Ihwa-dong, one of Seoul’s oldest neighborhoods, was once a place of renown. Aristocrats would come visit to take in the splendid scenery. After the Korean War the village became home to squatting refugees, building homes wherever they could and in the late 1950s a National Housing Complex was built. Many of the residents worked in the nearby garment and textile industries but as other neighborhoods prospered in the 80’s and 90’s with high-rise apartment towers, residents started moving away draining the neighborhood’s vitality. Ihwa-dong became a decaying suburb designated for demolition, home to mostly poor families and the elderly.


Lewes is situated where the Delaware Bay and Atlantic Ocean meet at Cape Henlopen. A small, charming town you can explore its streets within a half-square mile. I’ve never experienced such genuine, open friendliness from strangers. We stopped in for lunch but look forward to returning for a longer visit.

The view of Bar Harbor from an observation point in Acadia National Park. This was the first time we had sight of the sand bar at low tide. Imagine our confusion when we saw people walking in the middle of the sea.
Acadia National Park protects the natural beauty of the highest rocky headlands along the Atlantic coastline of the United States, an abundance of habitats, high biodiversity, clean air and water, and a rich cultural heritage. Each year, more than 3.3 million people explore seven peaks above 1,000 feet, 120 miles of hiking trails, 45 miles of carriage roads, 17 stone bridges, and four lighthouses. –
Beal’s Lobster Pier in Southwest Harbor has been a working fish and lobster pier since 1932. In 1969, after almost four decades of success as a wholesale operation, the third generation of Beals opened a Maine seafood restaurant at the end of the pier. The restaurant’s vision remains the same today as it was then–serve up the freshest seafood to customers, at the doorstep of the working waterfront. – www.bealslobster.com