Happy Chinese New Year 🧧! I chose to put no promotions on this one, keeping it focused on the Triad experience. If you appreciate the videos though consider checking out my Patreon. See you in the next and final video from Hong Kong.
Born and raised in HK for 19 years. Haven’t been to Yuen long once. Family’s now uprooted and gone back to Canada, and my lens to see what home is Like I guess these days is Sabbatical. Please continue uploading and sharing HK with the world!!! Can’t wait to see what you upload next
Actually, you'll find triads in pretty much all working class and night life areas in Hong Kong, not just Yuen Long and Kowloon. Lots of places on Hong Kong Island too, Wan Chai etc. Beside things like trafficking, drugs and gambling, the triads are also into the protection racket, prostitution and the movie business. Sun Yee On is still the largest gang, with 14K being the second, followed by Wo Hup To, Wo Sing Wo, Wo on Lok etc. I grew up in Hong Kong in the 90s and you could easily spot the triads... I used to go to Ricky and Pinkies Tattoo parlor in Wan Chai, and Magic Tattoo in Tsim Sha Tsui to get tats, and there would always be triads in there getting the usual triad style tats down. The triads would also come to schools to recruit kids, so we become very familiar with them, especially Sun Yee On who recruited from our school... and another popular place to recruit from was the housing estates. The 90s film series "Young and Dangerous" really popularized the triads, and romanticized them, portrayed them with a sense of honor... and it was not secret that those movies were not only made by the triads (as Sun Yee On owned EEG, the largest movie and entertainment group in HK), but a number of real triads actually had roles in it. Those movies were almost like promotional materials for the triads, and worked well to attract young people. I remember going to see one of those movies on opening night, and the cinema was full of young triads with their bosses, who were openly and loudly bragging about how certain people were portraying them in the movie. Another popular recruiting ground was local martial arts schools. I met a number of members and bosses going to an opening ceremony at a Thai Boxing gym in the new territories. The reason those people at the Mahjong parlor turned you away is because gambling (apart from horse racing) is illegal in Hong Kong, and while the police know it happens in those places, they look the other way as long as no trouble starts, like fights etc. You going in there with a camera, and filming, would have worried them that they might get too much attention, as police seeing the footage would force them to raid the place. They also don't want people who can't really play, because it's a gambling business for them, so if you're not really playing, you're not gambling. They also have loansharks taking advantage of gambling addicts... they basically don't want you filming any illegal activities and getting them in trouble. As for as the triads attacking people in the Yuen Long MTR station (train station) back in 2019, there is a very clear reason why they did that. It was during the time when a large amount of Hong Kongers (over 2 million of the 7.5 million population) were protesting the amendment to the anti-extradition law, which would have allowed mainland China to extradite Hong Kongers to the mainland for crimes committed in Hong Kong. The chief executive of the time, Carrie Lam, proposed this amendment to get in good favors with the mainland government, but there was huge backlash from the public in the form of mass protests, often getting out of control with police brutality, but also property damage, and rival groups of pro mainland groups attack the local protesters. What happened in Yuen Long was a pro Beijing Hong Kong politician encouraged local triads (who were all wearing white that night), to attack protesters (wearing black) coming home from the protests... they beat, men, even women, kids were there... and attacked them with weapons. It's all on video and is clear as day. There's footage of 2 police officers walking away from the scene, and even though police were called, they didn't show up for an hour, and let all the armed triads go, but arrested the unarmed protesters for "fighting". Of course with the National Security Law, which is basically a blank cheque for the government to arrest you for anything that they deem a threat to national security, which included holding up a blank sheet of white paper in protest of government censorship, or chanting slogans like "liberate Hong Kong" or calling for independence... Anyway, those triads were nothing more that hired thugs to carry out the agenda of a pro Beijing politician to try to intimidate protesters into submission through violence and fear, simple as that. Despite the turbulence of 2019, and triads being a part of local Hong Kong society, Hong Kong remains one of the safest cities in the world, with extremely low crime rates. You will not see trouble unless you actively go out looking for it. You don't have to worry about the triads, because they're only interested in making money and doing business (not petty crime), so unless you mess with their businesses, you won't have any trouble from them. I absolutely loved growing up in Hong Kong, still have family there, and visit annually, and I feel so much safer there when I get off the plane compared to my daily life in the US... There's no threat of violence, no worries about being a victim of muggings, assaults, home invasions, gun crime etc. I never feel unsafe anywhere I go in Hong Kong, there are no "bad" areas, which is great for anyone traveling there to visit, cause you have the freedom to visit different areas without any worries. Worse thing you have to worry about is getting ripped off at Temple Street (touristy night market), because you don't know the price of stuff and don't know how to haggle in Cantonese.
Crazy how things have changed. I'm 17 now, have been living here my whole life and I have never seen triad members recruiting anybody. I also don't think any of my classmates is a gang member, a punk at most. But yeah, from what I've heard, it was apparently much worse back then. Also can confirm Hong Kong is a pretty safe place, never ran into any troubles other than people being douchebags but they exist everywhere. Even the slums are perfectly fine to go alone at night because it is most definitely crowded with people(in Kowloon at least, where I live.)
@@Agent-cipher-6120 They were easier to spot back in the day, because it was common for them to get large dragon, Tiger and phenix tattoos on their arms and chest, and Gwan Gong tattoos on their back. Those style tattoos are probably not as popular as they once were, and now that tattoos are a lot more mainstream, with more diverse styles, it's probably not as easy to spot, but you can still tell some gaging triads, with those old tattoos, or ex triads at least, cause the only people getting tattoos back then were triads and sailors (generally speaking). They would also hang out outside of car valet services in TST as they owned the carparks, outside clubs. It was easier to spot them, cause I used to hang out with some of them as a teen, so it got easier to spot based on how they carried themselves, what they looked like, the businesses they looked after, and just knowing which gangs covered which territories. It's mostly in local schools, but back in the day, there was some recruiting in some of the international schools... however it happens a lot more in places like housing estates etc. Looking for kids that want a sense of belonging, protection, power when feeling powerless, status etc. Same way gangs from around the world attract new members.
