Exporting American Lawyers To China

A few decades ago there was hardly any such field as international law – only domestic law representing clients with funny sounding names. Although that situation has changed, the globe is not yet as borderless as the media would have us believe it is. Nevertheless, US lawyers are heading to China in increasing numbers to practice “cutting edge” foreign investment law, and many of these adventurers are fresh out of law school. Conventional wisdom has it that heading overseas straight out of law school will ruin your career back home should you ever want to relocate stateside.

I beg to differ. I know of a young man who graduated from law school in the mid-nineties with a high GPA, fluency in Mandarin Chinese, and experience as a Summer Associate in the Beijing office of a major international law firm. He had caught the “Asia bug” and returned so fast that his diploma had to be mailed to him across the Pacific. Around the turn of the millennium he returned to the US to test out the theory that “you can’t go home again”. With only a few months of effort he was able to land a premium position as a delivery driver for Pizza Hut, making a full dollar an hour above minimum wage (plus tips!).

Let’s get serious. Before you take a leap across the Pacific, take a look in the mirror and ask yourself this question: “Am I an ‘international Lawyer’, or am I an ‘International lawyer’?” (note the differences in capitalization). What’s Plan B in case practicing law in China falls through? Will you be practicing law in the United States, or will you be teaching English in China? What excites you about China law – China, or law?

Because when all is said and done, an office is an office whether it’s in Beijing, New York, or London. And like it or not, the inside of an office is where the average lawyer spends most of his/her waking hours. Likewise, legal work is legal work; there’s not any exciting difference between systems of business law whether you’re consulting with clients and drafting documents in Mandarin Chinese, English, or Serbo-Croatian.

Then there’s the Prestige Factor. It’s very stylish these days for medium and large sized law firms to prattle on and on about “our China Office” – and what’s more, a China office allows for the issuance of impressive-looking bilingual business cards. It’s become such a potent status symbol that many firms (I strongly suspect) are holding on to money-losing offices in China just so they can keep Beijing on the list of cities where their firm has offices. Medium sized law firms in particular like to set up China offices to prove to their clients their status as Big Time International Players – sort of like the teenager who won’t shave off his peach fuzz because it “proves I’m a man”.

Better to forget about the prestige factor involved in practicing international law overseas. Holding a prestigious job is like marrying a fashion model – it’s cool at first, but hey, law is a jealous mistress – after a couple of months the magic wears off and you’re going to have to live with her day after day, for better or for worse.

Anyway, “our China Office” really means “our China Rep Office”. Keep in mind that in China, representative offices may not engage in profit-generating activities. So how do US law firms get away with it? To be sure, a few of them are mostly engaged in the Western legal side of sophisticated cross-border transactions (and thus not generally in the market for new graduates), but the rest are practicing Chinese law illegally. They get away with this in Beijing and Hong Kong (not so often in Shanghai) because the Chinese authorities turn their heads, ignoring the wounded howls of jilted (and well-qualified) Chinese lawyers. The reality is that many foreign investors still feel more comfortable retaining US lawyers even though top Chinese lawyers are far better able to understand legal and linguistic nuances that American lawyers are likely to overlook.

In other words, US lawyers are tolerated by the Chinese authorities because they help attract foreign investment. When the English language ability of Chinese lawyers improves enough to inspire greater confidence among foreign investors, the Chinese government may start rolling up the welcome mat under the feet of American lawyers. And it won’t even take a new law to throw them out – only enforcement of existing law. Imagine the spectacle of former China investment lawyers returning to the US wearing sandwich boards reading “Will Litigate for Food”. Don’t get caught in mid-career all dressed up with no place to go.

The god news is, there is a loophole: China allows legal advisors who are not admitted to the local bar association to work in certain jobs that would require bar membership in the US. Included among such positions is corporate counsel – at their best, 9 to 5 jobs that come with six-figure incomes. In case six figures isn’t enough for you, these positions often provide opportunities for greater wealth as the company grows – stock options, for example.

