The Traveling Lobbyist

Moving on

2013-07-27T17:11:00.004-07:00

I'm moving my travel blog onto a different site, with more focus on photos. I'm still playing with the structure, format, style of the new site but it is definitely better for sharing photos that blogspot.

Check out the new blog at: tominwanderlust.wordpress.com.

Hilux hijinx

2012-10-31T09:50:00.000-07:00

What in the world is wrong with European courts lately? First a court in Italy found that six scientists were guilty of manslaughter because they couldn't accurately predict a deadly earthquake (I know that things are bad in Italy, but have they really regressed back to the 1500s. And now, a French judge ruled that ads by Toyota for their trucks and SUVs promoted unsafe behavior--like, you know, driving it offroad like they are supposed to be driven--and ordered the ads to be taken down.

Avertissment: des comportements dangereux.

I'm usually quick to criticize court decisions in the US--creating a nanny state, subverting the concept of self-responsibility, allowing a more litigious environment, etc. And for the most part, I considered European courts to be less that and more about common sense. Well, obviously, European courts are not much better in that regard than those in the US.

French whine ... le sigh

2012-09-24T22:11:00.001-07:00

It's always been somewhat peculiar to me when I see an American vintner label themselves as "Chateau something-something." (For instance, Chateau Ste. Michelle or Chateau St. Jean.) To me, it seems like the wineries are stretching too far and resorting to Euro-cool themes to make themselves sound more vintage and classy and I've tended to stay away from these wineries. (My reasoning: If you gotta rely on a faux, snotty French name--and you're located in Sonoma County for God's sake--ehh ... chances are your wines are overrated.)

That said, apparently the French aren't taking too lightly to these American wineries tagging themselves with "chateau" either. France has long forbidden American wineries that use "chateau" or "clos" to sell wines there, as to not confuse customers the wines from the "real" chateaux in France with the "fake" ones from the US. American wineries have responded by appealing to the European Union to remove this protectionist regulation.

Before we go on, let's take a look at the word "chateau" (or "chateaux" for plural, in French) and understand why it's so important to the French. Essentially, a chateau--in it's original sense--is a countryside castle or large manor house. Once it is encircled by a city, it is considered a palace, or palais. (Following this logic, the Palace of Versailles is known in French as Chateau de Versailles--even though it very much a grand palace, as we know the word; Louvre Palace is called Palais du Louvre.)

Chateau Citran, Bordeaux, France
December 2008

This fits perfectly in with our romanticized belief of what a wine-making chateau should look like--a grand, stately structure standing in the middle of vineyards, with rolling hills of the French countryside in the backdrop. But in wine-making terms, "chateau" has a very specific definition, that may or may not relate to a grandiose mansion. According to French rules, only wine from grapes grown on the property and made into wine in facilities on the property can be labeled with the name of the chateau. Perhaps an unspoken rule is that it should be French in origin as well, not just a Frenchie sounding name plucked up and slapped onto a bottle from a producer in Placer County.

Honestly, there aren't any real chateaux in the US. There are nice countryside mansions, but chateau designates history, culture, and pedigree--a person buying wine from a French chateau, it is claimed, is buying into this history. Indeed, there are many chateaux in France that existed much longer than the US has as a country.

But does any of this matters? Can insular France really hold back the tides of globalization and international trade? Should American wineries using the chateau in their name be allowed to sell in the country that originated the word as we now know it? There is precedence to not allow it. For instance, only sparkling wines from the Champagne region can be called champagne, and only wines from Burgundy can be called by that name.

But there is the rub in all this, which I think the EU will rely on to overturn the French prohibition. The previous prohibitions are attributed to the names of the regions, not because there is some several hundred year old structure sitting on the plot of land. This is protectionism disguised in the cloak of history. The French vintners use a specific definition of what qualifies as chateau wines, but many American wineries already qualify. If more US wineries that use "chateau" toe the line with the definition and want to sell into France, would the French be OK? I doubt it.

In many cases, American wines are as good as French ones--some are better. They know this, and are rightly concerned about competition. Lifting the prohibition would be the right decision. But I'll still be avoiding US wineries using "chateau" in their name.

2012-09-20T20:58:00.001-07:00

These time-lapsed photos of Ireland, crafted into a video, are just too amazing not to share. Follow this link.

Ireland is one of the country's I've longed to visit, for well over 10 years now. I'm sure the locals hate it when they hear tourists say this, but something about the island seems so ... mystical. The serene countryside, the mist-blanketed hills, the waves crashing against the rock cliffs, the rays of sunshine piercing through thick clouds--mix this with fantastical folklore of faeries, wisps and leprechauns. Looking at the video, how can it be described as anything other than mystical?

