kong Academy and Kellett School.

While there are no current plans to open a second Garden House campus, Pang hopes to help others who want to adopt the Waldorf curriculum and increase its presence in Hong Kong. “I want to instill and maintain the essence of connecting to children and parents under one roof”.

Year established: 2008 Class size: 20 Curriculum: Waldorf Curriculum Fees 2015/2016: Fees start from $360 per session for parent and child classes and $4,400 per month for two days per week in Kindergarten.

Non refundable capital levy: N/A Address: 7 Silverstrand Beach Road, Clearwater Bay Tel: 2358 1177

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sponsored column

Costs of International Schools in Hong Kong With annual tuition fees generally in the region of $101,000-$160,000, choosing an international school in Hong Kong is not a decision to be taken lightly. But did you know that this is only some of the amount you have to cough up? To get your children started at school, you may find yourself having to hand over an application fee of anything up to $3,000, assessment fees, entry fees, capital fees, extra-curricular activities, exams, debentures… and that’s before your child has even made it to Year 7.

There’s no doubt there are considerable benefits to investing in an international school education, and it’s important to make sure you choose the learning environment which is right for your child. To help you navigate your way through the decision-making process, the schooling consultants at ITS Education Asia have taken a look at what it costs to kick off a child’s primary school education (Year 1) at a few of Hong Kong’s private schools - no

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priority was given in selecting these schools and fees published are based on a mainstream programme.

English Schools Foundation Application Fee: $1,000 Deposit: $10,000 Annual Fee: $101,100 Capital Levy: $38,000 Total: $151,100 Hong Kong International School Application Fee: $1,500 Annual Fee: $160,100 Entry Fee: $15,000 Capital Levy: $15,000 Total: $191,600 As you can see from these figures, your initial annual investment could vary wildly depending on which schools you’re considering.

Choosing to educate your child in a private

international school is expensive. Local schools are not even an option unless your child can speak Cantonese. But these fees are justified. The facilities are top notch, teaching staff are highly qualified, and your child will benefit from a multicultural schooling experience for the rest of their lives. Along with this, students are accepted by some of the most reputable universities around the world and exam scores are the best amongst other private schools around the world.

ITS Education Asia 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.

OUT NOW

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sport

Aussie rules

As the season kicks off, Annie Wong scores a goal with Hong Kong Auskick.

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W

hile Australian Rules Football remains most popular, unsurprisingly, in its country of origin, Australia, knowledge of the sport is starting to spread thanks to pockets of Australian expat communities around the world.

Hong Kong Auskick, established in 2008 with less than 30 young Australian players, has grown over the years to 400 kids comprising a diverse range of sporting and national backgrounds.

Tracing the game's origins back to football matches played in Melbourne, Australia, in 1858, the game was made official thanks to its first laws published by the Melbourne Football Club in May 1859.

Nowadays, Hong Kong Auskick has established an Australian Rules Football programme open to both boys and girls from four to 12 years old, catering to all skills levels.

Training sessions last for up to 90 minutes and is normally made up of skills practice including kicking, marking, handballing and bouncing. Sessions end with a friendly game to put those skills into practice and demonstrate how the young players can work better in a team. The Auskickers also participate in up to six tournaments each season playing against teams from other clubs. “The best thing about Auskick is that the game is equally suited to players of all sizes,

sport skills and speed”, says Wayne Henrys, President of Hong Kong Auskick. “There is a position for everyone and every player gets a chance to have their hands on the ball. The favourite part for most Auskickers is kicking a goal during a game, and after that, it’s counting the number of kicks you scored in the game”.

While there are around three to four registered coaches for each of Auskick’s teams, to keep all the kids active and engaged throughout training sessions, parents are encouraged to participate in some of the practice drills and coach the youngsters.

The 2016 season is shaping up to be an exciting one as the Auskick teams take all they’ve learnt in Hong Kong to overseas competitions. Lucky players will have the chance to play in the iconic MCG stadium in Melbourne, hometown of the game.

When, where and how much?

For the 2016 season, training and tournaments for the Sai Kung Stingrays have been combined with the Kowloon Cobras to take advantage of the grounds at King George V School (KGV) and at Sai Kung Stadium. Generally, practice is on

Sunday morning at KGV, however sessions are also scheduled at Sai Kung Stadium on some Saturdays and also on some weeknights for older players.

