Limited access to Blogger...check out www.navjot-singh.com

(London, U.K.): It has been a while since I wrote my last piece on this blog. The reason why I have not written anything for such a long time is because I have been based in China, where I don't have direct access to blogger (and even if I use a VPN connection, then more often than not its slow and untrusted).

For those of you who are not aware, in China websites such as Facebook, Twitter, Blogger, YouTube, and anything else the Chinese government deems to be unfit for public use, is blocked.

So for the moment I am blogging on my personal official website (www.navjot-singh.com), which is streamlined to http://www.bloglovin.com/blog/2740336  I will be going back to China (Shanghai and Suzhou) this week, and so I will not be able to use blogger for a very long time. Therefore, please read my blogs on http://www.bloglovin.com/blog/2740336. Thank you!

-Navjot Singh

Glimpses of Guangzhou, China

Guangzhou, the capital city of Guangdong Province in the south eastern region of China, is going to be hosting the 2010 Asian Games in November this year. This will be the first time that China has hosted the games, and the first time that such a large scale sporting global event is going to be witnessed in Guangzhou. The city is known for its rich Cantonese (or Guangdong) culture, delicious Cantonese food (you can eat whatever you like- seriously!), Cantonese Opera and the history that is as old as the grassroots of the north of China. Here are some photos which I have taken on my recent visit earlier this year to this amazing city. Enjoy!

Chance encounter with two talented Singers- one British, and one Dutch!

One is a British mother from the town of Dagenham (Essex), and the other is a former construction worker from Holland. Both are young, hugely talented singers and full of energy, as well as having sheer determination to succeed and prove their critics (if they have any!) wrong. I have to confess, however, that I have only watched X-Factor once when I was in the UK, and I have never watched Popstars. I love all kinds of music from all parts of the world, but these days I seldom have time to watch any television (maybe just on a plane or a hotel when I am travelling). I suppose I can get away with not watching Popstars because that’s more of a mainland European competition. It must take a certain person to stand up and have the courage to sing (and act) in front of millions of people around the world- and to keep them continually entertained.

Despite my great love for all kinds of music from all around the world, I am, to the disappointment of many, no big fan of X-factor. In the few moments I spoke to Stacey Solomon for, who is a proud Jew, I found her to be a very polite and nice person- and I suppose an inspiration for many. It must be very challenging for her to be under all that limelight, while looking after a young child AND studying at the same time. I admire people like that. To go from the rough streets of a town like Dagenham (from my experience, the town is an example of a typical working class area- sorry but its factual information), and rise to fame with such talent takes a certain person, and hats off to this lady for doing that! My Canon 500D was neatly packed away, so I had to do with the IXUS 801S- the photo does have slight grains in it.

On this press trip to Amsterdam, I met with another equally inspirational personality- this one was from mainland Europe. By sheer chance, or call it just pure coincidence, I somehow managed to bump into a large crowd of singers and dancers in the middle of Dam Square, Amsterdam. A few dozen people were standing in a semi circle surrounding a young chap who was singing in Dutch. Clapping their hands in rhythm to his song, the troupe seemed to be part of the Television show, Popstars, which is the European version of Britain’s X-Factor. The young chap singing and dancing in the middle of the crowd was Wesley Klein, the winner of the Popstars competition. I later found out that he has had an amazing transformation in his life too. For someone who worked as a construction worker (builder), nothing could have been more than a distant dream than going onto win the largest singing competition on mainland Europe. He seemed to enjoy every word, every move of the songs he was singing, and the attention he was getting from the crowds. Below are photos of both of these remarkable people.

British X-Factor Finalist, Stacey Solomon: Copyright Navjot Singh

Popstars winner, Dutchman Wesley Klein: Copyright Navjot Singh

The Dancing Dutchman! Wesley Klein: Copyright Navjot Singh

Stunning photos of Niagara Falls

Life is beautiful...and amazing
-Navjot Singh



Please click on the title of this blog to see the photos in the UK Daily Telegraph. Because of copyright issues, I am not going to publish the photos directly onto my website or this blog. They are part of a set of 16 photos I took.

