Hong|NNP Kong|NNP and|CC Its|PRP$ People|NNP 
Exciting|NNP ,|, mysterious|JJ ,|, glamorous|JJ —|NN these|DT words|NNS have|VBP described|VBN Hong|NNP Kong|NNP for|IN at|IN least|JJS a|DT century|NN .|. 
With|IN its|PRP$ vibrant|JJ atmosphere|NN and|CC night-and-day|JJ activity|NN it|PRP is|VBZ an|DT intoxicating|VBG place|NN .|. 
Hong|NNP Kong|NNP is|VBZ crowded|VBN —|NN it|PRP has|VBZ one|CD of|IN the|DT world|NN ’|NN s|VBZ greatest|JJS population|NN densities|NNS .|. 
But|CC it|PRP is|VBZ also|RB efficient|JJ ,|, with|IN one|CD of|IN the|DT best|JJS transportation|NN systems|NNS anywhere|RB ,|, and|CC for|IN such|JJ a|DT crowded|JJ place|NN ,|, quiet|JJ —|NN you|PRP don|VB ’|NN t|NN hear|VB voices|NNS raised|VBD in|IN anger|NN ,|, motorists|NNS sitting|VBG on|IN their|PRP$ horns|NNS ,|, or|CC loud|JJ boomboxes|NNS .|. 
Shopping|NNP never|RB ends|VBZ —|NN there|EX ’|NN s|VBZ always|RB another|DT inviting|VBG spot|NN just|RB down|RP the|DT street|NN .|. 
You|PRP ’ll|MD find|VB Hong|NNP Kong|NNP easy|JJ to|TO get|VB around|RB ,|, the|DT people|NNS helpful|JJ ,|, English|NNP spoken|VBN everywhere|RB ,|, and|CC food|NN that|IN lives|NNS up|IN to|TO its|PRP$ reputation|NN .|. 

On|IN 1|CD July|NNP ,|, 1997|CD the|DT British|NNP Crown|NNP Colony|NNP of|IN Hong|NNP Kong|NNP reverted|VBN to|TO Chinese|JJ sovereignty|NN as|IN a|DT Special|JJ Administrative|NNP Region|NNP of|IN the|DT People|NNS ’|NN s|VBZ Republic|NNP of|IN China|NNP .|. 
Today|NNP Hong|NNP Kong|NNP remains|VBZ a|DT capitalist|JJ enclave|NN with|IN its|PRP$ laws|NNS and|CC rights|NNS intact|JJ ,|, and|CC China|NNP has|VBZ promised|VBN that|IN Hong|NNP Kong|NNP will|MD continue|VB in|IN this|DT fashion|NN for|IN at|IN least|JJS 50|CD years|NNS .|. 
Beijing|NNP ’|NN s|VBZ announced|VBN policy|NN of|IN maintaining|VBG Hong|NNP Kong|NNP ’|NN s|VBZ prosperity|NN and|CC stability|NN makes|VBZ sense|NN .|. 
Hong|NNP Kong|NNP has|VBZ long|RB been|VBN China|NNP ’|NN s|VBZ handiest|NN window|NN on|IN the|DT West|NNP ,|, and|CC the|DT city|NN is|VBZ unrivaled|JJ in|IN its|PRP$ commercial|JJ know-how|NN and|CC managerial|JJ expertise|NN .|. 
Around|IN the|DT time|NN of|IN the|DT transition|NN there|EX was|VBD much|JJ speculation|NN about|IN how|WRB things|NNS would|MD change|VB .|. 
But|CC in|IN fact|NN ,|, once|RB news|NN of|IN the|DT handover|NN vanished|VBN from|IN the|DT front|JJ pages|NNS ,|, the|DT people|NNS of|IN Hong|NNP Kong|NNP returned|VBD to|TO their|PRP$ usual|JJ topics|NNS of|IN conversation|NN :|: the|DT economy|NN and|CC the|DT price|NN of|IN housing|NN .|. 

