Traveljournal.com.ph – Asia Travel Made Easy!

1. Some Light switches, when switched off –doesn't display the RED
indicator light that means it's OFF. Other light switches show RED
when they're off.

2. Water from Balcony can enter the room under the door – when the
door is closed and it's raining outside.  Also cold air from aircon
can exit the room the same way.

3. Master's bathroom drainage near the toilet bowl doesn't drain as
well as the other bathroom's drain. Tested by pouring water just in
front of the sink – where water normally comes from.   Tested ALSO –
when there are no DIRT between the wet area and the drain and tested
ALSO when there was DIRT.

4. Master's bathroom drainage in shower area — doesn't drain as well.
 Tested by pouring water from the back of the shower area – where the
person normally stands to get a shower.

5. The seams between the concrete slabs are not properly painted or
finished. Some have black streaks or look like they have cavities.
This includes the white finish on the balcony, the ceiling area of the
master's bedroom and various corners of the ceilings of the house
INCLUDING bathroom toilets.

6. The main door, when fully opened hits the wooden beam behind and
above it – that both door and beam are now chipped.

7. Finish of the paint shows that it's not final (example living room).

8. Completeness of parquet tiles are hard to ascertain because they're
very dirty and are white washed in all areas near the wall.

9. Completeness and condition of floor tiles are hard to ascertain
because they're very dirty.

10. The bottom cabinet near the provision for GAS RANGE — when it is
opened – drags on the floor tiles and makes a very loud sound.

11. The windows are water proofed and air proofed from my checking.

12. There are holes on the tiles where the shower head/holder are
supposed to be.

13. Water pressure on the master's bathroom is very low and doesn't
change when it's adjusted. In contrast, the water pressure in the
other bathroom is strong AND changes when the faucet is adjusted.

14. From my testing, the electric outlets all work

15. I'm not able to open the electrical panel board found in the
hallway. I need to see this.

16. Facing the unit, standing on the balcony, you can see a protuding
NAIL in the corner of the building/the bedroom. Look up. Is this a
provision for the WIFI or something that needs to be removed?

This is not everything, I still need to review the video and photos.
However, as you know ANY BLUE TAPE you find in the unit are the
findings I stated here. I will be sending you a completed list that
PHOTOS includes VIDEOS and by the end of the week.

Questions:

1. I need a list of possible FEES that may be incurred during our stay
at Rosewood pointe. I have been asking for this list from my agent for
2 years already and I have received NO REPLY. Somebody has this list
and I hope you get in touch with that person and get me that list. If
NOBODY has a list, please INFORM me that NOBODY has this list.

2. If I put a translucent film/layer on the upper half of the bathroom
doors – will that need a "construction bond"?

3. Rosewood prides itself as "WIFI enabled". Where can Smart install
the Smartbro Wifi Box in our unit?  It has a long cable that extends
to the interior of our unit.  Our agent of 2 years ago assured us that
this is possible.

4. Why is there a blank space where there is no cupboard in above the
kitchen counter?   Can this be a cupboard instead of a block of wood?

P.S. I repeat, most of the findings have BLUE TAPE in the unit.

Posted via email from asiatraveljournal’s posterous

Where is the Hong Kong Museum of History?
100 Chatham Road South, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon, Hong Kong (next to the Hong Kong Science Museum, Tsim Sha Tsui East)
More

How do I get there?
The Museum is within walking distance of Tsim Sha Tsui, Jordan, Hung Hom or East Tsim Sha Tsui MTR stations. There are also bus and min-bus stops outside the Museum.
More

A corner of the interior display of the Hong Kong Museum of History – modles of Fujian sea boat and painted trade boat

A Wedding

What are the opening hours?
Monday & Wednesday to Saturday: 10 am – 6 pm
Sunday and public holiday: 10 am – 7 pm
Closed at 5 pm on Christmas Eve and Chinese New Year’s Eve
Closed on Tuesdays (except public holidays) and on the first two days of the Chinese New Year
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How much is the admission fee?
Standard: $10
Concession: $5
Group Ticket: $7
Free admission on Wednesdays (except some special exhibitions)
More

Uniform of HK Governor Edward Youde

Temple celebrations

Do I need to pay for the special exhibition?
Admission fee may be required for some special exhibitions.
More

Do children need to buy tickets?
Free admission for children aged below 4
More

An ancient style street scene in Hong Kong.

