Free but full; HKers make the most of July 1 treats
Hongkongers on Saturday made the most of a range of freebies, introduced to mark the anniversary of the territory's return to the motherland, though the popularity of many of the offers meants that not everyone could take part. People were able to hop on a tram, the light rail or use many ferries without paying the usual fare. Many museums waived admission charges, while the private sector also got involved, with restaurants and stores among those offering discounts. One passenger said he enjoyed his free ferry ride from Wan Chai to Tsim Sha Tsui. "There are many freebies. We don't even have to read our Octopus card at the ferry ticket gate... It's awesome! The atmosphere is good and there are many people. The ferry I was taking was full of people," he told RTHK. Another woman hopped aboard a tram with her family in Admiralty. "I'm very happy, especially as I'm bringing my children to ride on the tram. They haven't taken the tram before... We live in Sham Shui Po, not on Hong Kong Island, so we didn't have the chance," she said. The trams will remain free until Wednesday. As well as free transport, many people flocked to use sports facilities and visit museums for free, though the popularity of the offers meant some people missed out. But one mainland tourist was a bit disappointed with the arrangement, saying he'd been turned away when trying to utilise one of the offers. "Some of the freebies require us to register online in advance," he said. "I planned to go to the Hong Kong Palace Museum, but it's fully booked. So I couldn't get in, and I couldn't pay to enter either." At the nearby M+ Museum, a woman said she wouldn't bother trying to get in "because we can't even see the end of the queue". Restaurants were also jam packed as they offered substantial discounts on menu items, as in the case of a North Point spot that knocked 29 percent off the price of shrimp dumplings. "We must order shrimp dumplings during yum cha, but it would be better if there's also discount for other dim sum dishes," one diner said.  The deputy chief secretaries for administration, justice and finance joined lawmakers to visit one of the restaurants offering discounts.