Songdo - City of the Future

Continuing my longstanding tradition of visiting modern day ghost cities such as Ordos and Zhengzhou in China, I ventured to Songdo. The aerotropolis, so called because a third of the world's population is within a 3.5 hour flight away, is South Korea's attempt at building a city of the future. Though the supercities may be empty of inhabitants and industry, they are not devoid of hope. These are not ancient towns that have seen history pass them by, but monuments to the confidence of today's rising powers. It is too early to tell whether these sites will turn out to be thriving economic hubs of the future or costly duds, as the cities are still under construction and the story is still in its infancy.

Supercities are planned and constructed before there is an organic demand for them. Blocks of skyscrapers and high rise apartment complexes rise together vertically, with broad avenues, bike lanes, and green spaces separating them horizontally. Construction workers, government officials, security guards, and police officers add a human element to the steel and concrete works in progress. Much of the infrastructure lays untouched, unfinished, or underutilized.

The numbers behind Songdo International Business District are staggering - 100 million square feet of real estate spread over 1500 acres, a 100 buildings completed or under construction including Korea's tallest building, and a US $10 billion investment to fund the endeavour. Compared to China's ghost cities, Songdo seems far ahead in terms of having real people moving in and living their lives. The technologically sophisticated city is very walkable, sprinkled with parks. community gardens, canals, and shopping areas.

It took me three subway transfers and two hours to reach Songdo from Seoul. Although Korean youth of both genders usually go out of their way to avoid making contact with aliens, the occasional drunk old man grasps the opportunity. One such fellow sat beside me on the journey back from Songdo. We discussed the stories of our lives and how it had bought us to this strange intersection of fates. He had grown up on an island 30 kilometers off the coast of Yeosu. A freelance survey taker, he had been sent to Songdo to canvas the population on some plans to open schools there. After work he had enjoyed a few drinks and a walk through the 100 acre Central Park, modelled after the New York landmark.

The topic soon shifted to one of utmost significance. "Do you have Korean girlfriend?" he queried. I shook my head dejectedly. "Why not? You are still young and handsome. You must challenge them!" he exclaimed. "But what if they do not accept my challenge?" I asked the man earnestly. "Then you should go to church" he responded. I figured he meant to pray, but that was not what he had in mind. "There are many pretty girls there".

*****

"Don’t confuse your path with your destination. Just because it’s stormy now, doesn’t mean you aren’t headed towards sunshine." - Unknown

Siem Reap

"You get to see my country, but I no get to see your country. You lucky, but I not so lucky." my driver Kim reflected, putting things into perspective as I held on tightly to the back of his motorcycle. At the Siem Reap airport, Kim had been assigned to be my driver at the pre-paid taxi counter. Kim was a likable guy, and became my guide for the rest of my stay in Siem Reap.

After navigating the Tonle Sap and before setting foot in the fabled grounds of Angkor Wat, I perused the remaining sights and sounds of Siem Reap. We sped through several small villages and back into town, stopping at the open air War Museum. Row after row of rusting tanks, heavy artillery, guns, bombs, and landmines were neatly arranged in a grassy field. It was a grim testimony to the not too distant past of Cambodia, one filled with death and destruction at the hands of the Khmer Rouge.

The Angkor National Museum provides a good introduction to Khmer history and how the temples of Angkor came to be. Nearby the National Museum is a splendidly manicured French garden maintained by Raffles Hotel. Kim was a driver during the day, but a volunteer English teacher to the children in his neighbourhood in the evening. He headed home to fulfill his duties, leaving me to explore Siem Reap by foot. I explored the local markets, sipped coconut milk, ambled along the riverside, and received a haircut, my pace as relaxed as my surroundings.

*****

"The use of traveling is to regulate imagination by reality, and instead of thinking how things may be, to see them as they are." – Samuel Johnson

Fun Times

A pretty Chinese girl once told me "The longer I know you, the funnier you are". Before I could beam with pride, she went on to finish her thoughts. "It is not that you are getting any funnier, it is just that my English is getting better".

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