Seven Days in Hong Kong

Having spent over two-and-a-half straight years in the Chinese mainland without leave, it was with both anticipation and apprehension that I recently crossed the southern border into Asia’s wealthiest city.

Despite its one-stop-shopping popularity with Mainland expats needing new clothes and a new visa, I truly had no idea what to expect in the former crown colony that supposedly makes even rich men feel poor. Rather terrified of exacting reverse culture shock, I hence saved English-speaking Hong Kong and its “One Country, Two Systems” self for the tail end of my journey across the 32 Chinese provinces.

And it is here I report that all my preconceptions and fears about Hong Kong were… true. To quote the under-appreciated American writer Thomas A. Carter (me!) upon his brief sojourn in the legendary Chinese city, “I’ve never felt more poor than when I was in Hong Kong… I’ve never felt more ugly than when I was in Hong Kong.”

DAY 1: Cross the Shenzhen-Hong Kong border at Louhu and catch the immaculate KCR railway, immediately impressed that nobody is staring, shoving or spitting. Arrive in Kowloon’s southern peninsula and emerge from the underground into the land of lights – Tsim Sha Tsui. Blinded with excitement, I have to ask a resplendent group of Indian women draped in saris where the Mirador Mansion is. They point their gold-ringed fingers straight up. A towering, rust-stained concrete block, and one of Hong Kong’s only affordable accommodations. I check in to a claustrophobic dorm room (three times the price of a Mainland dorm and three times as small), then hit Nathan Road. Peering up into the neon lights, tripping in the crush of the crowds, I feel just like a migrant worker back in Beijing.

DAY 2: Awoken at 6am by one of my bunkmates stumbling in after a long night. His name is Pat, a young American backpacker with long red hair whose introduction is immediately followed by a long-winded narrative about his two-week romps in Hong Kong, including scoring with the mythical “Asian girls who LOOOVE foreign guys.” When I counter that I never had any such luck, the fast-talking but likeable Pat proffers some off-the-cuff advise (“Dude, lose the beard”) before launching into more useful information. “It’s Sunday, okay, and there’s gonna be, like, 120,000 Filipino nannies and maids on their only day off – and looking for boyfriends!” I’m a little dubious of Pat’s generalizations, but sure enough his mobile rings continuously with calls from adoring cleaning ladies he met the Sunday before. An afternoon stroll around Statue Square indeed reveals a literal blanket of thousands of picnicking South Asian women (Hong Kong’s largest migrant communities) whose collective chatter sounds just like a large flock of seagulls. When I attempt to candidly photograph one attractive young Filipino, she shouts “Hey! I klick jor ass!” So much for getting a date.

DAY 3: Fieldtrip to Shek O beach on Hong Kong Island’s south side, savoring the soft sand and splashing in the subtropical South China Sea. Supposedly this place is packed out on the weekend, but that’s what weekdays are for, no? It’s one of those moments when I enjoy being unemployed. Chase my fun in the sun with a tram ride up Victoria Peak for a breathtaking evening vista of skyscrapers, which appear to be constructed entirely out of lights. Dafnit, an Israeli girl clearly in awe of the Hong Kong skyline, remarks, “We have no tall buildings in Israel. Oh wait… we have one!”

DAY 4: Spend the day traversing Kowloon, the fashion billboards of TST turning into seedy massage parlor billboards as I descend northwest down the Nathan Road side streets, the sun lost behind precipices of neon signs stretching horizontally over the streets. The markets of Mong Kok are mobbed with uniformed students on lunch break: long-haired boys with untucked white shirts and loosened ties, and made-up girls in little outfits out of a Japanese kogal/hentai fantasy: knee-high black stockings, short skirts and a Louis Vuitton bag to carry their pencils and books. They have tattoos, tongue piercings and smoke cigarettes. After commenting that they are the hippest students in China I’ve seen, one 15-year-old boy replies in perfect English, “Yes, so cool, but so young.”

DAY 5: I want to see how the other half lives and spend the day in Central, Hong Kong Island’s microcosm of capitalism. Cross Victoria Harbor by the centuries-old Star Ferry through a morning miasma of pollution and follow white-collared crowds of businessmen contending with cell phones, briefcases and lattés into their respective skyscrapers. Later observe as many women shopping in designer department stores – these must be the wives. I notice that they all clutch their purses as I walk by, then realize why as I catch a glimpse of myself in the reflective fa?ade of the Bank of China tower. My head cast down in self-consciousness, I almost get rolled over by a Rolls (driving on the wrong side of the road, damn Brits!), then almost again by a double-decker cable car. Everyone in Central must be against me. My insecurities are firmed up that evening in Lan Kwai Fong, a gentrified neighborhood of upscale restaurants and bars on the Island’s northern escarpment. The steep streets are congested with young, well-to-do westpats toasting yet another successful day of money -making. I can’t believe there are so many white people in China who aren’t English teachers! They are all smartly dressed and have well-groomed hair; I am wearing cutoff army pants, low-top fake Converse, an eight year old t-shirt that I bought used, nor have I shaved or cut my locks in the eight months I’ve been on the road. I want to belong, but I don’t. It’s one of those moments when I regret being unemployed.

