IN LOVE WITH A LENS

For five years I've refused to buy a better camera lens. Despite the fact that I couldn't take a decent photo indoors or in low light, I told myself that a) good photos don't require fancy schmancy equipment, and b) a better lens would cost too much. And while I still firmly believe in Statement A, I'm a fool for waiting this long to change out the lens in my camera kit.

Just a little bit of research online clued me in to this lightweight Nikkor lens, which is a ridiculously good deal at a little over $100. I ran to the local camera store (Ilkwang Camera in Nampodong for you Busanites), snapped it on my Nikon D70, and was instantly sold on the beautiful portraits I could take without the dreaded flash. After paying I wandered around the nearby market, which is constantly cast in shadow because it's sandwiched between buildings. Without a hulking telephoto lens to give me away, I could step right up to the grumpy ajummas and surreptitiously snap a photo before they even noticed. I'd say this is the beginning of a beautiful relationship.

BEIJING

Joe likes telling a story about how, when he was a teenager, he went to his dad and asked, "What's the meaning of life?" His dad's response was: "Relationships." When we're traveling, especially for long periods of time, it's easy to wonder what the point is. I think the meaning mostly lies in connecting with people. When it doesn't happen (typically because we're caught up in getting from Point A to Point B) is when we feel most frustrated, but when it does happen it makes the entire trip seem worthwhile.

That's the feeling I was hoping to capture in my latest article, "Beijing: Portrait of Change," for this month's Global Traveler magazine. I'll leave it up to you whether or not the piece accomplishes that. What do you think is the point in traveling?

CHICKEN FEET

As I was wandering around Jeju Island late one afternoon, I passed through a heavenly-smelling steam pouring from the opening of a snack stand. Feeling my stomach rumble, I doubled back for a closer look, imagining steamed pork buns, barbecued beef skewers, or maybe a rotisserie chicken. As the deliciously-scented smoke parted, I nearly gagged. I had been salivating over an enormous pile of steamed chicken feet.

JEJU ISLAND

Given that I made my trip to Jeju Island in November, this post is a little bit past due. But I wanted to plug my article (and photos) about Jeju that appeared in last month's Global Traveler magazine in case anyone missed it. Check it out online here.

"The Korean Hawaii" is a bit of an overstatement, but I was impressed by the volcanic scenery and the laid-back culture on the island. Since it was too cold to get in the water, I mostly just bused around the coast snapping photos. Jeju's residents take the hosting role pretty seriously, so people were constantly drawing me maps and plying me with free tangerines. I especially appreciated how the intercity bus drivers make a little speech and bow to the passengers at the beginning of a journey...even when I was the only one on the bus.