Category: East Asia

How I Tunneled through the Great Firewall of China

For political and commercial reasons, China blocks Internet sites. Services I use daily, like Google, Blogger, Twitter, and the New York Times, simply do not exist on China’s Internet, thanks to the Great Firewall of China. Before my trip to Shanghai in April 2017 I made sure I would have access to all the Internet…… Continue reading How I Tunneled through the Great Firewall of China

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

Train To The DMZ

Took a creaky old commuter train to Baengmagoji, just south of the DMZ. Walked along the civilian control line, heeding landmine warnings.

Five South Korean National Parks

South Korea is a nation of hikers. On the trails old, young, hip, dowdy, they love to hike. It’s no wonder: Korea is mountainous, but the population is concentrated on relatively small plains. The mountains beckon. During my current stay in South Korea I’ve hiked in five of South Korea’s twenty-two national parks.