CHINA: China's New Travelers Aren't Far From Home

The Jiuzhaigou reserve in China’s Sichuan Province, a popular tourist destination.  Diego Azubel/European Pressphoto Agency

JIUZHAIGOU, CHINA — By noon, the tour buses that ply the length of this U-shaped limestone valley are packed tight. Elbows are up. People are pushing.

“Are you going to walk?” someone hollers.

“Don’t bump!” comes the reply.

It’s a common scene in any major Chinese city, but here in northern Sichuan Province, 10 hours by bus from Chengdu, the crowds are surrounded by karst peaks and turquoise pools, not high-rise buildings and freeways.

Each day, tens of thousands of Chinese tourists board buses to visit the pine forests and mock-ethnic villages of Jiuzhaigou, a Unesco World Heritage Site. Admission costs 320 renminbi, or $47. For 25 renminbi more, visitors can rent a bejeweled, Tibetan-inspired costume and have their pictures taken by a local.

These sightseers, clad in Gore-Tex and Gucci, are fueling a boom in China’s domestic travel sector. Spurred by a mix of middle-class money, government support and interest in rediscovering China, the market is beating predictions and bucking global trends.

While the industry lost ground in Europe and the United States, China’s tourism sector posted a 9 percent jump in revenue 2009, to 1.26 trillion renminbi, thanks to domestic demand.

In 2010, total tourism revenue is expected to rise 14 percent, totaling 1.44 trillion renminbi, according to figures released Jan. 24 in state media reports.

“There is clearly an upward trend, a huge upward trend,” said Nancy Cockerell, a policy adviser at the World Travel and Tourism Council. “For the next 10 years, China will be leading the way.”

Though Chinese people have been on the move for centuries — as explorers, migrants and traders — leisure travel is relatively new to the People’s Republic. The post-Mao era afforded little time for holidays, and for most, money was scarce. The state regulated travel between provinces, so would-be wanderers needed papers and permission, in addition to cash.

As China’s economy began to gain momentum in the 1990s, the travel industry benefited. The number of domestic trips jumped 54 percent from 1996 to 2006, according to figures released by the China National Tourism Administration.

Higher incomes have driven up leisure travel, but the government has helped, too. As average incomes climbed, the state eased travel restrictions and increased the number of mandatory public holidays to 11 to drive demand.

Since 1999, Chinese workers have enjoyed “golden weeks,” a set of mandatory national holidays. There are now two per year, one held in autumn and one in winter.

The purpose is to get people spending — a strategy that seems to be working. During the National Day Golden Week holidays from Oct. 1 to Oct. 8 last year, 19.6 million tourists visited Sichuan Province alone, generating 7.7 billion renminbi in revenue, according to state media.

Nationally, tourism revenue has been climbing for more than a decade, and more people than ever are traveling.

The National Tourism Administration said domestic tourists had made 1.9 billion trips in 2009, an increase of 11 percent over the previous year, and generated 1 trillion renminbi of revenue, up 15 percent from the previous year.

But Ms. Cockerell of the World Travel and Tourism Council said the sector still had room to grow.

“For China, two billion trips is small,” she said. “When they start traveling like Americans, the numbers will be phenomenal.”

The world’s largest travel Web site, Tripadvisor, shares her optimism. In October, it said it had purchased Kuxun.cn, a Chinese flight and hotel search engine, as part of plans to invest $50 million in China through 2011.

Peripheral industries stand to benefit as well. With the rise of mass tourism comes the development of what Tim Winter, editor of “Asia on Tour: Exploring the Rise of Asian Tourism,” calls “travel culture.”

In China, travel culture means big money, he said: “People want the travel uniform; they want the gear.”

For sightseers who want more gear, the shops are ready to help. Visitors to the gift shop near the main cafeteria of the Jiuzhaigou National Park can purchase fox fur stoles (1,400 renminbi), faux fur hats (80 renminbi) or plastic back scratchers (30 renminbi).

Outside the park gates, rows of shops sell high-end travel equipment, including brand-name jackets, digital cameras and the latest in luggage.

Suitably attired, visitors to this once remote region can choose from dozens of hotels, including a Sheraton and an Intercontinental. At night, charter buses ferry guests to Tibetan shows, where, for about $25, they are treated to live music, dancing and food.

Leading the spending spree are China’s young urbanites. Overworked, wealthy and worldly, they have the means to travel and the desire to get away from city life.

“There are skyscrapers everywhere in Shanghai, but here there is natural landscape,” said Allen Zhang, a newlywed touring the park with his wife, Christine Xiong.

“Travel is a completely new lifestyle for us,” he added. “My father’s generation didn’t have the opportunity to travel.”

Mr. Zhang does, so he and Ms. Xiong flew to Sichuan to shoot their wedding pictures at Swan Lake, an algae-green pool famous for its glassy surface.

She stood by the water’s edge in a gauzy, white wedding gown; he beheld his bride through the lens of a tripod-mounted digital SLR.

They plan to travel every season, they said, and explore the country’s far reaches. “China is just a pretty, beautiful place,” Mr. Zhang said.

A version of this article appeared in print on February 2, 2010, in The International Herald Tribune.

Published: February 1, 2010

By EMILY RAUHALA

 

View Article in The New York Times

RUSSIA: Currency and paying

 

The rouble’s been Russia’s currency for the past 500 years. One rouble is divided into 100 kopecks. The word first appeared in the 13th century, thought to have come from the Russian verb “rubit” (“to chop”) as “rouble” used to be half a standard silver bar. When first silver coins were minted in the 15th century, the rouble became the official currency unit. The kopecks (“kopeyka”) got their name from the Russian “kopye” (“spear”) because they featured an image of St. George slaying a dragon with a spear.

In Tsarist Russia, rouble coins were mostly silver but were also minted in gold or platinum. The first USSR banknotes appeared in 1924, featuring the Soviet state emblem with 6 bands around ears of wheat. They represented the languages of the 4 original members of the Soviet Union – the Russian, Transcaucasian (which included Azerbaijan, Armenia and Georgia), Ukrainian and Belorussian Republics. Later, most Soviet banknotes carried the portrait of Lenin.

During the Gorbachev reforms and the tumult of the 1990s, the rouble lost much of its value, prompting Russians to refer to it bitterly as the “wooden rouble”. After the fall of the USSR, the U.S. dollar became widespread throughout Russia, and was used as the unofficial currency for cash savings and paying large sums of money. As Russia’s economy recovered, so did the rouble’s reputation. In 2004 a five-meter tall monument to the rouble was erected in the city of Dimitrovgrad, in the south-west of Russia. Modern Russian banknotes are notable for their lack of portraits, instead showing Russia’s landmarks.

Currently seven denominations of banknotes are valid: 5, 10, 50, 100, 500, 1000 and 5000 roubles. Coins exist for both kopecks (1, 5, 10, 50) and roubles (1, 2, 5, 10). Apart from standard coins, there are also the so-called jubilee coins to mark special occasions.

You can exchange currency at airports, banks and at exchange bureaux dotted across most cities, indicated by the word “exchange” or in Russian «обмен валют» (“obmyen valyut”, commonly known as “obmennik”) with exchange rates displayed.ATMs are found virtually everywhere in cities, so getting cash is usually not a problem. The Russian for ATM is “bankomat” – a compound word for “banking automaton”. Many stores and restaurants across Russia only accept cash – make sure you find out if they take credit or debit cards before you buy or order anything.

Here’s what Russian banknotes look like.

5 Roubles

This banknote is almost out of use, being replaced by a 5 rouble coin. The green note shows the Millennium of Russia – a 19th century monument in the city of Novgorod, marking a 1000 years of Russia’s history. Behind it is Novgorod’s St. Sophia Cathedral. The reverse displays the Novgorod Kremlin (although “Kremlin” commonly refers to the Moscow Kremlin, it’s an old word for “fortress” and many historic Russian cities have one).

10 Roubles

The dark-green and brown note carries an image of a bridge across Yenisey River in Krasnoyarsk – a major Siberian city. Coming from Mongolia and flowing to the Arctic Ocean, Yenisey is the world’s fifth-longest river.

