VOL 38 NO 17 | APRIL 20 - APRIL 26, 2019

PRSRT STD U.S. Postage Paid Permit No. 746 Seattle, WA

VOL 38 NO 17 APRIL 20 – APRIL 26, 2019

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37 YEARS YOUR VOICE

A Tale of two Seattles — now and then

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ruthbayang Pa radise island geta way #page8 #fiji #bula ! #viwaisland

Japan Airlines returns to Seattle after 27 years

By Assunta Ng NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY

Photo by George Liu

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From left: Tetsuya Onuki, Steve Koo, Ben Minicucci, Hideki Kikuyama, Consul General Yoichiro Yamada, Courtney Gregoire, and Kiyoto Morioka

garyt ang Oaxac a is more than gre at food #page9 #butdon tmissthefood

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When Japan Airlines (JAL) ended its Seattle flight in 1992, most people assumed it had more to do with JAL. Now that JAL has resumed its Seattle flight, the story unfolds a different reality — it has more to do with Seattle.

What happened to Seattle during the past 27 years is unimaginable. Its transformation evolves into a golden opportunity of global markets. Even baseball player Ichiro has played a role in shaping Seattle’s destiny. Starbucks, Costco, Microsoft, Alaska Airlines, and Amazon, all headquartered here, lift up Seattle as an innovative city. It has become the desire of many international companies seeking growth, to be part of the Seattle dream.

When JAL left the city, Seattle’s economy was experiencing a recession. Its population was about half a million. Now one of the fastest growing cities in the United States, Seattle’s population exceeds 750,000, and its unemployment rate is around 3 percent.

For the past decade, Seattle’s exciting image lures not only JAL back, but other international airlines, which now fly nonstop from Seattle to other Asian countries for the first time in their history in 2019.

Kosei Yamada, JAL Vice President for the Northwestern region, said the company started

Courtesy Port of Seattle/Clark SOM

see JAL on 16

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37 YEARS

APRIL 20 – APRIL 26, 2019

■ NAMES IN THE NEWS Sam Wan and SCIDpda to be honored at ICHS Bloom Gala

American Affairs (CAPAA) held its Sapphire Anniversary Celebration on April 13 — observing 45 years of service to the APA community. Diane Narasaki, who served as the executive director of Asian Counseling and Referral Service for over 24 years, was honored with a lifetime achievement award. And former CAPAA Commissioner Reynaldo Pascua received the Vanguard Award. 

First woman president of Seattle Lee Family Association

Wu Huimin

International Community Health Services (ICHS) will honor Sam Wan, former CEO of Kin On Health Care Center, and the Seattle Chinatown-International District Preservation and Development Authority (SCIDpda), a longtime nonprofit partner, with the Bamboo Award for Health at its Bloom Gala on April 27.

ICHS Foundation Executive Director Ron Chew said Wan and SCIDpda “exemplify the best in selfless support for the ICHS mission of providing culturally and linguistically appropriate health services to the most vulnerable members of our community.”

Wan spent over three decades at the helm of Kin On and he worked for the Seattle-King County Division on Aging for over 10 years.

SCIDpda was created by the City of Seattle in 1975 to spearhead redevelopment of aging historic structures in the Chinatown-International District. 

ensure that they arrive at their destination safely,” said Huimin.

Huimin grew up in the port city of Qingdao in the Shandong province in Eastern China. He attended the Shanghai Maritime University and his first job was as a deck cadet on a Chinese cargo vessel sailing in Southeast Asia. Later, when he moved to a cruise ship in 2000, he realized that he enjoyed working with larger teams and interacting with people of different nationalities. 

CAPAA Sapphire Anniversary Celebration

Spic ’n Span closing Photo from King County Assesor's Office

Sam Wan

First Asian captain for Royal Caribbean

Captain Wu Huimin is the first Asian master of a Royal Caribbean International ship, commanding the Voyager of the Seas since Nov. 23, 2018.

Huimin first joined Royal Caribbean in 2014. “As captain, my objective is to deliver top-notch service to our guests and

Susan Lee has been named the president of the Seattle Lee Family Association — the first woman to hold that position. In addition, among the Lee chapters in the United States, there Senator Bob Hasegawa (left) and Susan has been no woman Lee (right) Lee president.

Her vision is to provide a “home away from home space for Lee young adults” aged 18-25. Lee is a retired business owner and as president, she will oversee operations and affairs with Lee board members. 

Diane Narasaki (left) and Reynaldo Pascua with their awards.

Courtesy of WA State Commission on Asian Pacific American Affairs

The Washington State Commission on Asian Pacific

The only dry cleaning business in Seattle’s ChinatownInternational District is closing at the end of this month.

Located on 652 South Dearborn Street, Spic ’n Span Cleaners will close its doors on April 30.

Calls to the property owner, Gerald Ostroff, to find out about future plans for the space, went answered. 

From SEA to shining sea We’re proud to have roots—and routes—in Seattle, WA.

asianweekly northwest

YOUR VOICE

■ COMMUNITY NEWS

APRIL 20 – APRIL 26, 2019

3

Washington senator registers to lobby for Cambodia

By RACHEL LA CORTE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Republican Sen. Doug Ericksen

OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) — Washington state Republican Sen. Doug Ericksen has registered as a foreign agent in order to consult and lobby for the country of Cambodia.

Under documents filed with the U.S. Department of Justice under the Foreign Agents Registration Act, Ericksen signed an agreement between PacRim Bridges LLC — a company he formed in 2017 — and the Kingdom of Cambodia

on March 25.

Under the contract, first reported by Politico, PacRim will receive $500,000 a year to provide consulting services and to “work to support legislation that is positive for Cambodia.’’ Among the services offered by PacRim will be arranging for cultural exchanges and visits by Cambodian delegations.

Ericksen is CEO of PacRim, and former Republican Rep. Jay Rodne serves as general counsel and chief legal officer.

Ericksen said on April 5 that while he didn’t think he was required to file with the federal government, he did so because “I wanted to make sure everything was transparent

and clear.’’

He said that while the contract includes language on supporting legislation beneficial to Cambodia as part of the work, his work will focus more on improving the image of a country that he sees as an emerging economy. “Our goal is to advise and consult with the people of Cambodia to improve relations with the United States,’’ Ericksen said.

Because the Washington Legislature does not run year-round, many lawmakers hold outside employment.

Administrators in the House and Senate were not aware of any other lawmakers who have registered as a foreign agent while serving in the Legislature. According to Jennifer Strus, attorney for the Legislative Ethics Board, nothing in the state Ethics in Public Service Act prohibits it.

“As with any member with outside employment, he may not lobby the Washington state legislature on behalf of his employer,’’ Strus wrote in an email.

Ericksen was elected to his third term in the Senate in November, winning by just 46 votes. He previously served six terms in the House. In 2017, he temporarily served as communications director for the Environmental Protection Agency transition team following President Donald Trump’s election.

He had received criticism for previous trips to Cambodia, including one to observe the country’s July 29 elections that the White House had said were “neither free nor fair and failed to represent the will of the Cambodian people.’’

In its 2018 human rights report on Cambodia, the State Department cited several areas of concern in the country,

including “unlawful or arbitrary killings carried out by the government or on its behalf; forced disappearance carried out by the government; torture by the government; arbitrary arrests by the government.’’

Ericksen said he doesn’t dispute the human rights findings, but he said his trips there “paint a different picture.’’

He said that his interest in the country developed following a meeting with a Cambodian delegation at the state Capitol in the spring of 2016, followed by his first trip to the country with his family that summer.

Talks following his trip to observe the elections led to this new role. Ericksen said he did his research to make sure it wouldn’t run afoul of any laws or rules.

“People talk about the optics, but nothing about the reality of a conflict of interest, because there is none,’’ he said.

Fred Wertheimer, president of Democracy 21, a nonprofit group that works to limit money in politics, said that while there may not be any legal or ethical questions, “I find it highly unusual for a country to hire a state senator to be a lobbyist.’’

“I would certainly want to know what the Cambodian government thought they were getting,’’ he said.

