Surprise at departure of popular Saudi consul general

Some of the local Arabic community were a bit surprised to learn at last Thursday's Saudi Arabia 78th National Day celebration that their popular consul general would be leaving. Obviously, they hadn't heard that Alaudeen Alaskary - who brought the Middle East to the East when he established the diplomatic office here five years ago - will become the new chief of protocol with the Saudi foreign ministry in Riyadh.

With Chief Secretary Henry Tang Ying-yen as his guest, Alaskary drew a gasp from the audience when he announced he would soon depart. 'Two months after I first arrived here we had our first National Day celebration. Now after this, our fifth National Day, I will be leaving in two months. It's special that Mr Henry Tang is here because he was our guest at the first event,' he recalled.

As usual, the celebration was fit for a prince (a Saudi one). There was a Bedouin tent (which he and Tang climbed into for a photo op), and enough food for a thousand and one night's feasts. Still, Alaskary and his American-born wife Kate will miss Hong Kong. Well, some elements of it.

'What I won't miss is the humidity,' she said. 'But the green and the mountain - coming from a desert country - that is very beautiful and we'll take a lot of memories with us. However, we will get to see our kids and grandkids more.'

For his part, the consul general noted only one bit of nostalgia. 'The people!' he emphasised. 'Places come and go but the people are what make it special.'