A Peek Inside the North.

The news in the last week has been dominated by the implication of President Kim Yong-Il's passing and television footages showing his body lying in state in the Kumsusan Memorial Palace brought back memories of my own visit to this location to view the body of his father, the late President Kim Il-Sung.

My visit in 2003 was undertaken while I was still working with the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) and together with a team of tourism experts, we were studying the potential for North Korea (DPRK) to tap into inbound tourism. There definitely was potential, interestingly the shroud of secrecy and politics made this an even more desirable destination. I will attempt to share some of the images from this visit.

A group of military personnel pose for a portrait with Kumsusan Memorial Palace in the background - it was a totally serious and no-nonsense affair.

For the visit to Kumsusan Memorial Palace, one must be formally dressed in business suits and elaborate processes were in place to ensure that every visitor is appropriately dressed, suitably sanitized, emptied of cell-phones, cameras and other recording devices. It was however a very interesting experience and one that every visitor should not miss.

In the negotiation room, one could still see the divison of the two Koreas in the windows - the North Korean soldier on the right window and the South Korean one on the left.

Seen from the North Korean side, soldiers from both Koreas keep a watchful eye on one another across a divide that one could stop over without much effort. 

The De-militarized Zone (DMZ) at Panmumjon Village is yet another surreal venue as soldiers from North and South Korea (along with their American counterparts) eye-ball, stare and size up one another across a line that even an infant could step over. In the room where negotiations have taken place in the past, the centre-line along a table marks the all-important divide. Both Koreas ensured that their over-sized state flags are clearly visible atop what must surely be some of the tallest flag-poles in the world.

A newly-wed couple along with their bride's-maid and best-man posed for pictures with the Juche Tower.

Juche - or self-reliance - is an aspiration here and a tower, aptly named Juche Tower constantly reminds its citizens of this ideal. With North Korea's current level of poverty and unpredictable harvest, this ideal remains a little more than arm's length away.

A military monument at the Liberation of the Fatherland Museum against the backdrop provided by the

yet-to-be-completed 105-storey hotel building.

A gold-coloured statue of President Kim Il-Sung towers over a wall mural depicting Mount Paektu.

A snapshot of the platform level of the central metro station in Pyongyang at peak hour. 

As can be expected in such a socialist / communist country, every important monument or show-case facility is built to one scale - GRAND. The towering statue of President Kim Il-Sung dominates the skyline who also is pierced by the then-uncompleted 105-storey hotel building. The central station in Pyongyang's metro system is a show-piece complete with a patriotic mural and ostentatious chandeliers. There certainly was not the traffic volume one is accustomed to in other subway systems in Singapore, Hong Kong or Tokyo.

Propaganda billboards serve two main purpose, either to glorify North Korean leaders or de-cry the West (mainly the US) and these are almost omni-present. Setting aside politics, these billboards are actually quite a colourful distraction from an otherwise very grey architectural landscape. Below are some examples.

Mural depicting Presidents Kim Il-Sung and Kim Jong-Il (above and below) are extremely colourful and vibrant.

The political statement of this mural is self-explanatory.

At the Student Palace in Pyongyang, your Koreans are trained in a multitude of cultural disciplines ranging from dances, mastery of various musical instrument, calligraphy to gymnastics, sculpture and pottery. They lay out grand performances to showcase the end result - and without prejudice, the standard of such performances (below) was extremely high.

When driving around the country, the countrysides were unremarkable - even in September, farmers were trying to squeeze out yet another crop of rice. Red chillies and yellow corn were spread on rooftops to be dried before the onset of winter. Poverty does however highlight one virtue - very little waste in the form of paper or plastics was seen - and the country was consequently remarkably litter-free.

Due to its isolation, much of the country is well-preserved and in the beautiful environment of the Myohyang Mountains, nature and traditional architecture stand shoulder-to-shoulder in a tribute to Korean traditions.

On 28 December 2011 and in the days thereafter, the world's attention will once again be trained on this nation as its people wail and cry in a final tribute and send-off for their deceased President Kim Jong-Il.

I am happy to have had the opportunity to visit this very interesting destination and hope that others who have previously missed out on destinations such as Vietnam and China prior to their opening to mass travel will endeavour to savour this final opportunity.

I have no training or interest in politics and am not keen to engage in any debate on politics. As a person with tremendous interest in people, aviation and the travel and tourism industry, I went in with an open mind and non-judgemental perspectives. For those keen on aviation, there is of course the chance to photograph some of the Russian-built fleet of Air Koryo.

