Arnab Sensation

If heaven is a place on Earth, I may have stumbled upon it on the outskirts of Seoul at the KINTEX convention center. The Sensation concert series had landed in Asia for the first time, with Korea the first stop on the tour. I went with a group of Korean friends. The theme of the night was "An Ocean of White". This was reinforced by the all white dress code required for all attendees, set decoration drawing inspiration from the depths of the sea, and k-girls covered in dollops of skin whitening cream.

There were around 20,000 revelers in attendance. As the event was about to begin, streams of angelic figures waited to enter the main event hall. The concert started around 10pm at night and continued until 5am the next morning. Each DJ mixed for about an hour and a half. It was not all about the beats though, as the house music was accompanied by water fountains, lasers, giant beach balls thrown into the crowd, pyrotechnics, and dancing girls who had their upper bodies enclosed in plastic bubbles.

The k-girls would go outside the main hall to rest whenever they got tired, a frequent occurrence. Exhausted beauties were scattered across the grounds like confetti, sitting on the floor after taking of their killer heels, lined up in lengthy queues outside the bathrooms (where the mirrors are larger than the hand mirrors they carry in their purses), or sipping coffee while playing on their smartphones.

Source: Sensation

"It is like paradise" I exhaled, dabbing the drool off my face with a moist towelette. As a steady stream of Korean beauties sauntered past me with expressions ranging from vacant to disgusted, I expressed my oft repeated regret that they may not speak English. "I hope they don't" said a Korean man standing nearby with a self-satisfied grin on his face.

Source: Sensation

I posed with several starlets, who quickly dispersed after taking a photograph with me. After seeing one such photo, a friend of mine commented that "This picture is very misleading as if you are a hot guy among girls. It could lead Indian boys to immediately buy a one way Korean ticket." To be fair, this was an improvement over regular encounters where a k-girl is more likely to be using her phone to call a park ranger to tranquilize me rather than to store my contact number.

As dawn approached the revelers groggily made their way to the subway station to catch the first train of a new day. Every seat was occupied by someone dressed in white, a shocking sight for passengers at subsequent stops. They must have wondered why so many hospital patients, spa goers, and lunatics from the insane asylum were all out at the same time. A random girl sitting beside me fell asleep, placing her head on my able shoulders. Her head slid steadily downwards, before jerking back up just in the nick of time. The passengers who were still awake watched with bemused expressions on their faces.

*****

"Take your pleasure seriously." — Charles Eames

Haji Ali

I moved to Mumbai to help work towards eliminating educational inequity in India. Five hundred years ago, Sayyed Peer Haji Ali Shah Bukhari left behind his worldly possessions here before setting off on a pilgrimage to Mecca. He perished on the journey, with the casket carrying his body cast into the Arabian Sea.

His coffin miraculously found its way back to the shores of Mumbai, lodging itself in an islet by Worli. On this site, the dargah (shrine) of Haji Ali was built. Nowadays tens of thousands of pilgrims from all faiths and walks of life visit the well known landmark. It is only accessible from the mainland via a half kilometer long path during low tide.

Sitting on each side of the path are lepers, begging mothers with their children, the blind, and others cast an unfair lot in life. Walking through this Noah's Ark for the disenfranchised is not a pleasant experience, but a necessary one. The shrine itself may provide relief to some, while others relax on one of the many boulders behind the dargah.
 

*****

"There is only one way in which one can endure man's inhumanity to man and that is to try, in one's own life, to exemplify man's humanity to man." - Alan Stewart Paton

ARNABabe: The Pretender

Me: I like girls who are intelligent as well as beautiful.
Indian beauty: You know some beautiful girls only pretend to be dumb.
Me: Really?
Indian beauty: Yes, they are actually very smart.
Me: Then why would they pretend to be dumb?
Indian beauty: It is easier for them to get what they want that way, without having to give it much effort.
Me: Oh, I see. That is actually very clever.
Indian beauty: Yes.
Me: So are you only pretending?

She never spoke to me again.

Korean Age

Koreans calculate their age in a unique way. A baby begins life as a one year old, receiving credit for the time spent in the mother's womb. According to the custom, when a new year begins everyone becomes another year older. If we are following the solar calendar, a baby born on December 31 would be one year old on New Year's Eve and two years old on New Year's Day despite being an individual entity for only 48 hours or so.

