An 8-day tropical stint...

An 8-day tropical stint...

For more pictures, see http://www.flickr.com/photos/bourlingue/

Cancun, Mexico, November 1, 2008.

Here for 3 or 4 days for one of the annual CISAC committee meetings. At the invitation of the Mexican Society - I guess people at the Society figured that guests from the North would prefer Cancun to Mexico City at this time of the year...

Cancun, a Mexican quick fix for tourists! Gorgeous set up, with a string of 5 star resorts off a road built on this narrow band of land detached from terra firma, probably originally a big sand dune, trapping a large swap of what seems to be stagnant waters in between (In certain places along that band, it looks more like the “Las Vegas strip on the sea”!) Beaches, blue water, soft pure sand, a great place for honeymooners, retirees, and spoiled young families. A great place it would appear also for partying twentysomethings, taking a break from school or work... You don’t see much of Mexico though. You are a 30-minute (US$58!) swift taxi ride away from the international airport. Then you are hushed into one of these international standard luxury hotels – there must be at least 30 of those – (the Presidente Intercontinental in this case), with a stunning view over the ocean, and with the usual display of aqua-blue swimming pools, outdoor thatch-roof restaurants and palm trees scattered on the facing beach. Great, but if it was not for the distinctly Mexican-looking staff, you could think you are on any big resorts on the same latitude in Asia, or somewhere else in Latin America. Enjoyed nonetheless the day walking along the beach, and stocking some vitamin D for the coming winter in Canada...

I resolved, for my day-off tomorrow, that I will see something more of the country, and organized (rented a car) to go to visit some of the Maya archaeological sites in the region.

November 2
Drove to the Maya temples. Ek Balam first. A minor temple by its size but a “live” one, being still excavated and renovated. See http://www.azureva.com/mexique/magazine/mexique-bon-plan-ek-balam.php3). Ek Balam is about an hour and a half from Cancun, off the 180 freeway, some 25 km north of Valladolid. Still under excavation. Very quiet...until a convention group of some 250 people arrived, and turning the place into a bit of a zoo, older people insisting to climb the steep stairway to the top of the pyramid, and struggling to come down. Interesting to hear the incantations of some of them, once at the top, chanting in unison, their eyes closed and their arm extended forward, in a Buddhist-like fashion.

Had lunch in the nearby village of Ek Balam Pueblo. Thought to go first at what was described in what I read as an eco-tourist place that served excellent local dishes, called Genesis Retreat http://www.genesisretreat.com/; however couldn’t quite find it, or if it was the eco-tourist resort I saw – which appeared deserted – it was best that I had my lunch somewhere else! Ended up at an Italian restaurant – the Dolce Mente http://www.dolcementeekbalam.com/ekbalam_inglese/comollegar_ing.htm – a surprising find in this little village of essentially some 20 to 30 huts around a large square. Actually, the Dolce Mente is a little resort, catering to those visiting or working at the ruins site, and ran by a “colony” of Italians, men and women, who came into this place some 15 years ago. Had a delicious spinach and ricotta cannelloni, which I hurried them to serve...as they were expecting a group of some 250 conventioneers later on!!!

Then drove to Chichen Itza, another half hour further the 180. This is no doubt the most visited temple in the Yucatan peninsula and it gives you on a grandiose scale the measure of the Maya culture, see photos and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chichen_Itza. http://www.insecula.com/salle/MS02825.htm
This day tour gave me a glimpse of the Mesoamerican civilization which prevailed during some 4000 years over the land of modern Mexico and adjacent countries on the isthmus – from 2500 BC to 1521 AD, when the Spaniards arrived and changed so brutally the course of history for the indigenous populations. When you see Chichen Itza, which is one of some 30 major archaeological sites on this land and not the biggest one, you start to realize and appreciate the advancement these populations had achieved in all aspects of life, the richness and diversity of their culture, and what has been lost to the current world.

Drove back to Cancun and arrived in town at night where direction signs where far and few in-between, with no clear indication how to get back to the “Zona Hotelera”...I had to struggle a bit...