Ericksen said he believes the relationships he has forged in Cambodia will help the two countries work together on issues ranging from anti-terrorism to combating human trafficking. “I think it’s a really unique opportunity to actually help people,’’ he said. 

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APRIL 20 – APRIL 26, 2019

37 YEARS

■ NATIONAL NEWS

Tiger Woods makes Masters his 15th and most improbable major

AP Photo/John Amis

By DOUG FERGUSON AP GOLF WRITER

Tiger Woods (file photo)

AUGUSTA, Ga. (AP) — Tiger Woods blazing to victory in his Sunday red at the Masters, a scene once so familiar, was never more stunning.

It was only two years ago at Augusta National that Woods needed a nerve block just to hobble upstairs to the Champions Dinner, unsure he would ever play another round of golf. He had a fourth back surgery with hopes of simply playing with his two children, not chasing Jack Nicklaus in history.

And now it’s all pieced back together — his life, his back, even golf.

A fallen hero, a crippled star, Woods is a Masters champion again.

He won his fifth green jacket, his 15th major, but never with this much raw emotion. The most ferocious fist pump was when he walked off the 18th green, scooped up 10-year-old son Charlie, and embraced his mother and his 11-year-old daughter Sam. “For them to see what it’s like to have their dad win a major championship, I hope that’s something they will never forget,’’ Woods said.

Who can ever forget this day?

“It’s hard to really feel bad about how I played because I just witnessed history,’’ said Xander Schauffele, one of three players

who finished second. “It was really cool coming down the stretch, all the historic holes, Tiger making the roars. I feel like I got full Masters experience.’’

The comeback goes beyond the two-shot deficit he erased before a delirious audience that watched memories turn into reality.

It had been 14 years since he last won the Masters — no one had ever gone that long between green jackets. He had gone nearly 11 years since his last major, the 2008 U.S. Open at Torrey Pines on a shattered left leg.

This was bigger.

Woods never missed a shot that mattered over the final seven holes, taking the lead see WOODS on 14

Chinese woman FBI documents show who entered Marfraud probe of San Francisco power broker a-Lago denied bail

By PAUL ELIAS ASSOCIATED PRESS SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Documents released on April 10 showed the FBI investigated a prominent San Francisco lobbyist and Chinatown political power broker for four years before closing its fraud case as unverifiable.

The documents show the FBI opened its investigation of Rose Pak in 2005 after she qualified for a city affordable housing program that provided financing and condominiums at below-market rates to first-time homebuyers. She purchased the citysubsidized condo in downtown San Francisco in 2002.

The documents show Pak, a politically influential player at City Hall, owned two other San Francisco Bay Area homes.

San Francisco’s Below Market Rate Ownership Programs are designed to “help first time homebuyers who are low, moderate, and middleincome,’’ according to the Mayor’s Office website.

The FBI closed the probe after investigating Pak’s finances, tax returns and the city’s affordable

housing program. It also said the five-year statute of limitations to prosecute Pak for any alleged violations had also expired when the case was closed in December 2009.

An unidentified agent wrote that the mayor’s office said officials conceded participants in the housing program weren’t adequately monitored when Pak purchased the condominium in 2002.

The unidentified official said the city took better control of the affordable housing program in 2004.

Most of the notes are interviews or testimony from witnesses who testified before a grand jury, but the FBI redacted the names.

Pak died in 2016 at 68.

She was a long-time consultant to the politically influential Chinese Chamber of Commerce, which played a leading role in electing three San Francisco mayors. She was also a leading proponent of building a subway under San Francisco’s Chinatown, which is scheduled to open at the end of the year. San Francisco supervisors passed a resolution urging that the main stop in Chinatown be named for Pak. 

By TERRY SPENCER ASSOCIATED PRESS WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — A federal judge denied bail on April 15 for a Chinese woman charged with lying to illegally enter President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago club, saying there was an “extreme risk of flight’’ if she were released.

Federal Magistrate Judge William Matthewman issued the ruling for 33-year-old Yujing Zhang, who was indicted on April 12 on charges of lying to federal agent and illegal entering of a restricted area. She faces up to five years if convicted.

When arrested, Zhang was carrying two passports, four cell phones, a laptop, an external hard drive and a thumb drive possibly

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containing malware. In her hotel room, Secret Service agents found a device for detecting hidden cameras and $8,000 cash. She is not charged with espionage, but the FBI is still investigating, and prosecutor Rolando Garcia said future charges are possible. He did not elaborate.

Matthewman remarked that “it appears to the court that Ms. Zhang was up to something nefarious’’ — a reference to the various electronics she was found to be carrying and that she left in her hotel room.

The U.S. doesn’t have an extradition treaty with China.

Even if Matthewman had decided to grant bail, immigration officials would most likely have detained Zhang because her U.S. visa has expired. 

asianweekly northwest

YOUR VOICE

APRIL 20 – APRIL 26, 2019

■ TRAVEL

5

Giving back and spreading love overseas

Class (Photo provided by Susanne Hsu)

Tony (left) and Nina with students (Photo provided by Nina Huang)

Computer class (Photo provided by Susanne Hsu)

By Nina Huang NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY

and adopt.

Now Nam devotes her personal time to a dog rescue group that was started by her friend in San Francisco. The organization doesn’t have a formal name, but they work to bring dogs from China to the United States. She has also volunteered with Jindo Love, which was her first exposure to the international adoption scene.

She has four dogs that she shares with her boyfriend. Two of them were adopted through Jindo Love and the Elephant Nature Park.

Set in Chiang Mai, Thailand, the Elephant Nature Park is a sanctuary and rescue center for elephants, and other animals.

“My intent was not to adopt so many dogs, but there are dogs that you share a certain connection with. Kiwi came up to me and rested her head on me. It’s hard to explain. I wanted to bring her back and they’re very happy,” she explained.

In September of 2018, Nam spent five days at the Elephant Nature Sanctuary in Bangkok. She volunteered with two other friends and they stayed there and took care of the elephants and dogs. Visitors pay a small fee that benefits the sanctuary.

(For those interested, you can go to elephantnaturepark.org and check their availability.) Nam saw the huge impact that a group of people can make when they’re working towards a common goal.

“When you go there, you see that all the volunteers love animals. You can just feel it as soon as you enter the park.

There’s something about it and you get this magical feeling being surrounded by positivity. It’s what motivated us to do more and to seek out future opportunities, too,” she said.

spring of 2018.

She chose a local nonprofit that was entirely run by Balinese volunteers. They have several things ranging from English teaching programs and computer classes, to marine conservation efforts.

“What stood out to me was just how happy and grateful the kids were. I didn’t know what it would be like to teach children. I’ve taught kids in the U.S. and they have attitude, but the kids in Bali were so grateful that we were there to help and teach them. They were eager to learn, they gave hugs and high fives after class, and it was super rewarding to see,” she said.

Some of the most challenging aspects of the experience was adjusting to the heat and humidity. The accommodations were tough, but for Hsu, it was also tough coming up with engaging and fun lessons to teach the students.

“I felt happiness. It was really just about their perspective on what they had and what they needed, and what happiness meant to them,” she said.

The kids were of all ages, ranging from kindergarten to 8th grade. Hsu taught computer classes to a different grade level every day. Her lessons included teaching the kids how to use a mouse, how to type, and how to use the internet and email. There were 12 kids in a class and the whole program had around 200 kids. Classes were voluntary so kids would attend after school to learn English three days a week and computer class once a week.

“Being able to connect with the kids and creating a family with all the volunteers, that was really special. We still all keep in touch. The nonprofit also gives you the opportunity to sponsor a kid and I sponsor a girl over there and I’d love to go back and see her,” she said.

Another aspect to the Volunteer in Bali program was the marine conservation program. They are trying to rebuild

Most people love to travel the world to experience new cultures, food, and sights, and others travel to find new ways to give back. Volunteering abroad can be a great way to find inspiration and learn about the challenges others face, outside of their usual surroundings.

Crystal Nam, Susanne Hsu, and Tony Vongdara from Seattle recently spent some time in different Asian countries, giving back to communities other than their own.

