Dare to travel! 5 Asian cities tour with a kick and a bang

Kenneth Leung Start Date: Jan 2, 2020 - End Date: Apr 30, 2020
  • Educational/Research Trip
  • Professional Development
  • Vacation/Personal Trip
  • 新加坡
  • Busan, 南韓
  • Kaohsiung, 台灣
  • Kuala Lumpur, 馬來西亞
  • Phu Quoc, 越南

My Travel Story

by: Kenneth Leung Start Date: Jan 2, 2020 - End Date: Apr 30, 2020
  • Educational/Research Trip
  • Professional Development
  • Vacation/Personal Trip
Preface

Let's talk it over, everyone. Why are we travelling? Well, that truely depends on the purpose of travel. Everone had a story, and everyone had a reason. Every travel means something very dearly to me, and the experience is priceless. My every travel, for the start to the end, has a meaning and purpose. The gist- funds for travel has always been a means, and not the ends for me- and that is all the DIFFERENCE there is. If that's the question, you got your answer from me.

I have chosen 5 places to visit, namely Singapore, Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia), Kaohsiung (Taiwan), Busan (South Korea) and Phu Quoc (Vietnam). In light of social instability across the globe and in particular my vincinity, travelling to these places will help clear the air, acknowledge our past and work our way towards a better future. 

Each travel has a historical context associated with it. If you can't get it, it's fine, since it's a form of "distorted reality" and only specific groups of people will fully grasp the meaning of it all. But still everyone's support is vital. This campaign will be linked to a blog, and will be regularly updated to provide additional data. Please review it with care.

City 1: Busan, South Korea

Busan is South Korea's second largest city and a busy port city. It has a rich but rather sad history that many wish to forget, and famous for its international film festival every year. Some intriguing movies stand out, including "Ode to My Father" and "Brothers In Heaven", that are shot in Busan and worthy for viewing for a clear understanding of past events.

Reference articles for review:

Busan, South Korea's "city of tomorrow", is most interesting for its past- https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2014/jul/18/busan-south-korea-city-of-tomorrow-interesting-past-urbanist-tour

Hidden Stories about Busan: How Refugees Endured-
http://www.theargus.org/gisa_view.asp?no=1557

Traveling South Korea: Seoul and Busan-
https://www.gonomad.com/4734-traveling-south-korea-seoul-and-busan

City 2: Phú Quốc, Vietnam

Usually when we talk about travelling to Vietnam, we mainly speak of Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi and Hạ Long Bay. Seldom does Phú Quốc come across our minds. Yet, this island is truly a hidden gem, full of history, glamorous beaches and natural beauty. Phú Quốc is the largest island of Vietnam and also its newly developed special administrative and economic region.

After Mainland China fell under the control of the Chinese Communist Party in 1949, General Huang Chieh moved 33,000+ Republic of China Army soldiers mostly from Hunan Province to Vietnam and they were interned on Phu Quoc. Later, the army moved to Taiwan in June 1953. During the Vietnam War, the island housed South Vietnam's largest prisoner camp (40,000 in 1973), known as Phú Quốc Prison

Phú Quốc is famous for its two traditional products: fish sauce and black pepper. The rich fishing grounds offshore provide the anchovy catch from which the prized sauce is made. As widely agreed among the Vietnamese people, the best fish sauce comes from Phú Quốc. Phu Quoc owns over 100 factories of fish sauce production. They are distributed most in Duong Dong and An Thoi. Phu Quoc fish sauce is sold to the mainland for domestic consumption, considered as a major contributor to the islands economy. An impressive amount is exported abroad to kitchens in Japan, North America and Europe. Fish sauce factories in Phu Quoc have long become one of the appealing tourist destinations in Phu Quoc drawing the large number of tourists.

It is made from combining fresh raw anchovies (caught just off Phu Quoc Island), salt, and water and sometimes the pepper grown on the island then fermented in barrels for period of 6 months to 1 year - long enough for it to reach concentration, but not long enough for hydrosulfuric acid to appear, which would spoil the taste. Black anchovy (Ca Com) makes unique character and superior flavor to nước mắm. The smooth, rich and sweet flavours can be attributed to a centuries-old traditional method of slow fermentation in large tropical wood barrels. Phu Quoc fish sauce is differentiated by wings cockroach brown, characterized flavor, slightly oily and full of natural savory-sweet depth.