More than a lost dream

2012-07-24T00:01:00.000-07:00

One of the structures I have always dreamed of visiting but fully realize that, chances are, I'd never would is the iconic Djinguereber Mosque in Timbuktu, Mali. A minaret rises above the shifting sands, unlike any others in northern African countries--wooden crossbeams, dozens of them, jut out from the four sides, and the dirt facade looks like it could crumble at a mere touch. It's not very tall either, unlike the "Arabian Nights"-like visions of others, but one can argue that it's very striking and memorable for these same reasons.

(The minaret at Djinguereber
Mosque, unesco.org)

Built in 1327 out of mud and organic plant materiel, the mosque still serves as one of the learning centers in the country and holds thousands of manuscripts dating back to the construction of the building, on a variety of subjects including Islam, astronomy, history, and mathematics. Additionally, the Djinguereber Mosque serves as one of the major madrassas in Mali, and really the entire sub-Saharan Africa region--it is a historical focal point of the early Islamification of the continent. The fact that it still stands today, amid encroachment of the Saharan desert, blistering heat, punishing sandstorms, and the coming and passing of empires and colonial masters is a testament to the grandeur of what Timbuktu was.

But all this history and culture is now under attack, literally. What began as a rebellion in January by ethnic Tuareg has been usurped by Islamist militant groups who have taken advantage of a coup of the central government and imposed Sharia in most of the key towns in the northern Mali, including Timbuktu. In the name of radical Islam, Ansar Dine and al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb have since destroyed half of the tombs of early Muslim saints in Djinguereber because Malians don't practice the "right" type of (radical) Islam.

(Most Malians practice Sufi Islam, which is viewed as more tolerant with an intellectual interpretation of the religion. Mixed with chanting, mysticism, and hypnotic prayers, perhaps it is blended with the regional culture that existed there before the spread of Islam.)

(Before and after, the taller of
the two statues, wikipedia.org)

It really is heart-breaking to see unique buildings and historical importance be lost to time and the elements, but doubly so when they are destroyed by hands of men. These are things that can never be recovered, whether lost to time, encroaching sands, or madness and intolerance. Northern Mali is called the "Afghanistan of western Africa," and the description is true on many fronts. The destruction of the shrines--and possibly of the entire Djinguereber Mosque itself--is a stark reminder of the loss of the Buddhas of Bamiyam at the hands (and dynamite) of the Taliban in 2001.

It is more than my dreams and hopes that were lost. An important facet of this world and our civilization's history will soon be gone.

Bourdain actually listens to my advice!

2012-06-09T12:11:00.003-07:00

Why? Because after my post calling for him to return to Malaysia to eat real Malaysian food instead of the weak-sauce version found in Singapore, Tony went to Penang. (He didn't heed my request to hit up my mother-in-law to show him around the food courts, though). Alright, alright, in all seriousness, I doubt Tony even knows about my blog and it's fairly certain that the episode was shot during Chinese New Year and planned some months before that, at least.

Here is a link to a video recap of his trip.

The hawker center he was at, gorging on snails, was the one I also similarly gorged at while in Georgetown. (See said hawker center on the left.) Or maybe I'm just grasping at whatever vapid, ephemeral connections possible to associate myself with Tony, the Man when it comes to wondrous travel, kooky left-wing politics and exotic eating.

Whatever the case, one thing we do share is our love for assam laksa. (See said dish to the right.)

Here are a few more links to clips of the No Reservations Penang episode:

Monkey Island (no, not the game, nerd.)
Bah kuh teh
Um ... random, obscene comments about monkeys
Snake Temple (this one is pretty damn funny)

Brain circulation

2012-04-24T12:28:00.001-07:00

I wanted to share this article from the New York Times. It's about second generation children of US immigrants that move back to their parents' home country to start new and innovative businesses. The profiles several young people, all from BRIC countries (minus the "R"--Russia), that have traveled back and created "Creative Class" type companies, those that we more often than not associate with Silicone Valley, Austin, San Diego, or Boston.

The article introduced a term that was new to me: brain circulation. This concept moves us beyond a world that is globalized for manufactured products and ideas. People and networks are globalized. It's not merely about the brain drain of young, ambitious, well-educated away from other countries into the US anymore, but the free movement of people and their ideas (and entrepreneurial spirit) around different countries, continuously circulating back and forth and all around. Pretty powerful stuff.

Some of my friends have gone this route of back-migration, to Hong Kong, Vietnam and elsewhere. Will they ever be back to the US? Who knows; to be frank, I don't think they know either. This quote from the article sums it up:

"Ms. Tran said she did not know how long she would remain abroad. She said she was open to various possibilities, including moving to another foreign country, living a life straddling China and the United States or remaining permanently in China. "

Perhaps this says something more about the condition of innovation and opportunity in the US more than anything else. The recession in the US is casting a long shadow across the the country, in more ways than one. For young, global-minded people for whom borders are only the creation of political machinations, there is less reason to stay in the US now. And with the recovery--if you can call it that--trudging ever so slowly along, it is hard to blame them.

