MAKKAH in 1953.

South Korea’s second city

Hidden away on the tip of South Korea’s southeastern peninsula, Busan joins the likes of Milan, Osaka, Melbourne and Manchester in that its fits firmly into the category of quintessential “second city”.

• Related article: Make art not war in South Korea

Yet, when it comes to Busan, there is no inferiority complex to contend with. The city is not about flaunting unmissable sights, extreme beauty or a history that changed the world. Instead Busan is a genuine all-rounder that mixes a healthy outdoor lifestyle with a love of the arts and an exciting nightlife scene. And with its ever-changing scenery of stunning beaches, forested hills, ancient temples and exciting shopping districts, emerging from different stations along Busan’s subway can often leave you surprised that you are still in the same city.

City highlights
The decent Busan Museum of Art is worth visiting to see premier Korean artists such as Yang Dal-suk, Woo Shin-chool and Kim Jong-shik, but it was only after the unveiling of the stunning Busan Cinema Centre in 2011 that the global art world really started taking notice of this South Korean city. The cinema is an architectural masterpiece; a visual feast of soaring, wide open spaces with a deconstructivist design of straight, jutted lines reminiscent of Frank Gehry. But the building really comes to life at night when its roof is illuminated in a kaleidoscope of dazzling colours and images. It is also the home to the Busan International Film Festival, an emerging star on the global film calendar that takes place in autumn each year.

One of South Korea’s great obsessions is baseball, and even if you do not you like the game, get tickets to see some of the most fanatical sport fans in the world. The raucous noise of Sajik Stadium when it is filled with 30,000 screaming supporters is extraordinary, as inflatable batons are smashed together in deafening unison while music blares from the speakers and cheerleaders bust K-pop dance moves. Busan fans are famous for being the rowdiest in the country, known for the tradition of waving shredded newspaper pompoms and wearing the orange garbage bags provided under each seat on their heads as the game draws to a close.

Eating is another highlight of Busan, and seafood is the local specialty. The best place to see and sample the local catch is at the modernJagalchi Market in Nampo-dong, where tanks of exotic-looking marine life sit alongside rows of stalls slicing up famously fresh sashimi. Unlike Japan, where sashimi is presented immaculately in bite-sized morsels, here you are required to buy the entire fish, so do not be dismayed when you are served a heaped plate of raw fish served with kimchi dishes and greens. Head upstairs to enjoy your meal with ocean views.

Puffer fish, another local favourite, is known for being lethally poisonous if prepared the wrong way. But you can trust your life with the expert chefs at Geumsu Bokguk in the Haeundaue district, a well-established restaurant that specialises in the fish and will prepare it anyway you want, from raw to deep fried.

Being a sizeable university town, Busan also has a youthful energy generated by students wanting to let off some steam and an enclave of foreign English teachers looking for a good time. Head to the student area of Kyungsung for a pub crawl through its labyrinth of neon-lit bars, student eateries and flashing game parlours; Vinyl Underground is the place for live music, while nearby Ol’55 has inexpensive drinks and a lively atmosphere.

After all this activity, travellers will need some pampering, and there is no better place than Busan’s Spa Land. Located within the Shinsegae Centum City complex, the largest department store in the world, Spa Land is a theme park for the body and mind, with rooms inspired by Turkish hammams and meditation spaces that involve sounds and blinking lights. The jjimjilbang (bathhouse) itself is shiny and resplendent, comprising of a series of hot spas, baths, pools and saunas, and baths are segregated by gender; take note of essential etiquette such as nude bathing and washing yourself thoroughly at the taps surrounding the baths before plunging in.

The great outdoors
Beaches are not often associated with South Korea, but Busan delivers with a beautiful coastline of sparkling ocean, dramatic rock formations and golden beaches, despite the ubiquitous high rise developments.Haeundae Beach in the east of the city is the most popular, with its attractive sweep of soft sand packed out in summer by enthusiastic locals and young international English teachers. Adding to the experience are the free plastic buckets and spades for making sandcastles, portable goals for beach soccer, nets for volleyball and even giant touch-screen internet terminals on the boardwalk. Aim to visit on a weekday to avoid the weekend crowds, when it becomes difficult to find a patch of sand to lay down your towel. There are six city beaches in total, with other worthwhile spots including Gwangalli and Songjeong, with their appealing cafes and nightlife scenes.

