Episode 183

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0:01:38 > 0:01:40This year marks the 20th anniversary of the handover

0:01:40 > 0:01:41of Hong Kong to China.

0:01:41 > 0:01:44Since 1997, the pace of development here has been rapid,

0:01:44 > 0:01:46as Beijing pushes ahead with its transitional "one country,

0:01:46 > 0:01:48two systems" formula.

0:01:48 > 0:01:51A plan that will eventually see Hong Kong merge economically

0:01:51 > 0:01:53and politically with the Communist mainland in 2047.

0:01:53 > 0:01:56But environmentalists fear that one of Hong Kong's most iconic creatures

0:01:56 > 0:02:00may not survive that long.

0:02:00 > 0:02:02The pink Hong Kong dolphin was actually a symbol

0:02:02 > 0:02:04of the handover of Hong Kong from British back to

0:02:04 > 0:02:05Chinese rule 20 years ago.

0:02:05 > 0:02:07But now, their future is under threat.

0:02:07 > 0:02:15The dolphins' vivid pink colour isn't caused by pigmentation.

0:02:15 > 0:02:19It happens as blood vessels expand and contract as a result

0:02:19 > 0:02:25of thermo-regulation.

0:02:25 > 0:02:28It's a system the dolphins use to control their body temperature.

0:02:28 > 0:02:31The dolphins are meaning good luck in Chinese culture and also they go

0:02:31 > 0:02:34beyond Hong Kong border to Chinese waters, so it's sort of a unity

0:02:34 > 0:02:36between Hong Kong and China back in the handover days.

0:02:36 > 0:02:38So it's sort of a symbol of unification between

0:02:38 > 0:02:41Hong Kong and China.

0:02:41 > 0:02:43They're also a good luck and energetic symbol.

0:02:43 > 0:02:49Unfortunately, you know, their numbers are in decline.

0:02:49 > 0:02:53So it's not such good luck now.

0:02:53 > 0:02:57Figures from Hong Kong's Fisheries and Conservation Department show

0:02:57 > 0:03:00that the number of pink dolphins here have crashed from 188

0:03:00 > 0:03:08in 2003 to only 65 in 2015.

0:03:08 > 0:03:11And although nobody is exactly sure how accurate that figure is,

0:03:11 > 0:03:16there's no doubt that numbers are falling.

0:03:16 > 0:03:19Well, I've been coming to Hong Kong for around 20 years now and I'm

0:03:19 > 0:03:22ashamed to say I had no idea there were dolphins

0:03:22 > 0:03:24in the waters here.

0:03:24 > 0:03:27But, of course, you won't find them in Victoria Harbour

0:03:27 > 0:03:30where the tourists are.

0:03:34 > 0:03:37To be in with a chance of seeing the dolphins you have to leave

0:03:37 > 0:03:43Hong Kong Island and head west towards the airport.

0:03:47 > 0:03:49Land reclamation, population growth and pollution

0:03:49 > 0:03:53are all being blamed for destroying the dolphins' habitat.

0:03:53 > 0:03:57Huge new infrastructure projects like this new bridge and tunnel

0:03:57 > 0:04:00to Macau might be good for the economy but

0:04:00 > 0:04:03environmentalists claim it is playing havoc

0:04:03 > 0:04:10with the dolphins' natural environment.

0:04:10 > 0:04:13The Hong Kong government has announced it will create a new 2500

0:04:13 > 0:04:15hectare marine conservation park in northern waters to help counter

0:04:15 > 0:04:20the effects of building another runway at the airport.

0:04:20 > 0:04:22The conservationists say that the marine Park is in the wrong

0:04:23 > 0:04:26place and won't help the situation.

0:04:26 > 0:04:29So, when we go out to sea we use a long lens to take

0:04:29 > 0:04:31high-quality photos, as you see, because there

0:04:31 > 0:04:34is the information we use to identify the dolphin,

0:04:34 > 0:04:40just like the fingerprints in our hands.

0:04:40 > 0:04:46Like this one, there is a round tip and a big notch.

