SEOUL! (warning: long post)

I went to Seoul! I actually did it!!

In Korea, they have 2 major holidays..the Lunar New Year in February, and Chusok (like Thanksgiving) in September. Now, working at a private school like I do, my days off in the year are very few and far between. So when I found out that I was going to get 3 days off in a row (Tues, Wed, Thurs) for this Chusok business, I knew I had to make the best of it. My friend Laura, who is a fellow newbie at my school, wanted to do the same. So we planned out a trip to Seoul! For Chusok, all Koreans travel out of town and go to their hometown to their grandmother's house where the whole family celebrates. Since Seoul is a big city where no one actually lives, we would be actually going the opposite direction of the waves of people traveling out of the city for this holiday, so it's a perfect time to go to Seoul. We figured everything out: accommodations, subways, train there, all the attractions we wanted to see, etc. Planning the trip alone was a great bonding and learning experience.

Whoa!

Where did Seoul go?

Soggy tower entrance

After a 5 and a half hour train ride there, we arrived at Seoul Train Station and rainy Seoul. We made our ways to the subway and got to the stop around where our hostel was. However, when we emerged from the subway it was pouring rain, there was thunder and lightning, and the streets under a foot of rushing water! We had to take off our shoes and wade barefoot through the water to find our hostel 8 blocks away. Fortunately the water was only that high for 2 of those blocks, but the rain would not stop. When we arrived at the hostel they gave us towels and let us hang all our clothes to dry for a bit. There were so many things we had planned for that day, but they were all ruined by the incessant rain. Waiting for it to let up did not even help, so we just decided to go out anyway and at least walk around the city....we can't just sit all day in our hostel and waste a trip day...besides, I'm a Washingtonian for crying out loud, rain can't stop me! After checking out our part of the city and getting some dinner, the rain let up. So we hurried up the mountain in the middle of the city to see if we could try to get to the famous N. Seoul Tower and do at least one of the things on our itinerary that day. But when we got up there it was so foggy we could barely see the tower, and the rain started again. Ok Seoul, so you won today.

You don't say??

Bigger girls in hanbok!

Little girl in hanbok at Hanok Village

Hanok village festivities

The next day was much better though...it was sunny and we were super productive. First, we hit up the Korean Tourist Org, where they had a bunch of Chusok holiday activities going on. There we played traditional Korean games, checked out the exhibits, and even got to try on the authentic Korean dresses they wear for celebrations and holidays, called the hanbok. The one I'm wearing is the style that the king's wife would wear..yep, darn straight, hehe! After having fun there we checked out a stream nearby that, on non-holiday days, would have performances and various events all along it. Hopped back on the subway to go over to the Namsangol Hanok Village. There laid traditional houses, and tons of people doing various Chusok holiday celebrations. All of parents brought their little kids all dressed up in tiny hanbok dresses and pants, it was so cute to see! I kept taking pictures of the little kids, hope they don't think I'm creepy :) There were stands where you could make a few arts and crafts. Laura and I carved a flute, but I couldn't figure out how to play it. Still trying to learn that one. After we got our fill of flute making and picture taking, we grabbed some street food and hitched the subway again. By the way, the subways in Seoul are interesting because they have emergency kit all around and signs and videos showing what to do if we were to suddenly be bombed. It was strange because having these safety notices all around made it seem so matter-of-fact, yet made me wonder if the thought of danger is always in the back of their minds....

Instructions on what to do if bombed

Korean War Memorial Grounds

Missiles and rockets

Computer fish tank, with electric eels!

With that note, next stop the Korean War Memorial. It was amazing!! The building and the grounds were absolutely stunning, and you could see the N. Seoul Tower in the distance. There were several statues, and so many real tanks, planes, trucks, rockets, and a missile boat all right there on the grounds outside for you to see and touch. From there we hopped on another subway to go to the COEX mall. Laura's friend who is also teaching in Korea was in town as well so we had agreed to meet them there. The COEX mall had a huge aquarium in the lower level, so we all went and enjoyed the interesting exhibits there. They had a section with cool different fish tanks such as a telephone booth, a laundry machine, a lantern, a fishy sink, hehe, that was my favorite section. They had some huge sea turtles, sharks and sting rays. Once we cleared through there we went to Itaewon, the foreigner district, and got some dinner....accidentally at a foreigner military bar. Nothing happened, but it was just weird when we looked around and realized there were a lot of white guys with shaved heads in there. That night we went back to our neighborhood and joined Laura's friends for their friend's birthday night on the town. The Seoul nightlife was pretty amazing, and there wasn't even all of the people that would normally be there since many were out for the holiday!

Jogyesa Temple, prayer house

Buddha 

The next day we woke up early, packed our things and rushed out of the hostel to see the changing of the guard at the Deoksungung palace. Unfortunately, when we got there we were told that they don't to the guard thing on the holidays...but the grounds were open for wandering and taking pictures, which was still nice. Next was the Jogyesa Buddhist temple. There we did a temple life tour, which is where you are taken on a tour of all of the different temple buildings on the grounds and they explain the beautiful paintings and statues. We then got to make lotus flowers, and experience tea ceremony and a meditation session. The Buddhist way is very slow and appreciative of every detail, even in the methodical task of pouring tea. I learned that I really suck at meditation...my mind kept wandering to think about other things rather than concentrating on breathing and the all around "who am I". But I really enjoyed this part of our trip. It was one of those moments where I really felt like I was immersed in Korea, and it is in those moments when I feel most alive here.

City center (one of the many)

Bye for now!!

From the temple we grabbed a bite to eat, and were off to catch our train home. Despite all that we did, there is still a ton of things that we didn't get to! So we will definitely have to make another trip to this massive city, and I can't wait till we do!