She sits beside an empty chair outside the Japanese consulate in Busan, South Korea. A sad, lonely figure. Until the statue was installed last year, Korean women took turns to sit on a chair for a day beside an empty chair. It’s a dignified scene. There’s fresh flowers, and three engraved panels. One panel lists… Continue reading An Empty Chair
Month: May 2017
70 Hours on Airline Seats
A thirty-something neighbor once announced he would love to visit Europe, but he would have to wait until he could afford to travel that distance in Business. He appeared to be in good health, so I can only assume he wasn’t particularly interested in the wider world.
I would willingly travel that distance holding on to a subway-style strap if that was the only option.
How I Got to Five Korean National Parks by Mass Transit
In April 2017 I visited five of South Korea’s twenty-two national parks. In this post I document how I got to each park by rail and bus. I had not planned to spend much time in South Korea, but thanks to the authorities in Shanghai, China, I found myself with an extra week in South Korea.… Continue reading How I Got to Five Korean National Parks by Mass Transit
Walking the Dales Way
Last week, two friends and I explored parts of the Dales Way over three days. The long distance footpath starts in Ilkley, Yorkshire, progresses through the Yorkshire Dales National Park, then finishes in Bowness-on-Windermere in England’s Lake District. We chose start and end points served by rail: Ilkley at the start and Ribblehead at the finish.… Continue reading Walking the Dales Way
A Fully Baked Truth
Today, in Montmartre, Paris, I stared at the Moulin Rouge, explored the elaborate cemetery, and walked past a boulangerie (bake shop) where a sign quoted a simple truth from Benjamin Franklin.