Japan (17) - Food

17 July 2010 - Japan is not only the country of sushi, tempura and sashimi. There are many different types of Japanese cuisine, and I am sometimes eating things that are totally unidentifiable. However, the presentation is fantastic, as dishes are designed to appeal not only to the palate but also to the eye. One of my favorite places to shop for food is in the big department stores. Located in the basements, the food sections are the next best thing to local wet markets with uniformed vendors yelling out their wares and crowds of housewives trying to decide for evening dinner. Different counters specialize in different items - but my favorite place in the sections for desserts, cakes and sweets. Every possible cake I can think of is available, and there are chocolates, jelly cups and biscuits wrapped in beautiful boxes. Traveling in Japan is an exploration and there is lots to discover in the food section, like the lemon-flavored crunchy white chocolate bar I bought yesterday. Never seen before.

Japan (16) - Hiroshima

16 July 2010 - On August 6, 1945, at 8:15 am, a B-29 approached Hiroshima from the northeast, passed over the city and dropped the first ever atomic bomb. The bomb exploded 43 seconds later at an altitude of 570 meter in a huge fireball, followed by a mushroom cloud of smoke that rose 8,910m in the air. There were approximately 350,000 people living in Hiroshima at the tme of the bomb and almost half of them lost their lives. The heat from the blast was so intense that it seared peoples' skin, while the pressure caused  by the explosion tore clothes off bodies and caused the rupture and explosion of internal organs. Flying glass tore through flesh like bullets, and fires broke out all over the city. But that was not the end of it: people who survived the blast were subsequently exposed to huge doses of radioactivity. Even people who showed no outside signs of sickness suddenly died, creating panic and helplessness among survivors. Today, blast survivors continue to suffer from the effects of the bomb, with a high incidence of cancer, disfigurement and scars. Through my work I see the impact of war on peoples' lives - I felt I could not visit Japan without making the trip to Hiroshima. Today I went there and saw the impact of war..

Japan (15) - Radio and TV

16 July 2010 - Japanese TV is a disaster. In  most hotels there are at least 10 channels available, but it is all Japanese. The outside world does not exist here. I did see some foreign films while zapping from channel to channel, but they are all dubbed into Japanese. I was told that some hotels have CNN - in Japanese ... On the plus side there is radio in most rooms. It is Japanese radio of course, but there is a great variety of channels, from Japanese hip-hop to classical to honey-voiced crooners. I even like the radio channels where they mainly talk - it is somewhat calming to hear the friendly whispering voices. Like meditation. My travel guide explains that in cheap hotels there are TVs with coin boxes attached to their sides, but I did not see them yet. Can you imagine having to struggle with those coin box while watching the World Cup Final? Damn.

Japan (14) - Pachinko Slot

15 July 2010 - I learned a new word: Pachinko! All over Japan pachinko slot parlors can be found: businessmen, students and housewives sitting in front of vertical pinball-like machines. The game originated from Nagoya, and different from pinball there are no flippers and a larger number of small balls. The player only controls the speed in which the ball is released, but otherwise there is very little to do. Points are collected according to which holes the balls fall into, just like in pinball. It is illegal to win money in Japan, so you can win cigarettes, food, watches, calculators and the like. However, I read there are many places where you can change these prizes into cash, with police looking the other way. The pachinko parlors are a bit like hell on earth to me - noisy, bright, mind-numbing, but millions seems totally hooked, so it is just another example of Japanese life that is alien to me.

Japan (13) - Nagoya

15 July 2010 - Most people skip Japan's fourth city of Nagoya, but I wanted to have a look. Nagoya was almost completely destroyed during World War II, but rebuilt with wide, straight streets. One arrives in the ultra-modern JR Nagoya Station, which is officially recognized by Guinness Book of Records as being the world's largest building containing a railway station. It also contains 50 floors with the Takashimaya department store, offices, restaurants and a hotel. The main attraction is Nagoya Castle (see picture), but I only found out on the spot that it is a replica built in 1959, as the original was also destroyed during the war. Although people make effort to point out that it is an exact replica, it has an elevator up to the fifth floor. In sum, it looks better from the outside than from the inside. 

Japan (12) - Japan Rail

15 July 2010 - Today I start my adventure with the Japan Rail Pass. The last time I did something similar was when I was 16 and train-traveled Holland, but I feel just as excited. Trains are probably  the best way for any tourist to move around in Japan as all trains are punctual, comfortable, dependable, safe and super-clean. Train stations are normally located in the center of the cities, so it is a great way to arrive at a new destination. It is my plan to take the famous Shinkansen bullet train from Kyoto to Tokyo later this week. I start with the Hida Limited Express, which runs from Takayama to Nagoya. It has specially designed wide-view vehicles for panoramic scenes of the beautiful forests deep in the mountains along the Hida River.

