One Plus One Equals Three

Developments in Norwegian Uphill Cycling (Not Exactly)

For (Norwegian) cyclists too lazy to ride up hills (psst: riding up hills makes you a fitter cyclist... oh well).
Via Bikehugger.

Simon Watts: one plus ukraine

Simon Watts "recently spent close to a year in the Ukraine painting artwork on the ceilings and walls of the home of one of the world's richest men. And as intriguing as it is to witness the level of pure bad taste that can only exist when money is no object, [he] was far more fascinated by the world outside..."

Read and see more at the one plus ukraine photo gallery.

Omar Sharif: Sockmaker

It is a little known fact that the Franco-Arabic actor Omar Sharif started a career in hosiery parallel to his career in the movies. It's a similar story for James Dean. Before he died, Dean started a company that designed men's underpants. As it was the young actor's dream to one day be the leader of his country, his underpants company decided to honour their founder's wish and to this day they label every single pair of briefs and boxers that leaves the factory with the descriptor 'James Dean President'.

Actually the above is a fabrication. We have my Korean in-laws staying with us for a bit and they're doing the Melbourne/Sydney tourist thing. I was doing their laundry recently and couldn't help but notice the above 'faux name-brand labels'. Eui Soon and Ho Jae – they're now in the third drawer...

Credit Card Cuteness

From South Korea's Shinhan Bank. Just don't drop the print collateral that comes with your new card on the street... that would be kitty litter.

Sockless in KL (Again)

Whilst I'm discussing things Malaysian and architectural, Kuala Lumpur International Airport deserves a mention. Designed by Kisho Kurokawa (he of Nakagin Capsule Tower fame) in conjunction with local architect Akitek Jururancang, KL's airport knocked my socks off too. Stunningly designed, featuring a lovely curved timber ceiling and a 'Malay forest enclosure' (complete with waterfall), KLIA was a pleasure to frequent (although the dining aspect of KLIA was pretty ordinary).

There's much happening with Asian airports, and this region probably leads the world in contemporary airport design. Read an earlier post on that subject at this blog here. Norman Foster has also designed the world's biggest and most technologically advanced airport in Beijing (more at The Guardian).

Read more about Kuala Lumpur International Airport at Architectural Review and Archidose. There's a few shots of the airport in this Flickr set too.

I Lost my Socks in Kuala Lumpur

I had been looking forward to seeing Kuala Lumpur's Petronas Towers for quite some time (panoramic image here, image gallery here). I'm quite familiar with skyscrapers in the Western world (the largest of which are in the US), but what of the Islamic side of things? (Malaysia is a Muslim country). Until recently the Petronas Towers were the tallest building(s) in the world. Taiwan's 101 Tower is currently the world's tallest skyscraper, and Dubai's Burj Dubai looks set to gazump them all, once they figure out how big they want it to be (more here).

But whilst tallness alone is impressive, an interesting, captivating design of a tall building is even moreso. And one that intrinsically relates to the culture it's amidst – moreso again. That's what kept drawing me back to the Petronas Towers in KL – their astonishing, downright beautiful, theatrical and dare I say, haunting 'Islamic' presence.

For me, these towers are the most gob-smackingly impressive skyscrapers I've yet come across. Repeated viewings, especially at night when the two shiny steel clad towers are extensively lit – knocked my socks off completely. So I then took to wearing sandals (which are much better for KL's heat anyway).

To KL, Seoul and Back

I'm back from a few weeks travelling to the above cities. Some design-related reports and traveller's tales to follow. The photo is of a sign for a foot masseuse in Kuala Lumpur (of which there were many). Being hot there, people wear thongs (flip flops) alot (no, not the underwear) ... and I suspect people may need a foot massage after prolonged use. Either that or Malaysians just like having their feet rubbed.

The locals may also wear the underwear type of thong – but I didn't ask. (It's a little hard to bring up that subject in polite conversation).

It Must be the Robots

My partiality to things Asian (especially things Korean) will well and truly be outed here...

For years I've been telling anyone that would listen to me how effective and pleasurable it is to use international airports in Asia. (Try starting up a conversation with that as an opener...). This may be because they're some of the most modern around – but they are some of the most enjoyable and easiest to use too. Hong Kong International Airport and South Korea's Incheon International Airport being 'el supremo airports' for me. I would (almost) happily spend hours there. Actually, I have (spent hours at HK on occasion). I used to enjoy Japan's Narita too, but that's now been updated and is sprawled over multiple terminals (but the modern bits are very nice), and Thailand's new Suvarnabhumi airport I'm yet to visit.

Asian international airports swept the field in the recent 2006 Airports Council International (ACI) Airport Service Quality Awards. The top four airports were: 1. Incheon in South Korea, 2. Hong Kong, 3. Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia and 4. Singapore. But I could have told you that already.

And a factor that would have significantly contributed to South Korea's 'service quality' success would be their friendly, tireless and extremely helpful airport robots.