The Land of Honey REPORTING BY Elena M. Zepeda A VIBRANT ISLAND NATION in the central Mediterranean Sea, Malta lies 80km south of Sicily and 284km east of Tunisia. It offers a unique blend of 7,000 years of history and 300 days of annual sunshine. You’ll find sandy beaches, fossil-studded cliffs, hidden coves, diverse cuisine and a surprisingly lively party scene, plus countless must-see historical attractions. BASE YOURSELF IN VALLETTA, the European Union’s smallest and southernmost capital city. Nestled on a rocky peninsula overlooking grand natural harbours, the entire walled fortress town is UNESCO-listed. Founded in the late 1500s by the Knights of St John (check out the 16th-century Grandmaster’s Palace), it’s now a walkable and vibrant ‘open-air museum’. STEP BACK IN TIME in golden-hued Mdina, an 18-minute drive inland from Valletta. Malta’s capital in medieval times, it’s now known as the ‘silent city’ thanks to its cloistered atmosphere and narrow, virtually car-free streets. Drop by Fontanella Tea Garden, a popular spot on the ramparts famous for its chocolate cake and panoramic island views. WALK TO RABAT, just outside Mdina’s walls, for a more bustling and everyday Maltese experience, plus Roman ruins, crypts and catacombs. Malta is known as the ‘Mediterranean’s Hollywood’, having served as a filming location for Gladiator and Troy – Game of Thrones fans will recognise Rabat’s St Dominic’s Priory as a filming location for several scenes in the first season. MARVEL AT THE MEGALITHIC Temple of Ħaġar Qim in southern Malta: dating from 3700 to 3200 BCE, it’s one of the oldest temple complexes in the world – older than the Pyramids of Giza or Stonehenge. The facade, with its trilithon entrance (two upright stones with a third across the top as a lintel) has been restored, and gives an idea of what the site may once have looked like. CATCH A FISHING BOAT at Marsaxlokk harbour, also in southern Malta, to see the Blue Grotto, a string of seven, sea-sculpted coastal caverns. The brightly painted tour boats (luzzus) make the trip all the prettier – traditional craft, dating back to Phoenician times (500 to 300 BC), they feature an eye (the Eye of Horus) on the bow, an ancient symbol of protection. HOP ON A FERRY to explore Gozo and Comino, two smaller islands in the Maltese archipelago. On Comino, head to the Blue Lagoon, a picturesque cove surrounded by rugged cliffs and rock formations. On Gozo, visit the windswept Marsalforn salt pans: cut into the coastal limestone by hand, they date back to Roman times and are still used to harvest salt between May and September.

Harvey Law Group introduces Australia's National Innovation Visa: a fast-track pathway to permanent residency Australia’s National Innovation Visa (NIV) offers a direct permanent residency pathway for highly talented individuals from across the world. Structured as an invitation-only program, it is designed to be selective, yet accessible to experienced professionals, entrepreneurs, researchers and innovators. This is a testament to Australia’s business-friendly ecosystem and demonstrates a clear intention to attract top-tier global talents and their families to settle in Australia. The NIV program provides investors with flexibility and certainty in one of the world’s most stable, innovation-driven economies. WHO CAN APPLY? In general, principal applicants should be between 18 and 54 years old. However, applicants outside this age bracket may still qualify if they can demonstrate that their presence has the potential to deliver exceptional benefit to the Australian community. The principal applicant should hold at least a university degree and have at least five years of experience in the sector related to their degree. A functional level of English proficiency is generally required for adult applicants included in the application; however, this requirement can be waived upon payment of a prescribed surcharge. All applicants, including dependents, must meet Australia’s standard health requirements. This typically requires the completion of medical examinations, conducted by an approved panel physician, to ensure that applicants do not have any condition that would pose a risk to public health or result in undue cost to the Australian healthcare system. Applicants are also required to satisfy good character requirements by providing police certificates from countries where they have spent in aggregate at least 12 months over the past 10 years since turning 16. KEY BENEFITS OF THE NIV There is no nationality restriction, no cumbersome points system, no job-offer requirement and no need to demonstrate business performance for NIV grant or renewal. Through this program, the applicant obtains benefits of a first-class immigration pathway, as well as support to set up a new business in Australia. Applicants are supported throughout the process – from initial profile assessment and identification of suitable project opportunities, to securing nomination from a reputable national body, lodging the application for the principal applicant and dependants, coordinating with an incubator for research and development guidance, and establishing an Australian company upon visa approval. Successful applicants and their dependants are granted immediate permanent residency, enabling them to live, work and study in