We ate dinner on the train. Emmeline, you know the train cars we see outside of Queen City Bakery? There is a dining car on our train that has tables just like a restaurant, and people bring you food. Everyone eats with chopsticks, and watches the countryside slide by. Some people were playing cards and drinking. Bekah told me earlier in the day that people here really like a rènao atmosphere, which translates “hot and noisy,” and they had both in the dining car.

They also smoke a lot. The air was thick–I myself probably smoked 15 cigarettes with dinner, without ever having to hold, light or touch one personally. Quite a feat.

For EMM

Emmeline, remember the escalator that Corduroy goes up in the book, when he’s looking for his button? The airports have moving sidewalks that are just like escalators, but they move flat along the ground instead of up.

Boarding now for Chengdu–should see Bekah in six hours or so. Right, Bekah?

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Derek and Ashley have been telling their kids about my visit for the last few days, and in some unrelated conversation about juggling Derek mentioned, “You know, Mr. Tim can juggle.” Which is how I ended up leading a gym class on juggling for 15 Korean kindergartners. Just wonderful.

Emmeline, this is the same room where these kids played dodgeball. Remember that video?

Community, For EMM, Ideas, Travel

Good coffee on a rainy day in Incheon. My friends have been fortunate enough to live in a building complex with a great little coffee shop, with a small roaster right in their space. It feels like home, and tastes like it, too.

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After meeting Derek at the airport, we took a bus through the pouring rain to the neighborhood where Derek and Ashley live and teach. A soggy Derek and I ate a late dinner at one of his favorite Korean barbeque places.

These tables have a hole in the center where they put a metal pan full of glowing goals. Then the brassy-looking grill sits above the coals and the meat and kimchi cook while you watch. In addition to that, they bring bowl after bowl of sauces and sides and vegetables.

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