Greatest Cities of the World (2010) Season:2 Episode:3 Hong Kong. Hong Kong, one the world's best natural ports, became one of its busiest and richest cities after the infamous colonial Opium War lead to its 99 years concession by the British, and remains so in the 50 years transition after the Chinese take-over. It's a curious mix of efficient modernity and traditions, including Buddhism, Taoism, feng-shui and other superstition. The luck culture favors gambling and trade. Since the Chinese take-over from colonial Britain in 1997, the two systems coexist and influence each other immensely. The local Cantonese dialect is giving way to continental Mandarin, many Anglosaxon traditions remain, like boy-scouting, albeit in a more Chinese and wealth-oriented form.