The reverse shows the Krasnoyarsk hydropower dam – the city’s major landmark.

 

50 Roubles

The blue and violet note displays a sculpture at the foot of one of two Rostral Columns in St. Petersberg. Flanking the former Stock Exchange Building, the columns served as oil-fired navigation beacons in the 1800s (on some public holidays, gas torches are still lit on them). In the background is the famous Petropavlovsk fortress. Established by Peter the Great, it became a jail for high-ranking political prisoners. The fortress is now a museum.

The reverse has the former Stock Exchange Building that now houses the city’s Central Naval Museum.

 

100 Roubles

The brown and red banknote shows a sculpture on the portico of Moscow’s legendary Bolshoi Theatre and a horse-drawn chariot of Apollo (the god of the arts in Greek mythology).

The reverse displays the entire building, one of the world’s largest theatres.

500 Roubles

The violet and blue banknote displays a monument to Peter the Great, a sailing ship and sea terminal in Arkhangelsk, in Russia’s north. It was Peter who, in 1693, ordered the creation of a state shipyard there. The reverse shows the Solovetsky Monastery. Founded in the 15th century it used to be a major spiritual centre and pilgrimage destination. During Soviet times the monastery served as a Soviet prison camp. Today, it’s a World Heritage Site, museum and home to a handful of monks.

1000 Roubles

The blue-green note shows a monument to Yaroslav the Wise – the founder of the city of Yaroslavl, 250 km from Moscow. His long reign turned Russia into a cultural and military power in the 11th century. Behind, is a chapel of the city’s Kremlin,

while the reverse displays Yaroslavl’s Church of St. John the Precursor.

 

5000 Roubles

The red-orange note displays a monument to Nikilay Muravyov-Amursky, a 19th century Russian statesman and diplomat, who played a major role in the expansion of the Russian Empire towards the Pacific Rim. The monument is in Khabarovsk – a major city in the Russian Far East. On the reverse is the Khabarovsk Bridge, taking the Trans-Siberian Railway across the Amur River.

View Article on Russia Today

OLYMPICS: Kasai wins Japan ski jumping nationals

Posted: Sunday January 31, 2010 3:57 AM

SAPPORO, Japan (AP) -Noriaki Kasai warmed up for his sixth Olympics by winning the large hill event at the Japanese national ski jumping championships on Sunday.

Kasai, who was third after the first round, earned his first national title in 16 years with a second jump of 127.5 meters at the Okurayama hill.

The 37-year-old veteran is in good form heading to Vancouver. He claimed his first title in eight years by winning the HTB International on Jan.10 and was second in the TVh Cup a week ago.

"I'm pleased with today's results and will do my best for a medal in Vancouver,'' Kasai said.

Kasai's best finish in the World Cup this season was a second place finish here two weeks ago.

Kasai won a silver medal in the team event at the 1994 Lillehammer Olympics but was left off the team when Japan won the team event four years later in Nagano for its first gold in ski jumping since the 1972 Sapporo games.

Kasai will be one of two veteran jumpers representing Japan in Vancouver along with 38-year-old Takanobu Okabe. The other members of Japan's Olympic ski jumping team are Daiki Ito and Taku Takeuchi.

View Article in Sports Illustrated

JAPAN: Tokyo-Yokohama Metropolitan Area

From the Encyclopædia Britannica

The people

The most striking fact about the population of Greater Tokyo is that it is so large. The four prefectures of the metropolitan area contain one-fourth of all the people in Japan. The population of the 23 wards of Tokyo is stabilized at roughly eight million, while that of outlying regions continues to grow rapidly. Two other cities within the complex, Yokohama and Kawasaki, have populations of more than a million.

The average age for Tokyoites is well under that for the rest of the nation. It is a city of young people, and they flood the streets. Though the very young are a little afraid of Shinjuku and its gangs, the streets on the whole are safe. So, Tokyo is filled with young people nudging past one another not in automobiles but on sidewalks; in this regard, not many cities can be its equal. It conveys a sense of irresistible vitality. It may be quiet and unpeopled in the hours before and after dawn, but at other hours none of the bustling centres is without its crowds. Ordinary neighbourhoods are quieter than they once were, because more people are indoors watching television—notably baseball (the national sport) during the season. Nonetheless, the pedestrian crowds continue to be far more widely diffused than in any American city.

The origins of the Tokyo populace are mostly in the northern and eastern parts of the country. Japan’s other great megalopolis, centred upon Ōsaka, draws from the south and west. It is reasonable to ask why masses of people continue to pour in who know full well how crowded it already is and how trying it can be, especially for the newcomer. It is dangerous to generalize about national traits, but one may hazard a simple answer: the Japanese love to be where everyone is, and there are nearly as many people in one conurbation or the other as everywhere else in Japan put together.

Although Yokohama has passed Ōsaka in population, the latter is still considered Japan’s “second” city. Ōsaka is the focal point of its conurbation, while Yokohama is largely a bedroom town for Tokyo. Yokohama retains its international flavour from the days when it was Japan’s chief entrepôt with the West, even though its foreign community is much smaller than it once was. Tokyo, in spite of a substantial foreign population and its world-class status, has considerably less of a cosmopolitan feel than a city such as New York.

The economy

Industry

Since the war Tokyo has taken over from Ōsaka the role of leading industrial centre in the country. The region has a highly diversified manufacturing base. Heavy industries—such as metals, chemicals, machinery, transportation equipment, and oil refining—are concentrated in Chiba, Kawasaki, and Yokohama. Tokyo proper is strongly inclined toward light industry. Most of Japan’s books and much of its electronic equipment, for instance, are produced there.

Commerce and finance

More noteworthy than the concentration of industry is the concentration of management and finance in and near Tokyo. Even companies with factories elsewhere maintain large offices in Tokyo, and the proper corporate location is Marunouchi. There is a good reason for keeping a Tokyo office—proximity to government offices—although a chumminess between managers and bureaucrats is thought by many to be not entirely healthy.

Finance has been more conservative geographically than has management, with Nihombashi, the commercial and financial centre of Edo, as its main seat. Located there are the Bank of Japan and the Tokyo Stock Exchange, Japan’s two most important financial institutions. The latter is much busier than the Ōsaka Stock Exchange, but this may be somewhat misleading: a very large proportion of stocks are in intercompany holdings that do not go on the market. This arrangement is a defense against hostile takeovers and also a continuing assurance of cooperation among the members of the giant conglomerates; but it makes the stock market easily manipulatable and less than ideally subject to market forces.

During the 1980s, as Japan was emerging as an economic superpower, Tokyo suddenly found itself a global financial centre. This remarkable growth rate came to be called the “bubble economy.” The expression refers to speculation in general, but most particularly to land speculation and to Tokyo, where land prices have been the most outrageously exorbitant in the country. By the early 1990s, however, overinflated stock and land prices led to a “bursting” of the bubble, so curious a phenomenon that the Japanese grasp of the word “bubble” seems in doubt. The English word is most commonly used, and when it is put into Japanese (awa) the rendition is “foam” rather than “bubble.” What has happened does seem more like a subsidence of foam than a thorough burst of a bubble.

Transportation

The emergence of modern Tokyo came at the beginning of the transportation revolution of the late 19th century. The first railroad in Japan was put through from Tokyo to Yokohama in 1872. The city continues to be the most important transportation centre in the country. The busiest rail stations are those accommodating commuters to the western suburbs, but the traveler who wishes to go considerable distances by rail usually leaves from Tokyo station, in Marunouchi, or Ueno station, a couple of miles to the north. Only since 1991 has it been possible to take a Shinkansen express train to northern Japan from Tokyo station, as Ueno was the traditional terminus for northbound travel.

Most international travel is through the highly inconvenient airport at Narita, in Chiba prefecture, at least an hour by rail from central Tokyo. Opened in 1978, the facility has been at the centre of controversy since its inception, mainly because of opposition by landowners to the appropriation of their property. The older, smaller, and rather more convenient airport at Haneda, near the Tama River, accommodates domestic travel and a few international flights. Yokohama still is the most important port in the region, the other major ports being Chiba, Kawasaki, and Tokyo.

