Hong Kong - Unknown to me, and probably all North Americans, the last weekend of March every year is home to something call the ‘Hong Kong Sevens’. Its basically the World Cup of Rugby. This ‘rugby’ sport is huge in strange and foreign places such as Australia, England and like New Zealand. Anyways, for this weekend, thousands and thousands of people flock to Hong Kong (mostly white people) and they pretty much just party the entire weekend. I went to the place called Lan Gwai Fok (the place where english speaking people hang out usually) on Saturday night and holy craaaaaaaaaap. I have never seen such a crowd before. Someone said it was a cross between a sci fi convention and a sports party and its totally true. So many people were dressed up - cops, angels, bees, dwarfs, cowboys, ambigiously gay duos.. pretty much everything. I am pleased to know that even Hong Kong people know how to give drunken whities a good time - a solid blast of Bon Jovi, Guns and Roses, Queen etc. Anyways, heres a video I took of the event. Its hard to describe how many people were in this two - four block area. Its a shame that I didnt have my nice camera with me at the time, but its probably a blessing too since it probably would have gotten ruined.

Hong Kong - I haven’t been to many places on Earth, but I would have to say I think Hong Kong is one of the leaders in the race to a cashless society. Introducing the octopus card. This thing is absolutely magical. Basically, you get this card and you put cash into it. Then using it you can pay for

- transit
- parking
- food at 7-11
- other stuff at random stores

It sounds simple enough, but you use it a few times and you will realize how wonderful it is. You never have to worry about the correct change again for boarding a bus or something. You can even hook it up to your bank account so that if you do run low, it’ll automatically add to the card. That is crazy. So simple in practice. It doesn’t even have to be a card, you can pay a bit more and it can be a key chain. All you do is shove the thing up against the other thing and bam. Its done. You don’t even need to take it out of the wallet or purse (or man purse). You just need to press it up against the reader thingy. Its pretty much the greatest thing Hong Kong has for making life easy for the people.

The transit system here is awesommmmmme. Its so damn efficient. Theres buses. Theres vans. Theres trains. Theres subway. Theres ferries. Theres trams. Aside from rickshaws and taxis, theres pretty much very little that isnt encapsulated by the system. The thing that’s great and killer about this system is that you pay for every trip. So if you go one stop, it might be 30 cents Canadian, but if you go cross harbor, its usually over a dollar or so. Its cheap if you dont go many places during the day, but when you are a tourist going from place to place, this can get costly.

Also, I don’t fit on the trams. As in, I can’t stand up straight. Even on some buses. That kinda sucks. But with the double decker buses and frequent lines running every 3 or 4 minutes, theres never really many times where you are standing on a bus anyway. All the buses are also air conditioned and most are equipped with televisions. Pretty damn good.

Hong Kong - So yea, the place I am staying - no internet connection. No internet cafe nearby AND no coffee shops with free wifi. Obviously, its a blessing and a curse. People say ‘oh yeah it’ll be nice to have 3 weeks without the internet’ but then again, keep in mind that I spend most of my time at work on the internet and it is a primary source of information for me. So yea, I have no idea what is going on in the world right now and it kind of sucks to be without the internet, as I am in the fantasy hockey playoff finals right now.

i’ve been in Hong Kong for 4 days now and here are some initial notes.

• despite the fact that I have not lived in Hong Kong for 21 years, it still feels a bit like home.
• Hong Kong is really clean city. The streets are always clean it seems. This is because they have employed people to be constantly cleaning the city. Why doesn’t Toronto do that? we have a lot of homeless people..hire them and make them clean up the city. Money for them, clean for us.
• Indian food is starting to get popular here, ive noticed quite a bit more indian food influence around, like at food courts and what not.
• girls here are more fashionable, and they are mostly skinny. actually, not that many fat people anywhere. however, the whole fashionable female thing has upside and downside, downside as in there are a lot of 45 year old ladies out there dressed as 18 year old girls as well. i dont know, when you are that old, miniskirt + knee high socks + hooker boots doesnt seem that appropriate.
• everything here is efficient. the hong kong transit system kicks the ttc’s ass in so many ways it is not funny. but i knew this already. still, having it re-enforced is something else all together.

Thats it for now.

In honor of a certain Panic Manual contibutor who is getting hitched this weekend, I Googled “the most twee song ever”. This is what it spit out. And it’s from Canada?

Where Are U Baby? by Saskatchewan based artist and musician The Department (Tyler Brett) is so twee it hurts. How was this song left off the Juno soundtrack?

I need a girl who draws silly pictures
I need a girl who sings her own tune
I need a girl who puts her pedal to the metal
I need a girl who wears used shoes

If you only listen to this song once, there is something wrong with ya. Congrats Vik

 

 Where R U Baby? - The Dept. (2001): Play Now

Well the Hot Docs Documentary Film Festival announced its official line up this past week. For those of you who don’t know, Hot Docs is happening in Toronto from April 17th - 27th and is the best film event that happens here each year. Here is why:

1. The films are good - Truth be told, most people who make documentaries are not film people. They are regular people who have access to a good story and decide to get into filmmaking. Story telling is an art and this festival has stories that you didn’t even know existed.