An old gramophone collected by the Hong Kong Museum of History

Can I apply for waiver of admission charges?
Schools, charitable or non-profit-making organizations registered in Hong Kong (with documentary proof) with a visiting group of 20 or more may apply in writing for waiver of the admission charges. Such application should be made at least 2 weeks before the proposed date of visit.
More

Can I take photos inside the galleries?
You are allowed to take photos inside “The Hong Kong Story” Permanent Exhibition Galleries.
However, no camera stand should be brought into the galleries.
Video and audio recording are strictly prohibited at all Museum areas.
Photo-taking may not be allowed for some special exhibitions.
Enquiries: 2724 9042

Bronze pot

God puppet show

How can I access to Museum’s reference materials?
Our Resource Centre provides reference books, periodicals and audio-visual materials on Chinese and Hong Kong history, archaeology, ethnography, natural history and museology.Enquiries and making appointments: 2724 9009 or 2724 9033
More

Are there any activities for the public?
We regularly organize a wide range of education and extension activities for the public, details of which may be referred to the Museum’s quarterly Newsletter.
More

History Pepsi Cola Cooling Box

HK Museum of History Anglo Chinese Boundary Stone 1899 No 5 Milestone

How can I join the Museum’s docent programme?
Currently, we have a team of professional docents providing guided tour services for visitors. We will make announcement on our website and Newsletter when new recruitment programme is to be launched.Enquiries: 2724 9020

Where can I buy the Museum’s publications?
Available at the Museum Shop located at 1/F Main Lobby.
More

How can I get the latest Museum news?
Museum’s quarterly Newsletter or website. Enquiries: 2724 9042

Hong Kong’s old streets

Steelyard balance

Street Opera

The Hong Kong Story permanent exhibition is a showcase of the dedicated hard work done by the Museum staff in the past years in collecting, preserving and researching the history and development of Hong Kong. Occupying an area of 7,000 m2, The Hong Kong Story comprises 8 galleries located on two floors. Through the display of over 4,000 exhibits with the use of 750 graphic panels, a number of dioramas and multi-media programmes, and enhanced with special audio-visual and lighting effects, The Hong Kong Story outlines the natural environment, folk culture and historical development of Hong Kong vividly. The exhibition, which is both entertaining and educational, starts telling the story from the Devonian period 400 million years ago and concludes with the reunification of Hong Kong with China in 1997. We sincerely invite you to this 400 million years of historical and cultural journey, and hope that it can arouse your interest in and introspection on the historical and cultural heritage of Hong Kong.
You may visit The Hong Kong Story in about 2 hours. However, if you would like to enjoy the 53 multimedia programmes featured in The Hong Kong Story, including theatre shows and interactive booths, you are advised to spare 3 to 4 hours.

Link to: http://www.lcsd.gov.hk/CE/Museum/History/en/ex_permanent.php

Location Map of Hong Kong Museum of History

Maxim’s MX

Maxim’s MX is excellent for tourists who don’t want to spend too much money but to get a delicous Hong Kong Chinese style type of food.

Its class is well above the other two common local fast food chains with price only a few percentage more expensive. It has plenty of variety and is not just selling hamburgers or fried chicken.

Interior

The only drawback is that, while MX brochure describes the food in both English and Chinese, the restaurant address/location list is in Chinese only.

