Seoul's Symphony of Fire

Each year, the city of Seoul hosts an international fireworks competition on the banks of the Han River. Similar to Vancouver's Celebration of Light, massive crowds gather to see several countries present pyrotechnics demonstrations choreographed to a musical score. A winner is announced at the end, but by then most of the crowd has dispersed and begun making their way to the nearest subway station.

With hundreds of thousands in attendance, it is a nice chance to see a cross section of the entire society in one place. Families and oldsters arrive hours in advance, setting up their picnic mats and relaxing by the river all day. There is barely any room to manoeuvre, as the whole river bank is covered by tarps, people, and bottles of soju.

As night approaches, couples and groups arrive and stand in front of the picnic crowd so that they can enjoy unrestricted views of the fireworks bonanza. The sitters loudly complain about the standees who have arrived after them and are now blocking their much anticipated view. By and large, their gripes are ignored even after they start chanting "Sit down! Sit down!" or the Korean equivalent.

The journey to get to Yeouido, the island in the middle of the city from where the fireworks can best be viewed, is a spectacle that parallels the actual fireworks extravaganza in entertainment value.  The subway is packed tighter than a Korean male into his skinny jeans. I had to transfer from one subway line to another to get to Yeoudio, but even the transfer station was extremely congested.

I circumvented the lineup by going one extra station in the opposing direction, and then crossing back onto a train heading in the correct direction there. At the destination station, bodies poured out of the subway and slowly bubbled to the surface from its subterranean depths. Wave after wave of black haired heads poured out the exits of the station, greeted by their first fireworks of the night.

*****

Boom, boom, boom

Even brighter than the moon, moon, moon

- "Firework" by Katy Perry

Mumbai - A Cavalcade of Life

The name Mumbai is derived from the goddess Mumba Devi. I went to visit the temple of the city's patron goddess with my cousin. The six hundred year old structure is not especially fascinating, but the neigbourhood around it is packed with the colours, smells, and sights that indelible memories are forged out of.

The streets of Seoul are quite predictable, full of bright neon lights and 24/7 life. The primary difference between day and night and from one area to another is that the number of drunken Korean men asleep on the sidewalk varies by time and location. Mumbai, on the other hand, always has something new to offer around every corner.

We chanced upon a series of vibrantly painted carts with disproportionally large bugles attached to the top as we continued on from the temple. The miniature vehicles can be hired to noisily accompany marriage processions. At another junction, a goat was parked amidst a line of motorcycles. A public washroom with an "Urine" sign accompanied by an arrow was next in line to draw my attention.

We visited a store selling burqas, the traditional Muslim body coverings, and inquired about the pricing and the different styles on sale. The store owners asked if we planned to open a burqa shop of our own, wary of freely distributing market intelligence to potential competitors. We informed them that we had no such plans at the moment.

*****

"The thing about Mumbai is you go five yards and all of human existence is revealed. It's an incredible cavalcade of life, and I love that." ~ Julian Sands 

Christmas in Calcutta

It seems whenever I am in Calcutta (now Kolkata) some kind of celebration is taking place. On my past few visits to the City of Joy I have commemorated the ARNABirth, enjoyed the incomparable sights and sounds of Durga Puja, and attended my cousin's wedding. I happened to be in Kolkata for Christmas in 2011, and yet again the city was in a festive mood.

The most vibrant nightlife district in town centres around Park Street (now Mother Teresa Sarani), which is decked out in Christmas lights. The grand buildings from the days of the British Raj, deteriorating yet elegant, still stand tall. Anachronistic restaurants and clubs, like Trinca's and Mocambo, are decorated in the manner in which they were during their heyday decades ago.

A large audience watches a concert take place in a nearby park. Worshippers or those just looking to rest for a bit fill the church pews. Crowds clog the sidewalks like cholesterol in an American's arteries. Magnificent yellow Ambassador taxis ply the streets. Once in a while I spot odd combinations in the dense mass of humanity, such as women clad in saris wearing Santa Claus hats.

Kolkata is a magical place. There is not much to like about the city, but so much to love about it. The commonplace and the exotic come together, the poverty and grandeur live side by side, no one is in a hurry and time passes slowly, and where, even if for a little while, anyone can feel like they are home.

*****

"Instead of death and sorrow let us bring peace and joy to the world" - Mother Teresa

Haves and Have Nots

Korean guy: Learning Korean is easy.

Me: It seems tough.

Korean guy: No, it's easy. For example, issoyo (있어요) means have and opsoyo (없어요) means don't have.

Me: That's hard to remember.

Korean guy: No, it's not. If a beauty girl says to you "Do you have some time?", what do you say?

Me: Issoyo.

Korean guy: And if ugly girl says "Do you have some time?", what do you say?

Me: Opsoyo!

Korean guy: See, it's easy.

A Walk with the Stars

The Korea Tourism Organization (KTO) arranged a K-pop concert and walking tour for foreigners, suitably entitled "A Walk With the Stars". With 10 million international tourists estimated to make their way to Korea for the first time in a calendar year, there was certainly cause for celebration. The primary draws were two splendidly gifted girl groups - Sistar and 9 Muses.

K-pop is a major cultural export for South Korea, particularly in East Asia. Most of the fans in attendance were excitable young women from this region, possibly with serious self-esteem issues. Promising artists are plucked from their families at a very young age, and undergo a rigorous training and dieting regimen for many years as they are formed into a product with mass market appeal.

The output is as artificial, and as beguilingly addictive, as the women who regale the upscale coffee shops of Seoul. The tunes are catchy and the music videos are slick. The whole K-pop industry is heavily promoted by several large entertainment companies such as JYP and SM, with ample support from the government as it seeks to spread Korea's soft power around the globe.

The day was scheduled to begin with a walk around Seoul's Olympic Park and end with a concert. There was a slight delay as 9 Muses needed a bit longer than anticipated to get ready. As soon as the K-pop stars arrived on the scene, otherworldly shrieks emanated from the audience. A small stampede took place as the fans battled to get near the stars. The idols had a security detail to protect them from their manic devotees.

The walk lasted all of five minutes. The mob was hot on the heels of the stars, following them to the parking lot and then gathering beside the concert stage soon thereafter. Sistar and 9 Muses got back into the van that had transported them to the venue. I could not tell the male stars apart from regular Korean boys, so I had no idea about their whereabouts.

The emcee came out on stage, confused as to why everyone was already back when the concert was only scheduled to start in a couple of hours. He announced that the walking route was much longer - around the park and not just around the parking lot. The crowd made their way around the actual circuit for the next few hours. Sistar and 9 Muses were were worth the wait.

A special treat awaited those who had tolerated the performances of several androgynous boy bands that followed the enchanting audiovisual talents of Sistar and 9 Muses. Little Psy, the child who appears beside adult Psy in the viral hit "Gangnam Style", made his way on stage as a surprise guest. His dance moves wowed the audience. There were howls of delight as he took off his jacket and threw it into the crowd to end the concert.

*****

"Men profess to be lovers of music, but for the most part they give no evidence in their opinions and lives that they have heard it." ~ Henry David Thoreau