My flight home does not leave until 6:15PM and I need to check out of the hotel by noon. Not wanting to spend six hours sitting at the airport even though I will be eligible to be in the business class lounge as I am flying in business class for my return trip so I can get some sleep on my overnight flight, I was looking for something to do for a few hours in Seoul. So I got out the Korea guide book I had purchased before coming and looked up some local attractions that we had not visited as part of our tour. What caught my eye was another palace (one of the five in Seoul)- the Changdeokgung Palace and its “secret garden”, located near the Gyeongbokgung Palace we visited early in the tour. The Changdeokgung Palace and garden were first built in 1405 to serve as a secondary palace to Gyeongbokgung until Japanese invasions destroyed most of the palaces in the 1500s. Since Changdeokgung was the first one rebuilt, it served as the primary royal residence throughout the 1600-1800s. Unlike other palaces, its layout is designed to harmonize with nature rather than sticking to a set structure.
I also remembered some of our fellow travelers saying that they had visited this palace during some free time and felt it was even prettier than the Gyeongbokgung Palace, and that a tour of the secret garden was well worth it. My decision was made; I would spend the rest of my free time in Seoul visiting the Changdeokgung Palace and its secret garden.
I checked out of the hotel at 11AM, left my luggage at the hotel, grabbed a cab and arrived at the palace ticket office about 11:20 where I found out that because I was a “senior” I could visit the palace at no charge but would have to pay 5000won ($3.79) for the guided tour of the secret garden, and the next tour leaves at 11:30! Just like life, timing is often everything. The direction signs said the garden entrance was an 8-10 minute walk; I could do that; and I was able to join the assembled group of about 30 people just as they were being addressed by the local tour guide. We proceeded to embark on a one hour guided tour of various locations in the secret garden (called Huwon). Needless to say it is a magical place full of ponds, trees and pagodas built for the exclusive use of the king & queen. The guide told us stories about what the various buildings were used for, what life was like back in those days, along with old pictures and drawings, etc. It was pretty fascinating and yet another reason why taking a guided tour is more rewarding then simply walking through a location by oneself.
One of several ponds located throughout the Hidden Gardens.
I believe this was a library in the garden area.
Decorative roofs on the pagodas.
Another “calming” location in the garden.
Another area for contemplation in the Hidden Garden.
Our tour guide showing us how the men had to walk because of the big, floppy pants they wore.
Doors in the palace.
Underfloor heating for the queen.
A dance group entertaining visitors.
One of the many buildings in the Changdeokgung palace.
A father taking a family picture of his girls.
A fascinating story conveyed to us was the story of the development of the Korean written language. Until 1446 Koreans relied on the use of Hanja, the Chinese alphabet, for their written language. The Koreans had their own spoken language but not a written one. Sejong, a king in the Choson Dynasty, created the Korean alphabet, called Hangul, but surprisingly the elite class continued to use the Hanja alphabet for 500 more years before formally transferring to the Hangul system. There was good employment for people who would translate the Hanja writings to the spoken Korean language and later to the Hangul alphabet.
After the tour I left the palace and finally found a location where I could catch a cab (they did not simply stop anywhere because of traffic flow) and return to the hotel to retrieve my luggage and find my way to the airport using the airport limousine bus service that fellow travelers raved about. It turns out that the Hotel Prince, where we stayed, is in a superb location to catch these buses which run every 15-20 minutes. The bus stop was literally right across the street. And the buses were new, clean and outfitted with only 3 seats per row, with spacious reclining chairs. They were indeed “limousine” buses! I wish I had known this when I first arrived in Seoul; I would not have hired a private car to take me to the hotel.
Impressive airport limousine bus service that runs every 15 minutes and cost $12.88 for the 1 hour ride.
The trip to the airport was fast and flawless. I was flying with a new (for me) airline on my return to Seattle: Asiana, a Korean based company. The other local carrier is Korean Airline but I liked the Asiana schedule more. Check-in was swift and flawless, as was getting through immigration and security, and within 20 minutes of arriving at the big, modern airport I was sitting in the business class lounge in a cubicle on a comfortable chair with ottoman, eating some snacks.
A common delivery method in Seoul.
Another example of street art you see all over Seoul.
Colorful bed of blooming azeleas.
The Seoul airport is on an island outside of Seoul.
Saw quite a few of these robots wandering around the concourse offering assistance to people. Impressive!
A robot to carry your heavy luggage to your gate.
The Asiana business class lounge,
Trying some of their higher end Rojo.
My Asiana plane. I was impressed with their service.
A robot just delivered a donut from Krispy Kreme to a young boy at the gate! You order it and it will deliver it to you.
The Asiana flight was marvelous! By the way I had mispronounced its name; it is “aah..z.ana”, not “a…z. ana” as I had surmised. The food is some of the best I have had on a flight and service was superb. I would fly with them again. We left on time and pretty much arrived in Seattle on time, 10+ hours later.
Brushetta appetizer.
Followed by crab salad.
Followed by cauliflower soup.
Followed by tenderloin with truffles.
Cheese and fruit with port wine.
French toast with real maple syrup for breakfast
Watching a music video that was filmed in Dubrovnik, Croatia. We have been on the patio where he is playing.
Passing near our home and approaching downtown Seattle.
Mt. Rainier welcoming me home.
Epilogue:
– Country # 103 is in the books.
-The trip and tour exceeded my expectations. I was impressed with both.
-Korea is a marvelous country. It is sad they cannot achieve peace with their northern neighbors and families can be reunited.
-Korean food, for the most part, was great. No wonder Korean restaurants are popping in the the US.
-Monastery living is not for me! Glad I experienced it but I am not cut out for their lifestyle.
Parting Comment: “The purpose of life is to live it, to taste it, to experience to the utmost, to reach out eagerly and without fear for newer and richer experiences.” – Eleanor Roosevelt
We were asked to be ready to depart by 7AM so we could beat the hordes of tourists that normally descend on the DMZ. Because the hotel breakfast restaurant would not open until then Rob promised to bring it to us, which he did. It was a delightful, freshly made egg sandwich and a bottle of orange juice, that he had purchased at a local bakery. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Great breakfast sandwich so we could leave for the DMZ early.
I was shocked to learn that the DMZ was only about 1 hour north of Seoul! With all the saber rattling done lately by North Korea dictator, Kim Jong Un, the South Koreans seem unconcerned (at least in public) and act as though he did not exist. Life for South Koreans goes on incumbered by the politics of the north.
The Korean demilitarized zone is a strip of land bordering the 38 degree parallel north which was established in 1953 following the Korean War armistice. It acts as a buffer between North and South Korea. It is commonly referred to simply as the DMZ. The DMZ is 250 kilometers (160 mi) long and about 4 kilometers (2.5 mi) wide and pretty much cuts the peninsula in half.
The Demilitarized Zone separating North & South Korea.
We were reminded that the Korean War is not formally over! All that was agreed to in 1953 was an armistice, a temporary end of fighting. To this date, a formal peace agreement has never been signed. Relations between the countries were better when Kin Jong Un’s father,Kim Jong ll, was the ruler, but that changed when he died so current relations between the countries have regressed. Technically the two countries are still at war 70 years later.
Our first stop was at the recently opened Korean Peninsula Ecological Peace Tourism Information Center where we needed to register for the tour we will take. The reason for the early start became evident right after we arrived around 8:20. Our bus stopped and Rob raced into the ticket office with our passports to get in line to buy our tickets for the escorted tour. We were free to roam the area with a request to return by 9:10. As we watched, other buses began to arrive and it became quite a spectacle as each bus (usually 50 passenger ones) stopped, their tour leader jumped off and literally ran into the ticket office to get their tickets. It was hilarious.
There were some displays in the area, a coffee shop and even a short cable car ride into an area that was not part of the DMZ ( but got you closer). As it turned out Rob was #9 in line when the ticket office opened at 9AM and he was successful in getting us tickets for the 9:20 bus tour which included a train ride into tunnel #3 (will explain later) rather than having to walk! We made it by the skin of our teeth as our last bus seat was #44 on a bus that held 45 people.
