The annual meeting of the International Trademark Association (INTA) was held earlier this month in Hong Kong from May 11 - 14, 2014. The undersigned attended this great annual meeting and sat in on six (6) seminars on a wide range of topics concerning trademarks, branding and the internet.
Our flight left Los Angeles the morning of May 8th, with one stop in San Francisco to change planes and arrived in Hong Kong late in the evening of Friday, May 9th, after crossing the international date line and accounting for the 15 hour time differential.
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| San Francisco Intl. Airport - the walk to the next gate/terminal... |
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| Our arrival to Hong Kong Intl. Airport |
Some very heavy rain, thunder and lightning was affecting the inbound flights into HK on the evening of Friday, May 9th, so our flight out of San Francisco stopped in Taipei, Taiwan for fuel. It was only about an hour and a half to HK after that. The late arrival into HK made taking a taxi to our hotel a favorable option, though we did not anticipate the race car driving skills of our driver in near typhoon conditions. It was a wild ride to say the least and quite a welcome to Hong Kong.
*** Video Alert ! ***
"Welcome To Hong Kong: The Video"
http://youtu.be/1KGlia5sxlQ
Our first peek of some shops in WanChai in Hong Kong during the rainstorm on our way to our hotel...
The first full day was devoted to reconnoitering our hotel and the route to the convention center where the annual meeting was to start the next day.
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| Our first morning cup of coffee, a cappuccino, at a local McDonald's... |
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| The Hong Kong Jockey Club's horse racing track |
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| The steep topography of Hong Kong |
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| Causeway Bay skyline... |
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| WanChair street scene... |
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| A view of Hong Kong from Kennedy Road... |
Sunday morning, May 11th, bright and early, we joined up with some 20 - 30 other lawyers from around the world, for a hike of the famed Dragon's Back trail on the south coast of HK, an event hosted by Paul Tackaberry of the Toronto law firm, Ridout & Maybee. It was a fun and challenging hike with spectacular views that culminated with lunch and a peek at the ocean at Shek-O Beach.
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| Pre-Hike huddle |
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| Our fearless Hike Leader, Paul Tackaberry |
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| Two Kiwi Trademark Lawyers |
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Big Wave Bay Beach, at center of frame
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*** Video Alert ! ***
The Dragon's Back Trail
http://youtu.be/2RROJtEvdjQ
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| Shek-O Beach, at center of frame |
At the trail's end we hopped on a bus that arrived almost simultaneously and which took us the rest of the way and deposited us at Shek-O Beach...
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| Shek-O Beach |
and then we had lunch at a nearby restaurant serving traditional Chinese dishes...
after lunch we caught a bus and then took the subway back to downtown Hong Kong...
Sunday evening was the opening reception for the INTA annual meeting, held in the Grand Ballroom of the Hong Kong Convention Centre which overlooks HK harbor.
Monday morning, May 12th, we attended the opening ceremony at the Hong Kong Convention Centre which featured several speakers, followed by the day's educational programming where we attended two seminars, as well as two seminars on Tuesday and two seminars on Wednesday.
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| The conference hand bag that did not include a shoulder strap (x-ref: PATRIX IP HELPWARE FAIL)... |
and just across the street from the Convention Centre is a large Hong Kong Fire Station which made for a great photo op below...
The Grand Finale was held at Hong Kong Disneyland and a great many people lined up for the first buses at the Convention Centre.
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| waiting to get into Grizzly Gulch for the catered dinner... |
and later we took the subway back to Hong Kong rather than wait for the return bus later that evening...
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| a real Mickey Mouse subway car... |
The day after the annual meeting concluded we went on a foodie tour (Kong Kong Foodie Tours) of Central Hong Kong with some INTA colleagues and it was exceptional.
On Friday, May 16th, we took a trip to the south coast of HK to Repulse Bay beach where we got to see quite a few colorful and historical statues of Chinese culture, particularly Gods devoted to the ocean. It was quite a treat.
All in all, it was a great trip, both from a business and personal perspective. Dinner with a client in Causeway Bay, the Rodeo Drive section of downtown HK, one evening. Meetings with trademark colleagues and educational conferences. Plus some sightseeing. While it's sometimes true that travel can be exhausting, this trip was an energy booster both professionally and personally.
Respectfully submitted,
William E. Maguire
LAW OFFICES OF WILLIAM E. MAGUIRE
Santa Monica, California
www.TrademarkEsq.com
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