As well as being blessed by a scenic coastline, Busan also has the good fortune to be fringed by green forested hills, which are perfect for hiking. The trek up to Geumjeongsan, the ruined site of the former Geumjeong Fortress, is one of the most scenic walks in South Korea. Starting from the atmospheric Buddhist Beomeosa temple, the 8.8km trail takes you through tranquil woodland past several 17th-century crumbling stone fortresses and stunning forest outlooks. If you are not up for a full day’s walk, the site is reachable by cable car as well. From the South Gate of Geumjeongsan, you can extend your walk to take in Seokbulsa Temple, with its Buddhist statues built into the rock face and panoramic views over the city.

Kingfisher Airlines suspended

The Indian government today(20) suspended the license of Kingfisher Airlines, which has been struggling to resume flights following a strike by pilots and engineers who have not been paid for months, according to a AP report.  

After operating for nine years, Kingfisher Airlines loses  its license to fly with aviation regulator DGCA suspending it with immediate effect.

India's Civil Aviation Minister Ajit Singh said the decision was made following concerns about the safety of passengers.

"Their planes are not being serviced, their engineers are on strike and they are not even able to give their flight schedule," Singh told reporters.

Kingfisher, once one of India's best airlines, is battling for a lifeline with India's airline regulator. The company, which is drowning in debt, hasn't operated any flights since early this month.

The Center for Asia Pacific Aviation, an airline industry research group, puts Kingfisher's outstanding debt at $2.5 billion, including about $1.1 billion in bank debt, and says its accumulated losses swelled to $1.9 billion by the end of June.

The cash-strapped airline has stopped selling tickets on its website through Oct. 20 and was still trying to convince pilots and engineers to return to work.

Last week, a court in the southern city of Hyderabad issued an arrest warrant for Kingfisher owner Vijay Mallya on charges his airline bounced four checks worth over 103 million rupees ($1.9 million) to the consortium running the airport in the city. The money was meant to cover landing, parking and navigation fees at the airport.

Industrialist Mallya is famous for his flashy lifestyle and lavish parties attended by fashion models, Bollywood movie stars and cricket players. Mallya's United Brewery Group is India's largest brewer and owns other businesses in industries from chemicals to information technology. He also owns Force India, an F1 team and Royal Challengers, a cricket team. Mallya's net worth is $1 billion, according to Forbes.

The company hasn't made a profit since it was founded in 2005, according to FactSet, a financial information provider.

Meanwhile Kingfisher in statement says “ Notwithstanding the order of the DGCA, we had in any case suspended operations and closed forward bookings till November 6,2012… It is our endeavor to re-start operations at the earliest and we assure you we are working towards achieving this’.(AP, NDTV)

Testing Autism and Air Travel

FOR Dana Napoleon, a flight attendant in Tacoma, Wash., zipping in and out the nation’s airports every week is second nature. Yet she is still filled with dread every time she flies with her 10-year-old son.

Other children might scamper through the airport, delighted by the moving sidewalks and dreaming of sand castles. But for Ms. Napoleon’s son, the crush of unfamiliar faces, the creeping pace of security lines and delays in boarding and takeoff can trigger excruciating anxiety.

So before flights Ms. Napoleon worries: Will he dash through the metal detector without stopping? Will he disrupt other passengers by kicking the seat incessantly? Will he have a meltdown onboard, screaming and crying and hitting himself in the head, and get the entire family forced off the flight?

Her son, Keanu, is autistic. So for the Napoleons — and many other parents of children with autism — family vacations can be an agonizing exercise in parental endurance.

“My stomach is in knots,” said Ms. Napoleon, 41, describing her apprehension whenever she arrives at the airport with her husband and two children. “It’s so unpredictable. That’s what’s so stressful.”

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 1 in 88 children has been identified as having an autism spectrum disorder, health officials say. And for the parents who struggle to navigate the nation’s airports and airlines with these children, aviation officials are providing more help.