Rescuing dogs from Asia

Dog lover Crystal Nam had a traumatizing experience in middle school when she was shopping at a market in South Korea, called Moran Market, with her uncle. The market sold meats and produce, but further down the street, there was vendor that sold cute, fluffy designer dogs. On the opposite side of the street were big dogs in cages, being sold for their meat. Customers could pick out their dogs to be slaughtered and butchered.

“I saw them and remember being really confused, and then I saw them beat the dogs. I could hear the dogs being beaten and killed,” she said.

“It was a scarring experience for me. I ran from the market after that. Ever since then, I try to block it out of my mind,” she said.

Nam felt compelled to take the opportunity to rescue dogs from Korea to help bring awareness to what was happening in that country.

“It became a natural progression of doing more to rescue dogs,” she said.

Nam spends about five to 10 hours a week volunteering for the China Dog rescue. She helps by making trips to the airport, coordinating paperwork for first-time adopters, checking in on foster parents, and recruiting volunteers to fly

Educating the next generation in Indonesia

Hsu knew she wanted to volunteer somewhere beautiful and to teach classes to kids. Volunteer work in Bali caught her eye because it was locally run, affordable, and didn’t have administration fees like some other programs do. She volunteered for three weeks in Bali during her sabbatical in

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APRIL 20 – APRIL 26, 2019

■ COMMUNITY CALENDAR APR 18

HAPPY HOUR FOOD WALK Seattle’s ChinatownInternational District 4-7 p.m.

18-20 VIR DAS IN BELLEVUE, “THE LOVED TOUR” Parlor Billiards, 700 Bellevue Way NE Ste. 300, Bellevue 10–11 p.m. tickets.vendini.com

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DORJE SEMPA (VAJRASATTVA) VISUALIZATION North Seattle Community College, Old Cafeteria in College Center Bldg., 9800 College Way N., Seattle 9 a.m.-12 p.m.

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20 JCCCW’S TOMODACHI GALA Hyatt Regency Lake Washington, Renton 5 p.m. info8sea2fuk@yahoo. com MY HERO ACADEMIA PHOTOSHOOT Washington State Convention Center, 800 Convention Place, Seattle 1-3 p.m.

DESI DHAMAKA 2019 Meany Center on UW Campus 7-10 p.m.

2019 BUDOKAN ANNUAL JUDO TOURNAMENT Kentridge High School, 12430 SE 208th St., Kent 9 a.m.-6 p.m. budokanjudoseattle.org ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE: RISKS AND ADVANCES, SEATTLE ENGINEERING SEMINAR Microsoft Research Lecture Hall, Building 99/1919 14820 NE 36th St., Redmond 2-5 p.m.

API CHAYA 2019 GALA & AUCTION The Westin Seattle, 1900 5th Ave., Seattle 6-9 p.m.

23 RAINIER VALLEY COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT FUND’S 2019 ANNUAL MEETING Ethiopian Community Center, 8323 Rainier Ave. S., Seattle 5:30-7 p.m. rvcdf.org GSCCC REAL ESTATE SEMINAR SERIES #22 Bellevue City Hall, Room 1E-108, 450 110th Ave. NE, Bellevue 7-9 p.m.

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SOU (SUE) LIU ENG Sou (Sue) Liu Eng, age 88, passed away Sunday, April 14, 2019, at Swedish Cherry Hill in Seattle while surrounded by family.

Born February 26, 1931 in Taishan, Guangdong, China, she married and relocated to Seattle with her husband Bong in the late 1940s.

She worked as a seamstress at Farwest Garments in South Seattle before helping with the family restaurant and being a homemaker. She enjoyed cooking for guests and travelling later in her life.

Sue is preceded in death by her daughter, Marilyn, survived by her husband Bong, children: Frank (Nancy) & Kenneth (Freida) grandchildren: Andrew (Michelle), Angelina, Christopher, Gina, Jamal, Joseph (Tiffany), Matthew (Deana), Reggie, Tianna, Warren (Courtny) and great-grandchildren: Dana, Elizabeth, Faithe, Fatuma, James, Jessie, Marcia, Theodore, Wiley, and William.

A service will be held at 2:30 p.m. at Butterworth Funeral Home on Saturday, April 27, followed by burial at 3:30 p.m. at Mt. Pleasant Cemetery.

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YOUR VOICE

■ PICTORIAL

asianweekly northwest

APRIL 20 – APRIL 26, 2019

7

JAPAN AIRLINES’

Seattle-Tokyo inaugural flight celebration On March 31, several dignitaries gathered at Sea-Tac Airport to kickoff the return of Japan Airlines’ (JAL) Seattle to Tokyo flight. Hideki Kikuyama of JAL, Yoichiro Yamada, the Consul General of Japan in Seattle, Port Commission President Courtney Gregoire, Ben Minicucci of Alaska Airlines, and Steve Koo of American Airlines took part in the ribbon-cutting ceremony.  PHOTOS BY GEORGE LIU

Japan Airlines flight attendants

Hideki Kikuyama giving speech

Satoshi and Nobuko Nakayama

From left: Tetsuya Onuki, Steve Koo, Ben Minicucci, Hideki Kikuyama, Consul General Yoichiro Yamada, Courtney Gregoire, and Kiyoto Morioka

From left: Ben Minicucci, Hideki Kikuyama, and Consul General Yoichiro Yamada

Kosei Yamada (left) and Brett Catlin

Attendees

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■ TRAVEL

37 YEARS

APRIL 20 – APRIL 26, 2019

Paradise island getaway

By Ruth Bayang NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY If you like to vacation like I do — get away from it all, unplug (no phone service, no internet, no TV), be near the ocean, rest, relax, and rejuvenate your spirit — the island getaway I just returned from is your ticket.

Viwa Island Resort is on the westernmost part of Fiji and is part of the Yasawa Island group. I flew from Seattle to Nadi International Airport via San Francisco — it was almost an 11-hour flight from San Francisco (one hour shorter on the way back). I spent one day and one night on the mainland and explored Lautoka, which is the second largest city in Fiji. The next day, I took a seaplane (my first seaplane ride ever!) from Nadi Airport to Viwa Island, about a 30-minute flight. (You can also travel by boat and it takes about 4 hours.)

The scenery on the way was spectacular, especially as we neared the island and you could see the reefs through the clear blue-green water. During the flight, I was amused to see that the pilot was flying barefoot. I soon understood why he did this. The seaplane landed

just off the island, to my disappointment. I was hoping for a beach landing as I had seen photos of it, but I was told that happens only during high tide. Alas, my arrival was during low tide.

When the plane stopped, the pilot opened the door, and I could see a boat from the resort approaching. The pilot then jumped down onto the float (right above the water, hence why he was barefoot) and, with the help of the men in the boat, tied the boat and plane together before allowing me to disembark.

Bula!

As the boat approached the shores of the resort, I could see a group of people standing on the beach, singing — this is how the staff welcomes all guests. The song was perfectly timed to end with a “Bula!” which means hello or welcome in Fijian, just as the boat hit the beach. Caroline was the first to greet me with a smile, a shell necklace, and an offer to carry my bag. My other luggage, I could see, was being carried off the boat and toward my bure (bungalow). All the other staff members greeted me as well and introduced themselves. I would soon find out that it is their mission to cater to each guest.

Viwa Island

It is remote and quite a trek from the mainland. This is where you go for peace and quiet. Viwa Island Resort is an adults-only resort, and there is no noise from young children screaming and playing.

Viwa Island is also home to three villages: Naibalebale, Najia, and Yakani. Before the resort opened, the villagers’ main source of income came from fishing and selling the catch on the mainland.

I visited Naibalebale (a short walk from the resort) on my first day with my guide Bati, who works at the resort and lives in the village. The tour was free, though the village asks for a small landing fee of $5 FJD (a Fijian dollar is half a U.S. dollar) from each person. Female visitors are asked to cover their shoulders and knees, so I wore a t-shirt instead of a tank top, and tied a sarong over my shorts.

