Top 10 Asian cities

[pretense78]

Courtesy of askmen.com
Who knew our cities were so prized? :rolleyes:



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We have all, at one point or another, sought to travel to the Far East to learn more about different cultures and see how much Western civilization has influenced others abroad. The following 10 cities are prime examples of old thoughts versus new rhetoric, and traditional culture versus modern societies.

In many ways, these cities ultimately represent the result of decades worth of struggles and clashes between the East and the West.

Some of these locations are more for the single man looking for an adventure, while others are for the married man who wishes to show his family something new. Check them out and enjoy.

hanoi, vietnam
Number 10

Hanoi, Vietnam
Ask people to mention a city in Vietnam, and Saigon -- of Fall of Saigon fame -- comes to mind, but Hanoi is another Vietnamese city that can claim the throne there. As investment has started to flow in, the government is basking in the added economic freedoms and the amenities that come with it.

If there is one Asian country that would be incomplete without its country life, it is Vietnam, where the rural charm and authenticity far outweigh the city life.

Who is it for? Someone who likes the city life, but cannot wait to hide out in the docile countryside every now and then.
Must-see: Hoan Kiem Lake, the social and very spiritual heart of Hanoi that serves as the gathering spot for residents.

Number 9

Jakarta, Indonesia
Jakarta is like most large cities in Asia: today's prosperity and desperate attempt to modernize clashes with yesterday's remnants and abject poverty. Imagine having large avenues crossing unpaved roads and lavish hotels hanging over impoverished boroughs.

Be careful and always keep your eye on the road, as modern cars seem to fight for parking spots with pedicabs.

Who is it for? Someone who favors extremes in a city.
Must-see: Miniature Park, which includes 27 traditional houses.

seoul, south korea
Number 8

Seoul, South Korea
Unlike its troubled northern brother, South Korea recently captured our imaginations when it played host to the 1988 Summer Olympics. Seoul is by every standard the commercial, cultural, educational, financial, political, and recreational center of Korea.

The city boasts great theaters as well as other modern entertainment complexes. But the city's true charm lies in the fact that Seoul was a seat of government during the Paekche Kingdom over 1,500 years ago, as well as the capital of the Chosun Dynasty in the 14th century.

Who is it for? Someone who likes to relic in the historical riches of a mountainous area.
Must-see: Seoul Metropolitan Museum of Art, where you can see centuries of Korean art and history unfold before your eyes.

Number 7

Manila, Philippines
Manila was a thrilla even before September 30th, 1975. Manila is an urban area covering the cities of Caloocan, Makati, Pasay, Pasig, and Quezon, as well as 12 other towns. Manila is like many Asian cities: a cross between modern amenities and deep tradition. The area has no set center or downtown and as a result, it's difficult to go from spot to spot.

Who is it for? Someone who enjoys traveling without a set itinerary.
Must-see: The Intramuros, which is Manila's ancient walled city, built by the Spaniards in the 16th Century.

Number 6

kuala lumpur, malaysia
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Kuala Lumpur's profile was boosted, as was expected, when the Petronas Twin Towers were built. Besides these monstrous erections, the city has great restaurants and prominent hotels, blending many cultures in a cost-efficient setting. But the city is true to its roots; its colonial past revolves around the Sultan Abdul Samad Building and the Royal Selangor Club.

Who is it for? Someone who needs to see the world's tallest skyscrapers.
Must-see: Petronas Twin Towers

Maybe one of these is for you... Next >>
Number 5

Bangkok, Thailand
Amid the many cities with tall buildings and modern streets, Thailand stands out like a sore thumb (but is very much like the rest of Asia). Locals call it Krung Thep, or the City of Angels; Westerners call it Bangkok.

If you thought rush hour on the LA expressway was bad, then stay away from Bangkok. The city is more known for its side streets and alleys (or sois) than its landmarks. But once the dust settles (literally -- air pollution is horrible), you immediately notice the calm of the people and their friendly demeanor.

Who is it for? Someone who thrives in confusion.
Must-see: Grand Palace, where the original monarchs inhabited.

Number 4

Shanghai, China
Shanghai, or "City on the Sea," has grown to represent China's economic resurgence, potential might and lofty prospects. Shanghai's bliss today is attributed to its storied past.

Back in the days, Shanghai's culture and lifestyle reflected a boisterous reality: brothels to the right, chic restaurants to the left and glamorous clubs for the foreigners who took a liking to the women there.