November 4

Just watched Obama’s accepting speech. It will make history (“Yes we can”). The emotion of people; the grave, sombre look on his face, already assuming the weight of office, the burden of the task ahead. This was a presidential speech, not a rally, triumphalist, utterance. The world is looking forward... It also reminded me of another presidential election that is of Reagan on his first term in 1980 that was also bearing the promise and prospects of major changes in American policies but of a different kind. I was then in Pokhara, Nepal, straying if I recall at the Fishtail-Lodge hotel (http://www.fishtail-lodge.com/) , on the lake, there with my 5 year-old son, taking a break from diplomatic life in Beijing...

November 6,

Flew from Cancun to Miami, for another all-day meeting there with other music rights societies’ colleagues, dealing with strategic issues that confront us. Staying at the Gansevoort South, On Collins Ave, South Beach, giving on the ocean http://www.gansevoortsouth.com/. Just open 8 months ago, a converted apartment complex, as part of a smart chain – they have another one in New-York City – very swank and trendy, with a wonderful rooftop patio – and a 37 meter-long pool which I made good use of! – which turns into a very swinging bar as soon as dusk settles...a bit too noisy to my taste though... A pleasant 80 degrees, and a nice breeze. Great jugging on the wooden boardwalk that runs along the beach; accessible from the hotel. Had a couple of dinners at seafood restaurants along Ocean Drive – “A Fish Called Avalon” (http://www.afishcalledavalon.com/) and “Quinn’s “ (http://www.quinnsmiami.com/home.htm ). Highly recommendable.

America basking in Obama’s historical election...

November 8. Returned to Toronto (overcast, light rain, 7 degrees Centigrade...)

Seoul, Korea

Been here several times but last visit goes back to 5 years ago. Seoul is gigantic; well over 10M people, a quarter of the country’s population. It has changed again. New airport - Incheon: 3rd one since I came here first is 1993. Fascinating place on many accounts, one close to my professional interests: communications technology. Ahead of everybody else in terms of applications. True convergence of entertainment and telecoms; largest mobile operator, SK Telecom, bought biggest entertainment production outfit a few years back. It is clear for them that money is in the content, rather than in the “pipes” business! Highest broadband penetration in the world. I used to say in briefings “if you want to see the future, go to Korea!”

Splendid, sunny and crisp day on arrival from Hong-Kong. Staying at Grand Hotel Intercontinental, South of the River (I stayed there in the past or at the Shilla, when I had a choice). A free weekend ahead of me. http://www.ichotelsgroup.com/intercontinental/en/gb/locations/overview/seoul-grand) Dinner with Steve, old colleague at local office of Motorola; at Marco Polo, Italian restaurant at the hotel.

Discovered the subway, by far the fastest way to get around and beat the traffic, which can be daunting in Seoul. Did not take long to figure out how it works – easy. Decided to go visit one the 4 or 5 major palaces in the city, the Gyeongbokgung Palace (built in 1394, the oldest palace of the Joseon Dynasty, one of the longest Korean dynasties – 1392-1910, I learn). It’s in the North of the city – roughly 40 minutes by subway from the Intercon. It’s raining; spent some time first in the National Palace Museum of Korea, adjacent to the Palace, refurbished and re-opened in 2005; mainly focused on the Joseon Dynasty artefacts (http://www.gogung.go.kr/eng/index.jsp) Lunch at the Museum Cafe; local dish; dumpling soup; good.

Can’t visit much of the Palace; raining hard. Waited under cover for a televised re-enactment of the “Royal Marriage between King Sukjong and Queen Inhyeon” to start in the Palace; obviously a big affair, involving hundreds of figurants (see pictures above), sponsored by the Korean Cultural Heritage Foundation (http://www.fpcp.or.kr/foreign/eng/fpcp03.htm) After their several attempts to get the show going, always interrupted by recurring rain, I fold up and went for a warm coffee next door (lots of art galleries around, on the East side of the Palace grounds, on Samcheongdonggil street).

Better weather to go for lunch with Simon, old professional contact, a Québécois who has made Korea his home. Korean lunch in Insa-Dong; touristy but enjoyable walk along the car-free streets, bordered by shops and galleries; stopped by one, a contact of Simon – delicate paper and textile artefacts. Swung by Itaewon market on the way back to the hotel, but not much shopping, except for a pair of leather gloves – not in the mood...