DAY 6: I give the Island another chance and take the night ferry across the harbor to the north end’s older and seedier nightspot, the infamous Wan Chai. Recall it is where Richard Mason penned his 1950’s tale of forbidden love, “The World Of Suzie Wong,” though a lot has changed since he wrote “take a minute’s stroll from the center and you won’t see a European.” The pick-up bars still line the road, yum-yum girls luring passersby into their neon-lit dens, but these are the illegitimate daughters of Suzie Wong, not of Chinese but Thai dissent, wearing not elegant silk cheongsams but cheap miniskirts raised to immodest heights. And unlike the kindly ladies of the Nam Kok Hotel, these modern-day working girls are vicious, mercenary, cold. When a group of obviously disappointed white boys emerge from one venue exclaiming, “In Thailand they take off ALL their clothes,” the brown-skinned door girl in plastic go-go boots is quick to shout back, “Then go to Thailand!” Further down Lockhart I follow a couple of older Europeans primed with drink and flirting heavily with a lovely bouquet of girls looking for generous company. After making their arrangements, one of the men leans on me and confides, “Wy mife, I mean my wife, thinks I’m *HICCUP* at a conference.” The remaining girls give this poor writer a cursory glance then quickly cross the street away from me.

DAY 7: I wake up feeling dejected and classless; the expatriates of Central don’t want me, nor do the waterfront girls of Wan Chai. Take a stroll around TST, passing by friendly knots of third-world hustlers hanging out in front of the Chungking Mansions, the immigrant ghetto of Kowloon that serves as temporary living quarters for Hong Kong’s financially insolvent émigrés. A street corner tout from Kashmir says to me “The Mansions is where anyone not wearing pastel shorts or a suit stay.” I realize this mad cauldron of multiculturalism is the only place I truly feel at home in Hong Kong. The Africans on the never-quiet front steps always high-five me, the Pakistanis all think I’m Muslim (must be the beard), and the Indians bat their eyelashes at me. The Chungking Mansions are the international haunt for anyone who is no one, and I am one of them. It is a peasant’s epiphany – in Hong Kong, I am the ‘nongmin.’

###

China Tightens Visa Restrictions as Olympics Near

A dozen people seated around a large table awkwardly picked up morsels of food from a revolving platter and sipped from tall bottles of room-temperature beer. There was a joyless quality to the evening as the dozen or so assembled guests, Britons, Canadians and Americans who had come to China to teach English, contemplated their imminent departure on account of visa restrictions.

“I tell them not to say they’re being deported,” said Diana Wan, manager of the Shane English School. “This is Chinese government policy. There is nothing we can do about it until after the Olympics.”

As the Summer Olympics draw near, foreigners are discovering that the welcome mat they had expected is being abruptly rolled up. Thousands of foreigners have been kicked out before today’s deadline as a result of tough new visa policies. Those forced to leave include nondiplomatic support staffers at embassies, migrant workers, freelance writers, artists and students.

Exactly how many foreigners must leave China remains unclear because the government has released minimal information about the changes in visa policy. About 110,000 foreigners are registered as Beijing residents, and about the same number are living and working in the capital with tourist, student or investor visas. Many of those visas expired at the end of June and will not be renewed.

At the same time, most Chinese embassies and consulates are no longer issuing visas with more than 30-day validity and prospective tourists now have to show hotel reservations, plane tickets and other documentation.

Among the persona non grata are many young Westerners attracted by low rents, a lively cafe and bar scene and the buzz of living behind the former Iron Curtain, qualities that made Prague, the capital of the Czech Republic, an expatriate favorite last decade.

“We wanted to get into the way of life here,” said 24-year-old Natan Doyon, who moved from Britain last year with his girlfriend to teach English to Chinese children. He says his pupils were so upset when he told them he couldn’t renew his visa that they begged, “Don’t go. We’ll help you hide.”

He and his girlfriend now plan to try Vietnam.

So many English teachers are being forced to leave that many of the private language schools, the rage lately for children of the upwardly mobile, are closing down for the summer. With only three native English speakers left on its staff, Shane is cutting its summer camp in half and might curtail its fall program. Shane, which is owned by a British chain, advertises that it provides native English speakers.

“If we can’t fulfill that promise, we have nothing to sell,” Wan said. “We’re losing a lot of money.”

The new regulations are a disappointment to those who predicted that being the Summer Olympics host city would speed Beijing’s transformation into a modern, more cosmopolitan city.

“You have sort of an Olympic lockdown. The Chinese have decided they can’t leave anything to chance so they’ve shut down a lot of Beijing,” said Jeremy Goldkorn, a media analyst who has lived here for 12 years.

Instead of the crush anticipated for the Olympics, which begin Aug. 8, tourism is sharply down. The number of overseas visitors to Beijing in May was down 14.2% from May of last year.

The Chinese government has typically tightened controls around important events such as Communist Party congresses. But the Olympics, given their international nature, were supposed to be different, attracting up to 500,000 foreigners in what was billed as a giant coming-out party to announce China’s arrival on the world scene.

