Some dates are icons on the calendar. We've just passed one of these landmarks, the weekend of international racing at Sha Tin. Although we are not a sports mad society, other key dates also embrace sport, in the broadest aspect. These are the annual frenetic madness of the Rugby Sevens and the charming joy of the Dragon Boat Festival.
Like many Hongkongers, I take part in all three. They are an integral part of our lifestyle, putting a unique stamp on our city.
Then there is the triumphant Arts Festival, which has forever put to death the charge that Hong Kong is a cultural desert.
It's interesting to ponder that three of these annual events are of comparatively recent origin. The Arts Festival in February will be the 35th. It brings to us early next year a glittering selection of presentations; opera from Wales and Jiangsu , musicians from Moscow, South Africa and Cuba, dancers from India, Argentina and Germany, and actors from London and Tokyo.
It is a splendid month-long extravaganza of the arts, something of which our community can be proud. We owe a huge vote of appreciation to the pioneers who created and fostered the festival.
The Hong Kong Sevens will in spring celebrate the 31st weekend of champagne rugby. Since a pair of innovative rugby fans promoted the first Sevens tournament in 1976, the event has become a huge global event, a sporting phenomenon floating on an ocean of boozy goodwill. More than 21,800 people flew in last spring for the Sevens.