Japan (11) - Write it Down

14 July 2010 -As an island nation with few natural resources, Japan's 130 million people are its greatest asset. I am sorry to fall for generalizations, but people seem hardworking, honest and incredibly polite. Every task is performed to their best ability, no matter how insignificant it may seem. I had already multiple experiences with people making their best efforts to help me, although they had zero English and I have zero Japanese. In the hotels people speak some English though, although the advice to write things down was a very good one. Most Japanese have studied some English at school, but the emphasis is on written rather than oral English. Many English teachers cannot speak English themselves ...

Japan (10) - Temple Hiking

14 Juky 2010 - Despite a hopeless map as provided by the local tourist office, I managed to complete the Higashiyama Hiking course, which connects a string of 13 temples and five shrines on the wooded hill on the east side of Takayama. The town of Takayama was founded in the 107th-year reign of the Kanamori dynasty that began when the command of Nagachika Kanamori subjugated the area at the command of Hideyoshi Toyotomi during the warring states period (sorry for this complicated last sentence - I copied it from the tourist brochure). The Kanomori dynasty established and transferred many temples on the east of Takayama, copying the lay-out of Kyoto. I loved the walk (took me 3,5 hours) but sometimes it felt walking from graveyard to graveyard, so not sure if my Hong Kong friends would appreciate this hike as much as I did?

Great Picture (6)

14 July - Hey, I may be in Takayama, but I am secretly thinking of Amsterdam, where the Dutch football team was given an open-boat tour through the cities canals yesterday. Hundreds of thousands lined the waterways to cheer the squad. A banner criticized referee Howard Webb and read "Webb, go to Robben island.". I love good old Amsterdam humor. The picture is from ANP.

Japan (9) - Tatami

14 July 2010 - When I arrived in the Takayama Ouan Hotel yesterday, I was immediately requested to take off my shoes. That's kinda normal in Japan, but this hotel is one big tatami mat. It is probably one of the marketing points of this place, because once up in my room (see picture above) I found a note saying "The touch f tatami that you first felt on your arrival must still be lingering in your feet. The floors within this hotel are all tatami. Please feel free to walk around barefoot, and feel the delightful warmth of the tatami on your skin." That's true, but there is more. There is also a pyjama (it's called Samue robe, but I don't know what that is), and an onsen on the roof of the hotel. The onsen has an indoor and outdoor bath, where you can enjoy a view of the surrounding mountains while relaxing in the water. There is a note in the onsen "Persons with tattoos may not use the bath.". Do Japanese think tattoos are dirty?

Japan (8) - Plucked Eyebrows and Fake Eyelashes

13 July 2010 - After a few days in Japan I am amazed by a phenomena that seems everywhere around me: young men with plucked eyebrows and young girls with fake eyelashes. I am sure they believe its ultimately hip, hot and trendy, but I really have to control myself not to stare. I googled "plucked eyebrows", which is a bit difficult here, as 90% of the sites provided are all Japanese, but one site revealed that the guys pluck their eyebrows because their girlfriends want them to. I don't find that a very satisfactory answer, it must be a matter of pure vanity. I also learned that male Bollywood stars pluck their eyebrows too, but they tend to be more hairy than the Japanese? The girls just go for the gothic Lolita-look; and they aim to look like Victorian dolls. There are hundreds of web pages explaining how to get the perfect look. Strangely, boys and girls look really fake, like walking straight out of the latest Tim Burton movie. Fashion?

Japan (7) - Takayama

13 July 2010 - It is raining today, but I arrived in Takayama (aka little Kyoto in the mountains). This town is surrounded by the 3000 meters peaks of the Japanese Alps, so the bus ride here was breathtaking - sometimes scary. It's an old town - founded in the 16th century - and it is modeled after Kyoto. With a rich supply of timber provided by the surrounding forests, its carpenters are supposed to be legendary, creating not only the merchant's houses here but also the Imperial Palace and temples in Kyoto. The streets are narrow and clean, and flanked by tiny canals of running water as it rains here a lot. Rising from the canals are one - and two story homes and shops in gleaming dark wood with overhanging roofs. Theer are also six sake breweries her, so I will try to find and sample some sake.

Japan (6) - Hot Bath

13 July 2010 - A trip to Japan is not complete without a regular visit to the onsen or bath house. Japanese baths are fantastic, although it takes a while to get used to the routine. Japanese are strict about their rules and etiquette, and it's in the bathhouse that I am most worried about making a 'barbarian' mistake. Maybe, it is the nudity that makes me feel vulnerable, because the first thing to do is to strip absolutely naked. After walking into the bathing area (I hate the slippery floor), it is easy to find a stool and the scrubbing, splashing and polishing process can begin. Only when absolutely - and I mean absolutely - clean, the dip in the hot bath is allowed. Soak forever. All stiffness, stress and tension slowly ebbs away. Perfect.

