Despite the rain on Sunday, we spent our afternoon betting on horses (remember 18 is the alcohol/gambling age here!) at the Hong Kong Jockey Club in the Citibank box. This included a presentation of the Hong Kong Jockey Club's charitable causes (Sichuan earthquake relief, SARS, you name it) and its important role in the dynamic of HK. It was surprising to see that many people still showed up to place their bets downstairs in the areas for the general public. And who knows how many people bet from home through the phone or online.
Of course one of the perks of having our own box: food. I'm assuming the buffet is always provided for the private boxes, and in addition to some delicious pastries (the almond tart with lemon frosting was my favorite), there was also a carving station for the prime rib and a station for hors d'oeuvres that were individually served in those minimalist white bowls that have popped up everywhere. Considering that we as the students didn't have to pay for any of the food (though many spent more than enough of quinellas, winning, and placing bets), it was a pretty sweet deal. I did some betting myself (10 HK is the minimum per bet, so little more than 1 US) but didn't win anything. I guess I should just stick to food as a hobby
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