The cost of the programme is $1,400 which includes a registration fee, and covers the cost of facilities hire for the entire season, transport for away games and a players’ kit including club jumper, shorts, socks, backpack and Sherrin AFL football. Further discounts for children in the same family. More details can be found on Hong Kong Auskick’s website, auskickhk.com.

AFL jargon Footy: Australian Rules Football, also known as AFL (Australian Football League) Handball: passing the ball by hand by hitting it with your fist to another player.

Holding the ball: when a player is tackled and does not dispose of the ball quickly, resulting in a free kick for the tackler.

Drop punt: the preferred kicking style for passing the ball by foot to a teammate.

The man in white: refers to the umpire or referee, who always used to be dressed in white but now appears in a range of colours in the modern game.

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big day out

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Free-wheelin’ Yuen Long

big day out

Exploring Hong Kong’s wetlands by bicycle.

I

t’s a sunny day – make the most of it by going cycling. From Tseung Kwan O Seafront to the paths around Tolo Harbour, cycle tracks are surprisingly plentiful in the New Territories. One of our favourite routes, however, is the Yuen Long to Nam Sang Wai circuit.

What is it?

In the heart of the New Territories, Yuen Long is a flat area with expansive tracks through the wetlands that are perfect for riding a bike.

Away from the town centre lies a rural area that feels worlds away from the city, which attracts explorers alike. The 20km circuit is easy going, offering plenty of scope for taking in the villages and mangroves of the Nam Sang Wai wetlands.

End the day with a drink and maybe a bite to eat at a stilted cafe on the bank of the Kam Tin River in Yuen Long before taking a boat trip across the river back to your starting point.

Why go?

There’s something for the whole family. The 20km trail is long enough for bike junkies, but there are plenty of shortcuts for less enthusiastic cyclists, and families can take a break while the kids run free in open grassy areas. Pack a picnic and plenty of water for a great day out.

Bicycle rental: bicycles are $45 a day (10am7pm) on weekends, $30 Mon-Fri. Tin Fung Bicycle Company, Shop B, G/F, Lee Kwan Building, 37 On Lok Road, Yuen Long, 2442 3808, www.yl.hk/ad/3808. MTR: Yuen Long Station, Exit B.

What’s near by?

Make a longer day of it, by visiting the Hong Kong Wetland Park in Tin Shui Wai. The 61-hectare park hosts regular learning workshops and guided activities which are open to the public. Check website for upcoming programmes. Tickets $30, children $15. Open Wed-Mon 10am5pm; closed Tuesdays. Wetland Park Road, Tin Shui Wai, 3152 2666, www. wetlandpark.gov.hk.

Photo by: momo

When to go?

Now, while the humidity is low but the sun is still out. There is no better time to get outdoors. On blue-sky weekends you are unlikely to be alone, of course, and with motorists, cyclists and keen adventurers all sharing the road, things can get hairy. Much of the route is designated cycle track, but in some stretches cyclists rejoin the main road.

Photo by: Wing1990hk

Where is it?

Begin your trip in Yuen Long, where those who don’t have their own bicycles can rent one for the day from one of the many shops outside the Yuen Long MTR station. (Tandems are also available, but tend to sell out quickly.) Follow signs to the cycle tracks, then head north along the river to the Nam Sang Wai wetlands. The route passes through scenes of old Hong Kong, including the ancestral halls, temples and stalls of old villages such as historic Kam Tin, with its ancient walls.

Other cycle tracks in the New Territories Black Diamond Trail For more experienced cyclists. The mountain bike trail stretches across 3.8km in Tai Lam Country Park and passes Fire Lookout and links up to the MacLehose Trail. The course was designed by International Mountain Bicycling Association (IMBA).

Tseung Kwan O Seafront A 1.5km cycle route connects Tseung Kwan O town centre with the seafront,

with green areas along the route to enjoy the harbour views. Tiu Keng Leng MTR station Exit A2, or Tseung Kwan O MTR station Exit A2.

Tai Po, Hong Kong Science and Technology Park The family-friendly route covers the Science Park through Tai Po to Plover Cove with sea and mountain views and a tuck shop for refuelling. Take no. 27 minibus from MTR Sha Tin station on Pai Tau Street. Parking available.

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travel

Eats shoots & leaves

The Adam family travelled to Chengdu for a cuddle with the Giant Pandas. Mum Annabel tells us all about it.

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travel

T

he Adam family - Mum, Dad, 11-year-old Ollie and nine-year-old Maddie - flew to Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China for a cuddle with the giant pandas.