Japan (5) - Matsumoto

12 July 2010 - I am in Matsumoto. The main reason why I am here is the Matsumoto Castle, which is over 400 years old and the oldest in Japan. It is listed as a National Treasure, but somehow not very well known. The five-roofed, six-story tower was built in 1594, so only a century years after Columbus' discovery of America. The castle has a 'moon-viewing' wing, a secret third floor and small windows that were carried over from the warring states period. Inside, it seems all thick pillars of wood and gloss black floors. One has to take off your shoes at the entrance, so the floors are well kept. Each floor is connected by steep stairs, which also provided defense against attach. From the top of the tower, there is a wonderful view on the Japanese Alps and Matsumoto city.

Silent

12 July 2010 - In all fairness: this picture was taken before the final of the football World Cup in South Africa. These guys are still having a good time, but a few hours later they would have to swallow defeat, as Holland lost the final against Spain. Still, I like their smiles, because the Dutch team did well and should be a proud vice-world champion. It was not third time lucky, but I prefer to lose 1 - 0, instead of penalties. It was a great World Cup, congrats to Spain, congrats to South Africa - I am silent now.

Japan (4) - Time

12 July 2010 - After two days in Japan I am struggling a bit with letting go off time. Although Japan is a hyper-modern society, its pace is very different from its bullet trains. The bus from Tokyo to Matsumoto had a maximum speed of 80 km per hour, and people take their time in shops, cafes and restaurants. I have not been to the bank yet, but I was advised to plan carefully. I am so much used to the super-efficiency and "time-is-money" attitude in Hong Kong, that it always takes some effort to slow down. Everything here moves in its own pace, orderly and somewhat predictable. Possibly it is impacted by the fact that Japan has one of the world's fastest-ageing populations. About 18% of its population is over 65, and by 2010 that figure is expected to be 25%.

Japan (3) - Lost

11 July 2010 - This is going to be fun, because I already managed to get lost on day 1 of my trip. I have been to Tokyo before and somehow I remember it as not too complicated, I forgot that hardly any streets are named and that - of course - most signs are in Japanese. So effectively that means are more than 12 million people are living in a huge metropolis without any street names. Maybe that is why Tokyo sometimes feels like an ant's nest. Of course major streets  and thoroughfares like Ginza or Shinjuku received names after WW II at the insistence of the American occupation forces, but for most of the part Tokyo's address system is based on a complicated number scheme that must make the postal workers' job a nightmare. I was told that some streets have been given nicknames that only the locals know. This is going to be an adventurous trip.

Japan (2) - Tokyo

11 July 2010 - Tokyo is an ugly city, yet I really like it. I love the crowds and the urban feel - the energy and the vitality. People rush around and always seem to have a purpose, a destination in their daily life. Tokyo was almost completely destroyed twice in the 20th century. In 1923 a massive earthquake measuring 7.9 on the Richter scale (similar to the quake that destroyed Port-au-Prince earlier this year) destroyed more than a third of the city and claimed more than 100,000 lives. Disaster struck again at the end of WW II, when allied bombs laid more than 50% of the city in ruins, killing another 100,000 people. The city survived all of that, and has grown into a buzzing metropolis. It is also one of the safest cities on earth - so I really have to be careful not to be too careless and - standing almost two meters tall - I feel like walking around with a sign "tourist" around my neck. And we remember what happened to Gulliver when he visited the island of Lilliput....

Great Picture (5)

10 July 2010 - Today I will leave for Japan. I am really looking forward to the trip, because it will be my first time train-traveling in the country and I will be visiting many different cities and sites. The trip will bring me to Tokyo, Matsumoto, Tagayama, Nagoya, Ise/Toba, Kyoto, Nara, Hakone and again Tokyo. I aim to write about the trip on this blog, but during my last week's Beijing trip I learned that it is not an automatic given that blogspot is always accessible everywhere. However, Japan is not China, and I am hopeful (and pretty confident) that I will be able to continue my reflections online. This picture is a good start, for the simple reason that I found it stunningly beautiful. So please, follow my trip here and keep those comments coming.

