Music & Cafés in Surakarta, Indonesia: The Sunan Hotel Solo & Lokananta Bloc & Records Guide

Music & Cafés in Surakarta, Indonesia: The Sunan Hotel Solo & Lokananta Bloc & Records Guide

Just a two-minute walk from The Sunan Hotel Solo, Lokananta Bloc & Records pairs Indonesian music history with photogenic creative spaces. Come along for a gallery visit and a relaxed café stop at Sawahita in Surakarta, Indonesia.

Sports Mission Forum in Yangpyeong, Korea: A Taekwondo 4th Dan’s Reflections on Missionaries and Intercessory Prayer

Sports Mission Forum in Yangpyeong, Korea: A Taekwondo 4th Dan’s Reflections on Missionaries and Intercessory Prayer

As a 4th-dan taekwondo black belt recovering from knee surgery, I volunteered at a sports ministry gathering in Yangpyeong, South Korea. From inspiring missionaries to a meal with Olympic gold medalist Yang Young-ja, the experience reminded me that prayer is another way to take part.

Netflix’s The Diplomat Review: Ex-German Envoy’s Fact-Check

Netflix’s The Diplomat Review: Ex-German Envoy’s Fact-Check

How much of Netflix’s The Diplomat reflects real diplomatic life? Former German ambassador Wolfgang Ischinger separates convincing workplace details from dramatic license—and shares a real-life mishap involving a borrowed hat.

Suwon, Korea: 2-Day Haenggung-dong Local Stay & Hwaseong Night Tour Review

Suwon, Korea: 2-Day Haenggung-dong Local Stay & Hwaseong Night Tour Review

A sunset lookout, illuminated fortress walls, market comfort food, and a palace martial arts performance made this overnight trip to Suwon much more than a Seoul side trip. Here’s how I spent two days exploring Haenggung-dong with a local guide.

Suwon, Korea Viewpoint Guide: Suwon Jeil Church Noeulbit

Suwon, Korea Viewpoint Guide: Suwon Jeil Church Noeulbit

A free church-spire viewpoint in Suwon brought me right back to climbing Europe’s old bell towers. Here’s how to visit Noeulbit Observatory at Suwon Jeil Church and combine it with Jidong Market and the colorful lanes of Jidong Mural Village.

Cheoeum Ingneun Odysseia Review: A Traveler’s Greek Mythology Primer—Yang Seung-uk, J Books

Cheoeum Ingneun Odysseia Review: A Traveler’s Greek Mythology Primer—Yang Seung-uk, J Books

I came for Odysseus’s adventures, but the kindness shown to strangers stayed with me longer. Yang Seung-uk’s accessible retelling of the Odyssey brought back memories of studying mythology in West Virginia—and made me rethink what hospitality means to a traveler.

Uyuni Salt Flats, Bolivia: Guide to a Month in South America

Uyuni Salt Flats, Bolivia: Guide to a Month in South America

After spending about a year working in Bolivia, Uyuni is still the place I tell every South America traveler not to miss. Here’s my personal guide to its mirror-like landscapes, food stops, altitude challenges, and where to go beyond the salt desert.