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Saturday, April 29, 2017

Trouper

    On the plus side, my ankle worked.  My son took me to a 4th century Buddhist Temple in the Korean Mountains.  He had been there before and mentioned it was a bit of a hike.  He couldn't find the parking area half-way up the mountain he had used before.  We parked at the base. People who have read my blog will find it difficult to believe, but, I am not a complainer.  I am a trouper.  And I want that on my tombstone.
   I was winded, to be sure.  We saw the temple and continued upward.  I did not make it to the tippy top. The last hundred yards was deeply eroded and pock-marked with loose stones.  After they had disappeared, I started up after them.  I got halfway and saw the folly of my venture.  As it was, my

son had to support me most of the way down.

Friday, April 28, 2017

Travel Guides in Real Life


   Why do I expect foreign destinations to look like they do in the travel books?  I might just as well believe in unicorns.
   I spent three weeks in Japan and Korea (yes, as a dratted tourist).  We timed the trip to fall between  my ankle surgery recovery and a show that has to be hung next week.  I knew it would be Cherry Blossom time in Japan, but assumed I would be visiting other places, away from the blossoms.  Apparently a lot of people assumed the same thing.
   Wouldn't be lovely if Photoshop had a program to remove tourists?
   Kyoto was particularly bloated with Chinese tourists.  Many of the women took advantage of the kimono hourly-rental program.  Our guide, a Geisha expert,  dismissed their tourist kimonos, repeatedly muttering 'polyester.'  I wouldn't have thought I could tell the difference, but I became quite adept.  Generally, authentic kimono owners don't carry Hello Kitty purses.  Or sport selfie-sticks.  I will never understand the selfie phenomenon.  (Aren't there more interesting things to see than yourself?)
 Travel is supposed to broaden the mind, not make you crabby.   I wish I had seen what I went to see.