Upending art and culture in Qatar

2012-04-12T13:27:00.000-07:00

Here is an interesting article about Sheikha Mayassa Al Thani's effort to basically overthrow all conventions of art and culture in socially conservative Qatar.

The stark and striking MIA
(Bloomberg News)

I won't repeat too much of what's already in the article, but to summarize, she is the 29-year-old daughter of the Qatari emir and is considered one of the most influential people in the art world. The sheikha was granted immense leeway by her father to develop the country into the cultural hub of the Middle East. This includes purchasing art from across the world and bringing in exhibits from artists globally renowned. They are to be displayed at the Museum of Islamic Art (or MIA, but not MIA--equally intriguing in their own rights but vastly different from one another ... ) though obviously not all the pieces are anywhere close to being Islamic or Arabic--Murakami, Cezanne, Bacon, or Warhol, anyone?


I.M. Pei's pyramid, at the Louvre (www.wikipedia.org)

As with all great architecture, the building itself is a piece of art. The museum was designed by I.M. Pei of the Musee de Louvre pyramid fame (or infamy) in a modernist/Arabic style. Perhaps emblematic of the transition we are seeing in Qatar on so many levels and that Sheikha Mayassa herself is pushing.

For me, the article raises two integral points that I think will dictate the direction of life and culture in Qatar in the future. No doubt the sheikha is a moderate in a country that is--for all intents and purposes--still deeply conservative both religiously and socially (but on some levels more moderate than some of its Middle Eastern neighbors). She spent her undergraduate and graduate schooling at Duke and Columbia, respectively, and I truly believe that studying abroad in the US (though not necessarily because it was in the US specifically) influenced her views on culture, both Arabic and Western and how they are not mutually exclusive. As Rick Steves wrote in his editorial on the primacy of traveling and studying abroad: "Learning in a different culture and place allows us to see our own challenges in sharp contrast, and with more clarity, as we observe smart people in other lands dealing with similar issues."

How then can this drive toward more cultural openness that the sheikha and the royal family is apparently pushing be balanced with the conservative tenants of the country and religious leaders? Granted, it's an emirate and what the emir says goes. But that does not mean he does not need to take concerns seriously. Perhaps all that is needed is time and effort applied. Qatar (and other nations like Dubai) are already looking toward a fossil fuel-depleted future, and I think even the most conservative imam understands the realities of what that means. The broad, general goal of transitioning the country away from fossil fuels is already happening and the MIA (and all that it represents and tries to do) is a cog in that moving machine, as is hosting of the World Cup of football in 2022.

Changing a country from the inside out is all about the slow steady footsteps in the shifting sands.

Ice, Ice Coffee

2012-03-22T22:37:00.000-07:00

Derek Thompson of the Atlantic Monthly asks: Why is iced coffee so expensive? Honestly, I had no idea iced coffee was more expensive than regular coffee. But then again, I don't drink that water-diluted, weak sauce stuff. There is supposedly a whole different process to brew iced coffee, which uses more resources and thus costs more to produce. Again--I had no idea.

However, I think most places just chill the hot coffee that they brew. They simply dump in ice to fill half the damn cup and then pour in about half of the coffee they would normally offer hot. And of course, double the price.

Yet another reason to drink coffee the true way it's meant to be drunk--hot, full-bodied, and undiluted by sugar and cream.

Follow-up: Vote-mongering politicians

2012-02-28T22:59:00.000-08:00

To follow up on a post I made a month ago about legislation in France that would make it illegal to deny that the Armenian genocide took place. The French senate passed the bill and President Nicolas Sarkozy signed it into law, but today, the highest court in France struck it down. The Constitutional Council declared that the law was unconstitutional. Follow this link.

And unconstitutional it was. As I wrote in my previous blog, this law would've banned debate about the subject of the genocide and curbs the right to free expression. How is this any different than the restriction of speech in Turkey, where--on the flip-side--it's illegal to state that the genocide did happen?

Sarkozy and his party members in parliament have promised to reintroduce the bill, with a few tweaks to get them around the high court's decision. I'm not sure how such a law can be written without infringing on free speech abilities, but when you're trailing in the polls and desperate like Sarkozy to get whatever votes you can, you're willing to do anything.

Hidden gems, West Sacramento: Part 1

2012-02-17T22:39:00.000-08:00

Tucked in the curves and bends of the Sacramento River, south toward the Delta, is a hidden gem of the Sacramento area: the Old Sugar Mill. The industrial buildings and warehouses--worn from time and disuse--stand amid the farm land that surrounds it and the vineyards directly across the street from it. Belying the worn, blighted look of some of the buildings is the fact that the Old Sugar Mill houses local wineries in the community of Clarksburg, just south of West Sacramento.