A very British education in CHINA

Article published in the UK Telegraph Newspaper. Please click below to read the article.
-Navjot Singh

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/expateducation/7308622/Dulwich-College-goes-to-China.html

An evening with Michael Wood

British Historian Michael Wood: Copyright Navjot Singh

Just two days ago the Nehru Centre hosted a talk by one of the greatest travellers of our time, Michael Palin. Yesterday the Nehru Centre was yet again, privileged to be the venue for a talk given by another great figure from the world of British broadcasting, Michael Wood, the British historian and broadcaster. In this lavishly illustrated talk Michael Wood looked back over 25 years of his travels to South India (namely places such as Tanjore, and other places of historical significance). Mr. Wood's fascinating talk had a packed audience, among which some distinguished guests included Dr. John Marr (Hon. Gen. Secretary of the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, and a Padma Shri- one of India's highest award's), Mrs Wendy Marr (Dr. Marr's wife and a prolific writer on Indian Art History), and some distinguished guests from the Indian High Commission in London.


During his lavishly illustrated talk, Mr. Wood suggested that Dravidian India was the world's last surviving classical civilisations. One thing I really admired was his passion for Indian culture, art and of course, history. He explained that what really inspired him to get so deeply involved into Indian culture was not derived from his background in academia, but rather more the fact that he grew up in a typical northern English (dull maybe a better word!) town which did not possess much of an excitement for someone who had progressed onto Oxford to study History! Mr. Wood went on to explain in his talk that even at Oxford, in those days, Indian history was not taught- so both of these reasons inspired him to go and explore this amazing part of the country.

The talk contained a variety of intensely evocative images of landscapes and sacred places, of great temples and tiny rural shrines, stone and bronze sculptures of unrivalled beauty, along with still vital living traditions, celebrations and pilgrimages. Then in the middle of the talk Mr. Wood had two fascinating pictures of an ancient temple's archaeological site taken from a Vayadoot Airways plane. He somehow managed to persuade the Captain (bearing in mind the plane has passengers) to fly over the ancient site at low altitude. The talk did have a more serious thought behind it- it was run in association with "The Gopalapuram Educational Society", which runs 4 schools providing free education for less privileged children in Chennai. So it was all for good causes.

Padma Shri Dr. John Marr: Copyright Navjot Singh

Dr. John Marr, who speaks much better Hindi than I (and speaks, and sings fluently in Tamil- a language of which I have very limited knowledge), gave some words of advice to the audience that derived from his own experiences. The brilliance of Michael Wood's style is such that he actually makes you feel as if you are in South India. For someone like myself, who has only been to India twice in his entire life (despite being born there), and that also only to a tiny part of the country, it was rather embarrassing because I cannot speak the language, and one day I would love to go and explore this part of the world. I am, however, much more intrigued to explore the roots of my heritage, which lie in Rajasthan (Somewhere around Ajmer and Jodhpur)!

Guests listening to Michael Wood give his speech: Copyright Navjot Singh

Many thanks to the Nehru Centre, Dr. John Marr and Mr. Michael Wood for the invitation and the talk. More photos are available at http://www.navjot-singh.com/

Experience Frankfurt- City of museums and cultural contrasts

MyZeil Street: Copyright Navjot Singh

I had the pleasure of going to Frankfurt on the kind invitation of the Frankfurt Tourism Board. This was my first time to Germany. What are my initial thoughts? Anyone can say that they like a place or they love the food, but one of the sweetest things I noticed in Germany is the kindness and friendliness of the Germany people. German people are the friendliest and nicest people I have met so far on my travels. I mean this from my heart and not just saying this because I was on a press trip. There are so many examples to choose from. One was in a cafe in downtown Frankfurt. I got my meal and drink, but could not find a seat to dine at- as almost all the seats were full and the two that were empty, were actually reserved. I was surprised to say that not one but at least four people (at four different tables) offered me to sit next to them at their table. In UK or other European countries (or even in Asia) that I have been to normally you may get the odd nice person offering a complete stranger to share the table with them. But in Germany I noticed that this is not just one person but almost everyone is naturally friendly towards strangers. I did not have any badge or the slightest hint that I may be an official photographer or journalist (well, it was obvious that I at least looked like a tourist with a camera!). Even if one is somewhat lost and asks someone for directions, then people will direct you in the correct way- they will take time to even walk with you towards the correct path until you are sure you know where you are heading to. In some other parts of the world, I found that people just maybe do not have the time, or because in bigger cities such as Paris and London, people are too wary of approaching strangers. It’s always that case of "if he gets in trouble, I don’t want to be dragged into it too", and so on. But am I being too favourable to Frankfurters? Certainly not, it’s the truth and straightforward viewpoint. Although maybe this is because of the internationalism of the city- around 60 percent of the inhabitants are from outside of Germany- mostly students and business people alike. This tends to provide an exciting mix of the old and new, as well as the glamorous and un-glamorous. There is also the certain contrast of being in a part of the city that feels like a village as opposed to another part that feels like a seriously active metropolis. The suburbs are not too far out, walk for around 30 minutes in one direction outside of the CBD (Central Business District) and you will come across parts of the city which are remarkably silent.

