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Interesting Questions, Facts and Information
- There are a total of 60 general entries. We are selecting 30 for display.
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 Interesting Questions, Facts, and Information
 Hong Kong
| The area previously referred to as "Victoria" is now defined mainly by which district? | Hong Kong
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Central. "Central" is the financial district and what used to be called Victoria, the capital of the previous British Colony.
"Wanchai" was the red light district on Hong Kong Island but is now a more upmarket nightlife area, although the girlie bars still exist.
"Causeway Bay" is a major shopping and restaurant district.
"Admiralty" was where many of the Colonial Government buildings were although now it is mostly a commercial district.
| At the beginning of 2005 what was the tallest building in Hong Kong? | Hong Kong
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Two International Finance Centre. Two International Finance Centre was completed in 2003 and consists of 88 storeys. It is the tallest building in Hong Kong and the sixth tallest in the World at 415m (1,362ft).
Central Plaza was completed in 1992 with 78 storeys rising to 374m (1,227ft).
Bank of China was completed in 1989 with 72 storeys rising to 369m (1,209ft).
The Center was completed in 1998 with 73 storeys rising to 346m (1,135ft).
| Where is the 'midnight' market situated? | Hong Kong
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Temple Street. The Temple Street market opens around 6pm and closes after midnight 7 days a week. It sells anything from clothes to electronic goods to tourist trinkets to copy rolexes.
Stanley Market is in the area of Stanley Main Street.
The Causeway Bay Ladies Market is on Jardine's Crescent.
The Mong Kok Ladies Market is on Tung Choi Street.
| In which famous hotel can you stand at the top floor gentlemen's toilet urinals, whilst looking over Kowloon? | Hong Kong
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The Peninsula. This is a famous tourist attraction in Felix restaurant on the top floor of the hotel. The saying goes, "You can literally pee over Kowloon."
| Which island south of Hong Kong is known for its seafood, pigeon restaurant and slightly "hippy" culture? | Hong Kong
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Lamma. Lamma is regrettably also known for its power station right next to the beach.
Lantau is the largest of the islands and mostly turned over to country park land. It also boasts Discovery Bay, The Big Buddha, the airport and the future Disney theme park.
Peng Chau is tiny but with a thriving community.
Cheung Chau is famous for its pirate caves and high suicide rate.
| What happens on a Sunday that doesn't happen on any other day of the week? | Hong Kong
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The domestic helpers congregate in the streets.. The maids have Sundays off and tend to get together to meet friends, gossip, sing, picnic, etc. Literally tens of thousands of maids gather in groups on the streets, beaches, in parks and anywhere they can sit together. Nationalities almost never mix and there are customary areas for Filipinas, Indonesians, Nepalese, Thais, etc. Central is very much a Filipina area and Sunday is sometimes referred to as Manila Day.
| Murray House is one of the few remaining Victorian buildings in Hong Kong. Where is it? | Hong Kong
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Stanley. Murray House was the Army Officers’ mess and is a beautiful example of a colonial building. It was originally located in Central but was dismantled and reconstructed in Stanley on the south of Hong Kong Island. It now houses various up market restaurants.
| How did the district of Soho get its name? | Hong Kong
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It's short for "south of Hollywood Road".. Soho is in fact south of Hollywood Road and is famous for its up market restaurants and wine bars.
| Where is the Hong Kong Cemetery, known for its Royal Navy graves and monuments? | Hong Kong
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Happy Valley. The oldest colonial cemetery in Hong Kong. Some of the graves date back to the founding of the British Colony and many are dedicated to members of the Royal Navy and Royal Marines. Adjacent are the Roman Catholic Cemetery and Muslim Cemetery.
| Since 2003 what can you no longer do in a public area without risking a fine? | Hong Kong
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Spit. Spitting in the street or even in shops, bars and on public transport was common practice but has been outlawed since the SARS outbreak in order to stop the spread of germs.