Wine country, Sacramento style

The Old Sugar Mill was literally an old sugar mill that dates back to the 1930s. It's since been renovated but thankfully resisted the trend to go sleek and modern. Instead, it maintains hard-knock industrial look and feel--steel, brick and cement, the old fashioned way. As odd as it may sound, a lot of weddings are held there, amid the rubble of the reconstruction going on and the industrial feel of the area.

My wife and I went to this hidden gem some months ago, on a hot September weekend. We got there early before the crowds streamed in. There wasn't that pretentious air to the place, as you'd find in a winery in a place like Napa. The staff were warm and friendly, eager to answer questions and pour libations.

Inside the main building;
the tasting rooms are
along each side.

There are eight wineries housed there, each with their own tasting room and their own style of wines. My personal favorite is Heringer Estates--located in the Clarksburg area for 140 years. Their wines are a bit pricier than the usual Sacramento-area product (to me, that means Lodi, Amador County and El Dorado County), but they are really top of the line stuff and worth the extra premium.

Make the effort to head over to this side of the river and drive south on Jefferson Boulevard. There will be no regret from this little gem, hidden among the trees and farms and the winding river.

Lost in translation

2012-02-14T21:54:00.000-08:00

This is just too hilarious not to share.

(From Atlantic Monthly)

I'm not sure how this happened, but I assume some genius took someone's instruction to have displayed "diesel fuel in Arbic/nosmoking in Arabic" (misspellings and all) too literally instead of translating "diesel fuel" and "no smoking" into Arabic.

This is the article that I found this from, by James Fallows. He's quite the healthy traveler, and is considered an expert on China.

Pulling tea

2012-01-25T09:41:00.001-08:00

Food is as much about the process as it is about the end product, the visual of how it is made as much as the taste. When I was in Malaysia, one of the favorite things I liked to drink--and watched to be made--was teh tarik. The name literally translates to "pulled tea" and the drink is generally known as the unofficial beverage of the country. (As an example of the great diversity and cross cultural influence inside Malaysia, teh tarik is originally a Mamak--or southern, Muslim Indian--cuisine, though it is consumed by all races.)

The drink is essentially black tea and condensed milk. Simple enough, yeah? But the way it's made is quite unique and entertaining to watch The mixture is poured back and forth repeatedly between two vessels of some type, from some height. It looks like a rubber band being pulled as it is poured. This helps mix the tea with the milk, gives it a thick, frothy foam head, and cools the liquid. It's fun to watch and even better to sip.

Check out this video. Nevermind the music.

And this one guy is getting a bit artsy with his pouring. Twirl, man, twirl with your teh!

Studying abroad is a necessity, not a luxury

2012-01-20T11:39:00.000-08:00

I wanted to share this opinion piece by Rick Steves, the gone-everywhere-in-Europe man and of PBS fame. Take a look. The article essentially states that studying abroad should be a necessity--necessary, even, for graduation--for university students. All the usual arguments apply--better understanding of different cultures, appreciation for those differences, better ability to live and work in a globalized world. As cliche as they are, they still ring true.

Steves calls on Congress to pass an act that would allocate $80 million to incentivize students to study abroad. While $80 million may seem like a lot in these difficult economic times in the US, it is merely a speckle of a drop of water in a bucket that is the overall budget. And the long-term benefits in terms of personal and economic growth and potential (which then goes back into the economy) far outweighs any upfront costs.

Here is a quote from the article: "Americans who want our next generation to be hands-on with the world — grappling constructively with international partners against daunting challenges that ignore political borders, working competitively in a globalized economy, and having enthusiasm rather than anxiety about other cultures and approaches to persistent problems — can get on board with the movement to help our students get a globalized education."

Hear, hear, Rick Steves.

Blàr Allt a' Bhonnaich: Redux

2012-01-14T01:30:00.001-08:00

It seems like the Battle of Bannockburn is about to happen again in a couple of years. The Scottish Parliament (with the awesome name of Holyrood) backed the effort to call a referendum on Scottish independence from the UK. No specific timeline has been established but 2013 or 2014 has often been cited as potential opportunities to call for a vote.

Westminster has cited that the constitutional authority for devolution lies solely with them. They are OK with a referendum on the issue of independence, but want to do it "right" so it doesn't conflict with federal laws. This has put the two sides in conflict.

Putting aside the questions of whether Scottish independence is the right move and whether Scotland can sustain itself without funds from Westminster, what does it mean for the kingdom as a whole? What is there left of the kingdom, both physically and politically, when a large portion--half of the island--splits off?

