Governor Chris Patten was sadly missed from the French community's Bastille Day event, where he had established himself as having a bit of a reputation as a bon vivant.
Le Fei Peng - the French version of his Cantonese nickname, Fei Pang - can be relied upon to speak to the Gallic crowd in their own tongue even though the accent is so heavy it makes some cringe.
But this year the Governor had jetted off to London and was busy alienating the Eurosceptics in his own Conservative Party with a flying visit to Brussels.
So it was left to Financial Secretary Donald Tsang Yam-kuen to do the honours at the Convention Centre.
Although Tsang might like to think he cut a rather flamboyant figure with those colourful bow-ties, the dull presence of an Act-ing Governor, whose toast in English was so flat, did not really measure up to the real thing, according to some disappointed partygoers.