Forget the international law firms doing the big sexy deals. If you are dead-set on China law, then grind out 2-4 years of business law experience in the US, and look for a job in the legal department of the China office of a Western multinational.

One on one Ccie Security 18 day Combo Training C se 18d

This package is designed for CCIE Security Training exam candidates who would like to strengthen their weakness areas by studying on customized scenarios as well as obtain in-depth understand on the full-scale labs which highly reflect the actual lab exam. http://www.cathayschool.com
You will study with your instructor one-on-one during the CCIE Training. Our highly skilled instructors will step-by-step show you the best way to configure each scenario and full-scale lab.
Before you finish this course, you will be provided a full set of our full-scale lab materials which highly reflect the most current lab exam. The materials contain CCIE Security Lab Bootcamp Training questions, requirements and solutions, which can be comfortably studied and practiced during the gap between your course finishing date and the lab exam date.
Location: Guangzhou, China
Price: $10,800.00 USD
What is included:
18 days’ One-on-one classroom study
Day 1 ~ Day 4:
Complete several advanced, technology-focused scenarios accompanied by your personal CCIE instructors. These scenarios cover most lab exam content and are especially focused on your weakness areas. In addition, a detailed explanation will be provided about the technologies covered, interpretations of the questions, and common mistakes that students have made with relation to each topic.
Day 5 ~ Day 11:
Complete all the full-scale labs step-by-step together with your instructor. You will be given the best solution and detailed explanation on each lab question. Also, your instructor will show you how to avoid the easily made mistakes based on the testing experience of hundreds of our previous students.
Day 12 ~ Day 18:
You are required to go over and complete all the labs once again by yourself. Your instructor will sit next to you and provide assistance only when necessary. At the end of each date, he/she will grade and correct your configurations and summarize your daily works and give you helpful suggestions on your future exam
1 month after class support (could be upgraded to 3 months)
On the last date of your course, you will be provided with the study materials which contain the most updated full-scale labs which have not been practiced during the course. These materials reflect the latest update of the real lab exam and come with complete solutions.
Along with this, we will update your study materials free of charge and provide email support (48 hours response guarantee) for 1 month. Not enough? You can buy our Material update and technical support extension service (E-MUTS) at an affordable price. For detailed information, please check with your training advisor.
FREE 100 hours remote rack access
After the course, you will be provided FREE 100 hours remote access time so that you can practice the labs by connecting to our rack. Simply drop an email to rackschedule@cathayschool.com to reserve your rack and we will make necessary arrangement.

