My time at Toji

Some pictures from my stay a the Toji Cultural Centre in rural South Korea. The trip started with a two day stay in Seoul, but I had no camera and took no pictures. Seoul was exciting to be in. It's such a cosmopolitan city. I got to see some of the arts, historical sites, etc. Toji, in contrast, was isolated. These pictures were taken by Roselyne Sibille and Gihan Omar, two of the writers I met while at Toji.

A good place to write, upstairs from my room. I did very little other than write.

Mornings in the mountains were cool and misty.

There was Cosmos growing everywhere by the roadside.

The trees were crooked.

Surrounded by rice fields.

I just missed the harvest festival, which fell the weekend after I left. One evening, walking in the village where Toji is located, we stumbled upon young people in what turned out to be the area's community centre. They were rehearsing their performances on traditional musical instruments in preparation for the festival. Nearly every village in the countryside has a similar gathering place.

We set off on a four hour hike.

So much depends upon a yellow wheelbarrow.

I found this mushroom while on the hike.

Grave sites, freshly mowed in preparation for the upcoming festival.

The tunnel we chased after.

At the height of the hike, we looked down upon Toji.

Dinner before a reading.

Jars of kimchee fermenting in the sun.

We ate the fragrance of pine needles.

Sweets afterward.