Want some German Snacks? Copyright Navjot Singh

Apart from the friendly people, I found Frankfurt to be a much smaller place than I had imagined. It’s nicknamed the “Mainhattan” in regards to its resemblance to Manhattan, although on a much smaller scale- which is without a doubt quite sweet. It is after all a global financial hub, and so with 500 of the world’s banks’ firmly located in the city it does sound like a very giant city (in terms of importance it is), whereas in actual fact you can easily walk from one side of the city centre to the other in around 40 minutes (or less if you walk fast).

London or Frankfurt? Copyright Navjot Singh

Frankfurt airport forms a vital part of the city and Frankfurters are very much proud of their airport for quite a number of reasons. Two of the main reasons are that it is the largest single employer in the whole of Germany with over 70,000 people contributing to its existence and growth, and the secondly that Frankfurt is the hub for many of the world’s airlines- both passenger and cargo. For many American and Asian carriers, Frankfurt is a second hub away from their homebase. Before the collapse of Pan Am airways in the early 1990s, Frankfurt was their man European base, and nowadays Air India has its base at Frankfurt airport too.

A "Beer Bike" in Frankfurt: Copyright Navjot Singh

I found Frankfurt to be quite an old fashioned, laid back city, very much similar to, say, Geneva (although on a much larger scale).It is also dubbed the city of museums, and it’s not hard to find out why because they are everywhere! Schaumainkai is famous for some of the most renowned museums in the whole of Germany. The street lies on the banks of the river Main, with a fascinating view across to the metropolis on the other side, and is home to 13 museums. Frankfurt has a rich Jewish history, and the roots of many Jewish people around the world actually derive from the very roads which I had the chance to walk upon. Jewish history forms the vital essence to the existence of the vast majority of the museums in Frankfurt, which are a perfect model for preserving culture and heritage. Some of the renowned museums include:

Wired Sheep greet visitors at the Communications Museum: Copyright Navjot Singh

The Communications Museum, which showcases the rich history of Telecommunication in Germany, right from the beginnings, can make any young explorer turn into a kid in a candy shop. Rather interestingly you’ll be greeted by a flock of sheep made up from nothing but long telephone wires and telephone headsets- not really sure what to say on that one except that its interesting. You’ll need around one to two hours to fully enjoy the displays.

It's all posh at the MD Bar: Copyright Navjot Singh

Founded in 1979, the German Architecture Museum (http://www.dam-online.com/), which is just a couple of doors down the road, is also a fascinating place to while away your time. It’s the only museum of its kind in Europe that displays such exquisite artefacts of significance.

The Stadel (http://www.staedelmuseum.de/), which is situated directly on the bank of the river Main (like most of the other museums), is known to be one of the oldest and most significant museum foundations in Germany. Here you will be greeted to art collections that span a total of seven centuries. Allow around 1 to two hours to enjoy the full ambience of the place.

Sight-seeing Frankfurt style: Copyright Navjot Singh

Frankfurters are also very proud of Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe (28 August 1749 – 22 March 1832), the great Poet, Artist, Musician...and quite essentially a jack of all trades, and a master of all too! He had quite an influence on many people with responsibility and with that charm and influence he gained many people’s respect. Goethe was one of the key figures of German literature and the movement of Weimar Classicism in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. If I am honest, in actual fact in my younger years I, like many other younger people (i.e. teenagers etc.), used to find art and classical music rather boring and almost meaningless really. Effectively, yes, museums can be rather boring, but the main turning point for me to make them interesting was my love for photography- pictures can make even the most unattractive article look pleasing.

A must visit place is the Goethe House in the old part of Frankfurt (http://www.goethehaus-frankfurt.de/), which until 1795 was the residence of the Goethe family. Everything inside including the furniture, the utensils’, the artworks (most of them by Goethe himself), and the furnishings are preserved immaculately. He spent much of his early years here, and many artifacts in the home are in relation to his lavish childhood.

