A Mint Mocha Musings collaboration with The HK HUB If you’re reading this, you probably don’t need convincing that Hong Kong is an absolute treasure trove of entertainment! That’s why we (not to mention the world) can’t get enough of this vibrant metropolis, right?If you’re an expat you’ve probably done your fair share of sight-seeing; playing tour guide to the myriad of family members and friends who’ve popped over to the orient for a taste of the Fragrant Harbour. And I’m assuming you’ve done your best to partake in much of the city’s incredible offerings over the years? But, just to be sure you haven’t missed a thing, we’ve put together a Hong Kong bucket list of everything you should do (at least once) before you leave the mighty Kong. Some of these things are the obvious like a night out at the Happy Valley Races, but you’d be surprised at how many people suddenly find their time in Hong Kong cut short, and are horrifyingly left with that feeling, there’s so much more to see! Don’t let that be you! As well as the obvious attractions, we’ve also got some of Hong Kong’s best kept secrets to share with you. Click over to THE HK HUB for my latest piece and over 50 amazing options. You're welcome! ;) Pssst Want to know a secret? Tai O fishing village in the pic above is the one place I haven't been in Hong Kong, that I really want to see! Don't leave it off your bucket list! … [Read more...]
Four Good Reasons You Need to Travel to China
Yep! (other than coming to visit me of course!) If you've never been to China, I'm here to convince you to give it a shot, to put it on the bucket list! I'm not promising a picture perfect paradise that will blow your mind, but I am pitching a place that is predominantly laced with a fascinating past intertwined with an equally intriguing present. It's a unique combination that may well give you one of your more priceless 'holiday' experiences. I've been living in Xi'an, north west China for around five months now and whilst I lived in Hong Kong for four years and had a reasonably good induction into Asia, (naively) I assumed I was prepared for a move to the motherland. I wasn't. Granted, I'm in a second tier city, so the comparisons between Xi'an and Hong Kong are not as forthcoming as between say, the bright lights of Shanghai and Hong Kong, but nonetheless I'm quickly realizing, love it or hate it, China is a country with an enthralling state of affairs. Here are my four reasons I believe you should consider a trip to the mad, but oh so memorable Mainland! Click to my column on Expat Focus for the lowdown! … [Read more...]
Chinese New Year in Xi’an: IN VIDEO
As CNY (more commonly known around here as the 'Spring Festival') draws to a close, after a two week festive frenzy, I wanted to bring you a few snippets of the action from down town Xi'an. You have to see it to believe it! (Or perhaps that should be 'hear' it!) (Before we go any further, best not to judge me on my video skills eh....ahem, I may have worked in television, but let's just say the quality of my camerawork is a work in progress!) So, we (surprisingly) woke up to snow falling spectacularly on the city this morning (sunshine was forecast)! For a new kid on the block like me, it's a pretty incredible sight, made all the more extraordinary as it falls gently to the ground while in stark contrast, fire crackers bounce earnestly off the pavement! (And yes it's legal in this city, for now!) Watch your back, because it's the culmination of China's most important and auspicious calendar period (not to mention the longest) and is still very much shrouded in myths and tradition, that are every bit as signifcant as they were 2000 years ago (which means letting off firecrackers to scare off the 'baddies' is alive and well in down town Xi'an). (If you want to know more about the importance of CNY customs, such as cleaning your house and wearing red knickers, just click here!) Today is called the "Lantern Festival" - officially the last day of the Lunar New Year celebrations (and the first full moon of the lunisolar year) marking the return of spring (and seemingly snow) and family reunions. It used to be known as the Shàngyuán Festival - Shàngyuán means "Official of Heaven" and he was said to enjoy bright and joyful objects! As you do! So in keeping with tradition, it's customary to hang thousands of colourful lanterns for people to appreciate. And let's just say Xi'an doesn't disappoint. In ancient times on this day, children went out at night to temples carrying paper lanterns and solving riddles on the lanterns! Today, riddles it seems are still very much part and parcel of the festivities...with locals getting a little bit giggly over the chance to solve the riddle of the day. It's also the only night of the year that 'Yuan xiao' (Tang yuan in the