Tommy, you are absolutely incredible. You are a magnet for your followers. It's about time I helped out, as no one comes close to your channel. Thank you, sir.
that attack in Yuen Long is called '7.21', which, and other political incidents happened in 2019, are banned from mentioning now in Hong Kong, glad to hear you talk about it again.
I'm born and raised in HK for 20 years and had never been to Yuen Long once. HK has changed a lot recently years, but glad to see foreign travelers coming to explore until it's forever vanished years later. Mad respect for your videos and keep up the work🙏
Hell of a video my fellow New Yorker it seems like you’ve accustomed well with the locals. Great seeing a pov of China from the ground with an open mind. Wish you well.
Been hooked on your channel ever since your first Yakuza video popped on my feed (I don't watch any other travelers/vloggers). Having seen your trips to Morocco and Argentina, you'd love it here in Egypt when you're back to visiting Africa. Keep up the great content, thank you.
I was living on Lamma Island and later got a job in Yuen Long. That was an insane commute, taking almost 2 hours across HK. But it allowed me to see the hidden parts of the city. BTW, the outter islands are not that busy. Some villages only have a few residents in them. God, I love HK, coolest place on the planet. Thankfully, now I can go back.
The urban area of Hong Kong is too crowded so many expats would like to live on those outlying islands like Lamma Island for more living space. But if I were you, I would rent a place to live in those village houses in the rural part of Yuen Long. Then you can enjoy a more spacious living place but don't need to spend so much time for commuting. Lamma to Yuen Long everyday is really insane 😅 Especially when there are typhoons, you even can't get back to home as ferry is not in service.
@@Music4567able : That is because historically.... the "rural villages" were the original settlers of HK as well. They have been there, for a long time. This is why.. the distances between the the ceded areas, to the non-ceded areas is vast. This is up for discussion and for correct historical aspect. Did the British being there, also raised open trade between china and vice versa? Yes. Some people will admit it. But some people won't. And HK Chief Exec didn't exactly coordinated things very well either... 300 million versus 1.4 billion... This is a no win race at all. There did not used to be a State Council.. and now suddenly, there is one ??? And then even suddenly... World Bank could enter into the PRC.. and gives "financial advice"..... Now, many countries SHOULD be scared of this aspect. Cos why should world bank enter the PRC and let them manipulate the world ??? This is not, and how things should have gone !!!! Definitely NOT. US was right to mention about the technology aspect as well.. for a long time... ! And so they should !.... Suddenly from rural places, to have things like flying drones... even some of the remote villagers.. cannot handle this as well. You should also watch this too. ua-cam.com/video/L_qEYIv7gHk/v-deo.html Just because there was trade, it does not mean that there should be unequal trade... ua-cam.com/video/t9W5N0y4l04/v-deo.html
Just discovered your channel today and binged Japan, Hong Kong, suranam, Brasíl, Guyana, and a few episodes of Mexico and Argentina. Excellent series! Can’t wait to see which country you visit next!
@@SabbaticalTommy Absolutely! That s one of advantages about your content which is very balanced. It s fun, cheeky sometimes, but balanced, fun, but not vulgar like other creators. It makes you stand out! We loved the Unusual Japanese party upstairs (restaurant) a few episodes ago, that was so.much fun 😀
Much respect @Sabbatical... first gweilo that speaks about the real blue-collar HK districts like MK, SSP, YMT, and YL.. your canto is good, considering how hard it is for non-native speakers
I only watched your channel properly a few weeks ago.I'm into some history and culture also. I love how you asked the girl, want to play mahjong? Hahaha
You hit half my spots today. I sat in that “park” in YMT at 3am a few times just to people watch. Wild! I was worried about safety at first cause if you are gonna get into trouble, it’s gonna be somewhere like YMT at 3 AM right near the….uhhh “salons” but the longer I stayed in HK the more I realized I’d be fine if I just minded my business at those hours. I actually started writing my novella series there!
Lived in Yuen Long for 15 years, I can literally see my home in your video. Triads are a big problem here, especially for those with many properties and control villages.
Seeing the Yuen Long Station brought me back many sad memories, things went way beyond from able to return ever since. And the last line totally hit it LOL
I lived in Hong Kong for over 7 years between 1992-93 and 1995-2003. My job involved fieldwork in the northwest NT including Yuen Long, Tin Shui Wai and Kam Tin. I also had a pass to survey the Closed Border Area. I used to walk around with a clipboard, camera and binoculars for recording the flora and fauna (see my channel for photo essays). Occasionally, I'd get challenged by someone in the villages asking what I was up to, to which I used to say "I'm here about the drains." Which was actually true as these areas were flood-prone. It was a very effective line as they all wanted the flooding to stop and would tell me where they thought the problem originated. It always used to amaze me that in the remote villages, I'd get talking to some wizened old person who would turn out to have spent years working in the UK and had retired back to the NTs. I never had any threats or problems. I do remember a hilarious story that was reported in the HK Standard about Yuen Long district council officials turning up at some illegal village houses that exceeded the 3-storey limit. They had to run for their lives after being chased off by the villagers and decided to ignore the buildings thereafter. Best years of my life were spent in HK.
Hi, how is life next to the Triads for a normal citizen? By the way are you looking forward to the game Test Drive: Solar Crown? It will be in your city 🤩
@@cheekydemon6131 Well they don’t usually really cause that much of a trouble to me, and of course I do not know what they usually do too, however there are often some reports of the triads stabbing one another’s members, almost every week, but it doesn’t cause that much trouble really for just a normal citizen as they rarely use any firearms
Thanks man , really enjoyed that vid. The history of the triads was so interesting and the arrest of Tse Chi Lop and Lee Chung Chak very topical. It’s been open slather for laundering money in Australian casinos, about time the law caught up.