The visitor center where you get tickets for the excursions to the DMZ.
The ticket office does not open until 9AM. People have left keys, paperwork or whatever on the stools to protect their place in line.
The peace bell here.
A somber display of rocks from world locations where there have been wars! There are way too many rocks on display.
On the left is the wooden “Freedom Bridge” where 12,773 POWs returned to South Korea in a prisoner exchange.
Original train track waiting to be reconnected to North Korea.
Remnants of the rail that ran through this area prior to the war.
Cable car to take you somewhat closer to actual DMZ.
Rules for visiting the DMZ area.
When we arrived there was only 1 big bus of tourists. An hour later there were a dozen!
No thanks for trying this version of ice cream.
Ginseng products for sale in the tourist store near the DMZ. It was expensive.
Expensive souvenir from the war.
We were warned to not take any photos of military facilities or soldiers during our tour. Once on the assigned bus we drove a short distance to a military checkpoint where armed soldiers boarded the bus and using a typed attendance list, previously recorded at the ticket office, checked us off one by one by viewing our passports which had been returned to us. Once verified we were allowed to proceed to our first stop- tunnel #3.
Four underground tunnels have been discovered (there are thoughts there might be as many as 20) so far since the 1970s, leading from North Korea into South Korean territory. Tunnel#3 was discovered in 1978. It spans over 1,635m in length, 2m in width, 2m in height and 73m below ground, and is located only 44km from Seoul. It is estimated that approximately 30,000 soldiers could move through the tunnel per hour. The North Koreans said it was only a coal mine but there is no evidence that any coal could exist in the area!
A schematic of the tour through the underground tunnels discovered in 1978.
By making the 9:20 bus we get to travel into the tunnel by riding in a train rather than having to walk down (and back up) a fairly steep walkway. Hooray for Rob! Unfortunately, all our belongs had to be locked in lockers before we boarded the train and our heads properly protected by hard hats. It reminded me of a Disneyland ride! Once we reached the end of the ride we had to walk the equivalent of several blocks, often bent over to avoid heading our heads on the supporting structure and rock ceiling. At the end of the walk was a concrete wall (one of three) that blocked further progress. Also there was an illuminated sign that said we were now 150 meters from the North Korean border! That is the closest we will get to North Korea.
The location of Tunnel #3.
Sculpture called “This One Earth” depicting attempts to reunite the countries in peace.
The “train” we will ride into the tunnel.
Group photo by our transportation into tunnel #3.
Returning by train to the surface we spent some time in the adjacent building viewing a short movie and seeing displays related to the DMZ and the Korean War.
We were shown a short film about the Korean War and the efforts to regain peace between the two countries.
Some Korean War weapons.
Imjingak is where we purchased our tour tickets.
This shows the location of tunnel #3 and the Dora Observatory with respect to the actual DMZ line.
Schematic of the Joint Services Area (JSA) which we were not able to visit.
We then reboarded our bus and were taken to another attraction in the area- the Dora Observatory where there are dozens of telescopes aimed at North Korea, a short distance away. There was some haze today so the viewing was not the best.
We saw multiple signs warning about the presence of mines left from the war.
Dozens of telescopes are on a viewing platform to look into North Korea. Unfortunately it was hazy this day and viewing was limited.
Even some high powered devices were available.
Views into North Korea. There is a small village in the distance.
Sadly that completed our DMZ visit because visits to the JSA (Joint Security Area) is still closed (Covid victim). Bummer! The Joint Security Area is the only portion of the Korean Demilitarized Zone where North and South Korean forces stand face-to-face and is the famous picture you often see when the DMZ is discussed. So overall my visit to the DMZ turned out to be a bit of a disappointment. As we left the area we were again checked by the military; I guess to make sure we were all leaving the area.
Barbed wire fences were everywhere.
Active farming occurs on the lands near the DMZ.
As it was now close to lunch Rob said he had picked a restaurant in nearby Paju that featured Italian food- a treat as we have been eating nothing but Korean cuisine since arriving a week ago. As it turned out the restaurant was a delight and very American in design and menu. It was a nice change of pace.
We saw a lot of barbed wire and manned outposts as we left the DMZ area. It extended for miles along the river.
An fine example of a typical taxi in Korea. They are new, clean and inexpensive.
The Italian restaurant where we had lunch. Its decor was modern; we could be in a fancy USA restaurant, not in Paju, South Korea!
Another view of our restaurant.
Outdoor patio adjoining Pithecanthropus restaurant. On warm days meals can be had there.
My delightful dish of bolognese pasta!
Teddy bears are popular in Korea. Here is Rob Lee, our tour leader with one.
There were a lot of coffee shops and art galleries near the restaurant.
After a pleasant lunch with some California wine we finished our trip back to Seoul to visit the War Memorial Hall of Korea, where we were given time to view the displays about the Korean War on our own. As is typical you could spend a lot more time there as it was a very interesting place to visit.
Returning to Seoul.
This is a beautiful gold colored building. Atmospheric conditions today prevented the picture from doing it justice.
Outside the War Memorial Hall of Korea.
Another sculpture showing a divided country wanting to reunite.
Names of Korean solders who died in any war.
Memorials of US soldiers who died during the Korean War.
Dome in the building.
Map showing how the Korean War progressed.
Some brief explanation about the Korean War. I had not realized General MacArthur played such a big role also in the Korean War.
One of his famous corn cob pipes.
China entered the conflict on the side of the North Koreans.
Interesting comparison of the capabilities of the 2 combatants.
Part of display of some Korean War weapons.
A pretty archaic Air Force initially dropping bombs by hand.
Weaponry display hall.
The view from the museum entrance. It was formally an Army base.
Late in the afternoon we were deposited back at the hotel as the tour was now over. We had one more night at the hotel and tomorrow people would go their separate ways. Some were taking an optional cooking course on making kimchi, some were headed home, others were headed to Japan to tour some more. I have a late afternoon flight home.
Most people were not interested in dinner plans as our lunch was so large. I, for one, was headed to try to find a Manhattan before I leave the country and perhaps find that strawberry tart dessert that caught my eye yesterday. I queried the internet for a close-by larger hotel who might have a cocktail lounge and found that there was one right down the street with a rooftop bar. Perfect! Why was I looking for a Manhattan? The short story is my brother, Gerry and his wife, Sue, often travel with us and we have made it a habit to try Manhattans wherever we were. It has led to some really funny experiences and often less than stellar drinks. I wanted to continue the tradition and report back to him. Well, I went up to the rooftop bar at the “bewitching” hour and found a sign that said it was closed because of a private party. And to make things worse I had not found any other nearby bar to go to, so there will be no report on how good the Koreans are at making a Manhattan.
I walked the streets of the Myeongdong area by our hotel to see if there were any last minute souvenirs worthy of being purchased and to see if I could find that strawberry dessert I saw yesterday. Luckily I did, and my “dinner” turned out to be that delicious tart with fresh strawberries and whipped cream and a cup of coffee. A perfect way to end the tour of South Korea.
Ultramodern coffee shop where I found my strawberry tart.
And here it is! Could have eaten two of them- it was that good.
Steps for the day: 11,712 so I had earned that dessert.
April 26, 2023: Riding the Bullet Train Back to Seoul!
Awoke to sunny skies, Hurrah! After the wet day yesterday this is nice to see. Cool this morning, 51 degrees, but much preferred than the hot, muggy weather they have in the summer. We will be doing a bit of sightseeing here in Busan before boarding the bullet train after lunch. Rob has been doing a great job guiding us through all the ins and outs of Korean culture. Also, he has us leaving our hotels at the leisurely hour of 9AM.
Busan is the 2nd largest city in South Korea, with a population of 3.3 million people. It is noted for its sandy beaches, seafood and a famous international film festival. It is the busiest seaport in South Korea and the 6th largest in the world.