Sunan Airport in Pyongyang is the gateway into North Korea with regular flights from Beijing and Shenyang. Air Koryo's fleet of Ilyushin IL-62s, Tupolev TU-154s (above) and Ilyushin IL-76s are visible as we taxied to and from the terminal on our arrival and departure respectively.

As a sign of the times, a North Korean travel agency is organising an aviation enthusiasts' tour of North Korea in May 2012 which include sightseeing and the opportunity to sample flights on Air Koryo's IL-62, TU-154, AN-24 and IL-18! Amazing indeed ... wish I could afford that.

Season's Greetings and Happy Holly-days!

Thank you for supporting my very amateurish attempt at blogging and I will continue to use this channel to share aviation (and eventually travel and lifestyle) related postings.

As most of us wind down towards the year-end, I would like to wish all a wonderful time with the people you love most ... and may the New Year bring Peace and Joy, a cure for all the economic woes around the world, safe skies for all who fly, kindness all round for those in need and spread a little cheer wherever you go.

Season's greetings, Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and Happy New Year!

Flashback.

Aviation spotting and photography is a hobby that gives us plenty to look forward to ... for there are always changes in the making. Conversely, there are many occasions to look back and savour planes from the past.

From time to time, I will be putting out images from the past which has personal significance.

I hope that the aviation enthusiasts among the readers of this blog find them interesting too. And if they are of any special significance to you, please feel free to share your thoughts using the comment icon below ... actually, I very much welcome your thoughts and comments.

This picture dates back to 1999 when the world was worrying about the Y2K bug ... frankly, I still think that is a money-making hoax but that is another story for another day. In this scene are two very special planes. There is one of two Singapore Airlines Boeing 747-412s painted in the "Tropical Megatop" livery in SIA's Project Rainbow. They were so painted to celebrate the then newly upgraded First Class, Raffles Class and New Economy Class products. 

In the foreground is Singapore Airlines' very first B777-212 9V-SQA wearing its 50th Anniversary markings. I flew on the very first commercial flight by this aircraft to Jakarta ... the first time I actually paid to just fly somewhere for the experience of being the "First To Fly". And what a great send-off party at the gate by SIA. So much good food and after taking off and climbing out of a furious storm, we were still served one of the most delicious Hainanese chicken rice on the short flight. I still keep my precious first flight certificate, inflight menu and headrest (which had "inaugural" printed on it).

Time flies ...

Growing Independence.

When the Soviet Union broke up and Kazakhstan became an independent nation 20 years ago in 1991, the economy of Kazakhstan was ranked second from the bottom among the former Soviet republics. Its per capita gross domestic product then was US$1500 but by 2010, it grew to US$9000 and the Kazakhstani economy now ranks second from the top of the same table! Having valuable natural resources such as natural gas, oil, uranium and grains helped but having good management is equally important. As independent Kazakhstan turns 20 today, I am reminded of its delightful national carrier – Air Astana.

At the time of the country’s independence, the role of national carrier was placed on the shoulders of Air Kazakhstan which ceased operation in February 2004 and became insolvent two months later. At that point, it operated a mix of Russian-built TU-154s, TU-134s, IL-86s, Yak-42s and western-built Airbus A310-300s and Boeing 737-200s. At the time of its establishment in September 2001, Air Astana was tasked to operate domestic services but with the failure of Air Kazakhstan, its status was elevated.

A Fokker 50 arriving at Astana Airport - this will be progressively replaced by Embraer E-190s.

Since then, Kazakhstan has a national carrier it could be proud of. Starting operation in April 2002 with just three leased aircraft – two B737-700s and one B737-800, it concentrated on improving its service and growing organically. Now in its 10^th year of operation, Air Astana operates a fleet of B757-200s, B767-300s, Airbus A320s, A321s and a single A319 along with a new fleet of Embraer E-190 that will progressively replace its Fokker 50s. Aircraft acquisition here has been honed into a fine art as new types are chosen for the close match to the airline’s challenging operating environment. For flights to South and South East Asia, its planes have to head to the western extremity of the Himalayas before turning back east to New Delhi, Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur.

Air Astana's B757s operate regularly on the Almaty-Bangkok route.

Air Astana has a Letter of Intent to acquire B787 Dreamliners and discussions are ongoing with Boeing to turn this into a firm order.