Reference articles for review:

The Art of Phú Quốc Fish Sauce: What Makes It So Special
http://www.atravellersjournal.com/the-art-of-phu-quoc-fish-sauce-what-makes-it-so-special/

Phú Quốc: 10 reasons to visit this secret paradise island (before everyone else does)
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/destinations/asia/vietnam/articles/things-to-do-in-phu-quoc-vietnam-tips/

Vietnam, Phu Quoc travel guide: Beat the crowds to this secret island paradise
https://www.traveller.com.au/vietnam-phu-quoc-beat-the-crowds-to-this-secret-island-paradise-h1ahyx

City 3: Singapore

Singapore provides a unique case for our review because it is full of “questions”. Though Singapore as a nation does not see itself as “problematic”, many of their concerns come from external forces and pose great challenges to their competitiveness.  The most troubling issues at hand: “the sexy little knife” at Marina Bay Sands and the iconic “Merlion” with its Shanghai roots. Why does “sand” and reclamation became such a daunting issue in Singapore? What’s the fuss behind the movie “A Land Imagined” (2018)? What’s so special about Singapore’s Chinatown? Why are we interested in searching for Singapore traditional flavours when we find food there? Do you know that Hainan Chicken Rice originates from Singapore and not from Hainan, China? Do you think it’s feasible to power Singapore mostly from solar energy from Australia? Is Singapore a really “boring” place? Is Singapore’s higher education the best in Asia, or just mediocre depending on how you see it? What’s Singapore government “overseas students training program” and what are the terms and conditions? What is this relevant and vital to our discussion?

Reference articles for review:

'Just a matter of when': the $20bn plan to power Singapore with Australian solar
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/jul/14/just-a-matter-of-when-the-20bn-plan-to-power-singapore-with-australian-solar

The Best Cheap Eats in Singapore
https://www.timeout.com/singapore/restaurants/best-cheap-eats-in-Singapore

11 Things You Should Know About Singaporean Culture
https://theculturetrip.com/asia/singapore/articles/11-things-you-should-know-about-singaporean-culture/

City 4: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

To the surprise of some, many people in town are quite familiar with Malaysia and Kuala Lumpur, though they may have never been there before. Tracing back to its roots, Kuala Lumpur means "muddy confluence" in Malay; kuala is the point where two rivers join together or an estuary, and lumpur means "mud". One suggestion is that it was named after Sungai Lumpur ("muddy river"). Chinese miners were involved in tin mining up the Selangor River in the 1840s, about ten miles north of present-day Kuala Lumpur, and many social and political conflicts were hidden in the shadows back in the old days.

Kuala Lumpur’s real estate has often been a sore point and widely debated throughout the years.  According to Malay officials, houses there are considered “seriously unaffordable” as its price is 4.8 times above annual household incomes of an average Malay family. Meanwhile, a group of former and current Miss Malaysia Tourism queens opened the Pink Heart Care Centre in Ampang, Kuala Lumpur-  a welfare home for elderly people without family or next-of-kin dependents. As part of the initiative, the beauty queens would also visit different charity homes and spend time with underprivileged residents, making them smile and boosting their morale.

Xiamen University Malaysia is the first overseas campus set up by a major Chinese university. All classes are taught in English except Chinese language and Chinese medicine. All Chinese students can enroll it through National Higher Education Entrance Examination only. All other students can enroll it at February, April or September. As of 2017, it accepts Chinese students from following provinces; Hebei, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Fujian, Jiangxi, Shandong, Henan, Hubei, Hunan, Guangdong, Guangxi, Sichuan, Guizhou, Yunnan, Shaanxi, Gansu, Ningxia, Qinghai, Hainan, Liaoning。All incoming students must take English exams in National Higher Education Entrance Examination. As at September 2018, there are more than 4,000 students enrolled in Xiamen University Malaysia.

Reference articles for review

1MDB scandal: Jho Low sells luxury lingerie firm’s office space in London amid US legal fight
https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3034319/1mdb-scandal-fugitive-malaysian-financier-jho-low-sells

Introduction to Royal Selangor Visitor Centre
https://www.malaysia-traveller.com/royal-selangor.html

Things To Do In Kuala Lumpur- Nerd Nomads
https://nerdnomads.com/best-things-kuala-lumpur

City 5: Kaohsiung, Taiwan

In the past, Kaohsiung never really got the attention it deserved, but in recent years tourists both local and foreign are starting to realize that there’s more to this city than the island’s largest seaport. Full of night markets, temples, and tons of good restaurants, Taiwan’s second largest city is definitely worth a visit, and while you’re there be sure to check out these attractions.