Bati showed me the first ndawa tree that was planted on the island and told me there were 52 homes in the village. The homes were simple, single-story, some see FIJI on 15

Photos by Ruth Bayang/NWAW

8

asianweekly northwest

YOUR VOICE

APRIL 20 – APRIL 26, 2019

■ TRAVEL

9

Highlights of a trip to Japan

This magical world is

Photos provided by John Liu

By John Liu NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY

surrounded by water.

You may have read the travel article I wrote last year called “Highlights of our tour in South Korea,” in our July 5, 2018 issue. On the same trip, Tracy, my girlfriend at the time who is now my wife, and I also stopped by Japan. This article will serve as a brief overview of some highlights. We booked a short tour to Mount Fuji in Tokyo and wandered around the other three days on our own.

The sky is clear enough to see Mount Fuji only on 1 out of 3 days.

Food I didn’t do any research on restaurants ahead of time, so we walked into the first restaurant we saw. Apparently some city restaurants do not follow the city smoking laws and we were greeted with a smoke filled restaurant with patrons lighting up left and right.

We finished our meal so quickly Mendokoro H anada Ikebuk that I can’t remember if our first ram uro. Awesom en! e meal in Japan tasted good or not.

We learned our lesson and started sniffing the air and checking customers to see if they were smoking before sitting down at a restaurant. Restaurants in malls and inside cities are a good bet. We settled on one of those sushi conveyor belt restaurants. Their clam miso soup was fresh and cheap. So we ordered that a few times. The sushi was also top notch. We went back again one more time.

Of course we had to try ramen. We spotted one with a long line called Mendokoro Hanada in Ikebukuro. I had read about the vending

machines to place an order before, but this was our first time and it took a little effort for us to figure out what we were doing. There was only one item on the menu and we were only able to select the portion size. Restaurants in Japan try to master one item after many years of practice. Needless to say, it was one of the best ramen we had ever tasted.

Subway system The subway system was very confusing, even though I had done some research ahead of time. I’m glad the locals were see JAPAN on 13

Oaxaca is more than great food (but don’t miss the food!)

Welcome to Oaxaca!

The pyramids of Monte Alban

When I think of a vacation destination that offers everything a tourist could want, Oaxaca, Mexico springs to my mind. Whether I’m dreaming of escaping to a beach to surf, adventuring up a mountain, scaling ancient ruins, visiting a world class museum, enjoying gourmet food at a five-star restaurant, or saving pesos by dining at an openair market — Oaxaca can make it happen!

In fact, there are two Oaxacas; that’s the name of the state and its capital city. Over the past couple of decades, my partner and I have been lucky to visit other Mexican destinations — Puerto Vallarta, Yucatan, Guadalajara, and Mexico City. We found that Oaxaca is much less intense than its counterparts to the north.

Touching down in January, a cold draft from up north made our first four days in Oaxaca City unexpectedly cold and I had to buy a new sweater (great excuse!). Fortunately, the temperature warmed up to normal in a few days.

Oaxaca’s quaint cobblestone streets are great for strolling.

The old colonial “Templo de Santa Domingo” and the huge, more recent cathedral creates a charming backdrop for fantastic restaurants — Oaxaca is the culinary capital of Mexico — along with museums, art galleries, and other attractions.

There was no shortage of things to do — we shopped the craft markets, sampled Oaxaca’s famous hot chocolate, booked flights of mescal (a potent liquor made only in the state), had dinner at our favorite restaurant (Catedral)

Photos provided by Gary Tang

By Gary Tang SPECIAL TO THE NW ASIAN WEEKLY

An old colonial church outside Oaxaca City

three times, toured a fascinating cactus garden, explored Pre-Hispanic ruins, and were treated to indigenous, ritual dancing in the plaza. We did lots of people watching, too!

Oaxacan cuisine is internationally renowned. Wellknown dishes include tlayudas (sometimes compared to pizza, but that doesn’t capture the adventure of this meat-and-veggie-on-flatbread experience); asado — meat barbequed on smoky grills, right in front of the butcher who sold it to you; chapulines (seasoned and fried grasshoppers — all sizes available!), and their legendary, complex, and utterly to-die-for mole (pronounced mole-ay) sauces. see OAXACA on 11

asianweekly northwest

10

37 YEARS

APRIL 20 – APRIL 26, 2019

■ PUBLISHER’S BLOG

Travel survival tips

By Assunta Ng NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY Bad things can happen to anyone in a strange land.

Anticipation and preparation can help travelers to avoid misfortune.

Here are some valuable tips from experienced travelers that can help lessen your anxiety during your trip.

Money

If you travel to a country full of pickpocketing, you should not carry bags, which can be targets. Travel guru Rick Steves carries his money in his money belt. My fanny pack holds not only money, but my passport and my credit card as well.

If you carry a backpack, you should wear it in the

front, rather than on your back. It may not be a bad idea to wear your purse in front of your chest.

Some women told me that they hide their money in their bras. I usually wear pants and coats with hidden pockets.

When you buy things during your trip, make sure you get the correct change back. Some shop workers might give you less, simply because you are not familiar with a foreign country’s currency.

Be careful when you use an ATM machine. Make sure no one follows you or can peek at your PIN number from behind. My friend told me once that after he withdrew money from the ATM, he realized he needed more. So he re-inserted his card. Instantly, the machine shut down.

One reason could be the machine thought someone was using a stolen card. Make sure you calculate the amount

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you need to withdraw when you are traveling. If the ATM doesn’t work, you need to have a backup plan.

Perhaps, know how to get a hold of your banker.

Also, keep a record of your credit card or ATM card number just in case you lose them. It makes reporting easier.

Safety

My husband is great about checking windows, doors, and locks at hotels. It is important to lock your hotel door, especially at night before you go to bed. However, when we were in Iceland, someone stole my money in a boutique hotel. That hotel was fishy. When we closed the door to our room, we assumed it was locked, except it see BLOG on 12

asianweekly northwest

YOUR VOICE

APRIL 20 – APRIL 26, 2019

■ EDITORIAL

11

Attention APIs, POCs You could be a Port of Seattle Commissioner

Port of Seattle Commission President Courtney Gregoire said earlier this month that she will not run for re-election this fall. Her position 2 term ends at the end of 2019.

The Port of Seattle is governed by five commissioners who serve four-year terms and establish Port policy.

Port Commission meetings are normally held at 1 p.m. on the first, second, and fourth Tuesday of each month at either Pier 69 or Sea-Tac Airport.

Currently, all five commissioners are white; two, including Gregoire, are women. There’s not a single person of color.

Former commissioner Lloyd Hara said, “In almost 100 years, I was honored and pleased to be elected as the first minority Seattle Port Commissioner in 2005. I iniFormer commissioner

tiated greater Port accountability by creating an Internal Auditor Office, and hired professional staff for the Commission.”

Hara left that position in 2009.

According to data compiled by the Reflective Democracy Campaign, between 2012 and 2016, two-thirds of candidates and elected officials at the local, state, and federal levels were white men.

The annual salary for a port commissioner is $48,731 per year, plus a $120 per diem (not to exceed $15,000).

It’s time to inject some diversity and people of color into the Port Commission.

“A vast majority of Port trade and activities are focused in Asian countries,” said Hara.

“Having an Asian American Commissioner is symbolically important when meeting with our Asian counterparts.

I would encourage many well qualified APIs to run for this

important office.”

Who better to create quality jobs throughout the diverse communities of King County than people who actually live in diverse communities and have a different worldview from a white man?

The November 2018 midterm elections was historic as far as the number of people of color, women, and LGBT candidates who ran for Congress. There’s no reason why that trend shouldn’t extend to other government jobs.

A diverse Port Commission will attend to a wider array of issues facing the county. 

OAXACA from 9

served in most Mexican restaurants up here. You might be surprised to learn that chocolate is not the most important ingredient in any of the moles, and is only added to the more complex ones.

The seven moles of Oaxaca are negro (black), amarillo (yellow), coloradito (colored), mancha manteles (tablecloth stainer), chichilo (a kind of pepper), rojo (red), and verde (green). Served with chicken, pork, or beef, mole is the main event at any feast!