Location
This boot camp is held in Guangzhou, which is the biggest and the most developed city in South China. Learn more about Guangzhou
Traval & Transportation
It is very convenient to travel to Guangzhou.
You can either fly into Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport (CAN) or Hong Kong International Airport (HKG). There are direct flights from the following major cities to Guangzhou every week: Europe: Frankfurt, Helsinki, Paris North America: Los Angles, San Francisco, New York, Toronto Australia: Sydney, Melbourne Asia: Tokyo, Seoul, Dubai, Singapore
Also, there are over a hundred international flights to Hong Kong. You can fly to Hong Kong first and then transfer to Guangzhou by train (duration: 2 hours and the expense is covered by CathaySchool).
Our friendly staff will meet you at the airport or train station when you arrive and then transfer you to the hotel. This is free of charge.
Hotels
Students will be accommodated at the 4-star luxury hotel (President Hotel or same grade hotel), which is across the road from our training center. Each hotel room has king-size bed, air condition, internet access (free of charge), tub, flat screen television, 24-hour room service and more. You also have the option to upgrade to a 5-star hotel (Royal Mediterranean Hotel, The Westin Guangzhou or Shangri-La Hotel GuangZhou). All these hotels are within 10 minutes driving distance from the school.
Meals
All meals are included.
Breakfast is provided in the hotel restaurant. For lunch and dinner, you will receive cash to be used at the wide variety of sit-down restaurants, cafes and buffets. MacDonald, KFC, PizzaHut and StarBuck are all within walking distance.
Drinks and snacks through out the date are also included.
After class activites
You will never feel boring in Guangzhou. After class, we can arrange the following activities at a reasonable cost:
Culture tour, Shopping tour, Zoo, Fun park, Hot springs, Disco bar, Show bar, B.Y.O party, Chinese traditional massage, etc.
You can choose all these options when you are signing up with us.
Advanced Upgrade Package
Training PLUS:
6 hours (per day) one-on- one guaranteed
Two month after training support (Materials update + Email support by instructor)
Accommodation & Meals PLUS:
Hotel accommodation (5 stars premium room)
Lunch and Dinner standard – 150 RMB / per day
Free unlimited laundry service
Unlimited access to the gym in the hotel
Add-on Service (complimentary) PLUS:
Chinese traditional massage/spa at one of the biggest spa in Asia (1 time)
A big entertainment show, including Chinese dancing, magic show and acrobatics (3 hours)
Car hire with driver (4 hours)
Price: $3,250.00 USD
Deluxe Upgrade Package
Training PLUS:
8 hours (per day) one-on- one guaranteed
Three month after training support (Materials update + Email support by instructor)
Accommodation & Meals PLUS:
Hotel accommodation (5 stars executive room)
Lunch and Dinner standard – 200 RMB / per day
Free unlimited laundry service
Unlimited access to the gym in the hotel
Add-on Service (complimentary) PLUS:
Airport pick up and drop off by Mercedes-Benz
Chinese traditional massage/spa at one of the biggest spa in Asia (2 times)
A big entertainment show, including Chinese dancing, magic show and acrobatics (3 hours)
Car hire with driver (8 hours)
Price: $6,500.00 USD
I. Bridging and Switching
A. Frame relay
B. Catalyst configuration: VLANs, VTP, STP, MSTP, RSTP, Trunk, Etherchannel, management, features, advanced configuration, Layer 3
C. Tunneling
II. IP IGP Routing
A. OSPF
B. EIGRP
C. RIPv2
D. IPv6: Addressing, RIPng, OSPFv3
E. GRE
F. ODR
G. Filtering, redistribution, summarization and other advanced features
III. BGP
A. IBGP
B. EBGP
C. Filtering, redistribution, summarization, synchronization, attributes and other advanced features
IV. IP and IOS Features
A. IP addressing
B. DHCP
C. HSRP
D. IP services
E. IOS user interfaces
F. System management
G. NAT
H. NTP
I. SNMP
J. RMON
K. Accounting
L. SLA
V. IP Multicast
A. PIM-SM, bi-directional PIM
B. MSDP
C. Multicast tools, source specific multicast
D. DVMRP
E. Anycast
VI. QoS
A. Quality of service solutions
B. Classification
C. Congestion management, congestion avoidance
D. Policing and shaping
E. Signaling
F. Link efficiency mechanisms
G. Modular QoS command line
VII. Security
A. AAA
B. Security server protocols
C. Traffic filtering and firewalls
D. Access lists
E. Routing protocols security, catalyst security
F. CBAC
G. Other security features
R&S Equipment List: and IOS Version:
The lab exam tests any feature that can be configured on the equipment and the IOS versions indicated below. You may see more recent IOS versions installed in the lab, but you will not be tested on the new features of a release unless indicated below.
3725 series routers – IOS 12.4 mainline – Advanced Enterprise Services
3825 series routers – IOS 12.4 mainline – Advanced Enterprise Services
Catalyst 3550 series switches running IOS version 12.2 – IP Services
Catalyst 3560 Series switches running IOS version 12.2 – Advanced IP Services
Our one-on-one CCIE boot camp produces the No.1 one time passing rate in the industry. In the last 3 years, 90% of our international students pass the lab exam at the first attempt. At CathaySchool, We help you secure your investment by providing each student the unbeatable and practical triple insurance:
First guarantee – What happen if I am not satisfied with your training?
Each student has 2 days to evaluate our course. If you find our boot camp is not the one which will definitely help you pass your lab exam at first attempt, simply notify your instructor before the 3rd day to withdraw from the course and get your money back.
* For more information, please refer to our course cancellation policy.
Second guarantee – What happen if I failed the lab exam at the 1st attempt?
You will be provided an extended 2 months material update (including the lab questions, requirements and solutions), 2 months technical email support (guarantee 48 hours response) and 150 hours rack access time.
Third guarantee – What happened if I fail the lab exam again?
Come back and re-attend our one-on-one course again. This is free of charge, including 4-star hotel accommodation and meals (this definitely beats all our competitors again!!!). At CathaySchool, we believe that there is no reason to have students pay for anything when they need to re-take the course.
We want you to pass… so we are committed more than others
Comparing training vendors? Nobody is committed to your success like CathaySchool. Ask the other companies…
Do they have a similar pass guarantee program?
How long are you covered by it?
When you retake their class, do you get full access to a dedicated rack of equipment again?
Are the materials updates offered at no charge?
Do you have to pay for your meals, hotel and rack access when you re-take the course?
Do they provide one-on-one training?
1. We accept bank wire transfer, Western Union and major credit cards (1) .
2. To make a reservation, you are required to send a $1,000 USD deposit (2) (3).
3. The balance needs to be paid in full one week before your course starting date (4).
(1) Credit card payment will incur a surcharge of 8%.
(2) Deposit amount may be subject to change without notice.
(3) Your deposit is refundable. Cancel the course 60 days prior to the starting date will receive 100% of your deposit; A $500 administration fee will apply if you cancel the course within 30 – 59 days before the course starting date; Deposit is non-refundable if you cancel the course within 30 days before the course starting date.
(4) Balance is preferred to be paid by bank wire transfer. For credit card payment, you will need to afford 8% processing fee and provide scanned copies of both sides of your credit card when you arrive China.
Early bird – Save 5% by registering and funding full payment 30 days ahead.
Multi-student – Save 10% for 2 participants; 15% for 3 participants.
Group training – For four or more participants, please contact us for a substantial discount..
* Only one discount is allowed at a time.

