THE NATION ASIANEWS April 12-18, 2009
TRAVEL, FOOD & DRINK, STYLE, ARTS AND TRENDS IN ASIA
Maid your day! Hot!
Stars Shades can sew? in the cool
Soul salvation
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TRAVEL, FOOD & DRINK, STYLE, ARTS AND TRENDS IN ASIA THE NATION ASIANEWS
April 12-18, 2009 E kkarat S u kpetc h
SUMMER HARVEST
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COFFEE BITES, TREES BARK
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COVER
BLISS IS IT
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Play with me p6-7
Around Asia
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GORGEOUS GUIZHOU
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BODY BAGS
THE YOUNG CHINESE
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team
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Editor: Phatarawadee Phataranawik | Deputy Editor: Khetsirin Pholdhampalit | Photo Editor: Kriangsak Tangjerdjarad | Photographers: Ekkarat Sukpetch and Kittinun Rodsupan| Writers: Kitchana Lersakvanitchakul, Manta Klangboonkrong and Pattarawadee Saengmanee | Contributor: Pawit Mahasarinand and JC Eversole| Designers: Nibhon Appakarn, Pradit Phulsarikij, Ekkapob Preechasilp | Copy-editors: Luci Standley and Rod Borrowman | Sub-editor: Paul Dorsey | Contact: www.nationmultimedia.com, e-mail: ace@ nationgroup.com. (02) 338 3461 ACE is published by NMG News Co LTD at 1854 Bangna-Trat Road, Bangkok
What’s Hot
Creations by Wendell Rodricks
Where the ideas come from
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French designer JC de Castelbajac pho t o / e pa
Italy’s Gattinoni Haute Couture
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rt, music and politics continue to have a strong influence on clothing fashion. At the recent Calcutta Fashion Week, Wendell Rodricks showed outfits bearing the distinctive geometric motifs of Dutch painter Piet Mondrian. At Russian Fashion Week in Moscow, French designer JC de Castelbajac paid tribute to Andy Warhol and the youthful Michael Jackson. And Barack Obama’s face beamed from the tops shown by Gattinoni Haute Couture at the Alta Rom Alta Moda event in Rome.
The future finally arrives
Amateur hour
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eneral Motors, which makes big cars, and Segway, which makes those cool stand-up scooters, are developing an electric, two-seat, two-wheel vehicle called a Puma — for Personal Urban Mobility and Accessibility. With a Puma you zip around town more cheaply, quickly, safely, quietly — and cleanly: expect zero carbon emissions. - EPA
veryone can be a fashion designer these days. Followed Moderndog’s lead – they’re creating togs for Lee, the jeans company – models Peter Corp Direndal and Ase Wang were signed up to brainstorm CPS Chaps’ summer collection. “Peter & Ase’s Capsule” features his masculine rocker look and her sweet and sexy allure. Check ‘em out at CPS Chaps on the first floor of Siam Centre. April 12-18, 2009
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French designer JC de Castelbajac
Trends Shades get shadier
Giant, flashy sunglasses are hot this season. Where’s Elton John when you need him? Melanie Brandl
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arge colourful and flashy sunglasses fashion this summer is definitely conspicuous. “Colourful frames are hot, as well as frames with way-out patterns, such as spider webs, peace signs or skulls,” says Gabriele Gerling of Germany’s central association of opticians in Dusseldorf. “Retro” is the No 1 catchword, but the styles are not reverting to fashion trends just from the 1950s and 1960s. This year everything from the 1930s to the 1970s is represented. What all new styles have in common is the extra-large format. Especially large, striking sunglasses are setting the tone, according to Kerstin Kruschinski of an independent initiative in Berlin dedicated to awareness training in everything to do with eyewear and vision. “The large lenses protect the eye and the sensitive thin skin in the eye area,” says Kruschinski. So they help prevent early development of wrinkles and conceal, when necessary, the aftermath of a long night of partying. The large lenses are combined with new materials, colours and designs. All types of adornments and precious optical characteristics are a must April 12-18, 2009
for sunglasses in the glamorous look category, says Kruschinski. “Elaborate design elements turn the frame into a proper piece of jewellery.” Gucci, for example, has adorned its current models with flowering rivets and coat-of-arm details. Dior has lavishly decorated its wide-frame sunglasses with Swarovski-Strass elements. And fashion designer Christian Audigier has come up with shrill colours in his Ed Hardy label. The logos of the makers are also eyecatching. Whether the designer is Emporio Armani or Adidas, their logos are both an identifier and decoration at the same time. Esprit has gone ahead and packaged its sunglasses as jewellery. Protected in a soft clutch bag, which comes in lacquered black or gold, the sunglasses make an impression even when they’re stored away and tucked under the arm. Luxury and opulence are hot, says Frank Hof of Munich’s trade-fair organisation, which runs a show for opticians, referring to the most expensive sunglasses in the world. “Rodenstock has just presented them as a prototype. The front of the frame is made of carbon and the part that goes over the ear is made of 18-karat plated gold,” says Hof — Deutsche Gucci Presse-Agentur |5|
COVER
Cutie Dress-Up is the zone for fantasy costumes.
Kitchana Lersakvanitchakul
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A customer does ‘battle’ with a maid.
This café cleans up
nevitably perhaps, Thailand has imported Japan’s “maid café” — and the maids aren’t here to dust. Nearly a decade after meido-kafe became a phenomenon in Tokyo’s gadget- and mangamad Akihabara district, their cute girls in frilly maid costumes have found a home in Bangkok. The young women wear alluring schoolgirl outfits and dress as sexy comic-book characters too, but fans Akiba Kiss
Akiba Kiss has pretty maids all in a row, but don’t expect them to polish your knobs |6|
April 12-18, 2009
E kkarat S u kpetc h
The Chic-Chat Library
are quick to reassure the culture guardians that this isn’t about lust. Akiba Kiss — which gets its name from Akihabara and kissaten, what the Japanese call a coffeeshop — actually opened a few years ago but has a higher profile now with young hangout Centerpoint’s rebirth at CentralWorld last month. “I’d like it to be like a community for people interested in Asian culture, cosplay, comics and games,” says managing director Taveelarp “Vee” Kumpolkarnjana. “This is a place to feel happy.” The original location signed up more than 3,000 members, most of them devotees of J-pop and K-pop. Japanese maid cafés tend to stick to café service — you eat, you loiter. Akiba Kiss has so many diversions on offer it needs seven zones. In the Choco Maid Café you can fill up on chocolate cake, chocolate drinks and chocolate fondue, but in April 12-18, 2009
the Asian Entertainment zone there are movies and music. Book Maze is where you get all the reading material you could ever want. Manager Sulita “Elle” Aphiphuchayanon ushers customers into the maze and watches them emerge with armloads of novels and comics. The Purikura corner is named for the Japanese word for a photo-sticker studio. Then there’s Cutie Dress-Up, where you can rent or buy cosplay costumes. You can be a punk or a Lolita for as little as Bt170 an hour (and whip over to Purikura for a snapshot) or Bt250 a day. If your fantasy takes a little longer, one imported outfit has a price tag of Bt18,500. The Chic-Chat Library for members only has three PlayStation 3 units, three computers with Internet access and Thai and foreign magazines, plus a “secret box” in which up to eight people can share the PlayStation buzz. They charge Bt100 for 90 minutes and Bt200 for the private corner. Finally, in Maid Battle, also members only, customers select a costumed attendant with whom to play Wii tennis, boxing, bowling or golf. If you beat her, you can take her photo for about Bt200, or head off
with her to the secret room for more competitive intercourse. There are 15 maids on the payroll — expect to have three or four to pick from at any given time. The membership fee is Bt250 per year. Every time you cough up more money you’re awarded points. Collect 100 points and you’re guaranteed a good time in the Chic-Chat Library. Some customers are primarily interested in getting a collection of photos of all the maids, says Sulita, and the foreigners are more interested in taking pictures than playing games. Most of Japan’s meido-kafe get plenty of male gawkers too, but Akiba Kiss tries to cater mainly to females - teens, university students and working women. “A lot more working people are coming in than when we first opened,” Sulita notes, “and that includes foreigners, especially Japanese, on the weekends.” “We’re planning to host workshops for the members,” adds Taveelarp. “They’ll be about the Japanese makeup style or model building, that sort of thing. “Akiba Kiss isn’t just about retail — it’s also like a home for a certain group of people who are fond of the same thing.” |7|
Go SHOPPING Pulling focus at Loft is Holga’s shocking-pink 120 CPN camera for Bt3,100.