Must Tries: Barbecue duck

Mixed Roasted stuff rice

Baked Pork Rice

Spaghetti set

Red bean tofu pudding

Looks like the competition is getting hot amongst the fastfood chains in getting more business during dinner time. Maxim’s MX is also entering the dinner special arena. Let’s put the executions of their ads aside and look at their strategies. KFC says you can enjoy a complete yet speedy dinner with appetizer, main course and dessert. This doesn’t sound appealing as speed and enjoyment are conflicting when it comes to dinner. On the other hand, Cafe De Carol is selling made-to-order ??. To me it’s not unique as most ??? are doing that anyway. ??? is the more convincing choice when it comes to ??. And now Maxim’s MX is having ???????. It is said that the miniature ?? is from Japan and it is super tasty, blah, blah, blah. In terms of consumers’ interest, Maxim’s MX wins by far. It catches HK consumers who always love to try new things. Too bad that it hasn’t got the same distribution as KFC and Cafe De Coral. Otherwise, I think it would win a mile away. Guess there must be some very smart marketers sitting at Maxim’s MX. Now the question, what would Fairwood do ? Let’s see.

Food and Beverage – 10
Ambience / Setting – 8
Value - 10
Service - 9

Restaurant Name: Maxim’s MX (Kimberley Road)
Address: Shop No. 5, G/F,
26 Kimberley Road,
Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon
Telephone: +85223115006
Operating Hours:
Mon – Fri 7.30am – 10pm; Sat – Sun 8am – 10pm
Average price:
approx. HK$ 35 – 45/person (based on 1 reviews)
District: Yau Tsim Mong
Cuisines: Fast Food
Website: www.maxims.com.hk

Here’s another free Hong Kong Attraction: Hong Kong’s Symphony of Lights:

Organised by the Hong Kong Tourism Board. Displayed every night with good weather at 8pm Hong Kong Time, the show is an orchestration of music, decoration lights, laser light displays, and pyrotechnic fireworks. The multimedia light and sound show lasts for about
14 minutes.

The best vantage points include the “Avenue of Stars” on the Tsim Sha Tsui waterfront, on the waterfront promenade outside the Golden Bauhinia Square in Wan Chai and on sightseeing ferries (i.e. Star Ferry) running across the Victoria Harbour. The Show’s music and narration live at the “Avenue of Stars” and the promenade outside the Golden Bauhinia Square in Wan Chai every night. On Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays the narration is in English, while it is in Mandarin on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, and Cantonese on Sundays.

Special pyrotechnic fireworks will be added to the show on the rooftop of participating buildings on both sides of the habour or stages off at the Tsim Sha Tsui waterfront. It will be added on special events or holidays, example like Chinese New Year and Christmas.
When Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal No.3 or above or Red/Black Rainstorm Warning Signal is issued by the Hong Kong Observatory at or after 3pm on the Show day, the Show will be suspended. No show will be staged even if the Signal is removed before 8pm on that day. The show may also be suspended in emergencies without prior notice.

Themes

When you watch it, watch out for these themes so you can appreciate it more!

The Show comprises five major themes, taking spectators on a unique journey celebrating the energy, spirit and diversity of Hong Kong:
The first scene “Awakening” begins with flashes of laser lights that give life to a nucleus of light-energy which gradually illuminates participating buildings using an array of dancing lights and rainbow colour. This scene symbolises the genesis and powerful growth of Hong Kong.
The second scene “Energy” is represented by the display of rising colour patterns and the sweeping of the lasers and searchlights energetically across the night sky, signifying the vibrant energy of Hong Kong.
In the third scene “Heritage”, traditional lucky red and gold colours are displayed across buildings on both sides of the Harbour, complemented by the introduction of music using Chinese musical instruments, symbolising Hong Kong’s colourful heritage and rich cultural traditions.
The fourth scene “Partnership” features a display of laser beams and sweeping searchlights scanning across the Harbour, representing an illuminated connection with the opposite side. Beams reach out to symbolically connect the two sides of the Harbour into one greater and unified partnership.
The finale “Celebration” brings out a powerful rhythmic display of swirling, kaleidoscopic patterns of lights and beams dancing lively across the Harbour. The exciting final scene signifies the celebration of the close partnership between the two sides of the Harbour and represents an even brighter future for Asia’s world city – Hong Kong.

