Filling up the skyline

Land is very expensive in HK so the only option is to go up... Tall, thin skyscrapers perched vicariously in the wind (typhoons more like). I'm glad we're only on the 13th floor. Something interesting: the number 13 is not considered unlucky in HK. Most Chinese try to avoid the number 4, because 4 sounds the same as “death” (sie) in Cantonese. Character wise, 4 is written as though the sun is being obscured by a cloud, so pictorially, it stands for a cloudy day and bad luck. The Chinese do not like to have a house or a car with the number 4 or a combination like 14 “must die”, 24 “easily dying”, 44 “dying and dead” and 74 “surely dead”. So many buildings will skip floors 4, 14, 24, etc and sometimes 13...

Most of the buildings below are found in Admiralty and Central; orderly, shiny, expensive, spacious office buildings full of bankers, traders, lawyers and the like. Aiden works in Exchange Square (very shiny!). The more choatic, run-down, tiny "Chinese buildings" (ie no lift, questionable kitchens and bathrooms), choc full of locals, are found in Wan Chai, Mongkok, and further out.

Our humble abode of 474sqf is in Ka Yee Court, overlooking a mosque in the aptly named Mosque Street. Despite it's size... it still has a market value of HK$2.6m (only ZAR2.2 or £189.500). Larger apartments, low-rise buildings and the odd free standing home in the popular expat areas of Repulse Bay, Shouson Hill, the Peak, etc can sell for up to HK$340m!! Have a look! www.hongkonghomes.com/hong_kong_property/eng/for_sale/

An article about the cost of living in Hong Kong, if you're interested. http://www.geoexpat.com/about-hong-kong/information/cost-of-living-hong-kong-style/