Happy that I’ve found your channel. Spent plenty of time in Yuen Long when I’m visiting HK for work - always a nice contrast to central. And love seeing everyone in their thick winter coats! Not cold compared to the UK at the moment, but people don’t understand the ‘humid’ cold is very different. Looking forward to your next one.
I really enjoy watching your videos introducing about Hong Kong. Meanwhile I can learn English :) By the way, I think the man at 15:34 said 廿八蚊 which is HKD$28 in Cantonese. (a little bit tricky pronunciation)
Yo Tommy! Love this one! Seriously though You might live out on the island, but you could have done this in flushing 😀 love the style, there is a captivating authenticity to how you approach your situations. Keep up the good work!
Always thought I was set on Japan being my first international trip but after watching a few of your video's (I got recommended thank goodness!) I kinda want to see Hong Kong but I'm too vested in the Japanese learning right now but wow so beautiful and the people do seem nice too!
Thank you, it is so interesting to learn about another country I have not yet visited. You show the good the bad & the ugly & I wait in anticipation for your uploads, loving it :)
I wasn’t a fan of the title but I enjoyed your tongue-in-cheek tour of my hometown. It’s not the fanciest or the most crime-free place in Hong Kong but it still has a bit of that small town charm. I miss it a lot.
Tommy was given clear advice by Doctor to avoid certain foods i.e. cold spirited foods then goes to a wet cold spirited food market to eat cold spirited foods lol - great video Tommy!
@@SabbaticalTommy Tommy you're the best, I love your storytelling and the way u edit your videos, I still talk about the Germans in Argentina video u did. Thanks 😊
Maybe influenced by some movies or video games etc, I found that foreigners seem quite interested in knowing the way of life of the Kowloon Walled City. In fact it was a slum like the favela in Rio de Janeiro. If you really want to see how it looked like back in the old days. You can copy the words 鏗鏘集九龍城寨 on UA-cam and you will find the documentaries about the Kowloon Walled City. However, those videos are spoken in Cantonese and don't have English translations. Hope you would enjoy them 😉
@@Music4567able : If you really really want to know the history of that Kowloon Walled area.. This is because when the Qing dynasty ceded that area, to the British for ownership. Any other province's people.. cannot enter Canton then. So what they did was, they entered an area... that would have Chinese Imperial laws.. and then they would hide in there instead. Cos the other lands, they know that they cannot enter. This is why they go in there. And often... people will end up in there, if they already knew or had families in there too. So some of the people.. from a bystanders' viewpoints as well... When they say that it is full of "prostitution"... They better CLARIFY to see if this WAS SO THE CASE FIRST... Rather than to realises that, some of those were husband and wives possibly.. but puts up with sh!ty living conditions by moving from their own rural farming communities !!!!!! Since nobody could talk.. or nobody could speak.. or checks.. or whatever.... People just assumed that one thing go into another and into another etc. Shouldn't really praise this kind of place. Cos it ended up as a horror place... Even if some of those were genuine local Cantonese from over the borders.. of which they could enter HK. Unlike the ones that couldn't enter HK... like the Fuijian regional people.. but ended up there.. And the British allowed the "inter-provincial clan war" happens and take place !!! e.g. Hakka-Punti Clan wars... This is like the same thing now happening all over the internet. Somebody creates a website.. and then takes photos of somebody else's home.. and then sell it and takes the money. Even though the house does not belong to them. This is stealing, isn't it ? And yet.. those times and periods are not stealing ??? Pull the other one.
Even some of the overseas' people now.. were non-local to HK will claim that, this is THEIR land... and THEIR.... country, and THEIR cities... The NSL has been created.. and now... There is a call for the "local people that were there to be back".. Or something... Like heck they would. Of course, they would NOT !!!
Make sure you visit the Kowloon walled city park! It used to be the biggest slum before they demolished it. And the Chungking mansions is another point if interest if you’re interested. It’s another slum area in a big building that’s has walled city vibes. Thanks bro love the videos.
I used to go to Yuen Long quite often when I lived in Shenzhen because all the consumer electronics are cheaper there. If you're looking for spare parts then Shenzhen is the best place in the world with Huaqiangbei and other places, but if you want end consumer stuff then Hong Kong is where it's at since Mainland China has a 20% tax (on top of the regular VAT) on electronics sales while Hong Kong has 0% tax.
Your content is almost too good. How do you Indiana Jones your way through the most dangerous situations? And why do seem like the calmest person in any room internationally? Lol
Thank you for this. Always quite daring. I watched your video even wandering inside Tondo without saksak😅 (I thought sucksuck at first). Btw you should try those razor clams I tried them once theyre really good bbq. Also those red envelopes are too overprized.
The HK police museum has a pretty good Triad section. Well worth a look next time fella. I'm enjoying your perspective on my old home town - you're making me want to brush up my Cantonese!
Hey Tommy ,you are becoming quite a connected fellow these days ,what with being pals with ex gang bosses and the Triads ! Are you the vlogging world's first made man ? Honourably ,of course ! Nah ,I'm just bursting your chops .... Your videos are still the most educational out there ,as far as I'm concerned .
You mean the local people who has been robbed and cheated and things... or that the locals cannot be declared to be living in peace? Wasn't that what "communism" was all about to begin with ???? HERE... for those who said that there were 1) no British in the North fighting for China. Cos there was. And 2) That the West are basically evil sods throughout again and again and again.... ua-cam.com/video/z54akiD10gA/v-deo.html In case people also did not know... that Japan... had actual "defeated people".. from China... So when they recooperate.. and then fight back... What they are doing.. is basically... grabbing back their lands and their homes and their towns. This is what they are trying to do. Same with HK... Why were some of the locals chinese or Cantonese were let go of by the Japanese ? Cos it was because of Britain.... and why did they not leave Singapore, or the Malaysian areas alone ? People need to be aware of what is going on !!!