Loft is also the place to tune into this collection of colourful FM radios – Bt1,450 to Bt1,650.
Get the eye of the Puma with the sportswear brand’s latest model of shades, yours for Bt4,000.
Ripe styles ready for picking Summer’s new crop of products tumbles onto the shelves at Siam Discovery
Sweet dreams at a sweet price – Anyroom household design shop’s blue bed for Bt2,500
Pattarawadee Saengmanee
P ho t o cour t e sy of S i am D i sco v e ry C e n t r e
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efore heading out of Bangkok for the out the latest New Balance treads – colourlong holiday weekend, shopaholics can ful sneakers in shades of orange, red, green slip into Siam Discovery Centre for a and yellow. last-minute fashion update. The topYoung adventurers heading off to the junbrand shops have just taken delivery of new gle can stop off to stock up on the collection products for summer and the shelves are of functional accessories at the North Face overflowing with fresh styles. and Procam-Fis highlights include Japanese outlet Loft has casual hats in red and white, multiFreshen up here added to its range of funky purpose waist bags and stylish Siam Discovery gadgets for trendy teenagers backpacks by Outdoor. Centre is open with chic cameras by Holga, Elsewhere, among daily from 10 to celebrated architect vacuum bottles with leather 10. For more information, call Duangrit Bunnag’s covers, colourful FM radios, (02) 658 1000. new creations at his yellow-black flashlights and Anyroom interior-design fancy, animal-shaped fans. store are sleek blue beds and For those who like a smart deck chairs. Travellers who look with an athletic edge, Puma has leapt onto the scene with a new don’t want to lose out on sleep should make range of grey-red handbags, sporty sun- their way over to Parker and Morgan for glasses, red-white sandals and dapper white white travel pillows, colourful pillowcases caps. And anyone who’s in need of feel-good and bath-gel sets with the soothing scents of footwear to match their jeans should check jasmine and red apple. | |
Procam-Fis offers a white-blue waist bag for Bt1,750.
Funky footwear, new from New Balance for Bt2,050. April 12-18, 2009
Wellness
Before you sunbathe Until May 31 there’s a smart “Sun Lover” promotion at the Sivara Spa at the Amari Orchid Resort and Tower in Pattaya. The two-hour treatment begins with a scented-rose footbath. Then you get a rejuvenating honey body scrub and wrap. The cost is Bt2,490 net, or Bt4,490 for a couple. Call (038) 418 418 or e-mail sivaraspa@ orchild.amari.com.
The path to understanding A Tibetan lama leads sessions in meditation and self-awareness
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is Holiness Phakchok Rinpoche is returning to Bangkok this month and from Friday to April 26 will be offering an intensive series of talks and meditation sessions. Phakchok Rinpoche is the Supreme Head of the Taklung Kagyu lineage, and abbot of a monastery in Chapagaon in the southern Kathmandu Valley, as well as the head of Riwoche Monastery in Tibet’s Dokham region. Born in 1981 to Chokling Rinpoche and his wife Dechen Paldron, Phakchok Rinpoche is grandson of Tulku Ugyen Rinpoche and the eldest brother of the Yangsi Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche. Recognised by the Kagyu regents and ordained by His Holiness the Dalai Lama, he has studied with a number of great lamas, including Khyentse Rinpoche, Dudjom Rinpoche, Tulku Ugyen Rinpoche, Penor Rinpoche, Trulshik Rinpoche and Nyoshul Khen Rinpoche. An enthusiastic and vibrant young lama, his teachings are direct, accessible and always fresh, opening up minds in a playful and inspiring way.
Lecture Schedule
Tawana Hotel - 37 Practices of Bodhisattvas (English and Thai) Sessions take place Friday to Sunday.
April 12-18, 2009
P ho t o / Than i s S ud t o
Clay’s the way to health All this month the Tammachart Day Spa at the Novotel Bangkok will give you an hour’s detoxification for Bt1,200 net. The detox clay in which they wrap you combines lavender oil, vitamins, mineral water, honey, peppermint and tea leaves. Your body temperature will be stabilised and all those inner toxins eliminated. Call (02) 209 8888 or e-mail dpr@novotelbkk.com.
Lumbhini Hall, Lumpini Park
April 19, 11 to noon Topic: “How To Be Happy, Healthy and Wealthy.” (English and Thai) Preceded by programme led by Praraj Pa t i p a n m u n e e , D e p u ty A b b o t o f Prayurawongsawas Woravihara Temple
Tawana Hotel, Bangkok
April 20, 6pm “Advice from the Dhammapada on vie ws, conduc t, meditation and fruition” (English and Thai) Shakyamuni Buddha’s Anthology of Sayings (contains a wealth of pithy, profound, perennial, and practical advice that can be immediately applied to dharma practice in daily lives.
Bodhagaya Hall,
DMG Co Ltd, Amarin Plaza April 24, 7pm: “The four seals of Buddhism - suffering, impermanence, non-self and peace.” (English and Thai)
Tai Pan Hotel, Sukhumvit Soi 23
April 26, 1pm: “Who is Amitabha Buddha? What is Sukasvasti and how to get there?” (English only)
http://www.pluslab.com/phakchok/ To attend the talks, call (081) 985 5564.
