July 18-24, 2014
WHAT THAILAND CAN LEARN FROM PAST COUPS
Contents July 18-24, 2014
❖ Politics
❖ Weekly Briefing
❖ Politics
What can Thailand learn from past coups?
Typhoon hits the Philippines
The world awaits Indonesia's final tally
COVER IMAGE: AFP
Contents July 18-24, 2014
❖ Politics
❖ Business
❖ Lifestyle
❖ Entertainment
Grasping Hong Kong’s soul
Jewellery pieces that tell different stories
Small novelists, big-screen dreams
Shanghai's star turn
Contents July 18-24, 2014
❖ Entertainment
❖ Travel
Datebook
As seen on screen
Winter sonata in Shogran
Happenings around Asia
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WEEKLY BRIEFING
July 18-24, 2014
Eight months after Supertyphoon Yolanda (international name: Haiyan) hit central Philippines, another typhoon barreled into the country leaving 20 dead and crippling Metro Manila. Typhoon “Glenda” blew through the metropolis for only about about three hours on July 16 but it left the megacity in shambles and without power. Glenda made a landfall in Albay province, south of Manila, late on July 15 at 25 kph, with 130-kph winds and gust of 120 kph.
AFP PHOTOS
TYPHOON LEAVES METRO MANILA IN SHAMBLES
Residents brave strong winds and rain as they evacuate from their homes at an informal settlers' area in Manila on July 16.
In 2006, Typhoon “Milenyo” (Xangsane) hit the capital at 130 kph, with gusts of up to 160 kph.
In stark contrast, Yolanda struck Eastern Visayas on November 8, 2013 with sustained winds of 235 kph and gusts of up to 275 kph.
WEEKLY BRIEFING
July 18-24, 2014
Motorists speed past uprooted trees along a highway.
July 18-24, 2014
WEEKLY BRIEFING
A resident stands near waves in Legazpi City, southeast of Manila, on July 15 as authorities warned of the approaching Typhoon.
July 18-24, 2014
WEEKLY BRIEFING
This National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration image taken by the JMA MTSAT-2 satellite on July 14 shows Typhoon glenda.
July 18-24, 2014
POLITICS
INDONESIA’S PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION
THE WORLD AWAITS FINAL TALLY The test for Indonesia's political system is not the uncertainty surrounding disputes between Joko and Prabowo over the validity of the quick count, it is the battle lines now being drawn between Megawati and Yudhoyono as his presidency winds down
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July 18-24, 2014
Leonard C. Sebastian The Straits Times Singapore
I
ndonesia, for the time being, is in a state of limbo. With both presidential candidates claiming victory based on quick counts of votes, an election that promised the country's third democratic transfer of power on July 9 is now mired in uncertainty. When Jakarta governor Joko Widodo hinted at his possible victory, citing quick counts from six pollsters, his claim was bolstered by former
president Megawati Sukarnoputri at a news conference held at her home. The Indonesian Democratic Party-Struggle chairman was more forthright in her proclamation that "even though this is still in the
vote-counting process, we already can say that Joko will be president". In a close race, a loser is unlikely to accept the quick count as authoritative. Unsurprisingly, Joko's rival, Prabowo Subianto, quickly
July 18-24, 2014
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July 18-24, 2014
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July 18-24, 2014
countered that he would not yield, referring to polling data indicating that he had an approximate lead of 2.5 percentage points. For Javanese, maintaining harmony and showing respect
is very important. The concept of "saving face", to show respect and maintain harmony in any situation, is important. So it is instructive to contrast Megawati's more assertive statement with the hopeful tone of
Joko, who preferred to hint rather than make an outright statement, saying: "According to quick counts, Jokowi-Jusuf Kalla look to have won." Though polite, refined and cultured, Megawati was uncharacteristically straightforward in demonstrating her authority. After all, it was she who stepped aside in March and appointed Joko as the party's presidential candidate. Javanese culture is highly contextual and you have to read between the lines. She is not trying to avoid a confrontation by trying to save Prabowo's face. She wanted to assert her authority as the new power behind the throne. Perhaps that demonstration of her power may be what elicited such a strong reaction from the former army general. However, it is important to place things in proper perspec-
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July 18-24, 2014
tive. It was not just a signal to Prabowo; more importantly, it is an indirect indication to President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono of what is to come and who now wields real power in Indonesia. Just before the start of the presidential campaign, the Indonesian military commented that a Jokowi-Kalla win by a margin of less than 5 per cent could lead to disturbances, particularly in key cities where Islamic militants have grown vociferous over the past few months. The security forces have factored into their assessment the possibility of sporadic violence between the time the official results are announced by the National Election Commission on July 22 and the period from August 22 to 24, when the Constitutional Court rules on election-related disputes. Yet, all this is merely a sideshow. Megawati and Joko can
defuse the situation easily by offering Prabowo's Gerindra Party a place in a newly constituted coalition. The coalition supporting Joko's presidency only controls 207 seats in Indonesia's 560-seat People's Representative Assembly (DPR). To ensure that Joko's policies are not hindered by an uncooperative DPR, a new coalition will have to be formed before the new parliament's first sitting. Over the course of the next few months, the oligarchs who are part of the Prabowo coalition will start to defect. The first movers could be the Golkar Party. Expect to see a leadership struggle there as Joko's running mate, Mr Kalla, plans to regain control of the party by ousting chairman Aburizal Bakrie. A move by Islamic parties such as the National Mandate Party and the United Development Par-
ty into the newly reconstituted coalition could also help strengthen Joko's networks with the modernist Muslim community. As the oligarchs jostle for position and attempt to divide up the spoils, where will Joko, the president-in-waiting, be in the power equation? Having no personal power base, in the short to medium term, he will be dependent on the protection and support of the oligarchs close to him—Megawati, Kalla and possibly media tycoon Surya Paloh. Initially, he will have to bide his time and consolidate his position before he can build an effective power base. The attractiveness of Joko's story, with its humble background and grassroots approach, is that a person aspiring to high office no longer needs to have links to Indonesia's authoritarian past or be part of the elite.
