Monday, January 5, 2009

The not so important stuff

Sunday I went to the DMZ. I want to post about that, but I need to think on it a little longer and do a little more research. So, for the not so important stuff:

Before the DMZ tour on Sunday we walked around a Namdaemun market in Seoul for about an hour. I liked the little metal disk in the street that told us where we were.


We saw a shop where they sell traditional Korean outfits for children.


The tour bus was scheduled to pick us up at the Hilton at 11:00 am so we wandered around the lobby a little. This was the huge christmas tree dominating the lobby. It was quite beautiful.


The nativity there was very pretty.


Can you find the KitKat bar?


After the DMZ we went to Seoul Tower. It has a beautiful view of the city.
The tower:

The night view:


Afterward I ended up walking through the city for about 40 minutes by myself. It wasn't so bad. I always feel like you never really get to know a city until you walk or drive around it by yourself. I never really got to do that in the big cities in the DR (a little bit in the colonial section of Santo Domingo), but it was nice to have a chance to do so here. It is like Seoul and I kept passing each other at parties but we formally met last night, though the encounter was brief. I hope to rub shoulders with Seoul more in the future.


From DMZ Trip and 1-5-09


Here are a few other odds and ends. A stop sign in Korea (this one is at the corner up in the University where I teach.)


Our Korean Dorm mother. She is so sweet and cooks for us sometimes and is just generally kind, patient and helpful even though her American tenants can sometimes be quite annoying!




North Korean Soju - ummm, ick.

One of my favorite Korean Snacks:


How I am wasting my time (but a handy skill to keep kids entertained in odd times of nothing to do.)


Tonight's snack (and tomorrow's):

The frozen version of Bungeopang has icecream inside instead of red beans. I am addicted to Milkis and allow myself to drink one (almost every day) only because I know in less than three weeks I won't be able to get it anymore.

Alright, that is enough for now. I am still trying to get rested from yesterday's excursion.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

So the Bungeopang has red beans inside - like a bean paste, or whole? Is it spicy? What does the milkis taste like?

That street guide disk is very cool -- I feel like I've seen one in another city outside the US, but I don't remember where... Beijing, maybe? Or somewhere in Russia. It's a good idea though.

It is like Seoul and I kept passing each other at parties but we formally met last night, though the encounter was brief. I hope to rub shoulders with Seoul more in the future.

That's a really beautiful way of expressing it. You're awesome.

I love seeing and reading about your time there! I'm so glad you're getting this experience!

Do you have an address?

Christina said...

I am sure in theory I have an address, but I am only here two more weeks. :-( So it doesn't really matter. *sigh* And I cannot find a post office to mail my postcards. I'll post again in 12 hours.