2. It is accessible and you can afford to go - My suggestion is to get a 10 pass for only $90. This pass is transferable, so you can split the cost with a buddy and you can each see 5 movies for $45. My only suggestion is to get your tickets NOW. Two weeks before the festival, the high profile films will be sold out.

Make sure you check out the full schedule. Take the time and spend an hour reading through the films. You will find a few that will speak to you.

Lets start with some docs about music.

Anvil! The Story of Anvil

At the age of 14, best friends Lips and Robb Reiner make a pact to rock together forever. Their band Anvil, hailed as the “demigods of Canadian metal,” influences a musical generation including Metallica, Slayer and Anthrax. Though Anvil never makes it big, they never stop playing or believing. Following a calamitous European tour, Lips and Robb, now well into their 50s, set off to record their 13th album, This Is Thirteen, in one last attempt to fulfill their boyhood dream.

All Together Now
Music is the star in this dizzying documentary about Montréal-based Cirque du Soleil’s new Beatles-inspired Las Vegas show, Love. After three years of negotiations and with a budget of $180 million, director Dominic Champagne has to wrangle an international cast and crew of 500, and an approvals process that includes the founders of Cirque, the Beatles holding company, Apple Corps Ltd., Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, George Harrison’s widow Olivia, and Yoko Ono-one wonders how he didn’t have a nervous breakdown. With fabulous archival footage and spectacular performances-this is one behind-the-scenes story you won’t want to miss.

Talking Guitars
Talking Guitars is an engrossing portrait of master guitar craftsman, Flip Scipio, an unassuming Dutchman with an obsession. Based in New York, Flip is revered in the music industry. His clients include Jackson Browne, David Lindley, Ben Taylor, Paul Simon, David Tronzo, Leni Stern and Carly Simon. The film is a musical journey that follows Flip from his quiet, sunny workshop to captivating face-to-face sessions with his famous clients. Watching him at work is as interesting as hearing the musicians play. The film draws you into his world, and makes you want to hear what he hears

Tonite Let’s All Make Love in London

One of the few filmmakers trusted within the perfumed gardens of the 1960s Brit rock illuminati, Peter Whitehead was allowed unparalleled access into the centre of the pop circle to capture the moment for his kaleidoscopic film. With contributions from the likes of Mick Jagger, Michael Caine, Julie Christie, Lee Marvin and David Hockney, Tonite presents a dazzling and intimate record from the very core of the “in-crowd.” With music by Pink Floyd, among many others. “Not a documentary in any ordinary sense,” wrote Variety, “but rather an impressionistic view of the ‘land of mod’ as seen by a sympathetic participant.”

Monterey Pop
This vanguard concert film is an explosive portrayal of the 1967 Monterey International Pop Festival at the height of the Summer of Love. Monterey launched the careers of Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin and Otis Redding and ushered in a new era of rock ‘n’ roll. Other performances by artists like Simon and Garfunkel, The Mamas and the Papas, The Who and the extraordinary Ravi Shankar are vividly captured by both Ricky Leacock and Al Maysles, who were camera operators. Monterey Pop lives up to its legendary status, making it as timeless as it is powerful.

Planet B-Boy

Kids in Osaka, Paris, Seoul and Las Vegas are all doing it-B-boying, breakin’, bustin’ moves you’ve gotta see to believe! Planet B-Boy features insane dance performances, unforgettable power moves, impossible synchronization and sweet choreography. The film tracks the evolution of a street dance turned universal art form, culminating in an international showdown. B-boy crews from 18 different countries face-off in Germany at the annual “Battle of the Year” World Championships, eager to reprazent.

Vancouver - Well I am here in Vancouver, which isn’t really that new ( I lived here for the summers of 2000, 2001 and a few months in 2002). However, this time around I made notes:

1. Skytrain - slow and small but scenic. Come on. Get a proper subway system if you want to be taken seriously. The trains on the Sky Train are about as big as the monorail in Disneyland.

2. Cheap Sushi - I appreciate getting some tempura pieces, small piece of teriyaki pork, spicy salmon maki, gyoza and sashim for 12$.

3. Microbrewery - okay. I had oakanagan Pale Ale (i think) and some Russell brand beer. Neither of which are as good as what they have in Ontario.

4. Downtown Vancouver after 11 pm. The smell of weed in the air along the Granville street is so freakin high, its goood.

5. Aggressive Panhandlers - man we had one guy follow us for a block asking for stuff. That is pure aggression.

6. Downtown - rather empty. I guess Toronto will always be more poular, but Vancouvers downtown seems a lot more steril. Not much people anywhere really.

7. Transpo - I asked the bartender for good public transportation tips to Granville Island, from downtown. she was like ‘take a cab’. Thats not good public transpo planning…

8. 24 Hour eateries - not as many in Toronto. I kept on wandering about, wanting to find a 24 hour pho place where I lived. Nope.