Australia indefinitely. Australia recognises same-sex marriages and de facto (commonlaw) par tnerships, ensur ing that diverse family structures receive equal recognition. A broad range of dependents can be included as part of the main applicant’s family unit, including spouse or partner, minor children and even financially dependent adult children up to 23 years. Older adult children can be included without any age restriction if dependent due to a physical disability. In addition, grandchildren can also be included if they are the dependent child of an included child, enabling multigenerational relocation under a single application. Beyond dynamic business-oriented opportunities, applicants and their families are also attracted to this program because it permits access to an excellent education system and quality healthcare through Medicare (Australia’s public healthcare system). Importantly, the NIV does not impose any minimum physical stay requirement, permitting investors and their families to relocate to Australia immediately, or progressively to allow for a smoother personal and professional transition. Af ter four year s of lawf ul residence, including at least one year as a permanent resident (and subject to prescribed conditions, including basic English language proficiency, minimum residency and good character), each member of the family unit can become eligible for Australian citizenship. FAST TRACK TO THE NIV The NIV program uses four priority categories to rank applicants, and for those uncertain about their eligibility or optimal pathway, professional legal guidance is invaluable. Har vey Law Group, with over 30 years of experience in global residency and citizenship programs, offers a tailored approach aligned with clients’ individual profiles. We assess each client’s background against available opportunities and determine eligibility under the highly competitive Priority 2 category. The NIV Priority 2 Category offers an efficient processing time that typically ranges from eight to 15 months, depending on case complexity. From initial due diligence and eligibility assessment (around two weeks), through signing the incubation term sheet, securing nomination and submitting your Expression of Interest (around four weeks), to finalising and lodging your visa application within 60 days of invitation, the process is designed to be structured and predictable. Following submission, decisions typically take six to 12 months, af ter which you travel to Australia to activate your permanent resident visa, establish your company, monitor research and pursue commercialisation. Successful applicants hold 100% ownership of the new business in Australia, and benefit from an incubation period of approximately two years to facilitate project scoping, the negotiation of research and development agreements, and team formation. While the program offers strong institutional and commercial support, it is not passive. The principal applicant is expected to remain actively involved during the incubation period, particularly in guiding the strategic direction of the project. The minimum start-up investment is typically US$250,000. So, if you're interested in securing the NIV, we recommend taking the first step by reaching out to us at contact@harveylawcorporation.com. Our seasoned team specialises in guiding individuals through the complexities of the application process, ensuring that you get personalised support, expert advice and clarity at every stage of your journey toward obtaining Australian citizenship.

Content creation shouldn’t be just about trends, views, or going viral… it’s about building something that reflects you. The key, says Elena M. Zepeda is to start, and then to stay PHOTOS COURTESY OF Elena M. Zepeda & Magnific The year 2020 marked a turning point in the world of content creation. Suddenly, you no longer needed to spend hundreds of dollars on a full YouTube setup or commit to producing 15-minute videos every week. Platforms like TikTok shifted the landscape entirely, while the pandemic gave people something they hadn’t had in a long time: time. And with that, the world began to create… constantly. Creators started to rise quickly. Views climbed, engagement grew and, for some, the money rolled in. At least at the beginning, it seemed easy. Everyone was doing it. As ‘influencing’ became more visible, more people wanted in. Picture it. Working from home? Earning from posting a single Instagram story? Getting invited to restaurants just to film a one-minute video? It sounded like a dream! And, in many ways, it still does. But while content creation can be glamorous, and yes, at times, it really is – the reality is slightly more complicated, especially when you’re just starting out. Content creation is equal parts creativity, consistency and patience. It can be exciting, frustrating and often unpredictable. One video might reach 1,000 views, while the next suddenly skyrockets to 500,000 for no clear reason at all. But if you approach it with the right mindset, the journey can be incredibly rewarding. Here’s how to get started and, more importantly, how to keep going. The biggest mistake most people make is waiting… Waiting until they have the perfect setup, better editing skills, or a clear plan of what they want to achieve. Some people know exactly what they