 

*****

 

"A diplomat is a man who always remembers a woman's birthday but never remembers her age." ~ Robert Frost

Blood and Soil

For a man who embodies the very best of the East and West, the answer to the simplest of questions can lead to much confusion. Most Korean and Chinese people will not believe I am from Canada. My passport and birth certificate will not suffice as proof, even if accompanied by a note from the Canadian embassy. They will rest easy only after I expand upon my origin story and tell them of my Indian roots. All preconceived notions that they have about dark skinned people are then immediately applied to me.

Korean man: Where you come from?
Me: Canada.
Korean man: Really? But judging your accent, you are Arabic?
Me: No, you mean judging from my appearance.
Korean man: Oh... sorry.

The Latin terms jus sanguinis (right of blood) and jus soli (right of soil) describe two alternate approaches to determining nationality. The former refers to citizenship being determined based on the nationality of the newborn child's parents. In the latter case, citizenship is granted based on the physical location of where the child was born.

When a Korean or Chinese asks the "Where you from?" question to an exotic being, what they are interested in is the blood and not the soil. What I hear is "Which country were you born in?". What they are actually asking is "What is your ethnic background?" or "Where do your ancestors come from?". These are perfectly legitimate questions, although white guys are never asked if they are really Scottish, English, French, Italian, or Russian if they say they are from Canada or America.

*****

All good people agree,
  And all good people say,
All nice people, like Us, are We
  And every one else is They:
But if you cross over the sea,
  Instead of over the way,
You may end by (think of it!) looking on We
  As only a sort of They!
~ "We and They" by Rudyard Kipling

Girls Generation

It took South Korea only three decades to transform from a recipient of foreign aid to a donor nation, making it the first and till date only country to achieve this remarkable feat. The economy was not the only thing to transform during this time span. When looking at older women or historical archives, and then comparing their looks to the current generation of young Korean ladies the difference is night and day.

The visual discrepancy between the past and current generation may be explained by several factors. Whether through an improvement in general nutrition and standard of living, the availability of affordable surgical procedures, or generous helpings of makeup, the results are truly startling. Throughout history the Korean men have consistently maintained their gauche looks, so the transition from ogre to ogled is unique to the Korean female.

The average Korean man sports the appearance of someone who has been repeatedly victimized, first by being bludgeoned with a baseball bat to the face and then via several comprehensive sessions of electrolysis. Their aesthetic deficit is completely forgiven by the modern Korean ladies, who cling to them like security blankets. To their credit, the Korean guys are well mannered, hygienic, fashion conscious, and surprisingly well built, perhaps due to the years spent performing mandatory military service.

*****

"Normal alien can't dicriminate which Korean girl is more beautiful. They like ugly or normal k-girl, but you know which is better." - the ultimate compliment given to me by a Korean man

DMZ

The northeastern-most point of the demilitarized zone (DMZ) between South and North Korea is about 50 kilometers from the beach town of Sokcho. Of course, calling the world's most heavily fortified border demilitarized is like calling the many hours that Koreans spend in the office productive. I was accompanied by Adrian, an avid rock climber, to the Goseong Unification Observatory.

There was no simple way to reach the viewpoint near the border without an automobile. After taking a succession of buses, each stopping at its terminal and telling us that no buses would go any further, we were given a ride to the DMZ by a friendly mixed race couple. The man was Chinese and the lady was Korean, a rare combination in the land of racial purity and ethnic hierarchy.

We had to climb a hill to reach the viewpoint, passing the cleverly labelled "Last Restroom" on the way  up to the summit. I was able to glimpse North Korea for the second time, with the first being from atop the Great Wall in the Chinese border outpost of Dandong. I used the telescope to get a closer look but could not see much apart from a few foot soldiers and some supply trucks. The scenery was a blend of green hills, sandy beaches, blue skies, turquoise waves, and barbed wire. Chain link fencing on the coastline was an eyesore, but an integral part of the security measures taken by both sides to prevent hostiles from intruding into their lands.

We stopped by at the recently constructed DMZ Museum before heading back. A chronology of the various events that led to the current situation was explained in layman's terms, culminating with a message of peace and hope for a shared future. The couple lived in Sokcho, so they offered us a ride all the way there. We treated them to lunch at a seaside restaurant, and then dozed off in the back of the car as it made its way back to town.

*****

"You have to be able to risk your identity for a bigger future than the present you are living." – Fernando Flores

Kuala Lumpur

After enjoying my first taste of Malaysia in Penang, I made my way to Kuala Lumpur. The delicious food, multi ethnic population, tropical climate, and solid transportation system make Kuala Lumpur a very livable city, but not a particularly exciting one. KL is interesting compared to the island sized shopping mall that is neighbouring Singapore, but nowhere near as fascinating as the Beijings and Bombays of the world in terms of tourist attractions, history, or atmosphere. Nor does it boast the exquisitely crafted beauties of the world's plastic surgery capital, Seoul.