July 18-24, 2014
POLITICS
The jury is still out on whether Joko will be able to assert his power and dominate Indonesia's unwieldy political system without becoming an oligarch. However, the test for Indonesia's political system is not the uncertainty surrounding disputes between Joko and Prabowo over the validity of the quick count. Rather, it is the battle lines now being drawn between Megawati and Yudhoyono as his presidency winds down. How quickly will Joko be expected to act on corruption cases closely linked to the palace? Will the issue be settled before President Yudhoyono completes his term and the seventh president takes office on October 20? These questions are central to a stable transfer of power. ÂŹ
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POLITICS
July 18-24, 2014
JOKOWI CASTING HIS VOTE
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July 18-24, 2014
PRABOWO GREETING HIS SUPPORTERS
POLITICS
July 18-24, 2014
RIVALS EXCHANGE PLEASANTRIES BEFORE ONE OF THE PESIDENTIAL DEBATES HELD PRIOR TO THE JULY 9 ELECTION
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July 18-24, 2014
POLITICS
THE MAKING OF A PRESIDENT, ON SCREEN WITH GLITTERS Windu W. Jusuf The Jakarta Post Jakarta
T
he 2014 presidential election appears to be the most cinematic in Indonesian history. The media-savvy Gerindra Party, for example, released a documentary entitled Sang Patriot (The Patriot) as part of its campaign to promote Prabowo Subianto for president. However, it was only last month that Sang Patriot generated a scandal for its treatment of one of its interviewees. In the film, available on Gerindra’s YouTube channel, Oxford historian Peter Carey was depicted as endorsing
Prabowo by outlining his ancestry to an aide-de-camp of national hero Prince Diponegoro, who led the revolt against Dutch colonists during the Java War (1825-1830). Carey, however, said his interview had been recorded by Sang Patriot’s filmmaker for a different project—and not for the campaign video. The historian, who had asked that clips from the documentary featuring the interview be taken down, said on the New Mandala blog the debate on the film “raises important questions about the use
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July 18-24, 2014
of history for contemporary political purposes”. However, looking at the political films of candidates reveals a host of motivations. Jokowi, for example, is a biopic about Jakarta’s then-governor that was released in June 2013. It was produced by KK Dheeraj, best known for his sensational B-grade sexy horror movies, such as Hantu Puncak Datang Bulan (The Menstruating Hilltop Ghost). The gubernatorial biopic, which follows Jokowi from his childhood to his election, did not fare well at the box office at a time when the man was wildly popular. When interviewed about the film, Jokowi, who was not involved in its production, said he never saw the film—nor did he want to see the biopic. Jokowi was less a production at the service of a campaign and more an effort of producers to cash in on Jokowi’s popularity. Indeed, if the film was made to boost his presidential prospects, it came way too early.
In a similar vein, Sepatu Dahlan (Dahlan’s Shoes) told the story of State-Owned Enterprises Minister Dahlan Iskan. Set in the 1950s in Dahlan’s hometown of Magetan, Central Java, Sepatu Dahlan was produced by Mizan, an Islamic book publisher that has in the last five years invested billions of rupiah in large screen productions. In the film, Dahlan is a poor but visionary village boy striving for a decent education—a theme commonly found in Mizan films, such as the ever-popular Laskar Pelangi (Rainbow Troops), directed by Riri Riza. When Sepatu Dahlan was released in April, Dahlan was positioning himself as a dark horse presidential candidate for the Democratic Party. The film was released, without much fanfare and attracted about 50,000 viewers. And the film left the box office after only a few days.
The Democrats chose not to nominate a candidate in 2014. Meanwhile, Charta Politika political analyst Yunarto Wijaya said before the election that movies about candidates would not greatly affect people in determining how they would vote. “Making films about politics as a campaign tool is creative,” he said. “But it hardly sells, because people are not used to watching political movies.” Yunarto said leaflets and the distribution of staple foods and even money were all still more effective in wooing potential voters. While not envisioning an end to movies about candidates—campaigns are unlikely to abandon any tool when it comes to an election— Yunarto says that other strategies offer better returns. “I think social media would be a better strategy to reach and influence a wider audience,” Yunarto said. ¬
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July 18-24, 2014
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WHAT CAN THAILAND LEARN FROM PAST COUPS
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July 18-24, 2014
Coup leaders should avoid repeating the mistakes of past military governments and set a clear timetable for a return to civilian rule the nation
(centre) Gen Prayuth Chan-ocha
Thitinan Pongsudhirak The Straits Times Bangkok
I
s the military coup that took place in Thailand on May 22 a necessary detour or a dangerous descent from democratic rule? Coup leader General Prayuth Chan-ocha has pledged to restore elections and democracy within 15 months. Public expectations and international pressure on him to abide by this timetable can be expected to mount soon. So far, this coup has been a departure from its predecessors because the ruling generals under the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) have been slow to set up an interim government and draft a new constitution.
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The junta has promised elections for October next year.
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Past coups should offer a guide to the military junta about what to do and what not to do.
Power struggles
For decades after 1932, when constitutionalism replaced absolute monarchy, Thai politics was essentially about power struggles between civilian and military elites or between various cohorts and factions among top officers of the armed forces. These elite struggles in the upper echelons of the bureaucracy rendered Thailand a "bureaucratic polity". Understanding elite squabbling and power manoeuvres was the key to understanding Thai politics. The analysis became more complicated as democratisation and economic development made dramatic headway after the 1970s.
Bureaucratic struggles no longer determined all political outcomes. New urban business groups, provincial tycoons, civil society organisations and other players associated with Thailand's electoral politics and economic boom rose to prominence as democratisation broadened and became entrenched. "Money politics" was the flip side of this wider political arena, as pathways to political power became a lucrative industry. Elected politicians profited obscenely from electoral politics. As a result, corruption and democracy went hand in hand. This placed Thailand in a vicious cycle where it held elections and elected politicians only to end up with corrupt governments, recurrent coups and a series of constitutions. Worse, the coup leaders proved no more adept at gov-
erning and no less prone to graft than the elected politicians. The coup-makers of 2014 are facing a familiar challenge. Seizing power is easier than knowing what to do with it and delivering results that can meet public expectations and stand up to resistance from opposition groups. The NCPO's current "happiness promotion" campaigns that include regular army-sponsored concerts and nationwide "reconciliation centres" are reminiscent of propaganda battles for "hearts and minds" from the Cold War. These efforts, together with the early post-coup calm, could thus be yielding a false sense of security. Hopefully, the Thai generals know they will have difficulty succeeding with a Cold War-style coup as social demands, expectations and socio-economic com-
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plexities are far greater now than in the past.
Learning from history
Coup leaders in the NCPO can nevertheless learn something from past coups, in particular those that took place in February 1991 and September 2006. The 1991 coup was an elite struggle between two cohorts of the Chulachomklao Royal Military Academy. General Suchinda Kraprayoon led Class Five, while Major-General Chamlong Srimuang and then-Colonel Manoon Roopkachorn headed Class Seven. Famously known as the Young Turks, Class Seven controlled key battalions and rose to political power in the late 1970s. Its officers staged two failed coups in 1981 and 1985. Thereafter, Class Five rose to
power. When it intervened in February 1991 against government corruption and alleged parliamentary dictatorship, its unity, resolve and comprehensive lines of command were invincible. The best thing that Gen Suchinda did after his coup was to appoint a technocratic government, headed by former diplomat Anand Panyarachun. Unelected, the Anand administration proceeded to redo state concessions and institute structural reforms. The reforms yielded a myriad of benefits, including the metered taxi and the value-added tax that are now taken for granted. The Anand government also ruffled feathers among Class Five's vested interests. Gen Suchinda was surrounded by military allies who were on the take with businessmen and cronies.
But the Anand government did not just kowtow to the military. It actually challenged several top Suchinda-aligned generals. Having this technocratic government that was able to establish its integrity helped the coup-makers tackle probing questions from the international community. The worst thing that Gen Suchinda did was to become prime minister himself after a questionable election in March 1992, one won by the military-aligned Samakkhi Tham Party. After he went back on his word and took the premiership, he had to face the ire of pro-democracy demonstrators in Bangkok, led by his Class Seven nemesis, Maj-Gen Chamlong, who had become a democracy activist. The confrontation, which quickly turned violent, ended in May 1992 when a royal intervention obliged both sides to retreat.