After checking out of the hotel our first stop was at the seaside beach in downtown Busan for a short walk through Dongbaek park and boardwalk to the famous Haeundae public beach here in the city. We joined other locals walking on a padded, rubberized walkway through the wooded park. We stopped to view the APEC House, built specifically for the 2005 meeting and luncheon of the leaders of 21 APEC (Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation) member nations. It is hardly been used (4 times?) since that time and is now a tourist attraction.
View of nearby Busan mountains from my hotel room.
Expensive high rise apartments near Haeundae Beach. Owned mostly by foreigners.
Padded walking trail in Dongbaek Park made of pulverized rubber.
The APEC House, built specifically for the 2005 APEC Conference, and seldom used since.
Large lacquerwork inlaid with mother-of-pearl, created by Kim Gyu-Jang is on display at the entrance of APEC House.
The conference room where world leaders met.
President George W Bush was an attendee at the 2005 APEC meeting.
Picture of the Busan Cimena Center where the International Film Festival is held.
Part of the boardwalk linking Dongbaek Park with Haeundae Beach.
View of Haeundae Beach in downtown Busan.
The 2.5 m, 4 ton Princess Hwangok statue overlooking the beach. Sad story- look it up!
After leaving the park we drove to the 120 meter high Busan Tower, one of those high rise observation towers that many cities have. We rode to the top for a territorial view of the city and its surroundings.
Crossing the Gwangandaegyo two level bridge which is 6500 meters long and is the 2nd longest in Korea.
A Princess cruise line ship was in town.
One of many residential areas in Busan.
A tree lined walkway in Yongdusan Park.
The 120m high Busan Tower located in Yongdusan Park. Luckily the elevators were working so we did not have to walk the 495 steps to reach the top.
Busan city view from the top of the Busan tower.
Another Busan city view.
It was then on to the large, modern Busan train station where we had an hour for lunch in one of the many eateries located there before boarding our 1:10PM bullet train for the 2+ hour ride back to Seoul. Traveling at 180mph (300km/hr) for some of the time is an almost too quiet experience as I slept part of the time because of the lack of the normal “clicky-clack” of the rail ties, as these bullet trains operate on magnetic leviathan technology, meaning they are virtually riding on air most of the time. It is quite a pleasant experience.
The Busan train station.
Busan train station. It is big, new and modern. Wish the train stations in US were as nice!
Nearby office or residence?
Egg Box is a chain specializing in egg based sandwiches. Mine was a warm ham, egg, and cheese one and it was quite tasty.
Need fresh vegetables? Buy them prepackaged at the train station.
Aerodynamic bullet train engine.
Boarding our bullet train to return to Seoul. The cars looked the same as their regular trains.
Inside our car on the bullet train.
Leaving Busan.
Views at 180 mph!
Returning to Seoul.
Upon arrival back in Seoul we were hustled to Namsan Mountian , the tallest hill (270 meters) in Seoul where their famous YTN Seoul Tower is located. We rode a 50 passenger tram to the upper level planning to then ride to the top of the Seoul Tower. However, because of maintenance activities there would have been a 50 minute wait to ride to the top so that was not possible given our time constraints so we simply walked around the lower level taking in the views and watching people.
The cable car used to take people up/down from Namsan Park. There are also trails for the more energetic.
The cable car ride to the top of Namsan Mountain.
The YTN Seoul tower, built in 1969 as a communications tower with added observation deck.
The Seoul Tower is 236 m (774ft) high.
These smoke pots were used as signal devices in ancient times.
Thousands of “love locks” weigh down the railings in the park.
Everywhere you look you see the love locks anchored to the railings. We wondered if any were taken off when the relationship soured!
Views of the city of Seoul from Namsan Park.
The city and me- with my new “rugged” look!
The geographical center of Seoul.
One more stop was made at the Namdaemun Market, which features shops selling everything but food. I wandered the street looking for soccer jerseys but they were not available anywhere.
The Namdaemun Gate, one of the six remaining ancient gates to the city.
A rousing game of something!
I saw these “ambassadors” in several locations during my Seoul visit. It is a good idea.
Enfused health drinks of some sort. I did not buy any.
Obviously she is not concerned about wearing coordinated outfits!
It was then time to head back to the Prince Hotel which we had used earlier in the tour. Tomorrow we will be traveling to the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), to view the most militarized area in the world. We were on our own tonight for dinner as Rob was headed to his home to finalize paperwork. The one famous Korean meal many of us had not yet tried was fried chicken and beer. Yes, there are restaurants that specialize simply on serving platters of fried chicken with beer as the beverage of choice. I joined 4 others and we headed off to try it at one of these recommended specialty restaurants near the hotel. The restaurants are small with limited seating inside but with 10-12 small tables outside on the sidewalks. Even though we were early we had to wait about 10 minutes to secure a table. It was quite cool this evening and we had hoped for an inside table but had to settle for one outside. Menus offer only a few alternatives- regular, crispy, with/without sweet and/or spicy toppings. We ordered a few alternatives and mugs of local draft beer. I added an order of french fries (one of the very few optional dishes) simply because it seemed the right thing to do! When the dishes arrived we felt we had over ordered, but surprisingly, most of it disappeared before we were through!
BHC, our chicken & beer restaurant.
These people standing in the street are waiting for tables.
It was quite cold but beer is the drink of choice in these restaurants. The chicken with sauces are messy so they provide plastic gloves and a lot of napkins!
Did we order too much for 5 people? No! As it turned out we finished most of it.
There are 3-4 other such restaurants in the same block. None were as busy as ours.
No karaoke tonight. Back to the hotel as we needed to be ready to leave for the DMZ by 7AM so we could beat the hoards of tourists that normally visit the most major attraction in South Korea.
April 25, 2023: Heading to Busan, the Miami of South Korea.
A rainy day- the first bad weather we have encountered. Luckily it is only expected to last one day, and a good part of the day will be spent on the bus as we work our way to the coastal city of Busan.
Whimsical art work in front of the hotel.
Huge breakfast area in the restaurant.
Now these are really cool potatoes!
Hydroponic tanks growing lettuce for the restuarant.
Before leaving the area we were taken to tour a very large Buddhist temple complex called Bulguksa. It is considered to be the most famous temple in Korea and is rated as the #1 historic sight to see by the government. The temple dates back to 751 but wars resulted in destruction and some rebuilding since that time. However, the stone steps leading to the complex are original. We spent at least an hour walking around the different worship halls in the complex, buildings that contained different Buddha statues dedicated to different needs.
The Bulguksa Temple Complex, dates back to 774CE.
Mythical gods protecting the temple entrance.
The stone steps are original, but were rebuilt in 1919. They lead to the entrance of the temple complex.
The main worship building is called the “Hall of the Great Hero”, dedicated to the worship of Sakyamuni, a historical Buddha from India.
One of two stone pagodas in the courtyard.
The shrine of Sakyamuni.
Ceiling artwork within the worship hall.
Petitions hanging from the ceiling in a nearby building.
Worship hall (Gwaneumjeon) dedicated to the veneration of Avalokitesvara, the savior of all living beings who suffer in their present lives.
A monk waiting to climb the nearby stairs. He was one the few monks we actually saw while in the complex.
Worship hall (Birojeon) dedicated to the veneration of Vairocana, who represents absolute universal truth.
Cairns built by worshipers who add stones to the rock piles. I added one in memory of grandson, Noah.
Some of the elaborate exterior decorative wood work on a worship hall.
Worship hall (Geungnakjeon) dedicated to veneration of Amitabha, to symbolize western paradise. It dates to 1750.
I liked the scene- low lying clouds in the mountains behind the temple buildings.
A selfie of Rob and me showing off my new umbrella that cost me $2.80. I joked that I wanted to keep my raincoat dry!
Another view of the entrance building to the temple comlex. The building is known as Cheongungyo.
Another example of some of the wonderful trees that grow in Korea.
Interesting lighting poles throughout the temple complex.
From there we were back to the bus and continued our way to Busan. Lunch involved a new adventure- a stop at the highway rest stop where we ordered lunch at their eatery which necessitated using a computerized order system. Luckily Rob stood by and helped us interpret the offerings and make our orders which were quickly made and posted on their “ready board”.