Mole negro is the best known and most complicated of the dishes, with over 21 ingredients. It is slightly sweet, black in color, and contains several types of chili peppers, plantain, onion, tomato, tomatillo, clove, cinnamon, nuts, tortilla, and more depending on the recipe. Oh, and don’t forget the Mexican chocolate!

We left Oaxaca City for a few days to visit Puerto Escondido, a little paradise on the Pacific Coast. That was where I met Gloria Vrios, the young, friendly receptionist at our resort. When I asked about cooking classes, Gloria smiled and said, “I’d love to teach you to make my grandma’s mole!” I quickly agreed and was lucky to have a private class, including a market visit (with snacks). We cooked in the little kitchen in our cabana. Scott, my partner, was

forced to evacuate when we scorched the chilies — I have to admit that the fumes were pretty intense. But he came padding back from the pool as our multi-course lunch hit the patio table.

Mole negro has to be black, and you get that by toasting the chilies. The trick is to get them slightly charred, but not exactly burnt. The toasted pepper adds smokiness and intense flavor.

Not to brag — all credit to Gloria and her grandma — but our mole that day won my heart. Scott’s, too!

Gloria impressed me deeply with her passion for Oaxaca’s culture and cuisine. At the market, she explained what each ingredient does and how it nourishes our body, and about ceremonial uses of herbs and other products. She shared stories of sitting in the kitchen while her grandmother cooked everything atop a wood burning stove. I was so glad that my class was not a formal one, and that instead I had made a new friend.

Our 10 days in Oaxaca passed much too quickly. Now let’s see…when can we get back? Day of the Dead would be fun! 

Cooking class in our little kitchen

Oaxacans will tell you that there are seven different (very different) moles — not just the dark brown chocolatey one

GIVING BACK from 5 the reef on the coast where they live. A lot of fishermen in the area don’t know how to conserve the reef so the program is structured around building reef structures and shelter for marine life to help the ecosystem. There’s an education component that involves teaching the local fishermen about the preservation of the coral and ocean, as well as beach clean ups and recycling to the local community.

Another shocking realization for Hsu was the fact that they didn’t have an advanced system of dealing with waste in Bali.

The villagers just bring bags of trash and dump it in the ocean because they didn’t have anywhere else to put it.

“It really opened my eyes to how big of an issue single use plastics are and introducing them into society before they have a way to manage and process it. They started teaching kids about recycling and reusing, to create a more sustainable practice,” she said.

Building community in the Philippines

In July of 2018, Tony Vongdara volunteered with Gawad Kalinga (GK) in Quezon City, outside the city of Manila, Philippines. Specifically, he volunteered with GK Bulaklakan through VESTA Foundation, which is a Taiwanese foundation that helps to build up communities abroad by helping to construct homes, immersing themselves within the community in hopes of enriching lives, and most importantly, helping the youth.

Vongdara’s trip aligned with his overseas travel, and the idea of being able to bring attention to the local VESTA Foundation and their movement among the youth in Taiwan while simultaneously experiencing a unique opportunity to spread love to another part of the world, was really intriguing.

“Having a construction management background, the idea of helping out local communities by using my knowledge, as well as to perform manual labor to literally build a home brick by brick, was something that spoke to me specifically. VESTA Foundation provided access to GK to help build the Bulaklakan

Gary can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.

community,” he explained.

Along with the other volunteers, he lived within the community for seven days, sleeping in the same quarters as his host family.

Every morning, they woke up to do physical labor to build future homes for those in need. They transferred truckloads of sand by filling bags one at a time, and carrying it to the construction site. They also stacked and loaded bricks that were used for the exterior walls, manually mixed the sand with cement and gravel to make the floor slabs, and manually sifted the sand to remove rocks so that it could be used as the plaster to cover the bricks. After hours of work, they would then host various events for the kids, including playing interactive games to instill a sense of community and teamwork.

Waking up every day to do manual labor was tiring, but when Vongdara realized that these folks have to do it every day to make a minimal living, he quickly pushed through the pain and fatigue. Being grateful for everything: having something as simple as a roof over your head, even if it leaked when it rains, was better than nothing, and having multiple changes of clothes and shoes when they got dirty. Never taking for granted all the little things that we have access to, including running water, a thorough sewer system, and shoes to protect your feet.

“I think the most important thing I learned is to be there for the local community and being a part of it. Even something as little as saying hello or smiling at someone can easily brighten up their day, but the most impactful thing you can do is to volunteer your free time to help others. There are a lot of people who may not be as fortunate and who can use a little extra help, love, and compassion,” he said.

Vongdara said he’ll never forget the laughter and smiles of the children and the local community. Their ability to show love and affection to strangers and to others in their community and seeing them so happy even when materialistic items, or even a home, was hard to come by, was inspiring.  Nina Huang can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.

Photo provided by Crystal Nam

Photo provided by Gary Tang

Lloyd Hara

If you are interested in running, go to runforoffice.org/ districts/4733-port-of-seattle and file your paperwork between May 13–17, 2019. You can also enroll in a free online course, “How to Run for Office,” at https://bit.ly/2UhLALO.

Crystal Nam

asianweekly northwest

12

APRIL 20 – APRIL 26, 2019

37 YEARS

■ AT THE MOVIES “Long Day’s Journey into Night” A very fitting title for this movie

By John Liu NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY

“Long Day’s Journey into Night” is an extraordinary journey that left me speechless. It is hard to believe the director, Bi Gan, is only 29, and already completed his second major feature. Long Journey takes place in Kaili, located in southeast China, which just so happens to be Bi Gan’s hometown.

In China, there was an ambitious marketing campaign touting Long Journey as the perfect date movie to watch at the end of 2018. Movie showtimes were timed perfectly to start on December 31 and end during a kissing scene at the stroke of midnight. Couples were encouraged to kiss at the same time as the two lead actors on screen. This promotion was extremely successful and the film ended up grossing $38 million in one day. Unfortunately, the next day, there was a major backlash as China’s audience felt tricked and found the movie incomprehensible, confusing, and boring. The film ended up grossing only an additional $3 million during the rest of its run.

Long Journey is also distinctly split into two halves. The first half is a traditional 2D movie, but the second half is a 55-minute long 3D sequence shot in a single take.

you, but the change of visual medium was quite immersive and very effective.

This sequence was also filled with many scattered details from Luo’s past. This led to many new questions to an already openended film.

Be ready for a long journey as you dream and imagine your way through “Long Journey’s Day into Night.”

I watched the film at the SIFF Uptown, but don’t expect it to continue next week as this arthouse film is very niche. Give this film a chance if you are into creative romantic drama with innovative 3D sequences.

Thank you SIFF and Kino Lorber for bringing this film to Seattle!  There is a warning before the movie starts not put on your 3D glasses until the main protagonist puts on his 3D glasses. It’s very meta. I did some research on the 3D scene afterwards and it is indeed one long take without any hidden cuts. It took two months of preparation to make sure the camera could move seamlessly in all directions.

Given Long Journey’s crazy marketing promo and unbelievable 3D scene, I was excited for this film as I am a 3D aficionado.

Luo Hongwu (Huang Jue) has flashbacks of a fiery love affair with Wan Qiwen (Tang Wei), when her gangster boyfriend, Zuo Hongyan (Chen Yongzhong), was away.

After the death of Luo’s friend, Wildcat, he

BLOG from 10 wasn’t. The room had to be locked with a key. The hotel never told us about that. Within an hour after we left, my money bag was stolen. Always make sure your door is locked tightly before you leave your room.

Make a quick mental map of the hotel. In case there’s a fire, how and where do you escape?

Many cities are infamous for crime. Do you not go there?

No, you still tour, but be extra careful and assertive, too. In 2001, I was in Casablanca, Morocco. After a taxi ride, a bunch of young men surrounded the taxi door so we couldn’t get out.

“Back off,” I shouted in English. Those kids quickly moved away. To tell you the truth, I was scared. But I had no choice.

Those rascals could have grabbed me and taken my bag. Hey, what I did worked.

When I travel, especially in places where I don’t feel safe, I put on my worst clothes so as not to attract attention. Forget about heels. When you are in a foreign land, no one knows you. Don’t try to impress anybody. Survival is most important.

And I always put on my tennis shoes, just in case I have to run for my life.

