2013-05-23

Dire state of Sewers in the Kingdom

Integrated Wastewater Management; still a huge societal challenge in Belgium.
May 2013 - sewage collapse in front of the Royal Palace.

2013-05-13

Travelogue - Korea

Impressions from a trip to South Korea.

You're welcomed with signs of "Gangnam Style" ((for real). And Robert De Niro's latest juicy contract for Casino 7/7!
Never been soo smooth through customs. It's Asian style, but in the best possible way.
Do not bring anything against "morals" - what's that supposed to mean?

Clean, fluid, friendly, although not all of them English-speaking, people will go out of their way to help you.
When they don't understand you, they just laugh happily - which we should do more in Western Europe.
Awed by the incredibly double-digit growth-fueled urbanisation.

Everyone is running around with the latest supersized LG/Samsung version of a smartphone we haven't even heard of. By the time we get to version 9, they're already at version 14..... But, but, but, just as L.Vuiton handbags are signature, so are iPhones, - a real counter-culture for the young and restless. The older businessman are happy enough to snap shotsof the hotel-lobby flowers with their Samsungs....

Fighting a jetlag in a cooled hotel lobby - why aren't more travellers thinking about this?
You just show up in a suit, ask for a window seat and get an electrical extension cord brought to the table (Asian style) - bam instant office!

Reading: Antifragile by N.Taleb
Viewing: KLM version of The Hobbit (3/5) (lack of rythm, good jokes though)
Listening to: Daan, le Franc Belge
Thinking: do or do not, there is no try
Travelling: Seoul, Daegu, then Paris (just this week)