Gwangju and Jeonju

3rd until 4 December 2011

Today I planned my last week of travel, and I needed to make the decision Gwangju - Jeonju or Gwangju - Mokpo. I decided for the first option, as one of my favourite dishes in Korea had been Bibimbap - so I shall try the real dish (from the origin). I had the guide book of food which dishes you shall try in S Korea, and where. I have nearly the full list full. Only a few are just missing, such as Chuncheon chicken. 

I normally do not plan well on which attraction to visit when I travel - and therefore I had little expectation on what to see in Gwangju. I thought the visit will consist of visiting a park, mountains and temple. It turn out totally different. When I arrived at the bus terminal, the tourism office told me I shall visit the "sad story" of Korean history. The Gwangju uprising and follow the road of May 18 from the top of the city to the bottom. 

I did not knew what to expect so I token the bus 518 (May 18) to the top of the city. It was a long journey, at least an hour we had been on the bus, which has pass all the sights which had token place on this day and week. The journey then started backwards from the monument and cementary. I had the opportunity to watch a small documentary which has given me great background of what has occurred in this city. Afterwards they given me a guided tour through the museum and the cementary field. The tour was conducted by who was living just outside the city.

I did not stay to long, and token the bus back into town and gone off at the old roundabout which nowadays is not real visible due all the construction been put in place. Token me a while to recognize it from the archive pictures. I walk then around this part of town where the two universities are located and nowadays a place is for young people.  After lunch I decided to go and see the museum of Gwangju, but it was more a generic museum of general knowledge. 

The last point I wanted to see is the monument of the High School, whom also had participated in the uprising of Gwangju and of course I shall try some traditional food in Gwangju which is duck. Unfortunally no restaurant wanted to serve me duck, as the dish is for minimum two people only and the cost was also very high starting at 25,000 to 40,000 Won ($25-40). So I just looked for a simple restaurant and ate generic meal, before heading to the bus terminal to continue my one hour journey to Jeonju.

If you like to know more about this event, I recommend you to watch May 18 (2007). Here is a preview:

Let know arrive into a town which never moved away from more then hundred years ago. The majority of the town is still a village.

First I was finding my new friend, with whom I will stay for the night and then explore the town all day long before catching the bus back to Daegu.

In the next morning I made my way to the village which is in the city heart and then I started to explore it. My friend also shown me on his map which other areas I can visit, as they have funny streets name example "The street desired to walk".

I had found the tourism agent first before starting the walk - they given me a map and a recommend walk. First I shall go up the small hill and may see the entire village from the top and then walk around the streets and visit few of the places from the inside. The most interesting thing in this village is that on the premises is a church. I did not been to all villages in Korea, but I predict this is the only one with a church in a traditional Korean village. This village is very nice to walk around, but its more a tourism village, I don't believe many local people stay here. On the other side you can experience a bit of Korean culture, I was lucky enough to experience a traditional Korean wedding. I am still unsure if it was real or fake. As it was organised very well in the backyard of a house which I joined and watch the processes. I guess I was very lucky, as I just had been walking around and only heard some music playing.

After the ceremony I decided to go also for lunch as the guest did. I gone back to the tourism agent spot, to ask which of this restaurant serves the best Bibimbap. There had been three restaurants who do it the best and of course they had been on air either SBS or MBC. I found the restaurant and sat down on one of the empty tables and order Jeonju Bibimbap. It was really delicious.  I can just never take a picture of Bibimbap when its get served, I am just to slow, therefore always mixed. If I dont mix it quick enough, either the rice will stick to the bottom and burn or the egg will be not fried (as its raw egg). I just was also amazed by the side dishes been given to the meal.  It is really worth coming to Jeonju for some food and experience a living village from tourism perspective.

I had later a walk around the new part of town before returning back to Daegu with the great experience I had collected while being here in Gwangju and Jeonju.

British Council and Seoul

(30^th September until 2^nd October)

Today on Friday I had a meeting with the British Council director. He liked to find out more of British students and studying in the UK from abroad and now here in S Korea abroad. His mission is to bring more UK students into Korea, as many of them come for travel but not studying. He is keen to find out the reason on it - why and how do they hear about the opportunity of coming to S Korea. I hope I can contribute to his mission - by posting my experience here and be read by my home university for the start and expand to other students who come across this blog and make them exited on what they can experience while being here. 

In the later afternoon was a session for Korean students  on who like to find out more about the UK and progress their studies there. I have been asked to come for the Q&A session that students could ask me on my experience - as technically I will encounter nearly the same problems as they will do. They also can ask me about the student life into more detail as British council would answer it with case studies and on past students they had meet on the return. The lady from the British council had been greatful that I have attended the Q&A session of her event.

 As soon the event has finish we made our way to Seoul. It is now the last weekend for my girlfriend here in Korea or only one day off the weekend as she is flying away on Sunday morning. The weeks had gone by very quick I still can remember on how I pick her up from the airport and actually on how myself I just arrived to Korea.  