“It is very disappointing. There has been a lot of exhilaration about the Olympics. We thought tourists would be coming, restaurants would be booked, people would be making a lot of money,” said Jen Lin-liu, an American food writer and owner of Black Sesame, a cooking school in Beijing.

The Olympics are not the only factor. The outbreak of violent protests in Tibet and neighboring regions in March clearly rattled the Chinese government and has led to heightened security across the country. May’s magnitude 7.9 earthquake in Sichuan province scared off tourists who might have hoped to combine a panda-sighting trip to western China with their Olympic travels.

Among the businesses that are suffering are hotels. As of late May, Beijing’s five-star hotels were only 77% booked and four-star hotels were 44% booked for the Olympic period, according to the city’s tourism bureau.

Both Chinese and foreign companies have been forced to cancel meetings and business trips because of problems getting visas. The Chinese Foreign Ministry has virtually eliminated the multiple-entry visas that used to allow foreign businesspeople based in Hong Kong to commute several times weekly into the mainland.

“It is not just a short-term irritant, but it might have a long-term effect on foreign investment in China if people start talking about moving businesses into Vietnam or elsewhere in Southeast Asia,” said Richard Vuylsteke, president of the American Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong, which has complained repeatedly to the

Climbing the Great Wall of China

So much has been written and published about the Great Wall of China but one thing is certain, if you travel to China without visiting this world renowned landmark, then your trip is incomplete. The history of the great wall is one which is difficult to comprehend, although it is said the construction of the wall began in the warring states period in the early seventh century BC.
The Great Wall of China is the one the artificial wonders of the world which symbolizes the greatness of China. With a functionality of over a thousand years, the great wall was built to protect the villages from the invasion of the northern tribes providing a stable life, culture and government. The history of this wall is what contributed to the growth of China in terms of political, economy, culture and tourism.
The length of the Great wall extends approximately 6700 kilometers across deserts, and plateaus from the border of China to the Hun territories in the north. The beauty of the great wall is such that you cannot appreciate its beauty except you climb it step by step. It is better seen from an aerial perspective if you are on the plane or a helicopter.
In the ancient times, it was called the Wall of ten thousand li (a li is one third of a mile) and its construction started as earth works built for the protection of the different kingdoms. Each kingdom had its own section of wall; like in the east, the wall was built out of stones and bricks, while the section on the western part of China was built with less durable materials. The individual sections of the wall was later renovated and connected to one another during the time of the Qin dynasty (221 – 206 BC) when Emperor Qin recruited peasants, soldiers and farmers to work on the wall. This tradition continued for centuries until each dynasty added to the height, length and design of the wall through forced labor. The wall has now become a major landmark for tourists visiting China.
The Great Wall of China can be climbed from different sections all of which serve different purposes. The four main sections best suited for climbing and sightseeing are the Badaling section, Mutianyu section, Simatai section and the Shixiaguan section.
The great wall at Badaling became a strategic point of the wall since the Warring states period when it was built. Being the very first section of the wall to be opened to tourists, it has recorded a statistics of about 140 million visitors who have climbed successively. This section was built with huge bar stones which weighed hundreds of kilograms with watch towers at every distance. These watch towers were used as the deployment points for the military during the olden days. This section of the wall is very crowded being that it is the most visited section.
The Simatai Great Wall is located in the northeast of Beijing. Its construction started in the Ming dynasty and measures around 5.4 kilometers with 35 watch towers. This section of the wall retained its original feature and has earned the reputation of being the most beautiful section of the wall. Unlike the other sections, Simatai section of the great wall is very quiet and remote and this has challenged many hikers to climb this section in quest of adventure.
The Mutianyu section of the great wall is the most preserved section of the great wall which is very important in Chinese military history. This section has cable cars installed allowing tourists to move from end to the other. It is slightly rugged and full of green plans making it the greenest part of the wall. The Mutianyu section is noted as the essence of the great wall because of the distinct style and construction of this part.
Shixiaguan Great Wall is the most part of the great wall to be opened to visitors and still shows the ruins of some of the old construction from the ancient times.
In conclusion, the great of china is definitely a must see on your next trip to china. In order for you to enjoy your tour around the wall, it is advisable to consult the services of a tour operator in China to assist you with the itinerary.

Presenting: Ottawa Canada’s Capital and An Exciting Travel Destination

In anticipation of my upcoming trip to Ottawa next weekend I have started to do some research and contacted Ottawa Tourism. Ottawa, as Canada’s capital, is one of Canada’s most popular travel destinations and it has a great variety destinations, activities and events to offer.

1. Please provide us with some general information about Ottawa. How large is the city, where is it located, what is the weather like?

Ottawa enjoys four distinct seasons, with warmest temperatures and sometimes high humidity in July and August; a temperate fall with gorgeous fall colours; a cold and snowy winter; and a wet spring.

Ottawa is accessible with direct flights from major centres in Canada and several U.S. cities including New York, Washington, Chicago, Philadelphia, Detroit, Atlanta and more. Ottawa is a major stop along the Windsor-Quebec City corridor of VIA Rail and bus service also links the city with other Canadian cities.