Preparation

Pack all the essentials. Harvey Rubinstein, a community volunteer, suggested that a flashlight can make all the difference. Once, his hotel ran out of power. His flashlight saved the day. Nowadays, you can use the flashlight on your

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heads back to Kaili to find Wan. But is Wan Qiwen her name or just the name of a movie star? We do not know if this memory is real.

The first half has a lot of dripping water, mirrors, windows and other objects used to blur or distort the audience’s perspective. It is challenging to take it all in and figure out in my mind.

The movie dragged even as I tried to stay as attentive as possible and just waiting to get to the scene where Luo would put on his 3D glasses. The 3D sequence felt like a video game, as Luo seems to be given quests by characters to complete before he can advance. There were no crazy 3D landscape shots or objects moving towards

phone.

Keep your toiletries in your hand-carried luggage. You might need those on the plane.

If you wear glasses, it might be useful to keep an extra pair when you travel.

Avoid certain foods

Street foods can be unsanitary and thus, can cause food poisoning. Pack with medicine to conquer such hazards.

Or find a doctor. Retired attorney Mike Bennett got sick on a trip once and he felt so awful that in hindsight, it would have been better if he had gone to a hospital. Actually, a better plan is to be careful of what you eat when you are overseas. Drink bottled water rather than ice water from restaurants. For me, the best drink is hot water always. It kills most of the germs.

Stay home if you’re sick

We were once on a cruise. One passenger had a heart attack. The cruise ships, which don’t have the right equipment, couldn’t deal with such calamity. A helicopter arrived and picked up the passenger to go to a nearby hospital. The helicopter ride cost $25,000. Another friend said it could cost as much as $80,000, depending on how far the ride is. If you are not well, don’t travel. Wait till you get better. You might end up losing some money since you have already paid for the trip. But when you are sick, you should not take the risk of leaving your hometown.

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John can be reached at john@nwasianweekly.com.

Another friend’s dad suffered a heart attack after walking a flight of stairs in China, and died later in a hospital. His body was transported back to Seattle. Traveling can be strenuous. Don’t overdo it during your activities.

Keeping healthy

Brett Catlin, managing director of Alliances & Product at Alaska Airlines, said it is important to keep yourself hydrated. Drink three times the water you think might be necessary and avoid caffeine and alcohol. Secondly, exercise. When you arrive at your destination, reset things with a cardiovascular-centric routine. Thirdly, go light on carbohydrates. Opt for lighter foods and, if possible, try to dine at times that align with your destination.

Protect yourself

If you are a woman traveling solo, think of ways to protect yourself. Don’t disclose to strangers that you are alone. Ask yourself if you need to bring any pepper spray or other self-defense accessories. You can find those items online.

If you have more tips for survival while traveling, send them to me.

In the meantime, be bold and adventurous in your journey.  Assunta can be reached at assunta@nwasianweekly.com.

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asianweekly northwest

YOUR VOICE

APRIL 20 – APRIL 26, 2019

■ ASTROLOGY

13

Predictions and advice for the week of April 20–26, 2019

By Sun Lee Chang Rat — Do you feel the need to fill the silence?

Rather than viewing it as a space to be occupied, appreciate the opportunity to process and reflect.

Ox — It’s easy to do the right thing when everyone is looking. The truest measure is what happens when only you are present to bear witness.

Tiger — Are you out of your element today and not exactly sure what to do? Proceed with caution as you learn the lay of the land.

Rabbit — Leaving the safety of what you know can be an intimidating experience. However, it will be worth it to widen your horizons.

Dragon — A largely symbolic gesture is at odds with your pragmatic side. Understanding the reality of the situation for what it is, your next move should be clear.

Snake — While things are going smoothly now, it could be an entirely different story down the line.

Creating a buffer should help offset any turbulence later on.

Monkey — Offer your assistance when it makes sense to do so. Much to your surprise, it will be reciprocated in an unexpected way.

Rooster — A welcome chance to expand your horizons has suddenly become available. While you may have hesitated in the past, you have no such reservations now.

Horse — Are you creating something for someone else to use? If so, keep their preferences in mind as opposed to your own.

Dog — Are you trying to revive an old idea that you put aside long ago? With the added benefit of time and experience, it should have a high potential for success.

Goat — Is time running out on an opportunity that is available for only a limited period? Scarcity alone is not a good reason to pursue it.

Pig — Attention to detail has long been your forte.

Mixed with your ability to grasp the big picture, you could go quite far.

WHAT’S YOUR ANIMAL SIGN? RAT 1912, 1924, 1936, 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008 OX 1913, 1925, 1937, 1949, 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997, 2009 TIGER 1914, 1926, 1938, 1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998, 2010 RABBIT 1915, 1927, 1939, 1951, 1963, 1975, 1987, 1999, 2011 DRAGON 1916, 1928, 1940, 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000, 2012 SNAKE 1917, 1929, 1941, 1953, 1965, 1977, 1989, 2001, 2013 HORSE 1918, 1930, 1942, 1954, 1966, 1978, 1990, 2002, 2014 GOAT 1919, 1931, 1943, 1955, 1967, 1979, 1991, 2003, 2015 MONKEY 1920, 1932, 1944, 1956, 1968, 1980, 1992, 2004, 2016 ROOSTER 1921, 1933, 1945, 1957, 1969, 1981, 1993, 2005, 2017 DOG 1922, 1934, 1946, 1958, 1970, 1982, 1994, 2006, 2018 PIG 1923, 1935, 1947, 1959, 1971, 1983, 1995, 2007, 2019

*The year ends on the first new moon of the following year. For those born in January and February, please take care when determining your sign.

tourist attractions. Imagine a stage with awesome robotatronics and bikini dancers interacting with the robots.

Flashing lights were everywhere and full of color. The routine is about seven acts and something completely out of this world is happening in every act. This place serves food, but you should eat beforehand and skip it. Be sure to buy your tickets early and use a third party travel site for discounts.

JAPAN from 9 friendly. Even though they didn’t speak much English, they went out of their way to get us on the right train. I thought it was funny that even locals did not know where certain trains went. We are especially thankful for one person who showed us the correct subway exit and walked us to our hotel. This taught me a valuable lesson to always remember to download those offline Google maps.

Mount Fuji

Disney - Sea I haven’t been to a Disney location in over 20 years, so it was nice to finally make it back to “The Happiest Place on Earth.” Since so much had changed, I had to research how to use the FastPass and read reviews on the rides.

Tracy wanted to check out Disney Sea since that was not available back in the States. Christmas decorations were everywhere and made the place feel very festive. A parade of ships sailed around the harbor every few hours—that was very magical. I highly recommend checking out Sinbad’s Storybook Voyage. It’s like “It’s a Small World” ride, but not very popular. I enjoyed the nautical theme park and am not surprised this was the fastest theme park to hit 10

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統式紀念碑

地下室 ‧骨灰靈位 want to know about it. 、紀念碑 We ‧土葬福地 Send it to us at info@nwasianweekly.com. h Ave East (North Capitol Hill)

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Gigantic robots and and dancers perform to music. (Photo by John Liu)

million guests.

Robot restaurant I saw this on my friend’s Facebook feed a while ago and was immediately intrigued. This is one of Tokyo’s top

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We were extremely lucky that it was a clear day.

Apparently there is only a 33 percent chance of seeing the top of the mountain from a distance since it’s usually foggy.

Mount Fuji is gorgeous and one of the most beautiful mountains I’ve ever seen. Perhaps my biggest regret was not trying the Fuji apple since, at the time, I did not want to pay the tourist prices when we had them here in Washington.

We barely scratched the surface of Tokyo in our four days there. There are still multiple cities each with their unique culture and landmarks. Tracy and I hope to go back someday to see the rest of Japan.  John can be reached at john@nwasianweekly.com.

asianweekly northwest

14

EMPLOYMENT Wok Chef

Upscale Asian restaurant looking right away for one best wok chef, little English ok, good work ethnic, team work, willing to pay BEST, full healthcare, vacation and bonus, call 206-227-8000 4 star hotel in downtown Seattle is looking to hire housekeepers, stewards and laundry attendants. Competitive pay with benefits such as 401-k, holiday and birthday pays, medical, and employee meals are offered. Call Evelyn on (425) 417-9782 if interested. Self-motivated individuals are preferred

APRIL 20 – APRIL 26, 2019

NOTICE

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WOODS from 4 with a 5-iron to the fat of the green on the par-5 15th for a two-putt birdie, delivering the knockout with an 8-iron that rode down the ridge by the cup and settled 2 feet away for birdie on the par-3 16th.