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Unfinished business
The coup in 2006 can be seen as a precursor to the one that took place last month. Indeed, the two can be seen as continuous, with the latest coup attempting to complete what the one in 2006 started —dismantling the electoral machine and various governments of deposed premier Thaksin Shinawatra. The 2006 coup-makers are widely perceived as ineffective because they ended up with the same Thaksin regime they had ousted, following the new Constitution and election in 2007. The 2006 junta appointed General Surayud Chulanont, former army chief and privy councillor, as interim prime minister. Although his Cabinet appeared technocratic, it was ultimately unremarkable —its performance certainly could not match that seen in 1991-1992.
Despite its lacklustre showing, however, the Surayud government did one good thing: It stuck to the election timeframe. The generals wanted to postpone the poll, but Gen Surayud went against their preference. Ruling generals are often tempted to delay handing power back to civilians for fear of retribution. Other vested interests that might have been built up over the coup period are also reluctant to allow a return to electoral politics. Thus, military governments can quickly become entrenched unless there is a clear and achievable timetable for transfer to civilian rule. There have been different kinds of coups in Thailand—all of them have disrupted and deterred democratic development. While it is better not to have a coup at all, the putsch on May 22
is something that Thais will have to live with. The best approach for the coup-makers would be to delegate authority and performance, so policies can be implemented with integrity. They should also institute reforms that are seen as being fair to supporters and opponents alike, and keep vested interests at bay, while setting up and sticking to an election timetable. The longer the coup-makers stay in power beyond their promised timeframe, the more challenges they are likely to face. Even if they stick to the 15-month pledge, they will be under growing pressure to perform better than elected politicians, and prove themselves more immune to corruption and graft. If they cannot do so, opposition will mount inexorably. ¬
July 18-24, 2014
POLITICS AFP PHOTOS
GRASPING HONG KONG’S SOUL The unofficial referendum and the huge turnout at the pro-democracy march shows Beijing that Hong Kong is a 'wayward child' that needs to be taken seriously
POLITICS
July 18-24, 2014
Li Xueying The Straits Times Hong Kong
I
n 1995, Beijing official Li Ruihuan likened Hong Kong to a 100-year-old clay teapot famous for the quality of the tea it poured. But its owner, after selling the teapot, proceeded to scour it clean, removing the patina within that had given the tea its deep flavour. Alas, the teapot is now worthless, the dismayed buyer pronounced. The message by Li, then a member of China's powerful Standing
Hong Kong protesters demand for universal suffrage.
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July 18-24, 2014
Committee of the Politburo, was clear: Beijing must take heed not to rub out Hong Kong's special character that makes it valuable to China. Almost two decades on, it seems that Beijing is coming to a two-fold conclusion-that Hong Kong's "special character" is becoming less special as the rest of the country opens up and that even if the city retains a certain value, it is hardly worth the trouble any more. Whatever kid gloves the central authorities had donned in the 1980s and 1990s to assure Hong Kongers that despite returning to Chinese rule under the Communist Party, their way of life would be retained under the "one country, two systems" framework, these are now off. This was evident in the hard-line tone Beijing took in
recent months to make it clear to Hong Kong who is the boss. An unprecedented White Paper last month said that whatever autonomy that Hong Kong enjoys is at Beijing's pleasure, infuriating the city's denizens. It also categorised judges as "administrators" who have to "love the country", worrying many who believe that this will undermine Hong Kong's famed judicial independence. The stridency continued thereafter, with Beijing indicating it would not budge an inch, never mind the overwhelming turnouts for a mock democracy referendum that it denounced as "illegal and a farce", the July 1 protest march or a subsequent mini-Occupy Central exercise by students. Hong Kong, warned the staterun Global Times, could "become a Thailand or Ukraine".
Well-placed figures have also alternately evoked the spectre of the People's Liberation Army moving in to clear the chaos-a viscerally powerful image in a city that feels personally bound to the 1989 Tiananmen student movement-and the veiled threat of withdrawing preferential policies for the city. Beijing's harshness may seem justified to its supporters. In its eyes, "radical Hong Kongers" are the ones who are playing a dangerous game of brinkmanship by making the contentious constitutional reform process an "all-or-nothing" deal and by lobbying for full-fledged rights to nominate and elect their leader. Beijing, on the other hand, wants to reserve vetting power by pre-selecting only those who "love China, love Hong Kong"—a byword for a Communist Party supporter.
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An acquaintance who works for the Chinese government made this telling comment when I observed that the White Paper had added fuel to the fire: "They will find an excuse to be provoked, no matter what." It is a reflection of how certain segments in Beijing appear to view "the Hong Kong problem" -that the city is behaving like a wayward child who does not see reason and therefore needs to be chastised. But looking at the society through such lenses and deploying a sledgehammer strategy will simply stiffen Hong Kongers' resistance and alienate the majority who are otherwise moderate and pragmatic in viewing their fraught relationship with the mainland. Neither the pro-democracy advocates, who threatened to hold an Occupy Central civil disobedience movement to paralyse Hong Kong's financial district if the
government's proposal does not meet "international standards", nor the radical groups, which led an attempted siege of the legislature over a controversial government plan to develop New Territories towns, initially had the broad support of Hong Kong society. What eventually propelled so many people to step out—nearly 800,000 voted in the referendum and a reported 510,000 marched during the protest—was a sense of emergency over a larger issue. Hong Kongers are proud of their city and their core values. Threatening their way of life and browbeating them into submission are not the way to go. Instead, Beijing is driving a broad swathe of the people out on the streets and into opposition against it. Now, Hong Kong's largest pro-democracy party—the formerly moderate Democratic
Party—is saying that it is preparing for an Occupy Central movement which could happen as early as this month, citing the huge public turnout as something it cannot ignore. Given the party's six seats in the legislature and its traditional leadership role in the pro-democracy movement, its support is critical for the successful passage of any political reform. To observers, it is a dangerous and dispiriting cycle of action and over-reaction, with both sides digging in and having no way to go but down. How will it end? Politics is unpredictable and, with some players still trying to find a compromise, what has been termed Hong Kong's biggest political turmoil since 1997 may well have an amicable ending. But, for a start, Beijing could perhaps take to heart again Li's advice. ¬
July 18-24, 2014
BUSINESS
“Since almost everything imported is now available in the Philippines, we believe local is the way to go and with the right designs and materials, it has become the new premium”
PHOTOS BY KIMBERLY DELA CRUZ
JEWELLERY PIECES THAT TELL DIFFERENT STORIES Caryll and Jose Benitez
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July 18-24, 2014
Alex Y. Vergara Philippine Daily Inquirer Manila
F
ilipino couple Jose Benitez and Caryll MartinezBenitez used to run their respective businesses separately. They were successful in their respective fields but it was always their dream to do something together. Thus, they decided to put up a business that they were both passionate about—jewellery making. Caryll is not new to the jewellery business as her family has been into it for more than 30 years now. However, she says, the Martinez family’s jewellery business is old school and she wants Denovo, the company she and her husband put up, to of-
Organic-looking cuff in sculptor Olivia d' Aboville's "Crystal Dew Collection".
fer something new and pieces that tell different stories. Holding on to their belief that “local is the new premium”, Jose and Caryll capitalize on non-traditional Filipino concepts and styles to achieve their objective of coming out with new and different jewellery pieces. This belief, they say, sets apart their debut collections of “fast find” jewellery pieces from predictable pieces produced by more established foreign brands. To realise their vision of producing “different stories” that cater to various market segments, they collaborated with six guest designers from various fields. The fact that each designer brings with him/ her a different set of perspectives, aesthetics and experiences makes Denovo’s initial offerings distinct from one another.