Noisy Skies

10 July 2010 - Wherever you go in Hong Kong, people are blaring loudly into their mobile devices. There is no rule or etiquette, the practice seems simply that the louder is the better. One of the only places to escape the madness of cellphones, wireless internet and live television is high-up in the blues skies. But increasingly this is changing, and it is now been reported that Hong Kong's carriers Cathay Pacific and Dragon Air will make wireless services available on their combined fleet of 158 aircrafts two years from now. Aiaiaiaiaia! Mobile phone and blackberry services will be charged similar to international roaming services. I am really worried that flights will further turn into nightmares, because good luck if you sit for twelve hours next to a noisy passenger. In fact, it will be like being on the MTR or the bus, but you will be stuck for much longer.

Globish

9 July 2010 - More than seven years in Hong Kong did not really help improving my English. In fact, I just read an article claiming that I probably do not speak English at all, but use globish. Globish is not a language from Lord of The Rings, but an international language close to English. However, it is not always the English familiar to native speakers, but has a nice twist to it. English is now widely spoken all over the world and the language is getting influenced by the fact that so many non-English native speakers use the language to communicate. Most foreigners use a subset standard English grammar, and they use only about 1500 words. The term "globish" was first used by former IBM President Jean-Paul Nerriere who observed that non-native English speakers at international conferences were very well able to communicate with each other, but sometimes failed to understand the Scottish, Australians or other native English speakers. I recognize that, but I sometimes wonder if people understand my Chinglish?

The Long March to Space

9 July 2010 - Chinese first astronaut Yang Liwei has published his autobiography The Long March to Space, and has admitted that he lied when ground control asked how he was feeling. "I feel fine", he had replied, which brought enormous joy and pride among millions of Chinese people. Yang admitted that he actually felt wretched, as he was suffering from something called inversion illusion, and needed all his willpower and strength to fight it. Was Yang allowed to lie? Some Chinese authorities have commented that his comments were white lies that harmed no one and were intended to benefit the hearer. In Chinese society it can be regarded as an act of personal sacrifice if they lie for their families or their country. It has little to do with communist propaganda, but has roots deep in traditional Confucuian culture. However, such "virtuous lies" have also led to disaster, like in the 1950s when the leadership lied that the country had harvested more crops than it could consume. More recently, officials and scholars played down the SARS epidemic, thinking lies could save China's image and prevent chaos.

Quote of the Day (22)

8 July 2010 - With apologies to all non-Dutch speakers, I like to use this quote from the South African media as my next Quote of the Day. The South African language is very similar to Dutch, but has evolved in a different direction in the last decades (more than a century). Still, with a bit of imagination it is possible to de-cypher this quote about the third goal made by Arjan Robben in the match against Argentina: "Toen Robben Nederland se derde doel behaal het, het die skare begin uitrafel. Groep agter die doelhok het in rij die trappies gedans."

Cantonese Dilemma

8 July 2010 - The ancient dialect (some say language) of Cantonese is widely spoken in Guangdong, Hong Kong, Macau and parts of Guangxi. Yet, an influx of migrants workers to Guangdong province and unfavorable Government policies make Cantonese the target of a recent proposal to switch the language of prime-time TV programmes in Guangzhou to putonghua. The Cantonese dialect seems strange to outsiders. It raises the question how much cultural identity the southerners are willing to give up in the name of national unity? The idea to switch language on the two main public channels was met with strong opposition from Guangzhou residents. A survey was quoted that 80% of 30,000 respondents opposed the proposal, and when Guangzhou TV previously switched to programmes in putonghua rating dropped and it was forced to switch back to Cantonese. The 1982 Chinese constitution only enshrined putonghua as the official language, and it is national policy to promote putonghua. It seems Cantonese is now (again) under threat in Guangzhou - how long before Hong Kong will be affected?

Dog's Life

8 July 2010 - You have probably never heard of the Micio Pallino brand, even if you live in Hong Kong, but this is an interior design company. Mind you - not a common interior design company, because it specializes in designing and creating interior spaces for animals in Hong Kong, Taiwan and Italy since 1992. Star designer Paula Dindo explains how she first looks at an animal's home environment, then observes its personality and "spirit"; whether it is an energetic, feisty, shy or sedate animal. Cats love to climb trees (says Dindo - my good old family cat never climbed a tree in his blessed life) and perch high on branches, so Dindo has designed rooms with several climbing trees. Some trees are almost two meters tall and made out of wood and rope, without the use of glue. For dogs, Dindo prefers open spaces, as they need to run around. The dog room also needs a sleeping area with bedding. This helped Dindo to discover her new niche market: cushions and sleeping accessories for pets.

Knock-out Heroes

7 July 2010 - Today would not be complete if I did not post a picture of the Orange Madness on my blog. Holland beat Uruquay with 3 - 2 and moves on to their first World Cup Final since 1978. I hope we will play the Germans. The Dutch team seems to excel in "ugly wins" - but no complaints, because after so many years of being "group stage heroes, but knock-out zeroes" we finally made it to a BIG final again. This photo from the Dutch ANP Reuters to celebrate the madness in Amsterdam. Proud and Happy!