Who is it for? Someone who wants to see what happens when the West meets the East (ironic for a communist country).
Must-see: Yufo Si is a Buddhist temple that houses a 6½-foot-high, 455-pound Buddha with white jade and rare gems.

singapore, singapore
Number 3

Singapore, Singapore
Westerners know one thing about Singapore: that chewing gum will get you a spanking. But Singapore has mesmerized millions since it was founded in 1819 as a trading center.

Independence was only granted in 1965; since then, it has earned a spot among the tigers and has been Southeast Asia's most modern city. It's fairly easy to wander around and discover the sights.

Who is it for? Someone who likes to travel by foot... once you're there of course.
Must-see: Singapore Botanic Gardens dates back to the mid-19th Century and one can see its Victorian influence.

Number 2

Tokyo, Japan
Tokyo is, for all intents and purposes, a city of staggering proportions, both in terms of area and population.

It is probably for this reason that its transportation system is geared to being very efficient. After all, it has to be when you consider that in a year, Tokyo transports about 1.5 billion travelers. Also, as a result, any spot you wish to visit is only walking distance from a train.

Who is it for? Someone who feels comfortable in big crowds.
Must-see: Toshogu, a shrine that dates back to the early 17th Century.

hong kong, china
Number 1

Hong Kong, China
If you spoke Cantonese, you would know that Hong Kong means "fragrant harbor." Chances are that this name was given to the island for the perfume factories of days gone by.

Handed back to China in 1997, Hong Kong remains a commercial artery for the mainland. A trip there, however, will prove that most of Hong Kong is, in fact, rural.

Who is it for? Someone who's willing to spend big bucks.
Must-see: Hong Kong Island: nightlife, corporate finance, shopping, and everything else in between.

[FrankieY18]

yeah! hk is #1!!!!!!!

[SunWuKong]

yeah! hk is #1!!!!!!!

i'm actually surprised that Tokyo didn't come before HK. but what do i know, the last time i was in Tokyo was 20 years ago.

[LilJon]

where the heck is taipei?!?

[AliBabaIncorporated]

That was fairly unimaginative, they just named a bunch of capital cities/major commercial of a bunch of developing Asian countries and stole a stupid little blurb about each one from some guidebook. Oh yeah, and Singapore wasn't "granted independence", they were kicked out by Malaysia cuz they were getting annoying. (They remain so to this day). What we need is a Top Ten of lesser-known Asian cities.

The nice thing about HK is that you can always very easily adjust your standard of living/travel to fit your budget ... I've eaten US$2 lunches and US$125 lunches within about 3 blocks of each other. So I don't think it's quite accurate that you have to be "willing to spend big bucks." That distinction would seem to belong to Tokyo.

[AngryABCGirl]

Dude, where is Taipei? Cheap food and modernity with no huge obvious ghettos.

[SunWuKong]

i haven't been to most of those cities, and the last time i was in Taipei, i was 3 years old, but i would have thought that Taipei would at least be on the list and come before Hanoi.

[yoMAMA]

Dude, where is Taipei? Cheap food and modernity with no huge obvious ghettos.

1000 missles pointing at them=no ranking

:wink:

[fossilfuel]

Some of these locations are more for the single man looking for an adventure


Sounds like the chances of getting some 3rd world yellow lovin' is calculated in :rolleyes:

I've been to Hanoi. It's not that great. The Lake, is well, it's a lake. It might be good for a day at most. Most of the old quarter is still in historical style, so I guess that has some appeal.

The negatives are that you will be run over by hordes of motorcycles (scooters really) and hordes of internet cafes housing annoying western backpackers. The best attractions in the north (Halong Bay, Sapa) are not actually in Hanoi itself.

[LilJon]

1000 missles pointing at them=no ranking

:wink:
lol, hey! that's just low! it's not our fault evil red china cheated and won the revolution...

[Napoleon Chynamite]

lol, hey! that's just low! it's not our fault evil red china cheated and won the revolution...

It's not your fault either that Chiang Kai Shek and his nationalist cronies jacked a bunch of our cultural treasure and ran off to an island fit for bulldozing to become the next Disneyland either, right? After losing a war to the opposition despite having more men and more technology, no less, while largely ignoring the imperialistic advancements of the Japanese for the sake of looking good and trashing the Commies and ultimately screwing over China in the end.

Just playing ^_^ kind of

[deez nuts]

i'm surprised at the rankings.

i mean seriously what the fuck? manila? hanoi? bangkok?

fuck taipei. where's beijing on that list?


