Two weeks ago, I had the pleasure of attending a function at the Shanghai International Literary Festival, which has been running annually since 2003. The Festival draws authors from around the world and has become a major event in the Shanghai arts scene. Over 50 writers attended the 2013 Festival, including James and Deborah Fallows and Tom […]
Destinations
Say Kimchi: The Best Meals We Ate in Korea
When we were touring Dorosan Station near the DMZ, a colonel in the South Korean army was standing on the train platform and kindly posed for a photo with me. Just as hubby was about to snap the shot, the colonel directed me to “say kimchi,” which definitely left me smiling! I knew kimchi was a popular […]
Exploring Asian Culture at the National Museum of Korea
I am a total museum geek. Give me a building full of ancient artifacts and I will be happy for hours. If the collection is well-curated with detailed English descriptions, I could be there all day. Which is what happened when we visited the excellent National Museum of Korea in Seoul. We started on […]
Palaces of Seoul: Gyeongbokgung and Changdeokgung
Before the Japanese annexed Korea in the early 20th century, the Joseon dynasty ruled the country for some 500 years after King Taejo ascended the throne in 1392. The new king established his capital in Seoul – moving it south from Kaesong, a city located in modern-day North Korea – and established a grand palace […]
Love Locks and Lovely Views at N Seoul Tower
On our first day in Seoul, pollution from China had blown over and the 236-meter N Seoul Tower standing atop Namsan Mountain was barely visible through the smog. When we were greeted with sunshine and beautiful blue skies the next day, we seized the opportunity to admire the panoramas from the tower. While much shorter […]