Our freeway rest stop for lunch.
The computerized restaurant at the rest stop.
Cannot go wrong with an udon bowl. You always get some kimchi and pickled radisheS.
I could not believe how many options of drinks were for sale at the rest area.
The Korean version of Snickers.
Once we reached Busan (called the Miami of Korea) we first went to the Gamcheon Culture Village for a short walking tour. The village, known for its layered streets on the side of a mountain, twisting labyrinth alleys and brightly painted homes has become a major tourist attraction, hosting over 1.5 million visitors a year. It was originally built in the 1920-30s to house workers and has since grown into the tourist attraction it has become. Unfortunately the rain continued as we walked the streets, taking away some of the allure of our visit.
Inviting visitors to tour Gamcheon Village.
Views of the colorful homes on the hills of Gamcheon Village.
One of many alleyways in the village.
Colorful homes dot the hills in the village.
Some weird types of ice cream. Green tea or cheese seem wrong!
This is some sort of cake.
If it were not so cold I would have tried this frozen beer!
Several murals decorate the walls of buildings in the village.
From the village we did a walking tour of the enormous Jagalchi fish market in the downtown area near the port. The Jagalchi market is the largest seafood market in Korea with both indoor and outdoor stalls where vendors (almost always women) sell both live and dried fish and a huge variety of seafood- octopus, abalone, clams, oysters, urchins and things I did not even recognize. There are also restaurants on the 2nd level where you can take your freshly purchased fish to be prepared. Sashimi (raw fish) is obviously a popular product. I had never seen so many live tanks with every conceivable fish or sea creature imaginable.
The outdoor stalls sell mostly dried fish. Because it was raining many of the stalls were empty.
The famous fish market. The second floor has restaurants to cook the fish you bought downstairs.
Fishing fleet in Busan.
Rows of merchants selling live fish and seafood in the indoor market. Most stalls were run by women.
Live snow crab, which is popular here.
Dozens of live tanks throughout the building, containing all sorts of live fish.
Clams, scallops, abalone and other seafood options for sale.
Even live lobsters.
Live squid.
This lady supposedly appeared in the Black Panther movie.
One more stop before we go to our hotel- a visit to the Haedong Yonggungsa Buddhist temple, which is unique in that it is located on the shores of the Yellow Sea, whereas most Buddhist temples are located in mountainous areas. It is stunning! It was originally built in 1376, but had to be rebuilt in the 1930s because it had been destroyed during the Japanese 16th century occupation of South Korea. If I were a Buddhist monk I would want to be here. We were given free time to discover and appreciate the temple on our own.
Sidewalk vendor near the temple. There were several, along with souvenir shops for visitors.
More statues.
Statues representing the zodiac animals along the walkway to the temple.
Starting my climb back to the top.
Petitions to Buddha posted along the fences near the temple.
These are building tiles that are decorated and sold to people. If they were not so heavy I would have brought one home.
A smaller temple with hundreds of petitions located on the walls (candles) and ceiling.
The Buddha statue inside the worship building.
Statue of Gwanseum-bosal, the Goddess of Compassion.
Gold Statue of Maitreya Buddha
Outdoor grotto.
After seeing this temple complex I would agree.
The entrance to the temple complex at the bottom of the stairs.
View of the beautiful temple by the sea.
108 steps down to the temple. 108 is an important number to the Koreans.
Entrance to the Haedong Yonggungsa temple complex.
Finally, after a long day, we made it to our hotel for the night. Since we were in Busan Rob told us he was headed to his favorite seafood restaurant and again we were free to join him, which many of us did. It turned out to be an “interesting” evening in what was on the menu and what we ate!
The seafood restaurant Rob took us to on a side street near the hotel.
Another small, family owned restaurant in Busan.
Group shot at our seafood restaurant.
One of the chefs preparing crab.
The always present side dishes to our seafood dishes.
Lauren wondering why she ordered a medium portion of tempura shrimp rather than the small size!
Celine attacking her boiled crab.
Not being able to decide I ordered a “medium” sized mixed seafood platter. I finished most of it.
These are still live octopus tentacles that have been cut into small bite-sized pieces. They were still moving on the plate. Rob offered to share them. Needless to say, I passed!
Rob added another surprise after dinner suggesting we join him to participate in a very popular, an almost “must-do” Korean activity- karaoke! Well….when in Rome…..so I joined him and 5 others in venturing forth to a local establishment dedicated to the art. I was surprised and impressed at the setup of the studio we entered- comfortable couches, a large screen TV, professional microphones, snacks, soju and a huge book of both English and Korean songs to select from. It was first class. I contributed by leading with one of the few songs I am capable of leading-Sweet Caroline. The good news is everyone joins in so you are not singing alone! Rob did treat us to a rousing “Gangnam” style Korean song which everyone loved. Others did their share at leading songs and our 1 hour passed quickly. Amazingly the total bill for everything was $56! It was a fun experience.
Two big couches and a large screen TV in the karaoke room.
Snacks and soyu provided to the “singers”.
Rob inputting the next song selection. There must have been a 1000 to choose from.
Celine leading the group.
Night time in Busan. Returning to the hotel after our karaoke session.
Tomorrow after visiting some additional local sites we will take a bullet train back to Seoul. By the way another good day of walking: 11,692 steps!
April 24, 2023: Exploring the Area Around Gyeongju.
Last night I had decided to sleep in and not go to the 5:30AM meditation. However at the announced hour of 5 AM we all were awaken by the Buddhist call to wake up via a series of outdoor loudspeakers located throughout the temple complex. You could not sleep if you wanted to! So I figured I might as well dress and trudge up that steep road to the temple complex where we had walked to yesterday. It was just barley light enough to see my way as I joined others also headed in that direction. Beneath the patio where the sunmudo demonstration was held is a small indoor temple. Upon arrival I found other attendees already sitting on mats on the floor with the monk seated on his mat facing the Buddhist altar in front. Soon he began the ritual chanting as he beat a rhythm to accompany the chant on a wooden block called a “Wok Tok”. The chanting was combined with standing, then kneeling and bowing over a period of 15-20 minutes as he performed their morning service. We were to follow the motions as best we could. I did take a quick picture before the service began but not during this service out of respect.
Before the morning meditation service began. The monk is in front and the sunmudo master is in the grey clothing on the right.
Rob had suggested that if we skipped the 5:30AM service he would recommend the walking meditation service that would be held right after. Well since I was already there I chose to join everyone to see what it involved. After sitting a few moments and doing several simple stretching exercises the sunmudo master led us on a walk through the nearby woods. I have to admit it was reflective and relaxing to simply sit and walk quietly in the crisp morning air. The “service” lasted about 20 minutes and was worth doing.
We sat for a short while and did a couple simple stretching exercises before going for a walk.
Walking quietly through the wood near where the monks live.
Returning to the outdoor pagoda of Dharma Five Elements to walk around it a few times before leaving.
A Buddha statue on the roadway.
Breakfast would now be served(6:30AM) and I was curious what a vegan breakfast might entail. Rice was the main ingredient along with vegetables, another soup and some fruit. There was toast with honey also available. No coffee, only water. Same routine as last night. Take off your shoes, gather your food, sit on the floor and wash your dishes.
Breakfast vegetables.
My breakfast plate!
There was another sunmudo training session at 9AM for those interested. After watching yesterday’s session, I was not interested in participating so I remained in my room, checking up on the events of the world. We would be leaving the temple around 10AM and were instructed to “clean up” our room and return the used bedding, towel and clothing to the office before then.
One of our travel companions learned there was a coffee shop right outside the gates of the temple if anyone wanted to get coffee before we left. I certainly did and once I returned to civilian clothing and turned in my laundry I walked there and proceeded to have a very nice americano coffee. By the way if you go into any coffee shop in South Korea that is the coffee that is listed first. The Koreans love their coffee.
The modern coffee shop located near the entrance to the Buddhist Temple complex.
