I am a student in Washington, D.C. I plan to spend Jan-May of 2002 abroad and I can't decide between Hong Kong or Madrid. <BR> <BR>I am a journalism major with a particular interest in Asia, but I also speak Spanish and would love the vibrancy of Madrid. <BR> <BR>Any thoughts ... anyone who has been or spent time in both places? <BR> <BR>Thanks.

I have been to both places and I like HK better than Madrid. But, I think Madrid has many more cultural interests than HK. HK is a business city. What are your interests? I think I can help you more if you tell me what you want from the city you will be living in for 5 months.

hi zeb, <BR>i cant answer your question but I am planning a trip to india in the same dates, I own a nice aparment close to the center of madrid, mybe you could contact me and rent my place while I travel (so that I can pay the mortgage). <BR>mybe...? <BR>

If you're an aspiring journalist, don't even hesitate: come to HK. On the doorstep of China: it will be THE place to watch in the first quarter of the new millenium. No offense, but not a great deal has happened in Madrid since, oh, the 1930s . . .

Clawman, you obviously don't follow world news because you are horribly mistaken about Spain. Haven't you ever heard of ETA and the Basque war for independence? This makes the front page of the NY TIMES almost daily. There is a story posted today about the murder of a Spanish judge by the separatist group. It must be awful to live in your small, sad, archaic world.

Zeb:<BR><BR>I'm a writer and have been in both cities in the past two years. Both are exciting places with lots of opportunities for very interesting side trips. Flip a coin. You can't go wrong.

Lighten up, Herb. You might wanna check out hyperbole and irony in your Oxford Concise . . .