0:04:46 > 0:04:49So from this one we can know exactly this individual has been

0:04:49 > 0:04:50seen when and where.

0:04:50 > 0:04:53We need at least 2,000 dolphins to sustain the long-term survival.

0:04:53 > 0:04:55But in the current situation, no matter how many times

0:04:55 > 0:04:57we run the simulations, the population is

0:04:57 > 0:05:04doomed to extinction.

0:05:04 > 0:05:06So that's a very worrying scenario.

0:05:06 > 0:05:07What needs to be done?

0:05:07 > 0:05:09What we are proposing is, protect what is important

0:05:09 > 0:05:10to the animals first.

0:05:10 > 0:05:20The conservationists say that the marine Park is in the wrong

0:05:21 > 0:05:24Now, it's not just about quantity, about how many kilometres square

0:05:24 > 0:05:27of habitat is being protected but also where it is protected.

0:05:27 > 0:05:31Those core areas should be highly prioritised areas to be protected

0:05:31 > 0:05:33in terms of stopping the development, lowering

0:05:33 > 0:05:36the fishing effort.

0:05:36 > 0:05:38So basically reducing the pressure on the animals.

0:05:38 > 0:05:48So, give them a place to survive.

0:05:49 > 0:05:51Well, determined to try and see pink dolphins,

0:05:51 > 0:05:54I headed to Lantau with an advocacy and ecotourism group

0:05:54 > 0:05:56called Dolphin Watch, who have been working to promote

0:05:56 > 0:05:57marine conservation here for two decades.

0:05:57 > 0:06:02Many of the dead ones found every year are juveniles or babies.

0:06:02 > 0:06:04I'm going to show a dead dolphin.

0:06:04 > 0:06:12If you're very sensitive, then you may wish to not look.

0:06:12 > 0:06:14It just looks like it's sleeping.

0:06:14 > 0:06:15So, what could have happened to this dolphin?

0:06:15 > 0:06:18OK, there's no criss-cross scarring, it didn't drown in a net.

0:06:18 > 0:06:20What are we going to see today?

0:06:20 > 0:06:21Are we guaranteed to see dolphins?

0:06:21 > 0:06:23No, no.

0:06:23 > 0:06:26It's a 97% success rate and if we don't see any then people

0:06:26 > 0:06:29will get to go again free, assuming they do have the time here,

0:06:29 > 0:06:33but that's a pretty rare occasion because after 20 years of doing this

0:06:33 > 0:06:37we have a pretty good idea where the dolphins will be,

0:06:37 > 0:06:40given the wind and rain and time and tides, but they are wild animals

0:06:40 > 0:06:43so we can't make promises.

0:06:43 > 0:06:46You'll see lots of garbage, lots of concrete, lots of boats

0:06:46 > 0:06:49and hopefully lots of dolphins but, you know, I have to lower

0:06:49 > 0:06:56expectations because some days it just doesn't happen.

0:06:56 > 0:06:58I really hope we see a dolphin.

0:06:58 > 0:07:00The conditions are in our favour.

0:07:00 > 0:07:03It's not too windy and where we are now in these waters

0:07:03 > 0:07:06is near the mouth of the river sowed the sea isn't too salty.

0:07:06 > 0:07:12This is their usual habitat, this is what dolphins like.

0:07:14 > 0:07:17For a while there's nothing and then as we head into the western

0:07:17 > 0:07:20waters of Lantau Island, we suddenly get lucky.

0:07:20 > 0:07:23Oh, gosh and there's one over there!

0:07:23 > 0:07:26Oh, I missed it.

0:07:26 > 0:07:29You have got to be quick!

0:07:29 > 0:07:32It's a pink one, is he going to come up again?

0:07:32 > 0:07:33Yep, yep, yep.

0:07:33 > 0:07:39Oh, no, no.

0:07:39 > 0:07:42Three o'clock, three o'clock.

0:07:42 > 0:07:48OK, over there!

0:07:58 > 0:07:59People love concrete here.