Once we left the temple the plan was to explore a few of the other attractions in the area and spend the night in a local hotel in Gyeongju before continuing to Busan. Stop number 1 was a visit to the Yangdong Folk Village, a UNESCO heritage site. Houses in the village date back to the 15th century, during the Joseon Dynasty. There are two distinct home types here: large elegant, tiled roofed homes high on the hill owned by the wealthy residents and small, thatched roofed homes below owned by the workers. Several 500+ year old homes still exist and there are 54 homes that are over 200 years old! We did a walking tour of the area to see the palatial homes of the two founding families (Son and Yi ) which are still occupied by descendants. Obviously we could not enter the actual home but we were able to walk onto the property and see the outside of the homes.
The home of the Yi family in Yangdong Village.
Part of the Yi home complex. This home would be for the women of the household.
Common room open to the courtyard.
Overlooking what would have been crop fields in ancient times.
A 500 year old Korean door!
This is what a 500 year old floor looks like!
Family descendants still occupy the home.
Example of a thatched roof house that would belong to a worker.
The pond where lotus plants will bloom in the summer.
Another original home in the village.
Original woodwork in a 500 year old home.
These are crocks used to make kimchi, a staple in the Korean diet.
Marvelous ancient roses that have not lost their wonderful scent!
The Son family home, built in 1484 in Yangdong Village. They were the original settlers in the area.
Rich people were allowed to have a shrine on their property.
This juniper tree is 600 years old!
Persimmon tree.
Lunch had been arranged at a small family owned restaurant in the village where we were overwhelmed by the number ( I think I counted 15) of side dishes that accompanied our main dish of either pork, fish of vegetarian bibimbap. The owners also served us rice wine with the meal. It was quite a full table!
The 16 side dishes served at lunch.
My pork main dish. It was boiled pork and not all that tender!
Leaving the village we then headed into Gyeongju to visit the Cheomseongdae Observatory and the Royal Tombs. Cheomseongdae Observatory is thought to have been built during the reign of Queen Seondeok (r. 632-647) of the Silla Dynasty for observation of the movements of heavenly bodies. It is the oldest astronomical observatory in Asia. It stand 9 meters high, has 12 stones on the base layer (12 months of year), with 30 layers of stones (days in a month) and a total of 366 stones in the structure. There is a hole in the center where one can climb into and watch star progression over time. During the ancient period, astronomy was deeply related to agriculture as farming times were often determined according to the movements of the stars.
The Cheomseongdae celestial observatory is the oldest in Asia.
Nearby is the site of some Royal Tombs of kings from the Shilla kingdom (one of three ancient kingdoms of Korea). There are about 20 grassy mounds which contain the remains of former kings and their family. Only one has ever been opened. It is called the Cheonmachong tomb (built in 5th or 6th CE), meaning “sky horse” which was depicted on items found in the tomb. The reason it was the only one opened is that nowhere in history could they find who was buried there, so they rationalized that perhaps they could determine who it was if they opened it. They never did learn who it was, but they did uncover over 11,500 gold artifacts in the tomb, replicas of which were on display here. Why were other other tombs not robbed over the centuries? The thought is that construction of the tombs was so complex ( wood, stone, dirt) that it would have made it extremely difficult to penetrate them.
Sign by the Royal Tombs. They do not mess around! $14,896 fine.
The flying horse symbol found in the tomb of the unknown king.
Replica of the king’s tomb.
Some of the gold ornamental trappings worn by the unknown king.
More gold pieces buried with the king. Seems like a waste of good gold!
Elaborate decoration for even his horse
Some of the other Royal Tombs in the area.
The smaller tomb was probably for a royal child.
Ladies admiring the Royal Tombs.
My attempt at taking an artistic picture!
Ladies enjoying an afternoon stroll.
That completed the day’s activities and we went to a local hotel for a good night’s sleep in real beds! Again Rob offered to join him at a local restaurant where the focus was on Korean pork belly BBQ. Of course we all went to experience Korean BBQ. It required a bit of education on how to do it but it was a lot of fun and we ate (and drank) well! I really like the concept of the tour leader taking us to local restaurants even though we each pay for our meals. Normally unless the meal is included with the tour package you are on your own. I wish other tour companies offered the same approach.
Small “hole-in-the-wall” Korean BBQ place we would never had gone to if Rob had not taken us.
The owner cutting up the pork belly for us.
Rob showing how to do the grilling.
Side dishes at the Korean BBQ.
Being introduced to the national drink of Korea- Soyu, a distilled rice beverage.
You start with a lettuce leaf, add some red bean paste and the grilled pork belly. Can also add roasted garlic and grilled onions.
Acting as the grill master.
Work party with your boss. Attendance mandatory!
There were several optional activities offered on the tour, including one to visit a local attraction called the Anapji Ponds at night. Normally we would have to take a 20 minute cab ride from the hotel but Rob asked our bus driver if he would take us there after dinner if we would pay him for his time. A deal was cut and for 5000won each ($3.73) he would take us. Deal! I was not sure why it was so worth seeing but this made it easy to see what all the interest was about a pond. Once there I can say it was one of the major highlights of the trip for me-simply breathtaking display of lights on trees and pagodas with reflections on the still waters on the pond. It was magical!
These are the night views of the pond. It was simply marvelous and a highlight of the trip.
Back to the hotel for a good, restful sleep as I logged 19,941 steps this day-a new record I think!
My reaction to my stay at the Buddhist Temple: Been there, done that…..no interest to do it again!
April 23, 2023: Heading South to a Buddhist Temple Stay!
We left the hotel at 8:40AM heading to the train station where we will take to our next stop: Gyeongju where we will spending the night in a Buddhist Temple. To get to the train station we will be taking the extensive Seoul subway which consists of 9 separate lines! As Rob had suggested I packed only a few essentials in the small tote I bought yesterday, leaving my larger suitcase at the Prince Hotel as we will be returning there at the end of the trip. That and my backpack was all I was taking. It turned out to be an excellent idea and made life a whole lot simpler.
It was nice having Rob lead us through the process of finding and boarding the subway as it can be a bit daunting the first time. Since it was a Sunday there were few crowds and the process was easy. Rob did tell us that during the workweek it can be a bit chaotic because of the crowds. They actually employ men who act as “pushers” to cram more people onto the subway cars. Sure glad we did not have to experience that!
Super clean Seoul subway station.
It was only 2 stops to the huge main train station where we had about 30 minutes to wander around as Rob stood watch over our “luggage”. There were tempting eateries around in the station including a vending machine that sold Krispy Krème donuts! Unfortunately it only dispensed a box of 12! Having just had breakfast all I did was walk around and look at all the different offerings! I did buy a cream-filled pastry that resembled a bismarck. It was loaded with whipped cream and red bean paste. Needless to say it was messy eating and I only consumed half.
The super modern train station in Seoul.
Of course there would be a McDoanlds here. Next door is a Korean hamburger chain called Lotteria.
Had to laugh when I saw this in the main train station. Would have bought one if they were sold as singles. Sadly you had to buy a dozen.
A tempting mid morning snack, but I resisted!
Restaurants do a good job showing a brief description in English along with a picture.
This train trip was not one of their bullet trains; it was a conventional train but it was luxurious, quiet and clean. And it left on time. It even had excellent wifi service. A common sight during our train ride was seeing apartment complexes that consisted of 3 or more high rise towers.
A common sight were these clusters of high rise apartments. They seemed to be in every town we passed.
The length of the trip was about two hours and we arrived in Daegu where we would be transported by bus to the Buddhist temple in Gyeongju. Since it was around noon Rob said we were free to have lunch at one of the restaurants located in the fairly large train station. I ended up with several others in a noodle shop where I had an udon noodle bowl with fried shrimp which only cost $5.65.
The menu at the train station restaurant where we had lunch. Luckily there is enough English to describe what the main ingredients are.
Udon noodles with fried shrimp! Hard to eat with chopsticks.
We then loaded into a huge 50 passenger bus so we each had our own row (or two) to ourselves for the ride to our destination for the night-the Golgusa Temple where we will experience life as a monk!
Entrance gate to the Golgusa Buddhist temple.
The temple bell.
