What I Could Have Done . . . (A Reflection on our East Asian Trip)

It was a long day of traveling, but we arrived back at our apartment just before 10am. This was quite a feat since we left Taipei at noon of the same day and had to change planes in San Francisco. We each took a nap that practically paralyzed us. I think we slept through my alarm going off for about an hour. Nonetheless, we are almost back on some semblance of a normal schedule and I've had some time to import my pictures and video.

For me, this was a trip that marked a return to a couple countries I had not been to in years, but also an introduction to some new locales as well. And if I were to be completely honest, I could easily make another return trip as I feel that there is much more to explore.


In many respects, most of the cities visited are not generally viewed as tourist hot spots. With the exception of Beijing, none of the others have anything iconic that really jumps out. And things like that always appeal to me. It gave us a chance to really see something for the first time as other people do not typically go out of their way to go to some place like Taipei.







United retired its fleet of 747s last week with one of its final flights going from SFO to Incheon airport. I don't know if this bit of history factored into the large number of standbys going to Seoul, but we found ourselves going to Tokyo-Haneda  instead and buying a ticket from there to Gimpo airport in Seoul. Hotheads like Trump and Kim Jong-un did not really dissuade me in any way from going, but events of this nature usually lead to flight cancellations from other "normal" people. Needless to say, it was a bit of a surprise to see such a high volume of travelers going to Seoul, and at the end of October of all times.

So what did I wish I saw in Seoul? Well, the iconic DMZ is nearby. I am fascinated by the visual of soldiers from North and South facing off and I feel like it's very relevant right now. Unfortunately, the timing of our arrival didn't really work out with a visit to the DMZ. It is closed to visitors on Sunday and Monday which was pretty much when we were there. Nevertheless, my primary reason for a stopover in Korea was to meet with some of my former students, and I feel that mission was successful. Their input will be put to good use in a future documentary of mine.

After Korea, we entered a series of different cities that in some way or another either claim to be or are claimed by China. Confusing, yes? With our first stop in Beijing, we were very much aware that we were now in a communist country due primarily to the lack of efficiency or logic with . . . anything. People need money to buy train tickets and cannot use credit cards? Put the ATM in the most inconvenient spot in the airport. Passengers using transit visas for entry into the country? Put the visa desk in a practically inaccessible section far from passport control.

On my previous visit to China, people had ogled me like I was some kind of novelty. People would take pictures of me without permission, stare at me from uncomfortably close proximity, or in some cases even touch my hair without warning. Needless to say, I wasn't too keen on these things, and I warned Nicole of the possibilities. Fortunately, in the 13 years that have passed since my previous visit, the Chinese seem to be more accustomed to folks that look like us. And with regard to food sanitation and other environmental issues associated with Beijing, Nicole had previously visited India, so Beijing was a picnic. The pollution in Beijing was bad, but when we visited New Delhi last year, it was shrouded in a dense smoke. One point to China.

That being said, there were a large amount of folks who would loudly clear their throat, hawk up a giant loogie, or in other cases launch a snot rocket nearby. This did not settle well with Nicole. Now maybe it's the pollution getting to their sinuses, but more realistically it's just culturally acceptable given the frequency we witnessed it happening. Fair enough -- the Japanese like to slurp their soup and frown upon nose blowing, the British find normalcy in eating really terrible food, and Americans find a way to  celebrate ignorance on a daily basis. Every culture has their quirks, but there's something just profoundly disgusting about hearing a man unashamedly (and loudly) hawk up a good one, cut you in line, and then shoot a snot rocket close to your feet. Unacceptable. Points deducted from China.

It was with great pleasure that we left Beijing and proceeded to Hong Kong, which is still "China," but also does its own thing. No visa was required. And it certainly didn't seem like mainland China. The subway was very easy to use and I was able to pay for the airport express connector with credit card. Smart. It was a clean city that was highly modernized. Countless people were playing tennis, running, or taking part in other sports or aerobics. One could immediately see how this city wants to distance itself from that other China. It's culturally quite different.

One had to hunt to find the communist Chinese flag flying over any building. More often than not it was the five-petal orchid flag of Hong Kong. And to be fair, Hong Kong is not now and never was communist (at least in the economic sense). British rule set up a major financial powerhouse and created a large amount of the current infrastructure (including food sanitation and clean water). When the Chinese regained control in 1997, they had the sense to not ruin a good thing. So as it currently stands, Hong Kong is a mostly independent, democratic, and capitalist state. That doesn't mean Beijing hasn't tried to get its hands involved. Google 'Umbrella Revolution' for more on that.

In the pending decades, China will inevitably assume full control of places like Hong Kong and Macau, and it would be a shame. Hong Kong is a really cool city in a very photogenic setting - like Honolulu, but a lot safer and cleaner. That could all change if Beijing really starts meddling. Snot rockets and phlegm everywhere! Let's hope they don't ruin a good thing. I could have used a few more days to explore the other neighborhoods and surrounding islands, but that will have to wait . . .

After Hong Kong, we went to Taipei, Taiwan, a country which by some other measure also claims to be China. Confusing, indeed. We would see businesses called ,"China Tour Agency," or "First Chinese Bank." I won't get it to the whole complicated history of Taiwan's very existence, but Chiang Kai-shek (nationalist), who lost militarily to Mao Zedong (communist) fled along with millions of people to Taiwan, where he claimed to be the legitimate government of China. That actually worked for a while with the U.S., who would pretty much support anyone who wasn't communist. Chiang Kai-shek very much fit that description, but he was also kind of a dick. He instituted martial law and for decades, Taiwan wasn't really a democracy. With countries being forced to choose one "real" China, most eventually chose the one that would prove to be a better trading partner (hint: the communist one). So that issue has plagued international relations for Taiwan and it was mostly recently came to light when Trump referred to the President of Taiwan as having congratulated him on his victory.

That may seem pretty benign, but the mere fact that he referred to her as a "president," implies that the White House was recognizing a sovereign leader of a place that isn't even a country as far as Beijing is concerned. The whole thing is quite bizarre, and for all the blunders Trump has made, the Taiwan thing is somewhat forgivable because the whole one China policy ultimately implies that Taiwan doesn't even exist. But but but, I was there. And it's real. I can assure you. And from what I could tell in my brief time there, it seems pretty put together for being a fake country.

And for a country ("country"?) that also identifies as China, I would respectfully remark that Taiwan is quite different from the mainland. It has its own unique culture and identity. And minus the vast numbers of scooters taking over the streets of Taipei who cannot for some reason make left turns (just go, you'll understand what I mean), most of it is admirable. The subway system is modern and quite affordable. The variety of ethnic cuisine available in the city of Taipei would rival Los Angeles. And despite the aforementioned scooters, Taiwan has some of the lowest crime in the region.

If I had more time, I would have liked to explore the rest of the country, which is reportedly quite beautiful and nature-rific. This was one of the more politically confusing trips I have been on since I now have two stamps in my passport from two different countries that both say "China" on them. By the things I have said about each of the places, you can probably gather which ones I liked more than others. But one has to actually visit each place to form their own opinions.

And even better, it would be good for those phlegm hawkers in Beijing to expand their horizons and realize that when they see people standing in line, it does not give them permission to cut everybody off. Nicole is convinced it stems from a society of only children where everyone thinks it's all about them. Maybe there's something to it... Nevertheless, as I continue to preach, traveling not only gives one appreciation for people who don't launch snot rockets next to them, but it also exposes the problems of one's own country that may not have previously been apparent. If only everyone could have that luxury... And maybe next time when we further explore the area, Nicole and I will have the luxury of being in business class for those long flights.