Tales of an American moveable family
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So the Spanish basketball team (and Marca’s publishers and editors) really thought everyone would think this is funny? That they would perceive it as an “affectionate gesture?”
That’s pathetic. Maybe the Spanish hope to make adolescent jackassery a future Olympic event? They’d be serious contenders.
Hat tip: Kimchi Mamas
We had big plans yesterday to spend a good part of the day on a Royal Asiatic Society tour of “Chosun Dynasty Seoul.”
Led by architectural historian Peter Bartholomew, the tour covers several of the capital’s famous palaces, as well as some family homes of the era’s aristocracy, and other historic sites. I know, pretty much everyone who’s spent a day in Seoul has already seen Gyeongbokgung, but seeing it with someone who can put the history in context—who, for example, knows that the lilies planted along the restored pond around Hyangwon Pavilion aren’t native to the country, or that the bridge there was rebuilt on the wrong side—adds a lot to the experience.
I’ve missed the past two opportunities, and was really looking forward to this one.
Unfortunately our plans were interrupted by an unexpected visitor. Namely, a good chunk of China’s Gobi Desert, which descended unexpectedly over the lower half of the peninsula on Sunday. We’ve already encountered the notorious Hwangsa, but this was ridiculous. To get an idea of what the dust looks like, you can check out some pictures at The Daily Kimchi and these from Busan Mike. (Unlike yours truly, they were willing to risk life and limb—or, at least full lung function—to bring you such grassroots journalism. They’re hard core.)
Ron Sims is an American artist living in China. He recently started a hilarious video podcast of his experiences. Episode 1 features him getting a haircut at a Chinese barbershop. Brave man.
Hat tip: The Metropolitician.
I’m headed out tomorrow to join David in Taipei as he wraps up a whirlwind business tour of southern China and Taiwan. We were afraid our plans were going to be derailed by Kaemi, but she blew over the southern half of the island very early this morning and is already in central China. So now the coast is, ahem, clear . . .
We’ll be there from Thursday through Sunday morning, if anyone out there has travel tips, leave a comment.
I already have the Shihlin Night Market, the National Palace Museum, and a trip to the hot springs in Yangmingshan National Park on the ‘must do’ list.
See everyone back in Seoul on Sunday.
Technorati Tags: Taipei