Number 5

Bangkok, Thailand


If you thought rush hour on the LA expressway was bad, then stay away from Bangkok. The city is more known for its side streets and alleys (or sois) than its landmarks. But once the dust settles (literally -- air pollution is horrible), you immediately notice the calm of the people and their friendly demeanor.


friendly demeanor. that's cuz they're probably hookers.

[SunWuKong]

It's not your fault either that Chiang Kai Shek and his nationalist cronies jacked a bunch of our cultural treasure and ran off to an island fit for bulldozing to become the next Disneyland either, right? After losing a war to the opposition despite having more men and more technology, no less, while largely ignoring the imperialistic advancements of the Japanese for the sake of looking good and trashing the Commies and ultimately screwing over China in the end.

Just playing ^_^ kind of

actually i believe that at the peak of the fighting, the communists had more men than the nationalists. i'm not 100% sure though. but i know that the communists were recruiting peasants from the countryside and the nationalist military relied on err... unreliable agreements with local warlords.

[AliBabaIncorporated]

i'm surprised at the rankings.

i mean seriously what the fuck? manila? hanoi? bangkok?

fuck taipei. where's beijing on that list?
it's affirmative action for cities. they wanted to make sure no ethnic group was underrepresented. (well, almost ... sucks to be Laotian). Otherwise someone would have rioted and killed a bunch of stuck-up Chinese people.

[SunWuKong]

it's affirmative action for cities. they wanted to make sure no ethnic group was underrepresented. (well, almost ... sucks to be Laotian). Otherwise someone would have rioted and killed a bunch of stuck-up Chinese people.

oh yeah hahhah, i just now noticed that, after you mentioned it.

[fossilfuel]

i'm surprised at the rankings.

i mean seriously what the fuck? manila? hanoi? bangkok?

fuck taipei. where's beijing on that list?


I'd pick Bangkok over Beijing any day. At least in Bangkok - you don't have to avoid getting spit on while walking through the streets. just maybe, errant ejaculations :rolleyes:

[deez nuts]

Otherwise someone would have rioted and killed a bunch of stuck-up Chinese people.


speaking of rioting and killing those stuck up chinese people; jakarta, indonesia made the list.

[SunWuKong]

speaking of rioting and killing those stuck up chinese people; jakarta, indonesia made the list.

heh, i have a feeling that was exactly what he was referring to.

[mrcfo]

i'm actually surprised that Tokyo didn't come before HK. but what do i know, the last time i was in Tokyo was 20 years ago.

I personally agree, I'd put 1. Tokyo 2. HK but then again, it could be thought of as HK being more "cosmopolitian and international" than Tokyo. Yes, the latter does have the glitz and Western style buildings/architecture, but HK I suppose is more European so to speak, you can find Italian coffee, Mexican Tarcos or Chinese noodles all in one lane. I suppose since Tokyo IS Japan, its seen to be more East Asian/Japanese orientated. HK otoh is a small island with a lot of British/European influence.

[SunWuKong]

I personally agree, I'd put 1. Tokyo 2. HK but then again, it could be thought of as HK being more "cosmopolitian and international" than Tokyo. Yes, the latter does have the glitz and Western style buildings/architecture, but HK I suppose is more European so to speak, you can find Italian coffee, Mexican Tarcos or Chinese noodles all in one lane. I suppose since Tokyo IS Japan, its seen to be more East Asian/Japanese orientated. HK otoh is a small island with a lot of British/European influence.

i've been thinking about what is considered "western" as opposed to "modern". sure, you can find restaurants and shops that cater to western tastes, but those usually cater to expats, and expats and the locals don't really socialise much. it's almost like two entirely different Hong Kongs, the way that an expat may perceive the city as opposed to the way that a local may perceive the city. there are "western" restaurants and such in HK that cater to the locals, but they're more like the Americanised Chinese restaurants in the US. the food is not that authentic and it caters to the Chinese tastebuds. most of the western cultural influences that i see, it seems more like commodification to me. it's easy to think that HK is a very westernised city on the outside, but if you get to know some of the locals, at least to me, their mentality and lifestyle isn't really that westernised to me. they're more like Chinese people who have gotten used to and expect conveniences and technology of the developed world. one thing that i can say is very westernised about HK is the fashion. HK girls there seem to follow European high fashion. but is having a 7-11 on every street corner a "western" attribute or just a "modern" attribute? i mean, the 7-11s in HK sell packaged soy drinks, sushi, and curry flavoured potato chips. i don't know about Europe (i hear that Brits like curry), but you certainly don't find that in the 7-11s in the US. i suppose that McDonald's has become a pretty regular fast food joint in HK can be considered a "western" thing.

i don't know, how is "western" defined as opposed to just being "modern"?