Tokyo’s streets are flooded not only with people but also with vehicles, and traffic can become almost gridlocked at busy times and in busy places. There is a good system of roads and express highways in the city and region, but it is woefully inadequate for the crush of traffic. A splendid network of subways and commuter rail lines provides an alternative to the automobile.

View Article in Encyclopædia Britannica

JAPAN: Tourism Lagging in Japan So Pack Your Bags and Go!

Jan 30th 2010 at 3:01PM

by Deb West (RSS feed)

The Japanese National Tourism Organization announced that the number of foreign visitors to Japan are down. Just a year ago in 2008 the number of visitors to Japan was at a record high of 8.35 million and now the number has fallen by 18.7 percent to 6.79 million. It is the biggest drop in the rate of tourism the country has seen in forty years.

The decline is being attributed to the global economic downturn, a strong yen which makes travel to Japan expensive and fears over the swine flu. Interestingly the country's largest tourism markets are South Korea, Taiwan and China. Japan had been enjoying an increase of visitors for decades. In 1989 there were 2.84 million tourists and a decade later in 1999 the number had almost doubled to 4.44 million visitors.

Some of the biggest hassles one encounters when traveling revolve around other tourists. The best news for people who are interested in going abroad to a country whose tourism numbers are down is that they are likely to experience less crowded conditions at major attractions and even promotional deals from hotels with unexpected seasonal vacancies.

Japan is a great place to travel to if you've always wanted to visit Asia but are timid about going to the Far East. It offers all the benefits of a completely modernized society as well as a rich cultural history. Kyoto is a former imperial city with a rich tradition in the arts and a center of Japanese Buddhism. You can stay at the Hyatt Regency Kyoto for a more Western experience or try one of the two most famous traditional ryokans in all of Japan, Tawaraya or Hiiragiya. Do not be fooled by the understated surroundings, at these "inns" you can indulge in Japanese baths, gourmet dining and sleep on the floor all in the utmost of Japanese luxury.

In Spring, specifically late March to early April, Japan is abloom with cherry blossoms. Spectacular trees are found all over the country, and there are detailed forecasts of where to go when, to see the booming trees. The country has thirteen registered World Heritage Sites, incredible shrines and temples, hot springs and major cities with amazing shopping and incredible restaurants. Seems like the perfect time to enjoy this spectacular country, so pack a bag and go!

View Article on Luxist

KOBE, JAPAN: Gigantor statue brings tourists, economic benefits to Kobe neighborhood

January 23rd, 2010

by James

A few months have passed since a 1:1 scale statue of Gigantor (Tetsujin 28-go) was completed near Shin-Nagata station in Kobe. Here’s a short clip from “Mezamashi TV” that accesses the economic impact of the statue:

The statue was built in an area of Kobe that was badly damaged during the Great Hanshin Earthquake of 1995. The statue is being seen as a sign of the area’s recovery.

In the three months since the statue went up, about a million people have come to see it. Most of them are too young to have actually seen the original anime series, but they are nonetheless drawn to the cool-looking giant robot.

This has been a great boost to the shopping arcade immediately adjacent to the park containing the statue, and many shopkeepers are capitalizing on the statue’s popularty by selling Gigantor-themed products. There is even a taxi company that has decked out two cabs with Gigantor decals, full sets of the Tetsujin 28-go manga, and faux remote controls for the giant robot.

Things are not so great, however, for the shops that are not close to the statue. They have noticed any boost in business since the statue went up and the streets in front of their shops are very quiet. There is a plan to erect statues of famous figures from the Romance of the Three Kingdoms, which will hopefully draw a few of the Gigantor tourists.

View Article on Japan Probe

FUKUOKA, JAPAN: Shōfuku-ji

Compiled by Heather Hopkins Clement

One of the main historical sights to visit in Fukuoka is the Zen Buddhist temple Shōfuku-ji.

Below is a sampling of travel guide reviews for this sight:

GATEWAY TO JAPAN:

1 km north of Hakata station, near Gion subway stop.

This is the oldest Zen temple in Japan, founded in 1195 by the priest Eisai upon his return from China.  Eisai went on to found important Rinzai Zen monasteries in Kamakura and Kyoto.  Shōfuku-ji itself  is a small, neglected version of a Kamakura temple, set down in the middle of a modern city.  The grounds contain tea hedges where Eisai supposedly planted Japan’s first tea.

LONELY PLANET:

Shōfuku-ji is an historic Zen temple founded in 1195 AD by Eisai Zenji, who introduced Zen and tea to Japan. The site on which it stands has proved to be archaeologically rich, with recent excavations revealing remnants of a culture dating back 4000 years.

HIROSHIMA, JAPAN: Monkeys in Hiroshima's Miyajima to be moved to Aichi Pref.

Jan. 29  MIYAJIMA, Japan

Staffers at the Japan Monkey Center in Aichi Prefecture start catching monkeys in Miyajima, Hiroshima Prefecture, on Jan. 29, 2010, before moving them to the monkey center. Monkeys in Miyajima, where the World Heritage Site of Itsukushima Shrine is located, have increased to more than 100 and have become wild, causing fears of injuries to people and damage to cultural assets. (Kyodo)

HAKONE, JAPAN: Exhibit on the Orient Express

Friday, Jan. 15, 2010

By NAOKO KURAMOCHI

Staff writer

Hakone's Lalique Museum is showing Rene Lalique's glass works in an interesting gallery — the famed Orient Express.

The Orient Express was made famous by British author Agatha Christie's 1934 novel "Murder on the Orient Express." Lalique (1860-1945) is a well-known glass designer and craftsman who lived during the time when art nouveau gave way to art deco, and was a leader in both movements. He created more than 150 fine-glass panels in 1928 for a salon car of the Co^te d'Azur Express, which was produced in 1929 and later used as the Orient Express. In 2004, the museum brought this salon car over from Europe and now presents it throughout the year.

Commemorating its fifth anniversary, the museum is running an event titled "Lalique Winter Light Review" in a special exhibition space called Le Train During this event, which runs till March 31, visitors can enjoy subtle lighting reflected through Larique's pieces, which include flower vases, perfume jars and wine glasses. Visitors view the works through windows while seated inside the train car. The pieces are actually outside the car, but only visitors inside can see them. On display are about 30 pieces including the sculpture "Co^te d'Azur" and the flower vase "Bacchantes." Admission costs ¥2,100, which includes dessert with tea or coffee inside the train car.

"Lalique Winter Light Review" will be held inside the special "Le Train" exhibition space at the Lalique Museum in Hakone, Kanagawa Prefecture, until Mar. 31. "Le Train" is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and costs ¥2,100. It takes about 45 minutes to view the exhibit with a video explanation. Once you arrive at the museum, make an appointment to view the exhibit. Also inside the museum is a permanent exhibition that costs ¥1,500 to view. Admission is ¥1,300 for university, high school students and those over 65; admission is ¥800 for junior high school students and younger. The museum is open from 9 a.m. till 5 p.m. For more information, visit www.lalique-museum.com/index.html

View Article in The Japan Times

MURORAN, JAPAN: Limited Express Train Timetable To/From Muroran

If you want to explore Sapporo or Noboribetsu from the Port of Muroran, you will want to take a limited express train from Higashi Muroran Station. 

For departure times current as of October 10, 2009, click below:

Hokkaido Train Timetable

CHINA: Want a house? Fake a divorce

2010-1-30 

By Jane Chen   

MORE than 70 people had their low budget-home applications disqualified in an eastern China city after being found to have faked divorce certificates to improve their chances.

Of the total 3,907 applicants in Qingdao, a coastal city in Shandong Province, more than 400 cheated in their marital, housing and economic status, including the 70-some who used fake divorce certificates, yesterday's Legal Daily reported, citing Qingdao's housing authority.

The divorced can get favorable policies for applying for cheap homes and low interest mortgages.