Breakfast with Embassy rep; Ambassador, a good friend, in Canada on a typical country tour. Done my business with local society, KOMCA, on Monday. Flight back to Toronto via Vancouver. Celebrated (!) birthday in the air – not the first time...
Oct 28, 2008

Shanghai - Fall 2008

Shanghai, October 2008

Shanghai, Sunday, October 19. Long flight in, from Toronto via Vancouver (could not get on the direct flight). Door-to-door, close to 24 hours. Arrived on time. New terminal at Pudong airport – Terminal 2, opened this year in April. Very spacious of course, long walk from the gate to the immigration hall though. Half an hour to get through immigration, in a queue of some 150 people; quite efficient. Smiling young immigration officers...with a little electronic pad by the side of the wicket, to indicate how satisfied or dissatisfied you were with the service – I pressed “highly satisfied” as the young smiling officer looked up! All in all, an hour from arrival to the car.

45 minutes drive to the Intercontinental Pudong. Pudong has expanded again, blocs after blocs of modern apartment buildings, still all showing that definitely “Chinese characteristic” of looking old very quickly! Around the hotel, Pudong looks very much like a settled city. The hotel, I am told by the staff, was built 12 years ago and was the first 5-star hotel on Pudong (had never stayed here before, preferring the Hyatt in the wonderful Jingmao Tower.) The Mori building – stripped from the offending open circle at the top, which was associated with the Japanese “rising sun”, symbol of Nippon imperialism, replaced by an open rectangle in its second design – now graces the skyline of Pudong, since my last visit there in 2004 (see for a bit more http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shanghai_World_Financial_Center).

Typical Shanghai weather – overcast but still warm at this time of the year (20-25 centigrade). Formula One Grand Prix time in Shanghai. I gathered that British Lewis Hamilton of McLaren-Mercedes won today, ahead of the 2 Ferraris. He apparently dominated the event, putting him in reach (2 weeks from now in Brazil) of becoming the youngest F1 world champion, leading in the points after this penultimate race this year – we will wish him better luck than last year... (One thing sure, we won’t see him in Canada next year, as Montreal was skipped in the line-up of F1 Grand Prix tour for 2009 – Montreal and Quebec politicians are trying to wrestle it back: it’s going to cost...) This is the 5th F1 GP in Shanghai, ran on the Shanghai International Circuit, in the south-west of the city, built at the cost of some US$300M in the early 2000’s, as I recall.

Looking at my itinerary for the next 2 days, deciding how to go back and forth between Pudong, where I am staying, and Puxi, the “old” Shanghai; thinking of using the subway to go from one to the other, as it proved on my last visit here, 4 years ago, to be best way to cope with the enormous car traffic in the city, especially crossing the Huangpu river (which reminds me I wrote a piece on Shanghai back then, having spent a month or so with Laurence & Eric during her time at Jiaotung University learning Mandarin – I reproduced it on this blog going back to 2007). Looking at a Metro map, I am struck by the extent of the network now, with some 9 lines and more under construction, and easily more than 100 stations. To think that when I left Shanghai in 1988, they were completing their first ever line (going east-west across old Shanghai; Bombardier had been then amongst the 5 contenders for the job – we lost to the Germans who literally “bought” the project with incredible subsidized government financing; but eventually Bombardier won “the war” when it bought the German company, AdTranz(?), a few years latter!)

Monday, October 20.
Metro ride from Hotel to Nanjing East road/Bund: 10 min walk from Intercontinental Pudong to Century Ave station; train every 4 min.; train ride: 7 min.; walk to Bund: 10 min. Total less than half hour! Peace Hotel closed for major renovations (has been for more than a year, and probably by the look of it another year or so; ownership/management taken over by Fairmont Group). So no lunch on the 8th floor Chinese restaurant – a tradition every time I come to Shanghai. (Had my first Shanghai meal there, in 1979) Had lunch (and xiao lung bao!) at the Tai Wan Lou nearby (at 18 Zhong Shan Dong Yi Road), one of those new chic (Chinese) restaurants in renovated old colonial buildings on the Bund, turned into high temples of “New China” conspicuous consumerism (with their Armani and similar branded stores)! And beggars outside...