0:07:59 > 0:08:02Where is the tipping point where you say the dolphins

0:08:02 > 0:08:05are no longer sustainable, if you like?

0:08:05 > 0:08:08And even if they are, the gene pool is going to be

0:08:08 > 0:08:11shrinking with fewer and fewer dolphins so by the time you list

0:08:11 > 0:08:13something as endangered, it's quite often too late.

0:08:13 > 0:08:20As a cosmopolitan city which is quite wealthy,

0:08:20 > 0:08:24we have the resource to make a balance between development

0:08:24 > 0:08:26and conservation of the environment.

0:08:26 > 0:08:29We can do both.

0:08:29 > 0:08:30We have to strike a balance.

0:08:30 > 0:08:34We can have all the development that we want, but at the same time

0:08:34 > 0:08:36we also need to build up the capacity for the dolphins

0:08:36 > 0:08:38to withstand all the threats.

0:08:38 > 0:08:41We use the dolphin as the mascot, as the symbol of the handover

0:08:41 > 0:08:45so it's our responsibility to ensure that they will be here for a long

0:08:45 > 0:08:47time, not just for us, but for the next generation

0:08:47 > 0:08:55and future generations to come.

0:09:06 > 0:09:10Time now for the last in our series of films looking at the people

0:09:10 > 0:09:12who keep London moving, long after most people

0:09:12 > 0:09:15have gone to bed.

0:09:15 > 0:09:18And this time we meet Latoya, who works overnight at one

0:09:18 > 0:09:23of the capital's busiest Tube stations.

0:09:29 > 0:09:31My name is Latoya Raymond and I'm a Customer Service Assistant

0:09:31 > 0:09:36here at the London Underground.

0:09:36 > 0:09:40I work for the infamous Oxford Circus station.

0:09:40 > 0:09:44Since the launch of the 24-hour night Tube last year,

0:09:44 > 0:09:52we actually run 24 hours on Fridays and Saturdays.

0:09:53 > 0:09:57My role begins the minute you walk through the station and if you need

0:09:57 > 0:09:59assistance along the way, anywhere, I'm here.

0:10:00 > 0:10:01That's what we're here for.

0:10:01 > 0:10:04That's fine, if you want to touch your Oyster card.

0:10:04 > 0:10:05On there?

0:10:05 > 0:10:06Yeah, that's it.

0:10:06 > 0:10:07There you go, my love.

0:10:07 > 0:10:08Sound result that for you.

0:10:08 > 0:10:09And that's done.

0:10:09 > 0:10:11Thanks so much.

0:10:11 > 0:10:16You're welcome, take care.

0:10:16 > 0:10:19At night, this is where Oxford Circus comes alive.

0:10:19 > 0:10:22Central London comes alive during the night.

0:10:22 > 0:10:24Everyone's coming out, everyone's going out

0:10:24 > 0:10:27and having a great time, especially on Fridays.

0:10:27 > 0:10:30You finish work, you don't want to just rush home,

0:10:30 > 0:10:32so they take advantage of the nightlife.

0:10:32 > 0:10:35They take advantage of the pubs, the fact that we have

0:10:35 > 0:10:3724 hours services.

0:10:37 > 0:10:41People enjoy it and the atmosphere is always amazing.

0:10:41 > 0:10:46It's great.

0:10:48 > 0:10:51I am a people person, I've always been a people person.

0:10:51 > 0:10:53So you are the actual Monopoly man!

0:10:53 > 0:10:55Yeah.

0:10:55 > 0:10:56It is fun, it is absolutely fun.

0:10:56 > 0:11:00So we've done all the 26 pubs.

0:11:00 > 0:11:01On the Monopoly board?

0:11:01 > 0:11:02Yes.

0:11:02 > 0:11:04They come down the stairs singing.

0:11:04 > 0:11:06We join in!

0:11:06 > 0:11:08I don't know how you're still standing.

0:11:08 > 0:11:13Take care.

0:11:13 > 0:11:17Along with persons that are going out, having fun,

0:11:17 > 0:11:22going to clubs, we have persons who work and these pubs.