As the “Sun” goes down, there sees the birth of L’Eclipse

(Hong Kong, September 2006) After 17 years in business, the Sun’s Café at the Langham Hotel Hong Kong will be transformed into an all-day interactive dining restaurant – L’Eclipse (which means Langham’s Eclipse), due to open early December of this year.

L’Eclipse will be known as the premier casual dining experience, employing an inspired modern approach to traditional Asian cuisine from an Array of action and wok-fired stations. The cuisine will be a highly creative blend of authentic Chinese, Asian and Western fare influenced from Hong Kong’s diverse world class cuisine.

According to the interior designer Andy Tait of LRF Designers Limited, whose previous works have received the Scottish National Heritage Awards and the British Travel Writers Awards, “L’Eclipse will be a stylish and innovative restaurant with an open kitchen concept.”

Guests will experience the first visual impact when they enter the remodeled glazed entrance, where they will be met by an irresistible dessert showcase awash with bold colors and textures. Next on the visual tour is a free standing back-lit podium piled up with the freshest seafood, oysters and prawns. The theatre-styled kitchen design will allow guests to customize their feast through open dialogues with chefs and enjoying the views of kitchen and its team in action.

To enhance the touch and feel of a modern yet elegant dining experience, Tait has married the natural warmth of sandstone & granite with the contemporary feel of steel & tempered glass. A stylized and dramatic eclipse will be projected onto sheer drapery, while color-changing mood lighting will subtly shift the restaurant from day to evening. The image of “Eclipse” is further strengthened by the iconic feature wall which subtly separates the dining and open-kitchen area.

“At L’Eclipse, we will be reputed for our outgoing and friendly chefs whose creations are made according to the selections and tastes of discerning patrons. We will be flexible, knowledgeable and inventive as we cater to the vast range of cultures and backgrounds of our guests,” says Executive Chef, Christopher Christie.