Participating buildings on Hongkong’s Symphony of Lights (from Wikipedia)

The show has been further expanded with the total number of participating buildings increased to 44 on both sides of Victoria Harbour [2]. TThere are different types of lighting effects included in the show, such as laser, searchlights, LED lights, simple lighting and projection lighting. Types of lighting effects are listed in brackets ([ ]) after each of the participating buildings below.

On Hong Kong Island

One of the vantage point of A Symphony of Lights at Tsim Sha Tsui – Hong Kong Cultural Centre. Tourist are waiting to enjoy the show
The show ranges from Wan Chai and spreads to the western district. The buildings included are listed below:

Sun Hung Kai Centre (starting from 17 January 2004) [laser/searchlights]

Central Plaza, Hong Kong (starting from 17 January 2004) [laser]
Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (starting from 17 January 2004) [LED lights]

Hopewell Centre (starting from 23 December 2005) [LED lights/laser]

Harcourt House (starting from 17 January 2004) [LED lights]

The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts (starting from 17 January 2004) [projection lighting/LED lights]

MassMutual Tower (starting from 17 January 2004) [LED lights]

CITIC Tower (starting from 23 December 2005) [LED lights]

Queensway Government Offices (starting from 17 January 2004) [searchlights]

The Chinese People’s Liberation Army Forces Hong Kong Building (starting from 17 January 2004) [searchlights/projection lighting]

Bank of America Tower (Hong Kong) (starting from 1 May 2007) [LED lights]

Bank of China Tower (starting from 17 January 2004) [LED lights/searchlights]

AIG Tower (starting from 23 December 2005) [LED lights]

Cheung Kong Center (starting from 17 January 2004) [LED lights]

HSBC Main Building (starting from 17 January 2004) [LED lights/searchlights]

Hong Kong City Hall (starting from 17 January 2004) [LED lights]
Standard Chartered Bank Building (starting from 1 May 2007) [LED lights]

Jardine House (starting from 17 January 2004) [searchlights/projection lighting]

One Exchange Square (starting from 17 January 2004) [searchlights/projection lighting]
Two Exchange Square (starting from 17 January 2004) [searchlights/projection lighting]

Two International Finance Centre (starting from 17 January 2004) [laser]
One International Finance Centre (starting from 17 January 2004) [laser]

The Center (starting from 17 January 2004) [LED lights]

In Kowloon

The Projection Lighting Effects of A Symphony of Lights on Hong Kong Cultural Centre. The images projected on the wall related to the theme of 2008 Beijing Olympic Games
The buildings included are mainly from around the Tsim Sha Tsui Ferry Pier, with some in Hung Hom, Kowloon Bay and Mong Kok. They are listed as follow:

Ocean Terminal – Harbour City (starting from 26 June 2007) [projection lighting]

Star House (starting from 23 December 2005) [projection lighting]

The Gateway – Harbour City (starting from 1 May 2007) [LED lights/searchlights]

Hong Kong Cultural Centre (starting from 23 December 2005) [searchlights/projection lighting]

One Peking (starting from 23 December 2005) [searchlights]

Hong Kong Museum of Art (starting from 23 December 2005) [LED lights/searchlights/projection lighting]

The Peninsula Hong Kong (starting from 23 December 2005) [simple lighting ]

Langham Place (starting from 26 June 2007) [LED lights/searchlights]

Avenue of Stars (starting from 23 December 2005) [searchlights/LED lights]

Oterprise Square (starting from 1 May 2007) [LED lights]

K11 (starting from 26 June 2007) [laser]

Hotel Panorama (starting from 23 December 2005) [projection lighting]

New World Centre (starting from 23 December 2005) [searchlights]

Tsim Sha Tsui Centre (starting from 23 December 2005) [LED lights/searchlights]

Empire Centre (starting from 23 December 2005) [LED lights/searchlights]

InterContinental Grand Stanford Hong Kong (starting from 23 December 2005) [simple lighting]

Hong Kong Coliseum (starting from 23 December 2005) [LED lights/searchlights/projection lighting]

Harbourview Horizon All-Suite Hotel (starting from 26 June 2007) [LED lights]

Harbourfront Horizon All-Suite Hotel (starting from 26 June 2007) [LED lights]

EMax (starting from 26 June 2007) [searchlights]

MegaBox (unknown) [LED lights/searchlights]

What’s the best time to go to the Avenue of the Stars for FREE Entertainment? Saturday NIGHT!