He tapped in for bogey and a 2-under 70, and the celebration was on.

“WOOOOOOO!!!’’ Woods screamed as he headed for the scoring room with chants of “Tiger! Tiger! Tiger!’’ He had never hugged more people, everyone in his camp who stood by him through a public divorce, an embarrassing mug shot from his DUI arrest when he took a bad mix of painkillers and the four back surgeries, the most recent to fuse his lower spine “I had serious doubts after what transpired a couple of years ago,’’ Woods said. “I could barely walk. I couldn’t sit. Couldn’t lay down. I really couldn’t do much of anything. ... To have the opportunity to come back like this, it’s probably one of the biggest wins I’ve ever had for sure because of it.’’

President Donald Trump, who has played with Woods at his Florida course, had two tweets of congratulations. Fenway Park posted the news on the scoreboard.

A comeback for the ages?

It rates among the best because Woods has meant so much to so many in a sport he ruled for so long. Whether he can dominate it again is still to be determined.

Woods needed some help to win this Masters. Six players had a share of the lead at some point on the back nine, and there was a five-way tie at the top when the final

group was still on the 15th fairway.

“You couldn’t have had more drama than we all had out there. And now I know why I’m balding,’’ Woods said. “This stuff is hard.’’

It didn’t look that way when he was younger, healthier and the most popular sporting figure in the world.

Woods lost his impeccable image to a sex scandal, one of the swiftest and most shocking downfalls in sports. He lost his health to back problems. He went two years without even playing a major.

Now the comeback is truly complete.

And the race is on.

“A big ‘well done’ from me to Tiger,’’ Nicklaus tweeted. “I am so happy for him and for the game of golf. This is just fantastic!!!’’

Woods now is three short of the gold standard — 18 majors — set by Nicklaus.

“I think 18 is a whole lot closer than people think,’’ Brooks Koepka said.

Joe LaCava, the caddie who stayed with Woods even when he didn’t play for the better part of two years, said they have talked about the record.

“We’re on 14 and I said, ‘Let’s get to 15.’ You can’t be on 14 and thinking about 18,’’ LaCava said. “But now we can start talking about 16. So we’re getting closer.’’

It was the first time Woods won a major when trailing going into the final round.

Francesco Molinari, the 54-hole leader, was still up two shots heading into the heart of Amen Corner.

And that’s when all hell broke loose.

Molinari’s tee shot on the par-3 12th never had a chance, hitting the bank and

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tumbling into Rae’s Creek for double bogey. Until then, Molinari had never trailed in a round that began early in threesomes to finish ahead of storms.

And then it seemed as though practically everyone had a chance, until Woods delivered the key shots at the big moment, just like the old days.

Schauffele failed to birdie the par-5 15th and scrambled for pars the rest of the way for a 68. Dustin Johnson made three straight birdies late in the round, but he got going too late and had to settle for a 68 and a return to No. 1 in the world.

Woods goes to No. 6, his first time inside the top 10 since the 2014 PGA Championship.

Koepka, one of four players from the final two groups who hit into the water on No. 12, rallied with an eagle on the 13th, narrowly missed another eagle on the 15th and was the last player with a chance. His birdie putt on the 18th from just outside 10 feet missed, and he had to settle for a 70.

“You want to play against the best to ever play,’’ Koepka said. “You want to go toe-to-toe with them. I can leave saying I gave it my all. He’s just good, man.’’

Woods finished at 13-under 275 and became, at 43, the oldest Masters champion since Nicklaus won his sixth green jacket at 46 in 1986. That has stood as Augusta’s defining moment for years.

This one is sure to at least rival it.

“This is definitely, probably one of the greatest comebacks I think anybody’s ever seen,’’ Koepka said.

Koepka and Molinari had both faced Tigermania in the majors and held their

own, Molinari at Carnoustie to win the British Open, Koepka last summer at Bellerive to win the PGA Championship. Molinari went 49 straight holes without a bogey, a streak that ended on the seventh hole. It was the double bogeys that cost him, and the Italian was gracious as ever in defeat.

“I think I made a few new fans today with those double bogeys,’’ he said.

Rain fell briefly, but it stayed away long enough for Woods to be presented his green jacket on the practice green, just like old times.

He looked like a new man, making new memories.

“Now I’m able to play golf again, and do it at an elite level again, which is something I’m just very blessed to be able to have that opportunity again,’’ Woods said. 

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FIJI from 8 with solar panels, some not. I saw a handful of homes destroyed by cyclone Winston in 2016 and never rebuilt. As I walked through the village, everyone who saw me called out, “Bula!” and I returned their greeting.

I saw huge tanks used to collect rainwater sprinkled across the village. There’s even a desalination system donated by the government. The tour included a stop at the newly built kindergarten (opened in May 2018), which was funded by the staff, management, and guests of Viwa Island Resort. The adorable children sang their nursery rhymes, showing off that they had learned their numbers and alphabet — both in English and Fijian. My village visit ended with a trip to the shell market, where women hawked their homemade, handcrafted wares.

The resort

Did I mention yet that this place is paradise? You can see and hear the ocean from almost anywhere. The water is crystal clear and has the stunning aquamarine shade you see in travel magazines, and the beach has white, soft sand.

APRIL 20 – APRIL 26, 2019 They gave me a glimpse into their personal lives and their families, they were curious about me and where I was from.

dinner where the chef created something he called Adi Viwa’s Affair. It consisted of lobster, prawns, scallops, mussels, and fish in lime, coconut cream, nama (sea grape), onions, tomatoes, and capsicum served in a coconut, on top of a palm hat. It was so beautiful, I almost didn’t want to eat it! But I did and it was divine! Flavorful and creamy, but not too rich. Dessert was papaya with cream, served with vanilla ice cream. I’ve never had papaya in that form before and it was delicious. Not too sweet and bursting with flavor.

I asked one of the resort managers if it was a requirement that all employees know how to sing, because they all do! I was serenaded at breakfast and dinner with Fijian and some English tunes. And it seemed as though everyone knew how to play the guitar and ukulele. I felt like they all waited on me, hand and foot. I imagine this is how a royal princess feels every day of her life.

What is there to do?

Sustainability

Guests can stay at one of 11 traditional Fijian bures with thatched roofs on the beach. When I first entered my bure, I smiled when I saw that the staff had spelled out “Welcome” on my bed with flowers and leaves. There were fresh flowers everywhere and they were changed daily.

Much bigger than a standard hotel room, the bure had a living room area and an attached bathroom that gave you privacy but was not fully enclosed, allowing for natural light (and bugs!) to come in. Each bure also had its own private patio and a corresponding hut with deck chairs, closer to the water. I loved how there were small, shallow pools with water and fresh flowers outside every building so you could rinse the sand off your feet before entering.

My goal was to relax and unwind so I wasn’t too concerned about having nothing to do. Still, it became my routine to kayak or paddleboard every morning just after sunrise. That was followed by a shower, and then breakfast in the main building.

Aside from the days I did village visits and a history hike, the rest of the mornings were spent reading while lying on the beach (I finished a total of six novels from the library during my stay) and sometimes dozing off. Lunch was at noon. More reading, suntanning, and swimming would follow lunch, or I would indulge in a beach-view massage or go snorkelling.

I mentioned previously that fish and some produce is sourced from the island itself.

Water comes from rain, and the resort also has a desalination system. Solar panels power the resort during the day, and they switch to generator power at night if there isn’t enough solar energy stored.

The root of happiness

I was fortunate to witness and take part in a kava ceremony at the Naibalebale village on my last night, under a bright, starry sky.