Over the past two years, Washington Dulles International Airport, along with airports in Atlanta; Boston; Bridgeport, Conn.; Manchester, N.H.; Philadelphia; and Newark, have offered hundreds of parents and autistic children “mock boarding” experiences, allowing them to practice buying tickets, walk though security lines and strap themselves into a plane that never leaves the gate.

As of now, Jet Blue, AirTran, Continental, Frontier, Southwest and United Airlines have participated.

The early word suggests that the programs, which are free, seem to help. Autism experts and parents say that increased familiarity with busy airports helps autistic children and their caretakers travel more comfortably. And airport and security officials say they gain a better understanding of the difficulties experienced by autistic travelers.

“We recognize how intimidating to some people, particularly those with special needs, a facility like this can be,” said Christopher Browne, the manager of Washington Dulles airport. “We think the anxiety and uncertainty and trepidation can be greatly reduced.”

The Transportation Security Administration has also set up a hot line, TSA Cares, to help disabled passengers and their caretakers better navigate airport security checkpoints. Thousands of people have called in since the hot line was started in December. More than 320 calls involved passengers with autism.

But these fledgling initiatives don’t reach everyone. And many parents complain that aviation officials and fellow passengers still remain unaware of the enormous challenges faced by children whose hypersensitivity to light, sounds, unexpected events and subtle shifts in routine can often trigger emotional outbursts and anxiety attacks.

“Awareness of autism has certainly increased; there’s no question about that,” said Jennifer Repella, vice president for programs at the Autism Society, an advocacy group. “What’s challenging is that autism is a hidden disability. People see someone they think is just a spoiled brat or a kid misbehaving and they don’t realize the origins of that.”

Such misunderstandings can have dramatic consequences.

In August, Delta Air Lines forced a mother traveling with her 3-year-old autistic son to get off a plane that was taxiing on the runway when the child began crying inconsolably, disturbing another passenger.

“She was in tears,” said Ms. Sarkis’s brother, Tarek Trad, who said she was still too distraught to discuss it.“It was a harsh reality for a mother that just found out that her son is autistic.”

Delta Air Lines officials have apologized to Ms. Sarkis for what a spokesman described as an “unfortunate string of events” on the Delta Connection aircraft. The spokesman, Morgan Durrant, said that Delta is reviewing the episode and remains committed to striving to “accommodate all customer needs.”

Hoping to avoid such unpleasant experiences, many parents are developing their own survival strategies. Some carry letters from doctors describing their child’s autism diagnosis, pack noise-canceling headphones and dress their children in brightly colored T-shirts that declare “autism awareness,” trying to make the invisible disability visible.

They ask to go through the handicapped lanes in security and to board the airplane ahead of time. And even before setting foot in the airport, they painstakingly walk their children through the journey step by step, often showing them photos of the airport and airplanes so that they can visualize what they will encounter.

Given the challenges, some parents opt not to travel. Others take long drives or train or bus rides. Marcus Melton, a business consultant, has flown successfully with his nonverbal 12-year-old son, Lukas, who often laughs and squeals loudly and unexpectedly and struggles to sit for extended lengths of time.

But over the next year, as his older daughter travels to visit colleges for the first time, Lukas will not come along. Mr. Melton and his wife decided that it was simply too hard, particularly since his daughter wants to visit some campuses in California.

“From an emotional standpoint you get sad about it,” said Mr. Melton, 43, who had always dreamed that college visits would be a family affair. “But the prospect of flying cross-country is in and of itself intimidating. That’s just a lot of time to keep him happy and occupied and try to keep things from going wrong in the air.”

Kimberly Walton, the assistant administrator who handles disability issues for the T.S.A., said that the agency is committed “to doing our part to demystify the screening process for the parent and the child, so when the real trip to Disney comes up there are fewer or no hiccups.”

Ms. Napoleon, the flight attendant, can’t quite envision a trip without hiccups. She likes to joke that her favorite part of flying with her son is landing. “I want to kiss the ground,” she said.

But the truth is that nothing quite compares to the wonder in Keanu’s eyes when he looks out the window at the bright city lights sparkling in the night. “There’s this huge world out there,” Ms. Napoleon added, explaining why she and other parents keep flying. “I want him to know that it’s out there and how it works.”