If the Scottish independence referendum is successful and the country splits off, I truly think it spells the beginning of the end for the British monarchy. What is there to rule when parts of the kingdom starts peeling off? Will Wales want independence next? Will hardliners in Northern Ireland start attacks again, emboldened by their Scottish brethren?

The monarchy is an anachronism, albeit an entertaining one that brings in immeasurable amounts of funds to the state. I would like to see Scotland stay with the UK. What's the alternative--joining the EU? Sure, that worked out really well for Ireland.

Vote-mongering politicians

2012-01-04T21:40:00.000-08:00

The lower house of the French parliament recently passed a piece of legislation that would make it a crime to deny the Armenian genocide happened. (On the flip side, it is a crime in Turkey to say that the genocide happened.) On its face, this is entirely absurd, especially for a country that essentially debated the concepts of modern democracy that the US government was built on. The government is essentially banning the ability to debate the topic and curbing the right to free expression on the topic of the Armenian genocide. And how is this any different from the oppression of free speech in Turkey?

The situation then begs the question of: Why? Why this bill again (it was introduced previously in 2006--at that time, a newspaper owner in Turkey--Hrant Dink--stated that he would be willing to go to jail in France for denying the genocide, just as he would be wiling to go to jail in Turkey for stating the events did happen)? Why at this time?

Practically, the bill serves no purpose other than to piss off Turkey. It further deteriorates relations between the two countries and threatens trade. France is Turkey's fifth largest trading partner and two-way trade is worth some $14 billion a year. Add the fact that France has been vehemently opposed to Turkish membership in the European Union (why in the world would they want to join now, anyway?), and this current row certainly doesn't help.

So what then is the reason behind this bill?

As a government relations professional (otherwise known as a corrupt lobbyist), I can step back from a debate and view things from a non-partisan perspective, understanding a situation from a purely political or policy perspective without the overbearing influence of following the party line. That said, here's my opinion of the bill.

The legislation is authored by French member of parliament Valerie Boyer. She is of the same party as President Nicholas Sarkozy, the UMP. Sarkozy is facing a tough reelection battle in 2012 and he's down in the polls. The cynical lobbyist side of me thinks that he's looking to exploit the genocide as a way to curry the Armenian vote in France. (There are somewhere between 300,000 to 400,000 Armenians in France.)

I guess politicians all over the world are the same. As Dink stated when the 2006 bill was being debated, healing the wounds of history should be left to Turks and Armenians, not vote-mongering politicians.

As a side note, the upper house of parliament is set to vote on the bill in late January.

Hating on House Hunters International

2011-12-22T16:32:00.000-08:00

I've never liked House Hunters International much, but more because of philosophical reasons than anything else. It pains me to see some small-minded Americans acting like ... well, small-minded Americans and all that the stereotype implies. They expect things their way, constantly comparing things to how things are in the US.

Wake up call: You're not in Kansas anymore, asshole, let alone the US! You don't go to Morocco looking for a riad with modern amenities for a cheap price. You don't go to metropolitan Asian city and complain how there's no backyard space. You don't complain about how small rooms are in urban European cities. And you don't find areas full of other ex-pat Americans to live because you're afraid of mingling with the locals! You are lucky enough to have the experience of traveling and living abroad but you're narrow-minded and full of yourself to try to experience life as a local.

And now to top if all off, the show is completely fake. I think a lot of people already were aware of this, but it was news to me. Apparently, the whole "take me to three or four different locations and I'll choose one at the end" is all a set-up. The clients have already chosen the house and are already in escrow. They get paid $500 for the filming, and only have to go through the motions of being taken from one place to another. $500 is still $500 so good for the home purchaser, but for HGTV to build the show on the premise that it's real, that kind of makes it the opposite.

Petit pays je t'aime beaucoup ...

2011-12-17T17:06:00.000-08:00

Cesaria Evora, the barefoot diva, passed away today. She is one of my favorite singers, with a deep, soulful voice. It didn't matter that she sang in creole--despite whatever language you speak, her voice can stir your emotions and rumble the foundation of your soul. Au revoir, Cesaria. May I one day watch you sing Petit Pays in that French cafe in the clouds.

The anti-Santa

2011-12-10T12:46:00.000-08:00

Check out this pretty cool news story from NPR about a little known fact about Christmas celebrations: the anti-Saint Nicholas. Introducing the Krampus, the bad cop to Saint Nick's good cop, the Yang to Santa's Yin. Whereas Santa gives gifts to the good kids, Krampus punishes the bad ones ... by snatching them up in a basket and bringing them back home to devour for Christmas dinner. Nice.