An Airbus A320 being pushed back for departure at Almaty Airport. 

I was thrilled to have flown eight Air Astana flights and thoroughly enjoyed the consistently good inflight service. Many of its personnel are very proud to be working for the airline and perhaps this is the key to maintaining good service. Besides New Delhi, Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur, it also serves Beijing and Seoul in North Asia with new services to Hong Kong starting in early 2012 and chartered flights to Vietnam in late-2012. The infrastructure at Almaty Airport is basic and beyond the airline’s control and for me, it made me appreciate Air Astana’s tight grip on quality service even more. I was particularly impressed by the airline’s focus on safety and the fleet’s maintenance – and from an aviation photographer’s standpoint, it is always a joy to photograph its clean and beautifully painted fleet.

An Airbus A321 decorated with special markings to celebrate the 20th Anniversary of Kazakhstan's independence is seen here in Air Astana's maintenance hangar at Almaty Airport. 

Kazakhstan has yet to tap into inbound tourism in a big way – but it has lots to offer. From the steppes to ancient Islamic cultures, these promise to be strong draws for travellers who seek unspoilt destinations. In a way, I am glad that there are still destinations such as Kazakhstan that are in no hurry to embrace tourism.

 One could not possibly miss the Baiterek Tower in Astana, seen here beautifully lit at night.

The Palace of Peace and Reconciliation in Astana is pyramid-shaped and houses a treasure trove of Kazakhstani historic relics as well as a unique meeting room at its apex.

Congratulations to the people of Kazakhstan on the occasion of the 20^th anniversary of its independence. You have come a long way in a short time ... and to Air Astana, thank you for the great memories and all the best as you celebrate your 10^th anniversary next April.

Oddities in the sky.

Many have certainly wondered what there is to like about aviation and airplanes and many a time, I have been asked what is so interesting about aviation ... ending with remarks such as “they all look the same”. Well yes – most look the same except for their liveries, and no – there are some odd-balls of aviation that could be described as bizarre, awkward, weird or at its kindest – unusual. To me, all these mean one thing – interesting.

Most planes came off the drawing boards (ok these days, it is probably off a computer screen) looking rather regular and most end up looking totally normal too. But once in a while and always dictated by a special or specialised need, it gets a makeover that can get blown out of all proportions. The Airbus A300-600ST is just one such airplane.

The A300-600ST was "built" from an A300-600, itself originally a lengthened and improved version of the basic Airbus A300B, it looked rather elegant with clean aerodynamic lines and operated in the colours of many airlines including Thai Airways International, Korean Air, China Eastern Airlines, Saudi Arabian Airlines and many more around the world. Some were operated as pure freighters and Air Hong Kong is one such operator.

From 1972, Airbus was ferrying aircraft parts such as wings and fuselage sections to Toulouse for final assembly using four heavily modified Boeing Stratocruisers of 1940 vintage. These were named “Super Guppies” and were slow, unwieldy and extremely sensitive to cross-winds during landing. By 1991, the need for a bigger and more efficient transporter was deemed necessary and the result was the A300-600ST (ST for Super Transporter).

With a “forehead” looking like a whale or Napoleon Wrasse, the forward cargo door hinges upwards and to avoid having to disconnect all electrical, hydraulic and flight control systems while operating this door, the cockpit and the aircraft’s nose were set lower and below the cargo floor. A 25-foot diameter section was placed over the original fuselage and this is where all those aircraft sections and wings will be stored. Modifications on the tail section gave it greater stability and the end result of an airplane that challenges the imagination. It looked very much like a beluga and Airbus eventually christened it the Airbus Beluga.

Today, it is a common sight on most days at Finkenwerder Airport (near Hamburg) where Airbus undertakes final assembly of the A318, A319, A320 and A321. Here, new-built A380s have their cabins fitted-out and their customers’ liveries painted. I have the joy of visiting Finkenwerder Airport four times in the last six years – thanks to my dear friend Mischa from the Netherlands who drove me about five hours from his home-town of Zwolle – and the sight of a Beluga on final approach always sends my heart-beat dangerously close to qualifying for a visit to the doctor.