The|DT impression|NN of|IN the|DT visitor|NN today|NN will|MD be|VB that|IN very|RB little|JJ has|VBZ changed|VBN .|. 
Establishments|NNP are|VBP no|RB longer|RB called|VBN “|NN Royal|NNP ,|, ”|NN Queen|NNP Elizabeth|NNP has|VBZ vanished|VBN from|IN the|DT coinage|NN ,|, and|CC the|DT Union|NNP Jack|NNP has|VBZ been|VBN replaced|VBN by|IN the|DT flag|NN of|IN China|NNP and|CC the|DT new|JJ Hong|NNP Kong|NNP flag|NN with|IN its|PRP$ bauhinia|NN flower|NN .|. 
But|CC in|IN fact|NN ,|, there|EX have|VBP been|VBN changes|NNS ,|, many|JJ of|IN them|PRP due|JJ to|TO economic|JJ progress|NN ,|, new|JJ construction|NN ,|, and|CC other|JJ factors|NNS that|WDT influence|NN cities|NNS all|DT over|IN the|DT world|NN .|. 

Others|NNS are|VBP more|RBR subtle|JJ .|. 
British|JJ social|JJ customs|NNS are|VBP still|RB evident|JJ in|IN the|DT kind|NN of|IN polite|JJ service|NN you|PRP get|VBP in|IN hotels|NNS and|CC in|IN the|DT long|JJ lines|NNS of|IN people|NNS waiting|VBG for|IN buses|NNS at|IN rush|NN hour|NN .|. 
The|DT British|JJ population|NN has|VBZ decreased|VBN ;|: today|NN there|RB are|VBP as|IN many|JJ American|NNP and|CC Australian|JJ ex-pats|JJ as|IN there|EX are|VBP British|JJ .|. 

With|IN a|DT population|NN of|IN nearly|RB eight|CD million|CD and|CC a|DT total|JJ area|NN of|IN just|RB over|IN 1,095|CD square|JJ km|NN (|( 423|CD square|JJ miles|NNS )|) ,|, housing|NN is|NNS one|CD of|IN Hong|NNP Kong|NNP ’|NN s|VBZ perennial|JJ nightmares|NNS .|. 
To|TO alleviate|VB the|DT problem|NN ,|, the|DT government|NN has|VBZ become|VBN the|DT city|NN ’|NN s|VBZ major|JJ landlord|NN with|IN the|DT construction|NN of|IN massive|JJ apartment|NN blocks|NNS that|IN ,|, though|IN they|PRP have|VBP every|DT modern|JJ facility|NN ,|, average|JJ only|RB 9|CD square|JJ m|NN (|( 100|CD square|JJ ft|NN )|) in|IN size|NN .|. 
Whole|JJ cities|NNS have|VBP been|VBN created|VBN in|IN the|DT New|NNP Territories|NNPS ,|, although|IN the|DT unimaginative|JJ architecture|NN of|IN these|DT towns|NNS has|VBZ been|VBN criticized|VBN .|. 

Of|IN Hong|NNP Kong|NNP ’|NN s|VBZ population|NN ,|, 98|CD percent|NN are|VBP Chinese|JJ .|. 
The|DT majority|NN are|VBP Cantonese|NNP ,|, born|VBN in|IN Hong|NNP Kong|NNP ,|, or|CC from|IN South|NNP China|NNP ,|, but|CC there|EX are|VBP immigrants|NNS from|IN all|DT over|IN China|NNP .|. 
The|DT Chinese|JJ people|NNS have|VBP been|VBN described|VBN as|IN hardworking|JJ and|CC pragmatic|JJ ,|, attitudes|NNS that|WDT have|VBP contributed|VBN to|TO Hong|NNP Kong|NNP ’|NN s|VBZ success|NN .|. 
There|EX are|VBP many|JJ stories|NNS of|IN refugees|NNS who|WP arrived|VBD with|IN nothing|NN in|IN their|PRP$ pockets|NNS ,|, set|VBD up|RP a|DT small|JJ sidewalk|NN stall|NN ,|, worked|VBD diligently|RB until|IN they|PRP had|VBD their|PRP$ own|JJ store|NN ,|, and|CC then|RB expanded|VBN it|PRP into|IN a|DT modest|JJ chain|NN .|. 