Avenue of Stars, Hong Kong

The hand prints and autograph of director John Woo

History

In 1982, the New World Group built a promenade along the waterfront around the New World Centre in Tsim Sha Tsui East, Kowloon. In 2003, the Group announced it would spend HK$40 million to build the Avenue of Stars, a project supported by the Hong Kong Tourism Board, Tourism Commission, the Leisure and Cultural Services Department of the Hong Kong government and the Hong Kong Film Awards Association.

The avenue was opened to the general public on 28 April 2004 with an opening ceremony held the previous day, 27 April. The opening ceremony was presided over by a number of government and industry figures including Henry Tang (Financial Secretary), Stephen Ip (Secretary for Economic Development and Labour), Patrick Ho (Secretary of Home Affairs), Selina Chow (Chair of Hong Kong Tourism Board), Manfred Wong (Director/Actor), and Cheng Yu Tung (Chair of New World Group); in which the privately-funded Avenue was handed over to the Hong Kong SAR government as public property.

Avenue of Stars movie camera

Martial artist and movie star Bruce Lee’s sculpture

At opening, the avenue honours an initial 73 inductees elected by the Hong Kong Film Awards Association and the readers of City Entertainment.

Description

The Avenue of Stars on a sunny day

The Avenue of Stars is the eastern node of several tourist attractions along the Tsim Sha Tsui waterfront. In addition to the promenade and New World Centre, a number of attractions exist including the Museum of Art, Space Museum, Cultural Centre and the Clock Tower.

Entering from Salisbury Garden, a 4.5-metre-tall replica of the statuette given to winners at the Hong Kong Film Awards greets visitors. Along the 440 metre promenade, the story of Hong Kong’s one hundred years of cinematic history is told through inscriptions printed on nine red pillars. Set into the promenade are plaques honouring the celebrities. Some plaques contain hand prints and autographs of the stars set in cement, but most of the plaques only contain celebrities’ names as they are now deceased.

The promenade commands a stunning panoramic view across Victoria Harbour. At night it is a popular viewing place for the Symphony of Lights display. It is a good place to go to see the glamourous stars of HK.

A large replica of the 2008 Summer Olympics torch will be on permanent display here.

Wholala Musical Performance
Date (Time) : Every Saturday (19:00-22:00)
Venue: Avenue of Stars

Tony Music Musical Performance
Date (Time) : Every Saturday (17:30-22:00)
Venue: Avenue of Stars

Rock on Road Musical Performance
Date (Time) : Every Saturday (17:00-22:00)
Venue: Avenue of Stars

Avenue Of The Stars Location Map

Visit IKEA HongKong : Parklane Hotel Branch for a different kind of Tourist Treat: European Furniture Shopping!

IKEA Hong Kong

IKEA store in Causeway

Parklane Hotel

Address : Basement, Park Lane Hotel, 310 Gloucester Road, Causeway Bay, HK
Tel : 3125 0888 Fax: 2576 1787
Opening Hours : 10:30am – 10:30pm (Daily)

How to get there?

