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Archive for May, 2007

Home and work for over 15 million and one of the three most active business centers on the planet, Hong Kong also offers dozens of things to see and do for tourists. Read the rest of this entry »

Founded as the Kowloon Ferry, the Star Ferry has been transporting passengers from the mainland to Hong Kong Island and back for over a hundred years. Over that time the view has changed, but the romance has not. Read the rest of this entry »

Opened in September, 2005, the Hong Kong Disneyland is the fifth theme park offered by the entertainment company. Located on reclaimed land in Penny’s Bay on Lantau Island, the park is already enjoying huge crowds. Read the rest of this entry »

Hong Kong is a bustling, ultra-modern city with an ancient past. This contrast is captured and displayed to perfection in the Hong Kong Museum of History. By means of dozens of interactive videos and computers, alongside hand-sculpted or carefully selected artifacts, Hong Kong’s long history is shown. Read the rest of this entry »

Hong Kong, like New York is a concrete island. Also like Manhattan, Hong Kong has built a ‘Central Park’ as an oasis in the middle of the bustling metropolis – Kowloon Park. Read the rest of this entry »

Many large cities have skyscrapers that offer a view from the top. Hong Kong, as it so often does, takes a slightly different route and gives visitors Victoria Peak. Read the rest of this entry »

It will surprise many that Hong Kong is not all buildings and streets. Not far from the center of this bustling metropolis is one of the preeminent nature preserves on the planet. Read the rest of this entry »

Along the main thoroughfare in Kowloon stretches Hong Kong’s must-see shopping lane – Nathan Road. Bounded by Boundary Street in the north and Salisbury Road to the south, this hundred fifty year-old section is framed above by neon lights in true Hong Kong style. Read the rest of this entry »

For a slightly quieter shopping experience than Nathan Road head over from Kowloon to Hong Kong Island and visit Stanley Market. Read the rest of this entry »

Unearthed in 1955, the Lei Cheng Uk Han Tomb is a stellar example of a Han Dynasty burial chamber, nearly 2,000 years old. Read the rest of this entry »

Just as Hong Kong is itself an island, just off the mainland from Kowloon, so there are others less well known but equally worth a visit. Lantau Island, which houses the now famous Po Lin Monastery and the Tian Tan Buddha, is the central starting point for visits to these historical treasures. Read the rest of this entry »

Sited atop Lantau Island on the Ngong Ping plateau, lies one of the most frequently visited sights in Hong Kong – the Po Lin Monastery. Read the rest of this entry »

A good contractor earns every dime you pay them, a bad contractor may take every dime you have. Read the rest of this entry »

Choosing a material for your countertops involves considerations of cost, appearance and use. Some are as inexpensive as $10 per square foot, others as high as $100 or more. Which you choose will depend on your taste and budget, as well as how you plan to make use of the surface. Read the rest of this entry »

Apart from possibly the bathroom, kitchens get more traffic from more individuals in most homes than any other room. And, unlike bathrooms, they’re one of the most visible. Make your kitchen functional and beautiful on a budget with these simple ideas. Read the rest of this entry »

Few spaces in the home are as personal, and as practical, as the bathroom. Bathrooms are a place to refresh, re-group and prepare for the coming day. They’re also a place to wind down from a day just past and prepare for bed. Read the rest of this entry »

Modern chemistry has created both friend and challenge. Hand soaps, shaving cream and other concoctions make life a lot more healthy and convenient than it was a hundred years ago. But some traditional problems are still with us: clogs. Read the rest of this entry »

Whether kitchen or bathroom, fixing a sink can be straightforward or it can be a nightmare. Much depends on the condition of the valves and hoses leading to them. Read the rest of this entry »

Few things are as important to most homeowners as the security of his or her home. Fortunately, today there are more options than ever. Here are some tips on how to select one with confidence… Read the rest of this entry »

Laying carpet is often one of those projects where paying a professional is worth the cost. But if you have a simple installation, or really want to save the money, here are some guidelines to follow for a professional looking job. Read the rest of this entry »

As with any remodeling project, the first step – and the hardest – is preparation. Surfaces on which moulding is to be installed need to be clean, dry and smooth. Read the rest of this entry »

Even beginning do-it-yourself’ers will find that installing kitchen cabinets is do-it-yourself-able. With care, the results can be as fine as any professional job. Here are some tips to achieve that goal. Read the rest of this entry »

A riddle: which one of the important ’systems’ of your home has no moving parts and is spread throughout the house? Answer: insulation. Read the rest of this entry »

Thanks to advances in materials science and other techno-wizardry, your lighting design options today are, well, blinding. Any look you want, for any part of the home with any layout is available. Read the rest of this entry »