Old|NNP customs|NNS are|VBP still|RB followed|VBN :|: Fate|NNP and|CC luck|NN are|VBP taken|VBN very|RB seriously|RB ,|, and|CC astrologers|NNS and|CC fortune-tellers|JJ do|VBP a|DT steady|JJ business|NN .|. 
Before|IN a|DT skyscraper|NN can|MD be|VB built|VBN ,|, a|DT feng|NN shui|NN (|( see|VB page|NN 68|CD )|) investigation|NN must|MD take|VB place|NN to|TO ensure|VB that|IN the|DT site|NN and|CC the|DT building|NN will|MD promote|VB health|NN ,|, harmony|NN ,|, and|CC prosperity|NN .|. 
You|PRP ’ll|MD also|RB notice|NN that|DT gambling|NN is|VBZ a|DT passion|NN ,|, whether|IN it|PRP be|VB cards|NNS ,|, mah-jong|JJ ,|, the|DT lottery|NN ,|, or|CC the|DT horses|NNS .|. 
Hong|NNP Kong|NNP has|VBZ two|CD major|JJ racetracks|NNS as|RB well|RB as|IN an|DT intensive|JJ off-track|JJ betting|NN system|NN ,|, and|CC on|IN weekends|NNS the|DT ferries|NNS to|TO Macau|NNP are|VBP crowded|VBN with|IN people|NNS on|IN their|PRP$ way|NN to|TO the|DT casinos|NNS .|. 

Sightseeing|NNP in|IN Hong|NNP Kong|NNP starts|VBZ at|IN sea|NN level|NN with|IN the|DT enthralling|VBG water|NN traffic|NN —|NN a|DT mix|NN of|IN freighters|NNS ,|, ferries|NNS ,|, tugs|NNS ,|, junks|NNS ,|, and|CC yachts|NNS .|. 
Views|NNS of|IN the|DT city|NN and|CC the|DT harbor|NN are|VBP panoramic|JJ .|. 
From|IN Victoria|NNP Peak|NNP ,|, Hong|NNP Kong|NNP ’|NN s|VBZ highest|JJS point|NN ,|, or|CC from|IN skyscrapers|NNS and|CC hotels|NNS ,|, they|PRP are|VBP especially|RB exciting|JJ at|IN night|NN when|WRB the|DT lights|NNS are|VBP on|IN .|. 

The|DT business|NN and|CC financial|JJ center|NN and|CC the|DT signature|NN soaring|VBG architecture|NN are|VBP on|IN Hong|NNP Kong|NNP Island|NNP .|. 
Across|IN Victoria|NNP Harbor|NNP ,|, connected|VBN by|IN ferry|NN and|CC the|DT MTR|NNP rail|NN line|NN ,|, is|VBZ the|DT Kowloon|NNP peninsula|NN with|IN its|PRP$ hotels|NNS ,|, nightlife|NN ,|, and|CC almost|RB non-stop|JJ shopping|NN .|. 
Beyond|IN ,|, in|IN the|DT New|NNP Territories|NNPS ,|, are|VBP a|DT mixture|NN of|IN high-rise|JJ suburban|JJ towns|NNS ,|, ancient|JJ sites|NNS and|CC walled|JJ villages|NNS ,|, country|NN parks|NNS ,|, and|CC farms|NNS with|IN ducks|NNS and|CC fish|NN ponds|NNS .|. 
Hong|NNP Kong|NNP ’|NN s|VBZ other|JJ ,|, less|RBR developed|JJ islands|NNS ,|, Lantau|NNP ,|, Lamma|NNP ,|, and|CC Cheung|NNP Chau|NNP ,|, provide|VB getaways|NNS .|. 
You|PRP can|MD also|RB take|VB a|DT ferry|NN to|TO Macau|NNP to|TO find|VB an|DT entirely|RB different|JJ kind|NN of|IN city|NN ,|, a|DT unique|JJ blend|NN of|IN Chinese|JJ and|CC Iberian|NNP culture|NN .|. 

It|PRP ’s|VBZ anyone|NN ’|NN s|VBZ guess|VBP what|WP may|MD happen|VB in|IN the|DT future|NN ,|, but|CC for|IN now|RB Hong|NNP Kong|NNP bristles|VBZ with|IN energy|NN and|CC ambition|NN ,|, and|CC for|IN the|DT visitor|NN ,|, this|DT beautiful|JJ city|NN with|IN its|PRP$ contrasts|VBZ and|CC variety|NN is|VBZ an|DT exhilarating|JJ experience|NN .|. 

