Tailraces

Cycled beside the Mississippi past early Minneapolis. Tailraces from flour mills used to drain into this canal.

Streamlining Flying

Earlier this month, I found myself airside at Japan’s Fukuoka Airport. 13 minutes earlier I was boarding the subway downtown. In those 13 minutes I rode the train two stations to the airport, walked up two levels to Departures, and cleared Security. I had almost an hour before boarding the plane, plenty time for a…… Continue reading Streamlining Flying

Behind the Steel Door

Hakata (Fukuoka), Monday through Saturday: 08:53 People start to assemble outside the steel roller shutter door. 08:55 Voices behind the shutter make a declaration in unison. 08:59 An electric motor whirs as the shutter slowly rises. The scene slowly reveals itself: an office with about 30 workers in business attire. Three are standing at the…… Continue reading Behind the Steel Door

Dazaifu

Drippy day. Took train to Dazaifu, established 1,300 years ago, ruled Kyushu for about 500 years.