To the international viewers, let's set the record straight. Yuen long is kind of like a suburbia village. From my last recollection. It was based on a village model to begin with. I hope that it has not commercialised now though. Their lands shouldn't be sold to commercial property developers to begin with. Why would you drag two random foreign army men to some of the strong indigenous classical and traditional Cantonese villages and then kick off... Make a scene... Creates the videos.. the movies... Why ? Just cos the state council let go of primary sector work and wanted tiertiary work now after the WTO?... And now, you have pockets of regular people doing life the best they know how cos they've literally been left behind. So now self indie movie making is the big businesses of the day ? .... Absolutely trash. Really.
Love the vids. Inspire me and many others to see these places. Start of March I’m starting a 2 month trip in Asia. First stop japan 🇯🇵 that was the first vid I saw from your channel. Keep it up and safe travels
My old half granny lived in Kowloon Walled city for 20 years and I visit her many times and meet members of 14k and eat dilish fish balls … watching planes on the roof was the best time !
lowkey worried for my brother, as it is somewhat illegal to mention the 721 violent attack in hong kong now... Appreciate you tried so hard to speak as much cantonese! Awesome
Honestly speaking, Yuen Long is quite safe. I am confident to take the MTR alone in Yuen Long at night but I don't dare to take the Subway in New York at night as I am not sure if I will be stabbed, shot or robbed 😅
Exactly, there are no dangerous areas in Hong Kong. I was hanging out in Jordan, Sham Shui Po, Yau Mai Tai, TST, Wan Chai etc. at night as a young teen, never had any issues. Hung out at the housing estates in Sha Tin, never any issues etc. There are no places you can't go, where as in the US, you really need to learn the safe and dangerous areas of each city.
And Arabic, and Swahili, and bits of many, many, other languages. Keep watching, wherever he goes he learns enough of the local language to communicate the basics.
![[UA] NAVI vs MOUZ | BO5 | IEM Rio 2024](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/CMBYk0cbGoA/mqdefault.jpg)
Happy Chinese New Year 🧧!
I chose to put no promotions on this one, keeping it focused on the Triad experience. If you appreciate the videos though consider checking out my Patreon. See you in the next and final video from Hong Kong.
By " no promotions " , do you mean advertising, because there was 2 on my vid!
Make that 3 adverts now & I haven't finished the vid.
@@JUST-ME2468 I believe he means he didn't monetize it, youtube puts adds on videos regardless of what the creators do.
@@humdinger5701 Do I remember seeing ads on his content before? ...I don't think so.
Go to Kowloon walled city
Born and raised in HK for 19 years. Haven’t been to Yuen long once. Family’s now uprooted and gone back to Canada, and my lens to see what home is Like I guess these days is Sabbatical. Please continue uploading and sharing HK with the world!!! Can’t wait to see what you upload next
It looks scary with all these markets of strange animals parts and run down buildings and loads of people.
@@GratDuForloradeArgumentet thats all cool stuff not scary , u want to see scary come to nyc
@@ALLRED1999 Nyc seems cool but other parts seems completely fked
@@GratDuForloradeArgumentet LOL
@@deenzmartin6695 LOL LOL
Actually, you'll find triads in pretty much all working class and night life areas in Hong Kong, not just Yuen Long and Kowloon. Lots of places on Hong Kong Island too, Wan Chai etc. Beside things like trafficking, drugs and gambling, the triads are also into the protection racket, prostitution and the movie business. Sun Yee On is still the largest gang, with 14K being the second, followed by Wo Hup To, Wo Sing Wo, Wo on Lok etc. I grew up in Hong Kong in the 90s and you could easily spot the triads... I used to go to Ricky and Pinkies Tattoo parlor in Wan Chai, and Magic Tattoo in Tsim Sha Tsui to get tats, and there would always be triads in there getting the usual triad style tats down.
The triads would also come to schools to recruit kids, so we become very familiar with them, especially Sun Yee On who recruited from our school... and another popular place to recruit from was the housing estates. The 90s film series "Young and Dangerous" really popularized the triads, and romanticized them, portrayed them with a sense of honor... and it was not secret that those movies were not only made by the triads (as Sun Yee On owned EEG, the largest movie and entertainment group in HK), but a number of real triads actually had roles in it. Those movies were almost like promotional materials for the triads, and worked well to attract young people. I remember going to see one of those movies on opening night, and the cinema was full of young triads with their bosses, who were openly and loudly bragging about how certain people were portraying them in the movie. Another popular recruiting ground was local martial arts schools. I met a number of members and bosses going to an opening ceremony at a Thai Boxing gym in the new territories.
The reason those people at the Mahjong parlor turned you away is because gambling (apart from horse racing) is illegal in Hong Kong, and while the police know it happens in those places, they look the other way as long as no trouble starts, like fights etc. You going in there with a camera, and filming, would have worried them that they might get too much attention, as police seeing the footage would force them to raid the place. They also don't want people who can't really play, because it's a gambling business for them, so if you're not really playing, you're not gambling. They also have loansharks taking advantage of gambling addicts... they basically don't want you filming any illegal activities and getting them in trouble.
As for as the triads attacking people in the Yuen Long MTR station (train station) back in 2019, there is a very clear reason why they did that. It was during the time when a large amount of Hong Kongers (over 2 million of the 7.5 million population) were protesting the amendment to the anti-extradition law, which would have allowed mainland China to extradite Hong Kongers to the mainland for crimes committed in Hong Kong. The chief executive of the time, Carrie Lam, proposed this amendment to get in good favors with the mainland government, but there was huge backlash from the public in the form of mass protests, often getting out of control with police brutality, but also property damage, and rival groups of pro mainland groups attack the local protesters. What happened in Yuen Long was a pro Beijing Hong Kong politician encouraged local triads (who were all wearing white that night), to attack protesters (wearing black) coming home from the protests... they beat, men, even women, kids were there... and attacked them with weapons. It's all on video and is clear as day. There's footage of 2 police officers walking away from the scene, and even though police were called, they didn't show up for an hour, and let all the armed triads go, but arrested the unarmed protesters for "fighting". Of course with the National Security Law, which is basically a blank cheque for the government to arrest you for anything that they deem a threat to national security, which included holding up a blank sheet of white paper in protest of government censorship, or chanting slogans like "liberate Hong Kong" or calling for independence... Anyway, those triads were nothing more that hired thugs to carry out the agenda of a pro Beijing politician to try to intimidate protesters into submission through violence and fear, simple as that.