Frog Alarm

7 July 2010 - The World Cup in South Africa will come to an end this weekend, and it is expected that the word 'vuvuzela' will again disappear from the day-to-day terminology. The vuvuzela has been controversial since the first day of the tournement, and many people complained that the instrument spoiled their fun for watching the football matches, as they could no longer hear the chanting and singing of the crowds. However, a new and probably louder phenomena has appeared in Belgium and southern parts of Holland: the bullfrog. The frog was imported from Northern America for its meat, but escaped the frog-farms and multiplied. A bull frog can jump almost two meters far. The animal survives on fish, dragon flies and smaller frogs, and can moan like a cow. And they probably taste even better.

Nathan Road

7 July 2010 - It is the time of year that hot, sweaty tourists from overseas march Nathan Road on the Kowloon side of Hong Kong. Nathan Road is known as the "Golden Mile" of the city, but that seems a bit too much honor. Fashion and massage parlor billboards dangle dangerously over the street. The billboards are an impressive sight during daytime, but they really come to life at night. Chinese characters and the English alphabet alike, the billboards have become one of the main touristic attractions of downtown Kowloon. The only time to avoid this noisy stretch is when typhoon signal number 8 is hoisted. Maintenance and repair work cost money, so most entrepreneurs take their chance and wait with the essential repair work til it is about to get really dangerous. Consequently, billboards come flying during the summer storms. Mind you, Hong Kong's cyclone season only starts in August, when it is usually too hot and humid for solid shopping anyway.

Holy Water

7 July 2010 - A South Korean medical professor who invented a digital device he claimed could turn tap water into holy water is facing fraud charges. Seoul police explained that the professor said to have digitally captured the curative powers of the holy water on devices that he sold to more than 5,000 people for more than HKD 10 million profit. That's a lot of money! The 53-years old professor said he had obtained holy water from the shrine of the Holy Mary in Lourdes, the famous pilgrimage site in France. He also said he was also able to digitally transfer those healing powers onto ceramic and paper filters and plastic cards. Anyway, I do believe a bottle of the professor's holy water is cheaper than a return-ticket Seoul - Lourdes, but how is it possible that 5,000+ persons went for it? The professor must be a marketing genius.

Japan (1) - The Onion

6 July 2010 - I will be going to Japan on Saturday. Hardly a day passes by without some news from the country of the rising sun, whether it is about its economy, cuisine, politics, natural disasters or culture. Japan is Asia, but it is a totally different and unique part of Asia. Like China, Japan is a country of extremes: robots, computers and bullet trains combined with centuries' old traditions and values. I have been to Tokyo and Hokkaido before and I was always fascinated how different and beautiful Japan is. Beauty is not always easy to see - as it may be hidden from the surface or is kept in the details. Japan is not always easy for Westerners to understand and discovering it is like pealing an onion - there is always another layer. It is a great country to explore, because there is always something new around the corner. I am really looking forward to my journey of discovery in the coming two weeks, which could very well be the start of my farewell to Asia.

Tour d'Hollande

6 July 2010 - It is almost an overkill: the Football World Cup, Wimbledon and now the Tour de France. The Tour is not a major event in Asia, but it is a big one in Europe. The Tour de France started this year in Rotterdam, so kinda Tour D'Hollande. The country is completely football crazy at the moment, but one million people showed up to see the peloton cycle their first "etappe"  and another one million Dutch viewers watched on TV from home. The Tour crossed the southern provinces of the country, which are traditionally a bit "cycling-mad" (please do not ask me why? - maybe because it is close to Belgium? no, not really a convincing reason). The mayor of Rotterdam Ahmed Aboutaleb called the start a "historical event", so maybe he needs to return to school for some history lessons. On Sunday the Tour left Holland for Belgium - but nobody called that historical.

Russia Wins

5 July 2010 - The Football World Cup in South Africa has entered its last week and national sentiments in the last four qualifying countries are flying high. However, it is not only in Holland, Germany, Spain and Uruquay that emotions are felt. In Russia an independent poll, conducted between June 18 and 22, surveyed 1,600 Russian adults across 130 cities. A stunning 8% believed that their national team would win the World Cup - despite the fact that it never qualified for the tournament. When the Russian team was denied a place to play in South Africa by Slovenia, the nation was shattered and Dutch coach Hiddink was kicked out. I am hesitant about Russian nationalist sentiments, but their blind confidence in the football team needs to be admired.