We’d always wanted to see the famous pandas of Chengdu, so when family friends invited us to join them one weekend, we leapt at the chance.

A quick two-and-a-half hour flight later and we were being whisked off to the Shangri-La, our home for the next three nights. A great choice, it overlooks the river and is in a fabulous location, close to loads of restaurants and bars and a number of temples. The indoor pool also had the kids smiling.

We woke up refreshed and raring to go early on Saturday morning - first up, of course, were the pandas.

Eighty per cent of the world’s pandas live in Sichuan province. The Chengdu Panda Base is a non-profit research and breeding facility for giant pandas, founded in 1987 with six rescue pandas and now housing more than 80. We had hired a guide for the weekend, Haba, and he turned out to be invaluable. He knew exactly when to go to each enclosure to maximise our experience, so that we saw these gorgeous creatures playing and eating rather than just sleeping. It’s a bit of a cliche, but they really are magical. The kids absolutely adored them, and when we were all cute-ed out, Haba took us to a fantastic Sichuan noodle house for lunch.

In the afternoon we went to the People’s Park, which turned out to be another highlight. Chengdu is famous for its parks and one of the city’s main recreational activities is heading out to the big open spaces to ride on pedal boats, stroll, do tai chi, dance, drink tea, engage in organized dating, have your ears cleaned (seriously!), play mahjong and eat. The kids loved the beautiful sugar sweets on sticks, spun into elaborate shapes and decorations.

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travel On Saturday night we headed out for an adults-only meal at the Michelin-starred Yu Zhi Lan. It’s a tiny place specialising in Sichuan fusion dishes, and we had a really great night.

The food was definitely a bit on the wild side for us, but they were very accommodating and permitted BYO alcohol. It was certainly unlike anywhere I’ve ever dined before and was definitely a highlight, even if I never eat caterpillar fungus again.

On Sunday we were driven into the

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Qingcheng Mountains for a hike (the journey was a good two-and-a half hours in a minibus and we were glad we brought games and i-pads for the children). The hike was about two hours of easy uphill walking, taking in stunning scenery and Taoist temples, and at the top we tucked into another delicious Sichuan meal. The kids enjoyed lighting incense sticks at the temples and practising their Mandarin, bartering for drinks and small toys being sold on the side of the path.

We loved our Chengdu weekend and

the food was delicious - you can never have too many Dandan noodles. I would highly recommend booking a guide before you go Haba spoke excellent English and had loads of interesting stories to tell us about the history and culture of Chengdu, as well as modern day China. If we’d been able to spend an extra day here, I would have loved to have taken a boat at Leshan to see the giant Buddha, and also to see a Sichuan opera, which features face masks, fire breathing and shadow puppets.

travel

Panda express How to get there The family stayed at Shangri-La Chengdu, shangri-la.com/chengdu.

The guide was booked through Catherine Lu Tours, catherinelutours@gmail.com.

Yu Zhi Lan is at 24 Changfa St, Qingyang district, +86-28-6249-1966, open daily for lunch and dinner.

They flew with Dragonair, cathaypacific.com.

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health & beauty

Chill out

Esther Chan tests the subzero temperatures at Polaris, Hong Kong’s first and only cryotherapy centre.

I

t’s not every day you get to experience an excursion to Antarctica, sans seasickness, snow trekking, and potential iceberg incidents. Lucky for me, the newly opened cryotherapy centre Polaris, the first and only one of its kind in Hong Kong, granted me an opportunity to experience the freezing temperatures of the Antarctic while travelling no further than bustling Causeway Bay. Cryotherapy is a non-invasive treatment aimed at improving athletic performance and enhancing overall wellness. The treatment exposes your skin to dry nitrogen gas that ranges from minus 90 to minus 140 degrees Celsius for several minutes, prompting chemical reactions within your body to stave off death, according to Polaris. This chemically induced self-protection is claimed to strengthen the immune system, boost energy levels and metabolism, improve blood circulation, reduce inflammation and quicken cell rejuvenation.

Stepping into Polaris’ 2,000 sq ft, well-lit and tastefully-decorated facility, I was immediately welcomed by helpful and smiley staff. And while a happy bunny temperament is all well and good, it was their knowledge and skilled professional attitude that really put me at ease. I was provided with detailed explanations on the three treatments currently offered - whole body, localised and facials - of which I opted for the whole body and facial treatments.