Items represented on the all-day dining as well as a la carte menu will reflect a fresh approach to Asian Cuisine with strong Chinese influences of high quality. L’Eclipse will open its doors early December this year where breakfast, lunch, afternoon snacks and dinner will be served daily.

For information on the The Langham Hotel, Hong Kong, please visit: hongkong.langhamhotels.com

About Langham
Langham has a legendary hotel heritage dating back to 1865 when the The Langham Hotel in London originally opened as Europe’s first Grand Hotel. For 140 years, this flagship hotel has been at the forefront of sophisticated and gracious hospitality. Today, all Langham Hotels worldwide inherit the same philosophy that reflects elegance, continuous innovation and genuine hospitality creating a truly unique hotel experience

About Langham Hotels International:
Langham Hotels International (LHI) features six properties with over 2,700 rooms in five gateway cities across the four continents, namely, London, Boston, Hong Kong (2), Melbourne and Auckland. In each city Langham Hotels is associated with the prestigious “The Leading Hotels of the World” group which represents some of the world’s finest luxury hotels.

LHI is wholly owned by Great Eagle Holdings Limited a publicly listed company (HKSE: 41) which was founded in 1963 and was listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange in 1972.

Things To Do On Holiday in China

China is one of the largest countries in the world, not only is it huge, it is also one of the oldest civilisations in the world. China is a country full of a proud history that can be traced back over many centuries. It is a truly unique country as it has managed to preserve many of its proud ancient traditions along side its fast changing move to compete with the western world.

Taking a holiday to China is truly a holiday of contrasts as tourists discover some of the most densely populated cities in the world. They are then able to relax in the sparsely populated countryside and enjoy the stunning scenery.

One of the most famous structures in the world lies in China, it is the Great Wall of China. The Great Wall of China is over four thousand miles long and what is even more remarkable is the fact that it was constructed without any of today’s modern building techniques. The Great Wall was originally built to protect China’s northern border and keep out the warring factions that wanted to plunder this magnificent country. The wall is so large that it can be seen from space. The Great Wall of China is one of China’s most popular tourist attractions and hundreds of thousands of tourists walk along it each year.

China is one of the largest countries in the world and also has one of the biggest populations in the world. Vast sprawling cities have sprung up all over China and many now have some of the largest sky scrapers in the world. Tourists visit some of these cities and are amazed at the sheer scale of them. Most have still kept their old traditional quarters and it seems strange to contrast the old style against that of the new architecture.

Hong Kong has now been handed back to China from British rule. Hong Kong started as a port and has grown into one of the largest trading ports in the world. It is probably one of the most remarkable cities in the world and is well worth a visit. Tourists love to shop here as goods can be bought very cheaply. Many tourists get hand made suits here that can be made in less than twenty four hours.

A really popular tourist attraction in Hong Kong is Victoria Peak. It is located just outside of Hong Kong and thousands of people climb up this mountain everyday. It is said that it is one of the most amazing views in Hong Kong and that the effort taken to climbing to the top is well rewarded by this spectacular view.

China is home of the Olympics in 2008 and much infrastructure has been built to cater for this event. During the Olympics many tourists will visit China to view the games and its legacy will be enjoyed for tourists of future generations to come.

Causeway Bay – a Wonderland for Shoppers

 

Being a wonderland for shoppers, Causeway Bay on the northern shore of Hong Kong Island is probably the most popular and heavily built-up shopping district in Hong Kong.

The area is home for a large variety of restaurants, shopping malls, cinemas and sporting venues.

 

Before the urbanization of the Causeway Bay area it was silted bay and the development began with the construction of a causeway which is now called the Causeway Road. Causeway Bay area, also known as the East Point houses a large number of fabulous attractions such as Times Square, World Trade Centre, Victoria Park and many more. “Sogo” is a famous Japanese department store containing 13 levels which area devoted for different themes ranging from trendy casual and evening wear to formal business outfits.

 

The area has also the significance as a popular venue for New Year’s Eve count-down. Its transportation network is also so developed that it is accessible many transportation modes such as trams, buses, min-buses and MTR. The visitors are encouraged to experience the popular boat ride of the causeway bay that takes them around the harbor area during a delightful tour with food of diverse tastes while highlighting the most famous attractions in the area.

