Flag-Waving at the HK7s!

I'm telling you, the Cantonese are absolutely the canniest entrepreneurs on the planet. In this city, when it starts raining, instantly every HK grandpa who lives somewhere around the poverty line is out on the street to sell you an umbrella. Hot day? He's got hats, water and fans! Cold day? Scarves, shawls, woollen hats, cardigan and jumpers!

And when it's the last week of March, you find he's there on the hill up to the stadium with his flags-of-many-nations ...

... wigs of every colour ... ... feather boas in the colours of national flags ...

Go Fiji Blue!

... cheap copies of national hats ...

Australian Sombrero?

"Luck of the Irish"
One's French, the other's Australian!
Who said "tribal" had to be your own!

Like, Fijian Irish!

... in fact anything and everything our Chinese grandpa's thought of ...

... that tribal-minded party-minded folks may buy from him that day.

So, one thing you can count on at the HK7s is to be able to find yourself your own flag to wave about whenever your team plays.

What they cost? Well, obviously you bargain, but you should expect to pay about ...

HK$20. for these little ones:

Media bias? What Media bias!

HK$50. for the next size up:

HK$120. for the medium size:
HK$200. for the big ones:

And the really, really big ones? I have no idea since I've never seen them on the hill myself. Guess you have to be there early.


And what should you do with your flag when you buy it?

Obviously, lots of things:

You Can Wear It.

In fact, why not wear several.


You Can Get the Team to Sign it.



You Can Drape it over your clothes
when you Switch your Alligences.

Go Fiji!

Go Tonga!

You Can Hide Behind It!



You Can Wave It!
Obviously!

But Mostly It's So Your
Team Knows You're There!

Tongan coach Peter Tanginoa notices something in the uppermost stand:

Thanks for being here for us, guys!

All photos available for free download at http://picasaweb.google.com/denisellmurphy1/FijiansAtTheHK7s2009?feat=directlink