Jay walking, gambling and littering attracted fines prior to 2003.
| A fairly easy one to start with but be careful. In which district is Central Plaza? | Hong Kong II
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Wanchai. Central Plaza (which is not in Central) was completed in 1992 and is 78 stories (379m) high. It is the second tallest building in Hong Kong (2005) and was the tallest until IFC2 was completed in 2003. It used to be the tallest building in Asia until the Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur were built. There is a neon light clock on the top that indicates the time by changing colour every 15 minutes.
| Hash House Harriers are groups who run following a pre-laid trail of chalk or flour. There are Hashes all over the World but the pastime is particularly popular in SE Asia where it originated in the 1930's. How many Hashes are there in Hong Kong? | Hong Kong II
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12. They are: T8 Hash (only runs during a strength 8 or above typhoon, reputedly ‘the most dangerous Hash in the World’), Ladies Hash (women only), Kowloon Hash (men only), Wanchai Hash (largest in Hong Kong with many Filipina domestic assistants as members), Sek Kong Hash (originally British military), Hong Kong Hash (men only and 35 years old in 2005), Free China Hash, Little Sai Wan Hash (infamous for there very long runs), Royal South Side Hash (men only), Hash House Horrors (children's Hash), Hong Kong Blood Run (more of a bar crawl) and Northern New Territories. There is also a Santa Hash but this only meets once a year for a Christmas charity run.
| Who is the famous tailor in Burlington Arcade who is reputed to have made clothes for celebrities such as Pavarotti, Margaret Thatcher, George Bush, Prince Charles and Michael Jackson? | Hong Kong II
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Sam . Sam's Tailor has been around since the '70s and is practically an institution in Hong Kong. Hanging on the walls are photographs of all their famous customers taken in the shop along side Sam, the owner. Sam's send suits, shirts, dresses and military uniforms all over the World. Presumably the Pavarotti contract was a lucrative one.
| How many administrative districts are there in Hong Kong? | Hong Kong II
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18. They are: Central and Western, Eastern, Islands, Kowloon City, Kwai Tsing, Kwun Tong, North, Sai Kung, Sham Shui Po, Sha Tin, Southern, Tai Po, Tsuen Wan, Tuen Mun, Wan Chai, Wong Tai Sin, Yau Tsim Mong and Yuen Long.
| On which floor in Times Square is Fortress World? | Hong Kong II
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eight . Fortress are a chain of electrical goods shops which can be found almost anywhere in Hong Kong. They stock all the most recent electronic gadgets at reasonable prices. Fortress World also stock household appliances. The 8th floor of Times Square in Causeway Bay specialises in electrical goods.
| There are hundreds of Taoist temples in Hong Kong, some of which are dedicated to a sea deity. Who is this goddess of sailors? | Hong Kong II
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Tin Hau. The Tin Hau festival is celebrated on the 23rd day of the 3rd moon (Apr/May) in honour of Mo Niang. She was re-named Tin Hau, ‘Queen of Heaven’, and is the ‘Mother’ of boat people and sailors. Tin Hau was born in Fukien in 1093 and according to legend she dreamt her father and brothers were drowning on a fishing trip and flew over the sea on clouds to rescue them. There are numerous temples dedicated to her and on her birthday sailors and those who live on boats sail to Da Miao to pray for safety in the coming year.
Lao Tzu is one of the most famous Taoist deities. He was a contemporary of Confucius who developed a system of Taoist philosophy.
Guan Yin is the most popular of all Chinese deities and has been depicted as a man and a woman but the female is more popular. She is a saviour from misfortune and upholds justice. She can also bless infertile women with children.
Choy San is the God of Wealth. Traditionally the poor worshipped Choy San and today many businesses in China have an altar to him. At lunar new year (Feb/Mar) Choy San descends from heaven and it is traditional to eat dumplings as they resemble the old Chinese ingots of silver or gold.
| Which famous romantic novel and film starring William Holden and Jennifer Jones was set in 1950's Hong Kong? | Hong Kong II
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Love Is A Many Splendored Thing. "Love Is A Many Splendored Thing" (1955) was based on a novel about an American war correspondent who fell in love with a Hong Kong Chinese doctor in the run up to the Korean War.
"The World Of Suzie Wong" (1960) starred William Holden & Nancy Kwan and was based on a Richard Mason novel about a British artist who fell in love with a Wanchai prostitute.
"The Bridges At Toko Ri" (1955) starred William Holden and Grace Kelly and was based on a James Mitchener novel about a US mission to bomb bridges during the Korean war.
