ewh in asia

Deepavali

2011-10-26T17:38:00.006+08:00

Today - October 26 - is Deepavali. Or, Diwali, as it's known in India. It is the Festival of Lights, and it reminds me that the holiday season has begun in Singapore (we've already had the Mid-Autumn Festival and Eid, which marks the end of Ramadan; plus, I heard Christmas music in the mall last Friday, October 21). To celebrate, Little India here has been alight with beautiful colors and decorations, and the crowds were out last Monday in preparation. Here are a few photos.

Eagles

2011-02-27T21:18:00.005+08:00

The Eagles made a stop in Singapore on their Long Road Out Of Eden tour, and I took the chance to check them out. It was the best concert I have seen in years, if not ever. Forty years after Glenn Frey and Don Henley first got together, they are still going strong. They played for over three hours - 28 songs - and they were on! They opened with Seven Bridges Road and proceeded through a range of their music from the early '70s to today. [I only had my iPhone and its 2-mp camera, so the shots of the band are not that good; other than the shot of all four opening the show, I added two of the video screen, showing the iconic Hotel California bell tower and Don Henley and Joe Walsh at the end of the show]. Don Henley even gave a shout-out to J.D. Souther, "of Amarillo, Texas", who was a co-writer on many of their hits.

It was cool to see Joe Walsh in full-on antic mode, Glenn Frey playing the capable MC, and Henley occasionally moving off the drum kit to bang the bongos. Walsh played a technically perfect solo to Hotel California - probably something he has done 100,000 times - and added several of his solo and James Gang songs to the mix. They even did a rocking rendition of Henley's Boys of Summer. This was the music I grew up listening to, and it was great to hear it played with such precision and passion so many years later. The overall effect is that it made me miss America that much more.

Travel: Myanmar

2010-03-15T23:25:00.005+08:00

Myanmar is a country I had wanted to visit but one that is a little less accessible than others in the region. For travel to China and Vietnam, Americans need to apply for visas in advance. This is relatively easy and efficient, done through a visa service (Vietnam) or a modern embassy (China). But, the process for Myanmar – known in the West as Burma – is a little more involved. First, you have to go to the Myanmar embassy, which is housed – well – in an old house just off Tanglin Road. No embassy row, no tight security. You walk through the gates and parking area into a cramped, low-ceilinged first floor room filled with people waiting for I-don’t-know-what-service to talk to the Singaporean uncle (term of endearment for older man) who staffs the embassy. Then, you find out what you have to bring to get your visa. Don’t think that what you read on the official website is sufficient – I had all that. Completed forms, three passport pictures, passport, hotel and flight reservations. But, the passport photos had to be all the same, and I would also need a letter to the Myanmar government explaining why I wanted to visit their country. So, I would come back the next day. The uncle did promise he would expedite the process if I returned the next day, and he did. I got my visa and was off to the Golden Land.

Myanmar is ruled by a military junta that has taken a developing country and turned it into a true third world country. When the British ruled it, they called it Burma, after one of the ethnicities of the vast country. The current dictatorship has renamed it to be more inclusive of all the peoples. Not that they care particularly about the people. The name change was a response to colonialism, much as was the decision (apparently, overnight) to change the side of the road on which cars drive from left to right, to eradicate all reminders of British rule. Never mind that most of the cars in the country are right-hand drive. That makes passing quite an exhilarating experience, to say the least.

I arrived at the former capital Yangon’s international airport and took the short trip into the city center, where I would stay in one of the hotels designated for westerners (you can’t just stay anywhere). I would find that Myanmar is incredibly inexpensive, if you do local things. Western hotels (I was in the Traders) are still expensive – I paid more than $150 a night. But, it was in the heart of the city center, and I could walk to the local markets and even to the big temples.

The local currency is the kyat (pronounced “chyat”), and it trades for about 1,000 per US Dollar. The locals are hungry for hard currency, so you find opportunities to exchange money everywhere you turn. People approach you, and the first thing they say is, “exchange money?” And most of the exchange seems legitimate, done at the prevailing rate. You must, however, have crisp dollars, with no markings, or you probably won’t be able to make the exchange.

I went to the Central Hotel to change my dollars, and I gave the man a crisp $100 bill. He then asked me to walk into the back room, so he could hand me the kyat that I had just purchased. I got 107,000 kyat for my dollars. No big deal, except that the largest denomination in Myanmar is the 1,000 kyat. So, I got a wad of bills that I would have to carry around for the next few days. That wasn’t really a problem, however.

Heartlifting, the Myanmar people are the most gracious I have encountered in all of Asia. They truly are nice and happy people. They are not free to leave the country, and they crave interaction with foreigners. Myanmar law deals harsh penalties on locals that harm foreigners, so it is also a safe place to visit. But, even without this, I found the people wonderful. I am fortunate to have gotten to know my Abacus colleagues, and they acted as tour guides for the first two days of my visit. It doesn’t hurt, of course, when they are three lovely young ladies. After I spent an afternoon walking around the markets near my hotel (with the assistance of my friendly local guide, Mr. Toe, who I met on the street), Sandar, Phyu Sin and Ei Mon picked me up for dinner at a local place (the excellent Myanmar Food by the feel Group). It was delicious! And they wouldn’t let me say no to the food, so we had a little bit (well, they did – I had a lot!) of everything. I even topped it with a Myanmar beer, the tasty local brew (it is much better than Mandalay Beer, the namesake of the mystical city in the country’s interior).

I was joined by Mr. Toe the next morning, giving me an expanded tour of the city center, from the river and the old Strand Hotel to vast street markets to the Sule Paya, a 2000-year old temple that occupies the middle of primary traffic circle at the intersection of Mahabandoola Road and Sule Paya Road, major east-west and north-south streets in the city centre.

I even decided to partake in a local custom – chewing betel nuts. Although officially frowned on (because of the ubiquitous red stains carpeting the ground), you will find betel nut vendors everywhere on the street. They roll the crushed nuts with a choice of sauces inside leaves, and you chew the leaf. It is similar to chewing tobacco in that it gives you a little kick. Or, a lot of kick if you aren’t used to it. I probably chewed for a minute before spitting it out, just to make sure I didn’t pass out on the street. I had just started spitting red (it is green to start), and Mr. Toe had a laugh, but I thought it would be poor form to lose control there. Chewing the betel nut leaves the tell-tale sign of a red mouth, however, and I had it. It is a rare sight for locals to see a foreigner with a red mouth, and one even remarked to me that I was “beautiful”. When in Rome…

Before I met my Abacus guides for an afternoon tour of temples, I headed to Bogyoke Aung San Market, a large indoor market named after Myanmar’s national hero number one, a leader of the independence movement that eventually led to Britain relinquishing their colonial hold over the country. He is more well-known in the West as the father of the current opposition leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, who remains under house arrest in Yangon.
The market is filled with all kinds of shops, selling what one would expect – textiles, trinkets, local food, crafts. Myanmar is known for its lacquerware, and several shops had beautiful pieces, of which I bought two. I’ll bet that the one sitting in my bedroom is the most ornate repository of multiple tubes of chapstick that exists anywhere.

Just as my guides arrived, the rain started to come down. In buckets. It would make for an interesting afternoon of touring.

Formula One in Asia

2009-11-01T20:10:00.008+08:00

I was fortunate this year to attend both Formula One races in southeast Asia. These bookend a large portion of the season, with the Malaysian Grand Prix being the second race of the year in April, and the Singapore GP being near the end in September (only three races followed it). Living where I do in Singapore, I may have the most convenient location for attending both races.

The Malaysian GP is run at the Sepang Circuit, which is a mile or so away from Kuala Lumpur International Airport. The city of KL is 40 or so kilometres from the airport, so it is actually easier to fly in the day of the race, rather than go up early and stay in the city. The race was scheduled to start at 5pm, so I took an early afternoon flight and arrived around 2. After catching the shuttle bus and buying my ticket at the box office, I was in the circuit before 3. This gave me a couple of hours to look around the facility, but all I really wanted to do was get under the shade in my seat.

It was ridiculously hot and humid. Malaysia is never temperate, but it is really bad in April. It was raining when we landed, but it had cleared by the time I was at the track, and it felt like a sauna on steroids. My ticket was on the start/finish straight, under the canopy that covers the iconic stands lining the track and its 180-degree turn. So, I settled in, knowing that the weather forecast was for more rain.

The race started normally, with pole-sitter Jenson Button of the newly-formed Brawn team getting out to the lead. My seats had a great view of the start finish line and then a very fast down hill left-hand turn into a long curve that gave the drivers an opportunity to stay on the gas. The elevation change really make for good viewing. The cars the disappeared for a minute before rounding the slow 180-degree final turn that takes them down the start/finish straight. From these seats, you get a lot of viewing time per lap, which is great. Plus, I was high enough up (first row, but in the second deck) that I could hear what was being said on my hand-held Kangaroo TV set.

A few minutes into the race, we got welcome relief from the heat with a cool breeze. That (and the gathering dark clouds) signaled an impending storm, and the rain came a few minutes later. I had recently read a novel set in Malaysia, and the rain that day came as the author had described the daily downpours, as "violent silver ropes that flood the playing fields and force office workers to wade to bus stops in shoes that fill like buckets." It doesn't drizzle in Malaysia.

One thing about Formula One that separates it from other motorsport series is that they continue to race in the rain. The teams switch to wet tires, and off they go. That is, if the rain doesn't made racing too hazardous. Which it did that day. The fast downhill turn I described above became a slow maneuver in the rain, with rooster tail plumes flowing high and far behind each car. From my Kangaroo TV set, I could hear the drivers telling their crews of the terrible conditions. It was so bad that about halfway through the race, they stopped it. Eventually, they would abandon the race, the first time such action was taken since the 1991 Australian GP was halted because of heavy rain. Because the race was not finished, the top 8 drivers received only half points (Button got 5 instead of 10).

I waited to see the podium, which was still celebratory, and then trudged with the rest of the dripping masses out of the circuit. A 15 minute walk got me to the buses, and another 15 minute wait got me on a bus. From there, it was only a few minutes before I was back through security and on my way to Singapore. I was back home around 11pm, just about 12 hours after I had left that morning. A pretty good day, even with the rain.

Nearly six months later, the Formula One circus came to Singapore for the second instalment of the Singapore GP, the first night race in F1's history. Last year's race had been a wild success, but the 2009 edition was clouded by revelations that Renault driver Nelson Piquet, Jr., had crashed his car deliberately during the race last year, which allowed his teammate Fernando Alonso to pass several cars during the subsequent caution and claim victory in the race. The economic downturn had also dampened excitement for the race, and when I found I couldn't get walk-about tickets (which Alex and I had last year), I decided not to go.

Then, two days before the race, a friend at work gave me a ticket. In the Pit Grandstand. Right across from the Brawn pits. Probably 200 metres from the start/finish line. The seats were incredible. So, on race day, I headed out about 3pm to go to the circuit. From my front door, I was inside the gates within 13 minutes. Walk down the hill, get on the MRT, ride two stops, up the escalator, and out the door and through the gates. It was amazing! Of course, I then had to walk more than 20 minutes in the heat to get to my seats, which were on the very opposite side of the circuit.

The organizers did another great job this year. The food and beverage area near my seats featured all kinds of good food, including a re-creation of Emerald Hill, my neighborhood, complete with the shophouses and local bars. It was great to see Ice Cold Beer and Number 5 Emerald Hill right there, as if I hadn't even left home.

The cars look fantastic under the lights. After the excitement of the start, however, I found the seats to be less enjoyable than the walk-about tickets we had last year. Formula One cars are awesome machines, but you tend to sit in your seat for 90 seconds watching the big video screens for every 15 seconds of the cars screaming by. Kangaroo TV provides good coverage, but it is hard to hear when you are so close to the track (I was fourth row). All in all, a good experience, but I learned a lesson on where to view the action for next year.

My last four Grands Prix have been quite historic - the 2005 USGP, when only six cars raced because of problems with the Michelin tires on the remaining 14 cars, the 2008 and 2009 Singapore GPs, the first night races, and the 2009 Malaysian GP, the first race to be abandoned in 18 years and only the fourth in history where half points were awarded. I guess it's a case of being in the right place at the right time.

Travel: Pulau Dayang, Malaysia

2009-10-31T20:59:00.004+08:00

While this is listed as a travel entry, the sole purpose of the trip was so I could do my open water dives and get certified as a PADI Open Water Diver. Which I did! I have wanted to do this for several years, but it was a chance seating arrangement at a company meeting that put me by an experienced diver that made it happen. I asked him about classes, he messaged his friend the instructor, the instructor told me to come to the shop the next Monday, and I signed up. Two nights of classes, a pool session (we were able to get it all done in one night), a perfect score on the final exam (sorry, I had to brag), and I was off to dive in the ocean.

The dives would be off Pulau Dayang (pulau is island in Bahasa Malay). This is off the east coast of Malaysia, so I thought it would be a short trip. Wrong. We left around 7pm, and with Customs checks and dinner, it took us over four hours to reach the ferry terminal. Where we boarded a boat that took another four hours to get to the island. We did get to sleep on the boat, which was good, since we reached the island at 4am, hopped into our bunk beds (four to a room), and tried to get in a few more hours of rest before our 8am wakeup call for the 9am dive.

We did three dives on Saturday (all with the requisite testing) and two more on Sunday. It was awesome. The water was pretty clear - about 20 metres visibility for some of the dives - and the sites had some interesting characteristics. I had some issues with my buoyancy and (in the first two dives) equalizing. Part of the buoyancy problem is that I tend to breathe more deeply than I need, which adds to my natural buoyancy (no comments from the peanut gallery), but that will change as I get more experienced. I also tended to focus on one activity at a time, and more than once as I was trying to equalize, I found myself close to surfacing.

There is all kinds of great sea life here. Parrot fish, little nemos, cuttlefish, sea cucumbers, clams, eels...all kinds of cool stuff. Plus, the underwater terrain was very interesting. We did not see the whale shark, which was spotted the week before. Perhaps next time.

I did not have my camera with me but will add pictures of the "resort" and underwater action when I get them from my fellow divers. It was a really fun weekend, and I am glad to finally add to "certifiable" as an apt description of me, "certified". As in Open Water Diver.

The one downside was that a Singapore diver died at one of the dive sites over the weekend. He was an up-and-coming eye doctor here and an experienced diver. There are few details still, but he apparently fell ill underwater while working with a re-breather (mixes oxygen, nitrogen, and helium). He was pulled from the water before 9am on Saturday, so he was out and on his way to the hospital before we went in the water, and we didn't find out until we got back to Singapore. Quite a sobering illustration that diving - like any other outdoor activity - can be dangerous.

Christmas in October

2009-10-31T20:54:00.002+08:00

On 25 October - two months to the day before Christmas - I returned from a weekend away to find workers putting up Christmas decorations over Orchard Road. It is now Halloween, and the decorations are fully in place, not only on Orchard but in the department stores. We are even seeing Christmas trees go up. In October!

Rumor is that this is in part for the APEC summit, to be held in Singapore in November (President Obama will attend). I think it is a manifestation of Singapore's kiasu mentality - must be first in everything. It is a bit odd, because we are only halfway through the Deepavali month (Little India is a beautiful sight at nighttime during the month), and it seems to go against Singapore's official policy of racial and religious harmony. I suppose the Christmas decorations on Orchard and in the department stores are more commercial in nature, however, so no harm done.

Blocked

2009-10-31T20:51:00.002+08:00

I have been wanting to write about China since my visit there in January. I find so much fascinating about the country and culture. I have been unable, however, to sit down and do it! It is some kind of writer's block. I intend to write about all my experiences (since my last entry on the country, I have been to Shanghai, and I plan another trip to China before the end of the year), but I will do so as I can put the energy to it.

In the meantime, I want to describe some of my other travels and goings-on here, so I will begin to do so. I have much to record.

Travel: Beijing, the calm before the new year storm...

2009-08-18T20:46:00.007+08:00

We were back to the city by early afternoon. I left my guide and driver with hong bao, the traditional red packets given at the new year, and headed out to explore the capital on my own. My first stop was the Temple of Heaven, where the Ming and Qing emperors would hold a twice-annual prayer ritual for a good harvest. This was an important ritual, as the emperor was considered the Son of Heaven, and this allowed him to show respect for the source of his authority.

This is a magnificent location, a huge park that deserves several hours of exploration. Which I gave it. The highlight is the triple-gabled Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, a cylindrical structure painted in lovely bright hues.

[Standing admiring this structure, I found myself in a conversation with an Australian who had just visited the Great Wall. He told me he took the train, which had been completed for the Olympics. “What?!” I thought. Why hadn’t I done that? It was good that I had a guide, because I didn’t know anything about the landscape. But, now I knew how to get to the Wall on my own, and I would use that information the following day.]

The grounds of the Temple of Heaven are quite nice – very peaceful, filled with gardens and little compounds of buildings that were used by the Emperor and his minions in the day. Besides the hall above, there are several other notable sites, including the Imperial Vault of Heaven and the Circular Mound Altar. Plus, there were all kinds of smaller structures, wooded areas, pathways and other interesting bits that could have kept me there for a long time. But, as the day waned, it was time to leave, so I walked across the street for a cup of coffee and slice of cake (and an impromptu photo session with a quite nosy Japanese tourist). From there, I decided it was time to really put myself into Beijing’s hands, and I got on a bus. I didn’t know where it was going, but I figured that I could get off before I got too far from the city centre. And I didn’t have to worry about it – this particular bus line ended just a mile down the road! So, I got off, got on the same bus going in the opposite direction, and rode it back towards the Imperial Palace. The route skirts the east side of the palace grounds, then heads west and north, towards Bei Hai (north lake). This is where I got off – in the darkness that comes just after the sun has set. The lake is surrounded by shops and bars and restaurants, and it is a lovely site. I decided it was time to enjoy a traditional tea house, and I stepped into one conveniently located on the bank of the lake.

I was the only customer, as everyone else was preparing for the new year’s celebration. But, I still enjoyed the quite elaborate ceremony. It uses an entire set of tools, each of which has a very specific purpose. The ceremony involves smelling your chosen tea leaves, brewing a cup and then throwing the tea on the floor, brewing another cup, and sipping that using the lid of the cup to filter the leaves. The entire ceremony is described on a tablet made of small strips of wood that is rolled up and placed on the table. It was a very cool experience.

It wasn’t that close to midnight, so I headed back to the hotel to relax a little and plan where I would watch the celebration. Fortunately, I could take the same bus back up that I took down. So, off I went, back to Bei Hai, arriving around 10.30. The celebrations were already beginning, as evidenced by the small explosions in every direction. And this was just the beginning. It was to build to a crescendo that was unlike anything I had ever seen.

Travel: Beijing, from Bird's Nest to the Great Wall

2009-07-21T22:09:00.014+08:00

After surviving the frigid Forbidden City, I was only too happy to be back in the car, out of the wind and chill, and my guide pointed us to some traditional Beijing (Peking) Duck (at my request). Bian Yi Fang is a traditional Peking restaurant, more than 140 years old, where the hostesses wear the beautiful qi pao, the traditional Chinese long dress, complemented with fur stoles to help keep out the chill. It was a perfect first meal for the holiday. And it gave me just enough energy to visit the Bird's Nest, the stunning Olympic Stadium. Beside it is the Water Cube, site of the aquarian events. These are both interesting architecturally (including this interesting hotel within walking distance of the two), but without being able to go inside, you don't spend too much time there. So, I was back to the hotel for my previously mentioned nap.

It was dark and cold outside when I awoke, but also still and quiet. Perfect for a stroll down Chang'an Avenue and a quick ride on the subway. It is a short ride between stops east and west of the Tian'anmen Gate, and I wanted to get a feel of the subway for the rest of my trip. When I emerged on the west entrance, I was greeted by the sight of the National Performing Arts Center, illuminated - chameleon-like - in colors changing from white to blue to purple. The walk back down the Avenue of Eternal Peace (more on that later) took me back by Tian'anmen Square, the Great Hall of the People, and the Imperial Palace, all alight for the holiday, with the dozens of red Chinese flags stiff in the night breeze. Quite a sight.

It was an early start the next morning - New Year's Eve - for a trip to the Great Wall. It was still frigid outside, but the trip up to Badaling was pleasant inside the heated car. It took a while to get out of the sprawling city. Beijing is circled by a series of "Ring Roads", indicating how much the city has grown in recent times. I was staying in the heart of the city, near the Imperial Palace, and we would travel past the Sixth Ring Road before we left Beijing proper (it is actually the fifth of the ring roads, and the farthest one out).

Once we were out of the city, we began climbing into the hills north of the capital, and soon we were to see the first ramparts of the Great Wall. As one of my guidebooks says, it is like a long serpent, seeking out the pinnacles of the hills as it winds over the countryside.

Badaling is one of the most accessible portions of the Wall, with a low-level entrance as well as a cable car that takes you towards one of the peaks of the nearby hills. We took the cable car up, through the freezing wind. The gap in the car's door did not quite keep out the wind, so we were fully acclimated to the outdoor temperature by the time we arrived. It was perhaps colder than the previous day, although at those temperatures, it really doesn't matter. Our early start had gotten us there before the crowds, so we had this entire section of the Wall nearly to ourselves. It was fantastic! From the exit of the cable car, it wasn't a far walk to the highest point, with a great vista. From there, we could walk back down the entrance at ground level, with a mixture of easy slopes and very steep stairways. Along the way, you pass through a number of towers and guard houses (the towers were placed two arrow shots from each other, so that enemies storming the Wall would always be in arrow shot range). As I was walking down, I had to think what kind of terrible assignment it would have been to have guard duty on the Great Wall during the dead of Winter. I thought I might never be warm again.