Epilepsy

5 July 2010 - The Chinese name for epilepsy was officially changed recently to avoid connotations of madness and to prevent discrimination by those who confuse it with mental illness. Previously known as 'deen gan' in Cantonese, the disorder will now be known as 'no gan'. While deen means "crazy", no means "brain", giving a more neutral description of the condition. 'Gan' means seizure. The name change was initiated by a group of patients' organizations, medical staff and social workers. More than 40,000 people in Hong Kong are reported to suffer from the disorder, which can be controlled but not cured. It is advised to have patients lie on their side while maintaining clear airway, and generally patients recover in a few minutes. The practice to put some object into the mouth of an epilepsy patient to prevent them from biting their tongues is an urban myth.

Great Picture (4)

4 July 2010 - The Great Wall of China is the very symbol of the country and must have been photographed about a zillion times. I came across this picture (photographer unknown) and immediately loved it, because I am pretty sure the Wall was never filmed like this before (and possibly never will). Brilliant.

Home-made

4 July 2010 - It is July or in other words the holiday season in Europe has started. Millions of people will leave their homes to enjoy the sun, beach and fun elsewhere. I never understand why so many people bring their own food during the holidays? French cuisine is world famous, Italian-made pizzas and pasta are simply the best and a good Spanish paella is to die for, so why bring potatoes and soup all the way from your local supermarket? Chinese tourists are not much better, because many top Chinese restaurants in Europe are frequented by mainland or Hong Kong tourists who feel they seriously suffer without their daily bowl of rice or noodles. And the Korean restaurants in Hong Kong are packed with Koreans! These are not expatriates craving for a taste of home, but a bunch of unadventurous tourists. I am all in favor of the global village, but can we please enjoy the culinary diversity?

Paint it White!

4 July 2010 - Global warming or not: the Andean glaciers in the mountains of Peru are slowly melting. A Peruvian inventor, called Eduardo had a brilliant idea to stop the process by painting the mountain tops white. He only uses simple and environmental-friendly ingredients for the paint: lime, industrial egg white and water. The mixture has been used since the Peruvian colonial times. There are also no paint brushes, the painters just splash jugs with whitewash over the rocks. The principle is based on the simple concept that when sunlight is reflected off a white surface, solar energy passes back through the atmosphere rather than warming the earth. The World Bank awarded the idea with a prize of USD 200,000.

Zhongguancun

3 July 2010 - I probably do not pronounce "Zhongguancun" correctly, but it is the address of Beijing's Silicon Valley. It's a relatively new area - not far from the former emperor's summer palace - that all technology and IT nerds can no longer miss when visiting Beijing. Thousands of high-tech companies have settled here, ranging from all sizes local firms to the big multinationals as Microsoft, Siemens and NEC. Famous Tsinghua University has also opened its Tsinghua Science Park here. Tsinghua is one of China's elite universities, and only 2,000 out of the 7 million students that annually graduate for college can enter the university. Interestingly, Tsinghua encourages its professors and (former) students to set up companies in the area. The area is also frequently by the "sea-turtles" the local name for Chinese students who have studied overseas and now return home for career and wealth. I am not an IT nerd, nor a sea-turtles so I felt totally out-of-place.

Summer Palace

2 July 2010 - It is a hot summer day in Beijing, so it seemed appropriate to visit the Summer Palace. My Lonely Planet Book described the Summer Palace as 'a stunning collection of beautifully landscaped pavillions, temples, gardens, corridors and bridges set around the tranquil Kunming Lake', and that is exactly what it is, except that the Lake is not so tranquil anymore. In the days of the emperor the royal court came here to escape the heat and humidity of Beijing's summer, but these days there seems no escape because the Summer Palace was as crowded, hot and humid as anywhere in the city. It must have been an idyllic spot though, which was off-limits for foreigners for much of the Qing dynasty. Times have changed, because the place is now mainly frequented by foreign and mainland tourists of certain age. Some of them talked as loud as if they were on the market.

Beijing Airport

1 July 2010 - I have blogged about airlines and airplane food, but not about airports. The new Beijing airport Terminal 3 building is probably one of the most beautiful airports in the world (I say probably because I have not been at all airports, so it is a bit difficult to compare). The terminal building by Forster + Partners, who also designed the Hong Kong airport in the 1990s, constructed the world's largest and most advanced airport building. It is a technological masterpiece, but also beautiful in its style, simplicity and efficiency. The single roof canopy is perforated with skylights to bring deep into the building. I love the detailed symbolism, such as its dragon-shaped form and traditional Chinese colors like red and gold. The airport was built for the Beijing Olympics in 2008 - what a way to welcome the world.