0:11:22 > 0:11:24I actually know him.

0:11:24 > 0:11:30I'm sorry, I have to run and hug him.

0:11:30 > 0:11:33Now they can just come through and go home.

0:11:33 > 0:11:35If you can imagine working throughout the night and then having

0:11:35 > 0:11:39to wait another two hours or so for the trains to start

0:11:39 > 0:11:43running, it's not nice.

0:11:47 > 0:11:53We go out as well, you know, we aren't all about work, work, work.

0:11:53 > 0:11:55We're a great bunch, we get on.

0:11:55 > 0:11:56This is a family.

0:11:56 > 0:12:02Where did you go?

0:12:12 > 0:12:18Yeah, there is no more trains for the Bakerloo.

0:12:18 > 0:12:22At nights, at the moment, we only have five lines that are running.

0:12:22 > 0:12:26So the problem with that is, most persons, they aren't quite

0:12:26 > 0:12:30aware of what lines are running and how to get home.

0:12:30 > 0:12:32So again, this is where knowing the job, knowing the stations

0:12:32 > 0:12:37and knowing how to help persons.

0:12:37 > 0:12:40We have all the resources we need to make sure

0:12:40 > 0:12:44that we can get everyone home.

0:12:44 > 0:12:46So now that the last Bakerloo line has left,

0:12:46 > 0:12:49it's time for us to shut the gates so no one else can enter.

0:12:49 > 0:12:53They can always use the northbound or southbound Victoria line

0:12:53 > 0:12:56or the Central line if they need to get home but for tonight, there's

0:12:56 > 0:13:02no more Bakerloo line trains.

0:13:10 > 0:13:13Well, stay with us because still to come on this week's show.

0:13:13 > 0:13:19Coming up next, we eat out here in Hong Kong with one

0:13:19 > 0:13:22of Asia's top chefs.

0:13:22 > 0:13:24Chrysanthemum is not traditional for this dish,

0:13:24 > 0:13:29but it really as a nice floralness and we got this inspiration from

0:13:29 > 0:13:32having a snake soup in Hong Kong.

0:13:35 > 0:13:39And head to the far north of Canada to meet the local people who survive

0:13:39 > 0:13:42some of the harshest winters on earth.

0:13:48 > 0:13:52The Travel Show, your essential guide, whether you're heading.

0:13:54 > 0:13:57Up next, here's another in our series of films to mark

0:13:57 > 0:14:00Canada's 150th birthday this year.

0:14:00 > 0:14:04And this week, we're off to the far north of the country to meet some

0:14:04 > 0:14:06of the people who live in the town of Qikiqtarjuaq,

0:14:06 > 0:14:09inside the Arctic Circle.

0:17:43 > 0:17:45Well, to finish off this week we're heading back to Hong Kong,

0:17:45 > 0:17:48a melting pot of Cantonese and western cultures and an amazing

0:17:48 > 0:17:50place to visit if you love food.

0:17:50 > 0:17:52May Chow was voted Asia's best female chef earlier this year

0:17:52 > 0:17:55and she's building a reputation as the driving force behind

0:17:55 > 0:17:57a new generation of chefs who are specialising in what's

0:17:57 > 0:17:58being called neo- Cantonese cuisine.

0:17:58 > 0:18:01We were lucky enough to go behind the scenes at her Happy Paradise

0:18:01 > 0:18:03restaurant in Hong Kong to watch her cook one

0:18:03 > 0:18:05of the most popular dishes.

0:18:05 > 0:18:09Today we're going cook for you a three yellow wine chicken.

0:18:09 > 0:18:11So basically, it's originally a Hong Kong dish but at

0:18:11 > 0:18:14Happy Paradise we do neo-Cantonese food so we're going to do it

0:18:14 > 0:18:18with more Cantonese techniques, having a bit more refined.

0:18:18 > 0:18:20What we have here is a local breed three yellow chicken.

0:18:21 > 0:18:23We've already slow cooked it.

0:18:23 > 0:18:28For the breast, we've cooked it at 58 degrees.