Installing a tile floor is one of the more difficult home remodeling projects. But with care, it’s within reach of anyone. Read the rest of this entry »

Home heating systems serve a simple purpose. But to achieve it they employ a surprisingly complicated set of components, some of which are prone to failure. Let’s start with the simple and obvious (and cheap!) things first. Read the rest of this entry »

Left alone, cool things warm up from their warmer surroundings. Every air cooling system takes advantage of some very interesting laws of physics to reverse this and make your home temperature lower than the outdoors. Read the rest of this entry »

The average cost for a room addition in the U.S. runs between $50,000 and $65,000. You may want to save that outlay by undertaking the effort yourself. But, be prepared. Read the rest of this entry »

Replacing doors falls into two categories: (1) replacing just the door, (2) replacing the door plus the frame. The first is easy, but the second is within the skill set of the average do-it-yourselfer as well. Here, we’ll cover the first case only. Read the rest of this entry »

If carried out correctly, replacing your screens can be a snap. Be careless and you really will have to replace the whole screen, frame and all. Read the rest of this entry »

It’s easy to read magazines and conclude that your home is a danger to you and your family. But, as anyone can see, people are living longer, healthier lives than ever. Read the rest of this entry »

Fortunately, painting the outside of most homes is easier today than ever. Easier… not easy. When the average cost of a professional paint job runs several thousand dollars (though they do earn it), you may want to tackle it yourself. Read the rest of this entry »

Roof repair can be simple and cheap… or you can wait until the damage spreads and you have a condition only a professional can solve – for hundreds (or thousands) of dollars. Read the rest of this entry »

If you’ve ever installed an outdoor deck and patio and hooked up an indoor dishwasher, you’ve got the skills needed to install your own hot tub. Read the rest of this entry »

Shower installations are tough, no getting around it. Most home remodeling projects require care, but this is one case where even a small error can lead to disaster. Read the rest of this entry »

With the popularity of HDTV sets, the shape and weight requirements (not to mention the price) of stands has changed. If you don’t want to shell out a few hundred dollars for a stand, increasing the TV’s total price by 20% or more, here are a couple of alternatives. Read the rest of this entry »

With only a few dozen deck screws, lag screws, galvanized nails, bolts, joists, posts, braces, flashing, concrete bags, gravel, stain, thinner, drill, level, plumb bob, hammer, measuring tape… you too can build a deck. Read the rest of this entry »

Keeping decks sturdy and looking new is a three step process that can be low cost and require only moderate effort. Read the rest of this entry »

Gardens provide a healthy, relaxing hobby and give beautiful results, enhancing the appearance of any home or business. But they can also be profitable. Read the rest of this entry »

Remodeling your basement presents several challenges, which can all be turned into advantages. Here’s how… Read the rest of this entry »

Named after the Latin word for thief, furonem, Ferrets are among the most popular of household pets today. Like cats, they can be both curious and friendly, and with some effort can be trained. They’re very social animals and prefer to be in groups. Read the rest of this entry »

The history of one of our favorite domestic pets is still awhirl in controversy. Some points are generally agreed on, but much is still shrouded in mystery. Read the rest of this entry »

Choosing a ferret, of course, involves a certain emotional commitment. But there are a few objective factors that you can look at to help you decide. Read the rest of this entry »

Ferrets require more care than cats or dogs. Though they sleep about 18 hours per day, when they’re awake they’re very active. They’re also extremely curious and love to explore. Read the rest of this entry »

Ferrets have very high metabolisms. As a result, unlike dogs, they should have access to food at all times. Their digestive systems work quickly and they will typically process anything they’ve eaten within a few hours. For that, and other aspects, to function properly, they also need lots of water. Read the rest of this entry »

Ferrets are sometimes mistakenly put into the rodent family. But ferrets are mustelids – a member of the weasel family and cousins of otters, minks, badgers and others. The reason the difference is important to know is diet. Read the rest of this entry »

For the sake of your ferret’s safety and your sanity, it pays many times over to take a careful look at your home. Ferrets are active and highly exploratory animals. Read the rest of this entry »

Many people find themselves too busy to devote a lot of attention to their pet ferret. Yet, the ferret enjoys interaction. Apart from non-neutered males, they will generally seek the company of others and want to play and explore. Read the rest of this entry »

Like puppies and kittens, kits (baby ferrets) are very mouthy. They use their teeth to nip and explore. But since they’re so small and sharp, that can be a painful experience. Fortunately, with patience, most ferrets can be trained not to injure a person or another ferret. Read the rest of this entry »

Ferrets are more susceptible to some diseases that dog and cat owners might never have had to deal with. Some are worse than others. Read the rest of this entry »