Of course, a Honey Orange Latte from Starbucks helped. I finally was able to feel my feet on the drive back into the city, and was warmed up by the time we were back to the hotel. I said goodbye to my driver and guide with a traditional New Year gift, hong bao, or little red packet. It had been a good start to my New Year's Eve.

Travel: Beijing, Winter and Spring

2009-07-09T22:35:00.008+08:00

For Chinese New Year, I took my first visit to mainland China. Now, most Chinese will tell you that I have been to China several times, with my trips to Hong Kong and Macau, and even Taiwan. But, this trip to Beijing would be my first to the People’s Republic. And I loved it. So much so that I made another trip in May, to get a feel for the city without the bitter cold of January and visit some places I missed the first go-round. The following entries are the story of my visits to the Chinese capital, one in the dead of Winter, the other at the tail end of Spring.

Americans need a visa to get into the country. I of course waited until the last moment - the Tuesday before the Saturday I was to leave (still within the four-day period). I was impressed with the visa application process. I waited in line for five minutes at the Chinese Embassy in Singapore before everything was handled. They took my passport and application and told me to come back on Friday. On that day, I was dismayed to find a queue of 40 people. But, it took me all of seven minutes to get to the front, where I paid my S$190 (it is S$25 for Singaporeans - reciprocity for the US's high fees for Chinese nationals) and collected my passport with its shiny new multiple-entry visa. And a microchip telling the Chinese government of my whereabouts at all times, I am sure.

I arrived on the overnight flight (Beijing is about six hours from Singapore) and was greeted by freezing temperatures. It was about minus-5 C (in the 20s F), and the wind was ferocious. I had hired a guide and car, and the sight of someone holding a paper with my name on it (who wasn’t wearing a police uniform) was quite pleasing to this bleary-eyed traveler (I did not sleep on the flight). The trip into the city was shorter than expected; traffic was light, as it was Saturday and just two days before the start of the new year. Many had warned me that the city would be deserted – I was rather enjoying it.

A quick stop at my hotel (I love Asian hotels, because they let you check in at 8 in the morning), and we were off. I stayed at the Beijing Hotel, the landmark that was the only hotel where foreigners could stay for many years. It is luxurious in a Soviet sort of way - everything is big and clean and spartan - so I can see how it was the nicest hotel in the city during an earlier era. Regardless, it ended up being a perfect location for me. (I didn't quite have my wits about me when I arrived and only got a night shot later.)

While I was exhausted, I would have no problem staying awake outside, because of the extreme weather (the wind chill was minus-10, in the teens F). I brought my heavy coat, hat (that I thankfully bought in Santa Fe!), and new gloves and scarf. It wasn't enough. The wind reminded me of the Texas panhandle - just bitter. Our first stop was to be Tian'anmen Square, about a quarter-mile down Chang'an Boulevard from my hotel, but there was an official government/party function going on that day at the neighboring Hall of the People, and the square was closed. So, we headed across the street to the Imperial Palace and the Forbidden City, entering through the Tian'anmen Gate (which is a bit redundant, as men in Chinese means gate). This is where Chairman Mao announced the formation of the People's Republic of China on May 1, 1949, after the defeat of the nationalists and their flight to Taiwan. You can't miss the gate - it features a huge picture of Mao. Welcome to China.

Every step of the hundred metres to the gate was miserable. And I like cold weather. When we got inside the massive complex, it wasn’t any better. The palace is so huge that you never felt like there was any shelter. The grounds are massive, and the wind just howled. Even the exhibits inside the buildings of the Forbidden Palace offered little warmth. Which is too bad, because there is a lot of really cool things to see. As much as I wanted to soak it in, I lasted only an hour. We jumped back into the car and headed out for any early lunch.

We made it to only one more sight before I gave up. I had the driver take me back to the hotel, and I was in bed by 2pm. It may have been the best nap I have had in years, although I think it took a couple of hours for me to completely warm up. That’s okay, because I slept until well past 9pm. So much for my first day.

My return visit in May offered a completely different climatic experience. My familiarity with the city’s transportation system meant I could bypass the car and driver and take the airport train into the city. This is quite efficient, delivering you to Dongzhimen Station on the Beijing subway's Line 2 (five stops from my hotel) in just over 20 minutes. I took the same flight as in January, arriving just after sunrise. The train is uncrowded at this time, and it offers a pleasant, timely and cost-efficient way into the city (if you are prepared to then board a subway for the remainder of the journey).

My seatmate on the plane told me that Beijing had essentially skipped Spring, as the weather had transitioned from Winter cold to early-Summer warm rather quickly. This was apparent as soon as we walked onto the jetway – it was quite warm. I thought I might enjoy a little brisk weather (I am always for little escapes from the constant tropical climate of Singapore), but that was out the window. And I had not brought any shorts. It wasn’t too hot, however, to stop me from getting off the subway a stop early to walk the half-mile to the hotel, enjoying the hazy morning (the pollution absent in January’s crisp, windy days was back with a vengeance on that heavy Spring morning).

I had chosen another holiday to visit – May 1 is the start of the Golden Week holiday – and the infamous Beijing traffic was again non-existent. I stayed in the Raffles Beijing Hotel, which is connected to the Beijing Hotel of my previous stay. But, it's a Raffles, with a touch of modern class that the Beijing Hotel lacked. My “room” ended up being a sizeable suite with a killer king bed. So, remembering the experience of my previous visit, I thought it prudent to catch a bit of rest before heading out. It was only 8 in the morning, you know. Of course, the rest of my day wasn’t much more productive than my first day in January – I just found the relaxing too appealing. I would make it back to the Imperial Palace that day, enjoying the more temperate environment.

Chinese New Year 2009

2009-06-03T22:42:00.004+08:00

Gentle Readers - it has been far too long since my last post. Much has happened, both professionally and personally. Nothing quite earth-shattering, but a few things that may be of interest to you, especially on the travel side. So, I will endeavor to get caught up to the present over the next few days. It may seem like a lot of reading, but I hope it will be somewhat interesting.

I will start with Chinese New Year. This, of course, occurred way back in January and February. But, some of the traditions and some of my experiences are still with me, and I would like to share.

The Lunar New Year is the biggest holiday on the Chinese calendar. It is a time to be with family, and to celebrate the coming of Spring (thus, its alternative name of the Spring Festival). Last year, I enjoyed Chinese New Year in Hong Kong. This year, it was to be Beijing (more on that in my next post). But, before – and after – my trip, it was time to celebrate with friends and colleagues.

CNY lasts 15 days, with a different, specific activity for each day. New Year’s Eve is a big day, and many families get together for a meal befitting the holidays. It is reminiscent of Thanksgiving, only with Chinese food. Dinners are often enjoyed in big restaurants, at the traditional setting of the round table. The night before I left for Beijing, a friend of mine invited me to join him and his family (wife, mother and father, and brother) for dinner. As we enjoyed our dinner, we were surrounded by sounds of “ganbei!”, a traditional toast that was a sign that other tables (often in private rooms) were imbibing to celebrate the new year. The meal included several delicious dishes, from steamed garoupa, crisp roasted chicken, fresh prawns, and a yummy lotus root.

The last day of the new year period is usually celebrated with a “lo hei” (low hay), a ceremony where participants mix a salad by tossing the ingredients from on high. The traditional ingredients are brought in individually, and then you mix them by together by taking them high into the air and dropping them back to the plate. As with most Chinese practices, this is filled with much symbolism (although I think the lo hei is a rather recent invention). I have included a list of sayings to accompany each ingredient (the yusheng is the actual dish).

I did this not only at the New Year’s Eve dinner, but also in two different ceremonies at work. It is a fun tradition, and if done right (and if the ingredients are of a good quality), the result is a delicious salad.

Singapore: Loyang Tua Pek Kong Temple

2009-03-02T22:56:00.006+08:00

Many of my Singaporean friends can’t believe that I actually like local coffee (it is different from Starbucks, but – frankly – not by much; it is still coffee). I guess it’s that they don’t see too many Westerners that adapt to the local lifestyle (and coffee is part of it). They would speechless if they found out I sometimes get on a bus and ride until I see a hawker centre that looks good and jump out for a bite to eat (it’s enough for many of them that I even ride buses). It would really floor them if they knew I actually took field trips to obscure local spots of interest.

Some friends of mine organize outings to interesting places every once in a while. I joined them a few weeks ago to visit Loyang Tua Pek Kong Temple. The temple was originally built in Pasir Ris, in the northeast of the island, at a location where, as the story goes, several statues of different deities washed ashore years ago. The person that found them built a temple, predominantly a Chinese temple. But a Hindu statue was among those washed ashore, so a Hindu temple was worked in. A large percentage of the surrounding community was Muslim, so a mosque was built in, as well.

The original temple was a makeshift structure, really a series of what looked like shacks. But, rising rents required the move to a new location – just a couple of miles southeast down the road to Loyang, which is in a more remote area, closer to the airport.

So, we all started with lunch at the rebuilt Chinatown Food Centre, a massive structure one storey above the hustle and bustle of pre-lunar new year Chinatown. We then jumped on the train to go towards the northeast of the island, where we would take a bus the rest of the way to the temple.

Unlike its predecessor, the new temple was built with a bit of planning (and apparently money). It is fascinating. The Chinese Buddhist/Daoist section dominates, probably 60 percent of the total width. A sliver, maybe ten feet wide, was dedicated to the mosque. Less than double the width of that was the Hindu portion. Each stood side-by-side, and worshippers could be seen at all three, extending the Buddhist tradition of lighting incense to the Muslim and Hindu sections, as well.

It was the weekend before Chinese New Year, so the place was abuzz with preparations for the holiday. The Chinese section is familiar in its Buddhist/Daoist setup, with icons of gods, different places for offerings, reverent memorials for ancestors, the incredibly ornate carvings on the pillars, walls, and ceilings, and the ubiquitous incense smoke. Adding to the experience were the hundreds of worshipers, taking time out of a pleasant day to pay their respects in their own tradition (other than special occasions, Chinese worshipers do not have a set time to visit temples – they go when the impulse hits them). It is an interesting, if not well-known, little part of Singapore.

We ended the day with coffee and some local goodies at the hawker centre across the street. It was about as native a day a non-Singaporean could have. In fact, I was probably more Singaporean that day than most of my local friends.

Singapore: Chinese Garden

2009-02-16T22:54:00.006+08:00

Another less hidden place of interest (I don't know if you call it a gem) in Singapore is the Chinese Garden. This replica of a Chinese garden (it contains a Japanese garden, as well; I don't really know the difference, but I think that Japanese gardens contain bonsai trees while Chinese gardens do not) is in the southwest of the island. I had wanted to visit and even got so far as the gates last year before I read the sign that said the garden would be closed for that weekend. So, I filed it in my "to do" list, and a year later was back on the MRT heading to, conveniently enough, Chinese Garden station. Off the train, through the turnstiles, and 300 metres down the path, you cross the bridge into the garden.

It really is a nice space. This is one of the places my local friends say, "Yes, I went there...when I was six!" But, it is worth a trip out on a nice day to enjoy the scenery. You have large, arched bridges that cross inlets from the sea, winding paths through forests and sculptures, old sun dials (and a more modern one - can you tell what time it was?), a garden with the 12 animals of the Chinese zodiac, a well-populated turtle pond, and statues of historical Chinese figures, from philosophers such as Confucius to warriors like Yue Fei, on whose back his mother tattooed four Chinese characters meaning: "Serve the country loyally." There are also the twin pagodas on the water and the 7-storey pagoda at the entrance to the garden.

I liked the garden with the twelve animals of the Chinese zodiac. Each year was represented with a stylized statue of two of the animals, with a plaque showing the particular years of the animal (I was born in 1968, the year of the Monkey), and the characteristics of people born during that year. The oxen (pictured here) were adorned with red ribbons, in anticipation of the new year celebrations that would take place nine days later to usher in the Year of the Ox.

I found one particularly neat feature. Singapore has built a "model" of the solar system, spread out over the island. The sun is located at the Singapore Science Center, and the nine planets are then placed in public spots in scale according to their distance from the sun. I found Venus in the Chinese garden, and Mercury is in the Japanese garden. Each of the planets occupies a space along its orbit somewhere in the city-state, with Pluto rounding out the solar system all the way to the east. I thought that was a nice touch.

It was a nice Saturday evening, so I decided to take the PCN back towards town. It was a longer walk than expected, but it led me to Bukit Batok Park, with its thick forest and quarry lake, stuck right in the middle of a residential and commercial area. Another hidden gem! Singapore is full of them.

Walking the Ridges

2009-02-01T22:30:00.009+08:00

Singapore has a number of hidden gems, if you are willing to look for them. One is the Park Connector Network (PCN), a series of trails and elevated walkways that connects several kilometres of public spaces in various places across the island. I had seen parts of the PCN from the road several times, and I decided to pay a closer visit.

I started with the Southern Ridges, which wind through the southwestern section of the island, connecting Mount Faber Park, Telok Blangah Hill Park, Hort Park, Kent Ridge Park, and West Coast Park. The trailhead is at the base of Mount Faber Park, just across from the port (and Vivo City, the largest mall in Singapore). Mount Faber is also where you catch the cable car to Sentosa Island. The first climb up Mount Faber is the toughest part of the the trip! It was a steamy day, and I was sufficiently warmed up by the time I got to the top.

The PCN is actually a series of walkways, each with a distinct style. The Mount Faber section is a "mountain" trail, winding along the top of the hill and through woods until it opens onto the Henderson Waves. The Henderson Waves - Singapore's highest pedestrian bridge - is a towering walkway above Henderson Road that links Mount Faber Park to Telok Blangah Hill Park. The Waves give way to a hilltop trail, which turns into series of traversing metal walkways taking hikers down the hill to the Alexandra Arch and into the Hort Park, a gardening-themed park. From there, you wind your way back up hills and into a treetop walk in Kent Ridge Park.

The Henderson Waves bridge is spectacular. The design is a unique wave form made up of seven undulating curved steel ribs that alternately rise over and under its deck (description and external photo courtesy of National Parks Singapore). The decking of the bridge is finished with a beautiful yellow balau wood, giving it a homey feel. The curved ribs form alcoves with built-in benches, giving hikers places to sit back and enjoy the views from 78 metres above sea level (and 36 above Henderson Road).

The hilltop trail on the far side of the Waves brings you to a beautiful multi-layered pavilion before taking you zig-zagging through the trees to the Alexandra Arch and the Hort Park. It had already been a long morning, so I quickly went through the Hort Park to the eastern part of Kent Ridge Park, home to Reflections at Bukit Chandu, a memorial for the 1,400 soldiers from the Malay Regiment who chose to fight to their death against 13,000 Japanese soldiers in February, 1942, during the fall of Singapore. This looks like an impressive memorial, but I did not stay, so it will be subject of a future blog.

I hear from my Singaporean friends that there is nothing to do in Singapore. I disagree. If you just take a little bit of initiative, you can find all kinds of interesting outings that can fill a half day and give you a better appreciation of the city-state.

The Long Journey Home

2009-01-11T07:33:00.001+08:00

Thirty hours is a long time to travel, and I was not looking forward to the return trip to Singapore. I was happy to be heading back after a fantastic three weeks in the US, but even when I held on to the prospect of getting the upgrade (I didn’t), I was still less than excited for the trip. I am a big believer in the journey, as much as the destination, but I have done this trip enough to know it is something you just grit your teeth and get through.

So, I didn’t think much when my day started (a bit late) at 5.00 am in Dallas (7.00 pm in Singapore) on Saturday, January 3. The flight to Chicago is on United Express, with tiny seats only made worse by my neighbor’s inability to fit completely in her seat. But, the flight was over in less than two hours, and even the 25 degree weather I endured while walking across the outside bridge to the jetway (it was in the 50s in Dallas and the 80s in Singapore, so I had already packed my coat) was tolerable.

But, that’s when the trouble started. I wasn’t far enough up on the upgrade list and was relegated to the back of the plane (well, to Economy Plus, which does offer more legroom). Before we could taxi away from the gate, however, a passenger suffered an apparent heart event, as the flight attendant quickly grabbed the AED and ran to the back. Soon, Chicago paramedics were on board. Thankfully, the man retained consciousness and was able to communicate to his attendants as he was removed from the airplane. We were delayed from departing for more than an hour, but it was nice to know he was apparently okay and in good hands.

The flight from Chicago to Hong Kong goes almost directly over the North Pole and then down over Siberia, Mongolia, and China. It is discouraging when you look at the inflight map and see that you are already over Siberia but still have more than six hours to go! We finally touched down around 6.30 pm Hong Kong time (same as Singapore), so I had been up for nearly a day and traveling for about 22 hours. Little did I know that I was only halfway home.

The Singapore flight was delayed more than two hours, rescheduled for a 10.30 departure. So, I relaxed for several hours in the lounge, falling in and out of sleep (I have a hard time sleeping on planes). Finally, time to board. About 50 of us got on the plane before we were asked to disembark, as an engine test was required before we could take off. This apparently had occurred in San Francisco, the plane’s origination point. We all got off, and they ran the test, which took about ten minutes. Then everyone got on the plane, and we headed out. After a stop-and-go taxi of an hour, the captain came on the loudspeaker and told us we had to return to the gate, as the problem had not been solved. So, back to the gate! It took a while, as we had taxi’d to the apparent farthest point on the tarmac from our gate. Once we got back, the captain said that we would need to stay on the plane while the maintenance team identified the problem and fixed it. This would allow us to more quickly depart once the repairs were completed. But, after another couple of hours, the ground crew determined that the problem was more substantial than previously thought, and the flight was canceled. That meant everybody off, through Immigration, to baggage claim, through Customs and to the airport hotel. This at nearly 4.00 am! I will admit that the process was pretty efficient, once we walked the 15 minutes to Immigration (the shuttle train had not started running for the day). I was in my hotel room by 5.30 and asleep by 6.00 am. After six hours of rest, I was back to the departure gates, where United put me on a Cathay Pacific flight back to Singapore, departing at 2.20 pm. I would get back to Singapore about 6.00 pm and to my house at 7.00, 48 hours after I woke up in Dallas.

I was not looking forward to 30 hours of travel, as my original itinerary called for. Forty-eight was nearly a killer. It was nice to get horizontal for six hours, but I would rather avoid this type of experience again.

Christmas in America

2009-01-07T22:01:00.007+08:00

I was lucky to spend three weeks back in the US visiting colleagues, friends, and family. It was a fantastic time! I made it to Dallas, Austin, Lake Brownwood State Park for an good old friend's wedding, Amarillo, Albuquerque, Santa Fe for my annual Hearts Game (Webb lost), back to Amarillo and then back to Dallas. Along the way, I saw friends from high school, college, and post-college days. I went to a Cowboy game and bought two pairs of cowboy boots (I have no idea when I will wear them in Singapore). I hung out in the Driskill Hotel in Austin, the rim of the Palo Duro Canyon, and all kinds of places in between. I enjoyed weather from sunny 70 degrees to snowy (and blowy) 25 degrees, sometimes within just a day or two of each other (in the same place!). I listed to a ton of great Texas music. And I got to eat good ol' American food: cheese fries at Snuffer's in Dallas AND Southlake, CFS at Porch in Dallas, Babe's in Roanoke, and the Stockyards Cafe in Amarillo, burgers at Hut's in Austin, Coyote Bluff, Wendy's and Sonic in Amarillo (don't laugh - we don't have those over here) and Del's in Tucumcari, biscuits and gravy at the Wagon Wheel in Goldthwaite, Lucky's and Original Market Diner in Dallas, and Alex's house (with my homemade gravy) in Amarillo, pizza at Louie's and Fireside Pies in Dallas and Luigi's in Amarillo, steaks at Bull Ring in Santa Fe and (my favorite) Bob's in Dallas, and - of course - Mexican food! Mi Cocina in Southlake, Abuelo's and Leal's in Amarillo, tamales on the Square and Los Potrillos in Santa Fe. No wonder I gained 10 pounds!

Of course, the best thing about being back was seeing my family. I spent time with them in Amarillo, and we wen to spend some time with my cousins in Albuquerque before making our first visit to Aunt Beverly's gravesite since her death in September. She is interred with Uncle Bill in the beautiful setting of Santa Fe National Cemetery.

It was a great three weeks.

Weddings, Singapore-style

2009-01-06T05:36:00.010+08:00

Singapore is a multi-cultured town (city, state, nation?). And I have been lucky enough to experience two distinct cultural events recently – a Chinese and an Indian wedding.

Chinese weddings are complex, multi-layered affairs. I won’t go into all the events that take place in conjunction with a Chinese wedding – just know that there are all kinds of rituals and ceremonies that involve various friends and family at different times. One of the most significant is the wedding dinner, which includes invitations for extended family, friends, and colleagues. These are extravagant affairs that include eight-course dinners in a traditional Chinese style and are sometimes held a year after the actual wedding.

I was invited to the wedding dinner of a work colleague, and I was excited to attend. The invitation noted twice that it was not polite to be late, so I made a mental note to “NOT be late”. This was directly opposed to all the advice my native Singaporean friends gave me – it will all start late, they said. I showed up on time anyways, greeting my colleagues there, and went to my table.

Which was just me. I sat at a round eight-person table and watched the same slide show over and over, narrated by a single Chinese pop song (I later found out it was Korean) on repeat mode. It wasn’t until another colleague joined me 20 minutes after 7.30 pm (the start time) that I had someone to talk to. Good thing the single-song soundtrack kept me company.

A few other in-the-know friends came in before 8.30, when the bride made her entrance (an hour late). The bride was beautiful, of course, dressed in white (you can see her in the back of the picture above). She and her groom made her way down front (we were in a hotel ballroom with probably 40 tables for eight laid out). That was the signal to start serving food (I will remind you that it was 8.30 and I had not eaten since lunch).