0:18:28 > 0:18:32For the thigh, we've cooked it at 83 degrees and for the feet,

0:18:32 > 0:18:35it's just a little garnish because Chinese people don't

0:18:35 > 0:18:36notice the tail first.

0:18:36 > 0:18:41We're going to do a rice on top with seasonal mushrooms,

0:18:41 > 0:18:45a little bit of chrysanthemum butter just to lighten it a little bit,

0:18:45 > 0:18:48to make it more floral and then it's going to be finished

0:18:48 > 0:18:52with a Shaoxing broth.

0:18:52 > 0:18:55So we're going to put the chicken in.

0:18:55 > 0:18:57It's already fully cooked so what we're really

0:18:57 > 0:19:02doing is reheating it.

0:19:02 > 0:19:05We're going to start the broth.

0:19:05 > 0:19:09This broth is shiitake based.

0:19:09 > 0:19:13So you can really smell a lot of shiitake mushrooms in there.

0:19:13 > 0:19:16We also have Shaoxing wine.

0:19:16 > 0:19:21Shaoxing wine is the most commonly used cooking wine for Chinese people

0:19:21 > 0:19:26but when you cook it with something like yellow wine chicken,

0:19:26 > 0:19:32we're quite aggressive with adding the Shaoxing wine.

0:19:32 > 0:19:39We're going to stir-fry the mushrooms.

0:19:39 > 0:19:43In Cantonese terms, it's actually called chicken mushrooms.

0:19:43 > 0:19:50So that's why we're adding it as well.

0:19:50 > 0:19:53We're trying to get a little bit of colour.

0:19:53 > 0:19:55Then we're going to add, this is really nice,

0:19:55 > 0:19:59this is the chrysanthemum butter.

0:19:59 > 0:20:02So that's going to add a really nice floralness to the fried rice.

0:20:02 > 0:20:10So we're layering the flavours into the chicken.

0:20:15 > 0:20:19Just a little bit more of that Shaoxing wine.

0:20:22 > 0:20:24So that's what we'll put aside for garnish.

0:20:24 > 0:20:27Just going to chop the chicken.

0:20:30 > 0:20:35The chicken should be ready.

0:20:35 > 0:20:42So we're going to take the chicken out.

0:20:53 > 0:20:57Now we're just going to ladle the rice on top.

0:21:06 > 0:21:09Now we're going to garnish with a bit of chrysanthemum.

0:21:09 > 0:21:12It isn't traditional for this dish, but it really adds

0:21:12 > 0:21:14a really nice floralness.

0:21:14 > 0:21:19We got this inspiration from having snake soup in Hong Kong.

0:21:19 > 0:21:23The chrysanthemum also represents chicken feathers.

0:21:25 > 0:21:29And then, table-side, we garnish with the soup.

0:21:35 > 0:21:37So this is our version of yellow wine chicken.

0:21:37 > 0:21:42Refined Cantonese food with super comfort levels.

0:21:53 > 0:21:56Well, that's all we got time for in this edition of the programme.

0:21:56 > 0:22:01Coming up next week:

0:22:01 > 0:22:03As Pakistan prepares to mark 70 years of independence,

0:22:03 > 0:22:09we go to Karachi to get a taste of life in the city.

0:22:09 > 0:22:13There's just so much more to Karachi than we know.

0:22:13 > 0:22:16It has depth in terms of the people who live here,

0:22:16 > 0:22:19the cultures that exist, the lifestyles, the architecture,

0:22:19 > 0:22:26there's just so much to see.

0:22:26 > 0:22:29Well, I hope you can join us for that if you can.

0:22:29 > 0:22:32Don't forget, if you want to follow the rest of the travel

0:22:32 > 0:22:34team on their journeys, in real-time, you can sign up to us

0:22:35 > 0:22:36on our social media feeds.

0:22:36 > 0:22:38All the details should be on your screen now.

0:22:38 > 0:22:40But until next time, from me, Carmen Roberts and the rest

0:22:40 > 0:22:43of the Travel Show team here in Hong Kong, it's goodbye.