Category Archives: transportation

Two Days in Seoul

Posted on July 4, 2011 by An Xiao

Two days in Seoul last week, packed with meetings, meetings and… did I mention meetings? My first time in Korea but not my last. Got me thinking about the different modes of experiencing a city. On one extreme is being born and raised and knowing it like a local. On the other extreme? A rushed, [...]

JeepneED: A Mobile Science Lab and Internet Cafe

Posted on May 18, 2011 by An Xiao

I always loved science labs. The beakers, the strange liquids, even the white aprons we would wear. I never pursued a career in chemical or biological science, but I continue to have an intellectual interest in the field. And when I’m curious something, like when my dentist showed my teeth in his iPad, I know [...]

Amenities for Travel

Posted on March 30, 2011 by An Xiao

Folding stools and rollaways sold outside Beijing’s central station (北京站).

Subway Nervous System

Posted on March 9, 2011 by An Xiao

A detail of a bus sign in southeast Beijing, and a danchengpiao (单程票: single journey ticket) for the subway. With its increasing sprawl and traffic, Beijing reminds me so much of my hometown, Los Angeles, except for one key issue: public transportation. Beijing’s public transportation, soon to boast the largest subway network in the world, [...]

Cultural Convergence

Posted on January 18, 2011 by An Xiao

This picture isn’t Beijing, as you might guess, but you’ll see bike parks like this around the city. Come to think of it, you’ll see bikes and scooters parked like this in UCLA, UCSB, London, DC, any major city. We used to think of bike parks as distinctly European, or Chinese, but now these parks [...]

A World of Choice

Posted on November 25, 2010 by An Xiao

I remember as a child flying back and forth between Los Angeles and Manila. It was, and still is, a long flight, some 17 hours if you take the long way through Tokyo. Back then, the only entertainment was a book, a Game Boy (remember those?) and, if you were lucky, a good movie. I [...]

Markers

Posted on October 2, 2010 by An Xiao

Yellow markers on LA’s gold line. These tell passengers where (not) to stand and also tell the conductor where (not) to stop. Got me wondering why some train lines have this and why some don’t. How do you know where to stand in New York? Take a guess, and hopefully the train doors will line [...]