And the food was wonderful. We had several courses of delicious Chinese dishes, including prawns, pork, chicken, and fish. I have attended a few such dinners here (mainly in business situations), and I always enjoy them.

Once settled, the bride (after a stunning wardrobe change!) and groom made it through the crowd to greet everyone, with their parents in tow. It was a very nice gesture to complement the superb meal. But, the dinner appeared to go on and on, so I left before the last course, as it was approaching 11.00 pm on a Sunday night.

Two weeks later, I had the good fortune to attend another wedding celebration, that of one of my Sabre colleagues at the Sri Thandayuthapani Temple (loyal readers will recall this is the ending point for the Thaipusam khavadi procession I described last January). She is a Chinese Singaporean, marrying an Indian Singaporean, and I attended the Indian ritual (she also had a Christian ceremony in a church). This was fascinating. It started at 10.00 on a Sunday morning, and there were three distinct ceremonies – one for him, one for her, and one for the two of them. I was afraid the ceremony would be outside in the humid morning, but we were upstairs in air conditioned comfort. And we had seats. Some of the other 3,000 (!) who were invited (most from the groom’s side, although not that many attended) stood the entire time.

It was hard to tell what was going on, since all of it was in Tamil (an Indian dialect) and was accompanied by relentless drumming by the trio sitting up front. Once the separate ceremonies concluded, a man went on stage with a microphone to explain what had occurred and what was going to happen. He first gave his lengthy speech in Tamil, and by the time he started in English, the bride and her entourage were making their way down the aisle for the final ceremony, which was the cue for the drummers. I didn’t hear a word of the explanation.

The bride looked beautiful! And with her husband, they made a handsome couple. There were several other rituals in the ceremony, including a curious game where the bride and groom plunge their hands into a pot and fight over a ring and conch shell (I still don’t quite understand). At the end, the bride and groom received us all on stage in a twist on the receiving line. A delicious vegetarian Indian meal ended the day.

Two down, one to go. I will have to see if I can find my way to a Malay wedding, which are supposed to be beautiful events, as well.

Mötley Crüe

2009-01-06T05:22:00.003+08:00

I like live music, which usually means cover bands in bars and restaurants here (Filipinos are notoriously good musicians, and I have found several bands that produce great cover versions of classic songs). I had not gone to an “actual” concert, however, during my time in Singapore. But, when I saw that Mötley Crüe was to make their first appearance in Southeast Asia, I had to go! The Crüe is one of my favorite rock bands (from my formative days listening to glam metal), and I couldn’t wait.

And they didn’t disappoint. After a creditable local opening band, Vince, Mick, Nikki, and Tommy came out with a vengeance. The venue was the amphitheatre at Fort Canning Park, just down River Valley Road from me (interestingly, the last time I was there was for my company’s annual Kick Off dinner in January 2008; the gala dinner was held right where the stage was!). The crowd was pretty big (for an ‘80s metal band, even the iconic Crüe), and very boisterous! A good part of the crowd appeared to be rockers from Malaysia, who had made the trip down for the show. There were even a good many from my generation and older. The band’s appeal is timeless, I suppose.

Vince has lost a bit of his voice, although the band was never about his singing. Mick Mars is still the average guitarist I have always thought him. But, the band’s stage presence has not waned, anchored by Nikki Sixx on bass and the best rock drummer in the world, Tommy Lee. Tommy has not missed a beat (pun intended), and his solos are still great (not the full-blown 360-degree flip in his drum cage, a la 1990, but still awesome for the smaller stage). It was a great time.

My photos aren’t that great, as I only had my phone camera, so I have posted a couple from the internet, courtesy of PokeChild.com.

For you Crüe fans, here is the playlist. Most of the good stuff – I had no complaints.

Kick Start My Heart
Shout at the Devil
Saints of Los Angeles
Guitar solo – Voodoo Chile
Live Wire
Sick Love Song
Louder Than Hell
Don’t Go Away Mad (Just Go Away)
Same Ol’ Situation
Primal Scream
Red Hot
Looks That Kill
Girls Girls Girls
Dr. Feelgood
Home Sweet Home (encore)

Travel: Trapped in Thailand

2008-12-31T13:08:00.003+08:00

A colleague and I traveled to Bangkok on the Monday before Thanksgiving (24 November) for a quick two-day work trip. This quick trip promised to be productive but would still allow me nearly three weeks to finish up all I needed before I traveled back to the US for Christmas. But, like the folks on Gilligan’s Island, we were in for more than a three hour tour.

On Tuesday, 25 November, the People’s Alliance for Democracy Party (PAD) stormed Suvarnabhumi Airport, Bangkok’s international airport. The PAD , the main opposition party in the government with strongholds among the urban population in and around Bangkok, had been waging a campaign of protest for several months, occupying the Government House and forcing the government to operate out of a remote site. The occupation of the airport was by far the boldest move, and they followed it up by occupying Don Muang, Bangkok’s former international airport that now served domestic flights. Thus, there was no way to leave Bangkok by air.

I had flown up on low costs Tiger Airways, which is fine if everything goes right. That means you get to the airport on time, there are no weather issues, you don’t have to change your flights, or protestors don’t shut down the airport. But, when things don’t go just as planned, it is good to have a flight on a full-service carrier, like my colleague did with Singapore Airlines.

On Wednesday the 26th, our initial return date, we both called our airlines. He got through in two minutes and was booked on another flight for the following day. I was on hold for 45 minutes before I gave up (at S$2.75 a minute, which meant the cost of that fruitless call nearly matched that of my ticket). Instead, I booked a ticket with a rival carrier, Air Asia.

Our flights did not take off, however, as the airport remained closed. It became apparent that this could be a prolonged closure, so a number of the carriers arranged with the government to fly “rescue” flights out of U-Tapao Air Force Base, 150 kilometres south of Suvarnabhumi and 200 kilometres south of Bangkok itself. My colleague was booked on a Saturday flight (29 November), but I was unable to get on the Air Asia flight, so I decided to extend my stay.

We actually got a lot of work done while we were there. Every morning, it was over to the Starbuck’s on Sukhumvit (in the shadow of the Sky Train) for a coffee and a 24 hour internet card. We would sit upstairs, drink our coffee, and work and email for 10 hours a day. Without the distractions of the office, it was a highly productive time. But, after a couple of days, I faced a different distraction – finding a way to get home.

I had contemplated a number of options – train down the peninsula to Butterworth just across the Thai-Malaysian border, then bus to KL and fly/bus back to Singapore. Or bus to Phuket and catch a flight to Singapore. Train/taxi/bus to the Cambodian border and then the same to Siem Reap or Phnom Penh. I even contemplated the Eastern and Orient Express, which would have taken me all the way to Singapore. But, the trains to Malaysia and flights out of Phuket were full, Cambodia looked less appealing the more I looked at it, and the E&OE went only once a week, so I ended up on an overnight train to Chiang Mai in the far north of Thailand, with a SilkAir flight direct to Singapore.

The train was scheduled for 6.00 pm on Monday, and I gave myself plenty of time to get to the station on the Sky Train and subway. On the way, I noticed that I was the only one wearing red. A saleswoman earlier had mentioned my red shirt (a t-shirt I had to buy off the street) and let me know that it was the color of “the other side”. Red is the color of the government’s supporters, which are located mainly in the north. Yellow was the color of the PAD, with its stronghold in Bangkok. So it did not surprise me that I was the only person wearing red in the entire city. I suppose it’s like wearing Crips colors in the Blood neighborhood. Fortunately, the political situation was not violent, and I made it to the train.

Just before the train pulled away, at 6.00 exactly, the Thai national anthem began playing over the loudspeaker. Every Thai in the station (even the man sleeping on the bench) rose and stood at respectful attention for the duration of the song. It was an interesting sight to close what may be my final stay in Bangkok.

I love traveling by train, and I met several interesting people on the way up. I was in a second-class sleeper, however, which meant I did not have my own room. Moreover, I had the top bunk, which is the smaller of the two. The lights never go off in the second-class sleeper, and you get to hear all the sleepers around you snoring away. With the train lurching and jerking during the four hour delay on the way, it made for a sleepless night. The delay also meant the 13 hour trip turned into 17 hours. Since I had given myself a buffer day, that was okay. And it actually meant I arrived at my hotel at 11.30, not 7.30, so I was able to check in immediately and take that long-awaited nap.

Chiang Mai is a beautiful town in the highlands in Thailand. It was uncrowded due to the airport closures (so many of the flights go through Bangkok), and it was nice to wander through the deserted streets enjoying the cool, dry weather. It was only in the 60s, but you would see locals all over the place wearing scarves and coats. What a nice break from the tropical weather I was used to!

The next day, I got on my flight and almost kissed the ground when I arrived back in Singapore. It was good to be back.
I did enjoy my quick visit to Chiang Mai. I met some nice British expats in the local pub, found some good small galleries and made some nice purchases at the night market. With this in mind, I canceled my planned trip there in February. I will go back to Chiang Mai – it seems like a fantastic place – but I am done with Thailand for a while.

Travel: Alex in Asia - The Formula One Singapore Grand Prix

2008-12-09T23:34:00.008+08:00

While I was back in Singapore working, Alex made his way down from Phuket, through Bangkok and KL. He arrived Thursday, giving me a day to show him around the city-state before we jumped headfirst into the traveling circus that is Formula One. The Long Bar at Raffles Hotel is just around the corner from the Stamford Hotel, Singapore's tallest. So, after the obligatory Singapore Sling, we ascended to the New Asia Bar, on the 70th floor the the Stamford, for a great view of the circuit. The safety cars were circling the track in all its illuminated glory, and we had the perfect vantage point from on high.

We headed down River Valley Road by bus around 6pm on Friday, with practice on our mind. First, a tour of Clarke Quay's finer establishments to show off Alex's Puma Ferrari shoes - Pump Room, Brewerkz, and at the end of Boat Quay, Penny Black (a genuine Victorian pub that was shipped in its entirety to the Lion City).

As we left Penny Black after the sun had set, we were greeted by the sound of 18,000 rpm touring the streets of Singapore - Grand Prix weekend had started. That was such a sweet sound - one I hadn't heard since the US Grand Prix in Indianapolis, the fiasco where only six cars ran the race because of problems with the other 14 cars on Michelin tires (the Bridgestones handled Formula One's highest speed corner - turn 13 in that race, Turn 1 at the 500 - where the Michelins couldn't). It was a sound Singapore has never heard, and it was beautiful.

We quickly ran to the Anderson Bridge (pictured) and into the circuit and got our Kangaroo TV sets, a hand-held system that allowed us to follow the race from the television perspective as well as several in-car views. We settled on the Esplanade Bridge, a high speed sector just before the Turn 14 into the section running along Marina Bay portion. It was great! Alas, the race organisers would close that vantage point for Saturday's qualifying and the race.

After a high-cost cab home (Singapore knows how to price differentiate), we called it a night. I introduced Alex to a traditional coffee house the next morning (kopi kosong and a kaya toast set for him), and we prepared for qualifying. We camped out on the second floor of the Singapore Flyer car park at Turn 5, which gave us great views of the cars coming around the high-speed corner. But, when it took us hours to get out (they didn't quite have the exits figured out on that side of the circuit), we decided to spend raceday elsewhere.

Sunday brought the race. The tifosi were happy to see Felipe Massa on pole, and his World Championship hopes rode high on this first night race in Formula One history. We found grandstands on the opposite side of our Friday night vantage point on the Esplanade Bridge. The race started as we had hoped, with Massa running strong out front. The cars were beautiful under the lights! It was an exciting atmosphere, truly a new experience for F1.

Then the fateful pit stop. Massa pulled away with the fuel hose still attached. You can read in the press what happened next, but it was the end of the race for the Brazilian, and it would eventually cost him dearly, as he finished a single point from winning the championship.

Alex and I migrated to the massive infield section (the Padang, usually host to Singapore Cricket Club and Singapore Sporting Club events) to watch Fernando Alonso drive his Renault to an improbable victory (or was it improbable? Alonso was fastest in qualifying until an engine failure relegated him to the middle of the grid; a crash by his Renault teammate Nelson Piquet, Jr started the series of events that allowed him to the front of the field during the race. But I'm no conspiracy theorist...). We had witnessed history, and although our driver had not won (or even scored points - and don't even ask about Kimi's late race meltdown), it was a great experience!

What a weekend! Monday was a wind-down day (frankly, I was a little down, since the buildup to the race had been so overwhelming), but we managed to see some parts of my home before we headed of to Hong Kong the next day. We were happy to have been part of the first ever Formula One night race, which by all accounts was a huge success. And I will give Singapore credit - it was a fantastic event, run in beautiful surroundings in the heart of illuminated city. This should be a great stop on the traveling circus's calendar from now on.

Travel: Alex in Asia - Phuket

2008-12-06T01:00:00.008+08:00

My brother Alex made his first visit to Asia this Fall (that being a not well-understood term here), wrapping his trip around the inaugural Formula One Singapore Grand Prix. We started the trip in Phuket, but not before Alex stepped into airports in Amarillo, Denver, Los Angeles, Hong Kong, and Singapore. And my bad advice almost made his stay in Singapore a little longer. He flew Cathay Pacific to Hong Kong, Singapore Airlines to Singapore, and Air Asia to Phuket. But, Air Asia does not have interline agreements with other airlines, so he couldn't check his bags through to Phuket. They also don't have a facilities inside security, so even if you fly two separate segments on Air Asia, you have to come out of security (which means Immigration and Customs on international flights), check in, and then go back through security to get to your next flight. And Alex had to do this. Fortunately, Changi Airport is incredibly efficient, especially when uncrowded mid-day on Friday. He was out, up, and back through in less than twenty minutes, and we were on our way to Phuket.

Phuket is an island off the west coast of Thailand, just south of the Phang Nga province peninsula in the Andaman Sea (more on Phang Nga later). It features miles of sandy beaches and all of the kinds of troublesome nightlife one would expect of a beach destination. After arriving at the provincial airport, our hotel car drove us the hour to our accommodations in Karon Beach (a friend of mine runs the Movenpick Karon Beach, and it is a wonderful place to stay - check with me for details). Alex noted the resemblance to hotels he has visited in Hawaii, with the open lobby and beautiful sights, which we took in over a Singha as our rooms were prepared.

We took a tuk-tuk into Patong Beach, the liveliest area on the island. After a look around and a stop for milk and cookies, we decided to call it a night. The next day we spent lazily around the pool - after all, Alex had just traveled nearly 30 hours to get here. No reason to overdo it. We were able to add Chang to the portfolio that afternoon. We opted for a night in the tamer Karon Beach on Saturday, ending at the Sand Bar, where we were the only audience for the band. This meant we could not only request every song, but we were also given singing duties. Good thing we both have jobs, because we'd probably have to go out on the road with these guys, given our stellar performances that night.

The next day was my last in Phuket. Alex would head to Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur on his way to Singapore, but I was flying directly back Sunday night. We spent the day on the water, heading up into Phang Nga Bay National Park to see the beautiful rock formations on the way to James Bond Island. This is the island with the iconic rock formation that served as Scaramanga's lair in The Man With The Golden Gun. Our vessel was a slow boat made to look like a junk. I think of it as a junk in the Western sense. The boat was fine, but it was slow, and the voyage was part of a typical tour I try to avoid.

The island isn't incredibly impressive (except THAT A JAMES BOND MOVIE WAS FILMED THERE), and the rock formation is tiny compared to others in the area (a sequence in Tomorrow Never Dies also was filmed in Phang Nga). Although I was glad to see the island, the trip itself is one of those all day ventures that includes a lunch at a far away destination (a "floating" Muslim fishing village that is built on stilts above the water; it survives almost exclusively on tourism) and a swim in the ocean. Now that we know, we would have rented a speedboat for half a day to take us to James Bond Island and back.

It had been a whirlwind weekend, but a good introduction to Asia for Alex. Especially as he was off to Bangkok and KL on his way to Singapore for the race.

Ramadan

2008-11-19T23:35:00.008+08:00

Ramadan is the ninth month of Islamic calendar. The calendar is lunar, so the dates vary from year to year. This year, Ramadan coincided with most of the month of September. It represents the month when the Qur'an was revealed to the Prophet, and it is a time when Muslims fast from sunup to sundown.

Singapore has a large and observant Muslim community. During the day, it is a time of prayer and fasting. Night is a time for congregation, for replenishing oneself, and for preparing for the end of Ramadan. The holiday of Eid al-Fitr marks the end of the month of fasting, and it is a time of great celebration and gift giving. In Malay, the holiday is known as Hari Raya Puasa, or Hari Raya Aidilfitri. It is one of the autumn celebrations of the many cultures here in Singapore, starting with the Mid-Autumn Festival and continuing through Deepavali and ending with Christmas.

I missed out on seeing any of the night festivities during Ramadan last year, but I was fortunate to be able to go with Farah to one of the largest street markets set up during the month, Eunos and Paya Lebar. We walked the few blocks from the MRT and found ourselves in a street filled with blue and gold lights and tents of food stalls and shops selling gifts and beautiful clothes for Hari Raya Puasa.

Our first goal was food. Although Farah was the one who had fasted during the day, I was hungry, as well. She found her favorite snack, thin beef slices cooked on an open grill. They were delicious. I opted for the more basic food - Ramly Burger. Ramly Burger is a Muslim food stall that you find only in temporary settings - usually Malay festivals and carnivals or other events that are held in a bazaar-like setting. I first had these in a field by the Tampines Mall near my office, and I love them! They are beef or chicken burgers that are grilled, then wrapped in an egg that is cooked alongside and smothered in yummy sauces. They are very popular stalls wherever I see them (think In-N-Out Burger popular). They also sold Roti John, a messy sandwich in a long French bread-type roll that contains multiple patties smothered in all kinds of sauces and egg. It is great! Although I am sure it is not low cholesterol.

After eating, we wondered through all kinds of stalls and shops, selling those beautiful clothes, little gifts for children (they love this time of year - it is like Christmas; presenting green packets - similar to the red packets in Chinese celebrations - is a time-honored tradition, and the packets usually contain money), and all kinds of other sundries. We even found one of Farah's favorites - a stall that apparently sells every kind of curtain ever made. It was great!

I really enjoyed the experience. Ramadan is the holiest of months for Muslims, and those in Singapore take it very seriously. But, they also take the time to spend the evening with their friends and family, rejuvenating themselves physically and socially, to complement the spiritual rejuvenation during the day. I was glad I got to see that.

Travel: Vientiane

2008-11-18T22:21:00.012+08:00

My visit to Cambodia spurred my interest in journeying to its neighbor in Indochina, Laos. Sitting north of Cambodia, Laos also shares its border with Thailand, Myanmar, China, and Vietnam. In fact, for much of its history, it has been at odds with one of its more powerful and wealthy neighbors.

Vientiane is the capital of Laos (or, the Lao Democratic People's Republic). It is an old colonial city, and it is probably the sleepiest capital city in the world. I don't recall seeing a building more than five storeys tall. It sits on the Mekong River, with Thailand in view on the river's southern bank. It seemed like a place for a peaceful weekend.

I flew through Bangkok into Wattay Airport in Vientiane. I consider myself a seasoned traveler, but apparently I was rushed preparing for this trip, and I made a couple of potential fatal mistakes (for the trip, that is). I didn't bring enough cash, and I didn't bring a passport photo for my visa (like Cambodia, you must get a visa on arrival, and one requirement is that you provide a picture). I didn't think the lack of cash was a big deal, even if there aren't many ATMs in Laos (I had read this and found it to be true later). I would just get cash during my layover in Bangkok. Except that all the ATMs in the Bangkok airport are outside security. And I couldn't go out and come back in, because I only had one blank page left in my passport, which I would need for the visa that I might not be able to get because I had no picture.

Well, there was only one thing to do - onwards! I arrived into the quiet airport and was able to get the visa without a photo. The cash issue was still to be settled, however. After the $35 (USD) visa fee, I had $27 left. You can use US dollars, Thai baht, or Lao kip in most places. The question was finding an ATM that took my bank card.

I met up with a travel agent friend, which was fun as I was able to spend a night on the town with some locals. And because the ATM she took me to wouldn't take my card, the night was all on them. Not a bad way to start the trip! I would find an ATM the next day that made me liquid again, but I did have a few stressful hours thinking all I was going to do was sit in my hotel and stare at the wall.

I stayed at the Settha Palace hotel, a beautiful throwback to the colonial era (like the rest of Indochina, Laos was a French colony). The high ceilings in the common areas and polished tile floors gave the hotel a regal air. The room was well appointed in a minimalist colonial style, with high ceilings and classic old furniture. The cute little bar off the main lobby was a good place to unwind after a long day or to wait out a sudden cloudburst. And the pool was set amid a tropical garden. All in all, it was a fantastic place.

Saturday was a time for sightseeing, which took about an hour. My friend picked me up in her Toyota Hilux pickup truck. These were all over the place! I have not seen a pickup truck anywhere else in Asia, but they were easily ten percent of the cars on the road, and maybe more. It was nice ride! Combined with that it was left-hand drive and that Lao drivers drive on the right side of the road, I felt like I was in Texas.

Our first stop was Patuxai, Vientiane's version of the Arc de Triomphe. Sitting on an island at the head of the grand Lan Xang Avenue, formed by the confluence of three major avenues coming from the northeast, this tower commemorates the Lao who died in pre-revolutionary wars. Interestingly, it was built in 1969 with cement donated by the US for the construction of an airport, and it is sometimes called the "vertical runway". You can walk up through the inside of the structure through a series of winding stairways, which open to a large interior chamber (well, an entire floor) that is home to all kinds of souvenir vendors. Continuing up to the final spiral staircase takes you to the roof, with great views of the city, surrounding hillsides, river, and neighboring Thailand.