3. Ottawa is Canada’s capital and has played a significant role in the history of this country. Please tell us more about that and the Canadian Heritage Experiences offered in Ottawa.

Queen Victoria decreed in 1857 that Ottawa would be the capital of the country that became Canada. The majestic Parliament Buildings were constructed shortly thereafter and remain a “must-see” attraction in the capital. As the capital, Ottawa is also home to 24 Sussex Drive (the prime minister’s residence and not open to the public); Rideau Hall (home of the Governor General, with guided tours of residence and gardens available); and dozens of high commissions and embassies from governments around the world.

4. Please tell us about some of the major attractions, museums and galleries in the Ottawa area.

Other museums include the Bytown Museum, which tells the history of Ottawa’s early days, including the building of the Rideau Canal; the Billings Estate Museum that traces the history of a prominent local family; and the funky Diefenbunker, Canada’s Cold War Museum, a four-storey underground bunker that was constructed between 1959 and 1961 as the location to which the Canadian political and military elite would ride out the effects of a nuclear attack.

The festival scene in Ottawa is a robust, year-round affair. The year kicks off with Winterlude, a huge winter festival held over the first three weekends in February. In March, the Irish community celebrates Irish week, and in March and April, the maple syrup season spawns a number of delicious festivals and events celebrating this tasty treat.

Late May brings Canada’s largest marathon as part of the Ottawa Race Weekend. Over the summer months, festivals abound: Doors Open Ottawa showcase heritage buildings; Italian Week; the Ottawa Fringe Festival; the TD Canada Trust Ottawa International Jazz Festival; the Nortel Ottawa Dragon Boat Race Festival; Cisco Systems Ottawa Bluesfest (Canada’s largest); the Ottawa International Chamber Music Festival (the world’s largest); the Sound of Light fireworks festival; Ottawa Busker Festival; Ottawa GreekFest; CKCU Ottawa Folk Festival; the Central Canada Exhibition; and Pride Week.

In the fall, the Gatineau Hot Air Balloon Festival colours the skies; while the La Vendemmia Harvest Festival tempts visitors’ palates. The Ottawa International Animation Festival showcases artists from around the world while the Ottawa International Writers Festival provides a forum for authors’ lively debates. Fall Rhapsody celebrates the splendid autumn colours.

6. What about restaurants and entertainment / nightlife areas in Ottawa?

Elgin Street is another popular nightlife area, with an eclectic selection of bars, restaurants and cafes in just a few blocks. Bank Street offers three or four distinct areas along its length, including a popular area known as the Glebe. In the near west end, Westboro is also an attractive option for dinner and drinks.

7. Please give us an overview of the performing arts on offer in Ottawa.

From May 18 to June 11, the Cirque du Soleil will bring its production of Quidam to Ottawa. The Canada Dance Festival takes place every two years (June 2-10, 2006) in Ottawa and the Ottawa Fringe Festival (also in June) is one of the best ways to see new productions and new innovations. In

Larger events are usually held at Scotiabank Place and the Ottawa Civic Centre.

Some great shopping centres exist in Ottawa, including Bayshore Shopping Centre in the west end, Rideau Centre downtown, the St. Laurent Centre in the close east end, and Place d’Orleans Shopping Centre in the east end. These centres offer the best of the well-known brands.

9. What are the outdoor, recreational and sports opportunities in and around Ottawa?

But sports in Ottawa are much more participatory than that. Home to hundreds of kilometres of recreational pathways, Ottawans love to cycle, inline skate and hike. The Ottawa River offers unbelievable whitewater rafting, as well as canoe and kayak adventures for the adventurous.

As proof of how diverse a destination Ottawa is, it’s the only location where you can skate on the world’s largest skating rink and play in the world’s largest beach volleyball tournament?

There are over 11,000 hotel rooms in the Ottawa-Gatineau region. The major chains (Hilton, Fairmont, Westin, Marriott, Delta, Sheraton, Novotel, Holiday Inn, Best Western, Comfort Inn) are represented, as well as more unique offerings such as the boutique ARC the.hotel or Brookstreet Resort.

A comprehensive list of options is found at www.ottawatourism.ca
11. What are some of the major events and big news stories coming up in 2006 and beyond in Ottawa?

The Casino du Lac-Leamy celebrates 10 years of non-stop excitement in March 2006. Originally opened as the Casino de Hull, it has grown to be one of the top attractions in Canada’s Capital Region, offering gaming each day from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 a.m.; five-diamond dining at Le Baccara; an adjoining Theatre offering matinees, musical programming, and variety shows of all kinds; docking facilities; an adjacent Hilton hotel with spa; and conference facilities. The Casino is celebrating with a series of themed activities, including the popular 7 Lucky Days promotion which offers a different promotion each day of the week.

In the third Indiana Jones movie, the climactic scene took place in a spectacular desert location carved into the side of a cliff. That venue is part of Petra, located in Jordan, and from April 7, 2006 through January 2, 2007, you can learn more at the Canadian Museum of Civilization’s exhibition PETRA: City of Stone.

