Travel

Beijing sights

Beijing sights

I thought I’d stick some of my touristy Beijing photos up here on the blog. So many people have written about their impressions of the city that it seems superfluous me adding my piece. Google it. There’s loads. Here in the first gallery, we have our visit to the...

Back to 八樓

This is the dormitory block of what is now the Beijing Languages University, where I spent the second year of my degree. I’ve spent today revisiting old Beijing haunts, and the memories have flooded back. Is going back a good thing? I’m not sure.

Dragon Boat Day at Discovery Bay

Dragon Boat Day at Discovery Bay

Months of preparation have gone into today’s Dragon Boat Regattta. I suppose it can be called that. Employees of Hong Kong International Resorts have been busy all week erecting flags and gazebos around the promenade and on the beach. Friday’s Dragon Boat Bank Holiday...

Preparing for Dragon Boat Day

Preparing for Dragon Boat Day

Today is Dragon Boat Day, another Bank Holiday. This was a promising sign of the excitement to come as I walked to the gym this morning. We’ve waited all day but there’s still no sign of any Dragon Boat racing here (though I understand that it was on all day over in...

Seoul journey

Seoul journey

Potted history, distilled culture I’m not quite sure what my preconceptions of South Korea were. Perhaps I still remember 1987 news footage of tear gas and pro-democracy rioting against an authoritarian government. Perhaps the phrase “Korean War” had made me look a...