The conference has finished and I am waiting to leave for the airport and reflecting on the experience. Long drives and early starts from hotel to venue, a vast and echoey exhibition hall, a handful of participants who are not Korean or Japanese, a day of variable workshops and interesting conversations, and an even longer drive home in rush hour traffic.
It is a luxury to have several days simply focusing on the Disability Rights Convention. Being able to encourage disabled people around the world to learn about and exercise their human rights has been enormously satisfying, and a far cry from working to get disability included in our own human rights legislation not so long ago.
The entertainment was good too – the amazingly elaborate and colourful court costumes, which I was told were very uncomfortable to wear. Korean music played on traditional and modern instruments by demure young ladies in traditional dress which was a fusion of traditional and modern. Lots of spicy Korean food.
We went shopping for amethysts with a charming and gracious hostess in the part of Seoul which is full of shops selling traditional fare and then wandered through a maze of intriguing lanes with little restaurants to a combined Buddhist temple and vegetarian restaurant run by a former monk who is famous for his local ingredients. Such a peaceful intimate place with gentle music, and interesting food served simply and elegantly, followed by a traditional performance. Sadly we couldn’t stay to the end.
