Train Spotting

There's a public footpath that runs by my house, that follows the route of an old train track that once ran through the heart of the city. I cycle the path to work most days, it's a forty minute ride and luckily this path runs most of the way.
It's a welcome relief from cycling on the designated bike paths right by the road (or if you are insane, on the road - the general rule of thumb for drivers over here seems to be 'why use your brakes when your horn will do?'), where the noise is unbearable and the exhaust fumes so strong you probably take days off your life each time you ride.

There's always been an area where there's no path though, and you have to revert back to the road to cross over Gwangju's river. Last year construction on a footbridge began, and last week they linked it up to the 'train track' path with a clever little space where people can rest and children can play.
The entire length of the path is dotted with railway-themed snippets. Sleepers sunk into the concrete, sections of actual old track, railroad crossing signs - even a weird sculpture that i think represents a train tunnel.
A nice touch in this new area though is two actual train carriages, which have been renovated and painted green. Inside they've been gutted and refurbished in wood in what looks to be a community space/classroom for young children, complete with bookshelves and painting areas. They've done a good job and it's a nice addition to the path, as I'm sure will attest the swarms of old people who now merrily relax in the seating area, itself designed to look like a train station-stop.


Speaking of older folks, as I cycled home today I passed a elderly man in the road who looked a little unsure on his feet. As I looked back to check on him he had collapsed in a heap in the road. I stopped to see if he was okay, and realising the woman who'd stopped to help was unable to pick him up, rode back over to give her a hand.
We lifted him to his feet and he seemed totally compos mentis, but his legs appeared to be all but useless. We helped him to the footpath and gave him his walking stick, as he sat on a wall and, thanking us, ushered us away.
To me he seemed in a bit of a fix, sat alone on the wall, so I stopped at a corner shop and bought a drink and some chocolate to give to him. This involved waiting the million years it takes to get across Korean roads though, and by the time I returned he was gone.
I rode up the path a little just in case, and sure enough, there he was about a hundred metres up, sat on the grass by the side of the path. Lord knows what he would have done, because he couldn't get up unaided, and so I helped him to his feet once more. I offered my gifts (he took the chocolate, but not the drink), handed him his cane as he thanked me repeatedly in English, then watched as he made on up the path again, with legs that looked ready to buckle.
Fingers crossed he made it home okay.