Special kids show the way More than 100 paintings by children with autism, Asperger and Down syndromes and learning disabilities will be on view at the River City shopping complex on Yotha Road from April 17 to 26, alongside works by top artists. “Art Exhibition and Therapy III” will have all styles and techniques on sale to raise money for the youngsters in the Art Therapy Group. For more details, call (02) 237 0077-8, extension 620, or visit www.RiverCity.co.th. | |
Hip Hangout
Sips in the shade
There’s a bit of bustle at the Rangsit Klong 15 market, but no hustle at all at the coffeeshop Kafae Lae Tonmai K he t sirin Pholdhampalit
p hotos / T ha p akor n Phol d ha m p al i t
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afae Lae Tonmai – meaning Coffee and Trees – delivers precisely that: great java served amid flora tall and small at the Rangsit Klong 15 flower market. The market is a seven-kilometre shopper’s hike, so this snug and quiet beverage stop is perfect for a break, and the coffee is tasty and inexpensive. For air-conditioning and sleek design, please see Starbucks. What Somkiat Homsawang offers instead at Kafae Lae Tonmai is fresh air in the shade and the market’s sense of community. The coffee shop resembles an old wooden house. Customers relax under the big trees on the canal’s bank gazing at a charming pastoral scene. Antiques and old household knickknacks that Somkiat has collected are scattered around. He’s got vintage bicycles, radios, lamps, toys and some of those advertising signs they made of tin, all beckoning the imagination back a few decades. And there’s a reading room with piles of books and magazines, and postcards on which you can jot down a “greetings from paradise”. Also on view are thought-provoking passages that Somkiat has copied from books or written himself. There’s nothing fancy about the drinks on sale, but everything tastes good. You can have the usual espresso, cappuccino, latte, iced tea and iced chocolate for between Bt25 and Bt40. A corner is being set up where light meals will be served. Somkiat withstood 15 years of stress at an ad agency before deciding he needed nature back in his life. He returned to the garden nursery his family runs, called Lung Heng, and soon after opened Kafae Lae Tonmai directly opposite. On weekend evenings the coffeeshop is crowded with fugitives from the urban jungle. They know where to find tranquillity and a good cup of coffee. Tranquillity base Kafae Lae Tonmai is open daily except Monday from 8.30 to 6, and will be open during Songkran but not this Thursday. It’s about a kilometre from the Rangsit-Ongkharak Road entrance to the Rangsit Klong 15 market. Call (081) 811 2157.
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Real value for money
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othing about the March wine dinner at the Landmark Hotel’s Rib Room & Bar reflected economic hard times in the City of Angels. Seventy earnest epicures filled the restaurant’s penthouse perch, knowing from previous events that their Bt3,000 tab was a modest price for a culinary field day. Chef Charles Christiens and the evening’s sponsoring suppliers didn’t disappoint, making this one of the most noteworthy wine dinners of the still-young year. Choice Foods and Aurora Lamb gave Christiens the choice ingredients required for what turned out to be a sizeable feast. Succeeding courses of Alaska king crab and giant scallops with razor clams were paired to perfection with Macon-Village Chameroy chardonnay and premier cru Chablis Montmains, respectively, from one of Burgundy’s most respected houses, Louis Latour. Ranking in global recognition with Louis Jadot and Georges Deboeuf, the Louis Latour properties now extend from their prime locations in Cotes de Nuits south to the Rhone Valley and into Languedoc. Latour now produces wine from 165 different vineyards, led by their exquisite whites made from chardonnay but backed by small properties of rich reds made from pinot noir. Rib Room guests enjoyed substantial quantities of both as they experienced first-hand how wines engage with the varying flavours of Chef Christiens’ stimulating menu. Australian beef tenderloin categorised as “400-day grain-fed”, topped by generous portions of pan-fried duck foie gras, was married well with Latour’s medium-bodied ’04 pinot noir from Valmoissine in southern France. Hardly needed but heartily accepted was a final course of succulent 60-day grainfed Tasmanian lamb in a mushroom crust, adequately matched to ’06 Cotes de NuitsVillage, a light-bodied but well-balanced pinot noir from the heart of Latour’s most valuable vineyards. Patrons of the Rib Room’s wine dinners know the sponsors want their products copiously represented with each course, which was once again the case at this event. Next stop: the gym. For RR&B’s next event, call (02) 254 0404. Louis Latour wines are from BB&B at (02) 716 5521. April 12-18, 2009
Bliss for the tummy
Funny, Sa-nga Janjuang doesn’t sound like an Italian name, but what great pasta he makes
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here’s nothing fancy about Bliss, but the homey, 20seat restaurant on PrachaUthit Road serves some truly tantalising Italian dishes, all home-made by Sa-nga Janjuang. Customers can watch every meticulous step in their creation in the open kitchen. Sa-nga honed his talent for European food at Harvey on Soi Thonglor and Guisto on Sukhumvit 23 and settled on “mama mia!” cuisine when he opened his own place in an area where there are few Italian restaurants. “In fact most of my regular customers come here from the Sukhumvit area,” says the 15-year veteran of the cooking business. “I’m looking for a new location around Sukhumvit where I can have about 30 seats, a private dining room and a wine cellar. This place is too small for wine storage, so there’s no wine list with the menu.” The food menu itself is brief, ensuring that the ingredients will always be fresh and the chef can prepare each dish by himself. He only cooks 10 portions of lamb each day, April 12-18, 2009
for example. Sa-nga prepares his dishes the authentic Italian way, but their beautiful decoration is inspired by French cuisine. “My favourite chef is Thomas Keller, who has three Michelin stars. I once tried his 12-course dinner and it was truly fantastic, in terms of both taste and presentation”. Sa-nga doesn’t garnish his Bt220 Caesar salad with the usual tiny bits of bacon and ham. He tops the fresh lettuce with serious strips of ham and full slices of bacon, plus slivers of a French baguette dressed with parmesan cheese and coddled eggs. He makes pasta with cocoa and spinach and does his own squid-ink fettuccine and tagliatelle too, serving them with rock lobster or Italian sausage. When I visited I tried his linguini with rock lobster in pesto sauce for Bt320. The sauce made with Italian sweet basil is not too heavily creamy, but fresh and aromatic. The recommended main dish is the grilled rack of lamb atop crushed potato with sauteed mushrooms and a fragrant thyme sauce, priced at Bt690.
The Australian rib eye sells for Bt930 for 170 grams, Bt1,200 for 225g and Bt1,470 for 280g. Dessert comes down to two choices: For Bt160 you can have mango cheesecake with cranberry sauce, or for Bt190 layered, crispy pastry with fresh fruit and white-chocolate mousse. The staff, meanwhile, is so well trained and friendly you might think you were in a posh hotel. Small but big-hearted Bliss is in the Park Plaza on Pracha-Uthit Road off Huay Kwang. It’s open daily except Sunday from 11.30 to 2.30 and 6 to 10pm. They do catering too. Call (02) 274 3172 or (081) 855 5374.
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Photos / E kkarat S u k p etch
K he t sirin Pholdhampalit
T h e Nation (T h aila nd)
PHOTO ESSAY
Bangkok P HILI PP IN E DAILY INQU I RER
Thai PM Abhisit Vejjajiva in Bangkok Ha Noi’s Opera House
Manila
Save The Earth T E XT BY AS I A N EWS N E T WO R K P H OTOS BY AS I A N EWS N E T WO R K M E M BERS
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round 4,000 cities in 88 countries across 25 time zones participated in Earth Hour last month, where hundreds of millions of people turned off lights for an hour in what has been billed ‘Earth Hour’. The worldwide campaign, which started in Australia’s Sydney two years ago, is to persuade the public to switch off unnecessary lights for one hour to support energy-saving efforts and show concerns about global warming. Following Sydney’s lead, many other cities around the world adopted the event which is organised by World Wide Fund for Nature and held on the last Saturday of March annually.