Outdoor activities are a crucial part of Ottawans’ lives. This summer, residents will be able to relish in others’ accomplishments, too, as Ottawa plays host to more than 3,500 athletes and coaches during the 2006 Ontario Summer Games from August 9 to 13, 2006.

Treasures from Beijing: May 11-September 30, 2007: At the Canadian Museum of Civilization, learn more about the development of Chinese civilization while viewing selected treasures from the National Museum of China. There will also be an attempt to provide a glimpse of China’s recent history, including economic reforms and the Olympic Games bid.

FIFA World Youth Championship 2007: July 1-22, 2007: Ottawa has been selected as one of six Canadian host cities for this three-week, 24-nation, 52-match tournament featuring the best youth (under-20) soccer players in the world. It is the second largest event staged by FIFA, following the FIFA World Cup.

Portrait Gallery of Canada: Following last spring’s opening of the new Canadian War Museum, the next major cultural institution planned for Ottawa is the Portrait Gallery of Canada, due to open across the street from Parliament Hill in late 2007.

Susanne Pacher is the publisher of a website called Travel and Transitions (http://www.travelandtransitions.com). Travel and Transitions deals with unconventional travel and is chock full of advice, tips, real life travel experiences, interviews with travellers and travel experts, insights and reflections, cross-cultural issues, contests and many other features. You will also find stories about life and the transitions that we face as we go through our own personal life-long journeys.

“Life is a Journey Explore New Horizons”.
The story with photos is published at Travel Stories and Photos (http://www.travelandtransitions.com/stories_photos/orlando_regional_history_center.htm )

Hamster breeds: The Chinese hamster

The Chinese Hamster, scientifically named Cricetulus Griseus, originated in the deserts of Northern China. They were first found being sold as pets on the streets of Beijing, formerly Peking, but soon made their way into the medical world. As early as 1919 they were used as lab animals at the Peking Union Medical College, and then were exported to all over the world. As time went on they were less likely to be used as lab animals when small mice and rats became more popular. The Chinese Hamster is particularly harder to breed than mice or rats because of the males aggression towards the females.

Chinese Hamsters have been put in the same category as the Dwarf Hamster, but in reality have more characteristics similar to a small rat; scientists categorize them into the “rat-like” category. This is because of their physical characteristics, not because of any developmental or social characteristics. Their size ranges from 7.5 to 9 cm in length and weigh between 50 and 75 grammes. The short nose and thin body paired with their stocky legs and a long tail is why they are put into the “rat-like” category. These cute creatures have the original greyish brown down their spine and the more familiar white belly. They also make great pets because they live for up to 3 years, slightly longer if you keep them very healthy.

Although they can become aggressive when a large number is put into the same cage, if you keep a close eye on the Chinese Hamsters and keep the sexes in separate cages, they should be relatively quiet. When kept as individual pets they are have quiet temperaments. Having the tendency to cling to your fingers, the Chinese Hamster makes a great pet for children.

Finding the right cage for the Chinese Hamster can prove to be difficult because of their small size. Regular hamster cages are a big no-no because the bars are spaced to far apart; escape would come easy for them. And mouse cages have perfectly spaced bars, but can often be too small. Ultimately whichever cage you choose, the bars should be no more than 8 to 10 mm apart.

Regular wooden flakes are ultimately the best type to be used for the bedding of the cage. But keep in mind that the traditional flakes can be quite dusty and the sawdust can sometimes irritate you and the Chinese Hamster. One great thing to also include in your hamster’s cage is a hamster wheel. It is great exercise for the little creatures and they enjoy running on it!

When feeding your hamster choose regular commercial food sold at every pet store. Any type of small seed, grain and even small insects can be great for making hamster food at home. Although every hamster deserves special treats once in a while remember to keep it healthy, such as certain vegetables, and to not indulge too much. Any sickness in a hamster will result in it’s life expectancy lowering a great deal.

Although the Chinese Hamster is not generally used in labs, biotech drugs are still produced by putting the gene for protein into the hamster’s ovary cells and extracting the protein that is created.

Chinese Hamsters can make for great pets, but some places consider these pets exotic or even pests. Permits are required in some areas to purchase Chinese Hamsters. So be sure to check with your area before purchasing one as a pet.

Why Team USA will succeed

Team USA is primed and ready to start playing games as they look to begin the journey to the 2008 Beijing Olympics. All the keys to total domination are there, Kobe is in one corner surrounded by reporters hurling questions about his trade demand hiatus while the other scorers, Carmelo Anthony eats a candy bar and Lebron James listens to a “Learn Chinese” program on his I Pod. In another corner sits three great and true point guards in Jason Kidd, Deron Willaims, and Chauncey Billups, all jogging their minds with plays and teammates tendencies. In the third corner are the shooters, on being Michael Redd with his trainer putting in work on injuries; the other is Mike Miller, sprawled out on a chair doing an interview with a teen magazine on what products teenage age girls should use on their hair since he has used many of them. In the last corner of the room, the Weight Room” area features a battle of the bigs as Amare Stoudamire and Dwight Howard go head to head to see who can push more weight off their chest, Howard is currently ahead by 15 pounds but Amare is loading up the bar for another go. In the middle of the room stand the defenders, Tashaun Prince and Tyson Chandler, keeping a close eye on the rest of the team as they go about their business. This is the perfect mix of players that team USA needs to win gold, each player just needs to perform their role.

