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Monday, June 26, 2006
Costanilla: Hong Kong
By Sam Costanilla
Spotlight
HONG KONG - The continuous flow of people from all walks of life anytime and anywhere in this Chinese territory never fails to fascinate you. Hong Kong is truly amazing in all aspects, with the tourism industry being its top income earner. The territory’s state of tourism is undeniably tops.
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THIS is actually my second visit to Hong Kong after several years. Its modern international airport alone is itself a tourist attraction already. In size, it is about four times bigger than our very own Mactan Cebu International Airport. Cleanliness of its facilities is noticeable. We here have still a lot to learn from the system being adopted by the Hong Kong airport management if we really intend to make our local airport a world-class facility.
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TWO spots in Hong Kong that tourists should not miss to visit are the Disneyland and Ocean Park. It is in these places that kids and adults alike are treated to real fun and exciting activities. In Disneyland, I saw an afternoon parade of all Disney and cartoon characters garbed in very colorful costumes. Some of them were dancing while walking and the rest were on board large floats fully decorated with oversized flowers and other attractive decorations.
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IT’S also here in Hong Kong where I met Jing Feji, the younger sister of concert and recording artist Anna Feji. Jing told me she was involved in the live performance of The Lion King, one of the attractions that week. She also informed me that Anna is also a frequent Hong Kong visitor. Later that afternoon, I and the rest of the tourists watched The Lion King, a truly impressive stage presentation complete with all the sound and lighting effects, superb musical scoring, a revolving stage and other features that mesmerized the members of the audience.
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AN exciting 20-minute cable car ride led us to our next stop, the Ocean Park. One of its attractions isthe dolphin show although during my trip there, I was one of the very unlucky ones that didn’t make it to the earlier show scheduled for the day. However, the rest of the Ocean Park attractions are equallyentertaining. For the first time, I tried the Raging River where tourists are made to board a wooden banca (four people in each banca) that navigates a special waterway until it suddenly drops that really gives all riders that indescribable mixed feeling of fear and excitement.
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PUTTING up a theme park is indeed a big risk as it entails a large investment. I don’t know if one couldbe constructed in Cebu or if it’s viable here. A thorough study of its marketability and sustainability is a must before its actual construction. But we all agree that it is going to be another income source forCebu as a tourist attraction should one be eventually put up here.
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THIS aging and sickly radioman has just been kicked out by top management of the radio station he used to work with. It was because of his mismanaging the small-time broadcast outfit and pocketing funds that were supposed to go to the station’s treasury. These were the same misdeeds that he did with another radio station prior to the last one that he had served.
(E-mail: samcost@yahoo.com or text 0906-9596888).
For Bisaya stories from Cebu. Click here. (June 26, 2006 issue)
Write letter to the editor.Click here.
Join the Sun.Star message board.Click here.
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