want to create the moment they pick up their phone; whether it’s to focus on styling, makeup, comedy, or a hobby they genuinely enjoy. Others start by recreating content they’ve seen or by sharing more personal thoughts and experiences. All of these are valid starting points. Whether you choose to focus on one, or explore a mix of everything, that decision is entirely yours. Over time, it will naturally shape what your niche becomes. Your niche is simply what people will expect from your content, but if by any chance you aren’t so sure, don’t worry, it is also a niche to have a ‘little bit of everything’. So, although having direction does help, don’t feel pressured to box yourself in. Let your content reflect your interests, and allow it to evolve naturally over time. Know that if you’re planning on starting content creating simply for fame and freebies, it will be harder to stay consistent. You need to find passion in what you create, even if it is not perfect. The good thing is, it doesn’t have to be! Posting consistently matters more than a per fectly recorded video, with perfect lighting, that took you two hours to edit. Your viewers will be able to tell if you’re trying too hard or if you’re enjoying yourself. Consistency does not mean you have to post every single day, although it could make the process faster. You just need to show up regularly. Whether that is a few times a week or even once a week, what matters is that you maintain a certain rhythm you can sustain. Growth tends to come from repetition. Keep trying, learning and improving. You don’t need to wait until everything is flawless. Once you step into the world of content creation, scrolling becomes part of the job. You will find yourself constantly searching for inspiration; keeping up with trends, sounds, formats and ideas you can adapt into your own content. Over time, though, that constant exposure can start to blur the line between inspiration and comparison. It is easy to go from thinking “I like how they did that, I could do something similar,” to “Why doesn’t my content perform like theirs?” That’s where you need to be careful. Use other creators as a source of ideas, not as a measure of your worth. Pay attention to what works, but more importantly, pay attention to what works for you. Content creation is creative, yes, but it is also strategic. While trends can bring attention, you have to think beyond going viral. A single viral video might bring in views and likes, but it doesn’t guarantee a loyal audience. Instead, focus on your brand. What do you want people to associate you with? What makes your content recognisable? Why should someone follow you and not someone else? At the end of the day, you are the brand. You are the reason people stay. You are the star. So make yourself known! Not through one viral moment, but through a consistent presence people can return to. Engage with your audience, enjoy interacting with them and build something that feels genuine. Here’s the part no one really talks about: growth is unpredictable. Some videos will perform well and others won’t. And most of the time, it has very little to do with you. The algorithm has a mind of its own, and it can be quite difficult trying to understand it. Growth in content creation is rarely a straight line. It comes in waves. There will be moments where everything feels slow, and others where things suddenly take off. The key is to keep going anyway. Because often, the difference between those who succeed and those who stop is simply persistence. Post didn’t do well? You can always delete and repost. (But don’t do this all the time because the platform might decide you’re a Bot, and it could even confuse the algorithm a little.) As you continue creating, you will inevitably come across other creators. Some might seem to grow faster, gain followers quicker and reach milestones you haven’t yet hit. So, yes, it is easy to feel left behind. But every creator you see started somewhere. Their growth has nothing to do with yours. Everyone moves at their own pace, and comparison simply won’t get you anywhere. When I first started, I questioned myself constantly. I watched other creators grow within weeks, while I was still sitting at 100 followers. My videos were performing well, but no one seemed interested enough in actually following me. Then one night, right before going to bed, I thought, “Oh well, let me just post this silly video.” That video became my first viral post. It reached 45 million views and over a million likes. And all overnight! I gained 5,000 followers just like that. It felt unreal, but in that moment, I finally understood why people say, ‘one video is all it takes’. Now, I’m working even harder to gain another 5,000 to reach my second milestone, 10,000 followers. Moments like that don’t happen every day, but as you can see, they can happen. And more importantly, they only happen if you keep going. Focus on your own progress. Bit by bit, people will begin to notice your content. They’ll start engaging more, returning to your page and recognising your style. Be confident in what you create. Be confident in your voice, your ideas and your perspectives. Because in a space where everyone is creating and it seems like you’re all doing the same, the one thing that will always make you stand out, is yourself.