St. Nicholas and Krampus
(Picture from Wikipedia.org)

This unique folkloric tradition takes hold among the Alpine countries in Europe--parts of Italy, France, Germany, Austria, Liechtenstein, Slovenia, and Switzerland. Looking from the expression of the kids in the picture to the left, this is waaay more effective than threatening little Timmy that Santa won't give him a toy firetruck if he's bad. "The Krampus will come by and snatch your whiny ass if you don't shut the hell up!" I have to remember this when we have kids.

Urban planning around the world

2011-12-07T12:17:00.000-08:00

Urban planning and development is the merging point of transportation policy, artistic design, political economy and sociology. We all hear the generalization that Europe (and some Asian nations) is more "walkable" or "pedestrian friendly," that its transit system is so much better than the US'. But what does that mean, how and why is it like that? What in a people's history, economy, politics and social thinking that differs from the general US population's that allows this? A new blog by a buddy of mine looks at travel and urban planning.

My friend, Winnie, is a global thinker and a world traveler, like me. She's also an urban planning nut, which I'm sorta. She's also an amateur photographer, like me. (Yeah, she's pretty cool.) Her new blog/portfolio that merges all three of these passions of hers--very interesting and academically stimulating stuff. Check it out: http://winniewfong.wordpress.com/.

On that same note, take a peek at http://www.theatlanticcities.com/, a website that examines many of the same issues by the Atlantic Monthly, thanks to Richard Florida of "creative class" fame.

"The Layover", Singapore

2011-11-28T18:20:00.000-08:00

Coincidentally, Anthony Bourdain had a recent episode of his new show the Layover taking place in Singapore. He makes some good points about the wondrous city planning, the fantastic eating culture there (there are only two things to do in Singapore--eat and shop), and that only Westerners drink the disgusting Singapore Sling.

The famous asam laksa,
Penang style. Oh yeah ...

But let's get something straight, Bourdain--the food in Singapore ain't all that, man! Stop leading people on that Singapore is an eater's paradise. It's good stuff, sure, but it's all a bastardized version of Malaysian food! Hong Kong dim sum there is the same as Hong Kong dim sum anywhere, but if a person wants real chicken rice, real asam laksa (none of that Singaporean curry laksa, please), real fish head curry, real nasi lemak, don't lead him or her on to go to Singapore. The real eating is in Malaysia.

The food in Singapore has been adapted and devolved to fit tourists' taste. (As my brother-in-law puts it, all of Singapore is a tourist trap, albeit a nice one.) And seriously, how can hawker centers that are that clean be any good? Singapore may be cleaner, safer, more modern, more organized, more democratic than its northern neighbor, but when it comes to food, Malaysia wins hands down.

Bourdain, you need to head back to Malaysia for another swing through the hawker centers. My mother-in-law can show you around.

Utopia, Leviathan, or the ultimate rat-race?

2011-11-25T08:06:00.000-08:00

We went to Singapore for three days right before our trip to Pulau Bidong. The blog posts are a bit out of order (inspiration doesn't follow chronological order). But here goes.

Welcome to Singapore,
said the Merlion

The city-state of Singapore is a unique case study of what a people can do when they are unified in thought and process. And in the example of Singapore, it’s to create a society and economy wrapped around human capital and capitalism. In the five decades (give or take a few years) that Singapore has existed as a country, it has become one of the most dynamic and modern nations in the world, vastly outpacing Malaysia (with which it has a shared history) and all of South East Asia. All the while, the island-nation has no natural resources and covers only 268 square miles and with a population of only 5.184 million.

Is Singapore indeed a utopia: a democratic, vibrant, diverse society, with little crime and a great eating culture? Or is it a nation with a federal government that is so deeply ingrained in all aspects of life there, going to what in the US we would consider extreme measures to impose capitalism, civility, cleanliness, and order: the true embodiment of Thomas Hobbes’ Leviathan? Or is Singapore the ultimate rat-race, where people are put under immense pressure to perform at work and school, logging long hours to jump up in the corporate ladder; where people walk fast and even the escalators similarly move at a rapid pace?

To be honest, Singapore is all of that. It’s a small population unified by a single goal--the drive to succeed. This includes all aspects of life. The country seems to be under constant construction—or reconstruction—keeping it modern. But at the same time, there is respect for its history—the old Chinese cantons are kept and updated and the former British colonial buildings are preserved. And this is perhaps the cleanest city I have ever seen.

Blending the old with
the new in Chinatown

Singaporeans have decided that for this to happen, there has to be a strong government presence involved, imposing its will through regulations. Singapore is often described as a “fine” city. And by that, the city would fine the crap out of you for minor infractions—littering, simply possessing chewing gum, jaywalking, whatever. And I mean fines in the thousands of dollars. (Oddly, I’ve been told the fine for public nudity is only in the few hundreds—go figure!) And illegal drugs? You’re risking your life there. And all this effort is to keep the city-nation clean, orderly, modern, and safe. Want to gamble at the new Marina Bay Sands as a Singaporean citizen? Pony up a hundred bucks first. This is the government’s attempt to keep its citizens from getting addicted to gambling.