TIPS FOR THE TRIP: EASING THE PROCESS FOR PARENTS

Taking a child on an airplane for the first time is often a stressful experience, but for parents with children with autism, that stress is multiplied. What follows are some suggestions on how to minimize the anxiety and the potential for surprises.

• Pick a short flight — an hour or so.

• Visit the airport ahead of time to familiarize your child. If possible, participate in a mock boarding experience. If none is available, call your local airport to see if they will allow you to show your child the ticketing counters, security lines and waiting areas in advance. Parents interested in participating in a mock boarding experience at Boston Logan International Airport, either Nov. 3 or next spring, can use this link —http://bit.ly/W7zNh9 — to register. Washington Dulles International Airport plans to offer additional mock boarding experiences in the spring. Check the “What’s New” section of the airport site — mwaa.com/dulles — next year for information.

• Call the TSA Cares hot line — (1-855) 787-2227 — 72 hours before your flight to alert them that you might need assistance going through security. Some parents ask to go through the handicapped line with children who have difficulty in crowds or waiting in long lines.

• Call the airline ahead to alert them that you might need to board early or require additional assistance onboard.

• Tell your child what to expect, including delays and long waits, in the airport and on the airplane. Philadelphia International Airport offers a story —www.phl.org/passengerinfo/Accessibility/Documents/SocialStories.pdf — that can be read to children to help them prepare. It is designed for mock boarding experiences, but can be adapted to any trip.

• Pack a carry-on bag with anything that might be soothing during a rough patch. Be sure to include documentation of your child’s diagnosis that you can share with security and airline personnel.

The Art of Buying Art Worldwide

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She should know. With two galleries in New York and one in Brussels that represent artists in London, Germany and Italy, she is constantly traveling.

But her trips aren’t just about selling art. While she is abroad, she buys art, too, whether from a gallery or a street market.

Below are edited excerpts from a conversation with Ms. Gladstone on buying art around the world.

Q. Say you’re going to London, and you’re interested in buying artwork there. What should you keep in mind?

A. Before you go, bone up on what interests you and contact the gallery that represents the artists you’re interested in and make an appointment. Once you’re there, whoever’s helping will show you those artists and perhaps a few others they think you might like. Get all the information and then go home. If you still want a piece, contact the gallery and buy it. Impulse shopping, I don’t do or advocate. You can be in a location and fall in love with something, buy it, and then realize when you get home that it has no relevance in your life. If you’re buying a souvenir, something small, then it doesn’t really matter because you’re just having fun. But it’s not the same as making a serious purchase.

Q. Is there ever an occasion when you should buy art on the spot?

A. At art fairs, because if you don’t, it will be gone; the dealers are going to sell it. It’s not a bad idea to arrive knowing which artists you’re interested in, but also be open to discovering something new. Art Basel in Switzerland every June is the mother of all art fairs, and its Miami Beach branch in December has gotten better and better. European Fine Art Fair in Maastricht, in the Netherlands in March, has so many different kinds of things — objects, paintings, furniture, textiles, from prehistoric to contemporary. The benefit of Maastricht is that everything is vetted by a committee with expertise in that particular area. So if someone tells you that this table is 15th century, then you’re absolutely assured that it is. It’s a very safe place to shop. It’s also a great fair to look and learn. Don’t be afraid to ask questions.

Q. Any recommendations for antiques hunting?

A. The market at Place du Grand Sablon in Brussels is quite nice. I bought a set of silver plates there that came in an upholstered cabinet with millions of serving pieces, which I really love. In Tuscany, you can go to the antiques market in Arezzo, which is vast and a lot of fun. I bought some really good 1950s Marcello Fantoni ceramics there. Portobello in London. The Marché aux Puces outside Paris. The souks in Morocco — there you have to know the good from the bad, because some antiques were made yesterday.

Q: And if you do buy something abroad, how do you get it home?

A: Most artwork is shipped by plane, but with heavy pieces like furniture or ceramics, you’re better off shipping by boat. It may take two weeks longer, but the cost is much more reasonable. All of the tax forms and protocols are different in each country. For instance, the U.S. doesn’t have a duty on art, but many European countries do. It’s complicated, so you have to put yourself in the dealer’s hands and use the shipper they recommend, so long as you’re not at some fly-by-night operation. But then you shouldn’t be buying from them anyway.