Learning About Hong Kong and The 2008 Olympic Games

Second in a Series by Diana DeRosa

Happy Valley Racecourse

On our third day in Hong Kong we were invited to watch racing at the Happy Valley Racecourse, which is also owned and operated by the Jockey Club. We watched from one of the suites, which gave us a brilliant view of the track and the grandstands. And there were bettors among us who won and lost and got into the excitement of Thoroughbred Racing.

Like so often before, the food spread was beyond reproach. Discovering the many varied dishes that Hong Kong offers was perhaps one of the biggest surprises for me. Everywhere the food was plentiful and delicious. And while we never were offered snacks between meals (thankfully) we had more than enough food to satisfy our taste buds throughout the trip.

At the end of the evening our group walked down to the public grandstands where the atmosphere was even more electrifying. The horses were paraded in a paddock right in front of us before heading out onto the grass track.

Racing ended around 11:00 p.m. when the hordes of people ambled their way home with pockets both empty and full. We witnessed firsthand why racing is so popular in Hong Kong.

Touring Hong Kong

Our last official day began with a Chinese Master who taught us the very basics of Feng Shui (wind and water). Feng shui is the ancient Chinese practice of positioning objects and buildings in harmony with nature to ensure good fortune. Its origins lay in an ancient Chinese respect for the environment, as well as a belief that cosmological influences strongly affect our lives.

We then were escorted around town for a quick walking tour through one of the “wet” markets and into a Taoist Temple. Our guide jokingly said you remember the song “Smoke Gets In Your Eyes,” well here you will learn what that means. In fact this was a haven of burning incense aflame for religious reasons. Both the very young right on up to the elderly were worshipping in this temple.

We were back at our hotel by early evening with plans for a group dinner but difficulty sleeping throughout the week had finally caught up with me and by 5:30 I was in dreamland getting some much needed sleep.

With our final day being a free one we each opted to do our own thing filling our days with work, meetings sightseeing and packing for our Saturday departure. It was the perfect way to end a very productive week.