Before the meeting of the Brtish Council we said good bye to her friends from the church at a place which my friend had recommended me to go for tea and coffee (or Coffee and bread).  As the name says you get for every drink you order 4 to 5 different types of bread. The price of the drink does not vary much from other places, therefore actually it is cheaper in this place if the cost of the bread is included into the price. 

After the meeting with British Council we made our way to the station and set off to Seoul. I promised the hostel to come for 10pm but due to late finish and want to save a bit of money (therefore not token KTX) got the train at 7pm and arrived at around 11pm in Seoul. The hostel is very friendly and let us arrived and check in for 11pm. I am not sure as if I had been guest there now twice or is that there policy to wait until 1am. 

The next day me had met up with our friend from Seoul and said good bye to him (or at least my girlfriend). We also have given him the Kimchi we had made ourselves in Suncheon. He was very happy - as it is actually his favourite Kimchi.  

We could not stay long with him as we had been looking out for our tour guide and needed to go to the theatre at 2pm. The promised tour guide did not had shown up or they already meet up and walked around. We did not had register for the tour anyway as it was closed - as we found out one day before. We just thought just to join them when we arrive there. We just made our on way at Namsan to the Namsan Tower. It is very confusing on how to get there, from the base it might be a 4km walk but then it can not decided itself either 2.7km and then you walk for a long period of time (maybe up to 5mins) and the next sign says 2.6km or 2.8km.

 Maybe we just walked wrong or they can not decided on where to start the measurement, but during the time many new ways up have been formed which are a little bit faster then the sign says. Therefore it might be a different way.  After a while of walk we found the way to the tower, but on the way there we had found other interesting things, such as a wedding and a Korean garden. 

As soon we reached to the tower we could only stay for a while before already making the way down. As we are going to the show "Pan" not far away (by subway) from here. It is a traditional show of Korea, and we purchased the tickets online. 

It was actually very easy to find the location - as on the map they given it looked simple but when actually being on the road it is a bit more difficult. In this case the simplified version had worked and we found it on the first go.  Unlucky both camera have died - as forgotten to recharge last night. We need to remember the event of today in our brain. I surely will not forget it as I was able to participate in one of the games they played. They played very nice music and told stories, those who's Korean isn't fluent there had been subtitle provided on the screen behind the acting  and on the side there was general information on what this play was about. 

After the show we had a look around the area and head back to the hostel for an hour to recharge the cameras.  Then we head back to the Namsan area to look around the market - as last time we been for the food but not for items. As my girlfriend wanted to buy last minutes gifts. 

 The next day has broken up and it is Sunday. We had made an early start to the airport. The flight was scheduled for 11 in the morning. After I said good bye to her, I wanted to visit Incheon and token a bus from outside to Incheon Train Station. Incheon itself is also very big therefore I just visited only two parts of it China Town and an Island. Where I could find a Korean style garden with buildings and Emigration Museum. I have learnt on why Koreans aim to US and who the first emigrates of modern Korean been. It was also interesting to find out that Koreans in 1903 had been classed as "low cost" labour. 

I did wanted to stay to long in Incheon as I had been a bit tired and needed also to be back to the dorm before 1am. 

I also did not wanted to sit on the subway all the way to Seoul Station and decided to take a bus to Daegu, which is nearly gone the similar time as I would have taken the subway plus train. 

고고 Go!

(Go, Go, Go) 

It is back to Tuesday. Those of you who read all my entries will know on what I will say. Yes you right it is back to hard study day. Therefore let’s skip the day light part as nothing special has happen.

In the evening it did. I walked back to pick up my girlfriend and seen some drummers at the bus terminal of KNU practising and now I knew where the sound and what sound come from. I asked them on when they will perform and they mention Saturday. They did tell me that actually right now their friends do have a performance in the stage. I therefore quickly gone and pick up my girlfriend and we went to the show of “Go Go Go”.

There was an interesting drum play and traditional into modern Korean music had been played.  It was very nice and very well done. It is great to see on what Korean students are able to do while studying very hard for their degree. They still do have free time to perform and practise for shows.  They do not spend all their time in library as it is mainly presumed in the UK.

I really much enjoyed the Korean style of classical sounds, as it is more energetic as western style. I need to be honest, even though I like classical music it sometimes put me to sleep as it relax you, but in Korean style it is powerful and active as we been given for the second half light sticks to wave around during the performance.

Chuesok Holiday

(9th September until 13th September) 

  

As you may read the last article it stated I am in the airport. Here it continues.

My girlfriend had arrived and we meet up with our friend from Korea who we meet in Newcastle. He lives himself in Seoul and he has shown us around his city. We had been to a small market street near to our hostel and continue along to the National Museum where we met up with his girlfriend.  While we visited the Museum, most of us felt very sleepy as we all did not sleep well or had jet leg off the long travel.  We decided therefore to head back for a little sleep all of us and meet up again at night time for Nansam Tower in Seoul.  It was a great view during the night onto Seoul.

In the second day we had gone to the bus station to purchase tickets to Andong, it is better to do in advance due to the holiday. Everyone is travelling back home to their parents or a meeting point with all the family.  After purchasing the tickets from the East Bus Station (DongSeoul), we had taken a look on the map where we could go. I saw that just few stations away the Olympic Stadium of 1988 was nearby. Therefore we visited the Olympic Park of Seoul Games 1988.

