Hong Kong Drain Cover Mouse Pad

Everyone in Hong Kong walks over drain covers every day, and almost nobody knows that circles and radiating lines mean stormwater while a grid of small squares means the foul sewer.

It is the most common object on the street and the hardest to explain when a visitor asks — and a real local souvenir should not be another fridge magnet.

This mat puts both designs on your desk: the stormwater cover (round) and the foul sewer cover (square), with the pattern sitting in relief under the mouse.

The patterns are functional. Circles and radiating lines mark a stormwater (rainwater) cover, and small square grids mark a foul sewer cover. The two eye-shaped slots are where a worker hooks in a tool to lift the cover. There are about 160,000 covers across the city (source: Development Bureau blog, Exploring Hong Kong's drain covers, 16 December 2018).

• Material: natural rubber base (non-slip), stretch fabric top (smooth, washable)
• Size: about 25 x 25 cm
• Designs: stormwater cover (round), foul sewer cover (square)

More old Hong Kong map stories? The Hong Kong Old Maps Journal is updated weekly.

Practical on a desk, and a very local souvenir that visitors ask about; also good for parents who miss Hong Kong or friends who have moved away. Allow 3 to 14 days for packing and posting.