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April 12-18, 2009
C HINA DAILY
China’s National Stadium, or ‘Bird’s Nest’, in Beijng
China’s National Aquatics Centre ‘Water Cube’ in Beijng VIE T NAM N EWS
Ho Chi Minh City THE STAR
Kuala Lumpur V i e t Na m N ews
April 12-18, 2009
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AFP
LIFESTYLE
MANILA
Alex Vergara Philippine Daily Inquirer
S Fendi bags
Despite medical findings directly linking oversized bags to neck, shoulder and back problems among women, they can’t seem to eschew big bags | 14 |
THE NATION (THAILAND)
Why Women Want ‘It’ Big
uffering for the sake of fashion and beauty is nothing new. As if slipping into those killer heels isn’t torture enough, a growing number of women have wilfully—and literally— borne the burden (and increased their credit-card bills!) by lugging around humongous bags. Despite medical findings directly linking oversized bags to neck, shoulder and back problems among women across age groups , women can’t seem to eschew big bags, as brands— from luxury to designer labels—introduce the next big thing season after season. Is this just a prolonged fascination with big bags? Or don’t women have a choice? Our respondents say that as more and more women lead busier lives — stuffing their carryalls with everything, from laptops to diapers—a big bag has become a necessity. “Big bags have been around for some time,” says Melanie Cuevas, editor-in-chief of the Philippines’ Look, the beauty magazine, citing such classic styles as the Hermès Kelly and LV Bucket. “But brands started offering women more and bigger choices as the world saw a shift in their lifestyles— more work, more gadgets, more roles.” What’s more, says Cuevas, big bags marry practicality with fashion. As a fashion statement, it also says a lot about the woman. “A woman carrying a croc Herm?s Birkin screams high maintenance as opposed to, say, someone carrying an eco-friendly tote. The big status bag also conveys the message ‘I’m successApril 12-18, 2009
ful. I can afford it.’” A certified bag buff herself, Cuevas attests to a big bag’s versatility as she runs from one venue to the next on a typical day. “A big bag has space for everything I need in case I have to change for an event, do yoga or check e-mail on the road,” says Cuevas of her Givenchy tote and an older Tod’s that doubles as laptop bag. “I’m quite extreme when it comes to bags. For dressier occasions, I use minaudieres.”
Convenient
Filipino broadcast personality Daphne Oseña-Paez agrees. She says she carried huge bags while living in
her bag-cum-luggage. “She insisted on carrying that huge Birkin, which seemed half-empty, perhaps just to make a statement that I’m Katie Holmes and can afford to buy the biggest Birkin whenever I want,” says Oseña-Paez.
Practical, efficient
Women like publicist Leah Caringal have been into big bags since highschool days. Back then, she says, the more “accessible” brands were Esprit and Benetton. “I know of some women who carry small overnight bags as their everyday carryall,” says Caringal. “It can contain laptops, folders, diaries and other ne-
Croc Hermès Birkin
Bottega
Metro Manila’s public bathrooms as one major reason women are drawn to bigger bags. Her makeup and grooming kit competes for space in her Balenciaga bag with such basics as Kleenex, hand wipes, soap and alcohol. She also has to make room for a checkbook, ID, cell phone, credit cards and a pair of “lifesaving” Repetto ballerina flats (after those four-inch Christian Louboutins start to take their toll). “If your lifestyle doesn’t require you to carry a big bag to fit all these items in, but you carry anyway, it simply means you’re a fashion victim in need of an ‘it’ bag as a validation of what you’re worth,” she says. “It puzzles me Eco-friendly tote
Croisiere Goyard 35
Toronto, but has learned to downsize over the years except when travelling with her kids sans their nannies. That’s when she brings out her Prada denim tote and stuffs it with diapers, wipes and other provisions. Oseña-Paez uses a leather hobo for everyday use. As the temperature soars, she switches to a modest-size tote from Herve Chapelier given by a good friend. She hasn’t used her Croisiere Goyard 35 for over six months now. Since the bag is structured and quite big, she (or more specifically, the bag) used to end up bumping into people and things. “If a woman’s big bag is filled with all her necessities, carrying one is purely for convenience,” says Oseña-Paez, who saw the big-bag trend emerge a few years ago among subway-dependent New Yorkers. “But if she’s lugging around a huge bag with barely anything in it, it’s a fashion statement.” A classic case was when actress Katie Holmes was seen carrying the ‘mother of all Birkins’. Being surrounded by bodyguards and assistants, she could have asked them to carry April 12-18, 2009
cessities that are either too big or too heavy to fit into a regular-size bag. It’s a secure way of managing your day.” Apart from a laptop, Caringal has a pair of running shoes in her bag. This summer, she goes around with a woven white leather bag by Rafe Totengco. “Unless I’m going to a formal event, small bags are just not practical for me,” she says.
Global trend
Bag designer Amina Aranaz-Alunan has had to mirror the global trend of big bags in her designs as early as 2007. Her Queen Amidala-inspired collection that summer was noteworthy for its size and futuristic elements. “Convenience has definitely played a huge role in this trend,” says AranazAlunan, who alternately uses her creations, and a YSL Big Easy leather tote. “It’s also a fashion statement that says you’re bold, confident and won’t shy away from attention.” Apart from convenience, Carla Sibal, editor-in-chief of Mega magazine, also blames the sorry state of
to see a woman carrying a designer bag that’s almost empty and clashes completely with the rest of her look.”
Lightweight virtues
So, has it become de rigueur to never leave home without it? Not really, says seasoned traveller and Philippine Airlines international flight attendant Jeanette Perez. In an era of random checks and limited weight allowances (even for flight attendants), it pays to fly light—and that includes your carryon bags. “We can manage to put everything in one regular-size bag if we have to,” she says. “Having a big bag simply means having more choices. Carrying several lipsticks, for instance, instead of one. More often than not, a big bag simply encourages us to stuff it with not-sonecessary stuff. Before we know it, the bag already weighs a tonne.” In yet perhaps another of life’s many ironies, what was originally meant to keep women’s lives more convenient and in order, big, beautiful bags may, in the end, weigh them down even more. | 15 |
Food SEOUL
Jean Oh The Korea Herald
KIMCHI MEETS
HAMBURGER Is Korean cuisine on the brink of becoming American’s next favourite Asian grub?
