Walking into Korean Pop Culture

Was walking around the COEX Mall in Gangnam in Seoul and heard screams. I thought it was someone famous so headed over for a peek. Ended up being a dance performance. I nearly chocked laughing. I only caught the tail end of this so hopefully you will see why I was laughing so hard. This is Korean pop for you!

Shopping in Seoul

Went to Dongdaemun... needless to say, the shopping is awesome! It must be impossible to not find what you want in this district. So needless to say in, in half an hour I ended up with a shopping bag. I did have to refrain myself though, given current state of unemployment plus I would have to lug all this stuff through Japan. But in less than AUD50 I bought a top, a hat, stockings and gloves. Woo hoo!

Seoul Mishap

Got into Seoul last night - flight landed at 9pm. Got into the last city-bound bus at 1030pm. Got into the city at 1113pm. Hopped into the cab for what is meant to be a 5-minute ride. I eventually got to the hotel past 1am.

The hotel was difficult to find, I admit. But the funniest thing is that I can't speak Korean, the driver knew that, yet he kept speaking Korean to me. Half the time I think he's screaming at me to get out of the cab - so I wasn't sure if I should get out of the cab or stay in. It was just so hilarious.

In the end the bill came to KRW 5,000. I was going to give him KRW6,000 but he refused. I thought he might have wanted more. He kept speaking to me again so I had to call up a friend to translate - in fact he wanted to apologize and just take the base fare! So he returned me KRW2,000, and said in a strong voice "I am Sorry!".

Maybe everyone just yells here.

Was in Beijing

Have fallen behind on the blogging - between the getting ill, packing, flying and looking for an apartment in Beijing - I couldn't seem to find words. Apologies.

We ended up settling on staying in a dorm. It was too much hassle having to set up an apartment for just a couple of months. Besides, the dorms seemed far more comfortable than the cruddy apartments we saw! The mistake we made was that we brought our Australian standards to local Beijing lifestyle - we were sorely disappointed. I definitely should have taken photos - my bad!

There is a curfew that come with dorms - midnight. I think we will have to find a way around that, a back door, or maybe a window to climb through. :)

Beijing is cold, but pretty much what I remembered it to be. It is far prettier than Guangzhou, but there are still plenty of signs yet that Beijing has a long way to go before it is developed. Road rules, for one, are still practically non-existent. And the airport - why build such a large airport if you can't have the planes park near the terminal itself? We had to take a 15-minute ride in a bus to get to the plane last night.

In Seoul now... I promise I will post!

Another Lifetime

I have been taking a lot of pictures but I don't know how best to put them up, without tiring me or fatiguing you. So that will have to wait. But I want to show you this - it is probably my favourite one so far. I took this whilst walking around in Yagang village (ancestral home) in Guangzhou. There is so much story written here - yet unknown.

Chinese New Year Village Style

Red is the color du jour

Food and incense to honour ancestors

Doors of every household adorned with various posters indicated with prayers of fortune or safety

Unrolling some serious firecrackers

Aftermath of a recent firecracker. Further away another household setting fire crackers alight to welcome in the new year.

Gong Hey Fat Choi, Man Xi Yu Yee! Happy Chinese New Year, May All Things Go Smoothly.

Long Lost Relos

The reason why I am in Guangzhou is to visit some long lost relatives. These relatives were lost when my great grandfather decided to leave their home due to the instability of the country. China then had only twenty years ago broken away from dynastic rule (think the last Emperor, Opium Wars, Colonial rule), the country was then split with regards to how it was to govern itself - leading to civil war after the death of Dr. Sun Yat-Sen. The struggle between the KMT and the Communists lasted 24 years - 14 years of which the country was occupied by the Japanese. These 24 years were largely glossed over in history as a result of far more disastrous events before and after, but the country was no less depredated. My grandfather and his family left just before the Japanese occupation, which would place the date just before 1931, making him only 5 years old. The family hopped on a boat, taking a grave risk, to reach Malaysia where eventually the rest of my family took root.

It was an incredible risk to take - but if they didn't, the family would have fallen into the hands of the disaster that was Mao Ze Dong's policies. Land was nationalized, with landlords, intellectuals and pro-capitalists persecuted, though the usual result is to be beaten to death. If they had not died then they would have had to go through the Great Leap Forward which lead to the Great Famine which lasted over three years.

Given the attention that has been showered on China over the last five years it is hard to imagine that all this happened just only 50 years ago. So much pain, suffering and blood was shed to get to this point in history. And much to the same, so much of the past has had to happen exactly how it did for us to be here. Not that I am a believer in fate - but we should always cherish how it was that we got here, and to appreciate the current moment.

My grandfather's cousins

Therefore the men on the right my father's second cousins and the kids on the left my third cousins

Mongkok 50 years ago

Got into Guangzhou today. Unsurprisingly Facebook and blogging is banned - hence now resorting to email blogging.

I have never been to Guangzhou. The Baiyun airport looks exactly like the other 200 airports around China - large, white steel structures. Like Jakarta, it is again chaos, but quieter, slightly more organized, and a whole lot more crazy Chinese people. Driving into the city was amusing - the sight changes from acres and acres of green foliage to crammed runned down condos to even denser, but slightly cleaner city center. Not that I had been to Mongkok in Hong Kong 50 years ago, but I'd imagine if they had to make a Hong Kong mafia movie from back then, this would be it.

I can't wait to see more of this place, so will report back then. But till then, I will leave you with an image - be warned it might be disturbing to ponder the fate of its subjects.

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First Massage

I must have winced unknowingly when the masseur lady pressed her fingers just above my behind, as she asked:

Masseur: "Sakit?" Pain?

Me: "Sedikit" A little

Actually it was a lot. Then I proceeded to ask:

Me: "Kenapa sakit?" Why is it painful?

Masseur: "Banyak duduk!" Too much sitting!

Well - which is just about right, given the last five years! Well should be a lot less of that this year.

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Jakarta

I was not born here and I would not call this home. However I always seem to end up here, with a tinge of unease, on transit at junctures of my life. It almost always became a place for transition before I moved onto somewhere else.

How best to describe Jakarta? I feel so mixed about this place. There is almost always absolute chaos. Traffic jams, people everywhere - sitting, standing, squatting. So many tall steel structures and yet still so many slums within sight. The way money goes round here will put New York to shame. Alas, Jakarta - anything is possible - so long as you have money.

When people are late or things don't get done as it should (which most often is the case) - most people put up their hands in resignation and say - "This Is Indonesia". That has not changed in ten years. I don't think this place ever will.

First things first, chilli fix. Nasi Campur at a Balinese restaurant

Bajajs on side roads

View from outside my parents' apartment, slums and all

Reflections

Ended up in Taronga Zoo this morning for a photography lesson that didn't end up happening. Given that I had already paid for the ticket - I didn't let it go to waste.

Upon returning from the Zoo I decided to take a walk in the Botanical Gardens - following my usual running route, but backwards.

As I was walking through the gates above - what I call gates of pain (which is usually the state I am in by the time I get there, and then even more so when I realize I am only half way). I heard two male runners past me saying "... you've got to look out for those with the lowest NPV..." I almost laughed out loud - chances are though they are in finance. But the point is, that too many times, I too, have been running out here and forgot to look around the city I live in, and had let the daily grind interfere with a moment of what could be calmness and reflection. It is an hour (or maybe less, given I am a slow runner) that is completely yours, for you to be in the moment.

After all, this is the city we live in. And what a beautiful sight.