Our next stop was Pha That Luang (pictured at the top of this entry), the golden stupa that is featured on the Lao national seal (but not on the national flag, as is Angkor Wat on the Cambodian flag). This dual symbol of Buddhism and Lao sovereignty is an impressive structure, its stupa rising out of humble surroundings (a wat and a huge parking lot) to a height of 45 metres. It was heavily overcast that day, which kept the temperature manageable and made our visit more pleasant. There weren't many visitors, so we could enjoy it at a leisurely pace. Several interesting statues lined the walkways in the cloister around the stupa, but you couldn't go higher than the first level. It was good to visit, but it wasn't the hands-on experience of a place like Wat Arun in Bangkok.

That was about it for sights. We headed off to a local noodle restaurant, where we had Vietnamese beef noodle soup (long time readers will remember my first experience with pho during my trip to Saigon a year ago August).

I was solo for the rest of the afternoon, so I started at the massive central market. You could buy all kinds of local items and international brands, from produce to souvenirs to appliances and guitars. So much so that I didn't know where to start, so I left without purchasing anything. A tuk-tuk ride cut my traveling time to the river (from ten minutes to three - Vientiane is pretty small!), and I explored the little lanes in the heart of the city. The overcast sky had given way to bright sunshine, and I was glad to find air conditioned cafes, galleries, and bookstores. It was here that I made my purchases, from local arts and crafts to Lao literature. I headed back to the hotel (a ten minute walk, maybe) for a short rest before venturing out for dinner on the river.

It was getting close to sunset, so I grabbed a table at the Khemphone Restaurant, on the banks of the Mekong. The restaurant had a spread of food beside the big deck overlooking the river, and they cooked whatever you picked out. I had a rice ball Lao style and Lao Laap Pork (minced pork with vegetables) with sticky rice. And a very cold Beerlao to wash it down (like so many other countries, the local beer is very good and quite a bit cheaper than imports like Heineken). The meal was delicious! It was a perfect complement with the beautiful sunset over the river.

Several small galleries kept me from a direct walk home (and lightened my billfold). I did stop for a nightcap and saw two of the more interesting things I have seen over here, involving two cats. One I thought was three-legged, without a rear right leg. Every other step it would take, it would sit down. Essentially, it was using its hip as its fourth leg. And it didn't seem to bother it one bit. The other was a feline that was rather aggressively using a parked car's tire as a scratching post. It was going at it with a vengeance, and I was just waiting for a cartoon-like scene to play out with an explosion and a black-faced cat standing slowly falling to the ground, its head surrounded by stars. No such luck.

I had planned to fly out late Sunday night, stay in Bangkok, and get back to Singapore Monday morning. I needed to get back earlier for work, so I changed my flight to the afternoon, which meant only time for one last quick tour. I waited out the cloudburst mentioned above and took in the sights at three wats: That Dam, an overgrown stone structure in the middle of a quiet roundabout a few metres from the US embassy, the royal temple Haw Pha Kaew, originally built to house the Emerald Buddha and today a national museum of religious art, and Wat Si Saket, the only temple to survive the 1828 sacking of Vientiane, when the Siamese army razed the city and carted off most of its population.

One last visit to a gallery and then back to the central market for some local coffee (note to travelers - when you have the choice between Vietnamese coffee and Lao coffee, choose Vietnamese), and I was off. The journey out was a less stressful than the one in, that's for sure.

I spent about 40 hours in Vientiane, but I found it a fantastic place. If you want a relaxed, friendly, high value-to-cost environment that offers some sights, a bit of culture, and good food, I wholeheartedly recommend it. I hope to return.

Travel: Hong Kong, The Peak and The Races

2008-11-10T01:09:00.006+08:00

I have now been to Hong Kong several times during my year and a half in Asia. What I love about touring the city with first-time visitors (such as Claire or my brother Alex) is the mix of familiar and new. I never get tired of doing some of the same old things (like the Mid-Levels Escalators or the Star Ferry across Hong Kong Harbour), but I can always find new things to do, as well.

Claire was to finish her visit in Hong Kong and would fly from there back to the US. We were scheduled to fly up on Friday night, but a typhoon hit Hong Kong, and all flights were cancelled. We ended up going up on Saturday, which gave me only 24 hours to show her some of the sights. One think I hadn't done was visit the Peak. The views are spectacular, but the ride up is half of the fun. We squeezed in with dozens of other tourists and took the five minute ride at what seemed a 45-degree angle to the top. Once there, we were treated to fantastic views of Hong Kong Harbour. And to add to the atmosphere, we got caught in a flash downpour that had everyone scurrying for shelter. It was great!

Alex and I visited the Peak, as well, but we took a taxi to the top (the queue for the tram was seemingly endless when we visited). The views again were spectacular, although Hong Kong's famous haze cut visibility a bit. Still, it is worth the trip up there.

Alex and I visited over National Day, 1 October. We stayed on the Kowloon side of the city, which gave us great access to the night markets and a perfect vista to watch the fireworks show at the Peninsula Hotel (featured in two James Bond movies and right next to our hotel). The fireworks were a fitting end to a day that began at Sha Tin, the horse racing track in the northern part of the city.

When you say "horse racing" and "Hong Kong" together, most immediately think of Happy Valley, the racing facility in Wan Chai on Hong Kong Island. It has great views of the city, and races are held there on Wednesday nights. We timed our trip to be there on Wednesday, but since that was National Day, the races were held during the day at the newer facility up north, Sha Tin. So, that's where we went. It was a warm and hazy day for the first of October, but it didn't seem to bother the horses (and it didn't really bother us, either!). We won some early, and then I proceeded to give most of it back. But, the action was fun, and it was interesting to see the horses run backwards (well, not backwards, but in a clockwise direction).

The rest of the time during my visits with Claire and Alex were spent seeing the sights that have become familiar to me from my previous journeys to Hong Kong. Every time I go, I am reminded how it is my favorite city in Asia.

Travel: Angkor Wat to Bangkok

2008-11-10T00:46:00.005+08:00

Siem Reap means “The Defeat of Siam”. The city was the once the capital of Cambodia (now Phnom Penh). But, I didn't see much evidence of this (either a capital city or animosity towards Thailand) while I as there, as for many visiting tourists, the city is a location to unwind after a long day at the temples. So we headed out to the aptly-named Club Street in search of dinner. This after I took a swim in the pool, the temperature of which made it resemble more closely a bath. It wasn’t quite the refreshing dip I had hoped for, but it worked.

We found local cuisine at Khmer Family Restaurant (Khmer denoting the local people of Cambodia, who actually call their country Kampuchea). Like my lunch, the food was delicious.

While Club Street wasn’t the raucous place I had anticipated, we were drawn into one establishment, mainly from the strains of “Take Me Home, Country Roads” coming from the house band. It was fun, with a mix of old and new music, but it never quite lived up to the promise of the John Denver tune.

We had an early afternoon flight, so we had to leave around noon. That left us a couple of hours in the morning for one last trip to Angkor Wat. Guideless, we took a tuk-tuk to the temple complex and set out for our own bit of exploring. It is a different place in the morning (and I’ll bet even moreso at dawn – we arrived after 9 am). It was already hot in the sun, so I sought the shade, which is plentiful inside the temples. With fewer visitors at that time, it is nice to be able to explore nooks and crannies with little company. The complex really merits at least a full day and probably two or three for a proper visit. There are so many stories there just waiting to come out of the stones, if you just give them enough time. Unfortunately, we didn’t have enough of it.

We sat in the quaint Siem Reap airport waiting for the bus to take us across the tarmac to our Bangkok Airways flight when the rain came down. We were lucky to avoid it during our temple visits, so I wasn’t going to complain. And the tarmac workers even set up a canopy with two umbrellas that allowed us to board without getting (too) wet.

Bangkok Airways (self-billed as Asia’s Boutique Airline) is the only carrier that offers direct service from Siem Reap to Bangkok. This seems odd, but they enjoy it, charging monopoly prices for the hour plus flight to the Thai capital. It was pleasant enough, and even with the interminable and packed bus ride from plane to terminal, journey through Immigration, baggage claim, and Customs, and ride to the hotel, we arrived while the sun was still up. We were beat, however, so after the nicest dinner of the trip, it was time to retire for the night.

There are a few things one has to do in Bangkok, and I have now done them three times with different visitors – ride on the Chao Phraya, visit Wat Arun, and tour the National Palace grounds. This time offered one difference, as Claire had to buy a new blouse to cover her shoulders in the National Palace, a requirement neither of us realized. I also took a different view of the detailed model of Angkor Wat, dated to 1922 and housed within the palace grounds. This shows the complex as it was in its heyday (or at least planned), with nine complete towers.

It had been a whirlwind five days - Singapore to KL to Siem Reap to Bangkok. We would get a few days back in Singapore (work for me, touring for her) before we were off to Hong Kong at the week's end.

Travel: Angkor Wat, Part 3

2008-11-09T23:05:00.009+08:00

We only had about an hour and a half at Angkor Wat, which is a very short time to really explore the vast complex. We would return there on our third day, unaccompanied by our guide, to do some final exploring.

Upon the end of our first day (it was hard to believe we had been out only five hours!), we were beat. We had thought about exploring the central market or Pub Street, the places most visitors head for after a day at the temples, but the hotel was too comfortable. We sat outside by the pool, even as the rain came down, listening to the sounds of local music played on a roneat ek, a wooden instrument resembling a xylophone. The following day was to be a long one.

We started the next day with a morning view of Angkor Wat, from the opposite side of the main entrance. This stop was only for photo-taking from a distance, as our guide had a full agenda and wanted to make sure we covered everything on it. So, off we were, to Prasat Kravan, Pre Rup, Mebon, Banteay Srei, Banteay Samre, Ta Prohm, and Phnom Bakheng. Got all that?

Each temple was distinct in some way – in its architecture, its surroundings, its ornate-ness (is that a word?). Some were remote and peaceful, others were ringed with hawkers selling all kinds of souvenirs, complete with kids who would surround the car as soon as it came to a stop, selling postcards and books and all kinds of crafts. These boys and girls were persistent! And quite savvy, too. Claire tried to bargain with one little boy, and he replied that he wouldn't earn any profit at the price she wanted.

Following is a short summary of each temple we visited during our full day in the area.

Prasat Kravan: this peaceful temple is a small structure with the remnants of five towers, each of which holds a chamber or sanctuary within. While small relative to the other temple complexes, Prasat Kravan is significant for the bas reliefs on the inside each of the chambers, apparently the only example of this type of Khmer artwork in the area. I enjoyed the quiet setting - we were joined by only two other visitors during our time there.

Pre Rup: this large complex has towers arising from two distinct levels, which are accessed via long stairways. The ground level features large elephant statues at the corners and grassy spaces that separate the outer wall from the inner structures. From the top level, you looked out over miles and miles of lush jungle. This is another quiet space, even with dozens of other tourists around, and it provides a perfect atmosphere for peaceful contemplation.

Mebon: This temple is very similar to Pre Rup, and we viewed it only from the car. It is in a bit worse state of disrepair. I would have liked to visit a bit more closely, but we had a 30+ minute drive to our next destination, Banteay Srei.

Banteay Srei: This beautiful complex is compact enough to make it feel like an island (it is surrounded by a moat). It was built with a different type of stone, which gives it a reddish-gold color, and the level of detail and intricacy of the carvings is amazing. Its name means "Citadel of the Women", presumably referring to the delicacy of its decoration. What is striking about this temple is its miniature size relative to the other temples we saw, and that every inch of surface is covered with highly intricate carvings.

The area around Banteay Srei is bustling with hawkers and restaurants, so we stopped there for lunch. I had an excellent local dish, chicken amok, which is chicken and vegetables (spinach, I think) steamed with savory coconut rice and served in a coconut shell. With a cold Bayon beer, it was the perfect respite from the hot noonday sun.

After lunch, we headed back towards Siem Reap (Banteay Srei is about 20 kilometres north of the city). Our next stop was to become my favorite.

Banteay Samre: This remote complex has a distinct coloring, a striking gray and black that reminded me strongly of Minas Tirith from the Peter Jackson's film version of Return of the King. The interior of the complex and all the structures are accessed by elevated walkways, about six feet off the ground. Apparently, the grounds fill with water after heavy rains, giving the complex a Venice-like feel (which I would have loved to see!). Clouds fought with the sun during our stay there, giving us intermittent periods of light and shade. It was very peaceful inside the complex, with few visitors. I could have stayed there all day. We also found an interesting piece of history there, as well - a clip from an AK-47, left over from the bloody Khmer Rouge campaign in the 1970s.

Our next stop was the "Lara Croft Temple". The climactic scene of one of the Tomb Raider movies was filmed at a complex called Ta Prohm. A defining feature of this complex is that huge strangler fig and silk cotton trees have grown over and through the stones, creating an eerie scene that looks as if the jungle is going to claim the temples. This has caused a great deal of deterioration in the structure, and there are numerous areas where walls have been fortified with new supports to keep them from collapsing. It had a much more claustrophic atmosphere, as if the jungle were growing inwards on it.

Our last stop involved a 20 minute hike up a hill to Phnom Bakeng (phnom means hill in Khmer). This is a popular spot for sunset, and it gives a bird's eye view of Angkor Wat. Once you reach the top of the hill via the "elephant path" (the steep stairs that go straight up the hillside are now closed for safety reasons), you still have to climb another 100 feet up to the summit of the structure, which is in pretty poor shape. It is the views that are important here, though, and as you can see from the picture, the vista of Angkor Wat is pretty nice. We didn't wait for sunset, as it was getting too crowded, and Sam (our guide) warned us against it. After coming down the very steep steps in the daylight, and then hiking down the elephant path against the crush of people ascending for the sunset, I am glad we didn't do that.

Wow, what a day!

Travel: Angkor Wat, Part 2

2008-10-27T12:55:00.008+08:00

Elephants play a large symbolic role throughout the temples of the Angkor. The gate at Angkor Thom features three-headed elephants. The north gate to the complex is called the Elephant Gate. And one of the most awe-inspiring sights is the Elephant Terrace, a viewing platform overlooking a vast field, where King Jayavarman would review his troops returning from a glorious victory. The stone platforms stand 10 feet above the plain and face a series of towers in the distance that served as a forum for accused criminals to prove their innocence (I don’t remember the exact story, but it is reminiscent of how accused witches would prove their innocence in England and America hundred of years ago by being dumped into a pool of water – if they floated, they were deemed a witch; if they drowned, they were innocent).

To the west of the Elephant Terrace stands a large palace, accessed from each of the four sides by steep staircases, reminding me of pictures of Mayan temples. (Just to the north of the temple was a large man-made pool – lake, really – created hundreds of years ago, which was being enjoyed by two local boys doing back flips into the water.) While an intriguing sight, we skipped the interior of the palace to go to the crown jewel of Angkor Thom, Bayon Temple.

The iconic Bayon Temple is immediately recognizable from the faces carved into its stone towers. The visages, which face the four principal directions, are representations of the bodhisattva Avalokitesvara, although the face itself apparently is of King Jayavarman. The smiling faces have been referred to as the “Mona Lisa of the East”, and they are spectacular. The temple itself is quite a structure, with numerous levels, platforms, and dark hallways opening up to quiet chambers. When French explorers discovered the temple in the early 20th Century, jungle overgrowth had covered it and scattered its stones. A great amount of work has gone into reconstructing the temple, although you still see big stones piled around the perimeter, a testament to the difficulty of rebuilding the entire structure without instructions.

What I found particularly amazing was that you could climb pretty much wherever you wanted, with few railings or stairways. Those few stairways and ladders were pretty steep and not for the faint of heart. I can’t imagine something like that in the US. Of course, there isn’t anything like Angkor Thom in the US, so I guess the comparison doesn’t really fit.

The temple is surrounded by a wall decorated with a bas relief of various scenes from local history and legend. The wall is more than one kilometre long and contains 11,000 carved figures. One could spend hours just examining the intricacies of the wall.

The day was coming to an end, however, and we wanted to see Angkor Wat during sunset, so we took the short drive just down the road to the temple complex. It is a 500 metre walk from the road across the moat to the gate of Angkor Wat and another 500 metres to the temples. Along the way from the gate to the temple, you pass elegant libraries and a lily pond that offers a reflected view of the temples. We walked around the pond, past the hawkers with their t-shirts and books and paintings towards one of the corner towers on the outside wall of the temple.

As we approached, we could hear loud banging coming from scaffolding on the tower (many of the temples are being repaired through joint ventures with different countries – Germany, France, Japan, and the US, to name a few). This was the work of a monkey, either agitated or claiming his territory. We didn’t think much of it and approached the tower, where Claire sat down on the steps to rest and fix one of her shoes. As she sat with her shoe off, however, our monkey friend decided it was time to descend and investigate. He dropped off the scaffolding onto the stairs, 25 steps and two landings above Claire. But, he spared no time in coming down. By the time I realized that the monkey was actually making a bee-line for Claire, he was only a few steps away. I yelled, “Claire, the monkey’s coming to get you!” or something similar, and she sprang up and out of the way just in time as the aggressor scurried past. It was clear he wasn't cowed by us, as he made it a point to take his own route directly through the three of us, not go around. That was one bullying monkey.

With the near-attack behind us, we decided it was time to head into the temple for a quick tour before sunset.

Travel: Angkor Wat, Part 1

2008-10-21T21:52:00.003+08:00

I am always excited to receive visitors from the US, because it gives me a chance to show off Singapore a little and also visit places I have not seen yet. I was doubly excited when my friend Claire came over for a two-week stint in and around Singapore. Claire and I have known each other since our time in Washington working for Senator Bentsen. It was her first trip to Asia, and I had planned a full itinerary.

I gave her a full day to get acclimated to the weather and time change, and then we stepped on a bus to head up the road to Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia. I had only visited KL for one night last year. I enjoyed it but did not know the city well. On that occasion, I took the train, going up and returning on consecutive days. I spent more time on the train than I did in the city. This time, we would take the bus – or coach, as they call it here. It would still allow us to see some of the countryside and would get us to KL a couple of hours faster than the train (five rather than seven hours). We could have taken a forty-five minute flight, but when you factor in the travel and waiting time at the Singapore airport and the travel time from the KL airport to the city (about 40 kilometres), the coach seemed pretty reasonable. I ended up being a nice ride, with great views of the plantations lining the highways.

Once in KL, we stayed at my old favorite, Hotel Maya. This is just across from the Petronas Towers and gives stunning views of one of the world’s tallest buildings. As I did in my previous visit, we took the trip up Menara KL (the KL Tower), this time for good night views of the city.

But, KL was just to whet our appetite. We had an early flight the next morning, for two nights in Cambodia and visits to the temples of Angkor.

I had wanted to visit Angkor Wat, the temple complex near Siem Reap, Cambodia, for months. I hadn’t found the right time to do it, but Claire’s visit was the perfect opportunity. We lucked out by finding a guide through a colleague of mine. Samreth Kao is a long-time resident of Siem Reap and was an excellent guide during our two days with him. It is clear that Sam knows and loves the many temples and complexes that dot the landscape around Siem Reap. I highly recommend him to anyone that is thinking of visiting the area, and I would be glad to pass along his contact information.

People often refer to all the temples around Siem Reap as Angkor Wat, but it really is just one of dozens of temples and old cities, built between the 6th and 13th Centuries. Angkor Wat is most iconic of the temples, even featured on Cambodia’s national flag. And it is fascinating. But, there are other complexes that are just as fascinating, and I think it important that any visitor take the time to see some of these.

We started at Angkor Thom, which was an entire city, containing temples, royal residences, towers, parade fields, and homes for thousands of residents. It is slightly northwest of Angkor Wat, which is a temple complex only. Our approach took us across the bridge over a man-made moat with representations of gods and demons in what looks like a tug of war, using a Naga, a huge snake. This is actually part of Hindu lore, the Churning of the Sea of Milk, where the gods and demons cooperated to churn the primordial ocean, using the Naga, to produce amrita, the elixir of mortality.

The gate itself if fascinating, with representations of faces carved into the stones, alongside all kinds of animals and humans. You enter the gate into what can be described as a mix of forest and meadows, divided by a road into the heart of Angkor Thom. We drove nearly to the other side of the complex to start our visit at a small Buddhist wat still in use. We witnessed families paying the monks to have them pour water over them, in hope that it will bring the good luck. Sam even told us that people will bring their scooters and have the “washed”, as well. Look closely and you will see it. It was an interesting start to our visit.

One note – the temples of Angkor were originally built as Hindu temples. Subsequent rulers, however, converted to Buddhism. Then some converted back. Today, it is a Buddhist complex, and you can see icons from both religions in many of the temples. There are even instances where Buddhist icons have been essentially erased (chiseled away) by the Hindu regime. It is a fascinating mix of both sets of beliefs.

Travel: USA

2008-10-05T23:34:00.008+08:00

My schedule this year called for five potential trips to the U.S. These were mostly for leisure. Even doing this to see family and friends, it seemed like a lot! The true test was a three-week span that saw me make four flights across the Pacific to visit Colorado and California. While I spent more than four full days in the air to do this, the trips were well worth the effort.

Colorado was our bi-annual Hallerberg family get-together at the Bar NI Ranch, or the Cabot Ranch to those of us who have been going since the 1970s. The Ranch is located near Stonewall, about 30 miles west of Trinidad in southern Colorado. The four of us (Mom, Dad, Alex and I) have been going since we moved to Texas in 1976, and in 2002, we were able to extend the invitation to Dad’s side of the family. Since then, every two years, we pack everything up for a week of horses, jeeps, fishing, food, and Euchre. It really is great. And this year was no different. Rather than providing a narrative of our stay, I will let some pictures do the talking. A few highlights – I was not thrown from a horse this year, unlike 2006. Dad and Dale won the Euchre tournament (I have no idea how). And I made it back to Lost Lake after probably 15 years. Oh, and on the drive up from Amarillo, I quizzed Dad and Alex on all the planes and helicopters I saw at the Korean War Memorial. I would just say the serial number (C-123), and they knew every one! Impressive.