south) or 'sweet dumplings' are allowed to be eaten. These small sticky balls made of glutinous rice flour filled with sweet red bean paste, sesame paste, or even peanut butter are a fixture in every household, not to be missed out on by any means! So, sit back and relax....take a look at some of the shenanigans that went on over the last two weeks here in North West China......... As soon as the clock struck midnight on the first day of CNY.....it was on. And let's just say new comers (like myself) could probably be forgiven for believing Xi'an had eerily become a war-zone! (Have a listen.) Fireworks sang out brilliantly across the night sky......... And firecrackers bounced fervently off every corner, literally exploding across city streets! To say the noise was deafening is not an exaggeration of my excited imagination....and forget about sleep because it went on for hours..... and 'on and off' for days after! It's quite normal to be driving along a busy street and suddenly hear the blast of firecrackers beside you. Traditional Lion Dances of course, rocked the city (as they do in almost every Asian city at this time of the year)! Vibrantly coloured lions snap up lettuces tied to red packets of Hong Bao left, right and centre in an enthusiastic display which is believed to bestow good luck and prosperity on your businesses. This charged lion went clanging through the hotel, careful not to miss any room with the potential to make money! Street parties took pride of place - especially in our 'hood and they came from far and wide across China in their droves to celebrate! Street food is the staple diet and let me say, beware of the spear-like skewers eagerly snapped up by every man and his dog! Lethal weapons in the making! Vivid red lanterns were strung beautifully across the city, lining every single street; and there was a stunning show of lights and giant eye catching lanterns in every shape and colour making their mark on the majestic city wall. So, until next year... may the Year of the Sheep be kind to you with lots of good fortune, health and happiness. If you don't mind, I'm off to eat sticky rice balls and let off a few fire crackers for good measure! This is China. … [Read more...]
Bask in the Glow: Chinese New Year in Pictures!
Xin Nian Kuai Le! This week I'm going to give you a break from my running commentary on life in China, with a Chinese New Year colour fest instead! The Year of the Sheep is well and truly underway and up north here in Xi'an the auspicious occasion has been marked with vigor! We were just in time (before the two week holiday comes to an end) to see this spectacle of lanterns and lights on display around the ancient wall that surrounds the city's centre. We saw them working on these magical pieces back in December last year, and with the number on parade and the intricate detail given to each, you can only imagine the sheer people-power required. They say Chinese New Year without lanterns is like a house with no light. These illuminated and elaborate decorations stem back thousands of years and symbolise the wish for a bright future. I'll stop now and let the pretty pics do the talking....... (Psst, one more thing, if you're on a mobile, I'd seriously try to get on a computer to look at these.) Impressive huh? Of course the photos don't do the extravaganza justice, but hopefully you get the picture! A taste of Chinese New Year in Xi'an..... This is China. … [Read more...]
Behind the Curtains on China’s 5-Star Stage: Hotel Confessions
Five months living in the hotel and I finally got a backstage pass! (Just who do you have to um..know 'round here to get a behind the scenes tour!?) ;) I'm not sure what I expected, but the sheer size and complexity of the hotel's underbelly simply blew me away. I guess if you're not in the industry, you expect 'back of house' to be a fairly compact entity; perhaps a canteen, a few offices, and a kitchen or two. I mean, front of house in most 5-star establishments is huge, so just how much more can there be, right? But let's not forget this is a 400-plus room hotel with three restaurants and hundreds of staff - in Mainland China no less, where space is abundant! So, with my small person in tow, it was a little like stepping through the magic door in The Lion the Witch & the Wardrobe. Not unlike Narnia, right now - it feels like the winter in Xi'an is seemingly endless! As you expect in 5-star digs, the hotel 'stage' is brightly lit with staff buzzing around 24/7. Concierge staff are smiling and gushing at every corner; lobby bars are serving up colorful cocktails and fine dining restaurants are wafting with delicious-smelling cuisine. Mean time, ballrooms brim with glittering events and hotel rooms are decked out with fluffy white robes and plush towels; not to mention your king sized