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Organic-looking cuff in sculptor Olivia d' Aboville's "Crystal Dew Collection".
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Neil Felipp chooses Abu, Aladdin's Mondkey sidekick as his muse for his "Simian Collection" for today's millenials.
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The guest designers are writer Cheryl Tiu, sculptor and painter Jinggoy Buensuceso, fashion designer Maureen Disini, sculptor and installation artist Leeroy New, accessories designer Neil Felipp and sculptor Olivia d’Aboville.
Wearable art
Neil Felipp chooses Abu, Aladdin's Mondkey sidekick as his muse for his "Simian Collection" for today's millenials.
A number of the pieces, particularly those designed by Buensuceso and New, are unisex. While Tiu’s intricate and feminine-looking pieces are culled from memories of her many travels, D’Aboville’s collection is composed of huge, organic pieces that mimic twigs, branches and various natural formations.
The couple also tapped experienced accessories designer Georgina Ong to translate and fine-tune a number of the artists’ designs, such as rings, necklaces, pendants, bracelets, brooches, cufflinks and even a money clip into workable jewellery pieces. “Their pieces are what we call wearable art,” said Benitez. “There’s nothing quite like them in the market today.” Prices of these limited-edition designer pieces range from 20,000 pesos to 2 million pesos (US$460 to $46,000), depending on their size and make. Unlike other jewellery companies where what you see is what you get, Denovo is open to collaborating with clients in the choice of materials.
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Visual artist and designer Leeroy New draws inspiration from religious iconography to come up with "Seraph Collection".
BUSINESS
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Visual artist and designer Leeroy New draws inspiration from religious iconography to come up with "Seraph Collection."
BUSINESS
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July 18-24, 2014
Apart from high-grade black and white diamonds and other precious stones, Denovo only uses either gold (14 and 18 karats) or gold-plated silver. Each center stone comes with a certificate from the Gemological Institute of America to assure customers that they’re getting their money’s worth, says Caryll. Denovo’s boutique is located at the newly opened Century City Mall in the financial district of Makati. The husband-and-wife team plans to open three more outlets in Metro Manila within the next year or so. For Jose, Denovo isn’t only about making unique pieces of jewellery, it is also about making jewellery pieces, particularly diamonds, “more accessible” to many. Many people find diamonds intimidating,” he says. “With the help of these artists, we hope to encourage new customers to
start their own stories by buying and gifting themselves and their loved ones with jewellery for every milestone in their lives.”
Artists’ talents, skills
There are a number of reasons why the couple chose this initial batch of designers. Apart from bringing with them varying aesthetics, each talent has been tasked to tap into a specific market. Tiu, for instance, was asked to come up with designs that would hopefully appeal to independent women, while Disini’s directive was to appeal to future brides with her collection of diamond-studded engagement and wedding rings. While New and D’Aboville were asked to cater to present-day urbanites, Felipp was assigned to take care of millennials. This left Buensuceso to fashion
Celebrating the balance that's designed to appeal to leaders and achievers, Jinggoy Buensuceso opts for simplicity and linear details to produce his "Equilibrium Collection".
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precious and semiprecious gift items mostly for men. “Apart from their individual directive,” said Benitez, “each artist was free to do whatever he or she wanted.” Tiu’s five-piece “Global Collection”, composed of rings, bracelets, earrings and a cuff, was inspired by such historic and iconic structures as Istanbul’s Blue Mosque, Jerusalem’s Dome of the Rock, Budapest’s Fisherman’s Bastion and Rio de Janeiro’s Metropolitan Cathedral. Instead of going solid and linear, the first-time jewellery designer opted for soft, curved patterns and latticework for a lighter, more intricate feel. A pair of stackable bracelets even had touches of colour to represent the stained glass windows of the Rio cathedral.
Celebrating the balance that's designed to appeal to leaders and achievers, Jinggoy Buensuceso opts for simplicity and linear details to produce his "Equilibrium Collection".
“Every piece in my collection represents a country or city I was drawn to,” she said. “But my representation of the Philippines is totally different.” It’s not that Tiu didn’t find any appealing tourist spot in the Philippines. But after seeing how her countrymen rose with renewed hope and energy in the wake of
Super Typhoon “Yolanda”, she decided to draw inspiration instead from the Filipino character. She appropriated the sun and stars on the Philippine flag, which she reinterpreted and interspersed with a cross, to form an eye-catching statement cuff. Because of his background in fashion, New produced fluid gold
July 18-24, 2014
BUSINESS
Celebrating the balance that's designed to appeal to leaders and achievers, Jinggoy Buensuceso opts for simplicity and linear details to produce his "Equilibrium Collection".
BUSINESS
July 18-24, 2014
and rhodium-plated pieces that borrowed heavily from religious iconography. But you need not be Catholic to appreciate and even wear one of his creations. In lieu of crosses, he drew inspiration from angel’s wings to produce the “Seraph Collection”. The only recognisable Catholic icon is New’s lovely carved pendant, which resembles Jesus’ Sacred Heart.
The way to go
Felipp chose Abu, Aladdin’s tailed sidekick, as his muse for his “Simian Collection” of monkey-shaped necklaces, bracelets, earrings and rings. “My pieces are a reflection of Abu, a mischievous monkey who’s drawn to anything shiny, shimmery and splendid,” he said. “I want the wearer to have fun because even though our outer shell changes, our inner child remains.”
Cheryl Tiu's "Global Collection" is inspired by her many travels overseas.
His pair of necklaces, for instance, is made of strands of small gold monkey figures that appear “normal” and office-appropriate from afar. Upon closer
scrutiny, however, one can’t help but notice its whimsical appeal. Finally, Buensuceso’s “Equilibrium Collection” celebrates balance and is designed to appeal to indi-
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Cheryl Tiu's "Global Collection" is inspired by her many travels overseas.
viduals who favour simplicity and linear details over frilly carvings. The artist took inspiration from leaders and achievers who live intense, even punishing, lives. The collection is his way of reminding them of the importance of living a “balanced” life. “With our country’s booming economy,
my husband and I felt that it was high time we introduce a line of homegrown jewellery,” says Caryll. “Since almost everything imported is now available in the country, local is the way to go. With the right designs and materials, it has become the new premium.” ¬
LIFESTYLE
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SMALL NOVELISTS, BIG-SCREEN DREAMS Chinese publishers, directors and TV producers go online to find projects for the big screen
Liu Xiangrui China Daily Beijing
I
n recent years, publishers, directors and TV producers have taken a keen interest in popular online novels, thanks to their originality and solid fan base.