Not all DB trails lead to Mui Wo but two of the most interesting do. George Pitsakis takes us walkabout To say that the hikes I’m about to introduce you to never get old is understatement. I first hiked to Mui Wo via the Trappist Monastery in 2000 with my family when I was four years old, and I still love it. As for the hike to Mui Wo via Tiger’s Head, I did it almost every weekend in my late teens; I must have done it 70 times or more. Again, I still love the challenge – and the views. I hope you get as much out of these hikes as I have. VIA THE TRAPPIST MONASTERY No sweat. 4 kilometres: Starting at Nim Shue Wan, you follow the path that hugs the coast for the whole of the first section of this hike. As you walk through the village up a steep hill, you’re immediately surrounded by Banyan Trees and garden plots – it’s funny how quickly you ‘leave’ Discovery Bay and get out into the countryside. Dogs hang around the village but keep walking and they won’t harm you; they’re used to hikers passing through. After a stretch, you skirt a rocky little bay (where my brother and I used to catch crabs) and head up some winding stairs. Continue walking and you come across one of my favourite things about this hike – a 1950s jeep now totally overgrown and laced with tree roots. I’ve no idea why it’s there or how it got there. It looks like it’s been there forever. After a sharp descent, you enter a clearing and see a wide road leading up to the Roman Catholic Our Lady of Joy Abbey, better known as the Trappist Monastery. This section of the hike is steep so take your time. You pass 14 Stations of the Cross on the way to the monastery, a series of 14 markers portraying events in the Passion of Christ, from his condemnation by Pontius Pilate to his entombment. At the monastery, there’s a beautiful Shrine to Mary, a well-kept garden and a pretty stream that runs beneath a wooden bridge, all of which justify the monastery’s original name – Trappist Haven. The chapel itself is a plain place of worship nestled in the hills, quiet and remote. Back on the trail, you’re looking at a fairly long climb up to a pagoda at around 300 metres above sea level. It’s all uphill for a while, so mind your pace. While there is a trail that skirts the pagoda, it’s worth taking the stairs up to it (on your left) for the great views. On your way down, you see Discovery Bay Golf Club on your left, Peng Chau ahead, and Hong Kong Island and a sliver of Hei Ling Chau to your right. You’re now on the homestretch – a casual 1,000-stair descent to Mui Wo. It’s best to take the steps sideways on at the end because they’re pretty narrow. Here you look down on Mui Wo in the shadow of 869-metre Tai Tung Shan (Sunset Peak) and, as often as not, you find yourself surrounded by butterflies. At the bottom of the stairs, follow the path to the right until you wind down to Silvermine Bay. Here you can hang out at Silvermine Beach Resort, China Bear, or the Mui Wo Cooked Food Market before ferry-, bus- or taxi-ing it back to DB. VIA TIGER’S HEAD Challenging. 11 kilometres: This hike really kicks into gear at the Discovery Bay Lookout (already 200 metres above sea level). From the lookout, you can see the skyscrapers of Central just a few kilometres across Victoria Harbour. Peng Chau and Hei Ling Chau sit in the foreground, with Lamma and Cheung Chau forming the backdrop. Take the paved road out from behind the lookout, and you see Lo Fu Tau (Tiger’s Head) towering above you. Follow the path as it turns left, and you come across a switch back on your right. This dirt path inclines steeply all the way up to Tiger’s Head, 465 metres above sea level. Be warned, there’s no shade the whole way up – if you’re hiking in summer, make it early in the morning, and carry plenty of water even in winter. The trail is eroded in places too, so watch out for loose rocks and dirt. Take your time and enjoy the incredible views. The path snaking up Tiger’s Head looks a lot shorter than it actually is, but it flattens out for 10 metres every now and then, providing you with a good place to take a break. Just before you reach the summit, there’s a harsh 40º incline – you might need to do this bit on all fours. Bear in mind that you’re on the final stretch. Tell yourself that once you’re at the summit, it will be beautiful. It is. From here you turn right to continue on the trail but, before you do, take a left – a short climb takes you right up to the proverbial tiger’s head, a giant stone on the top of the hill shaped like the head of a tiger. The views are incredible here; you can see the whole of DB and appreciate just how far you’ve climbed. The shape of the tiger is best seen as you continue on a brief incline and you look back towards DB. Two protrusions on either side of the main rock buttress resemble ears, and you can imagine you’re looking down the nape of a tiger, as he surveys the scene below. Here, you’re rewarded with a 360° panorama. To appreciate it all, clamber on top of the trigonometrical point. These fixed surveying stations are found on many hills in Hong Kong, ask a friend to help you get up it! From here you see the airport, along with the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge veining into the Pearl River Delta, as well as Castle Peak in the New Territories. Back on the trail as it heads to the left, you are now officially on the Lo Fu Tau Country Trail. You get your first glimpse of what can only be described as a landscape that is totally alien to Hong Kong. This stretch of the walk is sublime, a relatively gentle descent through a craggy, treeless moonscape surrounded by hills. The valley opens up behind in splendid and cavernous style; skirt around a hill and you see Sunset Peak towering up a few kilometres away. As you meander down you encounter several interesting rock formations that seem too well-balanced to have been haphazardly thrown together by nature. After you take some stairs leading down, you find yourself back below the tree line. The path continues on its downward journey, clipping the edge of Discovery Bay Golf Club, and you can spot golfers on the putting green. It’s a nice easy descent to a wooden pagoda, which marks one end of Lo Fu Tau Country Trail. Here you turn left to join the Olympic Trail. The winding path of stairs, slopes and straights makes up for the fact that you’re back on concrete. From the clearings, you start to glimpse the Mui Wo villages and Silvermine Bay. A couple of the stairs at this point are pretty steep. Round a bend and you come across a pretty little pool of water overhung by trees. In the summer, these trees are full of massive Golden Silk Orb Weaver Spiders. The spiders are not in your way but don’t get too close as they do bite. Cross a recently built bridge and follow the path left past an old house; then turn right to Silvermine Cave, which is actually the mouth of an old silver mine. Just below it is Silvermine Waterfall – to see it at full pelt, time your hike for just after it’s rained. There are benches by the waterfall where you can grab a snack and hang out. Back on the path, you end up in the back end of Mui Wo. Follow the main road and head away from the hills toward Silvermine Bay.