A relatively new city, Kuala Lumpur began its life in the mid nineteenth century as a tin mining outpost. The iconic Petronas Twin Towers are the most eye catching of KL's landmarks, with its design based on traditional Islamic geometric patterns. Once the world's tallest structure, it now sits at fifth place in the ever changing rankings. They remain the tallest twin towers ever constructed. An upmarket shopping complex, movie theatre, art gallery, and beautifully landscaped gardens are all a part of the grounds.

In the old part of town, Chinatown, Little India, and colonial buildings can be explored on foot. Merdeka Square, where the flag of Malaysia was first hoisted after it became an independent nation, is a nice place to relax in between. To escape the heat I dropped into the free and air conditioned Textile Museum. The staff seemed surprised to see a visitor. 

At Masjid Jamek, I followed the example of those entering before me and respectfully donned a blue graduation type gown before going in. Men slumbered peacefully in the shade provided by the hundred year old mosque's pavilions. As I perspired, I realized that the gowns were only meant to cover up guys in shorts or ladies that were skimpily dressed.

During my remaining time in Kuala Lumpur, I wandered around the shopping areas of Bukit Bintang, stopped outside the King's Palace, and ate hairy crab with my former Beijing roommate and a Malaysian siren. At the Central Market, I went to a fish spa where the sea critters enthusiastically nibbled away on my dead skin.

*****

"The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page." – St. Augustine

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

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

ARNABites: Rat Race

On my last evening in the picturesque village of Yangshuo, I found an elusive item on the menu and quickly ordered it. My finger pointed to the entry for rat cooked within a bamboo shoot. The restaurateur shook her head, "Don't have." She suggested I come back tomorrow. I would leave early next morning, so this was not an option. She saw the dismay etched on my ruggedly handsome face. Her brother was summoned to take me to the market to look for some rodent, but none was to be found that night.

Years passed, and I found myself wandering through a night market in Taipei. My Taiwanese friend spotted a restaurant that would surely interest me. Cages full of snakes and mice welcomed the diner at the entrance. Was rat on the menu? My friend checked the menu and answered in the affirmative, but after speaking with the waiter he served up some unfortunate news.

My feelings of elation evaporated upon hearing that the rodents they served were out of stock for the next few days. I would have left Taiwan by the time the next shipment would arrive. What of the mice on display outside? Those were only for feeding the snakes and not for direct human consumption. The proprietor said there were no other rat restaurants around.

Dejected, we kept walking until finding another snake restaurant. A restaurant worker was loudly promoting the powers of the soup to all passersby. My friend asked if they sold rat. The seller of snake soup was not impressed, advising us to "Be practical. Eat normal things, not crazy things." My quest for a mouse would not end this night.

Elephanta

The Elephanta Caves are the first underwhelming world heritage site that I have seen in India, having seen much better days. Although the island location of Elephanta adds some intrigue, they do not compare in any way to the diversity and scale of the sculpted caves found in Ajanta and Ellora. Nevertheless, the opportunity cost to visit it was low as it was a short boat ride away from my Bombay abode. I caught a ferry from near the Gateway of India, accompanied by a colleague from Teach For India who had recently relocated to Mumbai for the cause.

The most memorable structure is the great cave of Shiva, sprinkled with large pillars and sculptures of divine figures. There is no great buildup to the grand reveal. Visitors see the main cave as soon as they climb the staircases from the entrance and past the vendors peddling kitsch. The caves following it taper off in magnificence drastically, with many suffering from water damage. The six meter high Trimurti, a three headed figure set against the back wall of the cave, represents creation, preservation, and destruction.

The Portuguese gave the island the name of Elephanta in the 16th century, after finding a mammoth statue carved out of black stone. The complex was created well over a millennium ago, although it is hard to pinpoint the exact time period within which it was constructed. Much damage was done under Portuguese rule, which brought about an end to centuries of usage of the caves as a place of worship for the Hindu inhabitants of the island. The origins of the cave creators remain shrouded in mystery.

*****

"Man is a creature who walks in two worlds and traces upon the walls of his cave the wonders and the nightmare experiences of his spiritual pilgrimage." ~ Morris West

ARNABabe: Shutout

Whenever I discover that a dazzling Korean beauty already has a boyfriend, a Korean guy will usually appear within a few moments to provide some words of wisdom. Although quite pleased at the turn of events, he will nonetheless attempt to lift my spirits by saying "You know in Korea we have saying: You can score goal even if there is goalkeeper."