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lip open The Korean Table: From Barbecue to Bibimbap 100 Easy-to-Prepare Recipes (Tuttle Publishing, US$27.95) and read: “’Move over, Thai and Japanese.’ Korean food is poised to become America’s next favourite Asian cuisine.” Without a doubt, Korean cuisine has been garnering a following in the United States, especially in Los Angeles and New York, where Kogi Korean BBQ-To-Go (a fusion Korean taco truck) and Korean-American chef David Chang of the Momofuku enterprise (an innovative quartet of restaurants that serve up dishes incorporating global culinary flavours and techniques, including that of Korea) are giving bulgogi and kimchi a drastic makeover. But is Korean food truly on the brink of becoming American’s next favourite Asian grub? The Korea Herald interviewed the authors of two recently published Korean cookbooks, The Korean Table and Kye Kim’s Modern Korean Cooking (Bookhouse Publishers, 22,000 won), to find out. “There are food trends in America,” said Kye Kim in a phone interview. “There was a Mexican trend, then Chinese, then Japanese sushi. And then, from some point in time, interest in Korean cuisine started to form ... Korean food is practically a trend.” Last October, Kim held a cooking class in Michigan, where she currently resides, for 20 students. Only three were Korean. Food columnist Kim’s second cookbook targets young professionals, second-generation Korean-Americans and non-Koreans. The colourful tome presents recipes in both Korean and English and also has an entire section devoted to kimchi. “Kimchi is a very popular side dish,” wrote Kim, 56, via e-mail. Debra Samuels, co-author of The Korean Table, seems to be a fan of the April 12-18, 2009
spicy, fermented vegetables herself. “I just had kimchi jjigae for dinner,” said Samuels, 57, over the phone, a dish she recommends American beginners to try their hand at when they pick up The Korean Table. Samuels, a food writer and food stylist for The Boston Globe, collaborated with Tokyo-based Korean expat Taekyung Chung to produce a cookbook for American cooks. The Korean Table provides recipes for the hit trinity of Korean dishes—kimchi, bulgogi and bibimbap. It also brings in popular newcomers: tofu and wraps. “Americans like wraps—sandwich wraps, burritos and so we thought fritters for The Korean Table. Japan, starting 1975, there were not a about this almost like a Korean taco,” “Korean food needs to become lot of ingredients.” said Samuels of the traditional dish, globalised,” said Chung, 56, over the Chung has a point. For Korean gujeolpan, also included in The phone. “But it cannot be done with our cuisine to become global, it needs to be Korean Table. ingredients.” adaptable, malleable. Judging from the Korean-American chef Roy Choi’s Chung spent three weeks in Boston likes of innovators like David Chang, Korean barbecue tacos serve as proof with Samuels, who she first met in a Korean cuisine is not only flexible, it is of the popularity of the wrap. Accordcooking class in Tokyo, visiting compatible with other cuisines. ing to news reports, the taco vendor— supermarkets and finding ways to Another key player in the current founded by Mark Manguera—has and future globalisation of Korean been luring crowds of up to 800 food lies in what Samuels calls at a time with its combination of “soft power”. spiced pork, chicken, tofu, blood “I fell in love with Daesausage and kimchi sauerkraut. janggeum (Jewel in the Palace),” “The lines can be 100 deep; said Samuels, who thinks it would quite an amazing phenomenon,” do well on channels like PBS or said Samuels. the Food Network. “I think it Samuels also believes that would do quite a bit for the Korean tofu dishes have a future popularity of Korean cuisine ... in America: “Tofu is very popular. Plain old garden variety AmeriI would love to see tofu houses cans have Daejanggeum’clubs. come to the east coast ... Once They love this programme ... I’m people get to know about making now watching Le Grand Chef tofu Korean style, it will get (Sikgaek), the movie and the popular.” series.” “I think sundubu is very Chung agrees with Samuels. popular,” said Kim, who provides “It used to be that the Japanese a set of tofu recipes in her book. thought that all Korean food was Yet, when it comes to cooking barbecue or spicy. But there has Korean in the States, finding the CROSS CULTURAL: Taekyung Chung and Debra Samuels been a big change in the Japanese ingredients can pose a challenge. co-authored ‘the Korean Table’, a cookbook for Americans. attitude toward Korean food and To address the problem, Kim, culture after Daejanggeum was Samuels and Chung went to great maintain the flavour and essence of shown in Japan,” Chung wrote in an lengths to create recipes where most of Korean cuisine with produce and e-mail interview. the ingredients could be purchased ingredients that could be easily found “Now they see it as healthy and good from American supermarkets. in the States. for the skin,” she said over the phone. Chung, a Tokyo-based Korean food Having spent approximately 17 years So, is the American palate ready to teacher and restaurant consultant, living in Japan, Chung is experienced embrace Korean cuisine? developed modified dishes like potato at finding substitutes for traditional “I think we’ve gone beyond the and basil pancakes and asparagus Korean ingredients: “When I lived in hamburger,” answered Samuels. April 12-18, 2009
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People
Vietnamese abstract painter Tran Nhat Thang thrives on defying borders with his art HA NOI
Cam Giang Viet Nam News
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hang does not design or decorate houses, but give him a blank sheet of A4 paper and ask him to draw freely, he will definitely draw beyond its borders. He is an artist, a painter who loves to work with over-sized toile as his canvas. Among the crowd, Thang is easy to recognise: he has a pony-tail, big eyes, and a collection of tinkling silver bracelets on his wrist. He is known as a collector of ancient motorbikes; a follower of Indian philosopher Osho; and a faithful disciple of abstractionism. “Do you see that car?” he asks me on our first meeting at a coffee shop, where we sat in the garden facing a noisy street. “I think of tying a big brush behind that car. Can you imagine what would happen next? When the car moves, the brush would leave lines behind it, turning the street into a huge canvas,” Thang concludes. At first I feel like he wants to impress me from the first moment, with a strange things such as over-sized paintings, abstract thought and now this sudden idea. Then, a light flashes in my mind: for this man, everything is spontaneous. I imagine that one day Thang found a big brush, and then to use it he searched for a big canvas. Perhaps this moment is the simple reason he continues to paint over-sized works, rather than something more profound or complicated in his mind. I recall Thang’s latest exhibition, which included 39 over-sized paintings (the biggest was at least 10sq.m). How| 18 |
VN S P h oto G ia ng Huy
Picture Of Freedom PICTURE OF EMOTION: Thang prepares for his latest exhibition, ‘The Portrait of Freedom’.