I returned to Singapore on Sunday evening and had 12 days there before turning around and flying to San Francisco. Napa was the scene for a group 40th birthday party for all of my fraternity brothers that were born in 1968. We had about 100 people at Monticello Vineyards, the family winery of Stephen Corley, my college roommate and fellow 40-year-old. He visited me in Singapore and Hong Kong for my 40th – I wanted to return the favor. And it was a fantastic time. We had revelers join us from all over the US and even the world – Singapore, London, Sydney (our London banker friend told us a joke - maybe - making the rounds reflecting the tough economic conditions there; essentially, European conditions were so bad that bankers had four choices - Dubai, Mumbai, Shanghai...or goodbye!).

Several sets of parents made it out, including Mom and Dad. And it was good to see that a bunch of successful 40-somethings can still act like 20-somethings once in a while.

I was able to stay in California for only four days, and about 10pm on Sunday night, I headed back to San Francisco for my 1am departure to Singapore, via Hong Kong. That was a quick turnaround – a whirlwind of a trip is a good way to describe it. And as much fun as I had, I was ready to not fly over the Pacific for quite a while.

Travel: Seoul, Part 5

2008-09-13T13:50:00.003+08:00

The next day - our last in Seoul - was to start at Migo for a quick bite before we would meet our tour guide for the ride to the Korean Folk Village. But, we had to meet our guide at 8.00, and that is when Migo opened (as I found out, standing outside it at 7.30, peering inside in a desperate attempt to get Farah a sweet potato danish).

The folk village is a representation of an old Korean village with examples of thatch-roofed houses, temples, government quarters, and public buildings (even a jail, where you could see examples of the cruel punishments dealt out to miscreants; you definitely did not want to get in trouble there). You find the traditional totem poles warding off evil spirits as you enter and then are taken back to a time more than 100 years ago. It includes examples of the homes of peasants, farmers, and landed gentry, and it gives you a good feel of how life was lived before modern times. One thing that fascinated me was the Korean method for warming their homes. I had read about the ondol system, which some estimates date to 2,000 years ago. Excess heat from stoves circulated underneath the floor, keeping it warm in winter and allowing for residents to sit and sleep on the floor in comfort. This traditional method for heating apparently has seen a recent resurgence with developers and builders and has begun to replace Western-style heating systems.

We didn't have a lot of time, but the folk village was well worth the visit. A cooling rain fell in the middle of our tour, enhancing the ambience of the place. A highlight of the trip was our visit to the village calligrapher, who would write out custom requests in both Korean and Chinese. I find this type of calligraphy beautiful, and I now have a rendition of my name in Korean.

On our way back, we asked our guide where we could get good bibimbap, as we were still in search of that traditional dish, and he took us to a local restaurant where we ate dolsot bibimbap, served in a stone hotpot. This was the real thing (in our minds) and much more enjoyable than the previous day's version.

I wanted to make a quick stop to the War Memorial and Museum. My uncle, David Hallerberg, served in the Korean War. He passed away in 2006, and I wanted to visit the memorial in part as an honor to him. I didn't go inside, because I found one of the largest collections of military hardware outside. There were planes and helicopters and tanks and missiles and naval vessels from the 1940s to the present time. There was even a working model of a tank. One could view WWII-era American warplanes, Chinese-made tanks from the Korean War, planes and helicopters used in the Vietnam War, and even a North Korean fighter jet that was flown across the border by a defecting pilot.

We of course had to go back to Migo before we left, so I could have one last Migoish coffee and Farah could have her sweet potato danish (it was the last one they had!). Another hair-raising car ride to the airport (this time, our drowsy driver almost clipped another car as we entered the airport) made our stay complete.

Travel: Seoul, Part 4

2008-09-13T12:23:00.006+08:00

Insadong is the cultural heart and soul of Seoul. Which means it is my kind of place. It essentially is one long street (Insadonggil), slowly winding downhill, filled with galleries, shops, traditional restaurants and tea houses. We started at the top of the street and made our way into the mix. We both were hungry and eager to try a traditional Korean dish. There were all kinds of street vendors, but we opted for an authentic-looking restaurant. In the end, we felt it had a little more tourist trap to it than we had hoped, but the food was pretty good. We had bibimbap, a local mixture of rice, vegetables, and meat, with an egg on top. Apparently, we had sanchae bibimbap, which is served differently than dolsot bibimbap, what Farah was familiar with (and looking for). The dish was served in a hotpot and cooked at the table. Accompanying it was a myriad of cold side dishes, including the ubiquitous kimchi, which is pickled and fermented cabbage (traditionally, it was prepared to preserve vegetables and ensure a steady diet during the cold winter months in Korea). I like it, but I can see it being an acquired taste. Think of it as Korean sauerkraut, with a different set of flavors (including some hot spices) than its German cousin.

We then set off to explore the area. We happened upon a demonstration against the Beijing Olympics (right in the middle of the street) and watched several other street performers doing their thing. I found some nice little galleries and shops where I could spend some of my won on souvenirs. It is just a pleasant place to walk around, and it felt a little bit cooler (temperature-wise) than the exposed streets of Itaewon or the grounds of the palace.

We then headed up a couple of flights of narrow stairs for the highlight of our trip to Insadong: a traditional Korean tea house. These dot the buildings lining the street, and ours was a small, quiet space, darkened by opaque paper over the windows covered with Chinese calligraphy and artwork (while the Korean alphabet distinctly differs from Chinese, you still see Chinese characters throughout the city, evidence of the influence of China in Korea's history, whether as occupier or neighbor). We sat along the wall, on an elevated section, so we essentially were sitting on the floor. We were the only patrons in the place when we arrived, and it was a nice place to sit for a rest. We had Five Flavor tea with a traditional snack of honey cakes. The surroundings were cosy, the tea and cakes were delicious, and we were able to stretch our legs (we had to, we were sitting on the floor). It was the perfect stop.

From Insadong, we kept going. We took the subway to Seoul Station, the very modern central train terminal, and then caught a taxi to the Seoul Tower cable car. Seoul Tower rises more than 770 feet above Namsan park and can be reached via bus, walking, or the cable car. Now, I was expecting a cable car ride like in Taiwan - a quick wait for individual cars and then a panoramic view of the city during the ride. But, the Namsan cable car (as it is called) is a single car, which can fit probably 30 people (crammed in pretty tight, mind you). We were lucky to just miss one of the cars going up, which means we were first in line for the next car. So, we got a window spot. The ride is only about four minutes, but it would seem much longer when you are packed in the middle of the car.

Seoul Tower itself is okay. The observation deck is poorly designed, in my humble opinion. Other decks I have visited, from Taipei 101 to the Sears Tower, provide wide walkways and maximize the window space for great views. Seoul Tower felt cramped, and it seemed the windows were not designed for observation. On top of that, it was hard to see any landmarks at night, and large parts of the park below were dark. I thought a night visit was the way to do it, but maybe it is better during daylight. The queue for the ride down in the elevator was longer than for the cable car, which reduced the enjoyment. As you can see from the pictures, the views still are pretty good, so it wasn't a total disappointment.

It was late, and we had been going since 10.00 in the morning, but we had one more place to visit: the Dongdaemun Market. This street market lines the outside of two athletic stadiums and is just across from four high rise malls. You can buy almost anything there, from clothes to electronics to food. I let Farah browse for the first two, while I went in search of food. Unfortunately, I found the food in Korea to be less appealing than in Taiwan, and I overpaid for a seafood pancake, of which I only finished a portion. Farah was a bit more lucky, finding a few things to buy.

The subway stops running at midnight, so we needed to jump on it to make it home before that witching hour. At our transfer point, however, it appeared our train had already stopped. It just wasn't coming. We waited and waited until we just decided to try our luck with a taxi. Little did we know that "try our luck" would be all too accurate.

We hailed a taxi at street-level, but as is often the case, the driver spoke little English. We told him the name of our hotel, which he repeated as another hotel. I finally found a card from the hotel with Korean instructions and handed it to the driver. As he was already driving, he had to stop, turn on the interior light, and read the card. This he did in the middle of the street! Then, when he understood where we were going, he took off. Like a bolt of lightning. I found out later that Korean taxi drivers like to drive fast to maximize the number of trips they can make and maximize their income, but I felt like I was in some video game. Here we are speeding through Seoul at midnight, windows down (Korean taxi drivers apparently do not like air conditioning, either), with reckless abandon. By the time I got my bearings, we were about 100 metres from the hotel. I think I said something just as the driver realized where we were, and we skidded into the entryway. In retrospect, it was a thrilling ride, but at the time I was just glad to be home!

We had been out and about for 14 hours. It had been an exhausting but rewarding day. Unfortunately, we had to be up early the next day for a trip to a traditional Korean folk town. No rest for the weary.

Travel: Seoul, Part 3

2008-09-09T23:15:00.005+08:00

We started out the next morning with a great find. Instead of eating at the hotel, we headed to a corner bakery we had seen the night before. Migo is a chain of French-style bakeries in Korea, and we realized quickly that we had lucked into some great food. I tried the Migoish coffee, a sweet latte-style coffee drink that was the perfect eye-opener (so much I had two!). Farah, however, was the big winner. She had a sweet potato-cranberry danish, which is now her favorite breakfast food/dessert. We could have stayed there for hours – and we thought about it during my second cup – but we had places to go and things to see.

Our first stop was just east at the COEX Mall, home to the Seoul Aquarium. First, a little shopping – Seoul is a great place to shop, and the depreciating Won now makes prices more reasonable. I even did a little window shopping, although I realized that I could go to an Adidas store in any city in the world and quickly moved on.

I am not usually a big fan of aquariums, but this had some interesting specimens, and it kept us out of the humidity for a while. Of interest was the kids area in the middle of the tour, where everyday appliances such as toilets, refrigerators, and washing machines had been turned into fish tanks.

From there, we took our first taxi ride, over the river to Itaewon. It was much more lively during the day than the previous night! You could buy almost anything you wanted, and some of it even looked authentic. We spent time in alley shops, storefronts, and street carts looking at t-shirts, shoes, hats, purses and bags…you name it. I held off buying anything, although some of the NFL merchandise brought back good memories. The day had turned pretty hot and humid, however, so we ducked into the subway for a break and a ride to the Gyeongbokgung National Palace.

This palace dates from 1395, during the reign of the Joseon Dynasty, and represents the finest architectural and building techniques of the time. It is located near the Seoul Central Government Complex, which was a target for the protestors. The walk from the subway stop to the palace gate is a long one that takes you the width of the palace grounds and around the corner, across the major roadway from the government offices. When we got to street level, we found an eerie scene – armored police buses lined every inch of available curbside parking space. Besides the traffic, there didn’t seem to be too many people around, which seemed strange. Then, when we turned the corner, we realized why – we ran into an entire platoon of riot police, preparing in a calm-before-the-storm type scene. We got inside the palace but were told we could not buy tickets. They would let us in but could not guarantee how long we could stay, as they were prepared to pull everyone out at the first sign of a protest. This was a bit unsettling, and a bit exciting at the same time.

It turned out that we didn’t see any protestors. We stayed inside the palace grounds for about an hour. The grounds are massive, with one compound leading to another, separated by gravel roads and walkways. The buildings are well-preserved, with incredible detail in the sculptures on the grounds and buildings (I include a picture of several small statues on the roof of one of the buildings that are designed to ward off evil spirits). The interiors include throne rooms and replicas of formal areas where visitors and guest of honor were received.

Towards the far perimeter is the National Folk Museum, a multi-storey building that looks like a mix between a Mayan (with its base of stairs) and traditional Korean temple (with its beautiful, multi-roofed tower rising far above the palace grounds). The museum was closed, but the external views were impressive.

The palace offers a nice contrast to the city. It is quite peaceful inside, at the same time offering views of the city’s skyline just over the walls. You could spend a fulfilling day in there wandering around. Unfortunately, we didn’t have much time, in part because of the riots, in part because it had been several hours since our Migo experience, and we were hungry (well, she was; as usual, I snacked throughout the day). It was off to Insadong!

Travel: Seoul, Part 2

2008-08-31T21:36:00.006+08:00

Seoul is a city of many different activities, from history to arts & culture to entertainment to shopping. And for each activity, there is a signature neighborhood: Gwanghwamun for the historical National Palace (called Gyeongbokgung), Insadong for arts, and Itaewon and Dongdaemun for shopping. It being a Saturday night, we thought we'd head out for one or all of these activities. And we were going to brave the Seoul Metropolitan Subway, with its twelve (12!) lines.

As we walked towards our stop in Gangnam (called Gangnam), we happened upon a bustling scene of retail shops, restaurants, and street vendors. Little did we know that it was as lively as we were going to get that night. We decided to pass the stalls selling all kinds of yummy-smelling food, although I was curious at the tent which had a picture of an adorable puppy on the outside and several young people eating inside. I know dog is on the menu at some places, but surely not so blatantly as to have a puppy's picture pasted outside?! I did not stop to find out.

We jumped on the subway (the station itself was a retail haven humming with activity). It was too late to go to the National Palace or to Seoul Tower, so we decided on Itaewon, with its outdoor street market (although we were already on our way towards Seoul Tower). Our little detour took us four stops on Line 2 (Gagnam Station) to the Jungangseon Line (Sadang Station), then another five stops to Line 6 (Samgakji Station) and then two stops to our destination (Itaewon Station). Looking back, I should just be glad Farah was still with me. Not only there, but for good. How easy a taxi would have been! (For a good view of the subway route map, go to http://www.seoulsubway.co.kr/, click on English and then on Route Map).

Well, we were here - Itaewon, famous for its outdoor shopping and great deals. Only, Itaewon is a DAY market. So, when we got to street level, we found a few vendors boarding up their carts, all the shops closed, and hardly anyone around. Didn't I mention something about not being able to get a feel for Seoul? This was a good indication.

Back to the subway! Surely, Insadong, the artsy area of Seoul, would still be hopping on a Saturday night. So, back on Line 6 at Itaewon for three stops to Line 3 (Yaksu) and five stops to our destination (Angkuk). When we finally got to the street level, we didn't see anything resembling night life. What we did see was a large group of protestors holding a candlelight vigil at a government building just across from the entrance to Insadong. Our timing could not have been better - just the week before, the government had unilaterally lifted a ban on US beef imports. This caused a major uprising in Seoul. The main point of contention was that the government's action was done without consultation with the people and in the face of clear opposition. While this was a protest against the government, that US beef policy was the catalyst made me reluctant to wade into the crowd and start asking what all the fuss was about. Especially since I was the only American-looking person in the area.

So, back to the subway. I won't detail our trip back (it was 13 stops), but I will say I was relieved to find ourselves near our hotel. The street activity that had whet our appetites was still going strong, and although we were beat, I did have to stop for chicken on a stick, a grilled fillet of chicken with a wonderful mayonnaise sauce. I won't say it was worth all we went through that night, but it was a good way to end the night. And it was my first taste of Korean food.

Travel: Seoul

2008-08-25T23:26:00.006+08:00

It has been nearly a month since my last post, and nearly three since the trip I write about occurred. Which makes me wonder where the time goes. Since my trip to Korea in early June, I have traveled to the US twice, Malaysia, Cambodia, Thailand, and Hong Kong. It is about time that I put everything I have seen into words, hopefully without overwhelming you. Or me.

My girlfriend Farah and I had been planning a trip to Seoul, South Korea's capital, for about a month, and the day of the trip finally arrived. Me being - well, me - I had scheduled a trip that would minimize my time out of the office while maximizing our daylight hours in Seoul. The flight to Korea is more than six hours, and I booked the overnight on Friday. We would arrive in Seoul on Saturday morning and have two and a half days, arriving back in Singapore on Monday night for only one day away from the office. Such efficiency!

Well, that works when it is just me traveling. And - to Farah's credit - she was willing to make a go of it. Except that nature intervened. She was pretty sick (although, because of my focus on getting there, she did not want to tell me) when she got to the airport. She thought she could make it, but she just felt worse and worse. We had already checked in and cleared Immigration, but it became clear that she was not going to Korea that night. So, after a trip to the doctor's office at the airport, we were offloaded from the plane (a first for me - they took our luggage off and we went home), hopeful that we would get the Saturday morning flight.

That didn't happen. She felt worse the next morning, so I called and re-scheduled to the next week. We would go up on Saturday morning instead of Sunday night, cutting 8 precious hours off our time in the city! But, that would be okay.

In my study of the cities around here through the various resources I use before traveling (guide books, internet, references from friends and colleagues), I can usually get a feel for the location, and I will have an idea where I want to stay, what I will want to see, and how I will get around. I had no such feel for Seoul. It is massive, a sprawling city of more than 10 million inhabitants, and its MRT map looks like a bunch of spaghetti. Moreover, Incheon Airport is more than 30 miles west of the city. I didn't know in which districts I should search for hotels, and the little advice I got wasn't all that heartening. So, I just picked a US brand and asked them to organize transfer from the airport. It was a good choice.

After an uneventful flight, we arrived to a cool Saturday afternoon, overcast and in the 60s. It was perfect. We were met by a large car, an Equus, for the drive to the city. We were soon to find out that Korean drivers do not like to go slow. The car was big enough and the road a multi-lane expressway, so we had no worries. But, we should have taken note, as it was a precursor to several hair-raising taxi rides during our stay there.

The city is divided by the Han River (or Hangang, "gang" meaning river), which runs from east to west. We arrived at our hotel in the Gangnam District, just south of the river, as dusk set in. After a dinner at the restaurant of a very non-traditional Western meal (I really don't even remember what we had), we were off exploring. And never have two people traveled more in so short a time to see so little as we did that night.

Travel: Taipei - Drinks

2008-07-27T21:51:00.004+08:00

I had heard that the Taiwanese enjoyed their beer. So, I wanted to find out. I had read in an article that the Taiwanese beerhouse was what a pub is to the British, but the descriptions in the article sounded more like a German, Hofbrau House environment: rowdy, communal tables, inexpensive beer. Before the night market on Saturday, I headed to the Jurassic Beerhouse, a Taipei institution that had previously been know as the Indian Beerhouse, as in American Indian (or Red Indian, as known in Taiwan). The place is massive - apparently it can seat 1,000 people on four floors. I went to the crowded second floor (the only one open at 7pm) for a beer and a quick bite (beerhouses normally serve the types of snacks you would find at night markets). The place was bizarre! I was seated at a table under the ribcage of a dinosaur. In fact, the entire room sat under a canopy of dinosaur skeletons (thus, the Jurassic name). This was mixed with an American Indian motif, with pictures of Indian chiefs and artifacts adorning the walls, and the kegs. Mini-kegs, actually. These little wooden barrels were placed tableside, and you would just refill from the little spout. And on the sides of each one was a picture (carving) of an Indian chief. Even the waitresses wore aprons with Indian pictures, and some were in fringe boots. Just like in the Wild, Wild West.

I was the only single in the place (in fact, most tables were 6 to 8 people), so I opted for a bottle of the local beer, "Gold Medal Taiwan Beer - Distinctive Flavor Lager Beer." No kidding. Actually, it was pretty tasty, and a nice refresher after a day of walking in the city. I also had a quick snack - fried frog legs. These were very tasty! They're not much different in taste than chicken. And they were big! Lots more meat than chicken feet.

On the opposite end of the spectrum was Jolly, a micro-brewery just down the street from my hotel. (Hooters was near my hotel, and I did go in once during my trip, just so I could say I have been to the two Asian locations of the chain - there and in Singapore.)

But, before I got to Jolly, however, I took one last tour of the city. The sky was a gloomy gray as I wandered through Daan Forest Park and around the NTNU area, which included a visit to an art store where I was accosted by the meanest sounding, fluffiest and lovey-dovey poodle I had seen in years. My real goal for this last tour, however, was a bowl of bitter tea. My guidebook included a special entry describing "kucha", a bitter tea which has a cool (yin) essence (rather than a hot essence - yang), meaning it is good for warm weather. I don't fully comprehend the heating/cooling food concept over here, but I do like bitter drinks. And, if it is in the guidebook, you know I am fixated. So much so that I walked back and forth through the rain (which of course meant it wasn't particularly warm at the time) until I found what I believe to be the House of Bitter Tea, an open air teahouse on the corner of two busy streets. How could I know for sure, however? The teahouse was adorned in Taiwanese characters, and the employees spoke no English. But, it was at the intersection of the streets mentioned in the guidebook.

Thank goodness the menu had pictures. I just pointed to the bowl of bitter tea (matching it with the picture in the guidebook). And I got a bitter tea. It is dark brown and cloudy, served with little pellets that I found out were essentially sugar pills to offset the bitterness of the drink. But, it was very good, and it was fun to experience a restaurant that seemed authentically local.

Back to Jolly: as opposed to Jurassic, it is a smaller, well-appointed space serving a number of its own brews. So, after checking out of the hotel, I had a flight before my flight out. It was just before 2pm, so the lunch crowd was gone and the restaurant was just closing up for the afternoon (it re-opens for dinner). I had the place all to myself, and I got a nice overview of the restaurant and its brews from the bartender, and even a taste of the Scotch Ale on the house. My flight consisted of a Pilsener, IPA, Weizen, and Stout. I can attest that - at least in this one place in Taipei - the Taiwanese know what they are doing on the microbrewery front. With a soft rain falling outside, I couldn't think of a better way to end my trip. I was off to the HSR and then an evening flight back to Singapore.