Our sleeping quarters. The men were on the third floor. I had paid extra to not share a room.
Upon arrival we were issued temple garb, consisting of over sized cotton pants and a sleeveless vest-like top. We were also given a sheet and pillow case cover and directed to our rooms which were pretty spartan! There was no bed and no chair. You were expected to sleep on the floor on a mat (covered by the sheet) and a duvet as a cover. There was a bathroom in the room which included sort of a shower, which I chose not to use while there. There was one small hand towel. Luckily I had bought a wash cloth while in Seoul so I was set. There was also a pair of slippers in the room as you were asked to remove shoes while in it.
Our bedding and clothing we would use while at the temple.
My room. No bed, no chair. At least it had a bathroom.
My fashionable outfit for my stay. Normally you would not wear a shirt under the vest but it was rather cool.
My “bed” consisted of a
1 inch thick pad, with a comforter. Luckily there were extra comforters in the room and I stacked two of them on top of the mattress to give me more support! Spoiler alert: it did not help much.
There was a map of the temple facilities and a schedule of events given to us upon arrival, which included orientation of what to expect while there.
The first event was a demonstration of sunmudo, which is practiced and taught by the monks living here. Sunmudo is a combination of meditation, yoga and martial arts. Sounded interesting and I looked forward to the demonstration. Unfortunately it was being held in a building further into the temple complex from our living quarters and involved a considerable walk with a lot of elevation gain to get there. Dressed in our temple finery we trudged our way up to the outdoor patio where it would be held, out of breath and a bit sweaty by this time. Besides our group there were others who also were staying at the temple (dressed accordingly) and many tourists who came simply to see the demonstration, which I had to admit was pretty impressive, especially as performed by a young girl who seemed to be double jointed when doing some of her poses (all done to music). The sunmudo master also showed us the moves they make as part of their training. There was also a lady singer who performed several Korean songs that most attendees knew as they clapped along with the song. Sunmudo is obviously more complex than judo.
Trudging up a fairly steep road to get to the sunmudo demonstration area.
If you need a water break as you walk up the steep road.
Almost at the demonstration location!
A Buddhist shrine cut into the rock face.
Another Buddhist shrine cut into the rock face.
The pavilion where the demonstration was held.
The temple sunmudo master did a series of moves with music accompaniment.
Unbelievable lady sunmudo expert who seemed to be double jointed.
Talk about being flexible!
From there we are instructed to go to another building where the sunmudo master would hold a class teaching us the sunmudo poses. Well, at least the simpler ones. Because it involved mats on the floor and I was unsure as to how intense it would be I chose to watch with a few others rather than actually joining the class. I did some of the meditation exercises and simple stretching moves as I was familiar with them from my chair yoga classes. I even learned a few new, fairly simple routines. Then the master lead the group into more complex exercises that really stressed the body. I watched the others struggle to complete the poses/exercises. He really worked them!
I might add prior to the sunmudo class he showed us an animated film on how to show respect while in the temple, such as removing shoes in most places, the respectful bow, the etiquette of meals, etc.
Watching a video about proper etiquette when at the temple.
The sunmudo master leading the class in some of the sunmudo exercise. This was a simple one; most were significantly harder.
By this time it was 6:30PM and time for our vegetarian dinner eaten while sitting quietly on the floor at low tables. The food was surprisingly good and filling. Hopefully it will help me lose the 5 extra pounds I put on during Covid. We were expected to wash our dishes after the meal. You had not be late for dinner because the food disappeared exactly at 7PM!
Take off your shoes before entering any of the buildings.
A buffet line for all meals. Eat all want but you are asked to not waste food.
There was a miso soup and fruit with the meal.
This is the prayer a Buddhist monk would say if one had joined us for the meal. No one did.
My vegan dinner. It was surprisingly tasty.
You sit on the floor to eat in silence.
We had to wash our dishes after the meal.
Our activities for the day were done and we were expected to have lights out by 9PM as we will be awaken at 5AM tomorrow! And we were not encouraged to wander around after dinner because of this posted notice.
Surprisingly I had internet access (thank you T Mobile!) so I worked a bit on this blog and caught up on the news before calling it a day about 8:30. We will see what tomorrow brings as the s schedule shows there is a optional meditation service at 5:30AM back at the Buddhist temple located where we saw the sunmudo demonstration today.
All that walking yesterday resulted in a good night’s sleep but I was still up by 6:30, ready the greet another day. Weather is expected to remain good, some sun and a high of 68- perfect for sightseeing! A buffet breakfast is included with our travels and I was pleasantly surprised at the quality of it. There are no complaints from me and I especially liked the fresh orange slices (very sweet) and the yogurt.
Part of the breakfast buffer.
Popular Korean sweet snacks.
We met in the lobby for a 9AM departure and loaded into a small 20 passenger bus as we started our tour of the city. The first stop was at what is referred to as the “Blue House” which is the equivalent of our White House. It is (or rather was until this year) the home of the Korean President. The rest of the story is when he was elected last year he decided he wanted a different home as the head of the government so he moved out as a new home was being built. The Blue House is currently empty and hosts local tours! We did not go in, only stopping for a photograph. By the way, it got its name from its supposed blue roof, which is not really blue. It looks more like aquamarine, but the name has stuck.
Robert Lee, out tour leader.
Inside our 20 passenger bus. It is the perfect size for our sized group.
Our first real stop was at one of the 5 former palaces that exists in the city- Gyeongbok Palace, originally built in 1395 during the Joseon dynasty, but was destroyed in the 16th century, during the Injin War. It laid dormant until the 19th century when its 7700 rooms (and 500 buildings) were rebuilt under the direction of King Gojong, only to be partially destroyed by the Japanese in the 20th century. Since the 1990s it is being gradually restored to its former glory. We arrived in time to witness the changing of the guard, a colorful event with ancient costumes and drummers. After that we were given some free time to wander the surrounding area for pictures. There is an interesting tradition at the palace. There are multiple shops in the area that rent Korean costumes which, if rented, allows people to enter the palace grounds free of charge. As a result there were a lot of colorfully dressed men, women and even children strolling the grounds in traditional Korean clothes from bygone eras. It makes for a lavish, colorful scene and I found myself taking a lot of photos of the brightly colored clothes.
Note the unusual hat the men wore.
Tourists dressed in native Korean apparel. It is traditionally worn 2 days a year: thanksgiving and New Years .
Men, women and even babies dress for the occasion.
The huge drum which announces the entrance of the palace guard.
Part of the palace guard.
Part of the palace honor guard.
Another part of the palace guard. Note the mean looking weapons.
A family visiting the palace.
Approaching the 3rd gate of the palace. After that you are in the main courtyard.
The emperor’s throne.
Decoration inside the building that houses the emperor.
Protective dragons in the ceiling that can only be viewed from a side entrance.
Another young couple visiting the palace.
After viewing the palace we went to the National Folk Museum of Korea, located on the palace gounds. The museum focuses on the every day life of the Korean people from antiquity to present day. Unfortunately we were only given about 30 minutes of free time to visit it. Needless to say it is impossible to do it justice in that short of a time. I was amazed at seeing how ancient man was clever enough to build and use implements to make his life easier. I guess the adage: Necessity is the mother of invention is really true.
Guardians of your home.
How they made woven shoes.
Common setting for dining in a Korean home.
Fishing boats.
Office ?
Another popular highlight of any visit to Seoul is to visit a neighborhood of traditional Korean homes that date back to the 14th century, called “Hanok”. We drove to the nearby Bukchon Hanok village where we walked the narrow lanes past traditional Korean homes that are still occupied. The interest in these homes has brought about a conflict with the people living there as there are tourists parading past their homes every day. We were asked to walk quietly through the area so as to not disturb the residents. The homes looked more modern to me than, say, the Hutong neighborhoods you see in China.
Hanok homes line the street in this neighborhood.
A Hanok home.
Note the sign that asks to not be bothered. People living here do not appreciate all the tourists walking through their streets.
A door on a Hanok home.
Walking quietly through the lanes of the Hanok village.