Being an American, I find this type of morality regulation and excessive government intrusion a bit much, but hey, it works for Singaporeans: the city/country is clean, orderly, wonderfully planned; their subway runs on time; and the economy is strong--which is more than I can say about the US. Who am I to say that they're doing it wrong?

The Marina Bay Sands, an
indulgence in grandiosity

Is the pace of life in Singapore, then, necessarily fast with an exceedingly strong push to succeed in order to keep this mythos of "Singapore"? With my laid-back California pace, I nearly tripped when getting on the escalator the first time in the MRT station. But perhaps that says more about Californians--and Americans in general--than about Singaporeans. Perhaps we've lost our drive, become too comfy, forgotten what it takes to excel because we've lived the good-life for too long, and our economy is struggling to recover as a consequence.

Something to ponder as we struggle to maintain our roads and highways and bleed manufacturing jobs out of our noses.

A boatride to my history

2011-11-23T11:03:00.001-08:00


The open sea

Most people take their birth certificate for granted. They know exactly which hospital they were born in, which doctor delivered them, how much they weighed when they popped out, and the exact time the popping out occurred. For me, this type of information has always eluded me—I mean, I have a birth certificate, but it just doesn’t have all that info, a metaphor, maybe, for a missing part of my life. The time spent at the refugee camps seemed like a stolen time in life for many people. For too many, the escape by boat from Vietnam for unknown lands through unknown seas to an unknown future stole their entire life. I won’t ever know what time exactly I was born, or how much I weighed when I was delivered. But at least a visit to my birthplace, the refugee camps on Pulau Bidong, where my family lived in for nearly 1 ½ years, to which they had escaped to by boat from their home in Vietnam, would bring my life full circle 32 years later.

Full steam ahead

The open water seemed like liquid sapphire with shades of obsidian as the boat sped across the South China Sea. The sunshine glittered on undulating waves like diamonds against blue-stained glass. It was about a ½ hour boat ride from Merang to our destination of Pulau Bidong—the time passed quickly as we watched the mainland disappear into the horizon just as the island began to take form before us. The sea was only a bit choppy and the boat bounced whenever it crested a wave; for a landlubber like me, it was a rare opportunity. As a land mass formed before us and a streak of white sand began to appear, I pondered whether this was similar to what my parents and so many other Vietnamese boat people saw as they approached Pulau Bidong.

A memorial to those lost at sea,
depicting a father pulling his
dead daughter out of the water

This boatride to Bidong was the culmination of a six-hour drive from KL to the main city in the area, Kuala Terengganu, and from there a 45-minute drive to the departing port in Merang. But it was also 32 years in the making, a “coming home” of sorts to the place I was born and lived the first few months of my life. The trip fulfilled a long-held curiosity of mine about my birthplace. Deeply intertwined with that is a desire to more closely understand the experience my parents and brothers, my extended family, and—on a broader scope—the Vietnamese diaspora, including some of my friends, went through living in refugee camps at the island.

I won’t repeat the story of the Vietnamese boatpeople, other than to say that my family was one of the first few batches to arrive at Pulau Bidong. They—all Vietnamese refugees—risked getting lost at sea, running out of food and water, capsizing, being attacked by pirates—endless threats—in an effort to escape a country that was their home to a difficult life in a refugee camp. The Vietnamese are known for their resiliency, to say the least.

White-sand beaches at
Zone C of the island

Beauty with a history
of pain and sacrifice

For all intents and purposes, the island is deserted. A few fishermen hang out of the relatively new wharf, hiding from the relentless sun to fix their nets. The jungle and the undergrowth had taken over the island, though the four beaches remain pristine and breathtaking. We disembarked from the boat and made our way from the wharf onto the beach. The iron husk of a refugee boat remains (reputedly haunted), just the nose jutting from the sand. We saw black-tipped reef shark wading near the shoreline to hunt a school of fish that were attempting to find refuge among the rocks, an allegory perhaps of the Vietnamese refugees. This was the beach the refugees would've first seen when they arrived, and the beach they would leave from for the mainland if they were taken in by a third country. This beach was sandy, with dead coral and shellfish collecting. Other beaches were beautiful, with white sand as fine as powder and breathtaking scenery.