1st July March

1 July 2010 - Today it is 13 years since the Hong Kong hand-over. In recent years the 1st July date has been marked by protest marches. This year the turn-out for the match is expected to be relatively low, as the debate on universal suffrage already peaked a few days ago in the Legilsative Council. However, there are still plenty of other topics to be concerned about. A study by the Boston Consulting Group shows that Hong Kong has the world second largest wealth gap after Saudi Arabia. Hong Kong has 205,000 USD millionaires, but this group of rich controls 73% of the city's wealth. Or in other words, the remaining 27% of wealth is shared by more than 7 million people. Hong Kong surpasses even the US, where the millionaires control 56% of the wealth. Now you know whey we have such an angry underclass - and we may see them marching the streets today.

Summer Sale

30 June 2010 - The Summer Sale has started in Hong Kong and Tsim Sha Tsui is buzzing with mainland shoppers emptying Louis Vuiton, Prada and Gucci if they are on Ladies Market in Mongkok. Putonghua is now widely spoken and the money comes from across the border. How things have changed in the last 30 years!!?. In the early 1980s a 250 meters long and just four meters wide Chung Ying Street in the border town of Sha Tau Kok was the only place where mainland shoppers could buy much sought-after products from overseas. At its peak, it attracted 120,000 shoppers per day. Its fortunes changes over the years and the border town is now a sleepy backwater. However, Shenzhen authorities have launched a grand plan to restore some of Chung Ying Street's old glory, however it is unlikely that shopper numbers of the 1980s will ever come back. The good news is that some of the Lingnan style buildings will be restored. Maybe those will attract another type of tourists?

Chocolate Warriors

30 June 2010 - A rare exhibition featuring chocolate terracotta warriors opens at the World Chocolate Wonderland in Taipei this week. The exhibition is a repeat of a similar exhibition in chocolate art earlier this year in Beijing, which drew more than 40,000 visitors. The army of warriors is the centerpiece of the show - with all warriors being 35 cm tall. There are also chocolate versions of Taipei 101 (170 cm. tall!) and the Great Wall on display. The exhibition will last until September but with temperatures rising it is probably recommended to travel the sooner the better. Chocolate melts with temperatures over 20 degrees and it cracks with temperatures below zero. Don't miss it.

Tarzan

29 June 2010 - A man who spent 108 days living in a tree to demand more compensation after his home and shop were demolished went on trial in Chongqing for disturbing public order. Chen Maoguo, also known as 'bird man', had lived in a rough shed in a 12-meters high tree for 3,5 months from August last year. He hung his business license and other certificates on his temporary tree house to prove his shop had been legal. Every morning he dropped a rope down from the tree to which his wife would tie a plastic bag of buns or sweet potatoes. Later he would lower a plastic bag of excrement, which his wife would dispose of. His wife said he lost more than 15 kilos, while living in the tree. He climbed down in November after the Zhuyi town party secretary promised he would receive the RMB 800,000 he demanded, but he was arrested a few hours later.

The High Line

29 June 2010 - The BBC showed a documentary about the New York's High Line. In 1980, soon after the last train had moved over the elevated railway tracks known as The High Line, property developers set their eyes on this valuable piece of real estate on Manhattan's up-and-coming West Side. The High Line was set for demolition. Two New Yorkers had a different vision and lobbied tirelessly for the High Line to be protected and changed into an open space for all. They even went to court to save it. The result is amazing. The new High Line was opened in 2009 and already two million people have visited this new corridor on Manhattan island. Children come to play, morning joggers do their exercise, and tourists reflect here on the city's past. The High Line also brings green and plants into the city. It is a public place for the future of New York City, but it is also a living monument what visionary people can do if they stand up and fight for what they believe in.

Deep Sleep

29 June 2010 - One of the distinct memories about Hong Kong that I will take with me on further adventures in life is that everybody in the morning bus to work seems fast asleep. Hong Kong people are like cats: they easily fall asleep, no matter where and no matter when. I read that three teenagers, aged 14 and 15, were found unconscious at 4 am in a fast food restaurant. Staff suspected that the teens were on drugs and called the police after several failed attempts to awake them. The police and ambulance services arrived with flying colors. The teens woke up and explained that they had watched a World Cup football match and were waiting for the first bus home.

Great Picture (3)

28 June 2010 - In 1997/98 I worked in Afghanistan, and often went to Oruzgan. Who would have known that Dutch military forces would set up their regimen in Tarin Kowt - a place I have been many, many times - about 10 years later? It is rough terrain and the military would probably describe this area as "hostile environment". I loved my time there, and I remember the lively bazar, the mud houses, the poppy fields and the clear starry nights. I like this picture by Christopher Sneed, because I wonder what is going on? The men belong obviously to opposite parties, but they feel at ease with the situation. What is being said here? Are they negotiating? Will the Afghans be considered traitors?.Could these men kill each other?