Chinese trying to cope with rural/urban divide – major problem and source of serious social tensions. Reading in Shanghai Daily that Communist Party’s Central Committee has announced this weekend what will surely be a landmark change of policy. It will allow farmers to assign their land-lease arrangements, or transfer their land-use rights. This is the other shoe falling, after Deng Xiao Ping’s initial agricultural reform some 30 years ago that de-collectivized land by giving it back in parcels to individual farmers. Along with this, the policy does away with the 50-year old “household-administration system” which tied farmers (and everybody else) to a particular place of residence, thus denying them any kind of social services support were they to move outside of that place of residence. Which meant that farmers seeking or getting work in cities – a phenomenon of large scale since the beginning of modernization – were not entitled to get any social benefits (health; schooling for the kids, etc.) The official number of such displaced farmers: 210 million out of 950 million “registered” farmers! Will obviously be a bonanza for farmers who choose to leave the farm. Good policy move. Much resides though in the execution. The fear is that this opens the door to concentration of agricultural land (a good thing if you see it in terms of economies of scale and increased productivity – this may be a major boost to extensive agro-business in China) and, more threatening, to possible diversion of such land to other uses (e.g. real estate development or industrial use). The Chinese government vows to have “the most stringent farmland-protection system” in place, an ominous pronouncement in itself...

Concerns about the financial crisis in the west and the looming recession also abound in the local press. As China becomes more integrated to the world economy, fear is that the slowing down is going to affect exports and FDI. Growth in China has come down from a high of 10%, to (Oh my god!) a mere 9%! Even at that, as pointed out by one of the people I met, exports do not account for much still in the Chinese economy, and therefore the country remains pretty insular. May be true generally, but still, trade does account for anywhere between 12% to 20% of GNP. The trend of greater integration is there and cannot be without some consequences...What is remarkable though, comparing to only a decade or ago, is the position that China is now in as a prime engine of the global economy, and how pretty it is sitting with its high growth, trade surplus, and record high-level foreign exchange reserves!

Visited the Shanghai Urban Planning Exhibition Center on the People’s Square, between 2 meetings nearby. Big splash illustrating preparation under way for the 2010 International Expo (“The Path to World Expo”; site on both sides of the Huangpu further up the river). One of the incredible sights: a huge scaled model of the whole city of Shanghai filling the entire floor - the Bund is lost across the towering skyscrapers in Pudong! (Picked up Lynn Pan’s latest book, Shanghai Style, Art and Design Between the Wars, 2008)
Private dinner with the Canadian Consul General at the Official Residence. Nice flat at the top of Grosvernor House, a tastefully renovated art deco apartment building part of the Jin Jiang Hotel complex – I wish I had those gigs during my time...My old cook (Xiao Zhao) still around and very happy to prepare some of my favourite dishes (including chocolate chip cookies for desert – I think that was more for the kids but anyway they were good!)

Tuesday October 21, 2008
Took the Maglev to the airport, the magnetic levitation train sensation (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shanghai_Transrapid) . Intercontinental Pudong to station by cab: 25 min. A train every 15 min. 50RMB. Travel time to Airport: 7min 10 sec. Reached speed of 431km/h in 3 min 15 sec. Total time hotel to airport: 45 min. Equal or better than a cab from the hotel by about 15 min depending on traffic...

Stratford Festival – 4e acte

Stratford Festival – 4e acte
Dernier saut à Stratford pour l’année. Cynthia doit s’y rendre en service commandé. En profitons pour revoir une deuxième fois Hamlet. Apprécions encore plus. J’aime bien ce Hamlet un peu moins sombre et lourd que traditionnellement et un peu plus « névrosé », qu’interprète ce jeune acteur venu du Shaw Festival, Ben Carlson. Toujours aussi troublé par le besoin de venger le meurtre de son père, et tout aussi frustré dans son incapacité de s’exécuter, jusqu’à la toute fin.
Et puis de retour à Toronto, la couleur de l’automne. Promenade dans les sentiers près du jardin botanique. C’est l’Action de grâce. Y fait beau. Les gens en profitent. Surtout les chinois – on pourrait facilement se croire de retour en Asie! Le feuillage est embrassé (jetez un coup d’œil sur Flikr : http://www.flickr.com/photos/bourlingue/sets/72157608032047334/). Dîner de circonstance à la maison. Cynthia cuit la dinde de rigueur. La sœur de Cynthia, Monique, est en ville. On invite un ami, Steven, chinois d’origine mais né au Canada. Agréable.