For travel writer, photographer and advocate for the little guys Alyssa Campanella the world is her classroom. Elizabeth Kerr reports "I don’t vacation. I travel,” opens Alyssa Campanella. “When we’re away, we’re up at six and out the door by seven. We’re going to go and do something.” No surprise there. Composed as she looks, Alyssa is clearly a barely contained ball of energy: a woman with a style-and-travel blog to maintain and a photography business to nurture, as well as two dogs, two cats, a three-year-old and a husband to keep in check. “It is a lot of feet.” Alyssa is just back from a photo shoot on Tai Pak Beach – one of the rare occasions when the former Miss USA is in front of the camera – and a Putonghua lesson in DB North. She hopes to get some practice during a jaunt to Hangzhou for her blog as much as just because. “I have always been a world traveller. I recently wrote on my social media that I’ve known since I was a little girl that I was meant to see the world,” she begins by way of explaining what brought her to Hong Kong. Taking the Miss USA title in 2011 allowed her to act on that compulsion to travel, while giving her four years in New York and almost 10 in Los Angeles. Before raising an eyebrow, Alyssa credits her pageant career as helping her get a foot in the travel door – or on the plane. She understands the stigma attached to the pageant industry, but her experience was positive. “I first entered the pageant scene when I was 15 years old, competing in Miss Teen USA. I was used to my name being called and used to my name not being called. I would daydream about what my reign would be like – living in the Miss Universe apartment in New York and travelling the world representing the Miss Universe Organisation and countless charities. It was a job and responsibility I really wanted for myself – and I’m a girly girl; I wanted an excuse to wear a gown,” she says with a chuckle. Around the time Alyssa was in the spotlight and starting to see the world, Instagram was emerging as a legitimate media platform, and she found she had an audience, albeit for fashion. “That’s how my blog became what it is,” she explains. “I thought, why can’t I do ‘travelling in style’? I can marry the two. I can merge them into one website. “ Alyssa had a little incentive on the relocation front thanks to a pilot she started dating, one who grew up in Hong Kong and had no intention of leaving. “It just felt like it made sense; I was ready to try something new,” she states. “And I love that Hong Kong is such a great gateway to all of these different places that I want to see.” The stars aligned for the Manalapan, New Jersey native, who felt at home in Discovery Bay almost immediately. “I had never visited Asia before, and when I got here, I guess because I grew up just outside of New York, I liked that Hong Kong had that kind of city vibe. But DB also had nature and the mountains. It was just the best of both worlds.” The couple made it official in November 2019 when Alyssa relocated, and started making all kinds of plans for an elaborate wedding – which went right out the window with the pandemic. One postponement led to another, until finally they opted for City Hall. “We kept it simple; just his parents as our witnesses, and me and him at the Rosewood for dinner.” They welcomed a daughter in 2022. Like many of us, Alyssa felt isolated during the pandemic years as a relatively new arrival who couldn’t see family and whose primary job demanded travelling. She focused on Hong Kong in order to keep her site active, and she never truly considered leaving. Alyssa, now 36, was confident life would bounce back, and she was vindicated when it did – and everyone started travelling with a vengeance. That so - called revenge travel was good for Alyssa’s blog and the tourism bodies it works with, but it’s also one of several new challenges writers and influencers (for the record Alyssa bristles at that word) are contending with. Another is artificial intelligence. “Personally I’m not worried about AI,” she says with a dismissive wave. “It’s not always correct, it sounds like a robot, and I want my writing to sound like a human being. AI can’t immerse you in an author’s words and world. Even the captions are terrible.” Over tourism, however, is very real and very valid. Just ask Tokyoites, Italians and Peruvians. And Alyssa could be considered part of the problem. “Post-covid people just went hard,” Alyssa agrees, noting, however, that plenty of places can benefit from tourism dollars, and “could really use our love and attention. That’s why lately I’ve been focusing a lot on places that maybe people hadn’t considered.” Alyssa has recently been stumping for Cambodia beyond Angkor Wat, and the parts of mainland China beyond Shanghai and Beijing. A self-described history nerd who reads Jane Austen on road trips, Alyssa wants her readers to remember there’s more than just “touristy” stuff