Capturing Hong Kong, by fair memes or foul
A Facebook page features posts taking a wry look at life in the city - from smog to racism, expat wives and Ikea's 'bedroom specialists'
What goes on in the minds of Hongkongers? What are their gripes, their passions, their preoccupations? If anyone knows, it's the founder and administrator of Hong Kong Memes, a Facebook page that shares posts on all things Hong Kong.
Commentary on politics, random musings, pithy sayings and photos, internet memes are any kind of idea that spreads rapidly from person to person through the web.
Hong Kong Memes captures the details that give colour to this city - strange advertisements, the habits of wealthy expatriate wives, parallel traders, smog, bizarre sightings and even algal blooms - all with a wry touch.
"'Moves here for the Chinese culture; lives in Discovery Bay,' this is one of our favourite posts," said the American teacher behind the site, who identified himself only as Randy. The irony, for anyone new to Hong Kong, is that the bay is a Western enclave far removed from the rest of the city.
Randy has - along with several other long-time expats who choose to remain anonymous - screened thousands of memes that people have submitted since the page began in February.
"Locals don't necessarily see what new arrivals see," says Randy, who proclaims himself the "tallest person you'll probably ever meet in Hong Kong".
A case in point is the picture of an Ikea employee with the title "bedroom specialist" emblazoned across his yellow shirt.