“See? It doesn’t move.” Mr. Kim, my group’s guide for the day, gleefully blows at the sheet of paper held to his face. “Hanji is extremely breathable and can regulate humidity, so it was traditionally used for insulating doors and windows. And it lasts for thousands of years, too, making it the perfect archival medium.” Anyone who calls themselves a writer, I believe, has some degree of obsession with paper. We hoard ever-pristine notebooks, believing them too beautiful for our [...| Roamscapes
Smartphones and cars, K-pop and K-beauty: Have you ever wondered how Korean products and cultural exports became world-famous over the past few decades? If so, it's time to delve deeper into the complicated past, day-to-day life, and societal challenges of this economic powerhouse - through this list of essential cultural experiences in Korea (or South Korea, to be exact!) THE LIST: CULTURAL EXPERIENCES IN KOREA 1. Visit a traditional market2. Explore the royal palaces in a hanbok3. Feast on a| Roamscapes
Of Indonesia’s myriad indigenous peoples, a few – like the Balinese and Javanese – are known for their hospitality. Others, on the other hand, boast legacies that could make you think twice about offending your hosts. Like the Batak of North Sumatra. Best known for their iconic jabu houses with massive gabled roofs, the Batak were also feared for their strict laws, black magic, and rituals…including child sacrifice and cannibalism. Here on my first visit to Lake Toba, I was […] The ...| Roamscapes
The souks are labyrinthine. I press my fingers to a sand-colored wall, letting its surface cool me while I pause in the shade. Just beyond this side alley is another stretch of stores, textile-themed: glittering dresses, silks, shoes. So far I've already found Chanel perfume dupes and 'Viagra stones', but Old Dubai has far more in store for visitors. This historical area of the city is nothing like the 10-lane roads, ambitiously sculpted artificial islands, and overgrowth of glass and| Roamscapes