ever, the size is not what left the most impression. Mostly in black and white, only a few dotted with red and brown, the paintings looked as if they had been created with raindrops of black ink from out of nowhere. The ink spots were extremely lively, as if they were still spraying fiercely into the air, extending even much further beyond the edges of the paintings. A feeling of freedom invaded my soul, and a question was provoked. “Did everything come together with the intent of the artist, or was it all by accident?” “I drew that painting when my brush was out of ink,” Thang grins while explaining how he created one of the works I like best among his 39 paintings. I found the lines in this piece very ethereal, for it looks as if a waft of grey smoke has just passed by. Contemplation of Thang’s blackand-white paintings may lead to the feeling of travelling to a supernatural region, but to learn about the toile he uses to create his art leads one to the ordinary: he uses huge brushes, bamboo brooms and even feather dusters. According to Thang, anything can be a tool, as long as it fits well in his hands. “I think the size of the tool or the brushes is not important. What does matter are your ideas,” Thang says. Sometimes, Thang confides, he has no ideas and no inspiration. He even stopped creating art for several years because he couldn’t find them. Fortunately the ideas came back; Thang has had eight solo exhibitions, and is currently working with a sense of freedom. “It has actually been a long process. In my first exhibition, I remember I used most of the colours I had. But the more I painted, the less colours I used and the less complicated the layout became. The simplicity in my paintings
now is what I like best,” Thang reveals. As a graduate of Ha Noi’s Fine Arts University in 1996, Thang immediately shocked the public with his first abstract painting exhibition, which he shared with an Australian artist. Apart from the huge sizes, his paintings used strange materials, which included tatters, paper and fabric. “I threw everything I had into my paintings,” Thang says. After more than 30 exhibitions abroad, it was not until Thang read the works of Indian philosopher Osho that his paintings became simpler in the use of colours and materials. It was these paintings that helped Thang be selected as one of the top 30 finalists for the Sovereign Asian Art Prize in Hong Kong and Singapore. To Thang, his paintings do not follow the rules of reason and experience. Well-known artist Le Thiet Cuong once remarked, “Thang only paints his feelings, his heart, his soul – he scrutinises his inner-self to this effect. Such things cannot be expressed in any other way but abstraction.” “My fondness for abstractionism was inspired by a teacher at Ha Noi’s Fine Arts University. However, it took me 13 years to thoroughly understand abstractionism. Many of my viewers still refuse what they see.” Thang says that it’s not common for an artist to earn his living with abstract paintings. Many people only like paintings they can understand, while abstractionism is difficult to capture. Luckily Thang successfully sold some of his works. In Thang’s exhibition “Alone,” 11 out of the event’s 20 paintings sold. However, none of them were bought by a Vietnamese. “That’s why I called the exhibition ‘Alone’,” Thang jokes. April 12-18, 2009
C HINA DAILY
Maiden in China She’s not just another ‘Jane’, she’s China’s youth ambassador no less
TOKYO
Stephen Taylor The Daily Yomiuri
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dith Piaf was the ‘Little Sparrow’, Aretha Franklin is the ‘Queen of Soul’ and, in China, Jane Z has been dubbed the ‘Dolphin Princess’—much to the chagrin of the 24-year-old. “I really don’t like people calling me that, because first of all, it’s very strange, you know. It’s weird, and everybody just thinks, ‘Oh, OK, she’s a singer and she can sing like a dolphin,’” Jane told The Daily Yomiuri on a recent visit to Tokyo. The unusual nickname was given to her when she finished third in Super Girl, a female singing contest held on Chinese television in 2005, in which she reached some extraordinary vocal heights. “In the competition I was singing the song Lovin’ You and they called the high voice the ‘Dolphin Voice.’ But before that, I never knew of anyone describing a voice like that. But after that, everybody called me ‘Dolphin Princess,’” Jane explained. Born in the Sichuan region of China as Zhang Liangying, Jane started singing in her youth. “When I was young I didn’t sing very well, no pitch, no timing. I just liked to sing—nobody told me I sang well and nobody told me, ‘I don’t think so,’ but I sang every single day, whatever I was doing I was singing.” April 12-18, 2009
Having gained nationwide exposure on Super Girl, Jane released her debut album, The One, on Oct 11, 2006, her 22nd birthday. Less than 10 months later, Jane’s follow-up album, Update, was released, and, by last summer, she had become established as one of mainland China’s top pop stars. Last year, Jane was appointed as the Youth Ambassador for China and visited Japan with Chinese President Hu Jintao. During the visit, she performed a song at the private residence of then prime minister Yasuo Fukuda. She is aware of the responsibility attached to her role as a cultural ambassador. “I think they chose me as Chinese youth ambassador (after looking at) my lifestyle, customs and behaviour. What I can do, I think, is maintain my proper and good lifestyle and customs and behave well and properly in front of people,” she said. Jane is proud of her roots in Chengdu, a fact reflected in the name she chose for the international market. “If you say my name in Sichuan pronunciation it’s like ‘Ja-in,’ it’s quite close to Jane,” she said. But the main reason for calling herself Jane comes from a very different and very surprising source. “Jane is from a book I loved—Jane Eyre. I really like the heroine in the book,” she said. Charlotte Bronte’s classic Gothic novel tells of the rise of Jane Eyre, a poor orphan girl in England in 19thcentury England. More than 150 years since its publication, another Jane from a humble background on the other side of the world will be hoping that like her literary role model, her story will have a happy ending. | 19 |
Explore
Three Days In Guiding
The beautiful county in Guizhou has some of China’s finest scenery and rich Miao nationality cultural traditions GUIZHOU
Xia Huan China Daily
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et in the heart of southwest China, Guizhou has some of China’s finest scenery. It is also home to a large population of Miao people, many of whom still follow their own rich cultural traditions A trip to Guiding, one of the most beautiful counties in the province, is especially enticing for those who are curious about exotic cultures and who are suffering withdrawal symptoms from a lack of quality nature time. Here, you can immerse yourself in a sea of rape flowers, live with the local Bouyei people, take a rafting excursion along the Luobeihe River, pay a pilgrimage to the sacred mountain of Yangbao — all of which are outlined in our suggested itinerary.
Day One Morning: Trip to the ‘Golden Sea and the Snow White Mountain’
If you are not fortunate enough to
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visit the ‘Golden Sea and Snow White Mountain’ during the spring, you might be a little confused as to just how the spot comes by its name. This scenic spot, which lies just 13km to the southwest of Guiding, is blanketed in a fetching combination of brilliant yellow rape flowers and snowywhite peach blossoms throughout March and April. Hence the name. Their combined scent ensures that the scene not only looks ‘Springy’ but is also aromatically redolent of the turning of the seasons. Even if you are a little fatigued after your excursion Guiding-wards, or, perhaps, feeling drowsy after one of the region’s traditionally heavy breakfasts, the sight of the brilliantly canopied mountainside is sure to restore you. In addition to its stunning vistas, the peak and its immediate environs offer visitors a unique opportunity to acquaint themselves with the exotic traditions and culture of
GOLD SEA, SNOW WHITE MOUNTAIN: The scenic spot is blanketed by brilliant yellow rape flowers and white peach blossoms in spring.
the Bouyei people, the 11th largest of China’s disparate 56 ethnic minorities.
Afternoon: Rafting on the Luobeihe River
White water rafting is seldom seen as synonymous with relaxation, but the Luobeihe waterway offers a rare combination of thrills with comparative safety—according to local officials none of the rafts on an officially guided tour have ever overturned. The more cautious might want to note the term: “on
Luobeihe River April 12-18, 2009
an officially guided tour”. The river has been officially designated as one of China’s most scenic waterways and is the ideal means of leisurely enjoying the landscape of the region. There is a deep sense of anticipation when you first board the raft. At first you are only aware of the river’s relative tranquility, then, gradually, you tune into the sounds of the waterway—the steady trickle of the current, the sound of the water against the strokes of the paddle and the gently accompanying zephyrs that stir the passing woods. As an optional diversion, some visitors choose to stop off along the way. There is ample opportunity to stretch your legs and take in treats, such as the untended, natural woodland and any one of the 17 designated beauty spots that line the route.
Day Two Morning: Scaling the Sacred Mountains
to all culturally curious travellers. Beyond the walls of the twin temples lies a region rich in exotic flora and fauna. Its unique charms are said to be enough to lure all but the most determined traveller into staying long beyond their anticipated leave-by date.
