Hong Kong is a key destination for many travelers. It has a population of more than seven million, scattered all throughout its more than 200 islands. It is located in Eastern Asia, near China and the South China Sea. Formerly, leased to Great Britain, Hong Kong was officially returned to China in 1997. Hong Kong offers diversity in: culture, religion, and lifestyles.

Chinese, (Cantonese) and English are both the official language here. So foreigners, who are planning to visit, should not have any problems exploring, and experiencing the culture of this vibrant place; since English is widely spoken here.

Hong Kong dollar is the currency in use here. One American dollar roughly equals around 7 Hong Kong dollars.

Hong Kong is known for: its unique energetic vibe, its wonderful food, and beautiful skylines. It’s best to always bring a camera when roaming around in the city, so travelers can capture the essence of this place, and will always have a memento of their visit.

Hong Kong offers many great upscale shopping districts that rival the high end streets of: Shanghai, London and Paris. But the best places to shop here are the unique shops, and street markets that exhibit the charm and uniqueness of the locality.

It is wise to look around at the various stores to compare prices before buying anything. The best part of all is that sales tax is exempted on everything in Hong Kong.

The best way to get around Hong Kong is to purchase an Octopus payment card. This card takes you everywhere. It can also be used on any public transportation system, except taxis. It can even be used in vending machines, restaurants, and convenient stores, fast food places, etc.

Some of the key places in Hong Kong are:

* Hong Kong Island is the most urbanized district. It’s the heart and soul of the city.

* Kowloon is one of, if not, the most populated cities in the world. It also offers the best view of the skyline.

* Disney Land Hong Kong which is located in Lantau Island. This is only the third International sight for a main Disney them park. It is best to make reservations ahead of time for lodging. It tends to be packed, especially during the holidays.

Hong Kong also has a great natural landscape that can be seen by riding a train that goes all the way up to the higher part of Hong Kong Island. With so many things to do and sights to be seen Hong Kong is truly a must see for any traveler.

The history of Asia could (and does!) fill huge volumes of text. So, let us focus on one subject: the China Tea Trade. In the early 1800’s, not long after the end of the Opium Wars, trade with China began to really expand.

Large numbers of American merchants wanted to get in on the opening of China, and they negotiated access to several ports: Canton, Shanghai, Ninghsien, Amoy and Foochow. There followed an explosion in interest in the exotic varieties of teas. Suddenly, Americans were drinking Lumking, Imperial, Gunpowder (yes, that is the name of a tea!), Bohea, Oolong and Mowfoong.

As tea is a perishable product, it became critical to get it from the various Chinese ports to New York and Boston as quickly as possible. Many of the opium clippers – extremely fast ships – switched over to the tea trade. Once the tea was in the holds, the race was on to cross the South China Sea and the Indian Ocean, loop around the Cape of Good Hope, and then navigate up the Atlantic to reach the American ports.

One of the first American companies to get into the tea trade was the Low Brothers. They were the twelve sons of Seth Low, a drug merchant from Salem, Massachusetts. Abiel Abbott Low spent seven years dealing in the tea trade, and he made quite the interesting discovery early on in his career.

As tea needs to be kept dry, he decided to buy some cheap Chinese dishes and stack the crates of it in the hold, so that the tea would be up high and dry. He was quite pleased to discover, upon reaching Boston, that the china sold for enough money to pay for the entire voyage! In the years to come, one Low brother after another followed him out to China and continued the family business.

Over the course of many decades, many fortunes were made – and lost – in the China tea trade. The history of Asia is as broad and varied as the history of the entire world. This may have something to do with the fact that Asia encompasses the largest continent in the world.

To focus on only trade would still cover a vast range of subjects. After all, China is known for many things: jade, rice, tea to name only a few. Of course, expanding that list to illegal substances would include opium and other illicit drugs. To look at just one item – tea, can also include many things. After all, families around the world have been tied to that business. So, consider how powerful the subject of tea must be for it to influence the lives of a family in far off Salem, Massachusetts.