bed adorned with crisp white sheets. But behind the curtains of the stellar 5-star performance, what's really going on? Venturing out of the spotlight and into the abyss, we (much to my surprise) found a rabbit warren of corridors. The scenery is very bare bones, but don't be fooled - behind closed doors we found bustling hives of activity. A small village at play. Despite the Chinese New Year 'skeleton' staff list, we were met with "Xin Nian Kuai Le's" at every turn….quite lucky the hotelier had a few remaining Hong Bao (not sure what that is - click here for the lowdown) stashed in his pockets for this emergency journey, because in this intricate maze it clearly wasn't going to be a quick prop change. My first surprise, dark rooms filled with metal framed bunks cushioning sleeping workers - on split shifts. ‘Shushing’ a boisterous Ava, we scurried past - but apparently they're used to corridors heaving with bodies while they catch a few zzz’s. For many staff in China, hours are long and a kip between shifts is not out of the question. Further down in the wings we spotted separate kitchens for literally every type of food preparation you can imagine. Yes! A budding chef's paradise, you will probably salivate at the idea of a room just for chopping veges! A sushi making kitchen, pastry kitchen, bread making kitchen, butcher, fish prep room etc etc…..the list goes on! (My small person echoing complete surprise at the bread in its doughy form. 'It's white!' she pipes up! Obviously mummy doesn't make her own bread!) Up another alleyway…and the scene is set for dozens of workers washing, folding and ironing everything from towels and sheets to clothes and well, hopefully not my underwear at this very moment in time! (Shudders.) A laundry the size of a small apartment lay before us with enough starch to stiffen a Xianease noodle - the staff probably thought we were mad, oohing and ahhing over giant clothes dryers and sheet straighteners but it was spectacle worthy of applause indeed. Along the hall and a dry cleaning-style shopfront is overflowing with fresh costumes uniforms in every size and shape (shoes too) where staff check in to collect their week's supply. Relaxation rooms (Green Room?), a florist (yes, how else do you think those daily decorations adorn the lobbies of fancy hotels - a set in need of constant revamping), a staff canteen serving 2000 meals a day…and of course a bevy of offices with busy workers. Tightly shut doors opened on to massive plant rooms with boilers for keeping the water hot, electricity flowing (usually), aircon in action and well basically the 5-star show up and running. (We all know what happens when they stop! If you don’t, er, perhaps read this!) We stopped off to say hello to the ladies in ‘service express’ who take all incoming calls to the hotel…. Their English is considered pretty good, but if we're ordering dinner by phone we usually muddle our way through with their English and my woeful Chinese, in the end hopefully achieving some sort of edible room service delivered. Today they spy Ava and I and immediately start giggling and using the words "salmon" and "broccoli!" Yep! We westerners are a pretty predictable lot! All we eat is broccoli and Sal-mon! (Kind of.) With 300 security cameras installed in the hotel (don't worry, there are none in the rooms, or so I'm told!!) there's even a security room with an entire wall of monitors - enough to rival a TV station, so I believe! And as a city with a serious bike culture, there's also an impressive parking bay for these two-wheeler modes of transport. Nearby to the hotel there are also dormitories for around 100 staff who live more than two hours away. They are basic but a much sought-after alternative to taking a mammoth journey to and from work each day in manic traffic. Staff also get to eat three hot meals a day and shower - a common scenario in Xi'an workplaces. So, backstage, in this giant village, it's definitely a no-frills affair; but here in Xi'an where daily life is relatively simple and for the majority of Xianease, luxuries few and far between, it's no doubt more appealing to hang in Narnia where the never-ending winter is warmed up with proper heating. Just as a hotel can be a refuge for its guests, it's also a home away from home for the staff in a place where outstanding performances are a prerequisite for 5-star presentation. There's no doubt, through the revolving door, there's a pretty well-oiled machine that (for the most part) keeps the wheels on the 5-star wagon rolling! The show must go on! Psst, as for what goes on front of house, behind closed doors.....you might like this post I wrote. Fool's Paradise. Some guests are in a league of their own! … [Read more...]
- « Previous Page
- 1
- …
- 15
- 16
- 17
- 18
- 19
- …
- 33
- Next Page »