Could you please translate the names of the store on the picture (see link)?

[dutchgirl]

Hi, I'm doing a travel quiz and out of more than 200, we are now only with 4 left. The next question is where the picture in this link http://www.wereldwijzer.nl/attachment.php?attachmentid=6150&d=1285312501 is taken.

Maybe you could help me translating the names of the stores that have the red sign and white letters (there are 2 above the road and 1 one the right). Or maybe you can show me how to type the letters?

That would really help me. Thank you in advance!

Best wishes, Mariska

[YuehanHao]

I am not sure whether knowing these translations will help. Here is what I think those signs say:

昌興押 - perhaps the name of a pawn shop

藥 - a store selling medicine

I distinguish a few other characters also, such as 仁，天， but still lack the perspicacity to identify the site.

約翰好

[aristotle1990]

Booyakasha.

[jbradfor]

I am impressed. Not just that you found the location, but that you got pretty much the exact same google street view.

Care to fill us in on your secrets? :rolleyes:

[aristotle1990]

1. Wherever the place is, it's in Google Maps. (©2010 Google + that little thing in the lower right-hand corner -- this rules out any address not in Google Maps.)

2. The driver in the car is on the right side, and there's only one place in the world where there are traditional characters all over the place and where cars are like that: Hong Kong. (Also, that 興昌押 thing is a typical Hong Kong pawn shop sign; see this and this.)

3. That store to the left? That first character is 位, and the first thing Google suggests when you type in "香港 位" is "香港 位元堂" (the other suggestions aren't names of stores).

4. Search for 位元堂 and you'll find that it is indeed a chain of stores with locations in Hong Kong (and a logo that looks like a smaller version of what's on that sign). Search through all of them and you'll get the address.

Or...just search for ”昌兴押“ 香港 on Google. The first result gives you the address 尖沙咀 汉口道19, which corresponds with one of the locations in the above link.

[dutchgirl]

Wow I'm very impressed! I actually found the picture about 1 hour after I typed this forum message myself, but I assume you took way less time. Could I ask for you assistance again if I need it next week?

[jbradfor]

Right.... I was more asking how you found the exact same google street view? Was it just chance, or is there a trick?

[aristotle1990]

Right.... I was more asking how you found the exact same google street view? Was it just chance, or is there a trick?

I got the address, put it into Google Maps, and moved around until I got the image that matched the photo. The original picture was taken from Google Maps, so it's not that hard to get to.

Could I ask for you assistance again if I need it next week?

Sure. I love doing this stuff. No guarantees that I'll have enough time (or even that I'll be able to find the place), but what the heck, right?