Monday evening, now in Kagoshima, southern Japan. The bed is very welcome: I started out from Minneapolis, early Sunday morning.
Category: Asia
Japan 2017
More journeys ≫
Looking Forward to Winter
It’s State Fair time in Minnesota, which means winter is just around the corner. Winters in Minnesota can be lovely, with blue skies and bright sun reflecting off fresh snow. But there’s so much winter: it appears in November, and lingers through April. Some days can be brutally cold. It’s time to nail down winter… Continue reading Looking Forward to Winter
Defending Seoul
Seoul, South Korea, April 17, 2017. I knew I was in trouble. The silence was broken by a whirring sound close behind me. A military security camera was locking onto me. I quickly put my camera away, but it was too late: an armed soldier was walking down an embankment towards me. A couple hours… Continue reading Defending Seoul
Defending Seoul
Posted Defending Seoul.
My Hike Close to North Korea
April 2017: I set myself the goal to hike on my own as close as possible to North Korea without breaking any laws. The demilitarized zone (DMZ) separating the two Koreas was certainly out of bounds. As was the area immediately to the south of the DMZ where civilian access is strictly controlled. The southern… Continue reading My Hike Close to North Korea
My Hike Close to North Korea
Posted My Hike Close to North Korea.
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
An Empty Chair
Posted An Empty Chair.
An Empty Chair
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