Uphill in the Hanok village.
A shop renting Hanbok costumes.
The last stop today was another popular destination called the Insadong neighborhood which is noted for its many antique and souviner shops and restaurants. We were given free time and many of us chose to join Rob who was headed to a local noodle restaurant he likes. I was not one to pass up an opportunity to learn something new (and have someone help decipher the menu options). Rob likes “cold” noodle dishes but that did not sound all that appetizing to me so I selected a “hot” soup with dumplings in it. It was very good but with 4 giant dumplings in it, it was more than I could finish. Service is very quick at these restaurants and when finished you go to the cashier and simply tell them what you are and they tell you what you owe. Talk about trusting the customer to be honest! Along that same train of thought, Rob told us that travel on the subway was extremely safe. So much so that if you left a phone or other valuable on the subway you could call their lost/found to claim it and it would be there. People are very honest and turn in lost items. How often do you think that would happen in the USA?
Restaurant where we had lunch. Its specialty is cold noodle soup.
Another local beer with lunch side dishes-kimchi, two types pickled radish with varying degrees of spicyness.
My oversized hot dumpling soup. It was enough for two people.
Rob had suggested we not take our large luggage for the few days we would not be in Seoul; we could leave them stored at the hotel in Seoul as we will be retuning here. Good idea, so I used the rest of my free time to search for a small travel duffle bag to carry the few items I might need for the next 4 days. I found what I needed in one of the small shops in Insadong.
We had the choice of remaining in Insadong or riding back with Rob at 2PM. About half of us chose to ride. I had clocked close to 9000 steps by that time and did not relish more walking. After another short nap and work on this blog I ventured out about 6:30 to grab a hamburger at the local McDonalds for simply a change of pace (and to see how their menu varied from those in USA). They do offer several shrimp patty sandwiches here but I did not try them. I opted for what they call a “1955 burger” , which had lettuce, tomato, grilled onion sand bacon. Never saw that in the US. Not bad. Looking for something sweet afterwards I wandered back into the Myeongdong area next to our hotel where we were last night. Again there were huge crowds of people, more varied street food carts, and stores open for shoppers. I opted for a large cup of fresh strawberries form a fruit vendor and was not disappointed as they were sweet and tasty .
The fresh fruit is really good.
My strawberry dessert.
Corn on the cob.
Soufflé cakes with fruit toppings.
What can I say-a new use for Oreos.
Cooking up the spicy gnocchi called Tteokbokki.
Flavored waffles.
Grilles cheese skewers.
Koreans mostly eat pork and beef but for you lamb lovers, here is your chance.
Baked sweet potatoes.
All sort of items stuffed in a pastry of some sort.
Sweet & sour chicken nuggets.
Honey pancakes.
Most restaurants have photographs of their dishes to help you decide.
Grilled octopus.
There are many shops selling these hats for the ladies!
So the day ended with 12,466 steps logged and me making pretty good progress on keeping up with this blog. We leave at 8:40AM to catch our train to our next stop, Gyeongju, where we will spend the night in a Buddhist temple and participate in activities with the monks. It should be an interesting stay!
Since I have most of the day free before meeting my travel companions and our tour leader this evening I decided to do what we often do when visiting a new country- sign up for a walking food tour to learn more about what I will expect to eat while here. This one sounded intriguing, offered by Secret Food Tours Seoul:
The walking tour makes 7 food stops to try local Korean street food and lasts about 3.5 hours. It will be interesting to see who else will be on the tour.
I managed to stay up last night until about 8:30PM local time (4:30 AM Seattle time) before calling it a day. I did have to wander down to the front desk with my handheld Samsung AC controller to have them explain how to operate it as all the symbols were in Korean.
Woke up today, fully refreshed, at 4:30AM ready to hit it! Oh well, an afternoon nap will hopefully get the final time adjustment in place. Using the extra time to start this day’s blog before venturing out for a coffee. I did walk a few blocks last night in the local area and found Both a Starbucks and a McDonalds! Since my walking tour begins at 10AM I do not want to have a heavy breakfast before departing for the tour.
While looking up the hours of nearby coffee shops I quickly learned that Seoul does not wake up early! Virtually all the coffee shops did not open until 7AM or later! McDonalds does not even open until 10:30AM. I killed time writing this blog entry and finally ventured out about 6:45 to go to a nearby coffee shop called Hollys which was supposedly open. It was not! Heading back to the hotel I noticed a Starbucks next door and found it opened at 7, so in I went. An Americano and a scone cost me $5.90, inexpensive compared to Seattle Starbucks prices. While drinking my coffee I noted more things about Seoul and Korean culture. Koreans work hours are 9-6, perhaps explaining the late opening of coffee shops. The cars on the road are clean and new, as are the well-marked cabs. There are very few motorbikes on the streets and NO electric bikes or scooters crowding the sidewalks and streets. There are very few bike lanes. Over 50% of the people (going and old) on the street are wearing face masks.
Quiet street scene as I searched for a morning coffee.
A Starbucks americano and scone breakfast.
Asking the front desk about directions to the food tour meeting place he suggested taking the local subway system which would have involved a transfer along the way. Having noted that there are sometimes English signage with the Korean signage I still did not feel comfortable trying to maneuver the huge (9 separate lines) transit system this early in the trip so I plan to take a cab, which are plentiful, clean and modestly priced.
Taking a cab worked like a charm and the bill was only $5.87 and you do not tip the driver. Our guide was a young lady a named Sonsa and we were joined by a family of 4 (2 teenage sons) from Melbourne, Australia. We walked through the nearby famous food market (Gwangjang) where we stopped at several locations to taste traditional Korean street food and try their popular rice wine called Makgeolli. We learned that Koreans eat out an awful lot and it is places like here in the market that they frequent. We left the market and walked to other nearby locales for further sightseeing and food including some delicious ice cream and finally ending up at a local traditional (leave your shoes at the door and sit on the floor) tea house for a special medicinal tea and more snacks. It was a delightful 3.5 hour tour of trying local foods and drink. I liked it all except I was not fond of a dish of beef tartar mixed with slivered pears and a raw egg!
Local produce market. I could not believe how huge the strawberries were.
One of dozens of food stalls in the market where people come to eat.
Korean dumpling called ttteokkbokki, which is a spicy gnocchi . The skewers hold minced fish filets, which tasted like a slightly fishy pancake.
A Korean delicacy that fortunately we were not served. The octopus is cut up and served live to you!
Ginger beef tartar with a raw egg. Called Yukhoe.
Mung bean pancakes with and without meat. They reminded me of potatoe pancakes.
The white liquid is makgeolli rice wine. It is served in this type of cup. It was not highly alcoholic.
Popular cold drink punch made from rice. I was not that fond of it.
We walked through the market as we stopped and sampled the various foods. The market offers a marvelous visual and scent tableau of Korean life.
Bowls of vegetables destined to be added to soup bowls.
Stacks of the mung bean pancakes, which were tasty. They taste like a potato pancake.
Fresh fish offerings.
The fish on the left with the long skinny tail is called a hairtail fish.
Selling Korean side dish products.
More “side dish” offerings that often accompany a meal.
Popular “side dish” products that often accompany a meal.
Various types of sweets.
Korean greens. The brown items are unborn butterflies. That is so wrong!
Making mochi balls.
Leaving the market we walked to other nearby locations to see shops and visit our final food tasting items.
Sonsa delivering the raspberry version of the ice cream.
A door in Seoul. Part of an old home called a Hanok.
One of many beds of flowering azaleas around the city.
A money making fortune wall! You put your money in the slot by four astrological sign and out spits a golden plastic egg with your fortune in it! And people were feeding money into it regularly.
Entry to the traditional tea house.
Entry garden at the tea house.
The two items we were served at the traditional tea house.
Inside the traditional tea house. You take off your shoes at the entry and sit on the floor by short tables.
Being served the tea and rice cakes.
The Ssanghwatang tea was served in an elaborate ceramic mug. It did taste very medicinal so it must be good for you!
The slightly sweet bean curd cakes that accompanied the tea.