We then taken the Subway back into town of Seoul, on the way back we come across a stop which called “Market” and decided to have a look. We found out it is a whole sale market and was very interesting to see on how they sell it. It is sometimes very hard to purchases something as they try to sell you either the full box or a bowl of 5 fruits. We only just want to try the pears, peaches and apple, therefore are not willing to purchase the bowl.  We manage to find some stores on where we could just buy one apple, and at some other stall one peach and one pear.  We had a look around the market and continued back on the journey to city centre on where we try to find the market at Nansam and maybe to have also some dinner.  As it is the last night of Seoul, I also liked to see the river as I only seen from the car while stuck in traffic.

We manage to get a subway to the river where we stayed for an hour before traveling back to the hostel and take a good rest for the journey southward to Andong.

It is Sunday now and tomorrow is the day of Chuesok. It is a Korean thanksgiving day, where family member get together and worship their ancestors.  We had made the way the to the bus station and had around a fours journey to Andong. The bus was full and I did not been aware we will drive direct to Andong – so great service. I was as well surprised that 50km before the destination we take a 15mins break.  As 50kms is not anymore a long journey.

We arrived late afternoon in Andong and still manage to visit Tourist Information centre before closure, so they could tell us on how to get to the famous village in Andong. The most important aspect on where is the best place to stay overnight. They had given as a few suggestions and then we made on the way to ask for the best price.

We token a walk in Andong and seen a nice park which looks many hundred years old, but was just recently build for its local citizen to relax and for us tourist after the long journey from Seoul. It was a good place to relax.

The next day has broken in and we been had been given the information on bus services to Hahoe Village which is not very frequent. Therefore we decided to take an early bus, maybe a bit too early.  It was good as no tourist expect us had been on the side of arrival, and you got the best spot on taking pictures of the village. No one will appear in the peaceful village.  As today is also Chuesok holiday I will not expect many visitors coming, but later in the day more people joined from Korea. Maybe some of their family member used to live in the village. As they worship their ancestor as mention above.

As we only would spend one day in Andong we decided for lunch time to head backwards and see if we could visit the bridge, but before that look on how to return back to Daegu and stop by Tourist Centre. They advise us that the train and bus service would be very busy and indeed the train service was fully booked, so the plan change and we gone to bus station to luckily manage to purchases tickets back to Daegu or may would stuck in Andong.

After purchasing the tickets we went to the longest pedestrian bridge in S Korea. It was something special, as usually a bridge is just for walking over, but on this one you could take a rest in the shadow as you do on the river bank in Korea.

In our tour guide it had been mention that the chicken dish is original from Andong, so we shall try it here. We went to the market on where many vendors been and just decided for one and ordered the dish, being unaware it is for sharing.  As my girlfriend is vegetarian I had the whole plate for myself – I am sure you can imagine on how I felt after finishing the dish.

This was the end of the Chuesok, thanks for taking the time to read the blog. As this was a long blog entry so far.

Daegu Down Town

Today we had meet up with a friend from Japan, Malaysia and Germany at the main gate and decided to visit the city centre (down town). As some of them did not seen it yet. The plan was taking a city tour bus, but I guessed due to the 50km Race Walk it would be hard to find or even does not take place as it needs to go through the race parts. We still could explore the town on our own, as I had been there a few times I acted as a little tour guide.

The first stop had been the Medicine street, where we had try out various medical products. They shall be good for our body and natural from Daegu, at least we presume they are.

As we come just for lunch time, there did not had been many activities inside the city, I ask the group if we may shall check out the two parks. The 28th February Park and  Gukchae-bosang Memorial Park. Neither of these park had been any activities, just young people and elderly hang out together and played music on the open Piano or played cards. In the second park we walked a bit around and token a few pictures and suddenly we saw our friends from America and France. It had been a big surprise to find them in a one million people city. The plan was to go for a Korean ice-cream, therefore we have invited them to come along.

As we had been now more people, we have ordered a giant ice-cream to share in Korean way.

It is very unique on what I also had in Taiwan. As in Korea they dont stack the fruits to a mountain, they just lay them down and put also a few cereals inside. It has then a different taste, as all of it gets mixed together instant eating from top to bottom.

If you ever come across visiting Korea, you shall try to find an ice-cream shop and eat a Korean ice-cream.

After the ice cream we had split ourself up, as some needed to go back to dorm to meet other people. A few of us stayed in town and thought something still must be happen. We decided to walk up the shopping street and come across the park Gyeongsang-gamyeong Park, where activities had taken place of Korean culture. One of the activities had been to play the traditional Korean games and wear traditional clothes of Korea.

We also had been awarded by staying longer that at six o'clock the played the bell in the park.

I will try to keep this post short, but it just to much has happen on one day. As we also had been to a kind of Korean McDonalds to try Bimbibam (my spelling might be wrong). It is a traditional Korean dish and the night was finished of in a Western Style rather then Korean style with a beer in the near by bar.