They can save more than 100,000 yuan (US$14,647) in interest on a mortgage of 300,000 yuan over 20 years, the newspaper quoted a real estate agent as saying.

In face of skyrocketing home prices, fake divorces have become the last straw for many low-income home buyers and they were reported nationwide.

Some use fake divorce certificates. Others, though registering legitimate divorces, reunite shortly after they get the homes.
In the suburban Renhe Town in southwest China's Chongqing Municipality, 1,795 couples out of the total 20,000 population were divorced in 2005 and 732 divorced couples remarried, according to the town's marriage registration office.

Many of the divorced rural residents married township residents to get larger homes and land from the government and then split quickly and remarried their previous spouses, office workers told the newspaper.

In Xinbei District of Changzhou City, eastern China's Jiangsu Province, where government is relocating local residents, more than half of the villagers in Taojiawan area have divorced since late last year to get favorable housing compensation policies, the Legal Daily report said.

But not all the fake divorces worked as planned and some people were fooled by their own schemes.

A man surnamed Li in Dalian, capital of northeastern China's Liaoning Province, divorced in 2008 and gave all his property to his wife so he could get favorable policies to buy a second home.
But when he tried to reunite with his wife, she had married someone else. Li became homeless.

A woman in Beijing surnamed Zhang had similar story. She got divorced last September to qualify for the city's low-budget homes.
But shortly after she found her husband was living with another woman and she was driven out of her home. She filed a lawsuit to rule the divorce as fake, but was rejected.

View Article on Shanghai Daily

CHINA: When there is more to it than dog meat

Sunday, January 31, 2010

By Alexis Hooi, China Daily/Asia News Network

In the minds of the Chinese, Fan Kuai is one of the most famous generals under Liu Bang, the peasant-turned-first emperor of China's Han Dynasty (206 BC to AD 220).

As a close friend of the Han Emperor Gaozu, Fan was from the same hometown as his ruler in Pei county, now called Feng county, Jiangsu province.

Fan is also known in Chinese history as a butcher of dogs.

There are even records of a happy homecoming for the triumphant, dog-meat-loving Liu after he vanquished his enemies, in a celebration of song and dance penned in the timeless poem Da Feng Ge.

So it is understandable that debate is now heating up over the latest proposed draft of the country's first animal welfare law prohibiting the consumption of dog meat. Fines in the draft will be up to 5,000 yuan (US$733) with a maximum detention of 15 days for potential violators.

Like many people in the West, supporters of the draft view eating dog meat as taboo. Heartlessly butchering and devouring man's best friend can be animal cruelty to the highest degree.

But as with many other Chinese habits and practices that usually draw more foreign criticism than they deserve, eating dog meat in China also has cultural connotations and other dimensions that are often overlooked.

Dog meat, as mentioned above, has been on Chinese plates for centuries. From the southern and eastern provinces of Guangdong and Jiangxi to northeastern provinces such as Jilin and Liaoning neighboring the Korean Peninsula, eating dog meat is part of traditional dietary beliefs passed down through generations in these regions.

In other areas, eating dog meat is firmly entrenched in local history and livelihood.

When the latest proposed draft came out, many residents in Shiqiu town of Nanjing, capital of Jiangsu, reportedly flew into a fury - theirs was a town famous for serving dog meat dishes that numerous local businesses depended on. The area had been an impoverished one in the old days and became famous for the food only because residents in the past had to graciously resort to serving dog in hosting guests.

Even so, the habit is now limited to a few areas in the country and is far from widespread.

It is also hard to avoid drawing parallels with the perennial debate over the Japanese consumption of whale meat - a dish that became a staple in post-war Japan after being introduced by its American occupiers as a cheap source of protein, and one that is now marginally eaten by many of the younger generation who see the dietary habit more as a cultural remnant.

Chinese diners who choose to eat dog will also attest to the fact that the meat now comes from lesser breeds that are specifically raised for food and not the household pets that might immediately come to mind for opponents of the habit and animal welfare activists.

Taken as a culturally legitimate food source, these breeds raised for food must then be given the same humane treatment that animal welfare groups advocate for farm animals that make up most of the world's meals.

More importantly, the proposed draft must continue to be open to public feedback so that all these factors and interests can be taken into consideration before any legislation is passed.

Only then can reasonable compromise be made on a culturally sensitive issue at home and abroad.

View Article on The China Post

BEIJING, CHINA: Tiananmen Square

Compiled by Heather Hopkins Clement

Along with the Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square is one of the top “most dos” when visiting Beijing. 

Here is a sampling of what various travel guides have to say on the subject:

FODOR’S:

Walking beneath the red flags of Tiananmen Square is quintessential Beijing. The political heart of modern China, the square covers 100 acres, making it the largest public square in the world. It was from the Gate of Heavenly Peace that Mao Zedong pronounced the People's Republic of China in 1949. Many Westerners think only of the massive student protests here in the 1980s; in fact, it has been the site of protests throughout history.

FROMMER’S:

• Hours
  8am-4:30pm in summer; 8:30am-4pm in winter
• Location
  North of Tian'an Men Sq.; ticket office to left as you enter
• Prices
  Admission ¥20 ($2.65/£1.35) in summer, ¥15 ($2/£1) in winter
• Other
  Mandatory bag storage (¥2-¥6/25¢-80¢/15p-40p) behind and to left of ticket booth; cameras allowed

This gate is the largest in what was once known as the Imperial City and the most emblematic of Chinese government grandeur. Above the central door, once reserved for the emperor, now hangs the famous portrait of Mao, flanked by inscriptions that read: LONG LIVE THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA (left) and LONG LIVE THE GREAT UNITY OF THE PEOPLES OF THE WORLD (right). Mao declared the founding of the People's Republic from atop the gate on October 1, 1949. There is no charge to walk through, but tickets are required if you want to ascend to the upper platform for worthwhile views of Tian'an Men Square. You might imagine yourself as the Great Helmsman addressing a sea of Red Guards, all struggling to understand your thick Hunan accent while waving your little red book. Note the pair of huabiao (ornamental columns) topped with lions, wreathed in dragons and clouds, and facing the square. In their original form, huabiao were wooden posts in the shapes of a battle-axes, upon which subjects would attach petitions or scrawl their grievances to the king. Over time, their function was reversed. Turned to stone and wreathed in the ultimate symbol of the emperor's mandate -- the dragon -- they became a warning to the ruled to keep out.

LONELY PLANET:

• Phone:  6524 3322
• Transport:  bus: 1, 4, 10, 22, 52, 57
  underground rail: Tiananmen Xi, Tiananmen Dong or Qianmen
• 08:30 - 16:30

The world's largest public square, Tiananmen Sq is a vast desert of paving stones at the heart of Běijīng. It may be a grandiose, Maoist tourist trap, but the view is breathtaking on a clear day and at nightfall. Kites flit through the sky, children stamp around and Chinese out-of-towners huddle together for the obligatory photo opportunity.

Mao conceived the square to project the enormity of the Communist Party, so it's all a bit Kim Il Sung-ish. During the Cultural Revolution the chairman reviewed parades of up to a million people here. In 1976 another million people jammed the square to pay their last respects to Mao. In 1989 army tanks and soldiers forced pro-democracy demonstrators out of the square.

Surrounding the square is a mishmash of monuments, past and present: the Gate of Heavenly Peace; the Museum of Chinese History and Museum of the Chinese Revolution; the Great Hall of the People; the Front Gate; the Chairman Mao Mausoleum, where you can purchase Mao memorabilia and catch a glimpse of the man himself (when his mortuary make-up isn't being refreshed); and the Monument to the People's Heroes

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC:

The world's largest (99 acres) public square—surprisingly devoid of trees, benches, and other boundary-setting details. Gape at the sheer scale, and imagine Mao declaring the birth of a nation, Red Guards agitating for revolution, and tanks pushing back hundreds of student demonstrators. At dawn, uniformed military guards raise China's flag. Free. Chang'an Jie to the north, and Qianmen Dajie to the south.