Recommended Restaurants/Cafes:

German cuisine is a stark contrast of two...the sweet (very sweet!) and sour (or spicy to be extent) - one may even go ahead and say that this can be classed essentially as healthy and non-healthy. In almost every cafe, restaurant and bar you go to, you’ll be greeted by a myriad of richly decorated fancy cakes and deserts, as well as drinks (German Beer is like no other- and the glasses are huge to!). Then there is a healthy part of the food which contains lots of fresh salad, lentils and vegetables. I guess the genuine idea is to have a full bowl of something very healthy and then polish it all up with a plate of your favourite Apple or Rhubarb crumble.

For traditional German cuisine (Including Apple Wine) it has to be the Zum Gemaltenhaus at Schweizer Str. 67 (http://www.zumgemaltenhaus.com/)

For a traditional German cafe, then go to the Cafe Hauptwache (http://www.cfe-hauptwache.de/) or Cafe Liebfrauenberg at Liebfrauenberg 24.

For a Japanese meal, head to the Aiso Restaurant (aiso.asiagourmet.de) at the MyZeil Shopping Centre in downtown Frankfurt.

For breakfast, I would highly recommend Cafe Wacker (http://www.wackers-kaffee.de/) . It’s one of the oldest cafes in Frankfurt, although operating since 1914, the cafe was originally thought t o have been the place where one of the oldest sons of Frankfurt, J.W. Von Goethe, was rumoured to have bought milk everyday! Why not try a homemade carrot cake with some freshly made coffee? The staff members speak English and German. The prices are reasonable.

Where I stayed?

Steigenberger Frankfurter Hof*****
Am Kaiserplatz
60311 Frankfurt am Main
Deutschland
Tel: +49 69 215-02
Fax: +49 69 215-900
Website: http://www.steigenberger.com/Frankfurt

How I got there?

Lufthansa German Airlines http://www.lufthansa.com/ from London Heathrow to Frankfurt Main.

How I got around the city?

The Frankfurt Card is a useful way to explore Frankfurt. It can be purchased from any metro station, at the airport or even at most convenience stores dotted around the city.

More photos are available at http://www.navjot-singh.com/

An evening with Michael Palin...around India in 25 years

Mr. Michael Palin CBE: Copyright Navjot Singh

Having just made it back to the UK after a short and hectic press trip to Frankfurt (Article to follow in due course!), I did not have much time to relax. So far, this week has been ridiculously busy, with my sponsors, Lufthansa German Airlines, going on strike during my press trip, which meant me being very lucky to have made it back to London (thanks to British Airways!) in time so that I can get on with other important things to do. The weather had been miserable all day (nothing new here!), and in any case I headed for the Nehru Centre in London, an organisation which fosters better understanding and relationship between India and the United Kingdom. It is a key cultural wing of the High Commission of India in the United Kingdom. The Nehru Centre has been the host to many renowned influential people, from both India and the United Kingdom. Indian and British Cinema Actors, famous Writers, Musicians and other influential people have held performances and key note speeches here. Tonight, the Nehru Centre was host to one of the most influential British Actor, Writer and Comedian in our times, Mr. Michael Palin CBE. He is also the President of the Royal Geographical Society. The event was by invitation only.

Michael Palin firmly established his reputation with the well acclaimed comedy, Monty Python’s Flying Circus, where he worked with Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle and Terry Jones. He made a household name for himself by writing books' to accompany his seven very successful BBC travel series- of which the most famous is "Around the world in 80 Days". He is also the author of the play The Weekend and the novel Hemingway’s Chair. In 2006 the first volume of his diaries, 1969-1979: The Python Years, spent many weeks on the bestseller lists and in September 2009 the second volume 1980 -1988 Halfway to Hollywood was published. I grew up in the 1980s watching programs such as Monty Python, and especially "Around the world in 80 days". If I am honest, it was Michael Palin that inspired me to get into travel writing- I used to look forward to watching his travel series in the 1980s- he brought the sights and smells of places like India, China, Dubai to people’s homes when worldwide travel was not as accessible as it is in today's day in age. People used to talk about “The World in 80 Days show”, and no one took a trip to, say, Hong Kong or Singapore for granted as they do nowadays. For British food, it has to be Keith Floyd, and for travelling, it goes without saying that Michael Palin set the trend for global trotting. In actual fact, if I ever get the chance, I would love to go around the world in 80 days. Not for travel writing (because, of course, that’s already been done!), but just to see what's like, and to experience the thrill of travelling around the world in such a hectic way.