to see on any trip, and she wants her content creation to be about more than “a pretty picture on Instagram”. At the core, Alyssa says she does her work because she loves learning – as evidenced by teaching herself Danish (her grandfather emigrated to the US from Denmark), Turkish and photography, which gave rise to her recent DB-based photography venture. “Through my blog, I’ve had the honour to be hired by big-name brands, tourism boards, airlines and hotels around the world to photograph for them. I’ve even had the privilege of seeing my travel photography featured in Vogue UK and Harper’s Bazaar UK. But I also love capturing family moments. I love making coffee table books of our photos and I want to be able to give that to other families,” she explains. “I’d love it if a memory I captured of someone’s family having a good afternoon on the beach is displayed in their home, and they have that to look back on all the time. So that’s why I’m broadening from just travel photography and writing to taking photos of families as well.” So the million-dollar question: does Alyssa have a bucket list, and what tops her personal favourites’ pile? As for the bucket list, it’s a deep one, it changes regularly and until recently included a trip to Abu Dhabi and Dubai with her daughter, the Philippines and more of Vietnam than she’s managed so far. It doesn’t include cruises or boats. As for favourites, Alyssa will admit her go-to dream spot is Iceland – with Cambodia a close second. “I love what I do for a living,” she concludes. “I love writing about places. I’ll never stop dressing up and I’ll never stop getting on a plane.”

Ice Cream Sandwiches Serves 4 75g dark chocolate, chopped into chunks 200g peanut butter 175g golden caster sugar 1 large egg 3 bananas 2 tbsp double cream 1½tsps vanilla extract Heat the oven to 180°C and prepare two large baking trays. Chop the chocolate into chunks and combine with the peanut butter and sugar. Crack in the egg and mix to form a dough. Break off chunks of dough (about the size of a cherry tomato) and place them on the baking trays. Press the cookies down with the back of a fork. Bake for about 12 minutes until golden around the edges. Leave to cool for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, blitz the bananas (chopped and frozen in advance) with the cream and vanilla essence to form a thick ice cream. Scoop into balls, and sandwich between the cookies. Serve immediately.

How much do you know about Superheroes? 01. In Batman Begins, how does Bruce Wayne first discover the Batcave? A) Alfred shows it to him B) He falls into it as a child C) He inherits a map to it 02. In Iron Man, why does Tony Stark build his first Iron Man suit? A) To impress a group of scientists B) To escape from terrorists C) To showcase his new company logo 03. In Man of Steel, why does Superman reveal himself to the world? A) To promote his new book tour B) To impress Lois Lane C) To surrender to General Zod 04. How does Steve Rogers gain his powers in The First Avenger? A) Through alien technology B) Through magical training C) Through Super-Soldier Serum 05. In Wonder Woman, why does Diana leave Themyscira? A) To become queen B) To compete in the Olympics C) To help Steve Trevor stop World War I 06. In Homecoming, who provides Peter Parker with his advanced Spider-Man suit? A) Aunt May B) Tony Stark C) Happy Hogan 07. In The Dark Knight, what is the Joker trying to prove? A) Anyone can be corrupted B) Clowns deserve higher wages C) Batman is mad 08. In Doctor Strange, what allows the doctor to manipulate time? A) A Time-Turner B) The Resurrection Stone C) A Time Stone 09. In Blank Panther, how does T’Challa lose the throne? A) By refusing to fight Killmonger B) By losing a fight with Killmonger C) The council removes him 10. In Thor: Ragnarok, who destroys Asgard? A) Surtur B) Thanos C) Thor 11. What is Natasha Romanoff trying to destroy in Black Widow? A) The Red Room B) HYDRA C) S.H.I.E.L.D 12. In Justice League, how does the Flash get his powers? A) He’s struck by alien energy B) Lightning strikes his lab C) He gets electrocuted in the bath 13. In Deadpool, what drives Wade Wilson to undergo torture? A) He is promised a cure for cancer B) He is promised instant internet fame C) He is promised superpowers 14. In Wanda Vision, what causes Wanda Maximoff to create a fake reality? A) Her spell goes wrong B) Her fear of aliens C) Her grief over losing Vision 15. In Green Lantern, who becomes the first human member of the Green Lantern Corps? A) Amanda Waller B) Hal Jordan C) Hector Hammond 16. In X-Men Origins: Wolverine, who is Wolverine’s half-brother? A) Victor Creed B) Professor X C) Cyclops 17. In Ant Man, where do we find Scott Lang when he is first recruited? A) Hiding from the government B) Released from prison C) Fired by Pym Technologies 18. In Captain Marvel, why does Carol Danvers return to Earth? A) To chase Skrulls B) To open a coffee shop C) To challenge the Avengers to a dance-off 19. In Daredevil, what causes Matt Murdock to go blind? A) Radioactive waste B) Glaucoma C) Super-Soldier Serum 20. In Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, what makes Miles Morales different from other Spider-People? A) He can travel between universes B) He can turn invisible C) He has superhuman speed Answers: B B C C C B A C B A A B A C B A B A A B

