Steve's Blog- Nankai University & Interesting Food

05/21/2012

Today was very interesting.  Not only did I have the opportunity of visiting the Nankai University, which is the number one Service Management University in China, but I also tried some dishes that I never thought I would eat.  We sat down for lunch and our waiter poured Green Tea in our glasses and offered us Coca cola. All seemed normal until the food arrived.  Our meal-included dishes such as goose, pig ears, frozen tofu, three-cup chicken, and my favorite the eggplant.  I have always hated eggplant, but for some reason I loved the way the restaurant prepared the dish.  After an exquisite lunch, we made our way to the classroom, where Dean Mihalik gave a very interesting lecture on the 2002 Utah Olympics.  He discussed how tourism has flourished incidentally from certain areas constructed near the arena such as the aerial practice jump, the zip line, and the training center located at the top of the mountain where a restaurant could be developed.  Finally, our class discussed topics regarding destination marketing, the role of service management, and the misconnections of higher education among Chinese and American higher education with the graduate students that attend the University.  They were very interesting individuals with a lot of knowledge.  They had trouble understanding my English and just laughed at me.  Overall, it was a great experience and I really enjoyed my conversations with the Asian graduate students.

Steve Cerasaro

Karen Irene Thal - Falling rain and spiraling incense

Having the day to explore, I opted to visit the Man Mo Temple.  We had just completed a few days of tightly orchestrated schedules at more distant locations, none of which allowed for the exploration of our immediate surroundings.  Located on Hong Kong Island as is our hotel, this particular excursion suggested a leisurely stroll through the neighborhood.  According to the brochure, the temple is described as an “ideal place to wish for health and good fortune” a double dip of luck which also seemed an efficient use of time.  

The hotel concierge informed me that all I needed to do to reach the temple was take a right and follow the main road running parallel to the hotel for a few blocks, then take the second road to the left and follow that one ‘all the way up’.  I asked if he could provide me with the name of the road where I should turn, to which he repeated his directions (including snaking hand gesture to suggest an upward climb) verbatim.  I thanked him and left.  This couldn’t possibly be too hard.  

Three hours on I was yet to find any one of the streets surrounding the temple as listed on the tiny map that the brochure provided, despite having retraced my steps or having turned down a succession of streets that snaked upward relative to our hotel. Having arrived towards the top of a rather steep hill, I tried to get directions from locals but no-one, in sharp contrast to the overly confident Concierge, appeared to have the foggiest idea of where the temple was located. To top things off, a light morning drizzly had developed into a torrential downpour.  Soaked but determined, I returned to the hotel where another member of the Concierge staff called a cab that whisked me, in the very opposite direction from where I had been walking to the temple proper.  These hassles now behind me, the interior of the temple was striking with coiled incense rings mounted from the ceiling, disgruntled looking gods behind alters filled with fruit offerings and oil lamps and in some cases, locals making supplications.  The surrounding area was also well worth exploring.  Less Western style shops, these winding streets were littered with shops whose mounted billboards overhung and crisscrossed the narrow streets and lined the narrow sidewalks themselves with strange and unusual kinds of dry and bulk foods and all manner of objects worth stopping to consider.  I collected a few souvenirs on the way back down the hill and hopped on the trolley that runs the length of the island back to the hotel. 

Megan Tone - May 25th

Yesterday we visited the 11th Asia Pacific Forum for Graduate Students Research in Tourism International Convention and Expo Summit 2012.  There were a lot of really interesting speakers from all across Asia and the Pacific.  It was very interesting.  The most exciting part was the gala dinner at the end.  We were served course after course of delicious dishes!  From shark's fin soup to fish to noodles to rice, there was never a moment to be hungry!  There were also several performances by student groups.  It was a very exciting night and everyone had a lot of fun.

Today we visited Macau.  We arrived by ferry in the morning and were greeted by staff from the university.  After speaking with the students and having lunch we were given a tour of the campus, followed by a tour of the city.  Macau really is an amazing city!  The mix of cultures is so interesting.  Macau was settled by the Portuguese and even today Portuguese remains their official language (along with Chinese).  Much of the architecture in the city is also a mix of Portuguese and Chinese.  I really enjoyed seeing the city.  It is very unique.

Steve's Blog- Li & Fung Company, Marriott Tour, and Laser Show in Hong Kong

05/23/2012

Today was very fun.  First, we visited the Li and Fung Company, where they buy different products from different companies and reassemble them and resell them to their target customer.  The company works with over 15,000 suppliers and has over 300 offices world wide.  Additionally, it has a market capitalization of approximately $16 million dollars.  After a very interesting morning, we made our way back to the hotel where we were given a back of the house tour form the front office manager, who happens to be a alumni of the HRSM undergraduate department.  The tour was amazing.  He showed us everything from the executive suites to even the locker rooms.  I have to say it was a very interesting and detailed tour.  To end the day, we took the Star Ferry to Koolown to see the laser show.  The ride was absolutely beautiful, looking over the water at the buildings was so amazing.  Once we arrived at Koolown, I made sure I got a great spot to see the laser show.  Shoving my way to the front was well worth it because seeing the lights correspond the music playing from building to building was unforgettable.  I had so much fun today and will never forget my experience here in Hong Kong.

Steve Cerasaro

Here are some pictures of the laser show:

Megan Tone - May 23rd

It has been a very busy two days!

Yesterday, after visiting the Mastercard Arena we caught our flight to Hong Kong.  After checking into the hotel we walked into our hotel rooms.  And I must say, I have never seen such a beautiful site outside of a hotel window before.

Hong Kong is a really amazing city.  Almost all buildings are 20+ stories.  We are actually staying on the 25^th floor so my ears pop every time I take the elevator.   From our window we can see all the boats in the harbor and all the lights in the city at night.  And speaking of lights, tonight we went to Kowloon to see the Symphony of Lights, a laser show put on by the city where many of the buildings lights up different colors to music.  It was really fun to watch.  And it only cost us the price of a ferry ticket (which was an adventure in itself!).

Steve Blog- Macau

May 25, 2012

Today was incredible.  We started by taking the Turbo Jet from Hong Kong to Macau to visit the Institute for Tourism Studies.  As soon as we arrived in Macau, I noticed how beautiful the location was and how it differed from Beijing and Hong Kong.  The décor is based off a Portuguese theme and the food was tremendous.  To start the day we talked with the undergraduate students from ITS University and it was by far the most interesting and interactive discussion compared to the other three universities that we visited.  The students were so interested in our culture, the food we enjoyed in China, how we perceived Asian individuals, and much more.  After a detailed discussion, we had the honor of eating at the universities restaurant.  The food was absolutely incredible.  I had the spinach soup, a spicy African chicken dish, and cheesecake that blew my mind.  After a phenomenal lunch we toured great tourist locations in Macau and visited the oldest library in the district.  It was an unforgettable day and here are some pictures to give you a better idea of Macau.

Steve Cerasaro

Laura Pramstaller -Michael Jackson in Hong Kong!

Yesterday we attended a hospitality conference throughout the day. The School of Hotel and Tourism Management at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University hosted the 11^th Annual event. We were able to hear multiple students and professionals present their research on recent trends during the morning and afternoon sessions. Following the seminars we were able to take a tour of the hotel that is staffed by the students.

As it was the last day of the conference, we were invited to the concluding dinner following the final keynote speeches. We all enjoyed the various dancing and singing acts that performed throughout our 3 hour meal… all 12-courses! The special appearance by the Dean of the Hotel and Tourism School, dancing in a Michael Jackson getup, was by far the highlight of the evening!