But for now, above all else I could not resist the temptation to take a freshly bought paperback copy of "Around the World in 80 Days" for Mr. Palin to sign for me. The audience included Baroness Shreela Flather and His Excellency the Indian High Commissioner to the U.K., Mr. Nalin Surie.



Mr. Palin commenced his talk to the fully packed theatre by describing his first visit to India in 1982 with his friend, and Monty Python colleague, Terry Gilliam. With the assistance of photographs which he and his photographer, Basil Pao Ho-Yun, took on their journeys across India right from landing in Delhi in the north, to Mumbai to the west and Kolkota in the east. In typical Michael Palin style, there were some moments of comedy thrown in too, much to the delight of the audience. Some of the experiences shared by Mr. Palin included his passion for meeting the natives in the villages around India (and how friendly they are compared to your average resident in, say, Beverly Hills!), watching a rare football match between a village team from India and one from Burma, trying the hottest curry on the planet, and giving a fully fledged bath to a giant Elephant (the Elephant enjoyed having his nose rubbed).

One very peculiar incident he recalled was watching ladies fishing in a village in north-eastern India, and then placing the live fish in between their blouses...rather strange. He also shared the touching story of meeting some of the original crew members of the dhow on which he went from Dubai to Mumbai (or Bombay as it was known when “Around the world in 80 days” was filmed more than twenty years ago)

Here are some Questions and Answers with Michael Palin (MP) (not all are included, and not all questions were asked by me):



Q (Navjot Singh): Sir, in the 1980s and 1990s, when you did your travelling, there were no websites and hardly many travel books or forums where the average person on the street can write their travel story, and give their opinions. You set the trend for world travel. But with so many websites, such as Flickr, Trip Advisor etc., and personal forums these days, plus the fact that almost everyone has a high resolution digital camera these days, what are your thoughts about the fact that literally anyone become a travel writer or photographer?

MP: Yes, a valid question. It’s always good to comment on a place that one has been to provided that particular comment is not just a copied description from a brochure or a displaced comment that is too critical which will simply put people off. My thoughts are that it’s a good thing to have different opinions on various destinations and in actual fact the more the better- provided they are different to each other.

Q: What next for Michael Palin?

MP: For the moment I am very happy to spend time to watch my two grandchildren grow up! I am writing a novel at the moment, which is set in a place similar to India- actually I may just set it in India now. I am thinking of doing one more trip to one or two places I have not been to, but that’s still under consideration. For the time being I am also very busy with the Royal Geographical Society, and so am based in London because of that.

Q: What’s the hottest food you have had on your travels?

MP: Ahh...yes, it was a really scrumptious looking dish on one of my trips to Mumbai- dare I say that it did not have a very promising effect on my stomach!

Yesterday was a memorable day for those of us who were fortunate enough to share a few rare free moments with this very generous, very kind and great man. He knows how to travel well and he is able to convey that in a very genius manner. Many thanks to the staff at the Nehru Centre and Transindus for arranging this visit.

The Sichuan Art Troupe tours around the UK for the Chinese New Year celebration!

To mark the beginning of the Year of the Tiger, and as part of the Chinese New Year celebrations, the renowned Sichuan Art Group is touring the UK for a few special (and rare) shows. The performance group is touring from the 12th of February until the 22nd of February to showcase the “The joyful Spring Festival” performance. The group consists of 26 actors; most of whom are natives and ethnic minority people from Sichuan Province - the home of the Panda, and the scene of a large earthquake in the spring of 2008. Their breathtaking performances are all aimed at introducing Sichuan culture to western audiences through music, song and dance. With a total of 16 programs in the UK, the performances’ will focus mainly on native Sichuan dance, folk songs, human sized puppets and extravagant acrobatics which Chinese performers are quite well known for. The cities being toured are as follows: Belfast, Edinburgh, Sheffield, London Greenwich (18, 19), and the Westfield Shopping centre in London (20th). I was provided a special preview by the Chinese Tourism Authority. Below are the photos:

 

Copyright Navjot Singh

 

Copyright Navjot Singh

 

Copyright thanks to the China Ministry of Tourism

Top 10 Tips for doing business in China

With so many books, websites and guides on how an individual can manage themselves when conducting business activities in China, it can be a daunting process for a person interested in doing business with China who is not familiar with the country and its business ethics. It goes without saying that doing business in China is not easy for any foreign company or person irrespective of how long they have lived, worked or had some sort of connection with China. It may be just that little bit smoother if you have a Chinese business partner (person or company), however if you are going to go and try to set up a base for your company all by yourself, then you are, I am sorry to say, going to drown yourself into deep waters. Having been there, and done that myself, here are some tips I would like to share. To the seasoned China business minded person, these tips may seem like all "sold out" stuff. However, they do, of course, take into account that I have had experience of working for a Chinese company in China, as well as working for a foreign company in China. Two very different corporate cultures operating within an embedded common Chinese environment- it sounds like an experiment at a large scale but in actual fact the beauty of it all is that it does work (IF good corporate advice is followed).:


1. DO BACKGROUND CHECKS: If you are going to employ foreign individuals into your company in China, especially if they are senior executives who would be responsible for making day to day decisions, then I would strongly recommend that detailed background checks are carried out. This would, of course, apply also to Chinese nationals being employed. There are many companies specialising in these services. You can contact your local Chamber of Commerce or search on the internet.

2. KNOW THE CORPORATE LAW IN CHINA: Be very careful when treading your shoes into issues such as Import and Export Tax Laws. Select a reliable and known law firm that can guide you in the correct way. Corporate laws are different in China. With common sense any company will investigate this first before making their moves. I have come across some expats who believe that because they are foreigners, so they will get some special VIP treatment and can “get away” with some laws (such as import/export Tax). Well, this is not true at all; in fact the corporate laws in China are stricter than most other countries.

3. PROTECT YOUR IP: In China, you would be amazed at the number of fake and copied goods that are openly available on the consumer and corporate market. Ranging from your “Iron Bru drink” to even manufactured Chicken Eggs, ANYTHING can be produced by those who wrongly believe they can outclass the Chinese law. Unsurprisingly, Intellectual Property is the most sought after advice topic by foreigners thinking of investing in China’s booming economy. Sincere advice would be to use the same due diligence you would outside of China.

4. AVOID ARGUEING: It would not be a nice idea if you decide to argue or force your Chinese counterparts to come to agreements with you. Negotiation is not a smooth process in China. If the two sides do not agree, then it’s common for Chinese business officials to just go quiet and maybe not even respond to questions at all. Your best approach is to go in the meeting with not aiming to make a deal- otherwise you will become frustrated easily. Explain your position in clear, concise words. Be Respectful and state your points by the book. Then be prepared to walk off if your conditions are not met.

5. AVOID REJECTING THE CULTURE: Many foreign business people ask me what are the wrongs and right of business etiquette in China. The most important thing I would say is to respect face. Never quarrel or voice a difference of opinion with anyone- even a member of your own team. Never make the other person wrong. It is common for people to answer the phone or talk amongst themselves loudly in a meeting. Never say "no" directly, as that is considered impolite and superior. It makes sense to educate individuals the cross-cultural factors that have a direct impact on your Return on Investment (ROI).

6. BE ACCURATE: Avoid making assumptions or hoping that YOUR personal judgements will make you stand out amongst others in meetings or presentations. Logistics and facts are the core ingredients of any successful business in China. Not taking this into account can be very dangerous because if your facts are not validated then you will end up losing your credibility, and your audience will lose trust in you. In the west mistakes are somewhat accepted to a certain extent, but in China a single mistake is enough to kill trust. Once trust is lost, it’s very difficult to get it back in China.

7. AVOID SARCASM: When you are having a business meal or in a break between meetings, then sharing a light joke is perfectly acceptable, provided you don’t start talking about anything political or anything which may involve sarcasm. People will not understand western humour (especially British Humour!), and your intended sarcastic joke may be taken as offensive or completely misunderstood. In some circumstances, the consequence of this may lead to the difference between wining and losing a negotiation.

8. NETWORKING: We all know that globally in the business culture keeping rapport with like minded individuals can make the difference between a win-win and a loss situation. In China this networking goes just that extra mile. Networking is a lifestyle in China that extends beyond the boardroom. Making your client feel special and treating them to dinner or any other entertainment, such as, say for example, a day at the Golf Club, even before setting up a formal meeting would be a very good idea. Concentrate on building the relationship before talking business. Most certainly never undervalue the significance of existing connections.

9. SENSE & SIMPLICITY: When making presentations to Chinese clients or colleagues, speak slowly, clearly and concisely. Make your presentations simple and easy to follow, almost like an “Idiot’s guide to so and so” but without making the audience feel as if they are idiots. Avoid telling jokes and avoid making the Chinese audience look as if they do not know anything. People may be quiet or may not pay much attention to a presentation, but they do understand and are willing to take part if given the chance.