Afternoon: Trip to the Gonggu township
From Buddhism to battlements next as our ideal itinerary takes us to the formidable fortifications of the Gonggu township, the ancient capital of Lanxun county. Here visitors get the chance to view one of China’s oldest extant city walls, built to ward-off would-be invaders and miscreants back in classical times. Construction of the city’s defens-
Some 10 km away from Guiding county, looking upwards, the observant visitor can shade their eyes and focus on one of southwest China’s three sacred WARM WELCOMES: Miao artists mountains. Mount perform at scenic spots to welcome visitors. Ya n g b a o , a l o n g s i d e Yunnan’s Mount Jizu and Sichuan’s Mount Emei, has been a es date back to the early days of the revered Buddhist promontory since the Ming Dynasty, when the 3km long, 6m time of the Ming Dynasty (1368- high wall provided the last impediment far any impudent incomer. 1644AD). Its success in securing the city is During its religious hey-day, the Lotus Temple, atop the peak, was home to perhaps one reason why the contemmore than 200 monks. The converse porary sightseer can still enjoy some side of the mountain had a religious of the finest examples of traditional role too and was the site of the Feifang architecture. Many of the examples, Monastery. It is still celebrated today such as the Chenghuang Temple, the for its exquisite gardens. Suitably rever- Black God Temple, the Da Temple, ent visitors are free to peruse the 200 the Guandi Temple and the eight pagodas that house the remains of nearby pavilions, are among the finmany of the holy men responsible for est classically-styled buildings to be the site’s botanical bounty. seen anywhere in the province. The bohemian appeal of the setting saw it much favoured by artists and Day Three writers throughout the years. Their Morning: Tea by the Yunwu Lake In Chinese “Yunwu” literally means abiding testaments to the beauty of the mount and its immediate environs are “a mountain shrouded in cloud and now enshrined in a local museum, open mist” and the mount that bears this ex-
April 12-18, 2009
otic title certainly lives up to its billing. Mount Yunwu, part of the Miaoling range, is set 10km to the south of Guiding county. It is the focal point of 30sq km of unspoilt natural landscape, which includes the Pearl River and Yangzte River basins. The sheer scale of its soaring peaks and deep valleys makes this something of an incongruous locale to be taking tea in, but this is just what the tradition demands. Yunwu tea has been the staple drink of the area since the days of the Qianlong emperor, back in the early years of the eighteenth century, becoming a firm favourite among the royal household. An ideal way to see out the morning is sipping tea by the Yunwu Lake, whilst leisurely fishing. Even if you fail to land anything, sitting, surrounded by the extensive tea plantation, will prove reward enough. You will undoubtedly want a souvenir of your time here and several sachets of Yunwu tea and a few choice specimens of Miao silverware will prove ideal mementoes.
Afternoon: Visit to China’s largest salamander sanctuary
Soothed by the serenity of the morning trip, the afternoon offers the chance to sample something a little more quixotic—and what could sound more so than a visit to such spots as ‘Rhinoceros Playing with the Waterfall’ or even ‘Dragon’s Saliva Flying in the Valley’? Such are the esoteric delights on offer in the Mount Doupeng National Park in the nearby Yanxia county. Covering a total forested area of some 61 sq km, the park is teeming with wildlife and the setting for the Nine Dragon Reservoir, one of China’s most important water conservation projects. Yanxia county is also famous for its giant salamander-breeding farm. Here, amid the region’s natural limestone cave networks, you can witness the amazing diversity of these exotic amphibians in their natural environment. | 21 |
ARTS & CULTURE
Exit The Persecuted
Puppets One of the few Potehi puppeteers in Indonesia, Teguh Chandra, finds it difficult to maintain the ancient Chinese performance SURVIVING: Unlike the wayang golek (pictured),Potehi puppet shows are becoming increasingly rare in Indonesia. SEMARANG
Lutfi Retno Wahyudyanti The Jakarta Post
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n the middle of busy Semawis Market in Semarang, dozens of people stood staring, apparently transfixed by a red box, from which issued the sounds of traditional Chinese music. Before long, a golden puppet appeared, decorated with the picture of a dragon—the king. The Potehi puppet show had begun. Inside the box, 75-year-old Teguh Chandra and his assistant performed their show, accompanied by three musicians playing a range of traditional instruments. Potehi puppet shows, which orig| 22 |
inated in the Chinese mainland during the Shang Tiaw Dynasty about 3,000 years ago, are becoming increasingly rare here, with few people interested in maintaining the tradition. Puppeteers in Solo and Surabaya are ethnic Javanese, leaving only one puppeteer of Chinese descent, who lives in Semarang. Thio Tiong Gie, better known as Teguh Chandra, was born in January 1933 in Demak, where he taught himself his Potehi puppeteering skills. “A long time ago my father had a fabric shop in Demak,” he says. “We went bankrupt because the shop was robbed in 1942. My father even went to prison.” After that, the family—Teguh is one of five children—moved to Kaligawe. “At that time we earned an income
from selling snacks. My father bought newspapers to wrap the snacks.” In one newspaper was a pakem (a traditional puppet story) about the Potehi puppets.” Teguh liked the story and memorised it. Some years later, he met a friend of his father who was recruiting puppeteers who could perform with the Potehi puppets. Because Teguh wanted a job he claimed that he had the necessary skills. He was the right person for the job, he said, because he liked history and was a good performer. He had a week to learn how to run a Potehi puppet show, before he was asked to go on stage in Cianjur. “This stage event was a big success,” Teguh recalls. “The audiences liked me and I was asked to perform again.” April 12-18, 2009
April 12-18, 2009
himself as a Buddhist. Forced out of his job, the man now known as Teguh headed to Tegal, recalling from his stage shows that there were many welders working there. He tried to make doors and window bars and started a welding workshop. He got the chance to return to the stage after former president Abdurrahman Wahid revoked the presidential instruction. Teguh’s first shows were performed in 1999 in the Ismail Marzuki Park at the invitation of Gadjah Mada University and the Kencana Solo University. The stage shows, although legal again, have lost their prestige and popularity and, as each show runs for three or more days, are finding it difficult to compete with television programs and modern entertainment. Furthermore, the long prohibition means interest in becoming a puppeteer has disappeared, and Teguh has never had a student. “Well before the performances were prohibited, who wanted to learn how to be a puppeteer?” asks Teguh, now the only person of Chinese descent running Chinese Potehi puppets shows. “Even now, among those who are on the stage, only a few want to continue because it is difficult to rely on this as a source of income.” THE JAKARTA P OST PHOTOS
Teguh then started to seriously learn how to become a Potehi puppeteer. He had success in various places, especially along the north coast of Java, although he had only one play. Those who came to watch his Potehi puppet shows were from both the ethnic Chinese community and the indigenous Indonesian community. Eventually, word of his success reached the ears of a famous Potehi puppeteer called Tan Ang Ang. “I got a letter from him. He asked me to go to Blitar. There I was given 10 books of pakem for Potehi puppets. After that I started to perform various pakem.” The word potehi comes from the words poo (kain/cloth), tay (kantung/pocket), and hie (wayang/puppet). The puppets, about 30cm tall, have a similar shape to the unyil (children’s cartoon) puppets made from cloth. Each doll has an individual face. There are darkly coloured dolls with angry faces and brightly colored dolls with happy faces, which wear colourful dresses decorated with beautiful embroidery. The puppeteer manipulates the dolls from below using both his hands, yet can play two characters at the
same time. He may have an assistant for more characters. During this time, Teguh Chandra, a Confucian, also became a teacher of religion, being active as an itinerant preacher. He also ran services for those wanting a prayer ceremony or help with prayers for funerals. If the Potehi puppets are now nearing extinction, it is mainly because of a 1967 presidential instruction, which forced ethnic Chinese to integrate, costing them their Chinese identity. Under this law, Chinese New Year celebrations and various Chinese arts were prohibited. And so Thio Tiong Gie (as he then was) could no longer stage his Potehi puppet plays. He kept his dolls, some of which are hundreds of years old, in a big case, cleaning them occasionally to keep them in good condition. He also had to change his name to something more Indonesian and, following the internal affairs minister’s decree in 1978 allowing only five official religions, was forced to register
ART NEAR EXTINCTION: 75-year-old Teguh Chandra performs Potehi puppet show in a busy market in Semarang. | 23 |
Explore
Masochist’s T Guide To Singapore
SINGAPORE
Jeremy Au Yong The Straits Times
Here’s a helpful new brochure selling some of the country’s more painful delights | 24 |
hinking of taking a holiday in Singapore but fear there won’t be enough suffering? Well, worry no more. (Unless, of course, you happen to enjoy worrying, in which case you can worry all you want. Whatever floats your boat. I’m not here to judge.) We will be the first to admit that Singapore has long neglected your specific demographic. In the past, the country had very little to offer people like you who demand a certain amount of pain and suffering on their vacations. You will be glad to know that much has changed. In recent months, numerous existing attractions have been retrofitted to cater to your specific tastes. We did a detailed study and invested some effort into this project and I am sure you will like what you see. Where we could not have the attraction to directly inflict pain on you, we inflicted pain on the attraction April 12-18, 2009
so that you can be reminded of pain. We have spared no expense for the sake of your displeasure. While we cannot list all of the different attractions here, we’ve picked just a few painful highlights. Enjoy, or rather, don’t enjoy your stay!