I was there.
Another cab ride ($4.98) with an 84 year old driver who spoke a bit of English brought me back to the hotel for a needed 2 hour nap before meeting with my tour people at 6PM.
At 6 PM our travel group of 16 met with our tour director, Rob Lee, for the first time. Surprisingly the age of the group was older than I expected, as I was under the impression that G Adventures catered to a younger crowd. In our group of 16 only two of the group (2 girls from the UK) were on the young side. The rest of us fall into the mature category. There is a gentleman and lady from Ireland ( they do not know each other), a gentle person from Australia, a couple from Victoria, BC, two couples from California and two ladies from NY state. Also surprisingly many people have traveled with G Adventures before.
Rob, who was born and raised in Korea and has worked for G Adventures for 7 years, spent about 20 minutes going over the logistics of the trip and then led us to a local restaurant to experience the Korean BBQ, where the meal is cooked at your table.
Large bottle of a local beer. It seemed like the right thing to have with the dinner.
Large pot of beef, vegetables and mushrooms in a savory broth.
Our chef who watched over the process and served us.
A serving. It was accompanied by a bowl of rice and several side dishes, including Korean spinach, kimchi and pickled lotus blossoms.
After dinner for which we each paid our own bill (mine was 28,000Won or $21.05 – no tipping in Korea) Rob offered to take us on a walk of the local area to show us Seoul at night. Walking the streets of Seoul at night is quite an experience! Thousands of people, dozens of street food carts lining the pedestrian street and offering every imaginable hand held food item, stores open until 10-11PM. It is a happening place!
Foot massage anyone?
A local person started this concept from a food cart. Now they line up in the morning to buy these sandwiches.
Night lights of Seoul.
People walking the streets at night. At times it was hard to walk through the milling crowds.
Cart after cart along this street. There were literally dozens of them, too many to show them all to you.
One of dozens of food carts selling all sorts of hand held food.
These are called egg bread, a popular snack. I have yet to try one.
Candied fresh fruit anyone?
Bungeo-ppang is a famous Korean snack stuffed with sweetened red bean paste and shaped like a fish.
A unique way to char his beef kebab.
A huge store that sells nothing but earrings. I have never seen one so large.
The ultimate goal of Rob’s walk was to show us the artifical stream that was created in the middle of the city. Originally a road it was converted into a moving stream of water through the city center. It is 10 km long and the flowing water is recycled by huge pumps. It is very popular with people of all ages, especially the kids who play in the shallow water during the summer. It reminded me of the river walk in San Antonio, but without the bars and restaurants.
There are several of this crosswalks along the creek. The water is shallow so not much of a problem if you miss a step!
The start of the artificial river flowing through the city center.
Looking downriver from the source of the stream.
A fountain is part of the source of the stream.
Another view of the changing fountain display.
One of the large skyscrapers in the area,
A piece of art. Whenever a building is built they are obligated to add a piece of art to the location.
A huge video display covering both sides of the building.
14,483 steps later I was back in my room and more than ready for a good nights sleep. Tomorrow we begin our tour of local sights in Seoul.
Although my tour does not begin until April 21 I prefer to arrive a day early to allow my aging body to acclimatize to the new time zone. By leaving on the 19th I actually arrive in Seoul late in the afternoon of the 20th- date line comes into play here. The flight time from Seattle to Seoul is a bit over 12 hours and I selected a flight that leaves in the late morning so I could leave our home earlier that morning rather than spending the night in Seattle. Korean Airlines is the obvious major airline that flies from here to there, but it is in partnership with Delta who actually does the flight I am on. I am trying something new on this trip. Normally when we fly internationally we fly business class so Yvonne has the maximum amount of space and sleep potential. Since I am flying alone and the flight is mostly a day time flight I decided to try their “premium economy” sector, saving a ton of money over what they wanted for business class seats. I will have to let you know if that is/is not a good decision! Coming home after the tour I chose to fly business class on Asiana, since it is an overnight flight and I favor foreign airline over US based airlines as their services are usually better.
Geography & history lesson for the day: South Korea is officially called the Republic of Korea (ROK). It has a population of 51.75 million people, of which about half reside in/around Seoul, which is the 4th most populated metropolitan area in the world! Its land area is about the same as that as Portugal. It is surrounded on three sides by water and its northern border is with North Korea. I was surprised to learn there are 3400 islands considered to be part of South Korea.
Written history shows occupation back in the 7th century (BCE- before common era- which is the politically correct designation for what we used to refer to as BC, before Christ). After a succession for several kingdoms that each lasted centuries, the Kingdom of Korea was annexed by the Empire of Japan in 1910, which lasted until the end of WWII. After the war Korea was divided into a southern sector overseen by the US while the northern sector was under the control of Russia. Sound familiar?
Northern Korea invaded the south in 1950, resulting in the Korean War which lasted until 1953. Since that time South Korea has grown dramatically and has become a global manufacturing & financial global force with the likes of Samsung, Hyundai, LG Electronics and many large financial institutions.
End of lesson for the day.
My flight left on time. Originally slated for 12 hours we were told it would be a bit over 10 hours today. Shortcut or tail winds? The flight was completely filled which surprised me as this is not the peak travel time to Korea.
Leaving on time with a full plane!
Our flight route from Seattle to Seoul.
The “Premium Select” seats and service was a bit of a disappointment. Yes, the seats were wider and reclined a bit more but the supposed foot rest could not really be extended enough to offer any benefit. Also the meal service was what one typically expects to get in coach, again a bit of a disappointment. However, I saved over $800 on the fare by downgrading from business class so I am not complaining.
The menu they handed out but only the chicken or pasta were available.
Unimpressive appetizer before lunch, but they were tasty.
My chicken luncheon selection- not that exciting!
We did arrive over an hour early in Seoul. The Seoul airport is visually impressive, as was being cleared by immigration and customs. Luggage delivery was also fast and I was free to go within 20 minutes of leaving the plane. I had to wait for the Suntransfer car I had booked to take me to the hotel. At least I was able to use the local ATM while waiting.
My initial impressions of Seoul are it is huge, it is modern and it is clean! There were blooming azaleas along the highway and even in the downtown area. Major streets downtown were often 4 lanes in each direction! Drivers seemed courteous as I never heard a horn blown in anger. I did not see trash or graffiti. There are pieces of art located on many street corners, adding the the visual beauty of the city. There are coffee shops everywhere, often right next to each other. My driver said Koreans are coffee, not tea drinkers. After being in China and other Asian countries this is not what I expected.
These statues, along the road from the airport, were at least 40 ft high
One of many high rise housing units I saw during the 1 hour drive from the airport. Most seemed relatively new.
Every city seems to have these “word signs” for picture taking. This one is more colorful than most I have seen.
Hotel Prince where the tour group convenes.
My high tech toilet that had NO instructions in English!
Tomorrow morning I am doing a walking food tour before meeting with our tour group in the evening.
In looking at my calendar for April, May and June I found it quite empty, i.e. there are no planned trips on the calendar. Time is marching on and I am not getting any younger. Action was required. Not one to sit idle I perused options for “solo” trips to places I knew Yvonne would not be interested in visiting- like Tanzania, Armenia, Tunisia, Georgia, and even Saudi Arabia- places that have not found a place on my “Countries Visited” list. There were either problems with availability or timing. My search turned eastward and I found a short, eight day April tour to South Korea, which surprisingly I/we have never visited. I have become fond of Korean BBQ and bibimbap dishes; I am intrigued about the demilitarized zone(DMZ) between North & South Korea; our Scott Scott visited Seoul for work and said it was a cool place, and it would become country #103 on my list. So why not go? Done deal!
The tour is with G Adventures and is called the “Best of South Korea”. Details of the trip can be found at: https://www.gadventures.com/trips/best-of-south-korea/9008/
Details of the South Korea Tour
The trip includes a night’s stay in a Buddhist temple and visits to Busan and the DMZ. As I am arriving a day early I have added a walking food tour in Seoul that focuses on Korean street food. It promises to be an interesting trip.