NEW YORK TIMES:

Start your sightseeing at Tiananmen Square, said to be the largest public square in the world. Built by Mao after he assumed power in 1949, the 100-acre square is the political focal point of China. During the Cultural Revolution, from 1966 to 1976, Mao occasionally reviewed hundreds of thousands of Red Guards crowded together on the square. Four years ago, a million protesters swarmed around the square demanding democracy, until the tanks rolled in and opened fire, killing hundreds and wounding thousands. Visitors should be aware that the June 3-4 anniversary of the army's suppression of the movement is approaching. It is a time when Beijing is particularly tense, and tourists should be careful not to photograph anything that might upset the authorities. Last year several foreign journalists were beaten by police here for photographing protesters and secret police.

Toward the north end of the square is the Mao Zedong Memorial Hall, where the Chairman's embalmed body (some cynics insist it is all wax) can be viewed daily from 8:30 to 11:30 A.M. and from 2 to 4 P.M. on Monday, Tuesday and Friday.

Beyond the hall is Tiananmen, the Gate of Heavenly Peace, the entrance to the Forbidden City. Since the 1960's, Mao's portrait has hung from the gate, although there are perennial debates about whether it should be taken down. In the 1980's, the party opened the Tiananmen rostrum to tourists, for $5.20 a person; it provides a fine view of the square and the city beyond. It was from here, on Oct. 1, 1949, that Mao Zedong -- then a gaunt guerrilla freshly arrived in Beijing -- proclaimed the establishment of the People's Republic.

PETER GREENBERG:

Tiananmen means “gates of heavenly peace,” and today, it’s a somber and impressive place. The square, which is in the geographical center of town, is the largest in the world at roughly 109 acres. Most people think of the famous 1989 student protest when they think of Tiananmen Square, but it’s also the site of the daily Chinese flag ceremonies, which are worth observing. Mao’s tomb is here, as well as several museums, monuments, notable architecture, and landscaping.

RUSSIA: On this day: 2 February

On February 2, 1701, Emperor Peter I ordered the building of six battleships in Ladoga, and in doing so started the development of the Baltic fleet.

When, in 1682, Peter I ascended the throne, he decided to make Russia a maritime power. It was a hard task. In 1617, under the terms of Stolbovsky Peace Treaty, Russia ceded the Baltic Coast to Sweden and remained with only one seaport – Archangelsk. The loss of outlets to the Baltic Sea slowed down the development of Russian international trade.

In 1695, Peter started a war against Turkey with the attack on the Azov Fortress – a Turkish seaport on the Sea of Azov. Russian forces could not encircle the fortress and block the ways to it without a fleet - Turkish ships freely delivered food, troops and ammunition to the besieged. After a long besiegement, July 9, 1695 – October 2, 1695, Peter withdrew the forces from Azov.

On October 30, 1695, the Boyars’ Duma, the council of aristocracy, passed the first Russian law about a fleet - “Let the sea vessels be”, and the building of the ships started in Voronezh, Moscow and several other cities. Peter had to invite shipbuilders from Holland and England because no one in Russia had the necessary experience. In spring 1696, the fleet was ready, and on July 22, 1696, Azov, after attacks from the sea and from land, surrendered to Russia. Peter I, as captain of one of the ships, had took part in those attacks.

1697-1698 Peter I spent in Europe, participating incognito in the so-called “Great Embassy”. In Europe, Peter worked as a carpenter at the shipyard in Saardam (Holland) and studied shipbuilding in Amsterdam and in England. He wanted to know this science in detail, as if he needed to build the ships by himself.

In 1700, Russia concluded a truce with Turkey and declared war on Sweden to gain an outlet to the Baltic Sea. Peter founded the shipyards on the banks of Ladoga, rivers Syas, Volhov and Svir. The first victory of the Baltic fleet took place at the beginning of May 1703, when 60 boats in seven flotillas, headed by Peter I, forced their way past the Swedish fortress of Nienshanz and entered the mouth of the Neva River. On May 12, after 10 days of besiegement, the fortress surrendered to Russian forces.

On May 18, 1703, a squadron of thirty boats under the command of Peter himself defeated the Swedish ships “Gedan” and “Astrild” at the mouth of the Neva. It was one of the greatest battles in that war. All the participants of the battle were decorated with gold and silver medals bearing the inscription “The impossible is possible”. On this day Russians celebrate the birthday of the Baltic Fleet.

One of the greatest victories of the Baltic Fleet is the victory in battle near Gangut Peninsula on 26-27 July, 1714. 99 Russian rowing ships under the command of Peter I defeated a Swedish squadron consisting mostly of sailing ships. On 26 July, when there was no wind and the Swedish ships had no ability to move; Russian forces blocked the enemy in the bay, and on July 27 boarded the Swedish flagship “Elephant”. The other ships surrendered. The commander of the squadron, Admiral Erensheld, tried to flee, but was caught and imprisoned.

In 1721, Sweden signed a peace treaty with Russia and gave up the Baltic coast. Russia became a maritime power. At the end of the war, the Baltic Fleet consisted of more then 600 battle vessels and a developed system of shipyards.

Until the middle of the 20th Century, the Baltic Fleet had been the strongest maritime force of Russian Navy, but then lost its importance due to the development of the ocean fleet. Nowadays, the Baltic Fleet is the main training base for the Russian Navy.

ANCHORAGE, ALASKA: Cost of living rises in Anchorage

Published: January 30th, 2010 11:49 AM

The Associated Press

ANCHORAGE, Alaska - New federal statistics show the cost of living is up slightly in Anchorage.

That's in contrast to the decrease in the cost of living nationally last year.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, which tracks inflation, says Anchorage enjoyed a short-lived decline in consumer prices last year. The city's average price for consumer goods declined 0.7 percent in the first part of the year. But the rising price of natural gas and electricity pushed the cost of living back up to 1.8 percent for the second half.

Prices were up 1.2 percent in Anchorage over the prior year.

For the year, prices went up 1.2 percent in Anchorage over the prior year. That's a modest gain compared with the 4.6 percent leap in local consumer prices in 2008.

View Article in Anchorage Daily News

The plan for my first stop in Shanghai

by Heather Hopkins Clement

My friend Caroline and I will be arriving at Shanghai’s Pudong International Airport on Friday, 2/19 at different times.  Since Caroline is arriving in the morning, she will be the first to do most things that morning like riding the maglev train into the city and previewing the hotel we have selected—The Puli Hotel and Spa.  I think she already hears the spa calling her name to help her de-stress from the long flight and give her body some help in coping with jetlag. 

If she feels up to it, I’ve recommended that she visit Yuyuan Garden in the afternoon.  My husband Brad and I visited it last October, and I really loved it.  I went crazy taking pictures.  They were just so many interesting views.  The contrast of this garden juxtaposed with the new skyscrapers lining Shanghai’s skyline is quite a sight. 

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I hope to meet up with her at the hotel that evening, take a quick shower and head out for a Chinese vegetarian banquet.  I’m sure I’ll sleep well that night, and I’m hoping Caroline will too!

We hope to do some sightseeing the next morning if our bodies cooperate.  The plan is then to check out of the hotel and take a taxi to the pier to check into our cabin on the Ocean Princess.  After we get settled into our cabin, we should have some time to go back out exploring before we set sail at 7:00 PM.   We just can’t visit the museums; I plan to do that with Janabeth when I return in March.

TRAVEL: Slickest Suites at Sea

by Sherri Eisenberg

If you're like us, you get slightly seasick at the idea of spending a week inside a tiny cruise-ship cabin, with those tacky round portholes and bunk beds with lumpy mattresses. OK, maybe they're not like that anymore, but we'd rather not take chances. When we set sail, we'd much prefer, say, a private butler at our disposal. Or a private terrace large enough to ballroom-dance upon. Many of the better cruise lines now have at least one truly impressive suite onboard, the kind of room that would wow you even if you found it in a swank hotel. Some suites are a good bang for the buck, others cost a whole lot of bucks—but you won't feel cramped in any of them. And if you want to see what you're missing by not booking a crowded little cabin, you can always lock yourself in the walk-in closet.

