Skipping School for Seoul

So we slipped over to Seoul last month to visit friends. They've since returned to Canada so it was our last chance to see them again on this side of the world, and to check out a bit of Korea with proper guides. It was a short trip, but a great time. It took no time at all for the laughing to begin and it never really stopped until we said goodbye.

The best part of our trip by far:


Our friends, hosts, guides, and photographers.

I was looking forward to a taste of Korea (both figuratively, and quite literally looking for some spicy kimchi) and to see how it compares to Japan. They are so close geographically, and it seems these Japanese people came from Korea a long time ago though you won't hear many shouting it. Anyway, it didn't take long to realize we were in a very different country when the bus driver proceeded to lay a shouting smackdown on some hapless fellow before our departure from the airport. It was a breath of fresh air to see someone getting it off his chest after many months of fakey politness and repressed emotion in Japan.

With that we were off for the long traffic snarled trip to downtown Seoul. Our hosts apologized profusely for our delay, but it was a great chance to catch up with them in a captive environment. It also afforded opportunity to gaze out at the endless, grey apartment block landscape. The ride from the airport actually competes with Japan for uniformity of dull ugly urban dwellings, but takes J-land on the height of the apartos it seems. We were blessed with bright sunlight and a deep blue sky that we were assured was a rarity as it is usually a grey choked atmosphere that complements the tombstone apartments.

Here's a glimpse (from the net):





The mountains are nice.

Once we made it into the city proper we wasted little time getting to the food. We stopped in at a local place where our friends are regulars and seem to be part of the family. We tucked into some fine cuisine. We managed to get some things minus the meat including a kimchi soup. We had another spicy bean curd type soup that rocked along with a bunch of sides. It was full flavoured, spicy, and therefore certainly not Japanese! Yipee!!



From here we wandered around our friends' lively happening hood. We stopped in for the requisite photo booth shoot:





With hats and everything.

Soon it was time to experience a Korean bar and try out the local beverage of choice: Soju. It's quite smooth especially in its lemon form and therefore quite dangerous. Delicious!
The place we went was decorated in a traditional style with great atmosphere aside from the ubiquitous cigarrette smoke, but that's nothing new in Asia. Unlike Japan, in Korea people really dine together. They share out of communal dishes and even drink water out of the same bowl. Well, in this place anyway. It was like a metal dog bowl filled with ice water.



Looks like I got crazy eye or something in that picture.



That's a bit better.

Next it was time for some karaoke action. Oops, I think that's a Japanese word. We'll call it a singing room.



The Shanman rips it out.



Oh, the passion.
And on into the night.


The next morning we awoke and enjoyed a delectable breakfast.



Soon it was off to continue the cultural exploration with a visit to the Gyeongbok Palace. We took the subway and enjoyed the wonderful aroma of stale soju breath and body that filled the car from all sides. It was quite likely that the lot of them were completely gunned the night before.



I think the sun was a little bright for us. But dig that blue sky. A second beautiful day. Apparently most days the mountains behind the palace are not visible. Well they're not visible in this picture either, but I swear they were.
The palace was erected in the late 14th century and later burned by the Japanese. It was restored in the middle of the 19th century, but then the Japanese arrived and dispatched of the monarchy and destroyed a good part of the palace grounds (again.)

These guys won't let that happen again.







They took on the role of stolid stoic guards quite well; standing still and enduring the photos with tourists and the like. One thing that wasn't still though was their eyes. They followed you around with them. It was a tad creepy.



The grounds of the palace and around were quite impressive. On one end were views of the surrounding mountains, and views of the towering city on the other.







The intricate decoration of the buildings was refreshingly colourful and alive. A marked difference from Japan's more two-toned stylings.





Time to make like these guys and do some posing.



Autumn Jane


Beatlesque? Except for the nard in the background.


True Rock Stars


Next Year's a Big One: Year of the Boar/Pig


Shannon bonds with his...Rooster


We made a brief stop at a museum (the National or Folk or something) and checked out some interesting models of what life was like in the past and what the area looked like.


Not sure what this guy's up to.





While looking we were accosted by a serial English speaker whom we'd encountered earlier and successfully shaken. He was an older guy with booze on his breath talking some trash. When Miss Yaki mistakenly let it drop that we lived in Japan (much to Jane's horror...apparently some find it a dirty word here), he quickly switched over to the Nihon-go. Fortunately I don't speak much of the Japanese language and his was sloppy anyway, but annoying nonetheless. We made our getaway.


We wandered around some more and soon found ourselves in the Insadong area. We found a veg restaurant previously sourced through the internet and tucked into some traditional Korean temple food. We felt bad as it was Jane's birthday, but she embraced it as a cultural experience. The food was a veritable feast and very good. Well, aside from some moutain roots that almost made Miss Yaki vomit. Good times.



Day was soon night. We wandered around some more checking out shops and making our way to a temple right in the heart of the city.





After a couple of drinks and great conversation in a likable cafe we made our way back.

We took a cab and I was struck by one of those moments where it seems strange to be where you find yourself. Floating along in a cab passing enormous bright billboards on both sides while the driver watched a TV on the dashboard with one eye. The program was set in historical China while we drove through some surreal future world that would have looked like an unsettling dream only 15 years ago.

Our night was soon gone, and the next day flew by. We reluctantly said goodbye to our friends, and on the bus back to the airport, reflected again on how fortunate we are to know them.