"Ferry To Hong Kong" (1959) starred Kurt Jurgens, Orson Wells and Sylvia Syms and was based on a screen play by Lewis Gilbert and Vernon Harris about a drunken Viennese refugee and the captain of the Hong Kong - Macao ferry fighting local pirates.
| The Special Administrative Region (SAR) of Hong Kong consists of Hong Kong Island, The New Territories, Kowloon and a number of outlying islands. Approximately how many islands make up Hong Kong SAR? | Hong Kong II
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235. There are approximately 235 islands within Hong Kong, the largest being Lantau. Hong Kong Island is the most heavily populated and the most well known.
| Although Hong Kong is not a full democracy there are multiple political parties and a limited amount of voting of candidates. Which was the most powerful political party in 2004? | Hong Kong II
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Democratic Alliance. In 2004 there were four political parties in Hong Kong:
Democratic Alliance for Betterment of Hong Kong (2073 members), Democratic Party (590 members), Liberal Party (300 members) and Frontier Party (120 members).
| Who was the first British Governor of Hong Kong? | Hong Kong II
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Sir Henry Pottinger. Sir Henry Pottinger was officially appointed governor in 1843. Despite cynicism from the British Government, Pottinger was instrumental in developing Hong Kong as he realised its potential.
Sir Arthur Edward Kennedy (1872), Sir John Pope Hennessy (1877), Sir George William Des Voeux (1887). Most governors have roads named after them and Pottinger Street, Kennedy Road, Hennessy Road and Des Voeux Road are prominent thoroughfares on Hong Kong Island.
| What is the name of the company that operates the cross-harbour passenger ferries? | Hong Kong III
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Star. The earliest report of a ferry service appeared in a local newspaper dated 28 December 1888: "Steam launch 'Morning Star' runs daily as a ferry boat between Pedders Wharf and Tsim Sha Tsui at the following hours (a 40 minutes to one hour service during all hours of the day). There will be no launch on Monday and Friday, on account of coaling." The ferry service was originally founded by a prominent Parsee, Dorabjee Nowrojee, under the name of the Kowloon Ferry Company. Some reports say it was about ten years later, upon acquiring the total assets from Nowrojee, that the Star Ferry Company as we know it today came into existence. Despite the lack of detailed documentation, it would seem appropriate that the new company took its name from the vessels it acquired, which all bore the name "Star". Some of the original names like "Morning Star" and "Night Star" have indeed remained to the present day. (Information taken from www.starferry.com.hk)
Causeway Bay. The story goes that in the 19th century a Jardine opium boat was greeted with a 21 gun salute as it entered the harbour and that since then, it has become a tradition for a gun to be fired at noon to commemorate that event. It has fired almost every day since 1860. The gun, a Hotchkiss 3 pounder, was immortalised in Noel Coward's song, "Mad Dogs And Englishmen".
| Where is the Hong Kong Jockey Club's headquarters and original race course? | Hong Kong III
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Happy Valley. Happy Valley is the site of the original horse racing course in Hong Kong. Also located in Happy Valley are the Hong Kong Stadium (venue of the Hong Kong Rugby Sevens), the Hong Kong Football Club, the Craigengower Cricket Club and the Hong Kong Cemetery, which still has grave stones from the earliest British colonial days. Happy Valley was a mosquito-infested marsh land in pre-colonial times but is now a thriving residential and recreational area on Hong Kong Island.
The Jockey Club also has a newer race course at Sha Tin in the New Territories. In 2005 it proudly boasted the world’s largest outdoor video screen.
| What sits outside the entrance of the headquarters building of the Hong Kong And Shanghai Banking Corporation? | Hong Kong III
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Lions. The HSBC headquarters, designed by Sir Norman Foster, is situated at one end of Statue Square in Central. At the time of construction (1985) it was the most expensive building in the World at HK$5.2 billion. It is an unusual modular design (supposedly portable) and can be seen printed on the back of certain HSBC bank notes.
A pair of lion statues is outside the entranceway; these bring good fortune through Feng Shui.
Filipina maids do sit in the covered area of the building's ground floor podium on their Sunday off work. This is the only day the maids have as holiday and many of them congregate there to gossip, picnic and meet friends.
