lol, going around SZ is not easy indeed (local government started restrictions on new cars last December btw, traffic is really bad) , but you are the one who mentionned insecurity in SZ, it's something you hear from hongkies often. i can't relate at all, where I hang out feels *very* safe. Much safer than Nathan road where I have encountered pickpockets and where I see more touts in a single hour than in SZ in days (actually i don't see touts in SZ, but don't hang out by the Lowu station) Also i like Hk (even) less than SZ except for the better english spoken and some more blonde girls (but the girls in Wanchai are also old and ugly). Actually SZ (and the whole of China it seems, except perhaps Shanghai where expats seem to have the most fun, is much better if you speak chinese, or go around with locals, seen very nice girls in local clubs, although I don't get much the chance to go there nowadays _ I also saw cute girls in TST east btw, but unfortunately it's not very popular with westerners.
I was at couple night clubs quite a while ago in SZ, the most bizarre experience ever. Every group just sat at their "private reserved" tables, and played some retarded dice game. Nobody danced, bored girls in the groups flipped through their mobiles, and guys played dice games. In front of the club I spotted at least 4-5 ferraris, couple bentleys, and range rovers. A very unreal experience. Sorry but I prefer LQF over anything I have seen in China re entertainment.
Lol, well, when you see the cars locals drive in SZ and the moped or bicycles expats ride on you understand why local birds don't care much for foreigners. Lot of money in SZ although 5 ferraris next to each other sound like an exception. Imported cars are more expensive than in HK btw, over double the german prices. The fact some Rolls Royce models sell for 3 times the US price was all over the news a while back, but they still sell ! But LKF is a much easier place to go out for a westerners, I happen to be dead bored with it (and seldom go out at night also when in SZ) Not sure you read it as i edited my post but I never mentionned insecurity issues in SZ. In the contrary it feels quite safe and I still have to meet an expat who complains about insecurity in SZ (Hongkies complaining about alledged insecurity in SZ, yes, that's common, they could also be standing across the Nanshan bridge, staring at the same blue sky, and swear SZ is always covered by fog. i actually suspect you would swear it along them !)
well, not outright insecure. But having to lock up everything you have cause even necklaces will be stolen without one even noticing, running into night club busts by local police not knowing whether its drug related, or whether someone just did not pay protection money, or for whatever other obscure reason, is not what I call safe. Also, being constantly filmed when entering or exiting public buildings or transportation feels outright weird and one gets almost arrested when rejecting to be filmed by putting up a hand or arm in front of the face. Some "officers" walk straight into the bus or train with a video camera and stick it into each person's face. When I walk around in HK, day or night, that I consider safe.
I can't relate at all to what you write, how many people do you know who got victims of pickpockets, were mugged, had their car or house broken into in SZ ? In Europe, even in wealthy areas (where i come from at least) we have to watch out of not showing valuables nor leaving them in the car but not in SZ ( again I don't know abt the Lowu station, but doubt it's that bad). Bentleys and other luxury cars, you see them parked along some public roads, or among other cars in regular parking lots. The owners seem quite confident they won't be jumped or get their cars stolen. Rich people go around without private security, kids and adults wear jewelry in the street. HK feels also safe btw although again Kowloon not so much, I've seen more problems at night in HK than in SZ, but been out in HK more.
I have no idea what you are talking about ( fair enough I'm about as much into public transportation as into surfing on meteorites but have been on the HK SZ train in the past and encountered nothing alike). I have entered plenty of public buildings in China, no idea what you are talking about, except if you mean cctv which is present in SZ as well as in HK
No wonder you were upset about the Occupy Central protests. You would have been pretty lost without public transport. If you ever boarded a ferry , helicopter or liner to Hong Kong from Baoan airport you would know what I am talking about.
So you found the one place in SZ where one is filmed by a camera holding officer and come up with : "being constantly filmed when entering or exiting public buildings or transportation feels outright weird " Or did you also notice a guy holding a camera upon entering a video shop in Lowu, hence the generalization ? As I won't be taking this route anytime soon i'll have to take your word for it , the SZ airport - HK route process is different than the SZ --HK airport route or other routes into HK from SZ. I suggest next time you enter HK by road and the HK border officer shoots you in the head with his temperature gun that you wave him away. He should let you through peacefully.
Mate, if you so love Mainland China then move up there. Like most expats in PRC who are paid big "suffer" bonuses you can expect a pay rise. There is a reason for that don't you think so? Shenzhen is most likely one of the last places on earth I want to live though. but knock yourself out. I won't keep you. But don't cry about little shuffles here and there in SZ as you do about the ones in HK. The few demos that went down here in HK are harmless and almost cute in comparison. If that already irritates and upsets you maybe you want to reconsider. Re video filming I was maybe exaggerating. Not every public building but if you think CCTV is big in hk then you have seen nothing in SZ. And I maintain what I said about video survailence at Baoan airport. A police state par excellence where retards at every entrance and exit around the airport stick their cameras into people's faces. hiding your face was not looked upon favorably. For me SZ remains an absolute shit hole for the locals and else a car race and whore playground for the newly rich. Both not the circles I frequent. Enjoy!!!
And on the subject at hand; http://www.businessinsider.com/afp-...-faking-varoufakis-middle-finger-video-2015-3