Despite the turbulence of 2019, and triads being a part of local Hong Kong society, Hong Kong remains one of the safest cities in the world, with extremely low crime rates. You will not see trouble unless you actively go out looking for it. You don't have to worry about the triads, because they're only interested in making money and doing business (not petty crime), so unless you mess with their businesses, you won't have any trouble from them. I absolutely loved growing up in Hong Kong, still have family there, and visit annually, and I feel so much safer there when I get off the plane compared to my daily life in the US... There's no threat of violence, no worries about being a victim of muggings, assaults, home invasions, gun crime etc. I never feel unsafe anywhere I go in Hong Kong, there are no "bad" areas, which is great for anyone traveling there to visit, cause you have the freedom to visit different areas without any worries. Worse thing you have to worry about is getting ripped off at Temple Street (touristy night market), because you don't know the price of stuff and don't know how to haggle in Cantonese.
Crazy how things have changed. I'm 17 now, have been living here my whole life and I have never seen triad members recruiting anybody. I also don't think any of my classmates is a gang member, a punk at most. But yeah, from what I've heard, it was apparently much worse back then. Also can confirm Hong Kong is a pretty safe place, never ran into any troubles other than people being douchebags but they exist everywhere. Even the slums are perfectly fine to go alone at night because it is most definitely crowded with people(in Kowloon at least, where I live.)
This comment should be higher up. I'll pin it if I have to
@@SabbaticalTommy Pin it Tom!
@@Agent-cipher-6120 They were easier to spot back in the day, because it was common for them to get large dragon, Tiger and phenix tattoos on their arms and chest, and Gwan Gong tattoos on their back. Those style tattoos are probably not as popular as they once were, and now that tattoos are a lot more mainstream, with more diverse styles, it's probably not as easy to spot, but you can still tell some gaging triads, with those old tattoos, or ex triads at least, cause the only people getting tattoos back then were triads and sailors (generally speaking). They would also hang out outside of car valet services in TST as they owned the carparks, outside clubs. It was easier to spot them, cause I used to hang out with some of them as a teen, so it got easier to spot based on how they carried themselves, what they looked like, the businesses they looked after, and just knowing which gangs covered which territories. It's mostly in local schools, but back in the day, there was some recruiting in some of the international schools... however it happens a lot more in places like housing estates etc. Looking for kids that want a sense of belonging, protection, power when feeling powerless, status etc. Same way gangs from around the world attract new members.
@@SabbaticalTommy I appreciate the interest. Really enjoying your channel and content!
Your laidback way of storytelling is one of a kind and I’ve learned many things from all of your different videos. Keep up the great work. :)
Dude I'm so pumped. Found this channel 4 days ago and already binged like 30 episodes. More asian video please! lol
Tommy, you are absolutely incredible. You are a magnet for your followers. It's about time I helped out, as no one comes close to your channel. Thank you, sir.
Really like the way you add all kinds of history into each and every one of your videos, thank you!
Your videos are always great but your Hong Kong ones feel deep from the heart, I love them!
that attack in Yuen Long is called '7.21', which, and other political incidents happened in 2019, are banned from mentioning now in Hong Kong, glad to hear you talk about it again.
I'm born and raised in HK for 20 years and had never been to Yuen Long once. HK has changed a lot recently years, but glad to see foreign travelers coming to explore until it's forever vanished years later. Mad respect for your videos and keep up the work🙏
Why didn’t you visit Yuen Long?
@@NamaDoodoo Yeun long is far away from downtown, so most locals don't go there
@@jedyim5162 ah I see
@@NamaDoodoo Far away = 50 minutes away 😂, just admit it you're detached from reality - I bet you call Kowloon 'darkside'?
Really cool you're so open about everything and not afraid of the haters.
Love your last 2 sentences. 🤩 Great video!!!
Hell of a video my fellow New Yorker it seems like you’ve accustomed well with the locals. Great seeing a pov of China from the ground with an open mind. Wish you well.
Been hooked on your channel ever since your first Yakuza video popped on my feed (I don't watch any other travelers/vloggers). Having seen your trips to Morocco and Argentina, you'd love it here in Egypt when you're back to visiting Africa. Keep up the great content, thank you.
Egypt is horrible to vloggers. Your idiot police harass everybody.
Egypt is screwed ever since arabs took over
New Sabbatical video right when I wake up in the morning. Yes, please. 🎉❤ Thanks for meaning it so well with us, watched all ads to their end.
I was living on Lamma Island and later got a job in Yuen Long. That was an insane commute, taking almost 2 hours across HK. But it allowed me to see the hidden parts of the city. BTW, the outter islands are not that busy. Some villages only have a few residents in them.
God, I love HK, coolest place on the planet. Thankfully, now I can go back.
Yes the islands are quiet and nice and good seafood
The urban area of Hong Kong is too crowded so many expats would like to live on those outlying islands like Lamma Island for more living space. But if I were you, I would rent a place to live in those village houses in the rural part of Yuen Long. Then you can enjoy a more spacious living place but don't need to spend so much time for commuting. Lamma to Yuen Long everyday is really insane 😅 Especially when there are typhoons, you even can't get back to home as ferry is not in service.
@@Music4567able Yes, I left HK in 2018. And don't plan to work there again. But will definitely visit again soon. Cheers!
