-Asia

How many smiles

It’s a grey and very wet day here so I decided to count smiles rather than statues today. Just click on anything in the gallery and you can scroll through, […]

-Oman

Geometric shadows at Nizwa Fort

Nizwa Fort was built in the 17th century and acted as an important defence structure in turbulent times. It is solidly constructed, with deep foundations, solid walls, thick doors and […]

-South Korea

Towards the future

DDP, Seoul, April 2018 This statue is the work of Korean sculptor, Kim Young Won. In 2016 – 2017, seventeen of his works were displayed in and around the Dongdaemun […]

-Japan

A long novel

If a photo tells a story, this one tells a long novel. It’s a bit busy! Tokyo, May 2018 Copyright Debbie Smyth, 15 May 2020 Posted as part of Weekend […]

-China

Long Museum in Shanghai

Long Museum, Shanghai, May 2018 The Long Museum is a private art museum, established by Chinese art collectors, Liu Yiqian and his wife, Wang Wei. It has 2 large exhibition centres […]

-Azerbaijan

Old Baku on the screen

Icherishekher na kinolyentakh (Baku Old City in Film), published 2017 I found this great book in a friendly and well-stocked bookshop in Baku. I had been attracted to the shop […]

-South Korea

High on my favourites list

Pachinko by Min Jin Lee This book tells a gripping story of several generations of a Korean family, starting in 1883. It is a great read and covers many aspects […]

-Vietnam

Feeling wobbly at the top

The Hải Vân Pass runs for 21 km over the mountains between Huế and Đà Nẵng. It has gained recent fame after appearing on the Top Gear Vietnam Special, but is also remembered for being […]

-Japan

In praise of shadows

Junichiro Tanizaki in shadow “We find beauty not in the thing itself but in the patterns of shadows, the light and the darkness, that one thing against another creates… Were […]

A Coffee and a Book

Fishing with Moominpappa

I promised the appearance of yet another Moomin in this #acoffeeandabook series, but I hadn’t realised we’d also be returning to Yemen. Mominpappa and Salmon Fishing in Yemen by Paul […]