Genre is an important factor. According to a survey by Chinese online literature platform Cloudary, of 100 online novels whose copyrights were sold by Cloudary for adaption in 2012,
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modern city novels, historical romances and war stories were the most popular. Online author Liu Chenfeng's best-known novel “A Clear Midsummer Night� is a love story. It attracted more than 30 million Web hits and won the top prize in the annual competition for Chinese romance novels in 2012. A TV adaption of the book, starring Yang Mi and Liu Kaiwei, was a huge hit when broadcast in 2013. The success of the TV adaption has brought Liu greater popularity and more confidence in her writing. "It's as if a feast prepared by me has been appreciated by numerous diners, which is a great encouragement," Liu says. Literature websites have played an important role in this trend. Major websites, such as
Qidian.com and Hongxiu.com, which are owned by Cloudary, have established special branches to help film and TV producers who are looking for good stories and to deal with copyright licensing. Liu, who has entrusted the literature website Hongxiu. com to deal with her copyright licensing to TV producers, thinks it makes things easier for writers and allows them to focus more on their work. However, many other writers have sought to work closely with film and TV producers and play an active role in the adaption process of their own works. The authors' unique understanding about the original works is valued by producers and directors. Popular online writer Bao Jingjing worked with director Teng Huatao as the screenwrit-
er for one of her online novels. The movie Love Is Not Blind, adapted from her story, became an instant hit in 2012. Bao graduated from Beijing Film Academy with a degree in literature. Her background gave her extra weight in winning the director's trust. The experience has led Bao on a new career path. She won the award for best adapted screenplay at the 49th Golden Horse Awards in Taiwan in 2012. Since then, Bao has adapted another of her writings into a film and a TV series, both directed by Teng. "I am lucky. Now I have a job that I really enjoy," Bao says. While writing novels online, Bao adds that she will consider the possibility of her works being adapted into films or TV, and avoids sentences that might be difficult for actors.
LIFESTYLE
July 18-24, 2014
AFP
Bao Jingjing
New type of authors
After breaking up with her boyfriend in 2009, Bao Jingjing, then 22, started "making up" a love story simply to distract herself from her heartbreak. Her story progressed quickly, so she decided to post it online as a serial. The story of a young girl dealing with the pang of a broken heart soon attracted many readers with its simple, humorous style. When Bao started to write less as she reunited with her boyfriend, she was contacted by her readers who urged her to continue, as they were eager to find out what happened next. Bao finished writing the story in three months. It became so popular online that she was soon contacted by a publisher who turned it into a best-seller.
To cap it all off, Bao's novel was later picked up by film director Teng Huatao and adapted into a movie in 2012. With an investment of only 9 million (US$1.45 million), the movie Love Is Not Blind took in 350 million yuan. Bao's story is only one of many Internet novels that have landed deals for films, TV shows and physical books. Unlike traditional writers who toil away on their books for years in the hope of gaining recognition, many young writers like Bao have cultivated readers rapidly online and often find overnight success in the real world. Bao admits that the success was unexpected. "I just enjoy writing and the Internet is a good platform, because there are people who want to listen. What
July 18-24, 2014
Zhang Wei
LIFESTYLE
LIFESTYLE
July 18-24, 2014
I was writing was nothing unusual," Bao says. She worked as a copywriter for one month before quitting. "I thought I would have to rely on my parents for the rest of my life," says Bao, who still remembers how surprised her parents were when she proudly gave them her copyright earnings. Online literature forums are platforms for grassroots writers to realise their dreams, says another post-1980 writer who writes under the pseudonym Binglansha. Binglansha was doing an ordinary office job when she started reading online novels. Back then, most online novels were free, she recalls. Since her first attempt in 2008, Binglansha has authored a series of historical romance novels. Her awarding-winning work “Beauty's Plan� has been published and is set to be adapted into a TV series.
As literature websites began charging readers, popular writers like Binglansha started to receive considerable contribution fees, which are determined by how many hits they get on the website. Selling copyrights brings in additional revenue. Binglansha says she now receives enough money to support her family and focus on writing. Besides economic benefits, interacting with her readers on the forum is also exciting. "It's something online writers do every day. It makes me feel so good to see so many readers enjoy my story and get immersed in the plots," says Binglansha, who often has heated discussions with her readers. Writing can be a difficult and boring process. However, the support from readers gives her passion, says Liu Chenfeng, another young writer.
"They make me feel that I am not writing alone," Liu says. Liu used to work in IT in Shanghai. She has posted over 5 million words on Hongxiu.com, one of the major literature websites. Liu says it's hard to predict whether a novel will be popular. "Sometimes I am very confident that people would love my story. However, it is really not something under my control," Liu says. "Gradually I became less concerned about popularity and focused more on quality." She's working on a few modern love stories, and has plans to try some fantasies and historical novels, both genres favoured by online writers. Typing millions of words paid off In the past five years, Zhang Wei has racked up 177 million yuan ($28.53 million) by just moving his fingertips.
LIFESTYLE
July 18-24, 2014
For two consecutive years since 2012, he has topped the list of wealthiest Chinese Internet novelists, with an income of 33 million yuan in 2012. The 33-year-old Beijing native, better known as Tangjiasanshao online, was the only online writer to be listed on the 2014 Forbes "Chinese Celebrity List". Zhang presumably has the biggest number of Chinese readers among all authors, but he admits that making a living as an author was beyond his dreams. After graduation with a degree in law, Zhang had worked in several different jobs, including an IT position. He was laid off by his last employer before he "accidentally" tried online writing and eventually created a whole new world for himself.