 

The renowned Victoria Park is positioned on the east side of the bay as the largest public park in Hong Kong. The park features an Array of sporting venues such as tennis courts, swimming pool, football field and other several services. The Time square is the symbol of this fabulous bay area which is one of the top ten scenic sites in Hong Kong. Another reputed shopping destination is the “Lee Garden” which is popular for its luxury branded clothing which also constantly visited by many celebrities.

 

Apart from that causeway bay is well-known for its wide collection of hotels ranging from budget to luxury. For instance hotel Jen holds prominent place among hotels in Hong Kong as a leading hospitality provider offering outstanding accommodation amenities to make your stay worthwhile.

 

Repulse Bay – for a Memorable Holiday on Magnificent Seashore

 

One of the most spectacular tourist attractions in Hong Kong, “Repulse Bay” is located in the southern part of Hong Kong Island. The area is well-known for its large variety of attractive features, restaurants and aquatic activities that make a recreational ambiance every day. It also lies as a perfect place to have a relaxing stay bordering to the fabulous beaches that offer breathtaking views and experience.

 

The name “Repulse Bay” relate to the battle that took place in the 19th century where the British army repulsed pirates who were concerned crucially for foreign merchant ships trading with China. The area was modified as a magnificent beach in 1910 and convenient transportation modes have been set up such as the bus route from central to Repulse Bay.

 

The temple of Tin Hau is a unique attraction found on the eastern end of the bay displaying ancient statues of two goddesses Tin Hau and Kwun Yum that hold prominent place in traditional Chinese legends. The previous Repulse Bay Hotel has been tuned into a large shopping mall in 1982 containing dining areas, boutique stores and several coffee shops retaining hotel’s historic and colonial architecture.

 

A large number of tourists visit the place to enjoy swimming and other aquatic activities in the clear azure sea water and visitor-safety is provided with floating platforms and shark prevention nets. If you are heading to this attraction during the summer vacation you will be guided with all instructions by professional lifeguards who will be on duty for your safety. The light house on the sea shore offers magnificent views of southern end of the Hong Kong Island and is the best place to capture the beautiful sun set in your camera eye.

The entire bay area is spotted with many other facilities such as a number of cafeterias, supermarkets and hotels. If you are planning to stay near Repulse Bay a variety of hotels such as Hotel Jen are waiting to offer you the best accommodation facilities in the region. Hotel Jen is a prominent hospitality provider among hotels in Hong Kong promising you a memorable stay with impeccable services and hassle free access to numerous attractions in the region.

Not Just another Amusement Park

Ocean Park is a busy amusement park in Hong Kong that has seen exponential growth in arrival numbers in recent times. Initially the park was built with donations from the Royal Hong Kong Jockey Club and at first the amusement park made huge losses. However in 2004 and 2005 the park saw increased arrivals of up to 4 million visitors per year. In 2006 Forbes listed Ocean Park Amusement Park in seventh position of the World’s Best Amusement Parks list.

The theme park currently has over 14 rides with a few more in the pipeline and also features other attractions such as aquariums. Besides housing two roller coasters, Ocean Park also features a Giant panda exhibit, a jelly fish and shark aquarium, as well as a four-story aquarium displaying more than 2000 fish. The official mascot of Ocean Park is “Whiskers”—the ever popular waving sea lion. The different parts of the park are connected by a cable car system as well as having the world’s second longest outdoor escalator.

Besides being an amusement park, Ocean Park Hong Kong also operates observatories and well developed laboratories. It also has an education department and a Whales and Dolphins Fund. In testament to not just being the typical theme park, Ocean Park Hong Kong was the first institution in the world to have success in artificial insemination of bottle nose dolphins, and has also developed numerous new breeds of goldfish.