After a long career spanning Spain and Hong Kong, Fernando Recio is finally stepping out for his home team, Ampcontrol DB, at the upcoming Soccer Sevens. Sam Agars reports PHOTOGRAPHY BY Andrew J.C. Spires & Nigel Baillie Where Fernando Recio comes from, football is life. And now, nearly 40 years after his first-ever training session, the 43-year-old Spaniard will once again get the chance to play the game he loves when he steps out for Ampcontrol DB in this month’s HKFC Standard Chartered Priority Private Soccer Sevens. “I remember my first training session – I was five years old. If you are a football player, you are a football player until you pass away,” he says. “All my life is about football. Even now, I am so happy I can continue to work in football because it is not easy when you retire from playing.” After a senior career as a centre-back spanning more than two decades, beginning in Spain and culminating in Hong Kong, Fernando is now an assistant coach for Hong Kong Premier League (HKPL) side Kitchee and the Hong Kong national team. A third-division player in Spain for teams such as UE Rapitenca and CF Amposta while living in Roquetes, Fernando was lured to Hong Kong by Kitchee in 2010 and also represented Lee Man in the HKPL, as well as stepping out for the Hong Kong national team. “I played for Kitchee for nine years and Lee Man for five, while I also played some games for Hong Kong. It was a nice experience, representing Hong Kong. In Spain this would have been impossible that I play for the national team. The level is amazing in Spain but to have this opportunity here is really good,” he says. His retirement from playing, however, will be put on hold when he suits up for Ampcontrol DB at the Soccer Sevens at the Hong Kong Football Club from May 22 to 24. The team is managed by local residents Tim Bredbury and Mike Collier, who runs the Discovery Bay Football Club over-45s team. And, after moving to DB from Tung Chung last year, Fernando is looking forward to representing his new home. “At my age, I just want to enjoy the experience. Of course, I want to win every single game and I like to be competitive, but honestly the most important thing for me now is to enjoy it,” he says. Fernando will make his first appearance for Ampcontrol DB, with Tim Bredbury finally getting his man. “Tim is a legend in Hong Kong. Everybody in Hong Kong football knows Tim. We started to talk and he kept asking when I could play and finally this year I have time,” confirms Fernando. While Tim, a DB resident of almost 40 years, is acutely aware of the importance of being competitive, the tournament is about far more than just winning and losing. “It’s just fun. It’s the best Sevens tournament in Asia and you get to play against some of the best players,” he says. “It’s also got a great community feel. The football scene in DB is pretty strong, especially up at DBIS of an evening. Every night of the week there is a football game of some description going on, plus there is Sunday morning football.” While the team will feature a string of DB residents, the sponsors are also a major par t of Ampcontrol DB’s fabric and boast strong local connections through Lippman Lee (Ampcontrol), Tim Drew (Tanner De Wit t), Paul Daley (Feather & Bone), Guillaume Mauf frey (Riedel), Wendy Lee (Axis Performance), Deshraj Chandel and Gaurav Bhasin (Ona/ A Tavola), Gareth Rae (Tsunami) and Jean- François Harvey (Around DB). Non-DB resident sponsor Creative Lighting Asia is also a key part of this year’s family. While it will be Fernando’s first time playing in the masters section of the Soccer Sevens – where teams can have five players aged from 35 to 39 with the rest 40 and over – he’s tasted the ultimate success in the tournament’s main draw. “I have played in the Soccer Sevens twice before, both with Kitchee. We won the tournament against Celtic in 2011 and in 2014 we lost the final against Man City,” he says. “I like the atmosphere of this tournament and that there is football from the morning into the night. The games are fast; there are different rules – no offsides – and when you have possession you cannot lose the ball otherwise you have to run a lot. It’s quite interesting.” Victory in the Soccer Sevens is far from the extent of Fernando’s footballing success in Hong Kong, and his experience will be called on as Ampcontrol DB looks to go back-to-back after defeating Wallsend Boys Club HK in last year’s final. “The DB team has good quality every year and is always in the fight