10. RESEARCH: Before heading to your new market, do as much detailed research as possible. There is a whole range of advice provided by Chamber of Commerce’s, Embassies, your country’s Trade & Industry organisation (UK, USA etc), expatriate website blogs as well as sound advice from other corporate professionals who have lived and worked in China.

A crude example may be taken into account, such as, if a person who has lived in, say, Canada, for 25 years and managed his business the Canadian way. Then one day as he comes to open a new branch in China- apart from the normal culture shock in all aspects of life, you can imagine the immediate corporate culture shock he will also experience. Above all else, common sense should prevail and more importantly the above ten tips may be applied anywhere in the world, however, in China they have a special significance because the culture (both outside and inside the corporate world), language and laws are different.

Hong Kong by night

No other city in the world can quite match with the excitment and the beauty of the nightlife that is portraited by Hong Kong. There is so much happening, everyday, 24 hours a day and 7 days a week. The most happening parts of this Special Administrative Region (SAR) include Tsim Sha Tusi, Jordan, Lan Kawi Fong, Central, Wanchai and (to a lesser extent North Point). I would like to share some photos of nightlife in Hong Kong. Enjoy! More photos can be found on my official website: http://www.navjot-singh.com/

TWO IFC Tower glimmers in the night sky: Photo Copyright Navjot Singh

Night view of the Victoria Harbour: Copyright Navjot Singh

Hong Kong Tram: Copyright Navjot Singh

Celebrating 100 years of the tram in Hong Kong (2010): Copyright Navjot Singh

The Peak Tower at night: Copyright Navjot Singh

Tall glass dominates the night skyline: Copyright Navjot Singh

Alone cyclist: Copyright Navjot Singh

The most beautiful view in the world: Copyright Navjot Singh

Xiaozhou Village- an escape into the old China!

Copyright Navjot Singh

I had heard about Xiaozhou, a small village on the outskirts of Guangzhou city in Southern China, as being a popular re-treat for artists and poets. I was told that its quite, beautiful and clean. However, I am sorry to say, but I was rather disappointed when I finally got there. It was quite and beautiful- but certainly not clean (especially the river which seems never to have been cleaned- and gives off a horrible stench). The tourist map in my Hotel (The China Hotel by Marriott in Guangzhou) recommends its guests to visit this village, provided they have seen all the other tourist attractions in the city.

Xiaozhou Village features classical Cantonese community landscapes by water, including canals, well-kept ancient buildings, bridges and local folkways. The only major disappointment with Xiaozhou is that the river is not clean and gives off a horrible stench. So if someone comes to Xiaozhou in search of a beautiful river, they will be let down. Other than this, it is worth visiting.


Don’t get me wrong- Xiaozhou Village is not a museum, or an official tourist attraction, but people actually live there. Most of the residents are elderly folk who have maintained their ways of living for centuries. It’s almost as if time has stopped in Xiaozhou. While the rest of Guangzhou has moved on at a rapid pace, life in Xiaozhou is slow, and has a somewhat routine to it. Xiaozhou is a small and close-knit community. Everyone knows each other, and gossip travels fast amongst the old folk. Being a small and quite village also means that you can hear people arguing or shouting in another part of the neighbourhood. For example you may be in one part of the village and can still here someone practicing Cantonese Opera loudly in another household!! If you ever want to taste what living in China must have been like, say, in the 1980s, then take a short trip to Xiaozhou!

I took Line 3 Metro to Kecun station, and then bus 252 to Xiaozhou (it is 11 stops to Xiaozhou Village from Kecun, and costs 2RMB). The hour long bus journey from Kecun station to Xiaozhou village snakes its way between some of the most deprived areas of Guangzhou. Most people who got onto the bus at some of the stops on the way would look at me in curiosity as they most probably have never come across a non-Chinese person before. It just makes you wonder about the stark contrast between the high rise life of the city centre and the village life on the outskirts, where a family of four can survive on a salary of around 200RMB a month (compare this with a average monthly salary of around 4000RMB for a white collar worker).

