Today August 25th i look from a hill over the narrow sea between Japan's two main islands, this evening my boat leaves from there below for Korea. Japan is unique - haven't left yet and want to return already.. I think the secret is called quality, here you won't find anything bad. Interesting as well to be a relatively poor foreigner myself for once, and yet receive so much kindness. And they keep surprising me; like that gospel choir, 100 men and mainly women from Osaka, performing in the Kyoto railway station. I though i had seen it all after that concert of the Tokyo mandolin orchestra visiting StPetersburg.

In Pusan, i find a room in the Russian shopping area where they pull out the red lights at night. I hear a mixture of Russian and Korean and sometimes a couple of lost GI's. Even more neon here in the land of shopping, and the colorful temple i visited today appears to be constructed only 28 years ago, by a successful businessman. After our vegetarian temple meal, my old volunteer guide took me to the UN cemetery where we found a Belgian flag - 'so you are a friend country !' I wonder if it is that war or the rapid industrialization that seems to have erased all traces of history.

Go North

Tom Tobback © 2000