Tsim Sha Tsui. The Old Clock Tower is opposite the Star Ferry terminal in Tsim Sha Tsui on the Kowloon Peninsula. The 44 metre tower was built in 1915 and is all that is left of the Kowloon Canton Railway southern terminus.
| Where would you take a tram to visit 'Ripley's Believe It Or Not'? | Hong Kong III
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The Peak . The Peak is the highest point on Hong Kong Island where you can get wonderful views of Central and Kowloon. Originally The Peak was exclusively for expatriate residents’ homes, however, now it is open to anyone although few but the wealthiest can afford to live there. At one time the only public transport to the top was by rickshaw until the Peak Tram (a vernacular railway) opened in 1888. Madam Tussaud’s is also on The Peak.
Robert Ripley was an American who had a passion for travel. Born in 1890, he had visited over 200 countries before 1940 and had travelled extensively in China. He collected unusual artifacts on his travels and displayed these in his ‘Odditoriums’. He opened the first of these at the 1933 Chicago World's Fair where he attracted over 2 million visitors. By 2005 there were 24 "Ripley's Believe It Or Not" museums in 8 countries and an associated TV show.
| What is the name of the well-known Japanese department store that sits between Hennessey Road and Lockhart Road? | Hong Kong III
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Sogo. Sogo is the huge department store on Hennessey Road which is very popular with locals and tourists.
Mitsukoshi is a smaller Japanese department store on the opposite side of Hennessey Road from Sogo.
G.O.D. is a Japanese store on Leighton Road specialising in trendy furniture and household goods.
Genki is a chain of Japanese sushi bars.
| Dai Pai Dongs are a common site in Hong Kong. What are they? | Hong Kong III
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Fast food noodle shops. Dai Pai Dongs are everywhere and very inexpensive. Typically a bowl of noodles is around HK$20 and tea is free. Dai Pai Dong means 'big signage stall' which refers to the brash advertising signs used to attract customers (apparently).
Chau Mau (‘grass hat’) are the traditional 'coolie' hats made of straw. They are rarely worn but can occasionally be seen on farmers or the ladies who pick litter off the beaches. They can also be purchased in most of the tourist markets.
Dim Sum (‘small treats that touch the heart’) are the rice dumpling delicacies normally eaten at lunch.
Cheong Sam (‘long dress’) is the traditional high collar, sleeveless dress with a side split skirt. Occasionally these are seen on waitresses and of course available for sale to tourists at most of the markets and clothes shops.
Fragrant Harbour . In Hong Kong’s early history wood from an incense plantation in Sha Tin was transported to Tsim Sha Tsui before being shipped to other parts of the region. The incense gave the area a pleasant smell and Tsim Sha Tsui at one time was called Heung Po Tau or ‘fragrant wharf’. The large island to the south of Tsim Sha Tsui was (and still is) called Heung Gong (Hong Kong) or 'fragrant harbour'.
Bauhinia. The symbol on the flag is a white Bauhinia orchid on a red background. The ‘Bauhinia Blakeana’ was named after the British Governor of Hong Kong (1898-1903), Sir Henry Blake, who was a keen botanist and discovered it near Pokfulam on Hong Kong Island in 1880. The flower is actually bright pinkish purple and is a member of the class leguminosae (pea). The genus is named after the 16th century Swiss botanists, the Bauhin brothers.
| Which daily is marketed as 'China's Business Newspaper'? | Hong Kong I
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The Standard. 'The Standard' is an English language business newspaper which is published by Sing Tao Media Holdings Ltd. It provides a comprehensive view of local and world business issues as well as general and sports news. During the internet bubble it was temporarily named ‘iMail’.
The South China Morning Post was founded in 1903 and apart from the years of Second World War Japanese occupation, has published continuously. It is the most popular English language newspaper with a circulation of 120,000 and a website subscription of 450,000.
Ming Pao is a Chinese language newspaper founded in 1959 by the famous Chinese martial novelist Jinyong. It provides comprehensive reports on political and economic issues in both mainland China and Hong Kong.
Apple Daily is a Chinese language newspaper founded by Jimmy Lai in 1995. It is the second best selling newspaper in Hong Kong, which although a broadsheet the style is regarded as tabloid, employing sensational headlines.
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