There is not a single angle where the Beluga did not look awesome, pretty, handsome or fabulous. Viewed from a distance when it is a mere silhouette in the sky or up close, it is as beautiful as its namesake, the beluga. Beyond making milk-runs between various factories in Europe, the Beluga has made a few sorties towards the Asia Pacific region. It carried some valuable paintings to Tokyo for an exhibition and in early-2003, it flew an entire NH-90 helicopter prototype to Avalon in Victoria, Australia for an airshow. On its return, it diverted from its original plan to transit Singapore Changi Airport and instead landed at Paya Lebar Airbase for officers from the Republic of Singapore Air Force to evaluate this helicopter. For this sortie to Avalon, it was given an additional “decoration” on its fuselage hinting at the cargo it was carrying.

Now who says aviation spotting is a boring sport! For as long as there are odd-balls like these, it is a hobby that oozes passion and tremendous dedication.

BIG, Blue and Beautiful!

The Airbus A380 has already been traversing the skies across several continents for four years, carrying the passengers of seven airlines. There is however one unmistakable shape in the sky - and certainly at airports too - and that is the A380 in Korean Air's distinctive blue. It is big, blue and almost without doubt, the most beautiful A380 in the world.

As the delivery of Korean Air's first A380 approached early this year, I harboured a not-so-secret dream to someday fly on it. It was only a matter of when ... for this is after all the A380 with the lowest number of seats - only 407 compared to around 520 for some of the other airline operators. This dream was fulfilled recently when I was booked to fly from Hong Kong to Seoul.

Flight KE608 was scheduled to depart from Hong Kong at 0050 hours and the late hour notwithstanding, Hong Kong International Airport's departure hall was still buzzing with activities. I ignored all the special offers and sales overtures coming from many of the shops and pushed aside all my craving for a bite at the various dining outlets still opened. I wanted to quickly make my way to gate 15 and got there just in time to see the powder-blue whale-like A380 picking its way towards the parking bay. It gingerly inched itself into the position, dwarfing both the tiny Hong Kong Express Airways B737-800 and the slender B777-300ER of British Airways. Several other passengers - including a few who were flying with other airlines - joined me in "pasting" our faces on the glass to get a good view of this mammoth of a plane.

Boarding commenced right on the dot at 0020 hrs - as stated on my boarding pass - and I quickly settled into my assigned seat 31C. In spite of a full flight, boarding was smooth and orderly. It helped that the cabin attendants - beautifully turned out in their smart powder-blue and beige uniform - were on hand to guide passengers to their seats and helped them with stowing their hand luggage. The overhead stowage bins were huge and swallowed all that the passengers brought onboard. The 34-inch seat pitch in Economy Class provided ample legroom for my 1.64m Asian frame but surprisingly accommodated my 1.8m neighbour with ease too. It was not long before the doors were closed and the aerobridge slowly moved away from the aircraft. We pushed back at 0100 hrs and silently, the four engines were started with barely a perceptible murmur. All around me - perhaps due to the hour of the day, many passengers were already asleep. We taxied towards runway 07R and the Captain came over the public address system to inform us of a potential delay in our take-off due to a long line of airplanes ahead of us. Finally at 0134 hrs, we turned onto the runway and without so much as a whisper, we surged forward powerfully. The climb-out was exceptionally quiet and around me, those already asleep continued with their slumber while those who were still awake did not even seem to notice that we were already airborne. Our 2,464 km flight to Seoul has begun.

My seat was very comfortable and was upholstered in a medium-blue fabric with a pyramid-shaped motif. The wall panels in the cabin were a pearly-white finish with little dots in silver. Complemented by the mood lighting - adjusted to a restful shade of blue, it seemed the perfect environment to settle into a good night's sleep. However, sleep was the last thing on my mind. Each seat has a good-sized inflight entertainment screen and control, a cup holder, a coat hanger and a seat pocket for the reading materials and safety card. Even before we pushed back, I was already finding my way on the IFE screen and settled on a view of the A380 from a camera mounted near the top of the tail. This afforded me an overview of the A380 and I could even see some of the aircraft ahead of us waiting to take off from Hong Kong! On a daylight flight, this feature is a definite must-try for aviation enthusiasts!

The fasten seatbelt sign was quickly turned off and soon afterwards, honey roasted peanuts and drinks were served and 30 minutes after takeoff, a light meal was served. Having flown many times with Korean Air, I have long decided on what I wanted to eat - Bibimbap. Rice cooked perfectly to suit the Korean palate - sticky with each grain of rice retaining its shine - is progressively folded into a mixture of soya bean sprouts, cucumber, carrot, shiitake mushroom, spinach and topped with a generous helping of Gochujang (Korean hot pepper paste) and a sprinkling of what must be the most fragrant Korean sesame oil. An incredibly delicious and healthy meal washed down with a piping hot soya bean paste soup.