With rapid redevelopment plans in place for Ocean Park, it is bound to see a plethora of visitors. A number of accommodation options are available for travelers with hotels ranging from budget to a five star hotel. For example in close proximity to the Ocean Park Amusement Park is the Cosmopolitan Hotel a luxury four star Hong Kong hotel.

How to handle long airport layovers

As the song by The Clash goes, “Should I stay or Should I go…” and as the Boy Scouts say, “Be prepared.” Whether a long airport layover is expected or a surprise, make sure you check ahead of time about the options in that city.

Although most airports now have malls in them with a range of popular restaurants and retail shops, you still may check the options to venture out and visit the town, whether its Pittsburgh or Paris. Many US airports are now joining their international counterparts in having direct, convenient, rapid train service directly from the airport to the town center. For example at London Heathrow, you can be out the door of the plane, through customs, on a train and in Victoria Station in the center of London in 30 minutes. Really. I’ve done it.

This means even a 4-5 hour layover can allow for a city visit. Some cities / airports even have tours just for transfer passengers. Hong Kong comes to mind, most flights arrive in the early morning and leave at night. The airport has many, easy pre-set tours that leave from the airport, give you a city tour and some time to walk around, and then get you back to the airport in time for your connection. I arrived in Hong Kong at 7:30 AM, was fortunate enough to be able to take a shower in the airport lounge and caught a 8 AM city tour. The bus tour around Hong Kong took about two hours and included all the major sites. It let us off at the ferry and then turned us loose on our own with some directions on areas to visit. The tour included a return hi-speed train ticket to get back to the airport from the city, a fast 20 minute ride. So i had a full city tour and got to walk around a bit, and still easily made my 5 pm connection to Beijing.

Sadly after 9/11, the days of locker rentals are gone so you may have to take baggage with you. However, you may also be able to check the bags in for the next flight early, or they may stay within the baggage system so you don’t have to worry about them. Some airports do bag check for a nominal fee. Just remember to never leave anything important or valuable. Assume it’s gonna get stolen, but don’t let that stop you. As they say, hope for the best but prepare for the worst. Research the situation on-line and in travel books. We just went to Peru and had a 7 hour layover in Lima. A lot of on-line research from various sites and sources indicated it was safe to leave luggage at the bag check here. We did, paid our $3.00 and had no problems on return. We also had nothing worth stealing!

Beijing 2008 Olympic Cities – Hong Kong

Hong Kong, the Oriental Pearl, is simply amazing!

It would be hard to find a more exciting city than Hong Kong. Set among beautiful natural surroundings it has all the benefits of a thriving and vibrant commercial center. Here you can find the delights of modern living alongside an abundance of reminders of its historic past. Whether you visit the better known highlights like the stunning Ocean Park, the fantastic viewpoint of Victoria Peak or the beautiful Repulse Bay , Hong Kong is certain to exceed your expectations.

Hong Kong, a Special Administrative Region of PRC, has grown from what was a simple fishing village into the worlds fourth largest banking and financial center and eighth largest trading economy. Situated in the southeast corner of China, Hong Kong occupies an area of 1,104 square kilometers (about 426 square miles) and is home to more than 6,970,000 people. Most people (about 97% of the population) are Chinese and speak Cantonese and English, although Mandarin is becoming more popular in Hong Kong now. Most tourism personnel and taxi drivers can communicate with tourists in English. The most common religions are Buddhism and Christianity.

Hong Kong is made up of four parts: Hong Kong Island, Kowloon Peninsula, the New Territories and the Outlying Islands. Hong Kong Island is the center of economy, politics, entertainment and shopping. Northern Hong Kong Island is the main commercial, shopping and entertainment area; the residential area is located in Eastern Hong Kong Island; and Southern Hong Kong Island known for its sea shores and bays. Kowloon is another flourishing part of Hong Kong. Above all, Causeway Bay, Wan Chai , Tsim Sha Tsui, Yau Ma Tei and Mong Kok are the most popular areas. These areas are busy day and night, and tourists can feel secure enjoying the lively nightlife, because Hong Kong is one of the most secure cities in the world. The New Territories and Outlying Islands are ideal places to experience a peaceful and natural Hong Kong.