For the first time since Kidd last took part in international play team USA has true, pass first point guards that excel in making plays and getting open shots to their teammates. Kidd and the kid (not Kidd) Williams were two of the top three players in assists per game in the 06-07 NBA campaign with over nine a night for both of them. They understand how to create scoring opportunities for other players. Billups can also distribute the ball well, averaging almost seven dimes per game. Each point guard on this roster can hit the outside shot if they’re open and can also get their own shot off at the end of a possession if needed. Defense is another area that each of these three guards excels in, as each of them is above par as far as defense is concerned. In recent years of international play USA has been led by the likes of Allen Iverson and Stephon Marbury, who are great players but are not true point guards. Both of those players were shoot first guys that couldn’t execute a proper chest pass to an open teammate streaking to the hoop; they were both poor outside shooters

Movie reviews: Boarding Gate

Being an avid fan of director Dario Argento, it’s a given that every movie that features his daughter Asia Argento is going to be a compulsory viewing. Having seen the trailer for Boarding Gate at a film festival last year I had waited eagerly to see this movie, which to some degree I felt looked rather a lot like 1988’s The Assassin (Remade from the movie Nikita). Sadly despite the promise of the trailer this was not something that was delivered.

My interest slightly was already a bit dim simply because the second billed cast member is the phenomenally bad Michael Madsen, who for fifteen years has been the death nail in any self respecting movie. Generally Madsen would turn up in a movie for a stick of gum, so I had this thought in the back of my mind that Boarding Gate was going to be something terrible. And while it was not terrible, it was neither a particularly good movie either.

Boarding Gate’s story surrounds Sandra (Asia Argento) an Italian who works as a warehouse manager; Sandra has a past however as an incredibly high paid prostitute. The majority of this work carried out through Miles (Michael Madsen) a one time lover, and chief employer of Sandra, who covertly would source secrets from Miles associates. When Sandra is hired to commit something a little more serious than prostitution, she finds herself a toy in a game for people of power, in a land that is alien to her.

Boarding Gate’s big problem was that it took an hour to build up to the story the movie surrounds, leaving forty minutes to tell a very complex story, and live out an awful lot of action. It’s almost like a completely different movie after the first hour, up to this point it had been dull and lifeless, although the character relationship build up had been an essential ingredient for the movies final cocktail of action.

I found myself disorientated by the movie which allegedly begins in England, I find this difficult to believe unless the currency of the UK has been dropped and nobody told me. The movie has this whole feel about it until Sandra arrives in Beijing, and I find it quite annoying that a movie tries to tell you it’s somewhere when it clearly is not. This fact dominated the first hour (for me) as dull and uninvolving story. If the movie is set in England during the opening portion, it’s quite sad because apparently all English people are still listening to early 90’s chart-toppers The KLF.

The music for the movie is clearly inspired by those awful karaoke bars that both China and Japan thrive on, with awful disco hell offerings from Brian Eno, the final credit score being the worst thing I have ever heard in a movie soundtrack, and believe me this takes some going.

I mention the story improved and it certainly does, I really quite enjoyed the last 40 minutes, which focused around Chinese thugs, and betrayal of loved ones. There is aggressiveness to this last portion that had not even been hinted at during the movies first segments. Asia Argento gets to play the action star yet again, something she does incredibly well; Asia despite her more moving films like The Heart Is Deceitful Above All Things (which she also directed)is carving herself a notch in Hollywood as a leading action woman, not A list but not Z list either. I recently read an article in which she referred to as the female Vin Diesel.

Boarding Gate looks beautiful throughout, even in its dark and creepy scenes. But the storytelling is confused, so much so that it outweighs the positive things the movie delivers. It’s like a thinking person’s Jean Claude Van Damme movie, without the time and the backbone to live up to its promises.

Euro 2008 | St. Jakob Park Basel

196 days until the first whistle of European Championships 2008 is blown. But ‘til we’ll get to eat some Swiss emmental or Austrian sausages watching these unforgettable matches, there are lots of things to be done, concerning the last qualifying stages for the final tournament and its self organization. Anyway, the only things that remain to us is dream we’ll be there and follow all the euro 2008 news. From the 7th to the 29th of June there will only be time to celebrate.

Within the opening match on June, the 7th, alongside 5 other matches, including a semifinal among them, Basel will be the main venue of the displaying events in Switzerland. Therefore the organizers chose a claim for showing the involvement of the city and the whole region for a good organization of the final tournament: “Basel. Beyond the 90 minutes”.

But what do we know at this point about the starting point of Euro 2008? Well, here’s some useful data which will certainly help us in better knowing our future summer hosts.