Zhang had been reading online novels for six years when he started writing his own. The first work was immature, Zhang admits. Yet it brought in a small income and for the first time Zhang realised it's possible to make money writing novels. In fact, he spent eight years leading a life which is typical for most online writers. It has been an essential part of his life to sit before the computer, busy typing and posting. The readers pay cents for every thousand words, sometimes offering "tips". It's how such writers earn money. It took him six months to finish his second novel, a fantasy of 1.5 million words. The 2004 novel brought in 4,000 yuan, but made him well-known as an online writer. Zhang says when he was writing the book, “Wild God”, he was so motivated by the flow of inspi-
ration that he would write over 10 hours a day. The imagined characters kept talking to him in his head, and he sometimes had to take up to four showers to cool down and fall asleep, he recalls. Now he has delivered 12 novels—more than 30 million words—on different themes. His works are read by hundreds of millions. Zhang thinks his works, mainly fantasies, are interesting to young people and are suitable for making cartoons. More than 10 million printed copies of his books and an equal number of cartoons based on them are sold each year. Besides the three existing cartoon books developed from his works, six others are being made. Zhang's famously high productivity is also his secret to
LIFESTYLE
July 18-24, 2014
wealth. In his best year, he wrote 4 million words. Over the years, he has followed a strict writing schedule and never fails his readers in updating the stories online. He usually begins with a concept and develops the structure
LOVE IS NOT BLIND
months before the writing. He skillfully paces the story according to his own understanding of readers' habits. Zhang says his sensitiveness and curiosity have helped him find inspiration in daily life. "A word or sentence that might well be neglected by others might spark a story in me," he says. Books and movies are other sources of inspiration. Zhang admits that he is one of the few writers at the top of the pyramid while most online writers remain uncelebrated. However, he argues that his success can be achieved by others, as long as "they write hard enough". The industry is still growing at a dazzling speed, and more online writers can find a bright future as the Internet continues to shape people's reading habits, he says.—Liu Xiangrui/ China Daily 
July 18-24, 2014
LOVE IS NOT BLIND
LIFESTYLE
July 18-24, 2014
LOVE IS NOT BLIND
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July 18-24, 2014
LIFESTYLE ENTERTAINMENT
Hong Kong continues to be a movie magnet, but foreign actors and filmmakers with an eye on the mainland hope to cash in on the action as it moves to China's financial hub
PHOTOS BY AFP
SHANGHAI'S STAR TURN
ENTERTAINMENT FOOD
July 18-24, 2014
Matt Hodges China Daily Beijing
D shanghai's the bund at night
rago Lazetich is among a growing stream of European and American actors who are banking on Shanghai's motion picture industry becoming a top regional if not global player as domestic movies grow in stature, co-productions proliferate and new infrastructure takes root. Shanghai DreamWorks Animation,
July 18-24, 2014
ENTERTAINMENT FOOD
ENTERTAINMENT FOOD
July 18-24, 2014
for example, is building a $2.4-billion entertainment complex in the city in conjunction with Chinese investment fund CMC Capital Partners. The project is already being touted as the next big thing after New York's Broadway and London's West End. This will mean more jobs for foreign actors, screenwriters, directors of photography and even visual effects' artists as fresh opportunities arise and entrenched attitudes change, expats say. "I thought for sure before I came to China they'd have me playing bad guys, as a foreign-
er, but I can count the number of those roles on one hand," says Lazetich, who claims to have "co-starred" in 50 films in China, although the majority did not involve speaking roles. His latest role as a Roman gladiator in Jackie Chan's Dragon Blade saw him spend three weeks filming fighting scenes in the Gobi desert. "I've been a priest, a general for the Flying Tigers (squadrons of American pilots who fought for the Chinese Air Force in World War II), a US spy," says the hulking actor, who studied for a time at the
University of California, Los Angeles, and has a martial-arts background. He is wearing a black Warner Hollywood Studios bomber jacket and black Reebok Pump sneakers when we meet at a coffee shop downtown. Lazetich, who is in his early 40s, was born in Mostar, a city in southern Bosnia-Herzegovina. He got hooked on showbiz as a cast member of the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers World Live Tour in 1995. "I mostly do TV shows and World War II films," he says. "Sometimes months can go by while I'm
waiting and waiting for the phone to ring." He earns between 400 yuan ($65) to 3,000 yuan a day, depending on whether the role is silent or scripted and is about to work on an indie movie that will be filmed in Shanghai and Beijing. He hopes this will be his big break. Shanghai has carved a role for itself as a magnet for big-budget Hollywood flicks in recent years from Mission Impossible III (2006) to Skyfall (2012), Looper (2012) and Spike Jonze's Her (2013), which featured several futur-
ENTERTAINMENT FOOD
July 18-24, 2014
istic-looking backdrops in Pudong among other shots. The city's under-construction "Dream Centre" will include the film production facilities of Oriental DreamWorks. One of the studio's most high-profile animations, Kung Fu Panda 3, is due out next year. One-third of the animation work is set to be done in Shanghai. The city is also set to open its much-anticipated Disneyland at the end of 2015. "Shanghai, in my opinion, is the new Hong Kong," says Austria-born actress Alexia 'Lexi' Kalteis. Like Lazetich, Kalteis has been living and
working in China for about a decade. She studied Chinese and acting at the Shanghai Theater Academy and now serves as co-chairperson of the city's East-West Theatre. Among her film credits are stints in the Jet Li flick Fearless and The Painted Veil starring Edward Norton (both 2006). She also teaches drama at a local primary school. "So many movies are going to be shot here. The rate has already shot up so much since 2004. There wasn't much work for struggling actors back then, but the competition is increasing like crazy
now," she says. Hong Kong became synonymous with bloody police-gangster flicks and martial arts movies in the late 1980s thanks to directors like John Woo and stars such as Chow Yun-fat. For decades, the territory's motion picture industry was only bested in size by Hollywood and Bollywood. Then South Korea crept in and stole the show with ultra-violent hits like director Park Chanwook's Vengeance trilogy (the second installment, Old Boy, reached theatres in 2003). One of the biggest releases from South Korea in recent years seems to
point the way forward: Na Hong-jin made the male leads of his excellent thriller Yellow Sea two ethnic-Korean Chinese from Yanbian, Jilin province. Having rival gangsters from both countries engage in a long bloodbath was guaranteed to draw an international audience. Lazetich, meanwhile, is keen not to put all of his eggs in one basket. He says he has found a niche with Wise Hit, the Web series he both stars in and directs. The spoof Western set in a modern Asian city has met with enviable success on KoldCast.tv and Blip, another online platform for original Web series.
ENTERTAINMENT FOOD
July 18-24, 2014
Given the explosive growth of Chinese cinema, it is little surprise that local productions are creating more speaking roles for expats, with the caveat that they often have to say their lines in Chinese. "I like the fact that most of the roles I've been playing recently are the good-guy roles, not the stereotypical 'bad foreigner' that seems to be all too prevalent in Chinese productions," says Karl Dominik, who owns Constellation talent agency in Shanghai. "I am daunted by the amount of Chinese I have to learn, but I love a challenge."
Another of Shanghai's top foreign acting talents, Englishman Charles Mayer, had a high-profile supporting role in Yip Man 2 (2010) as a corrupt police sergeant in wartime Hong Kong. It was exactly the kind of racially charged role people like Dominik are eager to avoid. "Things are changing, which is great, because there are some real acting heavyweights here like Arran Hawkins, Christy Shapiro and Jim Bennett," says Kalteis, reeling off a list of well-known names among Shang-
hai's theater community. "The Chinese used to treasure looks way above acting skill. If you weren't model-skinny they weren't interested, but now they appreciate real talent," she adds. Others say Beijing offers greener pastures than China's glamorous commercial hub. Richard Trombley, a Beijing-based independent filmmaker, left Shanghai several years ago to forge closer ties with industry figures. He says he is now seeing his efforts bear fruit. "All the big deals these days are done in Beijing. It's still a
bit more government-run than in Shanghai, but the industry is also more developed and professional here," he says. "It's still very challenging for anyone to initiate a project here, but there are plenty of ways to get involved if you have some talent, for example as a director of photography or screenwriter." "Commercials, corporate videos and indie films are really the way to get your foot in the door," he adds. ÂŹ
July 18-24, 2014
ENTERTAINMENT
The placement of Chinese products in Hollywood movies is big business, but there may be a bumpy road ahead
Hong Kong is the location for some scenes from 'Transformers: Age of Extinction', the latest movie in the Transformers series.