An open city with a wonderful natural harbor, Hong Kong is the meeting place of various cultures that blend harmoniously with Chinese traditions and exotic influences. On one hand traces of British culture can be found everywhere as a result of former colonial rule. On the other hand, Hong Kong preserves traditional customs and the core values of Confucianism that have faded in Mainland China. This is reflected in its colorful festivals ranging from Spring Festival to Christmas. Nowhere else on earth do luxury restaurants, street side food-stalls known locally as dai pai dong, grand mansions and penthouses, tenements, office blocks, wooden boats and huge liners coupled with English in a variety of accents and multifarious Chinese dialects coexist peacefully.

It is the dynamic Hong Kong that provides the environment in which the richest Chinese listed in Forbes directory do business. The city also is the backdrop for modern movies and pop music that together enjoy worldwide recognition. Home of Kongfu heroes like the late Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan, Hong Kong continues to attract more and more ambitious would-be stars and entrepreneurs.

From Yum Cha (tea and dim sum) in the morning to a moon lit view from the top of Victoria Peak or stunning night time harbor cruise, mingling with shoppers in the numerous malls and markets around Tsim Sha Tsui , tasting delicacies at dai pai dong, taking a trip in a sampan or high speed ferry, Hong Kong will guarantee its visitors an unforgettable experience. There will always be something to enchant you and quite probably make you fall in love with this unique place, be it sightseeing, shopping, dining or simply exploring its many delights by day and night.

If there is no other reason why people from the world over are so interested in this island, the answer is likely to be because it is there! Dont wait any longer. Join us and explore this wonderland for yourself!

Why You Should Travel To Hong Kong For The New Year’s Parade

The New Year’s parade in Hong Kong is an event not to be missed! The city is dressed up with bright decorations and colorful lights for its biggest celebration of the year, and thousands pour into Hong Kong to take part in the festivities.

Winding along Hong Kong’s picturesque waterfront, the New Year’s parade is filled with colorful, lavishly decorated floats. Representatives from Hong Kong and countries all over the world sing, dance and play music. The songs of marching bands fill the air along the parade’s route as performers in bright costumes prance along the streets.

The forthcoming year (2006) is the Year of the Dog. No matter which zodiac animal is being celebrated for the coming year, there are always plenty of lions and dragons in the parade. Energetic dancers wearing giant lion heads leap in the air as long dragons held aloft by more than twenty people snake past the enthralled parade watchers.

The New Year’s parade is the biggest event of Hong Kong’s Lunar New Year celebration. Close to 300,000 people attend the parade and millions more watch it on television. In recent years the parade has taken place in the evening, featuring vivid, dazzling light displays.

The Lunar New Year is one of Hong Kong’s most important and well-loved holidays. Each year one of twelve different animals is celebrated, according to the Chinese zodiac. Many of the city’s towering skyscrapers are decked out in glittering lights for the holiday. Throughout the three-day celebration, dancers in colorful costumes perform lion and dragon dances in the streets, malls and hotel lobbies. Traditionally, people exchange small, red envelopes filled with money as gifts. Flower markets show up all over the city during the holiday, selling plants and flowers with special significance, and stores and restaurants display flowers meant to bring immortality and good luck.

The New Year celebration usually begins anywhere from January 21 to February 19, depending on the year. While the holiday officially lasts fifteen days, in Hong Kong it is celebrated for three days, with the New Year’s parade taking place on the first day. January 29, 2006 is the first day of the forthcoming new year.

The day after the New Year’s parade a brilliant display of fireworks lights up Hong Kong’s famous Victoria Harbour. The fireworks can be viewed from the waterfront or from boats cruising the harbour. On the third day of the celebration a large horse race takes place at the Sha Tin racetrack. This lively race is a favorite for gamblers and horseracing enthusiasts.

It’s no wonder why so many travel to discover all that Hong Kong has to offer, with the vibrant fusion of ancient customs and modern day fun at one of the world’s biggest Chinese New Year celebrations.

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