Une Action de grâce tout en couleurs - Thanksgiving 2008

Un dernier saut à Stratford, le 4e et dernier de la saison, pour moi à tout événement. Cynthia en service commandé. En profitons pour revoir Hamlet une deuxième fois cette saison. Encore plus captivé par la performance de Ben Carlson - il donne à son Hamlet une touche plus exhaltante que l'interprétation conventionnelle, se laissant aller au bout de ces sentiments de colère et d'abjection que lui inspire le meurtre de son père et son obsession de le venger.

And then the colours of Fall! Truly blessed this year, with a magnificent weather for the long week-end. Took very much advantage

Diner de famille à New York!

New-York City, le 29 septembre 2008: dernier étape de ce périple de 15 jours, après Munich, Berlin et Malte. A New-York, me retrouve habituellement, et bien évidemment, avec Dominique, Laurence et Eric - cette fois chez L & E pour dîner. Repas aux pâtes, fraichement faites à la maison, excusez-moi! On met tous la main à la pâte, littéralement! Laurence à la cuisine, qui y prépare également une belle sauce aux champignons. Et voila - Délicieux! Vous ne pouvez en juger que par les photos! On arrose le tout de quelques vins, entre autres un vin rouge bien corsé de Malte (un merlot Nexus 2005, du vignoble Meridiana).

Gozo Island, Malta

Gozo Island – September 27 & 28, 2008

(For more pictures of Gozo, see

http://www.flickr.com/photos/bourlingue/sets/72157607733303534/)
Second island of Malta; 30,000 people on, I’d say, one quarter the size of Malta Island. You reach it in less than half hour ferry ride from the northern tip of Malta Island. This is the country side, the place where Maltese from the big island come for weekends and holidays. A series of quaint villages – some more than others – well dispersed around the island. Each of them with its dominating church – the Parish Church of St-John the Baptist and its vast dome in Xewkija can be seen from just about anywhere on the island - it is striking! All made of the same material and of the same color, old and new construction: limestone offering a variation of soft yellows. Dry climate, not a tree in sight, agricultural land outside villages for cultivation of vegetables, wheat and barley, the occasional fruit groves, and, more and more, grapes (the wines of Malta were a very pleasant discovery indeed). Staying at the Grand Hotel, overlooking the harbour in the town Mgarr – great view from the room’s terrace.

Rented a car (36 Euros a day flat – they don’t bother with mileage or gas charges as you can’t go very far anyway!) and Cynthia drove us around (driving on the “wrong” side of the road did not bother her, having lived in Singapore for many years!) The citadel (Il-Kastell) in Victoria, a large fortification complex, including the ubiquitous church, overlooking the town and the surrounding country, built during the Knights period, to protect the local inhabitants from Pirates’ raids – for a while people of Victoria and the surroundings had, by law, to come and spend the night in the Citadel, to avoid being killed or taken away as slaves by raiders. Toured several of the towns – never very far from each other: Victoria, Kercem, Santa Lucija, San Lawrenz, Marsalforn, Xaghra, Nadur, Xewkija, most inland. On the sea, the only sand beach of the island, Ramla Bay, on the north shore (we spent a sunny Sunday morning there – dark sand and a few people enjoying the cool air and lovely sight), and Dwerja Point on the west coast, a rugged scenery with a spectacular huge natural arch carved out of the rock, the Azure Window (which we saw at dusk).

Could not leave the island before visiting the megalithic Ggantija temples, the largest ones on the island, remnants of a civilisation going back to the 4th millennium BC. We learned that these are the oldest standing religious structure in the world, preceding the Pyramids and Stonehenge. A rock-pile complex quite impressive in size, considering how far back this goes – the locals of the time thought these 2 temples were built by giants, hence the name in Malti.

An island we may come back to...

Restaurants: Munich – Berlin – Malta
In Munich: Vianiolo, as guest of GEMA; Rue des Halles, with Cristina and Andreas.
In Berlin: Hashir, Turkish.
Malta: Bacchus in Mdena with Catherine & Claude. Zest, Hotel Juliani in St-Julians, great Asian food, with SOCAN & CISAC team. L-Ghonolla in Palazzo Spinola. Barracuda in Sliema with Ron & Marlène, and Eric. Paranga, with Keith H.; Rupino in Valetta; Fumia, lunch with Jos Dimajo. In Gozo: Ta’ Frenc’ & It Tmun in Victoria