[AliBabaIncorporated]

I'd add to that, HK is often misperceived as "westernized" by those who equate westernization and modernization. It gets called "westernized" largely because there are a bunch of tall residential/office buildings on top of totally enclosed shopping malls popping up all over Hong Kong. In fact, these kinds of places are probably the most significant manifestation of middle-class HK values.

You can see the huge gap in HK Chinese and Western values and approaches to modernity just by looking at which districts each of them consider the best to live in. All the "expat zoo districts" like Lan Kwai Fong, Golden Coast, Disco Bay, are pedestrianized and have lots of public outdoor recreation space: the expats gravitate to those districts precisely because of their design. Plenty of apartments have balconies. (Compare to, say, Tseung Kwan O: indoor shopping malls, no balconies whatsoever, almost all recreation facilities and public space are enclosed and restricted only to residents).

The fact that "traditional" districts in HK are disappearing isn't due to the British colonial past continuing to exert influence in HK. Rather, it's the colonization of Kowloon/NT by "Central district values", as a recent newspaper article put it, and it's being perpetuated by Chinese people. There has actually been a lot of commentary on this very issue the past month, with the debate over the West Kowloon Cultural Centre. We're talking 20,000-word articles in the morning paper. I'll repost links to translations later.

[Mutya]

Number 7

Manila, Philippines
Manila was a thrilla even before September 30th, 1975. Manila is an urban area covering the cities of Caloocan, Makati, Pasay, Pasig, and Quezon, as well as 12 other towns. Manila is like many Asian cities: a cross between modern amenities and deep tradition. The area has no set center or downtown and as a result, it's difficult to go from spot to spot.

Who is it for? Someone who enjoys traveling without a set itinerary.
Must-see: The Intramuros, which is Manila's ancient walled city, built by the Spaniards in the 16th Century.



Manila is a chop suey city. You've got an old Spanish City(Intramuros), then just a few distance, you'll see Binondo(Chinatown) and Quiapo(a district where there is a large number of Muslims).

I could not comment on other ities since I have not yet been out of the Philippines. But I wish to visit other Asian cities.

[mrcfo]

i've been thinking about what is considered "western" as opposed to "modern". sure, you can find restaurants and shops that cater to western tastes, but those usually cater to expats, and expats and the locals don't really socialise much. it's almost like two entirely different Hong Kongs, the way that an expat may perceive the city as opposed to the way that a local may perceive the city. there are "western" restaurants and such in HK that cater to the locals, but they're more like the Americanised Chinese restaurants in the US. the food is not that authentic and it caters to the Chinese tastebuds. most of the western cultural influences that i see, it seems more like commodification to me. it's easy to think that HK is a very westernised city on the outside, but if you get to know some of the locals, at least to me, their mentality and lifestyle isn't really that westernised to me. they're more like Chinese people who have gotten used to and expect conveniences and technology of the developed world. one thing that i can say is very westernised about HK is the fashion. HK girls there seem to follow European high fashion. but is having a 7-11 on every street corner a "western" attribute or just a "modern" attribute? i mean, the 7-11s in HK sell packaged soy drinks, sushi, and curry flavoured potato chips. i don't know about Europe (i hear that Brits like curry), but you certainly don't find that in the 7-11s in the US. i suppose that McDonald's has become a pretty regular fast food joint in HK can be considered a "western" thing.

i don't know, how is "western" defined as opposed to just being "modern"?

I never said anything about "western" or modern, I said "international and cosmopolitan". However, since we're on the topic of "western", since HK was a British colony and it still retains a lot of British values and systems - anything from the British laws to corporate systems. I've found it easier to speak and liase with a HK colleague than say a Taiwanese, Korean or Japanese colleague.

Furthering the topic of "Westernisation", I agree that HK is perceived differently by locals and Westerners, but I think the latter group DOES have a point in perceiving it as somewhat (to us anyway) "Westernised"...I mean apart from Singapore, Japan and Korea (who "localise" Western culture or mimic it with a local twist), the rest of Asia seems to be "non Westernised".