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baby, it’s cold in here

After changing into a comfortable dressing gown and a pair of particularly warm and fuzzy socks, I was led into a room where my therapist, Patrick, was waiting. He asked me to put on gloves and slippers for my own protection while pre-freezing the cryo chamber. He then took my blood pressure (normal, phew) and asked if I had any medical conditions before the chamber beeped – Antarctica was ready for me.

I never thought I would consider a so-called “near-death experience” as therapy but with the likes of professional footballer Cristiano Ronaldo and boxer Floyd Mayweather including cryotherapy treatments as part of their recovery programmes, then it’s good enough for me. As someone who is used to working out as a regular part of my day, I was open to the idea of a bit of pain to help my tired muscles recover quicker and grow stronger.

I climbed into the cryosauna and faced the coldest environment my body had ever experienced. Standing and encased from the neck down, I felt a cool air circulate as I passed my dressing gown to Patrick from the spacious booth; my therapist was ever present to ensure constant eye contact and check I didn’t become a penguin. The first minute was easy enough but by the second minute, exposed to temperatures of minus 100 degrees Celcius, I started to feel shaky as my brain realised the extent of the cold temperatures. By the end of the third minute at minus 110 degrees Celsius, I was somewhat glad the treatment was over; anxiety was setting in and my body felt under attack. After stepping out of the machine, I felt a small knot in my stomach and noticed a faint shade of redness on my arms, but otherwise I felt absolutely fine and surprisingly very refreshed.

Post treatment I warmed up in less than 30 seconds although my thighs were a little icy when we entered the room for cryo facials a few minutes later. Lying in a comfortable facial chair, I once again braved freezing temperatures - a bit nervous still as this time the freezing gas would be directed at my face. Overall the treatment was a real treat as the cold air took the edge off Hong Kong’s stifling humidity. I left Polaris feeling on the whole pampered, while my skin felt smooth and my mood elevated.

Cryotherapy is a unique experience and is definitely a treatment that needs to be experienced first hand to appreciate the unusual sensations.

What is the Best Day Spa in Sai Kung?

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marketplace

pets

feeling the heat

A hot matter

How to prevent your pet from getting heat stroke, suggests Pets Central’s Dr. Anders Kulhavy.

As the weather starts to warm up in Hong Kong, it’s important to keep your pets safe. Heat stroke occurs when the body temperature rises to a dangerous level for a prolonged period of time. The consequences can be deadly if not addressed quickly. Most heat-related illnesses occur at the beginning of the summer season than at the end, simply because pets aren’t acclimated to the heat yet.

Dogs do not sweat like humans do. Only the nose has the ability to excrete moisture and dogs primarily get rid of heat by panting.

When taking your pet out to a park or to the beach, try to do so earlier in the day before 11am and make sure you have plenty of

water available. Keep in mind that if you are hot or thirsty then your dog will be as well, especially with a fur coat on.

Symptoms of overheating include panting and lethargy. If things progress, other warning signs including vomiting and diarrhea may develop. When left untreated they will eventually collapse and develop shock. If you are concerned your pet is overheating, take the following actions: • Place him/her in the shade or an airconditioned area.

• Wet the entire body down with water and provide a fan (or manually fan air) over them to dissipate the heat. Do not place your pet in ice as this prevents

blood flow to the skin where it can release heat.

• Provide ample drinking water.

• If your pet collapses or has vomiting or diarrhea then they should be taken to a vet immediately as heatstroke can be life threatening within an hour or two.

If you have a thermometer handy you can measure your pet’s body temperature by placing it in the rectum. Normal temperature can range up to 39.5 degrees celsius in dogs. Temperatures above 40 degrees should raise concern and prompt cooling measures as above. Above 40.5 degrees needs immediate attention and if the situation doesn’t improve, seek medical attention as soon as possible.

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hong kong creatures

we live here too

The blue-spotted emperor dragonfly The blue-spotted emperor is bright blue and green in colour. It is one of the largest dragonflies: adults can grow up to three inches long. Its sharp bright eyes and body give it the appearance of royalty, hence its regal name. The males have a green thorax with black stripes on a bright blue abdomen, while the females have green thorax and abdomen. However, in warm weather the females will turn from green to blue.

Adults feed on bugs such as butterflies, four spotted chasers, and tadpoles.

These dragonflies can live in a variety of aquatic habitats, from large ponds to dykes, as long as there is a plentiful supply of vegetation in the water. The females place

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photo by Quarti

aka Anax nigrofasciatus nigrofasciatus. By Steffi Yuen.

the larvae inside the leaves of pondweed to protect the offspring from fish and other

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pond life. The larvae stay underwater until adulthood. The males are very territorial: each will protect his pond from other males.