 

Cunard Line
Queen Mary 2: Grand Duplex Apartments

Leave it to the Brits to do hierarchy well: These two duplex suites may be the best staterooms at sea. The names themselves—Balmoral and Sandringham—sound awfully regal, and the sea views through two-story glass walls overlooking the stern don't disappoint. Each duplex measures 2,249 square feet and can be combined with four other suites to total more than 9,000. (In which case you probably have a very big family or are claustrophobic.) The 1930s-era Art Deco feel hearkens back to the grand old days of cruising (or what we imagine them to be, anyway), with a premium on good lighting and gleaming dark wood. And if the three polished marble bathrooms don't make you feel giddy, then take several star turns on the sweeping staircase leading to the second floor (and massive bedroom). The in-suite dining room seats eight, so you can invite your new hoity-toity friends to join you for elegant predinner canapés, served each evening by your butler.

Best detail: On Cunard, cabin category determines where you're allowed to eat. Guests in the Grand Duplex Apartments feast in the Queens Grill, where caviar, truffles, foie gras, and Champagne are a few of the menu's delights.

Set sail: Summer, transatlantic crossings; winter, around-the-world voyages

Cunard
Tel: 800 728 6273
Grand Duplex Apartments from $3,199 per person per night, based on double occupancy

Regent Seven Seas Cruises
Seven Seas Voyager and Seven Seas Mariner: Deluxe suites

When you realize that some seafaring suites can run more than $4,000 per night for a couple, an all-suite ship, such as the Seven Seas Voyager or Seven Seas Mariner, can start looking pretty good. A $556-per-person Deluxe Suite is 301 square feet with many of the same amenities as bigger, pricier suites, including a king-size bed with good linens, a separate sitting area, and free soft drinks and beer in the fridge. And while cruise-ship bathrooms are often dinky and dark, these are akin to a nice hotel room's facilities, with a surfeit of marble, full-size tubs, and separate showers. Of course, you could push up to a Penthouse-class suite, which is roughly the same size but includes a balcony and butler service. But we suggest you consider using those extra bucks on blow-out port excursions.

Best detail: Interactive TV systems allow you to order room service or book a shore excursion without picking up a phone. And room service is worth ordering—butlers bring silver-domed plates piled high with treats.

Set sail: Voyager: summer, Europe; winter, Caribbean and around-the-world voyages. Mariner: summer, Alaska; winter, around-the-world voyages

Regent Seven Seas Cruises
Tel: 877 505 5370
Deluxe suites from $556 per person per night, double occupancy

Norwegian Cruise Line
Garden Villas

Five thousand square feet. That's big enough to do laps in. Big enough to throw a big party. Big enough to…well, you get it. Not only are the Garden Villas the largest in Norwegian's fleet, they're the most over-the-top. Built on the highest deck, they're like mini mansions, with living and dining rooms, three bedrooms, and three bathrooms. There's a hot tub and steam room located in the private garden (oh, yeah, there's a garden, hence the name). And for more privacy, pull the curtain on the cabana surrounding the hot tub. Not all of Norwegian's ships have Garden Villas, so be sure to ask when booking.

Best detail: Talk about being separated from the hoi polloi. Instead of buffet lines, Garden Villa guests order from a special room-service menu, complete with hors d'oeuvres such as escargots and caviar. Better yet, they enjoy priority embarkation, disembarkation, and luggage service.

Set sail: Summer, routes in Alaska, the Mediterranean, and Europe; winter, voyages in the Caribbean, Europe, and Mexico

Norwegian Cruise Line
Tel: 866 234 0292
Three-bedroom suites from $1,850 per person per night, based on double occupancy

 

Carnival Cruise Line

Carnival Splendor: Cloud 9 Spa Suites

This mainstream line is known for pleasing the masses, not indulging the elite. But in July 2008, its newest ship, the Carnival Splendor, will introduce spa suites. (Where hotel trends go, cruise lines will eventually follow.) These 68 suites will have private access to the 21,000-square-foot spa through their own dedicated elevator. The real bonus is that you can slip down for a late-night steam—even when the spa is closed to other guests. The cabins themselves may not be the biggest or most special, but in addition to exclusive spa access, they also have in-room yoga mats and elastic fitness bands, so you can work away all that onboard eating without leaving your stateroom. Bonus: Aerobics classes are free to Cloud 9 Spa Suite guests.

Best detail: The spa, which stretches over part of a whopping two decks, will have a massive thalassotherapy pool. The pool will be popular—probably too popular—so skip it during the day and plan to go late at night, when you'll have it all to yourself.

Set sail: Summer, Europe; winter, the Caribbean

Carnival Cruises
Tel: 800 227 6482
Cloud 9 Spa Suites from $300 per person per night, based on double occupancy

ResidenSea
The World: Three-Bedroom Apartments

These suites really could be apartments. And not just any run-of-the-mill condo in Florida, either: We're talking a renovated beauty you'd find in a prewar building on Park Avenue (all the surrounding water and gentle swaying notwithstanding). Picture recessed lighting, crown molding, and wood paneling, as well as built-in bookcases and striped wallpaper. With three bedrooms and three bathrooms, and totaling 3,242 square feet, these spaces cry out for three couples who like each other—especially considering that there is also a large terrace and a Jacuzzi tub. Hopefully one of you is a gourmet chef, as many of these apartments have spectacular kitchens with Viking ranges and Sub-Zero fridges, and are stocked with so much equipment that it would put Top Chef's setup to shame. (Kitchen amenities vary, though, so ask when booking.) Groceries are delivered from Fredy's Deli onboard or from local markets in port.

Best detail: The World's operations are more akin to a floating condo time-share than they are to a cruise ship. While the vessel's got cruise-ship amenities like a Banyan Tree spa and a full gym, the majority of cabins are individually owned, and rented out to passengers when not in use. Owners have a say in the itineraries, and the ship often makes for ports hosting major events, such as Monaco's Grand Prix, Carnaval in Rio de Janeiro, and Valencia's America's Cup.

Set sail: Summer and winter, Europe

ResidenSea
Tel: 954 538 8400
Three-bedroom apartments from $3,000 per night, with a six-night minimum

Holland America
Penthouse Verandahs

Holland America's style has always been traditional, with formal nights, assigned seating at meals, and bouillon and blankets provided deck-side on chilly days. Lately, the line has started loosening up in a bid to attract younger cruisers, but the best suites onboard still rely heavily on the classics, and to great effect. The Penthouse Verandahs' decor includes wallpaper, wood paneling, and deep leather couches. Actually, it feels pretty luxurious in an Old World sense, with an emphasis on service and details. These include free clothes pressing and shoe shines, corsages and boutonnieres for the first formal night, silver baskets of fruit, and personalized stationery. Who knows, you just might get used to all the rather dignified protocols.

Best detail: Guests get their own indoor public space, called the Neptune Lounge, which is reminiscent of a Club floor at a Ritz-Carlton. Best afternoon tea on the high seas.

Set sail: Summer, Alaska, Canada/New England, and transatlantic, and other voyages; winter, the Caribbean, the Panama Canal, Australia/New Zealand, South America, and Hawaii

Holland America
Tel: 877 724 5425
Penthouse Verandah Suites from $550 per person per night, based on double occupancy

Celebrity Cruises
Millennium-Class Ships: Penthouse Suites

On a cool, cloudy day at sea, the most popular spot is often the outdoor hot tub. On those days, you're better off in a Penthouse Suite, so you won't have to rub wet elbows with Larry the Salesman from Boise and his charming wife, Louise, who, you know, like to party with other couples. Instead you'll have a 1,098-square-foot deck and whirlpool tub just for yourselves. The suites are big, with enough rooms to get lost in. There's the foyer, dining room, butler's pantry; a living room with a baby grand piano and wet bar; the master bedroom with a dressing room; and (deep breath!) a master bath with a whirlpool tub and separate shower; plus, a second bathroom with shower. "Um, honey? Where are you, anyway?"