Stadium information

Name: St Jakob Park

Inauguration: 25 April 1954

First match: Switzerland-Germany

Capacity: 42,200

Pitch dimensions: 105*68

Club information

Club: FC Basel

Inauguration: 1893

Postal address:

FC Basel 1893

Gellertstrasse 235

4052 Basel

Tel: 061 / 375 10 10

Fax: 061 / 375 10 11

Directions

Car:

Leave the A2 at the exit St Jakob. The stadium is located next to the A2.

Tram:

Line 14 (from the city centre)

Match schedule at Euro 2008:

Match 1 – Switzerland-Czech Republic, Sat. 7th June 18:00

Match 10 – Switzerland-Turkey, Wed 11th June 20:45

Match 17 – Switzerland- Portugal, Sun 15th June 20:45

Match 25 – Quarterfinal 1 Winner group A- Runner-up group B, Thu 19th June 20:45

Match 27 – Quarterfinal 3 Winner group C- Runner-up Group D, Sat 21st June 20:45

Match 29 – Semifinal 1 Winner 25- Winner 26, Wed 25th June 20:45

St. Jakob Park

St. Jakob Park (St James Park in English) is the stadium where FC Basel plays. “Joggeli” as it is nicknamed, has a current capacity of 42,200 seats. After the demolition of the old stadium in December 1998, it lasted 26 months until they had this new piece of jewelry. It was designed by Jacques Herzog and Pierre de Meuron, two architects known worldwide for their fantastic work and creativity (see Tate Modern in London or the new Olympic stadium in Beijing). The stadium is divided into four blocks, A B C and D, each block is a whole side of the stadium. St. Jakob Park is a fairly new stadium, the construction started on the 13th of December 1998. The first game played in it was on the 15th of March 2001. The “Genossenschaft S.J.P” officially own the stadium, the stadium itself is managed by “Basel United”. The stadium cost around 220 million Swiss Francs (130million Euros) to build. Within the stadium are 32 stores on 3 different floors. There are also 2 restaurants within the stadium; these are “Restaurant UNO” and “Hattrick Sports Bar”. The stadium has parking space for 680 cars on 2 different floors, but 1500 parking places wait outside. The multifunctional sport arena is visited by 850’000 people each year for sporting and cultural events. Other great facilities: a gym, a shopping mall, a retirement home with over 100 apartments.

The stadium has been awarded 4 stars by UEFA, which is the highest amount of stars that can be awarded to a stadium of that size.

In 2006 there was a riot after a match between FC Basel and FC Zurich. The hooligan incident (also called ‘Disgrace of Basel’) occurred on May 13th after a championship-deciding match between the two teams. FC Zürich scored in the dying moments of the match, and the goal ended the dream of Basel winning the Swiss Super League a third time in a row. This incident resulted in property damage and it is seen as one of the worst of such incidents involving violent hooliganism in Swiss sport.

However let’s not let us guide by this displeasured and lonesome occurrence and put our trust in the sense of fairness and swiss honesty. Afterall, they’re number 1 in banking systems and good watches, right? I’m sure we can easily confide in their work.

Basel City

Basel is the centre of north-western Switzerland, on the border with Germany and France, and located at the very core of central Europe, with a population of 165000 inhabitants (December 2006). Despite its social dynamism and innovative economic strength, Basel is a lively border town, with a strong traditional base rooted in history which can be experienced not only at its carnival, the Basler Fasnacht. Both its historic townscape and modern architecture are part of Basel’s living present.

Hotels in the Basel region like to spoil their guests. The Hotel Les Trois Rois on the Rhine is one of Europe’s oldest hotels and at the same time the most splendid address in Basel. Other 5-star hotels are the Euler, Hilton, Swissôtel Le Plaza Basel, and Radisson SAS.

Among its 4-star hotels are the Basel, Europe, Merian am Rhein, St Gotthard, and Victoria.

A popular 3-star hotel is the Teufelhof, which consists of the Kunsthotel (Artists Hotel), with eight rooms continually redesigned by various artists, and the Galeriehotel (Gallery Hotel), where artists exhibit their work.

The Hotel Au Violon is an interesting representative of the 2-star hotels, opened in 1999 in the former Lohnhof prison whose forty cells have been converted into twenty simple, attractive rooms.

The city’s youth hostel in a former silk-ribbon factory on the Rhine, is said to be one of the most attractive. The Waldhort camping site is located in Reinach, only 7 kilometers away from the city.

Gee Up for Hong Kong Horses

Temperatures expected to reach a scorching 35°C will prove a real challenge for both participants and organisers of the Beijing 2008 Olympic and Paralympic Equestrian events taking place in Hong Kong next August. Factor in high percentage humidity to the scorching heat and that provides event conditions that organisers describe, with a degree of understatement as “not that equine-friendly”.

Although undoubtedly extremely uncomfortable for riders the primary concern for the event’s organisers is the welfare of the horses. New facilities have been custom-built for the event and the Hong Kong Jockey Club has contributed almost £50million to the project, anxious to ensure that everything proceeds smoothly. To be sure that happened the club took comprehensive veterinary advice before designing and planning new facilities, and modifying existing ones.

