Busan Motor Show 2012

I caught a high speed KTX train from Seoul to Busan, South Korea's second largest city. I planned to visit the Busan International Motor Show. The theme of the event was "voyage of the green car across the ocean". Korea has a strong automotive industry, featuring brands such as Hyundai, Kia, and Samsung Motors. The aftermarket modifiers had set up stalls outside the main entrance to the exhibition hall, replete with local talent. I enthralled the paddock girls by posing for a few photos with them, and continued doing the same once inside the venue. After my volunteer duties were fulfilled, I had time to peruse the cutting edge technology on display.

I made my traditional stop at the BMW VIP area, casually resting my arms on the second floor balcony and sipping on an iced tea. Beautiful girls shot me hot glances from below, while their boyfriends clenched their fists in fury and quickly ushered them past the platform. Like China, luxury items such as high end cars, gourmet coffee, and designer purses are all the rage in South Korea. A new car is such a status symbol that many show off their recent purchase by not removing the blue door guards glued on the sides of vehicles for protection during initial transport from the factory to the dealership.

I came to the motor show because cars are both a passion and an integral part of my daily work, but most spectators came for other reasons. The brands made sure to capture these eyeballs by providing copious quantities of non-vehicular entertainment. There was such an abundance of models, actresses, and girl groups that I had trouble taking pictures of the cars without one or another appearing in my shots. Whenever large crowds formed around the pavilion of a particular car manufacturer, it was a sign that some celebrities had made an appearance there. I caught a glimpse of the K-pop group Dal☆Shabet performing their critically acclaimed song "Hit U".

*****

"I would rather cry in a BMW than smile on the back of my boyfriend's bicycle." ~ Ma Nuo, a girl on a Chinese dating reality show

Alien

"When I was child and saw foreigner first time, I start crying. I saw his blue eyes and thought he is alien. I said to my father, let's run away from here." ~ Korean man

Rainbow Fountain

Along with other recently monied nations like China and oil rich Middle Eastern nations, South Korea is an enthusiastic participant in the superlatives game of tallest, highest, longest, and fastest used to demonstrate their prowess on the world stage. One of the zanier accomplishments stemming from this competition is the Banpo Bridge Rainbow Fountain. The world's longest bridge fountain connects the two sides of Seoul bisected by the mighty Han River.

The nightly sound and light shows dazzles spectators, with 200 tons of recycled river water shooting out from the many nozzles spread across a distance of 1140 meters. Most of the audience enjoys the show from riverside parks. Another bridge runs underneath the Banpo Bridge so it is actually possible to walk across the lower deck and view the fountain show from an unique perspective there.

*****

"But which is the stone that supports the bridge?" ~ Kublai Khan

Penang

I crossed over to Malaysia from Thailand by rail, my first international border crossing on my favourite mode of transportation. Long but comfortable, the almost 24 hour journey began in Bangkok and ended in Butterworth. Upon arrival I quickly purchased tickets for my onward journey to Kuala Lumpur departing that very night. Located near the fabled Strait of Malacca, the only redeeming quality of Butterworth is that it is easy to catch a boat to the island of Penang from there.

In the same vein as Singapore but on a much smaller scale, Penang features an enjoyable blend of Malaysian, English, Chinese, and Indian influences stemming from its colourful history. The British cleverly gained control of Penang from the Malays by offering to protect it from Siamese and Burmese attacks. Although Penang never reached the dizzying heights of a Singapore or Hong Kong, it was still a bustling port from before during the days of the British Raj when China was a strong trading partner.

The heat was excessive and I was carrying a heavy backpack packed with all the necessities for my journey through Southeast Asia. Even though I boast a world class physique, I quickly tired. There was no luggage storage area either at the train station or ferry terminal, so a friendly police officer told me to head to the Penang police station and leave it there. Unfortunately, the officers at the station were not as friendly. I had almost convinced a junior officer to help me, when his senior barged in and vetoed the move. "We cannot guarantee the safety of your bag" he told me. I grumbled "But this is a police station" and continued on my way in the midday heat, as beads of sweat formed on my temple and dribbled down my face.

Most of my limited time in Penang would be spent sitting and eating as the island is famous for its fare, such as laksa and nasi kandar. In between lunch, dinner, and several street snacks, I managed to visit some neighbourhoods with impressive colonial era architecture, a seaside promenade, Fort Cornwallis, and Chinatown. Built in the late 1700's by the British, Cornwallis is the largest remaining fort in Malaysia. The religious diversity was almost as refreshing to see as the food was to taste. I stopped by at a church, a mosque, a Buddhist temple, and a couple of Hindu temples during my brief stop in Penang. As the sun set behind me, I sailed back to Butterworth.

Mistaken Identity

The menfolk of India, China, and South Korea share an ability to look nondescript and unexceptional. Their habit of wearing dark dress pants and white dress shirts does not help in distinguishing staff from customer at public establishments. This issue has caused me great embarrassment on many an occasion, and my victims an equal amount of humiliation.

In Bangalore, I once asked a patron at a hazy bar for the bill. He gave me a dirty look through bloodshot eyes. In a Beijing restaurant, a man I presumed to be the server poured a bowl of soup. Once he was finished, I reached over to take it from him. He backed away defensively and told me that it was self service. In Seoul, I gave my ticket to the usher for checking. The man was merely standing to the side of the entrance, patiently waiting for his girlfriend to bring some popcorn.

*****

"Human identity is the most fragile thing that we have, and it's often only found in moments of truth." ~ Alan Rudolph