Travel: Taipei - Maokong Gondola

2008-07-27T21:38:00.003+08:00

The Muzha Line terminates at the Taipei Zoo Station, and it is a short walk to the Maokong Gondola, a cable car which takes you a full four kilometres into the mountains in an L-shaped route that takes 30 minutes. Each car seats up to six people, and after a queue that stretched up three flights (by escalator, thankfully) but was surprisingly quick, I boarded with a Taiwanese family. I faced backwards, giving me a great vantage point of Taipei as dusk settled on the city. It is an impressive sight from there, looking back north to the valley that is home to the capital. And the views got better as dusk turned to full darkness, with the city alight. Taipei 101 was particularly eye-catching, with its colored lights (they alternate by night – this Sunday, the main color was purple) outlining the building towering over the skyline. (My camera battery died during the ride, so I include only two pictures here.)

The mountains overlooking the valley are home to acres of tea plantations, and the mountainsides are dotted with teahouses. These are one of the main attractions for gondola riders, and I was looking forward to relaxing with a view of Taipei below. I had pored through my guidebook to try to find the best spot.

Throughout this trip, however, I found my guidebook to be only mildly helpful. It provided English names for most of the places (or Taiwanese, written in Roman characters), but all the signs at the places themselves were in Taiwanese (and Taiwanese characters). As loyal readers know, I am to a fault obsessive about trying the suggestions found in guidebooks. This meant that I just had to find the places in the book, even though I passed a dozen or so that looked just fine. The idea was to find a location high enough on the mountain to get a great view of the city. After trying a couple of places with fantastic vistas, I gave up looking for the exact ones mentioned in my book (I may very well have found them and not known). Anyway, it was a pleasant evening, sitting looking back towards Taipei, enjoying the cool weather and mountain breezes. I could have stayed for hours. Eventually, I headed back for my half hour trip back down in the cable car, this time sharing it (in silence) with two young Taiwanese couples.

It was early enough that I thought I could find another night market. I had located the Shida Market on the map, near the National Taiwan Normal University, and I thought I could walk from the MRT station. Well, I walked and I walked, and only after about an hour did I find it. By that time, it was past 10 (on a Sunday), and many of the stalls had shut down. So, I ended up in a MOS Burger, a Japanese fast food chain (found in Singapore, as well) that serves all kinds of sandwiches. Its burgers are a mix of In-N-Out and Tommy’s burgers, for your Southern California burger aficionados. Although not technically a local place, I was hungry and this was familiar. It would be a fine way to end my night.

But, I was in for one last experience. As I sat there alone eating my chicken sandwich (they talked me into trying the special), I noticed the music. Mind you, this is mid-May. And “Away in a Manger” is playing. I thought , surely not. Maybe it is a well-known tune in Japan. Or Taiwan. A song that shares its tune with the Christmas carol. So, I kept on eating, not thinking much more of it. Until “O Little Town of Bethlehem” came on. I laughed – Christmas in May in Taiwan! At a Japanese fast food restaurant. It was time to go back to my hotel.

Travel: Taipei, Part 5

2008-07-27T21:12:00.004+08:00

I had an ambitious schedule for the rest of my day. The HSR arrives (and departs) from Taipei Main Station, which was a good starting point, and I headed back to Longshan Temple. The sun was shining on a hot day, and the temple was packed. The worshippers were of every age, lighting incense sticks, praying, chanting, and tossing crescent-shaped wooden pieces on the floor. In this activity, the worshipper (silently) requests something and throws the pieces on the floor. The pieces are flat on one side and rounded on the other, and the result (two flat sides up, two rounded sides up, or one of each) tells whether or not the request will be granted. The temple, like so many Buddhist temples, is quite ornate. It is dominated by red and gold, with detail carvings and paintings covering every pillar, wall and ceiling. With the hum of activity, it was quite the stimulant for the senses.

In comparison is the Shandao Temple, located in a commercial district within sight of Taipei 101 (and again, right next to an MRT stop, this one conveniently named, Shandao Temple). This temple sits in the first floor of a nine-storey structure built by Japanese Buddhists in 1933, during the colonial period. Its main room is a large, clean, very modern-feeling space. With its rows of folding chairs in two sections, it felt like a large community center room, set up for a graduation. Except for the three large Buddha statues at the front. The temple hosted only a single worshipper at the time, and the atmosphere was one of eerie solitude, as drastic a contrast as one could get from Longshan Temple.

It was time to head to more secular points of interest, so I headed north to the National Palace and Museum. The Palace houses the largest collection of Chinese artifacts in history. When the KMT fled mainland China for Taiwan, they were able to take much of the artistic treasures of the nation with them. After several years of transporting the collection around the island, they gave it a permanent home in the Palace. The collection is huge, however (600,000 artifacts, books, and documents), and only a small portion can be displayed at any given time. The rest is housed in tunnels cut into the mountain behind the Palace, which, as one of the guidebooks noted, will protect it in the event of a Chinese invasion.

I am a fan of history, but I found the Palace – like most national museums – overwhelming. It is a place that demands a careful and deliberate series of visits over several days, if you really want to get the full effect. Instead, I tried to do it in two hours. On top of that, it was National Museum Day, which meant admission was free (good), which meant the place was packed (bad). I tried to hit the highlights, but I was beat, and I ended up flying through rooms, noting this bowl or that painting, eager to get back on the bus that would take me back to the MRT. I did manage to take a stroll through the traditional Chinese garden on the grounds, but the crowds and my own fatigue were getting to me, and it was time to head out.

The bus stop at the MRT station is home to many food stalls and small restaurants, and I found a couple more selling my favorite flatbread (it was here that I tried the fried version and the one called China Pizza). And this was good – I needed the sustenance for my next journey, one that called for two transfers and a ride to the end of one of the MRT lines. I was going to catch the cable car to the tea plantations at the foot of the valley that is home to Taipei.

Travel: Taipei - High Speed Rail

2008-07-07T22:00:00.002+08:00

The next day began with a ride on Taiwan’s High Speed Rail. The line runs from Taipei all the way down the island to Kaoshiung, the country’s second largest city, 330 kilometres away from Taipei. The entire trip takes a little more than two hours, with 6 stops between the two cities. I went about halfway, to the fourth stop, Taichung Station. The train covers the 155 kilometres in 90 minutes.

The train looks impressive. Its orange and white livery and sleek profile suggest speed, and that is what you get. I rode in standard class on the way out. Its 3-by-3 configuration is comfortable, although I imagine it can get a bit cramped when the car is full (I rode on a Sunday, so the train was only about half filled). A window seat offers a good vantage point for views of the surrounding landscape, once the train clears its second stop. To tell the truth, there isn’t much to see, other than small towns here and there and flat countryside.

But, what is striking is the speed. At one point, I looked up at the scrolling digital display to see “The current speed is 298 km/hr”. Wow! We were flying, but the ride was a smooth as any train I had ridden and certainly better than what seems to be increasingly bumpy air travel. The Taichung Station is a big, modern building, with ample waiting areas and food outlets, so the 30 minute wait for my return train was pleasant. And I sat in business class on the way back. This is much more comfortable – a darker, calming color scheme and quieter acoustics, with a two-by-two configuration and complimentary drinks and snacks. For a little extra fare, it was well worth it.

Riding the rails is my favorite way to travel. Trains usually arrive in the heart of the city, as opposed to airports located 30 to 60 kilometres away (I actually took HSR to the airport stop the next day – two stops from the main rail station and about 35 kilometres from downtown). You ride in comfort and avoid the hassles of airports and security lines and multi-hour pre-flight waits. I got to the train station at 8.45, and we were off at 9.00. Plus, it just seems so civilized.

Travel: Taipei - Night Markets

2008-07-07T20:53:00.005+08:00

I intended to seek out some of Taipei’s temples during the weekend, and I decided to start with Longshan Temple, which dated to 1738. It is just off of an MRT stop (named, conveniently, Longshan Temple). When I arrived, my sense of direction failed me, and I ended up spending the dying moments of the day wandering around, looking for the temple (it ended up being in the one direction I hadn't actually looked). This was fine, however, as I got to see a little bit of the local neighborhood. And little did I know that the area transformed into a night market as the sun set. I stumbled upon dozens of street vendors setting up their food stalls, and I was brave enough to taste some of the goodies (on the meat front, I stayed exclusively with chicken, asking for help from the locals; some of what I saw would have taken real guts – pun intended – to stomach). My favorite dish was a Taiwanese version of flatbread, a doughy pancake with vegetables and spices, cooked with an egg and brushed with soy and chilli sauce. You fold it over and eat it like an Asian tortilla. I later found other vendors making the same thing – one deep-fried his, another called it China Pizza. It is my new favorite. And it probably has 2000 calories a serving.

After sampling the food, I realized the temple was right beside the night market, so I made a quick visit. It was buzzing with activity, but the light was fading for some good photos, so I decided to save a longer visit for the next day. I was off in search of another Taiwanese favorite – the beer hall. More on that later.

After a quick break at the hotel, I headed out to try another night market, the large Shilin Market, housed in a huge building in the northern part of the city. It is like a carnival – games of skill/chance, trinket and knick-knack shops, and lots of food stalls. You name it, they were cooking it – all kinds of seafood, massive sausages, a Taiwanese-version of blood pudding, and stews that looked like they contained every part of the unfortunate creatures that served as the base. And the place was packed. Not only inside, but also around the area. It looked like it would go all night.

Again, I stayed safe, having beef and onions, cooked teppanyaki-style on the grill top right in front of me. It was quite tasty, but the cool part was that it continued to cook as I ate it - the meat and veggies were served on a piece of foil right on the grill-top. I guess it gives the diner the choice of how exactly he wants his meat cooked - it just depends on how long he takes to eat it.

I did take an interest in the other foods being served, but my curiosity was limited to questions about ingredients and the snapping of photos. I was too full, and I just wasn't going to make the leap in some cases.

By the time I had finished eating and playing shooting games (I won a deck of cards by shooting 8 out of 10 balloons in a clearly fixed game), it was late, and I was tired. So, back on the MRT and off to the hotel.

Travel: Taipei 101

2008-06-05T21:22:00.007+08:00

I left the hotel mid-afternoon, ready to jump on the MRT and explore Taipei. My first destination was to be the iconic Taipei 101, one of the tallest buildings in the world. It certainly stands out at more than a 1,000 feet tall. But what is striking is that it is the only really tall building around. Singapore, Hong Kong, Bangkok - they all have clusters of skyscrapers that make up their skylines. Taipei 101 stands alone, towering over its neighbors.

Architecturally, the building is a marvel. Its design brings to mind a bamboo stalk, symbolic of the strength of the native plant. It is eight sections of eight floors each, sitting on a truncated pyramid. A high speed elevator takes you from the fifth to the 89th floor in 37 seconds, or 1000 metres/minute (the ride down takes all of 45 seconds, or 600 metres/minute). Once there, you get a panoramic view of the city, as well as access to the outdoor observation area on the 91st floor and the damper on the 88th.

The outdoor area is ringed by vertical metal bars to keep visitors out of danger. With the strong wind at that height, they act as musical instruments, and a constant whistle could be heard as you walked around the roof.

The tuned mass damper will be of interest to the engineers out there. This 5-metre tall sphere is suspended by cables stretching from the 92nd to the 87th floors. Weighing 728 tons, it sways to offset movements in the building caused by strong winds. The observation level for the damper is well done itself - it is eerily quiet in the damper chamber, but the hallways leading into it feature cool illuminated floors that show aerial photos of the city and star scenes.

The tower itself, while an amazing architectural achievement, has actually been blamed by some to cause small earthquakes, because of its massive size and weight. I don't know about the validity of such claims, but it was a good spot to start my visit.

Travel: Taipei

2008-06-03T22:49:00.005+08:00

May 19 marked Vesak Day in Singapore (and across Asia). This holiday celebrates the birth, enlightenment, and passing of the Gautama Buddha, the spiritual teacher from India and founder of Buddhism. Devout followers spend the day in temples, providing simple offerings and making affirmations to observe the 8 Precepts.

This, a public holiday in Singapore, fell on a Monday, and I took the opportunity to travel to Taiwan. Or, the Republic of China, the refuge of General Chiang Kai-shek's Kuomintang Party, which was defeated by the communists in the Chinese Civil War. Taiwan has a much older history, and its aboriginal peoples have inhabited the island for thousands of years. The KMT fled there in 1949, upon their defeat, and helped transform the island.

I took an early Saturday flight, out of Changi Airport's beautiful new Terminal 3, for a few days in Taipei, the capital located in the northern part of this island just across the Taiwan Strait from China.

Modern Taiwan has an interesting history. It has evolved from its origins under an iron-fisted, single political party, when the country was widely recognized globally (in a diplomatic sense), to its status today as a multi-party democracy that is a diplomatic outcast. China (the People's Republic) refuses to recognize the sovereignty of Taiwan, and most of the rest of the world follows. Still, Taiwan is a thriving, modern economy. And its newly elected president, Ma Ying-jeou, has signaled his interest in bridging the differences between the two countries, helping thaw relations since his March election.

We landed on a sunny day, and I was greeted with the sight of the Republic of China flag flapping in the breeze. I think this is one of the more attractive flags, with a red background and white sun in a blue union in the northwest corner. It was adopted as the flag of the Republic of China in 1928, when nationalist forces toppled the warlord government that had held power since the fall of the Qing (or Manchu) Dynasty in 1912. For many, it serves as a historical link to mainland China. For me, it was notice that I was in for a new and different experience.

In most of my travels, I have been able to communicate with locals using English, and many signs are in English (whether in Thailand, Hong Kong, or Vietnam). Taipei would be different. There had been only a small Western colonial presence, and while one could see English on street signs and at the airport, it was not spoken or even understood by a large part of the population. I was in Taiwan, and the people in Taiwan speak Taiwanese. It would make for some interesting moments.

The airport is more than 40 kilometres southwest of the the city centre, so I was able to see some of the sights from my hired car on the way to the hotel. Taipei sits in a valley ringed by leafy hills, which adds a touch of serenity to the city. For some reason, I was reminded of a US city, perhaps in part because the Taiwanese drive on the right side of the road. Most of the signage was in Taiwanese, but this city seemed different than others in Asia. I couldn't put my finger on it (and I still don't think I can), but I felt very comfortable right away.

Les Suites Taipei - my hotel - is a small boutique hotel, fortunately within 100 metres of an MRT station (pictured above). I have lucked out with this in Hong Kong, as well, and I can't stress how much that improves the visit. The MRT is very efficient, and I was able to avoid taking taxis for nearly my entire stay there, keeping to the rails. After dropping off my luggage, I was ready to start exploring. First stop: Taipei 101.

Street Soccer II

2008-05-29T23:36:00.003+08:00

The winding down of the European club season marks an annual rite of Spring here in Singapore: the Abacus Street Soccer Tournament. This is put on by the company's Rec Club, which breaks the employees into four teams for various competitions throughout the year. Last year, our teams were named after animated characters: X-Men, Justice League, and so on. My team was the Incredibles (appropriate, given my participation; those who have seen the movie will understand the reference). This year, we are named after Formula One teams: Ferrari, BMW, Renault, and my team, McLaren.

Tonight, we took to the street soccer court for the annual showdown. You may recall last year, when I scored half of our team's goals (one of the two) during our two matches, as we solidly staked our claim to fourth place. Well, I was determined to build on that this year, as I led McLaren against Renault in the semifinals.

We were overmatched, talent-wise, and we found ourselves down 3-0 at halftime. They could handle the ball, pass well, and shoot with power. We claimed none of those qualities. In fact, our loan goal in the 5-1 defeat came just before the final whistle, when one of our opponents jokingly split his legs to let a slowly-kicked ball go through, much to the surprise of the relaxed goaltender, who just watched it roll in. We would again play in the consolation game.

We actually matched up well with our BMW opponents, and I am sure the pundits would have given us the pre-game nod for victory. They put nary a shot on goal the entire game, but our plentiful opportunities were wasted in haste or poor execution. So, the scoreless draw went to penalties.

For those followers of the European version of the Beautiful Game, you know how the Champions League (Europe's top club competition) ended last week. Manchester United defeated Chelsea 6-5 on penalties, after Blues captain John Terry missed what would have been the winning penalty. Well, I was to take McLaren's first penalty, and I was not about to relive that moment. So, I dribbled up the court, using my first of three touches to set the stage, and then I surprised the goaltender by firing with my second touch. Goal! Just because the ball didn't go anywhere near the direction I had intended didn't make it count any less - it had found the back of the net. 1-0. Two McLaren saves and another successful penalty gave us the 3rd place title. The Glory!

And so, we inch up the ladder. At this rate, should have my chance to play on the championship side. I just hope they keep it at four teams again next year!

A Night At The Races

2008-05-28T12:40:00.004+08:00

The American Chamber of Commerce in Singapore hosted a Tex-Mex night earlier in May at the Singapore Turf Club. The island's race course is in Kranji, within sight of the causeway across the Straits of Johor that connects Singapore with Malaysia.

The event celebrated Cinco de Mayo (I think Americans celebrate this with more fervor than Mexicans). Cafe Iguana, a local restaurant, catered the Tex-Mex food, and we were scheduled to receive a visit by officials from the Mexican consulate, although I don't think they ever showed. The consulate did provide the festive decorations.

The event also showcased the Turf Club, which is a very nice facility (especially our huge enclosed luxury suite and a good venue to watch the races). I don't know how the horses run in this weather, but they do.

The betting is slightly different than what I am used to. Win bets are the same - your horse must come in first. Place bets are the same as Show bets in the States, however - you win if your horse comes in first, second, or third. There is no second place bet. There are other bets similar to those with which I am familiar, although named differently: a Quinella in the States is a Forecast here, and a Trifecta is a Tierce. You can even bet Even/Odd, winning if you picked correctly the parity of the horse's number.

Without doing much homework, I picked Daring Dame in the first race, and she came in a winner (well, second, but I had her in Win and Place bets). That emboldened me, and I raised my bets and took on longer odds. Perhaps partaking in the Cinco de Mayo celebrations assisted here. In any event, I did okay, down a little, but - as usual - I was THIS close in two races to having a very big payday.

All in all, it was a fun night. The Turf Club is one of the nicest tracks I have visited. Just the week after the event, it hosted the Singapore Airlines International Cup and the KrisFlyer International Sprint, two of the region's biggest races of the year. I wasn't able to attend, however, as I was in Taiwan.

Beisbol!

2008-05-12T21:29:00.006+08:00

After missing live baseball for the first time since the Reagan Administration last year, I made sure I hit the ballparks during my visit back to the States. First up was an American League clash between the Rangers and the Minnesota Twins, on a cool, gray day in late April in Texas. I was the fortunate recipient of a free ticket, given by a man with three boys in tow (one his son, the others friends). I thought I would have a nice conversation with them, especially after he told me of he and his wife's interest in teaching English in Vietnam once his children graduated. But, I guess his tickets were elsewhere, as they never showed up at the seats!

Anyway, it was good to be back at the ballpark. And the Rangers were very good on this day - Vicente Padilla pitched a complete game shutout, as Texas piled it on 10-0 to win the rubber game of the series.

A highlight was the sight of Jerry Jones's playpen going up next door. The Cowboys' stadium looks incredible, even at its just-post-skeletal stage. While I don't like the Cowboys, I am impressed with their future home.

The Rangers whet my appetite, but I was on my way to the best baseball city in America: St. Louis. I caught the Tuesday night game against Cincinnati, again in chilly weather. The first Reds batter hit safely, and then Redbird pitchers got 24 outs without allowing another hit (including the leadoff batter in a bizarre run-down double play to end the first inning). The bullpen took the one-hit shutout into the ninth, only to give up a two-run homer in the 7-2 win. Unfortunately, the bullpen's performance that night was just a hint of what was to come.

The Cubs came to town the following weekend, and we had seats in the Champions Club along the third base line for the first game of the three-game set. Only a half game separated the hometown nine from the northsiders for first place in the National League Central, which added some urgency to this early-season series (as if you needed that between these old rivals). As usual, the park was a mix of Cardinals and Cubs fans, with the normal sea of red (a Cardinals home game crowd resembles a college football crowd, with its to-a-man affinity for the home colors) nearly matched with large swaths and random sprinklings of blue.

That Friday happened to be my brother Alex's birthday, and he came up from Amarillo for the game. I was able to get batting practice tickets, which allowed us on the field for both team's BP. After, we got to hang out in the clubhouse and drink free, cold, free beer. It was great!

The game itself was pretty tight, but a couple of glaring miscues by Cubs left fielder Alfonso Soriano (no, not Roosevelt), much to the delight of the home crowd, gave the Cardinals a 3-1 lead (he looked like a pitiful little leaguer out there). As baseball allows, however, the same Soriano crushed a two-run home run in the top of the ninth to tie the game. Only when Skip Schumaker hit his own two-run homer, of the walk-off variety, in the 11th was the game decided. Cardinals Win!

I get subtle reminders every once in a while of the things I miss. And I find that there are some things I don't miss at all. But, I really, really do miss baseball, especially going to games. Keep sending me your descriptions of the games you attend, from scores to highlights to food consumed. I just love it.

Back in the US...A

2008-05-11T13:30:00.008+08:00

It has been a while since I last wrote. Unfortunately, it is because not much of interest has been going on. I am transitioning to two new bosses (one Abacus, one Sabre), so work has taken up much of my time. My last trip before going back to the US in late April was in February, to Ko Samui. My personal heavy season of travel, however, has begun. I was back in Dallas and St. Louis for a golf trip and much needed baseball fix, and the next four months will see journeys to Taiwan, Korea, Colorado, and Napa, as well as two visits from American friends/family and the Singapore Grand Prix. I hope to fit in a short trip to Phnom Penh and maybe the Philippines somewhere in there.