Photos provided to China Daily
AS SEEN ON SCREEN
ENTERTAINMENT
July 18-24, 2014
Raymond Zhou China Daily Beijing
A
dramatic prelude played out like pre-show entertainment before the new Transformers movie hit Chinese screens last month.
Barely a week before the Hollywood franchise opened in China, a Beijing property developer launched a tirade against Paramount, the Hollywood studio behind the Michael Bay movie.
The premiere of the movie in China was held in Hong Kong.
July 18-24, 2014
Before the Pangu controversy Beijing Pangu Investment came to light, I was interviewed Co Ltd reportedly paid a 10 by The New York Times and said million yuan (US$1.6 milthat product placement seemed lion) product placement fee to have images of its eye-catching building featured in the movie, among other benefits. Pangu is one of several Chinese companies with product placement deals with the new installment of the Transformers movie. When the third Transformers movie rolled out in China Chinese actress Li Bingbing in 2011, it grabbed plays Su Yueming in the film from Paramount Pictures. headlines for a slew of embedded advertisements of to be a new mode of cooperation Chinese products—an unbetween China and Hollywood. precedented four. All of them Chinese businesses have found received wide coverage in the a new way to capitalise on the Chinese press.
ENTERTAINMENT
popularity of Hollywood blockbusters and Hollywood does not have any qualms about absorbing the free flow of Chinese money. When it comes to product placement in movies, Chinese director Feng Xiaogang is the pioneer and still the benchmark. His comedy If You Are the One attracted so many deals that it was rumoured to have made its investment back without selling a single ticket. However, Feng was criticised for taking on products that did not fit with the scenes surrounding them. Later, it was revealed that Feng had resisted some of the deals, even smash-
ENTERTAINMENT
July 18-24, 2014
Mark Wahlberg plays the role of Cade Yeager.
ENTERTAINMENT
July 18-24, 2014
ing the set for one scene where he was supposed to display a certain brand more prominently than he deemed appropriate (yet was ordained by the contract). However, Bay does not seem to face such a dilemma. The Shuhua Milk that popped up in Transformers 3 was so out of place it elicited a wave of laughs in Chinese theatres. Instead of hating the practice as they claimed, Chinese audiences seem to derive pleasure from spotting Chinese brands. We have yet to hear reports that Bay turns down deals because they do not fit into the storyline. In the fourth installment there are even more Chinese brands, and Shuhua Milk is consumed very conspicuously in one scene. Considering that it is not even sold outside China, it could mean the advertiser was paying
for global exposure that is essentially wasted. I'm curious as to what audience members in other countries think of this glut of product placement. In China, there were calls from some to show Feng's placement-rich films free of charge since "we have to endure so many ads". Now, talk about ads is not even followed up with purchase-ready products. The dragon-headed Pangu building, frequently featured in the background of shots of the 2008 Beijing Olympics, does indeed appear in Transformers: Age of Extinction. The issue raised by Pangu in its statement concerns pledges to hold the movie premiere on its premise, which was instead held in Hong Kong, a city that was the location for some scenes as part of another deal, and an exhibi-
tion of some film-related props and equipment, among others. There were rumours that, with the threat of legal action, Pangu was seeking publicity through unconventional means. In the run-up to the 2008 Beijing Olympics, it attracted massive media coverage when it announced Bill Gates had paid 100 million yuan to lease a whole floor of the building for the sporting event, which later proved totally baseless. A netizen with the online handle Changchun Guomao, known for his inside information of China's showbiz, suggested on his micro blog that a Chinese competitor with a comedy set for release on the same date could be behind this. But none of these conspiracy theories could be independently verified.
ENTERTAINMENT
July 18-24, 2014
A Chinese agent whose businesses include product placement deals with Hollywood told China Daily on condition of anonymity that it was a classic case of "over-promise and under-deliver" with the responsibility resting mainly with some third party that lubricated the Paramount-Pangu deal. He said he had sympathy for both Pangu and Paramount, who "were probably not aware of the gaps in the contract". As if to confirm the analysis of our source, Pangu and Paramount announced reconciliation on June 23, but Pangu said it would continue to seek legal action against Jiaflix China and the Beijing Chengxin Shengshi Sports Culture Development Company Ltd. Now, even Paramount is said to be considering suing Chengxin Shengshi.
Sid Ganis and Marc Ganis, principals of Jiaflix Enterprises, which has been in cooperation with Transformers 4 for two years, denied it has anything to do with Jiaflix China, a company based in Beijing. According to Pangu's statement, the English contract between Paramount, Pangu and Jiaflix is significantly different from the Chinese contract that was signed by the so-called Jiaflix China, Pangu and Chengxin Shengshi. Pangu has sued Jiaflix China and Chengxin Shengshi to cancel the Chinese contract. On the surface, Pangu and Paramount have patched things up, with an exhibit of Optimus Prime moved to the Pangu premise and an opening celebration planned. "We have reached an agreement
with Paramount after intense negotiations that dispelled misunderstanding caused by third parties," said Song Nan, a senior manager with Pangu. The US side is all outwardly happy, as usual, with Bay gushing about "this great movie we shot in China" and how "fantastic" it is to work with Pangu. There is no doubt the new Transformers movie is going to make a lot of money, but I have begun to have second thoughts about the future of implanting Chinese brands in so-called Hollywood tentpoles. When the newsworthiness is gone, will the advertising return from the exposure be worth the cost? Liu Wei contributed to this story. ÂŹ
July 18-24, 2014
NOT A TRIP FOR THE WEAKLING
POLITICS TRAVEL
When the going gets tough, the tough gets rewarded with the spectacular view of the snowcapped mountains in Shogran
TRAVEL
July 18-24, 2014
Jawad Chaudhary Dawn Shogran
W
ithin the cold depths of my achingly overworked heart, I couldn’t stop cursing my Omani friend and the moment I had acquiesced to his request to see the snow. As we were short of time, we decided to plan something over the weekend. I had seen Nathiagali/Murree too many times and
Uphill battle ahead to carry the heavy luggage up the mountains.
the crowd there overwhelmed me. Murree is more people and less trees now anyways. I wanted to go to a place which has lots of snow and is close to Islamabad, but beyond the overly mundaneness of Murree. We had several options— Shogran, Naran, Kalam, Skardu, Gilgit, Chitral, etc. However, Gilgit, Chitral and Skardu had to be left out due to the time it would take if we travelled by road (almost seems like going to the moon, 16 to 24 hours!) and the fact that Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) never ever gives you a confirmed seat on these routes (they say it’s the weather, I say it's reasons unknown and typical of PIA). Indecisive yet, we arrived in Islamabad on a cool winter day and went on straight to the bus stop in Rawalpindi. Unfortunately, and as luck would have it, we ended up
July 18-24, 2014
The journey involves a six-hour jeep ride followed by a two-hour slow hike
TRAVEL
TRAVEL
July 18-24, 2014
So close yet so far away.
with a scoundrel, who lured us with his sweet talk and, salivating at the sight of Omani riyals, managed to convince us to go to Shogran. “Just four to five hours” away from Islamabad. We struck a deal and moved on. I wish I had remembered the
famous saying, “When something is too good to be true, it usually isn’t!” Soon after we started the trip, the driver got a call from his family, began shouting at his wife fractiously, got out, heaved our luggage overboard and simply left us out in the open.