to win the tournament. Now is the most difficult – everyone can win one time but to continue to win is most difficult. Let’s see how we go.” On top of the pressure that comes with defending the title, Fernando admits he’s also starting to feel a bit apprehensive on a personal level. “I’ve never played this over-age football but I think it will be a good level. I’m a bit nervous. Maybe not so much nervous, but definitely excited. Let’s see if I can continue at my level. It’s a big challenge for me,” he says. “I’m trying to prepare but I haven’t played football for almost two years so it won’t be easy. Of course, I know how to play football but I’m not as fit as some players.” When he’s not coaching, Fernando remains involved in the game through his support of Real Madrid – “All my family follow Barcelona, being from Catalonia, so when I watch with my family, I’m a bit shy” – and following 16-year-old son Hugo as he plies his own career for Kitchee. Fernando is quick to praise the facilities in Hong Kong but today’s generation of youngsters does leave him scratching his head at times. “The pitches I started on weren’t artificial, they were sand. It was difficult back then. Now it’s easy for everyone,” says Fernando, who also has a daughter – Paola, 14. “My son is not bad. Let’s see... Now, the new generation sometimes is a bit lazy. Too much computers, too much phone – it’s different to when I was that age. For me, it was only football. I would go to school and play football, then I would finish school and play football. It was 24/7 football. Now it is different.” That’s part of the DB attraction for Fernando and his wife Gloria – the countless ways parents can entice their children outside. “One of the reasons I like DB is that you can ride your bicycle, you can go running, you play football, basketball, tennis – you can do all these things. If you live elsewhere, it’s not as easy,” he says, before expanding on why DB has been such a great fit for his family. “Everyone knows each other and it’s a small community. I like it a lot. It’s calm, you’ve got the beach, the kids can play, Central is only 25 minutes away and Sunny Bay is 12 minutes by bus. I’ve measured it. I am so happy to be here.” While Fernando is lapping up the quiet life in DB, things will be anything but calm come the pointy end of the Soccer Sevens as his side battles to retain its crown. “Of course, there is always pressure when you win a lot and I love the pressure,” he says. “It excites me. I like this tournament.”

HONG KONG COMIC CON Three days of fun are in store for fans of comics, anime, film, TV and gaming at Hong Kong Comic Con running from May 29 to 31 at Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. You can expect cosplay showcases, exhibits, panel discussions and live Q&As, plus opportunities for celebrity meet and greets with the likes of Katie Leung (Harry Potter, Bridgerton), Daniel Logan (Star Wars) and Giancarlo Esposito (Breaking Bad). Purchase tickets at Trip.com, Klook and Experience 11. FRENCH MAY ARTS FESTIVAL Hong Kong’s French May Arts Festival runs from May 1 to July 27, featuring over 100 cultural events including dance, theatre, music and food. Highlights include Meet Mona Lisa, an immersive digital journey brought by the Louvre and Grand Palais Immersif; Jan Martens’ The Dog Days Are Over 2.0, in which eight dancers push the limits of endurance; and a live performance by Grammy-nominated DJ Snake. Purchase tickets at Cityline. AFFORDABLE ART FAIR Held at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre from May 14 to 17, the Affordable Art Fair makes art collecting easy for everyone, delivering a wide range of artworks hailing from 100+ galleries and 15 different countries. Get ready to browse through a diverse and carefully curated selection of contemporary artworks, all priced between HK$1,000 and HK$100,000. Purchase tickets at Eventbrite. BUDDHA’S BIRTHDAY Buddhist temples across Hong Kong mark Buddha’s Birthday – May 24 this year – with cultural performances and lantern displays, as well as the traditional ‘bathing the Buddha’ ritual, where practitioners pour scented water over a statue of the infant Siddhartha in a symbolic act of purification. Celebrations take place citywide with particularly high traffic at Po Lin Monastey in Ngong Ping, Chi Lin Nunnery in Diamond Hill and Ten Thousand Buddhas Monastery in Shatin. EXTRAVAGANZA LATIN CARNIVAL Bringing the energy of Brazil to Hong Kong, Extravaganza Latin Carnival is taking over Central Harbourfront from May 23 to 24 with Viradouro (the 2026 Rio de Janeiro Carnival champion samba school) dancers accompanied by the legendary Samba Latina. Look forward to an electrifying fusion of samba, reggaeton, salsa and funk, plus Latin food, drink and art. Purchase tickets at extravaganzabrazil.com.

Cheung Chau Bun Festival has to be Hong Kong’s whackiest and most authentic cultural celebration – be there on May 24