Shhhhh lol 🤣 keep ‘em quiet!
@@Music4567able : That is because historically.... the "rural villages" were the original settlers of HK as well. They have been there, for a long time. This is why.. the distances between the the ceded areas, to the non-ceded areas is vast. This is up for discussion and for correct historical aspect. Did the British being there, also raised open trade between china and vice versa? Yes. Some people will admit it. But some people won't. And HK Chief Exec didn't exactly coordinated things very well either... 300 million versus 1.4 billion... This is a no win race at all. There did not used to be a State Council.. and now suddenly, there is one ??? And then even suddenly... World Bank could enter into the PRC.. and gives "financial advice"..... Now, many countries SHOULD be scared of this aspect. Cos why should world bank enter the PRC and let them manipulate the world ??? This is not, and how things should have gone !!!! Definitely NOT. US was right to mention about the technology aspect as well.. for a long time... ! And so they should !.... Suddenly from rural places, to have things like flying drones... even some of the remote villagers.. cannot handle this as well.
You should also watch this too.
ua-cam.com/video/L_qEYIv7gHk/v-deo.html
Just because there was trade, it does not mean that there should be unequal trade...
ua-cam.com/video/t9W5N0y4l04/v-deo.html
Thanks for the awesome clip. I like how the girl is all giggly and soft spoken but the moment you played out of your turn in Mahjong, boy oh boy
Just discovered your channel today and binged Japan, Hong Kong, suranam, Brasíl, Guyana, and a few episodes of Mexico and Argentina.
Excellent series!
Can’t wait to see which country you visit next!
Awesome! We were just checking earlier on for one of your videos! Now we ll be able to gather together as a family, and watch your video after lunch 😀
Perfect family friendly episode
@@SabbaticalTommy Absolutely! That s one of advantages about your content which is very balanced. It s fun, cheeky sometimes, but balanced, fun, but not vulgar like other creators. It makes you stand out! We loved the Unusual Japanese party upstairs (restaurant) a few episodes ago, that was so.much fun 😀
Waking up to a Sabbatical upload hits different 🙌🏽
Try mastubation.
I haven't seen a language Sabbatical doesn't know yet. Keep up the good work!
Much respect @Sabbatical... first gweilo that speaks about the real blue-collar HK districts like MK, SSP, YMT, and YL.. your canto is good, considering how hard it is for non-native speakers
I only watched your channel properly a few weeks ago.I'm into some history and culture also. I love how you asked the girl, want to play mahjong? Hahaha
Watching your videos is like breathing fresh air
You hit half my spots today. I sat in that “park” in YMT at 3am a few times just to people watch. Wild! I was worried about safety at first cause if you are gonna get into trouble, it’s gonna be somewhere like YMT at 3 AM right near the….uhhh “salons” but the longer I stayed in HK the more I realized I’d be fine if I just minded my business at those hours. I actually started writing my novella series there!
Lived in Yuen Long for 15 years, I can literally see my home in your video. Triads are a big problem here, especially for those with many properties and control villages.
Seeing the Yuen Long Station brought me back many sad memories, things went way beyond from able to return ever since.
And the last line totally hit it LOL
This video brings back memories, I missed my old neighborhood
Your tour guide got nervous when you kept talking about viagra alternatives, wondering if she would be test subject 😂😂😂😂
Just found your channel … this video was amazing, as have been all the others I’ve binged 😄🍾
I lived in Hong Kong for over 7 years between 1992-93 and 1995-2003. My job involved fieldwork in the northwest NT including Yuen Long, Tin Shui Wai and Kam Tin. I also had a pass to survey the Closed Border Area. I used to walk around with a clipboard, camera and binoculars for recording the flora and fauna (see my channel for photo essays). Occasionally, I'd get challenged by someone in the villages asking what I was up to, to which I used to say "I'm here about the drains." Which was actually true as these areas were flood-prone. It was a very effective line as they all wanted the flooding to stop and would tell me where they thought the problem originated. It always used to amaze me that in the remote villages, I'd get talking to some wizened old person who would turn out to have spent years working in the UK and had retired back to the NTs. I never had any threats or problems.
I do remember a hilarious story that was reported in the HK Standard about Yuen Long district council officials turning up at some illegal village houses that exceeded the 3-storey limit. They had to run for their lives after being chased off by the villagers and decided to ignore the buildings thereafter.
Best years of my life were spent in HK.
Hello, I'm a Hong Konger from Yuen Long, of course not a member of the triads lol, but I love your videos! Please keep it up!
Hi, how is life next to the Triads for a normal citizen?
By the way are you looking forward to the game Test Drive: Solar Crown? It will be in your city 🤩
@@cheekydemon6131 Well they don’t usually really cause that much of a trouble to me, and of course I do not know what they usually do too, however there are often some reports of the triads stabbing one another’s members, almost every week, but it doesn’t cause that much trouble really for just a normal citizen as they rarely use any firearms
That’s so awesome bro useful advice you use everyday is amazing, always loving your vids
Thanks man , really enjoyed that vid. The history of the triads was so interesting and the arrest of Tse Chi Lop and Lee Chung Chak very topical. It’s been open slather for laundering money in Australian casinos, about time the law caught up.
Enjoy your episodes! You really try to understand the locals ! Greetings from Ireland and when you plan to visit here!
Sabbatical，I appreciate your sense of humor
龟苓膏 the turtle shell jelly.. it's a dessert but no one actually makes them from actual turtles anymore... I think
Good to know
Happy that I’ve found your channel. Spent plenty of time in Yuen Long when I’m visiting HK for work - always a nice contrast to central. And love seeing everyone in their thick winter coats! Not cold compared to the UK at the moment, but people don’t understand the ‘humid’ cold is very different. Looking forward to your next one.