Copyright Navjot Singh

Copyright Navjot Singh

Copyright Navjot Singh

Copyright Navjot Singh

Copyright Navjot Singh

Remembering Kai Tak Airport- Hong Kong

Standing at the entrance to Runway 13: Copyright Navjot Singh

Even today, after 14 years, I feel very disappointed not to have had the chance to land at Hong Kong’s former International airport, known as Kai Tak Airport, which closed down in 1996. As a young child growing up in London, and who was so much into aeroplanes and flying, I always wanted to go aircraft spotting at Kai Tak airport in Hong Kong. For me it was a dream destination. Sadly I never got to see the place in action as I first came to Hong Kong in 2001. However, recently last year, I was fortunate enough to go and visit the site of the old airport, and see how much of the area has changed. Of course, since I was not there when the place was active, so I could only assume from historical photos and videos of what the place must have been like then. I had also arranged to meet up with Peter Chiu, the manager of the Regal Oriental Hotel, which is situated opposite the former airport- offering its guests panoramic views of the harbour and the former airport site. The hotel used to be a popular choice for airline crews.

Copyright Navjot Singh

Kai Tak Airport was well renowned worldwide for its dare devil final approach into the airport’s only runway, which stretched out 2 miles into Hong Kong Harbour. When the Kowloon City side of the runway was in use (used to be known as Runway 13, due to its heading of 130 degrees), aircraft on final approach used to commence their descent into Hong Kong over Macau, then head towards either the southern part of Lantau Island (the location for the current airport, Chep Lap Kok), or fly over Hong Kong Island, and make their way over Kowloon (going over Jordan and Hung Hom); and then at around 700 feet the planes used to aim for a checkerboard on one of the hills facing Kowloon (a navigation point consisting of a small “hut” which was decorated in a red and white chessboard like pattern), and make a sharp 47 degree right hand turn over Kowloon city onto the final approach towards Runway 13. The runway was used as a venue for Celine Dion's January 25, 1999 concert on her “Let's Talk About Love” Tour. Between December 2003 and January 2004, the passenger terminal was demolished.

Sitting in the restaurant on the top floor of the Regal Oriental Hotel one does get a feeling of what the place must have been like- buzzing with activity and noise all around. You could almost imagine the exciting for onlookers must have been like to watch a, say 747-400 fly right over the hotel and land on the runway in the distance. Peter told me that even those hotel guests who had no interest in planes, would come to the restaurant just to catch a glimpse of the airport site, and even more so at night because of the beautiful runway lights. Peter further explained to me that everything in the area of Kowloon City is just the same as it was when the airport was operational- everything, that is except, of course, the airport and the planes.

The local government has built a Cricket pitch at the stop where the threshold to the runway used to be! While I was there taking photos, there was a cricket match being played by a local college team. I am sure some of the players must have been born after the airport closed. As one of the youngsters ran up at speed to bowl, it looked like a stark contrast that 14 years ago on the same piece of land many planes ran down the same way, but, alas, not to bowl, but to fly away around the world’s cities! Some of the runway and taxiway markings are still there, the road leading to the airport tunnel is still there, complete with the directional signpost saying: “Airport Tunnel”, but sadly there is no airport and the tunnel leads to a dead end; then there is that famous bridge which connected the airport terminal to the Kowloon City shopping mall- the bridge is still there, but it’s not connected to anything. Quite possibly the saddest part of it all is that the checker board is also still present on the hill overlooking Kowloon City.

Shop in Kowloon City: Copyright Navjot Singh 

The Checkerboard (格仔山 for Kai Tak Runway 13 IGS Approach ) at Lok Fu Park in Kowloon. The paint of the famous Checkerboard is peeling off: Photo Copyright Navjot Singh

Kowloon area with Kai Tak's old runway 13 in the background (blocked by the yellow building in the centre) as seen from the Checkerboard ( 格仔山). A sorry sight for budding aviation enthusiasts. Photo Copyright Navjot Singh

Paint can be seen peeling off the famous Checkerboard (格仔山) at Lok Fu Park (Kowloon): Photo Copyright Navjot Singh

Hong Kong as seen from the Checkerboard (格仔山) at Lok Fu Park in Kowloon: Photo Copyright Navjot Singh

A close up image of the old Kai Tak airport as seen from the famous Checkerboard hill (格仔山) at Lok Fu Park in Kowloon: Photo Copyright Navjot Singh

The Hong Kong government’s plan to build a terminal for luxury liners, and a large shopping centre is well in progress. There are also quite a lot of new high rise property being built right around the harbor and the old runway. Like the old saying goes that all good things come to an end- and even though Kai Tak has come to an end, it’s legacy still continues for aviation enthusiasts around the world.

A Cathay Pacific Airways 747 going past the Kai Tak Checkerboard (格仔山): File photo (not taken by Navjot Singh).

Cathay 747 taking off at the new Chep Lap Kok Airport: Photo Copyright Navjot Singh