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 […]
City Guide
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 […]
One Day in Siem Reap, Cambodia
Fish Amok Cambodian Khmer cuisine
Enter the Year of the Snake
It’s time to bid farewell to the Dragon, as the Year of the Snake comes slithering in. One of the 12 years of the Chinese Zodiac, which follows a lunar calendar, Snake years are said be a period of great change. It’s a time for shedding your old skin, shaking off what was slowing you […]