Territories can be as large as 50 meters on a section of slow running water.

Blue-spotted emperors are common and can be found in Guangdong and Guangxi in China, Taiwan, Japan, Korea, and the Philippines. In other places - like Bhutan, India, Nepal and Thailand - the subspecies Anax nigrofasciatus nigrolineatus is found instead.

Where to find them in Hong Kong: Shing Mun Country Park, Tai Po Kau Nature Reserve, Ma On Shan, Sham Tseng, Luk Keng, and Wu Kau Tang.

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marketplace

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marketplace

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vines in sai kung

stephen says...

Weekend gridlock

The weekend rush, pesky property developers and some nasty emissions in Sai Kung old town, writes Stephen Vines.

Photo by Millevache

Nasty emissions My love for Sai Kung’s old town remains firm but is sometimes shaken by the litter and general air of neglect that mar parts of this area. Something rather worse than mere littering occurred recently. It happened when I passed an elderly gent peering out from behind the gated entrance to his house in the middle of the old town. He stood there emitting large goblets of spit onto the pathway. I was watching and caught his eye, at which point he accelerated his unhygienic activities. I said nothing but hoped that my intense stare might have acted as a deterrent however the net effect seemed to be to provide encouragement. Hum.

Hong Kong’s last inhabited walled village, Nga Tsin Wai

Weekend gridlock Yes, summer is definitely here and Sai Kung is filling up fast with weekend visitors. Us residents must not be selfish and hog this place to ourselves but that’s no reason not to have a moan as Sai Kung town is becoming a real traffic nightmare.

The obvious solutions of having a weekend ferry service or even more park and ride locations at MTR stations have been ignored; the only one that seems to appeal to the bureaucrats is to widen Hiram’s Highway. I still have mixed feelings about this but I suppose it is inevitable.

However there are a number of things that can be done in the meantime to alleviate some of the vexing blockages. First up is the obvious and not costly idea of providing more police traffic controls at key spots, notably near the bus terminus and on the main road junctions. When I say more, I really mean some because as it stands there are currently none.

Secondly why not, at least for the meantime, use some of the undeveloped land near the swimming pool to create temporary car parks; it will not reduce the traffic but it will keep some of it out of the way and obviate the need for cruising around to find parking spaces.

Thirdly, we really need more big buses to take

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away some of the load. This is something for the bus companies to sort out but a bit of pressure from the Transport Department would do no harm.

The last walled village It’s a bit of a stretch but I think it’s just about valid to write about Wong Tai Sin in this space as it is very close to Sai Kung. Specifically I am talking about Nga Tsin Wai village, Hong Kong’s last inhabited walled village. This village has a history dating back well over 600 years and recent archeological work by the Urban Renewal Authority (URA) has revealed the existence of significant relics which can not only be preserved but enhanced with some creative thinking.

There are no prizes for guessing what comes next, yes, you guessed right, the whole area is scheduled for a property development to be jointly undertaken by Cheung Kong and the URA. In fact the redevelopment project is already underway but it is far from complete and there is still a chance for conservation here.

I know that some readers might be getting tired of my pleas for conservation but the fact is that too much of Hong Kong’s physical history has been submerged under tower blocks. This form of vandalism can only be stopped once and so silence is not an option.

Spare a thought for PCCW frontline staff Last month’s issue of Sai Kung Magazine highlighted the terrible broadband service provided by Sai Kung’s sole broadband provider, PCCW. Everyone I know who read this piece had strong views on this and all of them were pleased to see this subject being aired. I will not bore you with my own battles with PCCW, except to say that they are not confined to problems with broadband. However, I would point out that many of the individual frontline staff at the sharp end of frustrated Sai Kung resident’s complaints are really trying their best. The problem lies with their bosses and a company which is fully aware of its local monopoly and thus refuses to allocate resources that would make a difference.

Dog prison update Finally, I am pleased to provide an update on the dog prison, mentioned in this space last month.

This is to be found in the youth centre near the Lady Maclehose camp in the Sai Kung Country Park. A large number of dogs are kept there in tiny cages and show obvious signs of distress.

Thanks to the initiative and concern of Sai Kung Magazine readers this situation has again been brought to the attention of the authorities.

Hopefully something will now be done.

Stephen Vines is a journalist, broadcaster and entrepreneur.

He is the former editor of the Eastern Express and Southeast Asia correspondent for The Observer.