It has been more than a year now since I first touched down in Singapore. When you don't think about it, you can forget just how long and grueling travel over the Pacific can be. I find that going eastward is fine for me - I immediately acclimate to the US time zones. Coming back, however, is murder. I arrived Sunday night, and I didn't feel completely normal until Wednesday. I must be getting old.

Anyway, the trip was fantastic. I saw old friends and family, played golf and watched baseball, enjoyed the stormy late Spring weather, and ate American food only as you can get it in America.

I flew United this trip, which leaves out of the beautiful new Terminal 3 in Changi Airport. This really is an amazing piece of architecture. The airport authority has designed it to be a destination for locals, with many restaurants and retail outlets outside of security (even a grocery store!). Currently, however, you don't see too much daytime traffic going through there. United has two flights out per day - 6.45 and 7.15. This doesn't give you much time to browse the shops or get some breakfast. Most of the flights are early morning or very late evening - I counted four departing in the 9.00 pm hour, while 11 depart between 11.00 pm and 1.00 am. Until more daytime traffic arrives, it will be a quiet time for the shops and eateries.

My itinerary took me to Hong Kong, San Francisco, and Dallas-Fort Worth. The Hong Kong-San Francisco leg was tough, 12 hours packed on the window in the back of a 747. I had two older Chinese men seated in my row, and when the one in the middle spilled water on me a couple of hours into the flight, I was pretty indignant. Perhaps as a lesson in humility from above, I spilled coffee on him about an hour before we landed. Fortunately, most of the coffee spilled on me, although it was quite hot and led to some discomfort for about a day!

The quick layover in San Francisco allowed me to grab some See's Candy - my favorite - before heading to Dallas. And at 4.10 pm, 22 hours and 25 minutes after I took off in Singapore, I was in Texas.

The trip over, however, was better than the trip back. A short flight from St. Louis to Chicago was followed by a 15 hour flight to Hong Kong. A four hour layover and four hour jump to Singapore rounded out a 25 hour day - 27 door to door. As mentioned, I wasn't right for three days.

But, it was all worth it. More to come...

SIA to Houston

2008-04-06T19:24:00.004+08:00

Singapore Airlines began its direct service to Houston on March 20th. The flight stops in Moscow on its 22 hour journey around the globe. This is an interesting option for me (now that the airline has decided to change its direct Singapore-Los Angeles flights into all business class flights), and I hope to fly it sometime. But, the advertisement for the new service really hit home - it shows the Singapore Girl in a hot air balloon overlooking a stylized representation of the southern US, which includes spots of tourism interest such as Atlanta, Memphis, and Dallas. And Palo Duro Canyon. I have attached a picture, and you can see a drawing of the canyon near the Panhandle. These ads are on the walls in several subway stations here, and they are a nice reminder of home, 11,000 miles away.

Arts: Harry Connick, Jr.

2008-03-24T23:03:00.002+08:00

Singapore is not New York or London, but it has a decent arts scene. I wrote last year about the Singapore Arts Festival, which featured an eclectic mix of artists from around the world. This month, Singapore hosted its Mosaic Music Festival, a ten-day run of shows that opened with one of my favorite artists: Harry Connick, Jr.

I had never seen Connick in concert, so I jumped at the chance. He played the Esplanade Theatre, which is housed in the "bug eyes" structure at the mouth of the Singapore River. We had balcony seats, with good sight lines to Harry and his 11 piece band. He entitled the tour, "My New Orleans Tour", and it was a tribute to his home city. He played all kinds of songs, from upbeat classics to soulful, jazzy numbers that would have been at home in a smoky little bar just off Bourbon Street. These were peppered by solos from his talented band mates, as well as plenty of spotlight time for Harry on the piano.

Connick is immensely talented. In addition to his excellent work on the ivories, he often took centre stage to sing and dance. One number had him dancing with his friend, Lucien Barbarin, an excellent trombonist and jazz singer, that included a Ricky Martin-type booty shake across the stage. For a guy my age, Harry is in quite good shape!

On top of everything, he is hilarious. He played the crowd like a comedian, picking out people in the audience and even coming out in the crowd to get his picture taken with one fan. This after he had read the man's name, phone number, and email address from off his business card!

All in all, it was a fantastic performance. If you ever have a chance to see him live, GO! His trip in Singapore was part of a larger Asian and Australian tour, but I think his stay in Singapore, while brief, proved far more enjoyable than that in his next venue. In Shanghai, where he flew the next day, he inadvertently submitted an old song list to the authorities there, who closely monitor all Western performances. Apparently, they were in no mood to grant exceptions (the Icelandic artist Bjork just a few days earlier had ended her concert with a cry of "Free Tibet", which led to the increased scrutiny of foreign artists). So, he was forced to follow that song list, which meant that most of the time he played solo while his band sat silently on stage. I suppose that in China, the old adage applies: the song remains the same.

Travel: Ko Samui

2008-03-22T10:36:00.009+08:00

Thailand's third largest island, Ko Samui (alternatively, Koh Samui), is a sparkling gem in the Gulf of Thailand, just off the sliver of mainland resting between Myanmar and Malaysia. I was fortunate to travel there on business, and I stayed the weekend to see the island. Bangkok Airways, "Asia's Boutique Airline" (as it calls itself), offers the only non-stop service from Singapore, and the flight is just over an hour and a half. Upon arrival, however, you feel as if you could not be farther away from the urban environment of Singapore. The airport is entirely out of doors - you walk off the plane, across the tarmac to the open air arrival area, with Customs & Immigration, baggage claim, waiting and transport pick-up areas. The ride in the hotel van takes you through back streets and what appear to be dark alleys, and all of a sudden you pull onto a heavily trafficked commercial street, full of restaurants, bars, retail, and tourists.

I stayed in Chaweng, on the east coast of the island. It boasts (according to the guidebooks) of the most beautiful beaches on the island, and it did not disappoint. The island is also home to beautiful mountains and jungle, which in some areas rise directly up from the beaches. We experienced this first-hand with a round of golf at Santiburi, a picturesque course with extreme elevation changes. The course itself was a bit tricked-up, but the views were worth it. The only person who did not enjoy was my caddy, who spent a good number of the holes looking for my drives in jungle and ravine. Amazingly, she found nearly every one!

At the end of the conference, I stayed on and welcomed a friend from Singapore for the weekend. While the beaches were calling, we decided to tour the island and hired a van to drive us all over the place. As you go south from Chaweng, the road climbs up to some very nice vistas and sea views. Just as quickly, it descends back to sea level, to Hin Ta and Hin Yai, the Grandmother and Grandfather Rocks, two formations that remarkably resemble the male and female privates. As you can imagine, this attracts all kinds of tourists. I will leave it to you to find pictures (this is a family blog!). Coincidentally, I just read an article on the "fairy chimneys" of Turkey, which appear to be geological cousins, at least to Hin Ta!

Next, we went off the beaten path to check out a small Muslim fishing village on the southeastern portion of the island. This simple village is quite poor, and life is lived like it has been for years: small fishing boats are moored in the shallow water, with hundreds of fish from the day's catch drying in the sun, while the residents go about their daily routines, trying to stay out of the sun. The village is dominated by a mosque. As we were looking at it, we were approached by a man who told us of the needs of the community in funding the construction of the site. Relentless in his explanation (he essentially read from the board on the outer wall appealing for donations), he successfully procured twenty baht from me. It is not much, but now I am a real estate owner in Thailand, as well as Dallas. We took a quick walk around, but I felt as if we were infringing on someone's home; this was not a tourist site.

So, we headed back out to visit such sites, stopping next at the Wat Khunaram, home to the Mummified Monk. Luong Por Ruam was a wealthy resident who converted to Buddhism and gave up his earthly possession. He became an honored spiritual leader in Ko Samui, with legendary abilities. He reportedly even foretold the time of his death, which occurred in 1973. Normally, Buddhists are cremated, but he told his family to bury him sitting up. Before burial, his followers noticed that his body was not decaying. Believing this to be a miracle, they put his mummified remains on display, and they remain so today. He actually looks pretty good for a mummy! Pretty hip, too, in a pair of sunglasses.

Next, we experienced the biggest tourist rip-off on the island: elephant trekking. The interior of the island features a couple of waterfalls, and we thought we could ride an elephant to see them. Because of a lack of water, only one waterfall was actually worth seeing, and it was an hour ride on the back of the pachyderm. I misunderstood the handlers, however, and I thought we could do it. So, we hopped on our elephant and headed out. If you have ridden a horse, and you remember the first time when the saddle was swaying back and forth and you were terrified you were going to fall off - well, it was like that. Only the saddle was a bench big enough for two, and you were twice as high off the ground, and the elephant weighs three times as much as a horse. To make matters worse, our elephant did not want to follow the path at first. He lunged to the left, into some trees, and began to eat. His handler (who sits on his neck - we sit on the back) took his prod - a large hook - and jabbed it below the elephant's left ear to get him to go back right. Well, the creature wasn't pleased, and he let out a huge bellow. I imagined him rearing on his hind legs, which would have meant curtains for us! But, the handler got the beast back on the trail, and we were off. We followed several other elephants on what turned out to be a 30-minute circular route around a primitive zoo, never completely out of sight of our point of departure. I could have run the distance in less than two minutes. All in all, I wasn't displeased to get off the animal. Between the ride and the zoo, it really is sort of sad, and I think that was my first and last ride on an elephant.

We stopped in the main town of Nathon (a few blocks of restaurants, a post office, and administrative offices) for lunch (including a cup of Tom Yum soup, a yummy staple for me in Thailand). It was a good stop, as I ran into a colleague who has a house on the island, and she suggested a good place for dinner (more later). Then, to round out our tour, we were off to the Big Buddha. This statue of the sitting Buddha - 15 metres tall - sits on a small island just off the northeastern tip of Ko Samui. While surrounded by typical tourist shops, the statue and surrounding wat are quite peaceful, and it is a nice stop. The staircase leading up to the Buddha is a representation of the Naga, the legendary snake that was protector to the Buddha. I could have skipped the shops (one that makes strange, full-size statues of the Alien, Predator, and Terminator out of all kinds of metal - nails, bolts, rebar, you name it; this was quite bizarre, as I can't imagine who would buy these things!), but it was worth seeing the statue.

We were wrecked, so we went to the hotel to rest before our dinner. My colleague recommended Zazen, a nice restaurant set in a leafy resort on Bo Phut on the north end of the island. This was perfect, with a view out to the sea, soft breezes, and a great menu. I could have spent hours there, but we wanted to get an early start on the next day.

I wanted to see the sunrise on our eastern-facing beach, so we were up at 5.30 and down to the beach just a few minutes later. And the sun never came up. It was gray and overcast all day, so all we saw was a gradual lightening of a drab sky. I suppose a refreshing dip made up for some of the disappointment, but I will consult the forecast the next time. For the rest of our stay, we braved a steady and at times heavy rain to do some shopping - you can't get away without a trinket or two! Actually, my favorite shop there is the Jim Thompson store, with its famous silks. This company, headquartered in Bangkok, has stores in Singapore, but the Thailand shops seem so much more authentic.

As usual, we arrived at the airport two hours in advance of our international flight. Remember, the airport is outdoors. There was an overcrowded (but very heavily air-conditioned!) coffee shop, but we opted for the departures lounge, a sitting area under a thatched roof. It was enough to keep the heavy rain off of us, and the area was actually a nice, if crowded, place to wait for our flight back to reality.

One last thing - Thailand is a peaceful and polite country. Ninety percent of its citizens are Buddhist, and I have found it very pleasant to visit on the three occasions I have done so. Thais greet others by folding their hands together and bowing politely, and this practice is pervasive throughout the country. So much so that I even saw representations of the Michelin Man and Ronald McDonald doing so.

Travel: CNY in HK, Part 2

2008-03-13T09:54:00.011+08:00

Saturday morning brought the first hint of sun during our stay, as well as the feeling that the city would start returning to normal. Chinese New Year celebrations last 15 days, with a different activity for each day, but the first two are the most important. Shops and restaurants previously closed were now open, and the city was back to its normal hectic self.

We wanted to get away from the city and visit Stanley, a beach area and market on the southeast end of the island, so we headed to Central terminal and caught a double decker bus (just in time - we bypassed a large group that was debating whether to board; as soon as we sat down, the bus left). The ride takes you out east through the city, then up into the hills and down to the seaside area. The city portion was great - we passed right by Happy Valley, the horse racing park nestled in Causeway Bay. It features turf racing, and it looks like a massive oasis of green in a concrete and steel jungle. Soon after, the bus passes through a tunnel, which serves as a transition from urban to rural. Hong Kong can be a crowded, dirty, stressful city, but you only have to go a few miles east or west and find green spaces, hiking trails, and more laid back communities. You see this on the train to the airport, as well as on the bus rides out east.

The road leading to Stanley is narrow and winding, steadily climbing up the hills. That is, until it reaches the peak, where it becomes narrow and winding, steadily leading down to the sea. And we are in a double decker bus with a driver who must think he is in a sports car. It is the kind of ride where you just have to relax and not pay too much attention. We actually rode in the front seats on the top deck coming back. It's better than a theme park ride!

Originally a fishing village, Stanley was the largest settlement on Hong Kong Island before the arrival of the British. A couple of vestiges of British rule (complete with reminders of their departure) remain: the old police station (used by the Japanese during their brutal occupation of the city in World War II) and the old fort (now occupied by the Chinese People's Liberation Army). The appeal of Stanley, however, is its relaxed pace, large market with all kinds of goods, and seaside restaurants.

We wandered through the market and then over to the seafront, where we found King Ludwig's Beerhall and German Restaurant. This is a recreation of a Bavarian beerhall, run by a very energetic Chinese man. It was hilarious! To feed the never-ending flow of tour visitors, chefs on the outside deck constantly cooked all kinds of German sausage you could think of (in woks), which they combined with Italian and Chinese dishes. We did not eat, but the beer was cold and refreshing. Just like in Germany.

We even ran into a Chinese god outside the beerhall! (See above)

After an exciting ride back, we jumped off the bus at the convenient Wan Chai stop, a couple of blocks (actually, elevated walkways) from our hotel, and then we headed back to Kowloon to check out the Temple Street Night Market.

The market was back in business. The stalls and restaurants silent only two days before were a hive of activity on Saturday night. We didn't buy anything (few, if any, of the goods are authentic), but instead went in search of a place to eat. Every place was packed with locals and tourists alike, but we finally found a seat at a large outdoor restaurant. After a long wait for our food and a conversation with a couple from Oregon, we finally ate our delicious crispy chicken, roasted duck, and vegetables.

After, it was a trip to Lan Kwai Fong for a taste of expat Hong Kong. I have written about this area before, which reminds me of San Francisco, its buildings perched on steep, narrow streets. As usual, it was full of life on a Saturday night, but we weren't.

My flight on Sunday gave me just enough time to have breakfast at a great little cafe called the Flying Pan. I wish I could find such a western-style breakfast place in Singapore. After that, it was time to head to the airport and return to real life. As a 40 year old.

Travel: Chinese New Year in Hong Kong

2008-03-09T23:26:00.014+08:00

Stephen and I arrived in Hong Kong the night before the start of the Lunar New Year celebration. The weather was perfect - cold and blustery. I finally had my winter here in Asia. We stayed right by the harbourfront in Wan Chai, a good central location close to the MTR and with a view of Kowloon. A quick tour of the area gave us a sense of the celebrations to come - the buildings were lit up like Christmas in the States, with massive displays of bright lights and animations to welcome the Year of the Rat.

Kung Hei Fat Choy! That is how the Cantonese say Happy New Year. (In Singapore, where Mandarin is spoken, it is Gong Xi Fa Cai.)

We headed out on February 7 - the first day of the new year - to check out the escalators. It was pretty quiet, as few shops were open, but that meant fewer crowds. We walked around the mid-levels for a good part of the morning and early afternoon, and then we headed to the ferry pier, as we were to try our luck at the casinos in Macau.

Talk about crowded. The ferry terminal was packed, both in Hong Kong and in Macau. It took us 30 minutes to get through immigration in Macau, and the line for the shuttle bus to the Venetian was at least another 30 minutes. So, we jumped in a cab for the ride across the causeway.

The Venetian was even more crowded than the ferry terminal! Fortunately, most of the visitors were there to take in the sights, and we were able to find plenty of room at the tables. The Police were playing the casino's arena that night - they had been in Singapore three nights earlier - but we skipped the show. After a run at the tables in the Venetian, we headed to the Wynn (retracing my steps from my October visit). This was a more laid-back atmosphere, not nearly as crowded. We didn't say long, however, as we had wisely booked our return ticket to guarantee we would leave at a reasonable hour. And so after the short ferry, we were back in Hong Kong.

Day Two of the new year was my 40th birthday. We headed across the harbour to Kowloon to explore. It was very quiet out, as again few shops were open. We wandered around the street markets, and checked out the Tin Hau Temple (Tin Hau is the Taoist goddess of the sea), but my main focus was on food. I wanted to try a Temple Street chicken claypot restaurant featured on Anthony Bourdain's show, but we couldn't locate it (it is called Four Seasons, but I suspect the signboard is in Cantonese, so I wouldn't know it if I saw it; regardless, very little was open). We ended up eating at a very local noodle shop, ordering off one of the few English menus on the premises. I love this type of local eatery - it is one of the things I really like about Singapore, as well. It just seems so genuine. And the food is really good.

We continued to wander through the deserted stalls of Temple Street, happening upon a traditional Lion Dance along the way, heading to our ultimate destination of the harbourfront. I wanted to visit two upscale hotels, the Peninsula with its fleet of green Rolls Royces, and the Intercontinental, which features a stunning view of Hong Kong Island from across the harbour.

The Peninsula plays a role in two Bond movies, so I was eager to check it out. So were several hundred other tourists, as well! There was quite a queue for the high tea service in the lobby (with its Tiffany china teacups), so we opted for The Bar, a quiet spot one floor up, where we had the full attention of the staff (being the only patrons at the time). It was a nice break from the hustle and bustle of the city, and I could have stayed for hours.

But, we had other plans, and we wanted to get back to the island side before the crowds overwhelmed us and the MTR. I wanted to find the Bottoms Up club, where Scaramanga made his first kill in The Man With the Golden Gun. It used to be just around the corner from the Peninsula, and we found the location. Little did we know, however, that it had moved within the past few years to Wan Chai, where we were staying, so we never found it.

Undaunted, we headed to the Intercontinental's Lobby Bar. They were getting ready for the fireworks show, which is the highlight of the second day of the new year, so we only had a few minutes. But, the visit was well worth it - the view was amazing. The hotel sits right on the water, with a clear view of the impressive skyline of Hong Kong Island. It would have been a spectacular location for viewing the fireworks.

We decided to see the show from our own hotel, however. It was pretty easy getting back to the island side, and we found a place in the lobby bar that gave us a pretty good view of the harbour (the view is obstructed by the Convention and Exhibition Centre), as well as the constant wave of people walking to the harbourfront for the fireworks. An estimated 400,000 people viewed the show on both sides of the harbour. The temperature had been pleasant during the day, but after sunset, it was pretty chilly. Considering the size of the crowd, as well, I was glad to not be outside.

The fireworks were incredible. I was spoiled by the show in Sydney during the western new year, but these were even better. The show was nearly 10 minutes longer, and it was a constant barrage of light and sound. We found out later that we could only see about a quarter of the total show from our vantage point, but it was still great! I did not get any pictures of the show, but here is one I found on the web. Photo courtesy of Kayson Lau.

Not a bad way to spend my 40th birthday.

A Visitor in Singapore

2008-03-03T22:01:00.002+08:00

It is always a pleasure when I entertain overseas visitors. Combine it with a big event (or several), and the experience just gets better. So, I was excited when Stephen Corley made the trip over for a few days in Singapore before going to Hong Kong to help ring in my 40th birthday.

The week of his visit began with the Super Bowl and ended with Chinese New Year. The second day of Chinese New Year was my birthday, and I thought it was nice that a billion people would help me celebrate the milestone.

Chinese New Year is the biggest holiday for the Chinese, and the excitement was evident across the Singapore in the days leading up to it. Stephen arrived early on Sunday before, and we wasted little time in diving into the mix by heading to Chinatown. While the rainy season is said to end in January, a cloudburst had watered down the streets early that Sunday. But, as it had stopped, I confidently stated that we could leave our umbrellas behind: “It only rains once a day in Singapore.” By the time we reached our bus stop at the entrance of Chinatown, however, the skies had once again opened. We ducked through the five foot ways that line the streets of Chinatown, finally finding shelter on Food Street. After a refreshment and some dim sum to tide us over, we enjoyed the pre-holiday hustle and bustle. It is reminiscent of Christmas in the States: gifts are bought, lights are strung,and red and gold decorations are hung as far as the eye can see. It really is an exciting time.

The next morning was Super Bowl Sunday in the U.S. It was 6.45 when we boarded the bus to take us to Clarke Quay, where we would join the American Chamber of Commerce in watching the game. I won’t rehash the disappointment that was the game; suffice it to say that it was a very bad way for me to start my week. But, with the game being over by 11.00, we had most of the day ahead of us, for me to blow off steam.

Many years ago, Stephen’s grandparents invited their friends from around the world to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary in Singapore, at the Raffles Hotel. So, it only made sense that we drop by to visit the site of the celebration. The Long Bar proved to be a nice place to while away an hour or so on a quiet Monday. And from there, it is a short hop to the Kampong Glam for a taste of the Muslim side of Singapore. We followed that up on Tuesday with a day of real local food - laksa for lunch and chilli crab for dinner. All in all, a good stay in Singapore for Stephen, and a nice opportunity for me to revisit some old and discover some new favorites.

But, as much as I enjoyed his visit, the main event was to come - a journey to one of my favorite cities in the world, Hong Kong.