The facilities will be used to host the three-day eventing, dressage and showjumping; the first time any major events involving horses will have taken place in Hong Kong during the stifling heat of August. Although horse racing has been a major item on the region’s sporting calendar since 1884 it has never taken place during this traditionally hot and humid month.

Showjumping and dressage venues will be incorporated in and around the Sha Tin racecourse, the training facilities will be in the centre of the circuit, and the cross-country course is 30 minutes drive away at Hong Kong Golf Club and Beas River Country Club. The course has been designed with four different set-ups, so in the case of extreme temperatures and humidity and with horse welfare compromised the course can be shortened.

In an attempt to make the events more horse-friendly in the anticipated conditions they are scheduled for early mornings, and later in the evenings under floodlights. However, there will still be mobile cooling units on hand adjacent to the cross-country track to treat overheated horses, and there will a state-of-the-art equine hospital on site.

In terms of stabling, the horses will receive the equestrian equivalent of a five star hotel in Hong Kong. Air conditioning in each of the stables that will house 200 horses, roofs that can be opened and even standby fans should the air-con fail. Walk-through misting tents will allow horses to receive a fine cooling spray once tack has been removed by their riders.

To ensure that the facilities will work under competition conditions the Jockey Club tested them, hosting the Good Luck Beijing Cup this year on the same dates as next year’s Olympic events. Everything went smoothly and any small problems were ironed out, leaving organisers confident and looking forward to hosting the Olympics next year.

Personal Impact of the Olympics: Then and Now

I only used to watch the Olympics for games that looked pretty or awesome, like gymnastics and diving. All those flippy maneuvers and air somersaults are enchanting, if only for the reason that not everyone can do them. I mean, I can run, jump over hurdles (based from experiences as Chinese garter champion), swim, dribble a ball, kick a ball, swim and whack a ball back and forth with a paddle. I cannot jump in the air and do ala-ninja flips; nor can I climb up a fifty foot diving board and jump gracefully so that i land in the pool without displacing a third of its contents.

I remember thinking that track and field is some of the most boring sports ever created, alongside swimming. The put shot for me back then was the most ridiculous sport ever invented and I was aghast at the very idea of finding people actually training for it– women losing their curves, their breasts, and gaining muscles in ways that look anything but attractive. I mean, jeez, who thought of this stuff? It seemed to me like its a modernized version of some game Neanderthals did in their own rock-based version of sports in general.

Neanderthal one: Dude, i found this heavy rock. Dibs on that hot chick with the clubs for who throws the farthest.

Neanderthal two: You’re on.

Neanderthal three: Do we get points for killing something unintentionally?

Theoretical pre-historic sports aside, I couldn’t imagine training four hours a day to put a shot. So you can throw heavy balls for a lot of meters. So what? I saw no practical use for this. But then again, when I actually sat back to consider this, I realized that there are sports that look better but have even less practical use. Like basketball. I love the NBA, but I realize that basketball is basically 10 people tossing around a single ball. At least I can use shot put skills to pit a ball dipped in pepper spray solution to that window of that guy who ran over my cat this morning. Kidding aside, sports are not meant to be practical, I realize, and mostly, its for love of the game that keeps people playing. I know better now.

The point is back then, the Olympics for me was only worth watching if it had lots of complicated body maneuvers in it. If it doesn’t turn people into pretzels, it’s not interesting. But now that I’m older, I realize there’s a lot more to this gathering of champions than an excuse to win as much bragging rights as possible. Olympics is a symbolic culmination of unity and friendship among nations. It is an event to step back from the international disputes and cheer for the representatives of our countries. At least it used to be like that.

As time goes by however, the Olympics isn’t so much as a tool for unity but a brawling ring for political platforms. Can people forget Munich and the death of 11 Israeli athletes? Or for that matter, the massacre in Tlatelolco during the Mexico games? And of course, as the most relevant and recent, China and its suppression of Tibet?

Political agenda has never been more highlighted in the Olympics than today in China. Even the most politically-apathetic people cannot deny that China’s getting a lot of flak from other countries due to their issues with Tibet. Protesters all over the world have expressed their opinions, and even some world leaders have made their stand, whether it’s by boycotting the opening ceremonies or making public statements. The Olympic torch has not seen a peaceful voyage yet, what with so many protesters trying to put it out.

The impending Beijing Olympics have lost much of its name’s glory, and for the most part, had been associated with protests and human rights violations It’s sad that something as glorious and spectacular as the Olympics had been tainted with the marks of prevailing indignity and cruelty. It’s sad, that I only realized how much the Olympics represents right when the whole world is scarring its image.

The Olympics should not be a stage to sling mud at each other. I want the original Olympics back. I want to be able to appreciate the different kinds of effort exerted in every sport. I want to be able to point at that screen and say “See that girl over there? She can’t do flips and she has arms that would be unflattering in sleeveless tops but she can make a mince pie of your face from twenty meters away.” I want to experience watching people making their dreams and ambitions come true. I want to see the world’s finest athletes competing for the medal they could proudly bring back to their countrymen. Lastly, I want to see people who keep going for love of the sport and for love of their country, no matter how many times they fall.

« Previous Page — Next Page »