“Don’t you have to have a US passport to go on this tour?” It’s a Saturday morning in May and my associate Euan and I are at Seoul’s endearing postwar barrack of the USO, “home away from home” for US troops, ready for our trip into that strange strip of land between North and SouthContinue reading “Visiting Korea’s DMZ in the time of Trump”
Category Archives: Places
Cycling in Beijing
While many people remember her as a slightly irritating pop singer, in fact Katie Melua’s songwriting was a quest for truth. Her song citing the number of bicycles in Beijing (9 million) encouraged the city’s transport commission to do more to encourage this pollution-free form of transport, to fight the smog and pollution synonymous withContinue reading “Cycling in Beijing”
Bugakasan mountain and all that jazz: Seoul, day one
So: me and Euan are on holiday in South Korea and China over the next few weeks, so I shall attempt a daily blog post to document the trip since I have no physical journal with me, due to an administrative error. For reasons I don’t fully understand but something to do with Euan singleContinue reading “Bugakasan mountain and all that jazz: Seoul, day one”
Brutalist Bloomsbury and beyond
Having recently come into possession of the Brutalist London Map, a handy guide put together by the 20th century society, today we braved the Mayday April showers to gawp at some of London’s finest buildings. I think the cliche about Brutalism enthusiasts is they sneeringly enjoy it from the comfort of their Edwardian townhouse. IContinue reading “Brutalist Bloomsbury and beyond “
Pullman Court, Streatham
Starting up my daily diary again. I plan to get back into some non-work writing projects, and I could do with the practice. Today is a Sunday, the bleakest day of the week. I didn’t have anything in the way of plans, only half-formed ideas that relied on my telling other people about them forContinue reading “Pullman Court, Streatham”
Dunwich Dynamo
Last Saturday was the yearly ride to the coast for no good reason that is the Dunwich Dynamo. It was my fourth year taking part – I was a slightly different person four years ago. We all were. This year I was riding with a new gang, after 2015’s manic solo ride and what canContinue reading “Dunwich Dynamo”
Pre-Brexit France
Up bright and early, I cycled down through slumbering Poole to the ferry harbour. It was very exciting to line up alongside all the cars and trucks on my bike, particularly as I got ushered to the front of the queue. The only other cyclists were a lovely old French couple on a pair ofContinue reading “Pre-Brexit France”
London (ish) to Poole by bike
A few weeks before a potential Brexit vote seems as good enough time as any to cycle to France. I cheated quite a bit, feeling far too lazy to get up at 5am to give myself enough daylight to get all the way to Poole and the ferryport. Instead I faffed, faffed some more, andContinue reading “London (ish) to Poole by bike”
Bank holiday weekend
The blog theme of the moment is “remember that you exist, and this is good”. Quite an emo approach for a 36 year old, but it seems to be getting me to update. These sentences aren’t really for anyone else. I know some people read them, occasionally, and for this I am grateful, or atContinue reading “Bank holiday weekend “
Summer 2015
It sat mockingly, gathering dust over many months. But in a way, it was doing its job. In contrast to the relentless unfolding of smartphone image folders – the past continuously stored, if rarely consulted – the role of a disposable camera is to be forgotten. If you then, at a later date, remember theContinue reading “Summer 2015”
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