Minibus
10, 14M, 21M, 25, 28, 30, 31, 36X, 40,195

First Bus
2, 2A, 2X, 8, 8P, 15B, 19, 23, 23A, 23B, 25, 26, 38, 42, 65, 106, 112, 116, 307, 309, 601, 680, 680X, 692

Citybus
5, 5B, 8X, 11, 25A, 25C, 72, 72A, 76, 77, 96, 102, 103, 170, 511, 515, 592, 619, 621, 671, 681, 690, 690P, 962, 969, 969

Kowloon Motor Bus
102, 103, 106, 112, 116, 170, 307, 601, 603, 619, 621, 671, 680, 680X, 681, 690, 690P, 692, 968

Airport Bus
A11, E11

MTR
Causeway Bay exit E

IKEA Hong Kong, Parklane Hotel Branch Map

(Taken from http://www.infrastructuregallery.gov.hk/eindex.htm)

Gallery Address : The Hong Kong Planning And Infrastructure Exhibition Gallery, G/F., 3 Edinburgh Place, Central, Hong Kong
Opening Hours : 10:00 – 18:00 daily
Gallery closed on Tuesdays (except Public Holidays) and the first two days of the Chinese New Year
Enquiries :
Tel: 3102 1242
Fax: 3104 0129
E-mail Address: piegal@pland.gov.hk

Website : www.infrastructuregallery.gov.hk
Free Admission

Facilities and Exhibits

1. Greeting Hall — Visitors to the gallery will be greeted by colourful lighting specially arranged to reflect the diversity of Hong Kong’s buildings.

2. Statement Wall — A statement affirms Hong Kong’s initiative to further develop its world- class infrastructure to enhance the quality of life and strengthen its status as Asia’s world city.

3. Videos — Big silk screens on glass with taped remarks by celebrities on quality living environment, tourism and logistics development. More than 20 other video shows and power-point presentations throughout the gallery provide details about infrastructure facilities and plans, ranging from transport, new towns, urban renewal, tourism to environmental protection.

4. Panorama — An animated panoramic view of our future harbourfront, giving visitors an unforgettable three-dimensional experience of strolling down the promenade from Central to Wanchai, and also at the West Kowloon Cultural District.

5. District Models — Showcase the Hong Kong Wetland Park. It is an interactive model with special audio-visual effects to highlight the 9 key features of the Hong Kong Wetland Park. Apart from preserving the natural habitat to achieve sustainable development, the wetland park is a good educational and tourist facility in Hong Kong.

Conceptual Model of Hong Kong Wetland Park

6. Bridge Models — Featuring Stonecutters Bridge, part of Route 9, with one of the world’s longest cable-stayed spans Region.

Stonecutters Bridge with its modern outlook is highly praised for its aesthetic value.

7. Flying over New Towns — Computer animation takes you on a flight over Sha Tin, Tung Chung and Tseung Kwan O, giving you a bird’s eye view of our new towns and their landmark buildings.

8. Tourist Kaleidoscope — Take photographs of yourself against a backdrop of one of Hong Kong’s 18 top tourist attractions, including the Giant Buddha and Tsing Ma Bridge. Then send them to your family and friends by e-mail!

9. Heritage Walk — Re-experience old Hong Kong on screen, and check out over 100 historical buildings.

10. Hong Kong - a Multi-modal Transport Hub — An entertaining computer game showing the efficient transport and logistics links of Hong Kong with the major cities of the world via air, land and sea.

11. Web Cam — Watch instant broadcasts of the operation of our container terminals, traffic in the harbour and on Tsing Ma Bridge. Feel the heartbeat of our city, from morning to evening.

12. Water & Sludge — A model on sewage treatment telling what difference the Harbour Area Treatment Scheme makes in cleaning up our harbour. Don’t be surprised to learn that the tunnels are 150 m below ground, equivalent to the height of a 50-storey building!

The measures to improve water quality bring us a cleaner harbour.

13. Infrastructure Walk — A ‘must see’ jumbo model stretching for about 18.5 metres, showing an array of existing and planned major infrastructure projects on a territory map with a scale of 1:2 500. Each project has a story to tell, once you touch the corresponding screen button. Lean back against the wave-shaped wooden wall and enjoy the stories and lighting effects.

Infrastructure Walk

Hong Kong Planning and Infrastructure Exhibition Gallery Location Plan

Incheon Free Economic Zone

Robotics

Industrial Robotics

The government said yesterday it authorized Incheon to build the world’s first robot theme park, aiming to boost the regional economy and advance the nation’s robotics industry.