Finally, for the "Westernisation" and "modernisation" argument, well I'd get criticised BUT, when you think about it, these two words are "blurred" these days. The Western press (obviously) associates "modern and developed" countries as Westernised and to a great extent, this is true. Compare all the "developed" and "modern" cities/countries globally and they all have the common factor of adopting "Western methods, management or technology". It is what drives the future.

PS: Btw, I don't think HK fashion is influenced by Western fashion more than say Japanese or Korean fashion (OK, they in turn copied Western fashion and enhanced it with an Eastern style..but, anyway..). Western fashion is somewhat more "sexy and daring" than Eastern fashion. The latter also exhibits a "cutey" type image, but some of the Japanese fashion I've seen is downright WEIRDO.

[SunWuKong]

I never said anything about "western" or modern, I said "international and cosmopolitan".

you did say that HK is more "European" than Tokyo and that it has a lot of Western influence.

However, since we're on the topic of "western", since HK was a British colony and it still retains a lot of British values and systems - anything from the British laws to corporate systems. I've found it easier to speak and liase with a HK colleague than say a Taiwanese, Korean or Japanese colleague.

i can agree that the political structure in HK is westernised, because many of its aspects is copied from British law, with just enough tweaking that the mainland government in Beijing has control over major changes.

Furthering the topic of "Westernisation", I agree that HK is perceived differently by locals and Westerners, but I think the latter group DOES have a point in perceiving it as somewhat (to us anyway) "Westernised"...I mean apart from Singapore, Japan and Korea (who "localise" Western culture or mimic it with a local twist), the rest of Asia seems to be "non Westernised".

i don't know, i would think that if anything, Singapore is more "westernised" than HK. it seems to me that they follow more closely what's happening in the US and in Hollywood than HK does.

Finally, for the "Westernisation" and "modernisation" argument, well I'd get criticised BUT, when you think about it, these two words are "blurred" these days. The Western press (obviously) associates "modern and developed" countries as Westernised and to a great extent, this is true. Compare all the "developed" and "modern" cities/countries globally and they all have the common factor of adopting "Western methods, management or technology". It is what drives the future.

western methods of management in HK? you're kidding, right? :tongue: if that were the case, office workers wouldn't need to work their half-days on Saturdays, and businesses would stick more closely to what was written on contracts than on how business relations currently are. etc etc. i feel that management in HK is anything but western.

i think i've already addressed the difference between "modern" and "western" in my previous post though. but i think we're getting down to semantics. i seem to associate "western" as opposed to "eastern" in the context of mentality, culture, behaviour, etc, instead of in the context of mere commodities like technology.

PS: Btw, I don't think HK fashion is influenced by Western fashion more than say Japanese or Korean fashion (OK, they in turn copied Western fashion and enhanced it with an Eastern style..but, anyway..). Western fashion is somewhat more "sexy and daring" than Eastern fashion. The latter also exhibits a "cutey" type image, but some of the Japanese fashion I've seen is downright WEIRDO.

this is where i'd have to say you're wrong. HK girls are label whores and they follow what's going on in high European fashion. i'm not talking about what girls on the streets of Los Angeles are wearing, i'm talking about what models on the boardwalks in Paris or Milan are wearing. most of the girls in HK are much much better dressed than most of the girls in the US. (but i think a lot of times they try too hard and would do well to learn to be just chill and casual like how a lot of American girls dress.)

[deez nuts]

this is where i'd have to say you're wrong. HK girls are label whores and they follow what's going on in high European fashion. i'm not talking about what girls on the streets of Los Angeles are wearing, i'm talking about what models on the boardwalks in Paris or Milan are wearing. most of the girls in HK are much much better dressed than most of the girls in the US. (but i think a lot of times they try too hard and would do well to learn to be just chill and casual like how a lot of American girls dress.)


same here. i thought all the top european designers have factories in HK D&G, armani, hugo etc etc. it's also cheaper in HK than here in america. that's why you see some of their clothes are made in HK. i noticed this mostly from the hugo boss orange label casual dress shirts that i buy.

[Chester]

this is where i'd have to say you're wrong. HK girls are label whores and they follow what's going on in high European fashion. i'm not talking about what girls on the streets of Los Angeles are wearing, i'm talking about what models on the boardwalks in Paris or Milan are wearing. most of the girls in HK are much much better dressed than most of the girls in the US. (but i think a lot of times they try too hard and would do well to learn to be just chill and casual like how a lot of American girls dress.) Eh, I don't know...there's obviously plenty of label-whoring in HK, but, in general, it seems to me that Japanese fashion trends seem to be as pervasive in HK as Western/European/American trends. Of course, all the regions influence each other, so it's hard to say whether someone is influenced by the U.S. via Japan or Japan via Italy or whatever.

