Listening to FUTURE THINKERS @ Plovdiv, Bulgaria, June 11, 2019
Listening to FUTURE THINKERS One of the exciting perks of traveling around the world is, in theory, you can choose to visit anyone who lives close to your itineraries. While visiting Bulgaria, I had the pleasure to visit the producers of FUTURE THINKERS PODCAST, a podcast about evolving technology, society, and consciousness (https://futurethinkers.org). As much as I enjoy listening to their episodes, it was a memorable experience to listen to their stories about how they came up with the idea and the joy and struggles along...
Historical heritage and the disconnect @ Acropolis of Athens, Greece, February 27, 2020
Historical heritage and the disconnect Acropolis of Athens is an ancient Greek settlement sitting on top of a rocky hill in Athens. ‘Acro’ means the ‘highest point’ and ‘polis’ means ‘city’. And although ‘acropolis’ is a generic term, ‘the Acropolis’ usually refers to the one in Athens, which has been an important historical site throughout multiple major civilizations. Located on a rock that rises around 150 meters, the site is seen anywhere in the surrounding neighborhoods, and conversely, you can have sweeping views of the central...
An early return home @ Inchon, South Korea, March 16, 2020
An early return home A good part of planning this travel had begun with imagination. When I imagined myself traveling for years, something felt very right about it. So I began to come up with plans to make the imagination a reality. Likewise, I have been imagining on the roads what the last moment of this travel will be like, and that imagined feeling of the final moment has been guiding me through the latter part of this journey. Yet that imagination did not survive until...
Thinking about museums @ National Archaeological Museum, Athens, Greece, February 29, 2020
Thinking about museums In most cities, I notice that history museums are not top-ranked destinations for travelers. But in some ‘mega’ historical places, their archaeological museums are widely known as ‘unmissable’. Athens was such a place, as was Cairo in Egypt. I believe that museums are an odd place for many people – the idea of visiting a museum almost always seems like a good thing, but the actual experience is often frustrating, although people do not usually talk about their feelings afterward. I think a...
Last days with my car @ Corinth, Greece, March 2, 2020
Last days with my car Due to the global spread of the virus, it is not the best time for overseas travels these days. Nonetheless, I’m largely sticking to my original itineraries. I am moving eastward, ultimately arriving in Vladivostok in the Russian Far East. And unfortunately, I had decided that I would leave my car around Europe and turn into a backpacker by the time I visit Central Asia. The purpose is not to throw the car away or leave it behind, but it is...
Monasteries of Meteora @ Meteora, Greece, February 23, 2020
Monasteries of Meteora Meteora refers to the rock formation in Central Greece and the area hosts six active monasteries of Eastern Orthodox Church. In the 14th century, monks from Mount Athos ( a peninsula in northeastern Greece and the center of Eastern Orthodox monasticism) moved to this area, fleeting the raids by the Ottoman empire. Understandably, the access to the monasteries was deliberately difficult, and the primary means of moving goods and people were ropes and baskets. Nowadays, steps have been cut into the rock, and...
Mercimek koftesi @ Lüleburgaz, Turkey, February 15, 2020
Mercimek koftesi Turkish cuisine is rich and diverse. The Ottoman Empire had allowed the introduction of multiple cultures, and different cuisines co-evolved over time. And I am glad that I had tried at least some of the most iconic dishes during my stay. In Lüleburgaz, a city in western Turkey, I had the pleasure to taste home-made Mercimek Koftesi, or lentil meatball. Its characteristic shape is the result of squeezing it in the palm, and it looks practically the same as Çiğ köfte, or raw meatball,...
with Sibel and Ozlem @ Istanbul, Turkey, February 8th, 2020
with Sibel and Ozlem Last time it was summer and they were travelers, and now it is winter and they are locals. By coincidence, we reunited on a very cold day in Istanbul, and for some time we had to cover our faces as we walked because pieces of snow were getting into our eyes. Although I was a bit unwell that day, I was excited that it felt like a late Christmas for me, with friendly company and snowy streets. Especially when walking across busy...
This website chronicles Leebong’s journey around the world for 2+ years, for the time being. To find out more, see The Travel & The Why.
To catch me, see Itinerary.
Impressions Series