Rosli and his one-man effort
to keep history alive

Our guide, Rosli Mohamad, is a former Red Cross worker at the camp (after my family left) and has started a museum in Kuala Terengganu. He stated that as part of the effort to close the camp, all the buildings were burned to prevent pirates from using them. All that is left are several monuments, the remains of a Buddhist temple and Christian church, a couple of burnt-out structures, a car that refugees used to learn automobile repair, and the iron remains of the aforementioned boat. Rosli himself is a nice guy and speaks Vietnamese. He genuinely seems affected by the several years he spent at the camps as a social worker, and has some ideas on how to preserve and respect the history on the island.

If you are interested in going to Pulau Bidong, supporting Rosli’s effort to establish a museum, or joining the Pulau Bidong Ex-Workers Association (there really is an association for everything!) contact Rosli at lie3827@yahoo.com. Here are some tips:

Bring appropriate footwear. You’ll be trekking through some tough undergrowth and jungle.
Bring lots of water. It’s hot and humid and you need to stay hydrated.
Bring bug spray. I was violated repeatedly by mosquitoes.
Your starting off point would be Kuala Terengganu. You can fly there from KL or drive ( six hours). Unless you're going with a local, I recommend flying.
We stayed at Seri Malaysia Hotel, which is strategically located near Chinatown. But be wary—the hotel is going through some renovations but I don’t know how extensive the changes will be. It’s old, worn, and just plain nasty. Double-check the conditions before committing. At least the breakfast was good.

Selling away the past

2011-11-20T02:30:00.000-08:00

On Monday, we took a daytrip to Malacca, a historical city that has a long history of colonization by first the Portuguese in 1511, the Dutch in 1641 and the British in 1826. I didn't realize it until now, but to go to Malacca and then Singapore makes a lot of sense. A person can really draw the contrasts and comparisons between the two cities (well, city and city-state).

The riverfront in Singapore

The riverfront in Malacca

The two are very similar on one hand, and yet have headed in two different directions on the opposing hand. Both have old Chinese buildings that hug their respective rivers that course through the cities. Yet, Malacca is what Singapore was only a handful of decades ago. While Malacca is selling off its history as quickly as possible and leaving a shell of what it was, remnants of its once beautiful history, Singapore revitalizes, redesigns, and redevelops, keeping but refurbishing the old buildings while maintaining respect for what it once was--a British colony. Let's consider Malacca first.

Welcome to antique avenue

Malacca is the name of both the state and the capital city of the state. The city center of the city of Malacca was registered as an UNESCO World Heritage same at the same time as Georgetown in Penang (in 2008). The city is well known as one of the best places to buy Chinese and Peranakan antiques--furniture, carvings adorning beds, intricate tiles that once trimmed the facade of buildings, statues, vases, etc. My mother-in-law's home is filled with items from Malacca, as are her siblings', collected over decades, long before shop-hopping there became popular. Jonker Street--the main avenue through the old city--is a narrow, cobblestone street that is lined with similarly narrow shops. Expats, students and tourists abound, exploring the river and the old colonial structures and the cheesy replica of a Portuguese galleon, poking their heads into the ancient storefronts and buying souvenirs and overpriced "antiques" that they think are antiques. The floors creak and groan under footsteps and the weight of hundreds--thousands--of objects old and new. Like Georgetown, the old city in Malacca is a throwback in time.

Peering to the entrance
of a tea house

But at what cost is it to the city and the aura of antique shopping in Malacca? Is Malacca selling its soul, its history? In a city known for vintage items that date back to the 1800s, it is getting more difficult to find true antiques. There are more and more instances of shop owners trying to play off newer items as "antiques." Tiles that once trimmed homes and storefronts in the old city have been chipped away and sold off, leaving a bland, naked facade. Many items--true antiques and those that aren't--are now brought in from China. Not that this makes it any better: Even Chinese temples were vandalized for their intricate trimmings of dragons and phoenixes on the roofs.

The moral of the story? Buyer beware. There's nothing wrong with buying non-antiques as long as you know what you are buying. It's a bit depressing that such an ancient city like Malacca is selling itself away without any control or bother to maintain its dilapidated buildings.

Relaxing for the first time

2011-11-19T10:19:00.000-08:00

I haven't posted in a few days, a result of constant traveling and refusal to pay S$25 a night for Internet access. But I'm back in KL now, relaxing a couple of days before we head back to the States. We made it back from Pulau Bidong tonight, ending what has been a whirlwind two weeks in Malaysia and Singapore. I had a small break this previous Sunday (see previous post) but Monday saw a daytrip to Malacca to look for antiques; Tuesday started a three-day trek through utopian Singapore; and Friday we headed eastward across the country, culminating in a boat ride to the island on which I was born, Pulau Bidong.

But this is it! No more long trips across Malaysia, just local ones around town and dips in the pool. We've been from the far west of the country to the far eastern coast, from nearly the north of the country to way past south into Singapore.

I'll post more as soon as I wake up--it's about 2 in the morning right now in KL, and I've been up since 6 a.m. the previous day.