All I know is that, in terms of hair, there's way too many ostensibly-sane HKers who have fucked-up, frizzed-out Muppet hair, à la the Japanese.

same here. i thought all the top european designers have factories in HK D&G, armani, hugo etc etc. it's also cheaper in HK than here in america. that's why you see some of their clothes are made in HK. i noticed this mostly from the hugo boss orange label casual dress shirts that i buy. More importantly -- and this goes back to SWK's point -- all the big labels have a huge presence in the retail sense. You can't spit without your loogie landing on the window of a Prada boutique. Most U.S. cities have less Burberry going on than HK has in its airport "gift shops".

[yuuteya]

Not City, rather a Megalopolis, the best place in Asia in my opinion is the Kansai region in Japan. Its basically Osaka and the surrounding cities of Kobe, Kyoto, and Nara. Not as alienating as Tokyo, and has the best mix of history, culture, nature, landscapes, architecture, urban life, nightlife, fashion, etc. Best place in the World. :biggrin:

[yuuteya]

Here is a page with many pictures of Osaka, Japan. Enjoy :wink:
http://skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=96139

[mrcfo]

1. i don't know, i would think that if anything, Singapore is more "westernised" than HK. it seems to me that they follow more closely what's happening in the US and in Hollywood than HK does.


2. western methods of management in HK? you're kidding, right? :tongue: if that were the case, office workers wouldn't need to work their half-days on Saturdays, and businesses would stick more closely to what was written on contracts than on how business relations currently are. etc etc. i feel that management in HK is anything but western.

3. this is where i'd have to say you're wrong. HK girls are label whores and they follow what's going on in high European fashion. i'm not talking about what girls on the streets of Los Angeles are wearing, i'm talking about what models on the boardwalks in Paris or Milan are wearing. most of the girls in HK are much much better dressed than most of the girls in the US. (but i think a lot of times they try too hard and would do well to learn to be just chill and casual like how a lot of American girls dress.)

1. Singapore more Westernised? I partially agree. They are pretty much in the same boat as HK, only slightly more Westernised due to having assimilated more into British culture and being an independant city state rather than a China controlled SAR. Again, if anything, Singapore adopts a lot of Western culture then "localises" it, a la Japan and Korea.

Firstly, I'll start off with English, most Singaporeans can speak English, but gee god..there vocabulary is way different from "standard English" you're use to from the UK/USA/Canada/NZ/Australia. If you've ever had a decent conversation with a Singaporean, you'll notice about 10 to 20% of what they say is in a mix of Chinese dialects, Malay and Indian Tamil.

The Singaporean laws and general structure (e.g. Education) are very much similar to HK's due to British colonalism AND infleunce during those years. This is pretty much where the Westernisation ends.

Again, if you ever go down to the roots of Singapore, it's still quite Chinese. A lot of Chinese traditions are still alive with a splash of Malay and Indian infleunce.

2. Working long hours is merely a "charade", yes they do work on 1/2 their Saturdays, but its due to inefficiency. I once worked for an Australian company (I'm from Australia btw) that had a HK brand and by gee, their culture was very damn different. They liked working long hours BUT could not prioritise urgent tasks and tended to have a view that "the more hrs an employee works, he/she is more valuable/working harder" or that if one leaves too early, they are not getting enough work and that they needn't be there (so sack them). Apparently, this culture was also one that inflitrated the US office.

3. Well, I have to disagree here. I've visited HK about 10 times for periods of up to 1 month, either for business or pleasure. The general population there to me seems to mimic Japanese and of late, South Korean fashion. The fashion label whores you metioned there probably represent about <5% of the population. As for those stroes having manufacuturing centres/branches there I believe its due to:

* HK was always a springboard into Asia, they chose it over Singapore because of the potential Chinese market.

* Due to the proximity of China's labour market. How many factory work is in HK these days???

* As South Korea and Japan have their own fashion labels and a much more closed market that HK, it makes sense to open up in HK and export to these countries.

If you've ever been to Seoul or Tokyo, I see more women there dolled up in high fashion than HK. I know a lot of HK girls and met many locals, they DO try to PORTRAY the image of being a fashion conscious girl, but many of their wardrobes are actually from Walmart like stores.