The robot theme park in the Incheon Free Economic Zone is to be officially designated today as Robot Land development area by the Ministry of Knowledge Economy under the robotics development law, ministry officials said.

R2-D2

The robot theme park, which the government says is the first of its kind in the world, will feature a number of attractions such as entertainment facilities, exhibition halls, research and development centers, education buildings and industrial support facilities, officials said.

Incheon and Masan

The Finance Ministry and Knowledge Economy Ministry picked Incheon and Masan in South Gyeongsang Province as the final bidders for the construction of robot theme parks in 2007. The ministries carried out further investigations last year to check the legitimacy of the investment.

The Masan park needs more time to draw up detailed plans, as the government is still reviewing environmental impact studies and other administrative processes, officials said.

Ridable Robot

Butler “Twendy-one”

Kiss the Bride with “Tiro”

Little Bugger

The Incheon robot theme park will cost 784.5 billion won ($562.3 million), of which 680.5 billion won comes from private investors, 52 billion won from the central government, and the other 52 billion won from the local government, according to ministry officials. The construction will begin in 2010 and be completed by 2013, they said.

However, part of the Incheon park will be open to the public around 2012, the government said.

The government already allocated 4 billion won in the 2009 budget to support designing public facilities in the Incheon and Masan parks.

The robot theme parks are expected to generate 2.8 trillion won in industrial output and create 18,000 related jobs, boosting the regional economy, ministry officials said.

Robots Welding Automobiles

Korea has been eyeing the robotics industry as a future growth engine, as robots have been widely used in the nation’s key industries including automobiles, flat panel displays, semiconductors and shipbuilding industries.

Cleaning Robots

The government is now putting more emphasis on developing service robots that help clean homes and provide entertainment.

“Although there are numerous theme parks around the world, Korea would be the first to operate a robot-themed park,” said an official at the Knowledge Economy Ministry.

Korea ranks fifth in terms of revenue in the world’s existing manufacturing robotics market, which is being led by Japan and the United States, the official said.

Soccor Robot

Trumpet Playing Robot

Violin Playing Robot

Kim Hong-seok, chief research engineer at the Korea Institute of Industrial Technology, said the service robot market is expected to be worth between $17 billion and $50 billion by 2012, in a recent report.

“About 70 percent of the market is expected to be taken up by SMEs and venture companies, and the industry’s growth is projected to give rise to business opportunities in a wide range of areas including robot and parts production, software development and product sales,” Kim said.

He added that the robotics industry will resolve the issue of labor shortage caused by population aging.

By Kim Yoon-mi
(yoonmi@heraldm.com)

Hong Kong

Hong Kong International Airport

Airport Express Train

Free Airport Express Shuttle Bus Service

MTR Hong Kong Station

MTR Kowloon Station

Depart Hong Kong
By Air
The fastest way to Hong Kong International Airport is to take the Airport Express train.
Airport Express passengers can enjoy the free Airport Express Shuttle Bus service, which transports passengers from all major hotels to MTR Hong Kong Station or MTR Kowloon Station.
Most airline passengers also enjoy free in-town check-in service at the stations from one day before up to 90 minutes prior to take-off.

Intercity Through Train

MTR System Map

Inside an MTR Train

Former KCR Branded MTR Train at University Station

By Rail (Intercity through train)
MTR Corporation operates three intercity train services between Hong Kong and Mainland China – to Guangdong, Beijing and Shanghai, from MTR Hung Hom Station.

The Hong Kong-Macau Ferry Terminal in Sheung Wan

Boarding Gates at Macau Ferry Terminal

China Ferry Terminal in Tsim Sha Tsui

By Sea
Ferries depart from either the Hong Kong-Macau Ferry Terminal in Sheung Wan or the China Ferry Terminal in Tsim Sha Tsui.
Ferries to/from Macau.
Ferries to/from Guangdong in China.