Seoul Tower

Today Al and I ventured to the Seoul Tower located on Mount Namsand in central Seoul. It is a communication and observation tower 236.7 meters high. The tower built in 1964 has been open to the public since 1980. One can take the cable car or use the stairs up the mountainside. I will let you guess which option we chose.






After riding the bus for almost an hour, taking the subway including having to change lines twice (this can prove complicated) and walking uphill through very busy narrow streets with virtually no sidewalk we reached our destination. Oh, did I mention it was hot and humid? But seriously, we had a wonderful day and enjoyed every bit of it.


































What's your guess ........ stairs or cable?
























This is the top of the tower.






































































































Just happened to look up and saw this.





































































Here is an Italian restaurant with a rooftop patio.




















People purchase locks and write messages on them and can lock them on the fence of the tower or trees around the site. I suppose it could be considered a romantic gesture.... or a hope that they will return.

Heyri Village

The name Heyri comes from a traditional Korean farming song.
Heyri Village has over 500 members consisting of writers, artists including painting, drama, photography, sculpture, ceramics, cinema, musicians and architects. They have built and continue to build artistic spaces, houses, workrooms and galleries.
The entire area is committed to be environmentally friendly and maintain the natural beauty of the area.
There are over 100 galleries and performance theatres, a movie studio, cultural education centres where art classes and seminars or cultural discussions are held.
There are numerous shops including an IKEA.....I was surprised too, museums, cafes, restaurants and even a wine gallery.
There is a whole section devoted to children as well.
Festivals are held weekly and tours are offered daily. The stream of people is constant. The interesting thing is this seems to be geared just to Koreans. Little is offered in English either verbally or written. We have not seen any other foreigners other than ourselves. I think this will become a main attraction in time.
This is our favorite place to go on Sundays, there is always something new and different to see. I hope my pictures and VIDEO can offer some glimpse of the vibrance and beauty of this place. My last picture is a video... hope you are impressed that I was able to download it.

Itaewon

Saturday morning we headed off to Itaewon which is described as the most exotic place in Seoul representing fusion culture with a distinctive atmosphere.
It is a renowned shopping district covering a 1.4 km long street....I guess you can tell from Al's expression what his first impression was! I'm not sure if this was because of the weather which was cloudy with periods of heavy rain, the crowds of people or just his general dislike of shopping.
In spite of this we had a great day. I managed to find an English book store and made a purchase there.

Itaewan is very popular with tourists and U.S. soldiers. It is the first time we saw more than just a couple of foreigners in the crowds. The stores also cater more to western tastes.












I took this shot because this is the entrance to a home. I could not imagine living in the midst of all the shops and smells and noise!

Info Tid-Bits

-There is NO graffiti to be seen

-Drivers tend not to use turn signals because if they do drivers in that lane will only speed up

-Because drivers have no expectations about courtesy, there is less honking and no bird flipping

-Roadways in Seoul are often six lanes. During rush hour traffic vendors selling cookies or roasted walnuts will set up their stands on the roads between the lanes and cars just maneuver around them

-The English Village where we live is the most photographed site in South Korea. It is used in commercials and films

-In the larger cities in South Korea it is the wealthy who live in apartments and condos and the poorer live in single or multiple family dwellings

-There are no rules about parking. People park their vehicles wherever and leave the car in neutral. If the car is in someone’s way they just push it out of the way

-Noodles made with squid ink look EXACTLY like grey-black earthworms and taste like fennel

-Women use squid ink to color their hair

-There is a soft drink made with pine needles that has a very refreshing taste

Korean Folk Village

This week-end two of Al's colleagues took us to The Korean Folk Village in Yong in City which is a must see for anyone who visits Korea. This is a natural environment of 243 acres with more than 260 traditional houses from different regions and the living culture of the Joseon Dynasty.















This tight rope walker is an elderly gentleman considered part of Korean culture. His art will die with him. Although it is recognized as a loss, there does not seem to be anyone to carry on after him.











The horsemanship reminded me of Morocco.
































These crockery pots were used to ferment kimchee. We quite enjoy this dish. Al prefers the cabbage while I prefer the radish.















Of course one can never tire from Korean barbeque!


















































This is a monument where you can offer good wishes to a loved one.

















The beautiful and peaceful scenery was stunning!































This is typical female attire. The well off women would be dressed in the finest silks while others might wear linen.







This was a performance of Farmers' music and dance. Not only were they immensely talented but endured the terrible heat and humidity. A few of the younger boys looked quite exhausted.








This was the typical attire of a scholar. We did manage to convince Al to model for us. Kind of suits him don't you think?

Best Laid Plans

When I woke up this morning I decided to venture out on my own by bus. My goal was to go to the city of Ilsan and find a hairdresser and hopefully Costco. Unfortunately, I ended up in Seoul!


Funnily enough one of the first things I saw was this Stress Clinic. I wonder if they have these strategically placed near metro stations.








Fortunately, I don't mind wandering around aimlessly. I did find a couple of possibilities for lunch. For instance this unique fresh fish place.










Or this wonderful Italian Restaurant.











I loved wandering through the small side streets, and realized it might not be such a worry in terms of getting lost. By the way, I did get home safe and sound. I think I know where I went wrong and will try to get to Ilsan again.