Guanyin

28 June 2010 - More than 300 young beautiful Chinese girls have been competing since April for three places as image representatives of Guanyin, an East Asian Buddhist figure known for her compassion. Literally 'Guanyin' means 'observing the sounds', which means that Guanyin will always observe all sounds from the world and listen to requests from her worshippers. She is usually depicted wearing a white flowing robe and wearing necklaces of royalty. In the right hand there may be a water jar containing pure water, and in the left she holds a willow branch. The legend of Guanyin, known as the Bodhisattva, has led Sichuan, Henan and Xinjiang provinces to spend billions of yuan developing tourism programmes, with each province claiming to be her home province. It will be interesting to follow who will finally be the winner of the image competition, because - if I am well informed - it was not clear if Guanyin was male or female.

Hong Kong Millionaires

28 June 2010 - It was reported that Hong Kong saw the largest increase in millionaires in the world last year, while the net worth of Asian milionaires overtook their European counterparts. The rise was mainly caused by the recovery of Asian asset prices. The annual World Wealth Report - as produced by Merrill Lynch - found that the number of millionaires in Hong Kong soared with a whopping 104, 4%, the highest increase in the world. To be clear: we are talking about USD millionaires here. Hong Kong millionaires are still among the relatively "poor" ones, as they can mainly be found in the USD 1 mio - USD 5 mio band. The majority of millionaires are still concentrated in USA, Germany and Japan, but the mainland is now firmly in fourth place with 477,000 millionaires (up 31% from the year before). The fundraising market in Hong Kong is getting more competitive in recent years, as it seems an increasing number of NGOs have discovered that Hong Kong is a rich pond to fish in. Ding Ding Dollars!

Wu Guanzhong

27 June 2010 - I have admired the work of Wu Guanzhong before I knew his name. A few years ago I saw his work for the first time in the Hong Kong Museum of Art. I remember how I loved seeing his originality, his skill and his ability to give traditional themes and style a nowadays twist. It was only later that I learned more about this Chinese painter - one of the most famous of his generation - and his amazing life. After being born in Jiangsu province in 1919, he won a scholarship for the Ecole Nationale Superieure des Beaux Arts in Paris in 1946. Wu returned  to China and endured the hardship of the Cultural Revolution, when he was sent to labor camp. He only held his first solo exhibition at the age of 59 and shot to fame. He was the first living Chinese artist to exhibit at the British Museum. Wu Guanzhong died earlier this week. One of his last acts was donating his last works to the Hong Kong Museum of Art.

Chocolate City

27 June 2010 - The area around Guangzhou's Deng Feng Hotel in Yuexiu district is known as "chocolate city". It is an area full with African and Arabic shops, bars and restaurants, and is frequently visited by the African community in town. These days all Africans in the mainland unite behind the football team of Ghana. Most African bars stay open until late as the matches only start at 2h30 am local time. The audience, from all corners of the African continent and speaking a mix of English, French and Chinese, are glued to the TV screens and don't mind the Chinese commentators, as football is football. "It's a bit like watching an Indian movie," says one spectators from Ghana, who is watching with her Ethiopian boyfriend. Fufu and beef curry are flushed down with cheap beer. All the cheering helped, because Ghana beat the USA by 2 - 1..

Body-bags

27 June 2010 - I missed this story, but luckily HK Magazine picked it up. Sadly, there is an increase of suicides among youngsters in Hong Kong. Students have repeatedly jumped off the roofs in schools and apartment blocks, and one would think the Government is concerned about the cause for such desperate behavior. Not the Hong Kong Government. The Education Bureau decided to take action in a different way. Not by offering support or by reducing academic pressure on the students, but by distributing body-bags to every Government school in the city. The argument goes that children will be traumatized by the scene, and that it is better to immediately cover the body up. No further talk about emotional support or counselling, but a quick and very dirty solution. Parents better think twice before sending their children to these schools.

Quote of the Day (21)

27 June 2010 - In an interview with a local teen he talked about his love for exotic pets: "I would prefer to have a dog or a cat, but I live in a public housing estate and it's really hard to keep those kinds of animals as the neighbors make a big fuss. So I went for something different. Now I have lizards, turtles, rats, spiders, scorpions - you name it! I have five huge snakes too, which I keep in a big tank in the living room. I don't name my animals because they dont respond to me anyway. It's like they live in a completely different universe. The good things about these animals is that I don't need to spend a lot of time looking after them. I just need around one hour after I get home every night. I usually get their food once a week in Mong Kok's fish market, which cost me around HKD 300 - 400 a month. By now I can identify different species and what they eat - I just bought some white mice to feed my snakes. And cockroaches? I have tons of them because they are considered a good dinner for most of my pets."