Thaipusam

2008-02-19T08:00:00.003+08:00

A new year means new festivals (at least for me) in Singapore. The first of note is Thaipusam, a Hindu festival celebrated mainly by the Tamil community on the full moon of the Tamil month of Thai (January or February). The festival celebrates two events - it commemorates the birthday of Lord Murugan, the youngest son of Shiva and Parvati, and it marks the occasion when Parvati gave Murugan a lance (called a vel) so he could vanquish the evil demon Soorapadman.

The festival is a time for the show of devotion, usually to avert disaster or bring good fortune to family. The devotee makes a pilgrimage with a kavadi, a type of burden, which varies from the simple - a wooden stick with buckets at the ends slung across the shoulders - to the elaborate - heavily decorated metal and wooden frames that are attached to the body.

In Singapore, the devotees walk from the Sri Srinivasa Perumal Temple in Little India to the Sri Thandayuthapani Temple (Chettiar Hindu Temple) in River Valley, near Clarke Quay and Fort Canning. This walk, about five kilometres long, is completed while carrying the burden of the kavadi. Many carry the vel kavadi, a portable altar up to two metres tall, decorated with peacock feathers and attached to the devotee through 108 vels pierced into the skin on the chest and back. Piercing of the tongue or cheeks is also common. The devotees prepare for this by cleansing themselves through prayer and fasting, celibacy, a strict diet of pure (known as Satvik) food, and continuous thoughts of God. It is claimed that devotees are able to enter a trance, feel no pain, shed no blood from their wounds and have no scars left behind.

I include a few pictures of the vel kavadi to give you an idea of what the devotees endure. It really is a fascinating ritual, and one, interestingly enough, that is performed only among the diaspora, as it is outlawed in India.

Travel: Australia, Part 4 - Harbour Bridge

2008-01-28T07:05:00.000+08:00

New Year's Eve! This is why I first planned my trip, to experience Sydney and its (nearly) first-to-celebrate status (New Zealand actually welcomes the new year two hours earlier, and I think you would find small Pacific islands that are really the first). For years, I had seen footage of celebrations at Sydney Harbour, and that is where we would go. Jeff got up early to take the car into the city to park, so we wouldn't have to fight the crowds at the train station on the way home. He staked out a place for us around 10 am, dropping off some of our gear, and then trained back to the house. At around 2, we were back at the train station with several other family friends, and it was just about 3 when we settled into our spots.

We actually staked out two spots, one on a hill adjacent to the bridge, and one underneath the bridge in the shadow. The temperature difference was drastic. The hill was nestled up next to a set of apartments, in the sun, with little breeze. Underneath the bridge, in the shade and open to the harbour breeze, it was 10 degrees cooler (Celsius). The large grassy portion between the two areas was a perfect spot for the paddle ball, soccer, and cricket that would keep the boys busy for hours. Which was important, as we would wait until 9pm for the first fireworks (the "family" fireworks) and another 3 hours for the midnight show.

The place was starting to get crowded as we arrived, but it got jam-packed as the evening wore on. Jeff and I made a trek back to the car at one point, returning along the harbour front path, and it was like walking through a refugee camp, with so many people camped out with blankets, books, sport equipment, food - you name it.

But, it was all worth it. The first fireworks show was good. The second, deserving of the worldwide attention it gets. The fireworks are launched from two locations in the harbour on either side of the bridge, from the bridge itself, and from several skyscrapers in the city centre directly across the water from us. The bridge fireworks include a cascade that looks like a waterfall of sparks. It was beautiful. Of course, my camera ran out of battery power sometime before the first show, but I have included pictures here to show you our proximity.

After the show, we were all exhausted. But, bringing the car down to the city was the best idea, as we were able to avoid the crowds at the train station and get home earlier that we would have, which was still around 1.30am.

The next day we had planned to go back into the city for the Harbour Bridge Climb. I was exhausted, as my travels were catching up with me. It was to the point that when I awoke the next day at around 7.30, and the house was silent, a little smile crossed my face at the prospect of several more hours of sleep. But, then I heard footsteps - no dice. Which ended up being a very good thing. We drove down to a deserted city centre for our bridge climb.

Now, I thought this was just a simple climb up some steps with a couple of photo ops. But, this was serious! We all had to watch an instructional video, sign waiver forms, and take a breathalyser test before going. After that, we put on our uniforms (these are bridge-colored jumpsuits with sunglasses and hat hooks to make sure nothing falls off) and harnesses (part of a unique system that attaches you to the bridge for the entire time you are up there). After a quick test to make sure we were okay with climbing up and down, we were off.

The climb takes you out about 25 metres over the ground to start, with a long narrow walkway connecting the bridge tower to the start of the stairs. The first portion includes very steep, narrow stairs, on which only one climber is allowed at a time. Once you climb the four sections of these stairs (which takes you past the actual roadway, where cars and trains buzz by you at highway speeds), the climb gets less steep, as it moves to the top of the bridge structure. The colors of the suit need to match the grey of the bridge so the climbers are a distraction to the motorists below.

It actually is a pretty easy climb, although those with a fear of heights should probably stay away. The view from the top is stunning - Sydney from 130 metres (430 feet) in 360 degrees, from north Sydney to the Opera House and Botanical Gardens to the City Centre around to the harbour inlets. To top it off, a rainbow appeared, but of a type I had never seen, or even heard of - it formed a perfect circle around the sun, which was directly above us.

After that, it was time to wind down my three week holiday. We went back to the house and whiled away the rest of the day, and I was off the next morning. Not before helping Jeff push his dead car back up the hill that was the street in front of his house, which was more of a workout than I had gotten in my entire time away.

The Kays family is now back in the U.S., and I am glad I could share a few of their final days in Oz. Good on ya, Mate!

Travel: Australia, Part 3 - Palm Beach

2008-01-22T22:26:00.000+08:00

After the cricket match and a game of Marco Polo in the pool, we loaded up the family truckster and headed for the beach. This meant putting towels, blankets, surboards, sports gear, clothes, and everything but the kitchen sink and Lenny and Leon in the car, including eight people.

The drive to Palm Beach, located 40 kilometres north of Sydney, is beautiful. The divided highway gives way to a winding two lane road high above the inlets and coves that lead towards the sea. Palm Beach is a quieter, more isolated stretch compared to Bondi, but it is stunning. It sits in a cove, surrounded by hills and cliffs. It has a more laid back feel to it, except that the surf that day was brutal. It was perfect for a little surfing (for Joseph) or body surfing (for Eric and Jeff). In fact, it was almost too much, as one left the water out of breath and dizzy after one too many spin cycles.

Sport plays a big part of Aussie life, and it is no different for expats. If we weren't surfing or swimming, we were playing paddle ball, rugby, or beach cricket (see previous post). It is all action, all the time.

Which is good, since - like all good Aussies - our return home included a stop for refreshments. The Newport Arms Hotel Beer Garden and Bistro, down the road towards home, boasts Australia's largest beer garden. It overlooks a scenic inlet, has dozens of picnic tables, a grassy area in front of a big screen television playing surf videos, and plenty of food and beer. The place was packed on a Sunday night, and it was another example of how Aussies really enjoy themselves. Everyone was laid back, having a bite to eat or a pint of a very tasty, very cold beverage, and enjoying a perfect summer day. We ate the biggest prawns I have ever seen and washed them down with local grog such as Toohey's New.

What a perfect ending to a perfect day! (Along the theme of perfect, all of this was preluded by a viewing of the New England Patriots' victory over the Giants, for a perfect 16-0 regular season record.) I had been in Australia less than 48 hours, and I couldn't wait to move there! And I had still had two more days, including New Year's Eve, to enjoy.

Front Yard Cricket

2008-01-20T22:57:00.001+08:00

Being an Anglophile, I am drawn to cricket. I don't pretend to understand the intricacies of the game or its special jargon, but there is something about a sport where participants wear formal white uniforms and break for tea that makes it seem so civilized.

So, I jumped at the chance of playing cricket in Australia. This wasn't a full-on game, however, but an amended version called Front Yard Cricket. Essentially, it is cricket, only you play it in the Kays' front yard, which is significantly smaller than the pitch at a regulation cricket ground. The rules are tailored for the size of the front yard, and it is loads of fun.

I told the boys that I was called "Mr. Six" back home. A "six" occurs when you bat the ball over the boundary on the fly. Essentially, it is a home run, and you are awarded six runs for it. Of course, I had never played cricket before, so my claim was not true, but I didn't think a little gamesmanship would hurt. And I lived up to my nickname. Joseph is an accomplished cricket player in his local league, but in my first ever cricket match, I hit two sixes (the ball must clear the swingset on the fly; if it is just left of the swingset, over the fence, but stays on the grass, it is a four. If it rolls into the street, it is an out. If it goes over the street on the fly, it is an out, but it is also a six. I tell you, you needed a spreadsheet to keep up with all the front yard rules!) on the way to a first innings total of 24 runs for the Jeff-Eric juggernaut. That would be enough for the victory, as Joseph and Michael each surrendered wickets to the first-time bowler Eric and batted out in both of their innings without nearly approaching the benchmark the two elders put up.

I won't go into the details of the rules of cricket or how difficult the game can be, but I can say the following about my performance in my first game, without hyperbole: it would be like hitting back-to-back home runs off Curt Shilling and Josh Beckett, and then striking out Albert Pujols, all in the first day you picked up a bat and ball.

Sadly, that was to be my last victory. Twice the younger ones defeated us going forward, and then Michael and Jeff put a pasting on me at the beach. The attached picture of me shows pretty good bowling form. Unfortunately, the one of me dashing into the surf was taken immediately after as I chased yet another batted ball far into the sea.

All in all, it was great fun, and I have a better understanding and respect for the sport. I just wish I could have stayed a few more days for the India-Australia Test Match in Sydney.

Travel: Australia, Part 2 - Bondi Beach

2008-01-20T22:07:00.000+08:00

We had some time left before our trip back to the airport, so it was off to Bondi Beach. Located to the southeast of the city, this long, crescent-shaped beach is a popular spot for Sydneysiders and visitors alike. It can offer world-class surf and attracts enthusiasts from around the globe looking for good waves.

The waves were not spectacular when we visited, and few surfers were out. Being the first summer-like weekend day of the season, however, the place was jam-packed. Free stretches of sand were few and far between, and it took us several frustrating minutes to find a parking spot, which we did a few blocks away from the beach-side parking area. I did not have my swimmers with me, so I went only ankle-deep into the water. We did walk the length of the beach and enjoyed the weather and watching everyone have fun. There would be more opportunities for the beach in front of us.

After that, it was off to the airport to pick up the other two visitors to the Kays home over new year. The couple had just made the transition from boyfriend-girlfriend to fiance/ees over the previous few days, so that set a festive mood for the entire holiday. Congrats to Sean and Kristen!

We headed back to the Kays home, located in the leafy suburb of St. Ives. Kimmy and the boys were there to greet us (Andrew, Joseph, and Michael), along with Leon and Lenny, two cute dachshunds with nervous bladders. I learned to approach them slowly and not hold them too close. Kimmy, true to her reputation as a top-notch hostess, made her famous margaritas, and it was time to relax. After so much hustle and bustle, it was nice to sit on the back patio, watch the boys enjoy the pool, and relax with good friends.

It wasn't too long after dinner, however, that my three nights of traveling hit me - hard. While I had slept some on the airplanes, I had not actually been horizontal in approximately 70 hours, and I was whipped. Joseph had been nice enough to give up his room to me during my stay, and his little twin bed was the most comfortable thing in which I had ever lain. I think I was out before the lights were off. Which is a good thing, as the next day was to be full of activities.

Travel: Australia, Part 1

2008-01-16T05:40:00.000+08:00

So, there I was back at Changi. I had an overnight flight to Melbourne, where I caught a Qantas CityFlyer to Sydney. Australia allows non-passengers past security, and it was nice to see the friendly face of Jeff Kays at my gate when I stepped off the plane.

My arrival coincided with what was apparently the first nice day of summer weather in Sydney. It was hot, but not the tropical hot I am used to. Just plain, nice summer hot. We headed straight to Sydney Harbour for a look around before we would have to go back to the airport to pick up Kaysie's brother in law. Our first stop was The Rocks, an old area adjacent to Circular Quay on the harbour. One of the first areas settled in Sydney, its buildings were constructed around the existing rock structure, with little planning done beforehand. It was only later that roads were added. This gives the area its random, cozy feel. It houses all kinds of restaurants, pubs, and retail, as well as a street market on the weekends. I browsed among the stalls, which included everything from a seller of cool old travel posters and to a spray paint artist creating an amazing space-themed painting as a crowd looked on.

Next to The Rocks is Circular Quay, named because it encircles Sydney Cove. Restaurants and bars line its walkway, and, the Sydney Opera House sits majestically at its end. At the other end of the quay, directly across the mouth of Sydney Cove, is the Sydney Harbour Bridge, the massive structure that connects the city centre with North Sydney.

There is something about a city where a large body of water plays an important part of everyday life. Hong Kong and Sydney share this trait, as I suppose does New York City to a certain extent. Here, ferries depart from five different terminals on Circular Quay, taking passengers across the Harbour to a number of destinations. All kinds of other crafts take off from here too - harbour tours, jetboats, even cruise ships. And you will see the big container ships steaming by, as well, on their way up the harbour to drop off their cargo.

We took a view of the Opera House from the bridge side and then headed across for a closer look, on our way to the Royal Botanic Gardens. The opera house is beautiful, perched on its promontory at the head of the quay. It is as impressive close up as it is from afar. It also gives a good view of the homes of the Governor General and the Prime Minister across the Harbour in Kirribilli.

Down the steps of the Opera House are the Botanic Gardens, with their lush grass and greenery running up to the pathway that borders the harbour. The sign at the entrance to the garden seemed to sum up the Aussie's way of enjoying life in a laid back manner - "Please walk on the grass."

The Botanic Gardens offer a nice contrast, a lush green space between the brilliant waters of the harbour and the gleaming buildings of the city centre. The border pathway meanders along the harbourfront, and we followed its curved path down to the famous rock known as Mrs. Macquarrie's Chair, a seat carved into a rock named after the wife of an early 19th Century governor of Australia who loved to sit on the rock and look out at the harbour. We didn't have time to tarry, however, as we were in search of sustenance.

The Botanic Gardens border an area called Woolloomooloo, where several Australian Navy ships are docked. In the shadow of these ships is Harry's Cafe de Wheels, a little streetside food stand serving wonderful meat pies. These consist of a pot pie-like crust filled with meat, then topped with mashed potatoes, mushy peas, and optional cheese sauce. I ordered the tasty Curry Tiger pie, which was heavenly. And it wasn't quite enough, as I went back for a cheesy dog. That, however, was too much.

Harry's Cafe de Wheels has a long and illustrious history, and it is now listed in Australia's National Trust Register. Instead of filling this page with stories of its past, I will leave that to the experts at the following: http://www.nsw.nationaltrust.org.au/harryscafe.html.

After our delicious break, we headed back to Circular Quay and succumbed to the biggest ripoff there, the Minus-5 bar. You pay $30 to put on a parka, gloves, and boots and sip a vodka drink out of a glass made of ice amidst a dozen or so ice sculptures in (you guessed it) minus-5 temperatures. I don't have any pictures of this, as cameras were prohibited. They, of course, would sell you a picture of yourself paying one dollar per minute to slowly freeze, but we passed. It was time to leave the cold behind and head to a place close to the hearts of Australians, the beach.

Happy New Year!

2008-01-16T05:29:00.000+08:00

Happy New Year to everyone. I am back in Singapore after a much-anticipated trip home that saw me go through 11 airports in 16 days. It was great seeing colleagues, friends, and family from California to Houston, Dallas, and Amarillo. I even got a dose of Panhandle snow during my stay.

My trip back to Singapore was testament to how far away Asia is. Wheels up in Amarillo to wheels down in Singapore was 28 hours (December 26 to 28), and that is by going the most direct route and arriving an hour early here. But, there was no time for rest. I was able to get home, re-pack, and get in a day at work before heading back to the airport for my new year's trip to Oz.

Christmas in Singapore

2007-12-12T21:06:00.000+08:00

I mentioned that Singapore is a city of festivals in Autumn. They save the biggest celebration for last, however, as the city really gets decked out for Christmas. Granted, it starts a bit later in the year than in the US, starting mid-November. I think this has to do with the timing of other festivals, as Deepavali ends around that time.

I attribute the celebrations not to the presence of Westerners in Singapore or the influence of Christianity in the city-state. Indeed, Westerners are still a small minority, and the republic is a multi-religious society. Instead, I think it is a nod to the overt consumerism of Singapore. It is nice to see Christmas lights and hear Christmas carols, but this really is only in the commercial areas. In those areas, however, it is like Rockefeller Plaza.

I wanted to share some pictures from around the city, including one of the Raffles Hotel. I leave tomorrow for the US and a two week visit home. I hope that I have imparted a bit of what is like over here for you. My goal is to let you experience this with me without sounding overprivileged. I hope I have accomplished that.

So, until 2008, I bid you adieu. Merry Christmas, and Happy New Year!

Travel: Bintan

2007-12-12T07:34:00.000+08:00

My visit to Bali had been my first trip to Indonesia, but I followed it with a trip to Bintan, an island about 40 kilometres southeast of Singapore that is a popular weekend destination for Singaporeans. Indonesia places a few more restrictions on visitors - you must get a visa (Visa on Demand) when entering, and in Bali, you have to pay an exit tax. But, that really just slows down your entry into the country, making the lines through Immigration a bit longer.

I have a colleague who goes kite surfing nearly every weekend, and the wind is now good at Bintan, so he heads there. I had work to do over one weekend, and he suggested I do it on the beach. So, I headed off early on a Saturday morning for a little W&R (work and relaxation).

Bintan basically has two sides to it, on a tourist front: the Singapore side, and the local side. My kite surfing friend likes to go to the local Indonesian side, where it is cheaper and less crowded. Apparently, the Singapore side is filled with high priced resorts and is somewhat cut off from the reality of the island, which is highly rural and could be characterized as developing, in an economic sense. The ferries that serve that side of the island are Singapore-owned and quite luxurious. The Indonesian side of the island is less resort-ish. And the ferries that serve that side are Indonesian-owned, which means they are focused more on getting lots of people on board than on making the trip as comfortable as possible. I didn't know all of this, and I took my colleague's advice to take the Indonesian ferry, which takes a bit longer to arrive on the island, but means a shorter van trip to the hotel. So, I boarded the Indo Falcon Ferry at Changi Ferry Terminal on a Saturday morning, hoping for a cup of coffee and maybe a bite to eat. I would get nothing of the sort.

The ferry was packed. It had two decks, an "upper" deck with a single aisle and five cramped seats on either side, and a "lower" deck with two sets of wobbly seats, three or four to a side. A sitting area in front of the lower deck allowed groups to sit around the perimeter of the boat, but it was full. I found a seat downstairs against the wall, so at least I had a neighbor to only one side. It was pretty cramped, and it would have been a miserable ride shoulder to shoulder on both sides.

The first thing I noticed was how much the boat rocked at the dock. It was up and down and side to side. I don't usually get seasick, and I hadn't had anything to eat or drink (remember, I thought I would get something on board - no such luck), so I didn't think I would have a problem. But, a good part of the passengers did. The water was quite choppy for the first hour, and apparently you get it the worst in the lower deck (which is also in the bow of the boat). About 20 minutes in, a poor little girl behind me got sick. She was very quiet, but the smell indicated immdediately that something had gone wrong, and the poor child looked miserable. That set off a chain reaction, and for the next 30 minutes or so, it was pretty bad. I was okay, but a great deal of the boat wasn't. It was interesting to observe the following contrast: several buddies sitting together, some drinking beer at 9 in the morning, while their friends right beside them had their heads in plastic bags. I was glad to be in neither party.

We arrived at Tanjung Pinang, the largest city on Bintan, and then took a van 45 minutes out of the city to the hotel. It is a new hotel, and it is pretty nice, set in a very rural area of the island. There isn't much of a beach, just a sandy stretch leading to a low rock wall that borders the water. For about 200 metres, the water stretches out at around three feet deep, until you can see a clear line of demarcation where it drops off to greater depths. This keeps the waves down, which the kite surfers like. There were several kites on the beach with a couple of kiters on the water.

Kite surfing mixes the use of a snowboard-type board with a parachute-like kite, to which the surfer is attached via a body harness. The kites range from 6 to 15 square metres, depending on the strength of the wind. A skilled kiter can shoot across the water at very high speeds and then make high jumps by manipulating the kite in the wind. But, it apparently takes lots of practice, and the hazards that I heard of include being plucked out of the water and hung in trees, being attacked by territorial fish, being swept to sea (they do not wear flotation devices) and being unable to re-launch the kite after crashing. It is more dangerous that in seems.

But, I didn't have to worry about that. The hotel does not have any training kites, so I sat on the beach and did my work. Not a bad setting to work, actually. Read a little, write a little, gaze out at the ocean for a while. I could get used to that.

The surrounding area is countryside for miles, dotted with houses or little gatherings of buildings serving as residences and roadside stores. The hotel has a restaurant, and there is another at the end of the pier just a short walk away. But, after dinner, there is little to do. I sat with some kiters for a while, but most of them are wiped out after a day on the water.

The next morning was more of the same. A run up the road let me see a little more of the island, and I think it would be an interesting place to visit. I would have liked to capture many of the sights on the drive back to the ferry terminal, but the van's windows were covered in a poorly applied tint, meaning there was no way you could take a good picture. I did include some from the ferry terminals and the hotel. And I did get one picture of a scooter with several live roosters tied to the back. Every once in a while, a rooster would tilt its head to check out where it was going, which was hard for it to do, as it was hanging upside down.