We hired another vehicle; he ostensibly was on bail after being caught on charges of heroin smuggling (he blamed the passenger, but we felt otherwise). He seemed a very devious character and somehow the vibes emanating from him belied his inno-
TRAVEL
July 18-24, 2014
cence. I made it a point to be extra wary of him. We set out again, but soon he started calling someone on the phone continuously. Then, as we somehow had a premonition, he told us that because of the excessive snow, we will have to hire a jeep for 6km (more money) and then walk just 2km up the mountain (even more money since we would have to hire a porter). What was so perplexing was the fact that despite being a seasoned driver he did not know the conditions at that time of the year. Two kilometres on paper sounds very achievable, but climbing a mountain straight up at an incline of 90 degrees (yes, Shogran has one of the most steep climbs of all habitable mountains in Pakistan) in freezing temperatures, five feet of snow, a snap snowstorm and in pitch darkness with wolves, coyotes and the occasional leopard
meowing around you from all nooks and corners, there is no horror movie that can match the experience. We were caught in a situation where we could neither go up because of fatigue nor could we go down. Had it not been for the porter who frolicked on the rocks like ibexes (and my fast depleting stock of Coke and Red Bull), we would have definitely died of exposure. The trip to the top of the mountain took us a good four hours and the whole experience was reminiscent of my neverending search for a KFC outlet in Nairobi where whoever I asked only kept telling me that it's “right over there� ... and that there turned out to be at least 5km, which eventually never did come as I had to turn back. In this particular situation, our porter cum guide kept pushing us and trying to show
us an imaginary light of the hotel on the horizon, but it seemed to move further and further away as we walked towards it. Being very tall and broad in stature, I had a more difficult time walking in the snow because of my top heavy centre of gravity. There are just no words to describe the pain and ignominy of slipping over and over again in front of the laughing porter. Finally, we saw a small ray of light. But the happiness was short lived. That was just a cell phone tower; the hotel was still a few hundred metres away. Amongst frozen tears and aching bones, we finally saw the hotel, the last one on the farthest corner of the plateau. We were so tired and dirty that even if we were asked to pay 25,000 Pakistani rupees (US$253) per night, I would have agreed. However, the euphoria was short-lived; the hotel was hell-
July 18-24, 2014
ishly empty, there was no electricity, no warm water and, apart from the porters, the only living soul was the hotel keeper. I could swear that it was a scene straight out of Stephen King’s classic novel The Shining. Salvation came in a different form, though; piping hot tea (which got cold in a matter Warm meals to feed the body and soul. of minutes), freshly-cooked parathas and eggs. But there was still I just laid down to go to sleep as no chance of taking the desquickly as possible, all the time perately needed shower. cursing my friend. When one was feeling as Being a technology person, I dirty as we were, the whole felt even more desperate since my universe was limited to admobile phone was not catching dressing that need and nothsignals, though everyone else’s ing else mattered. But since phones were working! The only there was no recourse at all,
TRAVEL
heater they had was a small gas canister which barely served the purpose and that too we had to switch off before sleeping. That night seemed endless; the silence, eerie. Coming from Karachi, we were not used to this. Not even the sound of the fan was heard. The TV did turn on, replete with Indian channels, but all I wanted was to go back to Karachi to the comfort of my home. That was too alien, too scary and too surreal. I woke up often during the night waiting for morning to come so we could go back and never see Shogran again.
July 18-24, 2014
TRAVEL
Going down the mountains is even tougher.
July 18-24, 2014
TRAVEL
What would the journey be without the porters.
TRAVEL
July 18-24, 2014
The morning did come finally, and it was beautiful. Pristine whiteness all around, crackingly crisp sun. There was a brief period when we actually enjoyed the scenery and took some pictures but that joy too was fleeting as we quickly got tired of walking in the snow; and the thought of embarking on another adventure, i.e., going down the mountain, played havoc on our nerves. It seemed right out of an RPG game (role-playing game) set in medieval Europe, going downhill over 4,000 feet on foot, made even more complicated by the fact that the snow had started melting and the terrain had become even more slippery and muddy. Surprisingly, it took us longer to go down than to go up since most of our time was spent in getting up after skidding every 10 feet or so. The only consola-
tion for next time (if there is a next time) is the construction of a chairlift which would make this an ideal destination all year around, maybe even for skiing. I also marvelled at the strength of the natives; lean as they were, they still had the strength of a horse and could have literally carried me down along with our luggage had the situation come to that. I made sure that I gave them enough tip for their effort, as that was their only means of sustenance in winter. Before we had set out for Shogran, we had excitedly thought of going to Siri Paya on foot since no jeep or horse was available in winter. One kilometre up the mountain to Shogran, that wish dissipated quickly. The thought of walking 7km in snow further 4,000
feet where air was at a minimum, seemed an almost impossible task. Driving back to Abbottabad, we decided to break our journey because I could not take being that dirty anymore. The hotel we chose was good enough though the only thing that mattered to us was hot water and a soft bed. We slept like babies and ate at AFC (not KFC), since there was no foreign food chain in Abbottabad (thank you, Osama). Lessons learned from this trip: plan beforehand. Shogran, you are the most beautiful place on earth. But only if someone was kind enough to develop you as a winter destination, too. But then again, when Murree is just a stone's throw away from Islamabad, why go to Shogran in the first place, except only those who are maverick travellers. ÂŹ
DATEBOOK
July 18-24, 2014
¬ Manila, PHILIPPINES
¬ Incheon, KOREA
Boyz II Men Live
Incheon Pentaport Rock Festival 2014
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American R&B vocal group Boyz II Men is coming to the Philippines for the fourth time in September. The group is best known for its emotional ballads and a cappella harmonies. Its best hits are soulful tracks such as " I'll Make Love to You", "End of the Road" and " On Bended Knee".
When: September 17; 8pm Where: Smart-Araneta Coliseum
Big names in the international and Korean rock world will entertain thousands of people for three straight days at the annual Incheon Pentaport Rock Festival.
When: August 1 to 3 Where: Songdo Geunrin Park
DATEBOOK
July 18-24, 2014
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¬ Taipei, TAIWAN
¬ Shibuya, JAPAN
Slowdive Live
Babymetal
English shoegaze band Slowdive will play in Taipei this month as part of it Asian tour that includes Japan, Hong Kong and Singapore. The band was formed in Reading, Berkshire in 1989.
Babymetal, a three-member Japanese metal vocal and dance group, performs with a "fusion of metal and idol" concept.
When: July 23; 8pm Where: The Wall Taipei
When: July 21 Where: Shibuya O-East
July 18-24, 2014
¬ Bangkok, THAILAND Air Supply Air Supply, famous for soft rock tunes from the '70s and '80s, is coming back to Bangkok to entertain its fans with big hits that include "All out of Love" "Lonely is the Night" and "Topic".
When: August 5; 8pm Where: Impact Arena
DATEBOOK
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