After dinner, it was time to check out another unique feature onboard this A380 - Korean Air is the only airline to have a duty free display area at the rear of the main deck. Here, duty free liquour, perfumes and other cosmetic items are displayed on open shelves. A strong magnet under each item ensures that even in the strongest turbulence, these displays remain on the shelves. Passengers come here to browse through the duty free items but return to their seats to make their purchases.

A whole menu of new Hollywood releases and classics, movies from Europe, Asia and Korea, short features including a 45-minute National Geographic documentary on the construction of the A380 are available to entertain those for whom sleep takes a back seat - and I am one of them. There were far more choices than I could possibly wish for and I finally elected to watch "A  Better Life", a movie about an illegal Mexican immigrant in the US who toiled to lift his son from the rough neighbourhood they live in and give him a better shot at life. After lots of twists and turns in the plot plus a few tender moments, the show ended and signalled its time for me to get a little rest. There were still the many interesting articles in the inflight magazine "Morning Calm". inflight entertainment guide "Beyond", but these just have to wait. I have decided to take this magazine with me to perhaps pass time in the hotel room in Seoul. For now, a little shut-eye seems like a great idea.

Perhaps the weather along the entire route was extremely favourable but then again, perhaps it was because the A380 flies so well - the entire flight was so smooth with not a single bump. After being in the air for about 2.5 hours, I could feel the initial descent from our cruising altitude of 31,000 feet being initiated. Once again, the Captain's voice came on air to inform us of our expected arrival time in Seoul, the weather - a chilly one degree Celcius and thank us for choosing to fly with Korean Air. The light around us rose in intensity and soon the cabin was bathed in a brilliant white light. Immediately, the cabin attendants paced through the cabin to ensure that all safety guidelines are adhered to.

The sky outside was still dark when we descended over the sea towards Incheon Airport's runway 33L. Once again, I turned my inflight entertainment screen to the tail-mounted camera view and I could see the A380 heading towards the now visible runway lights. We gently touched down at 0517 hrs (Seoul time) and there was a noticeable absence of reverse thrust or braking. We turned off the runway and took just three minutes to reach the designated parking position at gate 10. Deplaning was once again smoothly accomplished with the crew bidding their goodbyes at the door. Instead of making a dash for the immigration counters, many passengers actually remained for some minutes at the airport terminal's glass window to photograph the A380 gleaming under the ramp's floodlights. I too could not resist another picture to add to my collection.

    

Flight : KE608 / 5 December 2011

Routing : Hong Kong - Seoul

Aircraft : Airbus A380-861 (HL7611)

Overall Experience : A most enjoyable flight, great service and food.

What's in a name?

Life's short and one can never know how short. Sounds depressing ... not one bit. Quite the opposite actually, because if one walks on the more positive side, life can be quite remarkable, wonderful, exciting, interesting and especially educational. Sure, life's not a bed of roses and we often encounter challenges and can almost do nothing about it. But as they say, when one door slams, another opens - and perhaps more than one open. When I was made redundant at the Pacific Asia Travel Association, the screen showing the days ahead went blank. Thanks to the good people at TTG-Asia, a door opened and led to many exciting experiences in the last six years. Each day that we open our eyes and the sun shines brightly outside, a whole new world and a refreshed day beckon. Life's short ... so Live it.

One of the most amazing places I have visited is Ecuador. Here the first UNESCO heritage site (the old quarters of Quito) and all the most intense biodiversity (in the forests of Ecuador and in the Galapagos Islands) stand shoulder to shoulder. And it is here that I too have met some of the most caring people - Yvonne and her mom especially, ate some of the most delicious food - baked prawns wrapped with bacon with a forest fruits' sauce at the Mea Culpa Restaurant in Quito and enjoyed some great aviation photography at Mariscal Sucre Airport in Quito. This city's high altitude and its amazing sights left me breathless. Under the watch of its current Minister of Tourism Freddy Ehlers, Ecuador's tourism industry is marketed using the tagline - "Ecuador - Love Life".

I was pulled in all directions when trying to find a name for this blog - how does one reconcile a deep passion for aviation, travel, gardening, nature, animals, cats, food, meeting people etc? I sat down and thought of what's important and wonderful in my life so far and decided on - LIVE LIFE, LOVE LIFE.

KC Sim