Shopping
D
o you find that your shopping experience lacks pushing, shoving and people ramming into you with trolleys loaded with television sets? Want a shopping trip where you can get good bargains and yet at the same time be exposed to risk of death by suffocation? Then you absolutely cannot miss one of Singapore’s IT fairs. At every fair, nearly the entire male population crams into a few convention centre floors and proceeds to buy flatscreen TVs like they (the TVs, not the men) are curry puffs. IT vendor: Hello uncle, would you like to buy a TV? There’s a promotion. Man: Sure, I’ll take five. And don’t call me uncle. If you think crowds are painful, wait till you try a crowd where every other person is pushing a trolley with a giant TV in it. You may never want to go back to normal shopping again.
presented with a gigantic bill at the end of your meal. A single tiger prawn can cost as much as $30 (US$19) . A meal for six will cost more than that TV set you got rammed with at the IT fair. For a little added bonus, try querying the bill. Then just sit back and soak in some fear as some burly men appear to persuade you to pay. When you finally cave in and pay up, make sure you don’t pay with exact change, then watch helplessly as the stall owner who presented you with the large bill thinks you want to give him a tip. It’s this sort of dining experience that prompted one masochist to say: “Die, die must try.”
Water sports
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fter you’ve done all the shopping and eating, how about some outdoor activity to burn off those calories? For you the masochist, we offer an exciting water rescue that combines physical pain of injury with the emotional pain of feeling unappreciated.
Eating
S
ingapore has long been known for its great dining experiences. It is known for having good food at clean hawker centres at very reasonable prices. Understandably, you masochistic tourists stayed away. However, thanks to the innovative efforts of one seafood stall at Newton Hawker Centre, Singapore now has a dining experience it is proud to offer to visitors like you. You will still get a taste of Singapore food but with the added satisfaction of feeling completely ripped off at the end. Enjoy the thrill of being April 12-18, 2009
MEMORABLE TRIP: A Singapore Flyer passenger rescued after the observation wheel broke down.
The day starts with a stroll along the Singapore River near the Merlion. If you are lucky, someone who cannot swim will fall into the water. You then dive into the water to perform a heroic rescue. In the process, you are likely to suffer scrapes and bruises bad enough to warrant a trip to hospital. Sounds good so far? It gets better. Not only are you wet and injured for doing a good thing, you will also be out of pocket to the tune of $90 (US$59). Yes, as a special treat for tourists like you, you will be made to pay your hospital bill. During the trip, be sure to have your picture taken with the Merlion statue. It became an iconic symbol for pain after a lightning strike left a large hole in its head.
Amazing views
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fter all that excitement, it’s time to wind down with a relaxing ride on the world’s largest observation wheel, the Singapore Flyer. Such wheels may be commonplace these days, but none offers the kind of torture we do. As with the water rescue, timing is crucial here. While the wheel will operate normally most times (it has to cater to normal tourists too), it will occasionally break down. When it does, you can look forward to up to six hours stuck in a small enclosed capsule at over 100m in the air. This is especially recommended for claustrophobic masochists who fear heights. For the ultimate experience though, make sure to drink a lot of water just before you get on and don’t take any plastic bags with you. Somewhere around the third hour, you’ll be a big hit with the rest of the passengers. These are but a few of the many wonderful experiences just waiting to be enjoyed. And we’re coming up with new ways to hurt you all the time. So what are you waiting for? Contact your travel agent today. | 25 |
DATE BOOK KOR EAN TOU R ISM AU THOR I T Y
SHANGHAI
Longhua Temple Fair
T
he fair takes place in the third lunar month, when the peach blossoms are in full bloom and, as the belief goes, a dragon visits to grant people’s wishes. Stalls surround the temple selling Chinese food and crafts. Ideal to visit at night when the ancient temple is lit for the occasion. When: Ongoing until April 16 Where: Longhua Park & Temple
S I N GA P O R E
World Gourmet Summit 2009 SEOUL
Wedding of Emperor Gong and Empress Myongseong
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t’s like watching a Korean period soap opera with glorious costumes of Emperor Gojong and Empress Myongseong - the last empress of the Joseon Dynasty. This is a two-hour re-enactment of the couple’s 1866 wedding. The original wedding took place on March 21, 1866 when the couple were only 14 years old. When: April 18, 1pm-3pm Where: Unhyungung Palace
C
ombining fine cuisine with great wine, WGS 2009 promises a unique dining experience in the company of internationally renowned masterchefs, wineries, celebrity chefs and mixologists. Wine enthusiasts can look forward to the Chianti Classico Wine Fair and tutored-tasting Symposium, presented by the vintners of the top five wineries from Chianti Classico region. Gourmet enthusiasts can also look forward new culinary discoveries at the Le Cordon Bleu dinner and outreach symposium presented by three of the finest masterchefs from Le Cordon Bleu in Australia, Japan and Mexico. When: April 19-May 2 Info: www.worldgourmetsummit.com
T H A I L A ND
Songkran Festival
S
ongkran is without doubt the most popular of all Thai festivals. It marks the beginning of a new astrological year and its exact dates are determined by the old lunar calendar of Siam. Traditionally, April 13 is known as ‘Maha Songkran Day’ and marks the end of the old year, April 14 is ‘Wan Nao’, while April 15 is
‘Wan Thaloeng Sok’ when the New Year begins. While the festival has its roots in Buddhist heritage and marked by the washing of Buddha images, merit making, traditional family values and the sprinkling of water in respect for elders, it is best known for the fun and everyone gains from splashing copious quantities of water on all who happen to pass by. When: April 13-15 THE NATION (THAILAND )
m arin du que
Moriones Festival
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ostumed and masked islanders proceed through the towns of Boac, Mogpog and Gasan on the Philippine province of Marinduque to depict the story of the conversion of Longuinus, the Roman centurion who pierced Jesus’ side with his spear, and his subsequent beheading. When: Ongoing until April 12 | 26 |
April 12-18, 2009