Best detail: As in a state-of-the-art hotel room, everything is automated or motorized, from the draperies and lighting to the security system. The suite also comes with flat-screen TVs (two of 'em) and a PC connected to the Internet, in case you want to e-mail pics of yourself in your Jacuzzi to your friends back home. Or Larry and Louise.

Set sail: Summer, Alaska and Europe; winter, the South Pacific and Caribbean

Celebrity Cruises
Tel: 800 647 2251
Penthouse Suites from $378 per person per night, based on double occupancy

Silversea Cruises
Owner's Suites

Silversea has always been rather, well, select, so it's no surprise that the line has mastered the art of the opulent suite. The Silver Shadow and Silver Whisper each host two Owner's Suites, which each have two bedrooms and two private teak verandas. The living room has a full-size sofa, a coffee table, club chairs, and a plasma TV. And did we mention there's also a dining area with a stocked (and complimentary) private bar? Beat the morning-after hangover with your own in-room Lavazza espresso maker. Each of the bedrooms, meanwhile, has walk-in closets, two marble baths with separate showers, a powder room, and a full-size Jacuzzi. Life's very hard on the seas, you know.

Best detail: While the suite is understated and elegant, service is over-the-top. A butler keeps the place stocked with Pommery Champagne, fresh fruit and flowers. And thanks to the ship's all-inclusive laundry service, this may be the first trip from which you return home with a suitcase full of clean laundry—washed, folded, and even packed by your butler.

Set sail: Silver Shadow: summer, the Pacific Northwest; winter, the Caribbean. Silver Whisper: summer, the Mediterranean; winter, Asia

Silversea
Tel: 800 722 9955
Owner's Suites from $2,400 per person per night, based on double occupancy

Princess Cruises
Diamond Princess and Sapphire Princess: Grand Suite

The best part of these aft suites? The view from the spacious balconies, with a panoramic vista of the ship's wake and a parting shot of whichever fabulous port you've just sailed from. And this is no Juliet balcony, either: The deck is large enough for a pair of lounge chairs and a dining table for four. You'll get all-day enjoyment from the terrace, from an outdoor breakfast to sunset cocktails. At $560 per passenger per day, the Grand suites are the budgetary middle ground. Measuring 1,329 square feet, including the balcony, the suites feature a dining area, two flat-screen televisions, a large walk-in closet, a tub with whirlpool jets and a separate multihead shower, and a wet bar.

Best detail: These ships are known for their large Internet cafés—but book one of these suites, and you'll have in-room e-mail access from your own personal computer.

Set sail: Diamond Princess: summer, Alaska; winter, Asia. Sapphire Princess: summer, Alaska; winter, Mexico

Princess Cruises
Tel: 800 774 6237
Grand Suites from $560 per person per day, based on double occupancy

 

Crystal Cruises
Crystal Penthouse

Crystal's strengths have always been in the "soft goods," like attentive service and the superlative quality of the food—those small things that have a big impact on your experience. And sometimes just feeling that somebody is looking out for you can be the best thing of all. Guests in the Penthouses get limousine transfers to and from the airport, thus eliminating the most unpleasant act of most cruise vacations: crowding onto the shuttle bus and waiting with the other passengers until everyone is ready. When you do arrive, you'll find bathrooms decked out with Swarovski crystal faucets, custom-etched glass sinks, and bidets. Living rooms have DVD players with a library of selections, and stereos are Bang & Olufsen. As for the food and drink: Not only can you can order room service from the celeb chef restaurants aboard, courtesy of Valentino chef Piero Selvaggio and Nobu Matsuhisa (how about sashimi on your balcony as you sail out of Venice?), but the room is also outfitted with free wine, beer, and liquor.

Best detail: Your suite also comes with a personal gym—including a treadmill or stationary bicycle—in which to work off those Valentino King Crab Cakes and cocktails.

Set sail: Crystal Symphony: summer, northern Europe; winter, the Caribbean. Crystal Serenity: summer, the Mediterranean; winter, South and Central America

Crystal Cruises
Tel: 888 722 0021
Crystal Penthouse from $1,398 per person per night, based on double occupancy

 

View Article on Concierge

RUSSIA: Russian companies line up for IPOs in 2010

Mon, Feb 1 2010

Feb 1 (Reuters) - Russian companies are planning dozens of initial and secondary share offerings in 2010 as the global economy recovers and investors seek risk again.

UC RUSAL, the world's biggest aluminium producer, has just raised $2.2 billion -- or roughly 75 percent of the $3 billion that Russian companies got from equity market in 2009 -- in an initial public offering in Hong Kong.

Following are initial public offerings in the pipeline for companies in Russia and former Soviet republics:

SUEK up to $1.5 bln Q2

SUEK, a leading coal producer, plans to list its shares in London later this year, possibly in the second quarter. The group would raise about $1 billion via a 10 percent flotation.

Kuzbass Fuel Company $300 mln Q1

Kuzbass, Russia's seventh largest steam coal miner, could raise about $300 million via an additional share sale in the first quarter.

Metalloinvest up to $2 bln TBC

The Russian iron and steel firm half-owned by Alisher Usmanov could raise $1-$2 billion and may take a decision on the IPO at the end of the first quarter.

ProfMedia $500 mln April 2010

The media group plans to float up to 40 percent of its shares in an initial public offering in April. Bank of America Merrill Lynch and Credit Suisse are the bookrunners for the planned $500 million listing.

Polymetal $300 mln TBC

The Russian precious metals miner plans to raise some $300 million via a placing of up to 10 percent of its shares.

LSR up to $600 mln TBC

The real estate company could carry out a secondary placement this year in Moscow and London. The company may raise $300-$600 million.

Victoria TBC TBC

The medium-sized Russian grocery chain is considering an initial public offering and has hired Goldman Sachs and Renaissance Capital as advisors.

(Compiled by Dmitry Sergeyev; Editing by David Holmes)

http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSLDE61017020100201

S. KOREA & CHINA: For Chinese Koreans, life is hard but still better in South Korea

Yin Shuilian is among the ethnic Koreans who left northeastern China to begin a new life in South Korea. She works six days a week, 12 hours a day, in a restaurant in Seoul so she can send money home to relatives. (Lina Yoon / For The Times)

February 1, 2010

By Lina Yoon

The migrants are limited to jobs in restaurants, factories, construction fields or as domestic workers, but they are glad to be there. 'There is nothing' in China, one says.

Reporting from Seoul - Yin Shuilian is a fighter.

For more than 11 years, the 45-year-old ethnic Korean tried to leave her hard life in China, where she toiled in fields and in restaurants, and make her way to South Korea.

The move wasn't easy: She was repeatedly denied visas and cheated by unscrupulous brokers.

At last, Yin arrived here in 1998 lugging not only her belongings but also $80,000 in debts to her friends and family. When her husband followed eight months later, the couple faced the challenge of their lives: They worked for six years to repay what they owed and begin a new life in their chosen homeland.

"For us, going to Korea was like going to heaven, a place where money grew on trees," Yin says. "There is nothing [in China]. Here, if you want to work, you can."

But, like many Korean Chinese, Yin has learned that the life in her newfound utopia comes with sweat, hard labor and low wages that barely allow them to survive in the pricey nation.

Many are limited to jobs in restaurants, factories, construction fields or as domestic workers. They inhabit the very bottom rung of the workforce, but they are more than glad to be here -- for now.

Even a harsh life in South Korea is far better than the one they left behind in China's northeastern provinces of Jilin, Heilongjiang or Liaoning. And with the remittances they send home, the workers help improve the lot of their families.

Korean Chinese "make an economic contribution in sectors most Koreans don't want to work in but need to be covered in society," says Yoon In-jin, sociology professor at Korea University. "Their incorporation as foreign labor is smoother because they speak the language and are considered from the same race."

There were 377,560 Korean Chinese legally registered in South Korea by the end of 2009, according to the Korea Immigration Service, but untold others work here illegally.

Yin works six days a week, 12 hours a day, in the kitchen of a traditional fish soup restaurant in Seoul's bustling Gangnam business district, where she chops vegetables, slices frozen fish, cooks soup and washes dishes.