I really enjoy watching your videos introducing about Hong Kong. Meanwhile I can learn English :)
By the way, I think the man at 15:34 said 廿八蚊 which is HKD$28 in Cantonese. (a little bit tricky pronunciation)
I agree I heard him said HKD $28, about USD $3.6 for a pack of red envelopes about 36's each, not a bad deal at all.
the incident on 21/7 in Yuen Long still haunt us until this day
Yo Tommy! Love this one! Seriously though You might live out on the island, but you could have done this in flushing 😀 love the style, there is a captivating authenticity to how you approach your situations. Keep up the good work!
Always thought I was set on Japan being my first international trip but after watching a few of your video's (I got recommended thank goodness!) I kinda want to see Hong Kong but I'm too vested in the Japanese learning right now but wow so beautiful and the people do seem nice too!
I'm extremely interested how this man manages to have beautiful lady friends all over the world. Lmfao. Good man.
She was in his previous episode where she took him to some bar and nightclub. She might be an old friend or a tour guide?
I find him to be pretty charming and he has good vibes! He's just himself and it works
Shwag
The deer horn helps.
Bro has impeccable rizz
Thank you, it is so interesting to learn about another country I have not yet visited. You show the good the bad & the ugly & I wait in anticipation for your uploads, loving it :)
I wasn’t a fan of the title but I enjoyed your tongue-in-cheek tour of my hometown. It’s not the fanciest or the most crime-free place in Hong Kong but it still has a bit of that small town charm. I miss it a lot.
Tommy was given clear advice by Doctor to avoid certain foods i.e. cold spirited foods then goes to a wet cold spirited food market to eat cold spirited foods lol - great video Tommy!
I didn’t wanna have too much confidence
@@SabbaticalTommy Tommy you're the best, I love your storytelling and the way u edit your videos, I still talk about the Germans in Argentina video u did. Thanks 😊
Tommy does what he wants to
Happy I've stumbled upon this channel. Another Travel UA-camr added to my mix. Also, Selena is gorgeous! 😍
I really enjoyed the tour and history lesson.
Love this channel. Brings back great memories of HK.
I enjoy all your episodes. Keep them flowing 👍
The red packets @15:41 were not HKD$100 (一百蚊). The owner said HKD$28 (廿八蚊). They sound very similar😂
The owner said HKD$23 (OK, he said HKD$28. It made sense, since 8 is a good number)
Ah yeah whoops, always confused 二 in Cantonese since it sounds like 一 in Mandarin
Great video, I enjoyed this one much more than your previousHK episode. I like to see the non-touristy stuff
Interesting! I pretty like the videos that are released by you! Keep moving on!
Always love the content Tommy. Excited for the next one ❤
Another great video. I've been all over Hong Kong, so it's interesting for me to see this video.
love watching and learning about hong kong history/culture
edit; ps i hope the deer horns helped
Hi i just subscribed to your channel .im from South Africa and i really love your videos you are such a kind person to others .God bless you
you are really good to find local place in HK...
What an interesting video! I didn´t know about Tse Chi Lop and triads in Asia...
Tommy makes everything clear and easy to understand, thank you!!
We are wating you brother and welcome back
Love your videos, I just want to tell you that think a better microphone would be a huge improvement to your videos.
Brilliant as usual Tommy 😘
Awesome as allways Tommy!
I wish Sabbatical can time travel back to the early 90s when Kowloon Walled City existed and document what he saw.
That would be something! If the walled city was there today, im sure Tommy would have checked it out! =)
Maybe influenced by some movies or video games etc, I found that foreigners seem quite interested in knowing the way of life of the Kowloon Walled City. In fact it was a slum like the favela in Rio de Janeiro. If you really want to see how it looked like back in the old days. You can copy the words 鏗鏘集九龍城寨 on UA-cam and you will find the documentaries about the Kowloon Walled City. However, those videos are spoken in Cantonese and don't have English translations. Hope you would enjoy them 😉
@@Music4567able : If you really really want to know the history of that Kowloon Walled area.. This is because when the Qing dynasty ceded that area, to the British for ownership. Any other province's people.. cannot enter Canton then. So what they did was, they entered an area... that would have Chinese Imperial laws.. and then they would hide in there instead. Cos the other lands, they know that they cannot enter. This is why they go in there. And often... people will end up in there, if they already knew or had families in there too. So some of the people.. from a bystanders' viewpoints as well... When they say that it is full of "prostitution"... They better CLARIFY to see if this WAS SO THE CASE FIRST... Rather than to realises that, some of those were husband and wives possibly.. but puts up with sh!ty living conditions by moving from their own rural farming communities !!!!!! Since nobody could talk.. or nobody could speak.. or checks.. or whatever.... People just assumed that one thing go into another and into another etc. Shouldn't really praise this kind of place. Cos it ended up as a horror place... Even if some of those were genuine local Cantonese from over the borders.. of which they could enter HK. Unlike the ones that couldn't enter HK... like the Fuijian regional people.. but ended up there.. And the British allowed the "inter-provincial clan war" happens and take place !!! e.g. Hakka-Punti Clan wars...
This is like the same thing now happening all over the internet. Somebody creates a website.. and then takes photos of somebody else's home.. and then sell it and takes the money. Even though the house does not belong to them. This is stealing, isn't it ? And yet.. those times and periods are not stealing ??? Pull the other one.
Even some of the overseas' people now.. were non-local to HK will claim that, this is THEIR land... and THEIR.... country, and THEIR cities... The NSL has been created.. and now... There is a call for the "local people that were there to be back".. Or something... Like heck they would. Of course, they would NOT !!!
Thanks for bringing me to places I haven’t been as a local HKer
Brilliant videos of China and Hong Kong keep it up
Make sure you visit the Kowloon walled city park! It used to be the biggest slum before they demolished it.
And the Chungking mansions is another point if interest if you’re interested. It’s another slum area in a big building that’s has walled city vibes.
Thanks bro love the videos.
