Decorating the town for Christmas is done is a bit way in Hong Kong. Leading the pack are the shopping malls that always try to have the biggest and best display on show.

This is the International Finance Center who were running a puppet theme. They obviously look good and exciting , especially for the children.

But do not be fooled, Hong Hong is one of the shopping capitals of the world and the happier the customers are, the more they might spend.

There are the occasionally computer fairs where the bargain hunter can get a extremely good deal on electronics. Unfortunately you really have to be at the head of the queue. It seems everybody here is a bargain hunter and that makes the queue very very long.

The Golden Computer Arcade in Kowloon needed Police to control the flow.

On normal days, that is without the 99% of bargain hunters, prices of goods are usually as low as they can be. The profits margins are extremely small and you can always find a bargain if you have the time to look around.

I have no idea of the story with this chap. Maybe he is just having a quiet lie down or maybe it’s just a place he calls home.

Affordable housing is a big problem for Hong Kongers which drives an unfortunate few on the the streets to live. Sometimes home is under a bridge or corner of an alleyway.

One thing in their favour is the climate. There are a few just a few weeks in the winter where the temperature drops to  dangerous levels for anybody sleeping rough.

Mount Kinabalu, in Malaysia, is the 20th highest mountain in the world and is quite a favorite as it is quite an easy climb. If you are young and fit then the climb should be not problem and I hear the sunrises are quite brilliant.

I am neither young and fit so getting to the top any time soon is probably out of the question for me. So I wont have the pleasure of getting up before the crack of dawn, having my lungs gasping for air and finding the summit stuck in the clouds.

The view here shows the Mountain cloaked in clouds. The town of Kota Kinabalu is to the left of the picture while in the foreground are, I guess, see gypsy homes.

Macau is Asia’s gambling capital has seen increased growth in casinos over the past few years. The Venetian is (currently) the largest casino in the world.

Gamblers are well catered for here with around 3,000 rooms to rest your head or a massive indoor shopping center.

The hotels is styled after the companies casino in Las Vegas and as can be seen from the picture is just as tacky.

No matte how nice the imitation skies look and realistic the gondolier’s signing may sound, the whole complex is designed to make you part with your money.

If you are wealth enough to loose a few thousand then spending a few nights at the Venetian might be quite pleasurable. I did and temptation got to me, I played the slots and wasted around US$10. Never again, never again.

Another selection of food spread out for Hot-Pot. The glasses that look like they are filled with beer is actually tea. In Hong Kong tea flows freely. More often than not you whenever you eat out you are greeted with a glass of tea.

This can either be drunk or if you are of a particular fussy persuasion used to sterilize your chops sticks.

At the top of this picture and slightly to the right is my favorite little bit of snack, Dried Fish Skin. Crunchy in the mouth but it’s at  its best when dipped in the Hot-Pot soup then it just melts like butter.

Macau is a Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China and was formerly a colony of Portugal. The city is littered with colonial styled buildings  and feels quite different from the other SAR, Hong Kong.

The Macau Tower is from a more modern age and was completed in in 2001. Standing at over 1000 ft it provides a great view of the city from its observation deck.

For the more adventurous it hosts the second highest bungee jump in the world. Yep, people love to throw themselves off the tower with nothing more that a rubber band tied to their legs.

Walking around the streets you can often find street performers dancing or singing. Usually in the quieter areas of Hong Kong.

This performance caught my eye as it seemed slightly out of place. A troupe of belly dancers swaying with swords in their hands. This seemed to be a warning of “look but don’t touch”.

It just goes to show you never know what is around the corner and it’s not always what you expect.

Having Hot-pot is one of Asia’s favorite pleasures. This is usually a family affair or with a group of friends all seated around a table with a bubbling pot of soup in the middle.

Selections of food are ordered and each person cooks or dangles their own little bite in the soup. Cook times are generally quick.

The soups can be anything from seafood to vegetable and  my own particular favorite spiced. Ingredients are just as mixed, although most are selected to cook quickly. This is no way to boil a turkey.

Leaving behind the towering skyscrapers and congestion of Hong Kong Island and Kowloon and you’ll find another side of Hong Kong. Parks and Mountain walks sprawl across the Special Administrative Region.

These rage from a leisurely Sunday stroll with well maintained paths to something that requires a pair of hiking boots and a bit of fitness.

There are campaigns for more green areas in Hong Kong and rightly there should be. But I suspect many of those shouting the loudest have never been out of sight of a pub.