London in Asia = Hong Kong

Tommy and little Phantom bear welcomed me home to Singapore (to bed)... after a starving 3+ hours flight on Jetstar, only arriving minutes before midnight.

The flight was smooth, service wasn't too bad except that they do not have ENOUGH FOOD onboard. NO HOT MEALS or even SANDWICHES after serving 8 rows before us, I couldn't believe our luck or that they do not carry even enough food for 50% of the capacity (wasn't even a full flight!).

I shall begin my long story about the 4 days 3 nights after I write my thoughts about Hong Kong.

Somehow stepping into Hong Kong reminds me a lot of London city, it wasn't anything in particular but I felt it. Once under the British occupation/colony, I bet that must have been an influence. I have missed a chance to visit back in 2003 when I was supposed to stop-over on my way back to Singapore from London. SARS ruined it. After watching so many HK films and drama serials, those scene of the streets, red cabs and old buildings became alive right in front of me... Only thing that was missing is probably the hooligans or secret society they rumoured to exist in HK.

As I was walking among the streets of Hong Kong... something in my head clicked. Singapore is like Switzerland in Europe, Hong Kong is like London. And then all sorts of reasons surfaced... It is quite funny, but that's how my mind works a lot of the time.

* Dear friends and random readers, what you're going to read below is entirely based on my perception and might not state the facts as it is of today. So just read it for fun but not use it as a judgement of the places or countries.

London & Hong Kong *

• One main common language (Cantonese in HK; English in London)
• Tube similar to MTR (the way it is structured, exits located in buildings)
• Cosmopolitan, however the locals and foreigners are not a good blend together (you can still witness some racism, sikhs being cursed for no reason)
• Cities which has a lot to offer (so much going on and lots to do)
• Both have each a Madame Tussauds (hahaha)
• Lots of big and similar malls (Harrods, Harvey Nicholas, Selfridges in London; Lane Crawford, Sogo, Esprit in HK)
  

via

Zurich & Singapore *

• One common language but most people are bilingual or trilingual (English in both places; with German & French (& Italian) in Switzerland; with Mandarin/Chinese Dialect, Tamil and Malay in Singapore)
• Diversified population, with emphasis on foreign talent/expatriates
• Not the most exciting place to be in (as in not that much to do), but a good place to travel to surrounding countries/areas