Kaohsiung political scenery has been spectacular over the past year with their new mayor, Han Kuo-yu and his dedication to promote Kaohsiung as a hub for tourism and traditional food. Yet, there hasn’t been much report of him in the international news arena and most of his rhetoric stays local.

There are a few tourist attractions worth mentioning. One is the Dragon and Tiger Pagodas. In Chinese culture, dragons symbolize auspicious power and strength, and they have control over water, including rain, floods, etc. In ancient China, emperors used dragon as a symbol, and you can see this symbol on their imperial robes, which were also known as the “dragon robes”. Tigers, on the other hand, symbolize prowess, righteousness, and harmony in Chinese culture. Instead of “lion king”, the Chinese people believe in “tiger king” – the king of all animals. The second is the Zizhu Village. Zizhu Village is a military dependents village in Zuoying District, Kaohsiung. Military dependents villages were built in the 1940s to the late 1950s to provide housing for national soldiers and their family. Unfortunately, these villages were usually poorly maintained and many have been demolished and replaced with other buildings. The local government has complete tore down this location and currently not available for visit.

Speaking of the Kaohsiung food scene, there are a few places worth mentioning. One is the Lao Chai Milk Fish Porridge (老蔡虱目魚), a classic style southern Taiwanese breakfast. Thanks to Kaohsiung’s proximity to the port, milkfish traditionally has been served as high-protein breakfast that provides much-needed energy to the hardworking fishermen.  Another one is Xiao Wang Beef Noodle House (小王牛肉麵館). This award-winning restaurant stands out with its unique offerings. The soup has an herbal note, which some may love or hate. For noodle snobs, this place offers both thin and thick noodles. Instead of standard all-beef briskets, you can choose half tendon and half beef. Lastly, Tien Shui Yueh Hotpot: Vegetarian-friendly (天水玥秘境鍋物殿) stands out to me. As the front door opens, a giant Buddha appears in the darkness at the end of a long water fountain with floating lanterns. The golden columns are Buddha’s arms holding up the ceiling. It feels as if you are dining in the secret Buddhist temple in the cave! You will be wowed once again as the ingredients for your individual hot pot are presented. They are not only delicious but also carefully crafted in the shape of a flower and birds nest. For extra special experience, try cotton candy sukiyaki. Tien Shui Yueh also offers vegetarian soup base (e.g., konbu) and plenty of veggie ingredients. 

Reference articles for review

Kaohsiung: Taiwan’s blossoming cultural city
https://www.lonelyplanet.com/articles/kaohsiung-taiwans-blossoming-cultural-city

18 Reasons Why Kaohsiung Is The MOST Underrated City You’d Want To Hide From Mainstream Tourists
https://thesmartlocal.com/read/scoot-to-kaohsiung/

The Top 8 Restaurants In Kaohsiung, Taiwan
https://theculturetrip.com/asia/taiwan/articles/kaohsiung-s-10-restaurants-snacks-and-local-eats-you-should-try/

Conclusion

I hope everyone will find this project fascinating and insightful and pour in your support for it!!! Your donation will be very useful for future planning, and will shed light on important issues of public concern. Thanks for following along with me.
  • 新加坡
  • Busan, 南韓
  • Kaohsiung, 台灣
  • Kuala Lumpur, 馬來西亞
  • Phu Quoc, 越南

Updates

3

  • Spiral Down And Crash Till Our Bank Dries Up

    Spiral down and crash till our bank dries up
    As I already said, what’s on here is a history life course and does not carry intrinsic value on my end. So if you guys are so keen to work with the data ,which is a lost cause, it’s your choice but not mine. I think I have made myself utterly clear on multiple occasions.

    So whatever it is that you guys wish to pursue, good luck and hope that before your bank runs dry like mine, you will meet your goals and be successful. Ultimately this is the way down. So I ask why did it have to come down to this? It’s your call.

  • It's Time To Make A Move

    It's time to make a move
    Who is stupid enough to travel with nothing on hand. I'm the one! For each travel, I'll break the bank once, and when will it run dry that's the question? So if you pay up, even a little bit, is sincerity. If you walk your walk and talk your talk, that's fine. You will be as empty-handed as I'm. So there you go. I will keep posting as we embark on this meaningful and historic journey.

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