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.

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.