GROCERY

Villagers pound the kava root and the pulp is placed into a cloth sack and mixed with water. The end result is a brownish-colored liquid, which is then strained and ready for drinking. It is first offered to the village elders before it is offered to everyone else.

The men drink first, then the women. You will be offered the option of “high tide” or “low tide” — high tide means you want a full cup, and you get half a cup if you ask for low tide.

I sat next to Sera and Caroline, and a man who introduced himself as “Barry… Black Barry because I’m Black,” he said with a laugh. I drank eight low tides and one high tide. Kava is a mild narcotic and has been known to cause tingling and numbness in your tongue, though I didn’t feel any of that.

But I did feel happy and calm, and I had a deep appreciation for the warmth of the people around me, and for being included in this ceremony.

Fijians are among the happiest people on the planet, according to a WIN/Gallup International Association survey. Maybe it’s the kava, or the great weather, or the fact that they get to live every single day on an island paradise.  Ruth can be reached at editor@nwasianweekly.com.

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Most of the fish served at the resort is caught in the waters off Viwa Island. So I opted for fish or seafood most of the time for lunch and dinner.

About a year ago, the resort started planting its own fruits and vegetables. Soon, it hopes to serve more island-grown produce in its meals as well.

I would have to say that the quality of the meals was inconsistent — sometimes it was excellent, sometimes the fish was overcooked, sometimes the flavor was bland.

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The staff took me out on the boat to various snorkelling sites. I saw a plethora of colorful coral and fish, as well as turtles, stingrays, and giant clams. On my first outing, I was so mesmerized by the wall of brilliant coral in front of me, I literally stayed in one spot for several minutes, treading water. My guide took my wrist and ushered me elsewhere, where there was even more to see and appreciate. Every outing was in a different place, something new to see.

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The best part of my stay was interacting with the people. As I walked around the resort on my first day and every day after that, all the staff members that saw me greeted me by name. After some time, some staff members Fiji-ized my name to Ruci (the c is pronounced with a “th” sound), so it sounded like Ruthy or Rudy if you weren’t listening carefully.

I got to know some staffers very well.

Sera (resort employee and village resident) escorted me and schooled me on proper kava ceremony etiquette. The ceremony is used to welcome new guests or say goodbye, or to start a celebration, such as a wedding.

April 17-23, 2019

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The people

15

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The main building is where everyone gathered for meals. Every table is a great table with a magnificent view. The building also housed a rock garden, a mini-library, a bar, the reception desk, a pool table, and a lounge area. I enjoyed many hours in the open space, which provided shade and allowed for the ocean breeze to blow through.

In front of the building was the infinity pool, and next to the building was the spa. Closer to the beach near the resort entrance, the gear for water-related activities (kayaking, paddleboarding, snorkeling, diving, fishing) is stored in or near an A-frame structure.

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16

37 YEARS

APRIL 20 – APRIL 26, 2019

thinking about coming back five or six years ago.

“Well, Amazon is here. We like to go where our competitors go.”

“Tokyo is Seattle’s second largest international market, and is a strong destination for both business and leisure travelers,” said Port of Seattle Commissioner Ryan Calkins in a news release.

JAL began its inaugural Seattle-toTokyo nonstop flight on Mar. 31 with much fanfare. (See pictorial on page Port of Seattle 7). Allyson Nakayama was on that soldCommissioner Ryan Calkins out flight with her family of six — they received commemorative gifts, including a boarding certificate. Her family members enjoyed the red-carpet treatment. This was Nakayama’s second trip to Japan. She said the fare was also much lower at $1,000 for economy class, compared to her last trip, which cost her $2,000.

How airlines’ strategies change

In the past, JAL didn’t make money on the Seattle flight, so they suspended it, according to Yamada. The aircraft then was not built to fly longer distances. It had to stop in Seattle before connecting to other cities, he explained.

Now, the aircraft Dreamliner 787 has improved so JAL can fly much further, including nonstop flights from Japan to San Francisco, Los Angeles, San Diego, Boston, and Chicago.

Then, JAL was connecting from one city to another in the old days. The days of two-stop routes are over. Now, JAL is connecting from one hub to another. That becomes the key not only for survival, but prosperity for international airlines.

“JAL is totally different now,” said Kazue Ishiwata, a senior manager for Sea-Tac Airport. JAL is now connecting traffic... domestically, as well as internationally. Once passengers arrive in Tokyo, JAL can connect them to other cities in Asia. Also, JAL flies passengers from Japan, and connects them to other Kazue Ishiwata, a senior manager American cities through partnerships at Sea-Tac Airport with U.S. carriers. JAL has teamed with a big partner Alaska Airlines, and a small one with American Airlines.

Today, only a third of JAL customers choose Seattle as a destination, said Ishiwata. Through Sea-Tac Airport, passengers can transfer to other U.S. cities conveniently.

“It’s a new trend,” she said. “One flight of passengers can have as many as 20 connecting points. Many don’t even stop in Seattle.”

That’s why the growth of Sea-Tac Airport has been explosive, like someone taking growth hormone shots. In 2016, international passenger traffic has increased more

Courtesy Port of Seattle/Clark SOM.

JAL from 1

Rendering of Sea-Tac Airport’s interior. That main hall inside will be 450,000 square feet—more than four times the size of the current space! Baggage claim carousels will be about twice the size of the current ones and those will increase from four to seven for even more room. Overall, the new facility will increase capacity to 2,600 passengers per hour.

than 10 percent, and 12 new international carriers are adding flights. About 49.5 million passengers go through Sea-Tac annually. And that number is on the rise. JAL used to have a substantial operation of several employees stationed in Seattle. Now, the JAL Seattle office has only 17 employees, including sales and cargo, with the rest of the work subcontracted. Hiring a large staff is not feasible, said Ishiwata, when JAL has only one flight a day. ”The proper way is to outsource.”

Why Seattle is connected to Japan

Several interesting factors exist, which brings Seattle much closer to Japan. Three years ago, I was shopping in a small town close to Nagasaki, Japan. The shoe salesman asked me, “Where are you from?”

“Seattle,” I replied.

“Ah, Ichiro…,” he smiled. Ichiro first played for the Seattle Mariners and later the New York Yankees and Florida Marlins before going back to the Mariners. He retired recently.

Considered a hero in Japan, Ichiro has made Seattle famous. Ishiwata credIchiro Suzuki (AP Photo/David Zalubowski) ited Ichiro for enhancing Seattle’s name recognition. During Ichiro’s era in America, many Japanese tour groups and tourists booked tours in Seattle to see him play.

Historically, Seattle is Japan’s nearest port and gateway to America, compared to other West Coast cities, such as San Francisco and Los Angeles.

As far back as the 1950s, Yamada said, the Japanese traveled through old cruise ships to Seattle to enter the United States. Seattle was also the first stop for Japanese immigrants to pass through immigration. It was no surprise for Seattle to establish sister city relations with Kobe, Japan in 1957. Kobe is the oldest sister city of Seattle. The

Port of Kobe is also the sister port of the Port of Seattle.

That relationship has been strengthened over the last six decades. I was one of the 94-member delegation, a recordbreaking number then, to join former governor Mike Lowry and former mayor Norm Rice’s delegation to visit Kobe in 1994, celebrating our Kobe-Seattle sister relations for over 35 years.

An innovative city

With all the new and successful businesses headquartered here, the Emerald City is perceived as an innovative city, said Ishiwata. Starbucks has opened over 1,200 stores in Japan. Several successful start-ups have their roots in Seattle and Bellevue, part of the greater Seattle area. ”Seattle is important, and has new ideas and new businesses,” Ishiwata said. “Good coffee and good wine.

It gives us a good picture.” And yes, Washington state produces its own wine, and some of them have even beaten the French in international contests.

Yamada said JAL flights are now making money. It averages 180 out of 186 possible passengers for each flight, seven days a week for its nonstop flight to Seattle and vice versa. In the old days, JAL flew the Boeing 747-LR, with a capacity of 380 seats, and the average number of passengers were around 230. That’s good news not only to JAL, but all the parties involved, especially Sea-Tac Airport.  Assunta can be reached at assunta@nwasianweekly.com.