She spends more than two hours commuting to work. She leaves home at 9 a.m. and often isn't back until just before midnight, when she prepares the next day's breakfast, talks with her daughter in China using Skype and then collapses into bed.

"I work a lot, but I make more money than I ever dreamed of when I was in China," says Yin, who barely survived working in restaurants and growing rice in Wuchang, her hometown in Heilongjiang province. "Here, I have a comfortable life."

That life came at a huge risk. Yin lived and worked illegally in small restaurants for six years until she was able to register legally in 2005.

"I was always scared of getting caught," she says. "I was running away and hiding whenever I saw the police, even if they came into my restaurant to eat."

Korean Chinese began migrating to South Korea in the early 1990s when China's economically hard-hit northeastern provinces were excluded from Beijing's economic reforms.

The Korean Chinese Human Rights Center of the Korean Chinese Church estimates that 200,000 Korean Chinese were living in South Korea illegally when the center was established in 1999.

In the last seven years, the number of Korean Chinese legally registered has nearly tripled, from 132,305 in 2003 to 377,560 last year, according to the Korea Immigration Service.  The increase follows a new law passed in 2004 allowing for immigrant workers, and a five-year working visa that was created for Korean Chinese in 2007.

As their numbers grow, the Korean Chinese workers have developed a crucial support network. They have relatives to assist them. There are churches with organized groups to help them adapt to life in South Korea or obtain information on jobs and services.

But many activists here want to see South Korea extend the five-year working visas so migrants aren't eventually forced to abandon lives they have created.

"The situation has improved, but the solutions are only temporary," says Lee Ho-hyoung, director of the Korean Chinese Human Rights group. "The problem is they can't and won't go back. We need to continue fighting for a long-term structural solution."

For now, Yin's family living in Seoul -- including her three sisters and only brother -- send part of their wages to their parents and extended family in China. Yin is also paying for her 21-year-old daughter's university studies in China.

"Before, we just didn't know if we were going to eat the next day," says Yin, who took out a 20-year mortgage in 2008 to buy an apartment in her hometown for her relatives who remain and, perhaps, as a place for her retirement.

"Now all my family has a future," she says.

Yoon is a special correspondent.

View Article in The Los Angeles Times

S. KOREA: Head to Seoul!

Apr 21, 2009, 9:00 PM

Korea ... torn between the tug of modernity and the tidal pull of their own traditionalism. Royal palaces and tombs still dot the city, traditional cultural performances and festivals are everywhere. And so are the Apple stores. Korea is a mind blower.

Like Tokyo, Seoul is one of the most hoppin' happenin' cities in the world and without a doubt the most underrated food city in the world.

Paris, Tokyo, NYC, San Fran, Sydney ... they get all the publicity, but Seoul is the real deal, too. Koreans love to eat and despite the OVERWHELMING dearth of restaurants serving anything other than Korean fare, you will never tire of the cuisine in Seoul because Korean food is so diverse it makes Dolly Parton's closet seem mundane by comparison.

Seoul's largest market is Noryangjin Fish Market, a 700,000 square foot facility that houses over 700 shops selling the most insanely diverse product from 15 fishing ports around Korea. The complex includes numerous restaurants, an auction floor, and an adjacent produce market but everyone comes for the fish. Octopus is a popular delicacy here and is eaten cooked or raw. If eaten raw, it is either eaten whole (and very much alive) or it is sliced up, its tentacles still wriggling as it goes into your mouth. You'll also find local flower crabs, prawns, abalone, clams, oysters, sea snails, sea cucumber, sea slugs, and sea squirts. And of course, live fish can be seen swimming in tanks all over the complex. You point at the fish of your choice and the seller weighs it and informs you of the price. You can take the fish home with you whole or have it gutted and cleaned.

On the floor above the Fish Market, you'll find several seafood restaurants. You can buy your seafood from the market and bring it upstairs or have it delivered upstairs for your dining pleasure. Awesome.

The restaurants will provide the side dishes, liquor and prepare hot soup from the carcass of the recently deboned fish. Of course, if you don't want the hassle of doing it yourself, you can just order at the restaurants and the ladies will yell your order downstairs and it'll be on your table in a couple of minutes. I love this place.

Koreans love spoiled and fermented foods, and have developed fermented food recipes in order to preserve foods that would provide essential nutrients throughout the lean winter months. Fermented foods are healthy (think sauerkraut!) and they show the wisdom of ancestors who sought the secret of longevity. Fermented sauces made of soybeans were created, kimchi was made and stored for winter when it was hard to grow vegetables, and fermented seafood was developed as a way to deal with the all the food that comes from the sea and couldn't' be consumed immediately. Now hong uh wae is fermented skate, left to rot at room temperature for several days before being eaten raw. Skate spoils faster than almost any other seafood and because the animal is loaded with uremic acid and pees through its skin the flavor the rotted skate flesh makes other rotted seafare taste like cotton candy. Yummy. But I loved the kimchi in Korea and got to eat plenty of it with every meal, as well as big piles of all my other fave fermented foods.

o Jangajjis - A dish of dried or salted vegetables and herbs pickled in bean sauce or bean paste or peppered bean paste.
o Ganjang - Korean soy sauce.
o Doenjang - Fermented soybean paste. Doenjang is made from the solids left over after Gangjang is drained from its fermentation vessel.
o Gochujang - a hot paste made from soybean powder fermented with boiled rice, flour, and sticky rice powder and seasoned with salt and spicy peppers.
o Cheonggukjang - a fermented soybean paste that contains whole as well as ground soy beans.

Everyone in Korea dines out and it is a common habit for people in Seoul, so there are thousands of restaurants scattered throughout every neighborhood. Unlike restaurants in the US where you pick a meal off a large menu with endless choices, restaurants in Seoul tend to specialize in one or two certain foods. Eating out is a group activity and you don't see many people dining alone. You want soup? Go to a soup restaurant. Want BBQ? Hit a BBQ joint, and Korean BBQ is superb.

I made sure to check out a Sutcama, a sauna emporium where you bake in a hut heated by hundreds of pounds of wood and charcoal. Friends go here together for a sweat and then a shower. Afterwards, you eat the house specialty: 3-second pork belly. The pork is placed on a grate and put in the coals and cooks in seconds.

I also went to a BBQ restaurant in Seoul for intestine, ox-liver and omasum (pork stomach). All these extremely popular restaurants have grills set into the table and each specializes in a certain kind of meat. Typical choices are beef (bulgogi), beef ribs (galbi), pork (samgyeopsal), or chicken (dak) but there is a type of BBQ joint to suit every taste.

There are many unusual soups and stew eateries in Seoul. Since soups and stews are such a big part of everyday eating, and the majority of restaurants in Seoul specialize in amazing meals in a bowl. I even got to try a soup called Dead Body Soup ... dont ask!
I made sure to try as many other soups as I could and here is the list:

o Loach soup
o Sunji Haejangguk (clotted-blood soup)
o Potato with pig backbone stew
o Knuckle bone soup
o Ox tail soup
o Tripe soup
o Sea mustard soup
o Doganitang - soup made with jellified cow's knee cartilage
o Haejangguk -- a favorite hangover cure consisting usually of meaty pork spine, dried cabbage, coagulated ox blood, and vegetables in a hearty beef broth
o Seolleongtang -- ox leg bone soup simmered for more than 10 hours until the soup is milky-white. Usually served in a bowl containing glass noodles and pieces of beef.
o Maeuntang -- a refreshing, hot and spicy fish soup
o Gamjatang ("pork spine stew") -- a spicy soup made with pork spine, vegetables (especially potatoes) and hot peppers. The vertebrae are usually separated. This is often served as a late-night snack but may also be served for a lunch or dinner.o Cheonggukjang jjigae: a soup made from strong-smelling thick soybean paste containing whole beans

o Samgyetang: a soup made with Cornish game hens that are stuffed with ginseng, a hedysarum, sweet rice, jujubes, garlic, and chestnuts

But here is the best advice I can give you. Head to Seoul, and see for yourself. You will love it. Especially the food.

Posted by: Andrew Zimmern

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