I used to go to Yuen Long quite often when I lived in Shenzhen because all the consumer electronics are cheaper there. If you're looking for spare parts then Shenzhen is the best place in the world with Huaqiangbei and other places, but if you want end consumer stuff then Hong Kong is where it's at since Mainland China has a 20% tax (on top of the regular VAT) on electronics sales while Hong Kong has 0% tax.
Fook Loong, LOL.... I think it means Lucky Dragon. You should go find the Wong Fook Hing bookstore. I believe it's somewhere in Sheung Wan 😂
Your content is almost too good. How do you Indiana Jones your way through the most dangerous situations? And why do seem like the calmest person in any room internationally? Lol
He is just himself open to all
Thank you for this. Always quite daring. I watched your video even wandering inside Tondo without saksak😅 (I thought sucksuck at first). Btw you should try those razor clams I tried them once theyre really good bbq. Also those red envelopes are too overprized.
This was awesome!
Thanks for telling the true story of Hong Kong.
I love how even the tagging looks to be in english
Love the videos bro.
The search for viagra goes on🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 loved this video
721唔見人 Since 21 July 2019, from Yuen Long, triad and police have been good good friends, and the rest is History. Cheers for Asia’s Knife City! 🎉🎉🤭🤭
Nobody outside the sour protesters knows what Knife City means.
She might be a triad herself killed me😂😂
The HK police museum has a pretty good Triad section. Well worth a look next time fella. I'm enjoying your perspective on my old home town - you're making me want to brush up my Cantonese!
Hey Tommy ,you are becoming quite a connected fellow these days ,what with being pals with ex gang bosses and the Triads ! Are you the vlogging world's first made man ? Honourably ,of course ! Nah ,I'm just bursting your chops .... Your videos are still the most educational out there ,as far as I'm concerned .
You mean the local people who has been robbed and cheated and things... or that the locals cannot be declared to be living in peace? Wasn't that what "communism" was all about to begin with ???? HERE... for those who said that there were 1) no British in the North fighting for China. Cos there was. And 2) That the West are basically evil sods throughout again and again and again....
ua-cam.com/video/z54akiD10gA/v-deo.html
In case people also did not know... that Japan... had actual "defeated people".. from China... So when they recooperate.. and then fight back... What they are doing.. is basically... grabbing back their lands and their homes and their towns. This is what they are trying to do. Same with HK... Why were some of the locals chinese or Cantonese were let go of by the Japanese ? Cos it was because of Britain.... and why did they not leave Singapore, or the Malaysian areas alone ? People need to be aware of what is going on !!!
As a Hongkonger myself I must say, we treat Yuen Long like it is its own country
To the international viewers, let's set the record straight. Yuen long is kind of like a suburbia village. From my last recollection. It was based on a village model to begin with. I hope that it has not commercialised now though. Their lands shouldn't be sold to commercial property developers to begin with. Why would you drag two random foreign army men to some of the strong indigenous classical and traditional Cantonese villages and then kick off... Make a scene... Creates the videos.. the movies... Why ? Just cos the state council let go of primary sector work and wanted tiertiary work now after the WTO?... And now, you have pockets of regular people doing life the best they know how cos they've literally been left behind. So now self indie movie making is the big businesses of the day ? .... Absolutely trash. Really.
No tin shui wai is a country
Behold, the People's Republic of Yuen Long!
Thanks for your share bro. Wish you have a good day
Awesome, as always!
Thank you.
Love the vids. Inspire me and many others to see these places. Start of March I’m starting a 2 month trip in Asia. First stop japan 🇯🇵 that was the first vid I saw from your channel. Keep it up and safe travels
My old half granny lived in Kowloon Walled city for 20 years and I visit her many times and meet members of 14k and eat dilish fish balls … watching planes on the roof was the best time !
lowkey worried for my brother, as it is somewhat illegal to mention the 721 violent attack in hong kong now...
Appreciate you tried so hard to speak as much cantonese! Awesome
Thanks Tommy
MORE
Honestly speaking, Yuen Long is quite safe. I am confident to take the MTR alone in Yuen Long at night but I don't dare to take the Subway in New York at night as I am not sure if I will be stabbed, shot or robbed 😅
Exactly, there are no dangerous areas in Hong Kong. I was hanging out in Jordan, Sham Shui Po, Yau Mai Tai, TST, Wan Chai etc. at night as a young teen, never had any issues. Hung out at the housing estates in Sha Tin, never any issues etc. There are no places you can't go, where as in the US, you really need to learn the safe and dangerous areas of each city.
Oh I’d fully agree with this. The only thing you need to fear in HK is the….ahem
@@SabbaticalTommy tropical bugs?
Except 2019-07-21
I don't think it's safe at 21/July/2019
another boss video my man !
These videos are better than Bald and Bankrupt, please keep going!
I like the way you react to HK people :)
Good video loved it! but please get a little mic or something there is more Volume on the right side
At the end of the vid, my bet is someone being busted/framed for Nat Sec law ... LOL. But laughing ironically with tears streaming down my face.
You'd think this video was made back in 2020. I haven't seen many people wear facemask where I live for at least a year now lol
His Mandarin is pretty good 15:06. So he knows Cantonese, Mandarin, Japanese, and Spanish.
And English, and Portuguese
and swahili, Indonesian, Portuguese, English, Philippines
He lived in China before in the past. 😂
And Arabic, and Swahili, and bits of many, many, other languages. Keep watching, wherever he goes he learns enough of the local language to communicate the basics.
@@ns.hidayat and kinyarwanda, French and bits of arabic and Dutch . He’s a true polyglot 🎉
support from hong kong !!
Never been to Hong Kong so having you go around makes me feel like I know it a bit better. Always interesting to learn about different places!
I was born and grew up in Cheung Sha Wan which is very close to Yau Ma Tei that Tommy was exploring.
My dad’s relatives live in Yuen Long. I spent 2 months there in the summer of 2003 when I was 14.
元朗，it takes me a long time to recognize which location you are talking about. in fact, 深水埗also a gang area