Day 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66

Once again not alot to report on for the past week besides going to visit a Water purification Center here in Seoul. We were guided on a tour by the chief manager and his assistants. Alex pointed out that there were 27 or so staff that did the tour with all 10 of us... Originally it was supposed to be 17-20 students but don't know what happened to them and frankly don't care. Each of us got a good souvenir afterwards in the form of a water flute and a nice wooden board. I'd like to thank everyone there that guided us on the tour and as promised I'm promoting Arisu water here. You can't get their water in any supermarket but perhaps someday ^^

Anyway, finished my first class presentation yesterday and now there is only a paper to do. And I better get started on it since it's supposed to be 10 pages long...Also went to a Korean BBQ restaurant for dinner last night, made up for that terrible BBQ on Jeju that's for sure :D
Oh and this just popped into my mind, Battlefield 3 came out. Ada is Will going to buy it?

Finally, I can't believe it's already been 2 months since I've come. Still feels like yesterday.



Places visited in Korea: Gwanghwamun (Gyeongbok palace), Banpo (Rainbow) bridge, Itaewon, Gangnam, Gapyeong, Namdaemun, Cheongyecheon, Seoul City Hall, Jeju Island (Hallasan, IIchulbong, Jeju City, Seogwipo), N Seoul tower, Hongdae (Trick Eye museum), Yongin (Korea folk village), Changgyeong palace, Changdeok palace, Deoksu palace, Bukchon, Myeongdong, Jongmyo Shrine, Demilitarized Zone [DMZ] (Panmunjeom/JSA, Dora observatory, Third infiltration tunnel, Dorasan station), Arisu Water Purification Center

Day 59, 60

Three letters to begin this post: DMZ!!!


Yup, with Alex and Marine, we visited the Demilitarized Zone. The only word I can use to describe that area would be: Surreal. I woke up at 5:30 AM since our tour to the DMZ began at 7:30 so I'm tired as I write this. But it was completely worth it. Even before we were at the DMZ, there were many look out houses. I know they were look out houses since there was barbed wire fencing everywhere, and armed ROK soldiers walking on patrol. First off was the Joint Security Area or JSA, the place with the blue houses and where North and South Korea are separated by a stone slab. Went in there with our US Army guide and, well, I can say I was in North Korea since half the conference house we were in was in North Korea. Also took a photo with the ROK guards there. No smile whatsoever, just standing in a Taekwondo position ready against a North Korean attack. Oh and the North Korean soldier(s) on the other side were taking photographs or just looking through their binoculars at us. It was interesting and at times tense, since we were told that we should not make any gestures or comments towards the North Koreans. If just one of us inadvertently made  a gesture and the North Koreans saw through their binoculars, well you'd be reading about an international incidence on the news... After that we went to an observatory and viewed the North Korea Propaganda village, the place where one of the tallest flag poles in the world stands. Then, we went to the Bridge of No Return, where POWs would be returned to North or South Korea.

Here's a link to the places I saw today, for those that don't know: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joint_Security_Area


The tour after that was ok, but wasn't as exciting as the JSA part. The Third Infiltration tunnel was a good workout, located about 73 m below ground and almost 1700 m long. I say workout because the tunnel was only 2 m high, and the entrance was inclined at 11 degrees for about 400 m, huffing and puffing back up. Then after that, we had lunch in a building near a border crossing with North Korea, and after that our last stop was Dorasan Station, a train station built during the Sunshine Policy years. It's the first train station before North Korea, and symbolizes hope one day that trains will run from Seoul to Pyongyang. 


Well that's what I did for today. This is one of the things that I will never forget, because it was very surreal and at times eerie to be standing in the Demilitarized Zone, and thinking that North and South Korea are just a concrete slab apart.








Places visited in Korea: Gwanghwamun (Gyeongbok palace), Banpo (Rainbow) bridge, Itaewon, Gangnam, Gapyeong, Namdaemun, Cheongyecheon, Seoul City Hall, Jeju Island (Hallasan, IIchulbong, Jeju City, Seogwipo), N Seoul tower, Hongdae (Trick Eye museum), Yongin (Korea folk village), Changgyeong palace, Changdeok palace, Deoksu palace, Bukchon, Myeongdong, Jongmyo Shrine, Demilitarized Zone [DMZ] (Panmunjeom/JSA, Dora observatory, Third infiltration tunnel, Dorasan station)

Day 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58

I'll start this post off with an update on the weather here. It's getting cool now, but I'm sure not as cold as Calgary. The heating in the dorms have started and I appreciate it when I feel cold but since my room faces the sun for most of the day and combined with the heating, it feels like summer in here. Very hard to sleep or try to do anything... That's my biggest complaint right now, just too hot, even had to turn the A/C back on.
Anyway, I can knock off the last palace or shrine in Seoul after visiting it yesterday on a class field trip. It was good, though I heard  many students complained it was boring just walking on a guided tour for an hour. Course, this is coming from the "party" students, the ones that just party and drink and have no interest in history or culture, their classes, future...
But enough of that which makes me sound like a 50 year old.

Day 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51

Not alot to report on besides two major things, the fireworks and walking around Myeongdong. First the fireworks. The pictures have been posted on Facebook and it's something you'll never see in Calgary. There was approximately 1 million people attending the fireworks and I'll believe that number since I can't describe how crowded the subway stations and park, near the Han River where the fireworks took place, were. Me and Su left before the fireworks before they were done, thank god, since we had estimated it would take a long time to get back to the University. Well, it only took us an hour...Now I'm thinking I should've stayed until the end, but then I just remember how crowded it was.
And yesterday took a walk in Myeongdong. I've found the Shibuya of Seoul!!! Along with name brand stores, there's street vendors that will satisfy any type of shopping and appetite. Yes, Ada I know you're following this blog, so this section is specifically for you and Karen, and your shopping habits...
Oh, should've mentioned this in my last post, but I got my first hair cut in Korea a couple weeks ago. Need to re-cut since it's still too long...




Places visited in Korea: Gwanghwamun (Gyeongbok palace), Banpo (Rainbow) bridge, Itaewon, Gangnam, Gapyeong, Namdaemun, Cheongyecheon, Seoul City Hall, Jeju Island (Hallasan, IIchulbong, Jeju City, Seogwipo), N Seoul tower, Hongdae (Trick Eye museum), Yongin (Korea folk village), Changgyeong palace, Changdeok palace, Deoksu palace, Bukchon, Myeongdong

Just wanted to add to the last post, visited the Korean Blue House or saw it at least as me and Su were looking for the Chinese embassy. And I think I can be officially considered Korean when 3 random Koreans come up to you while walking in Seoul and ask for directions and such...

Day 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44

Not alot to write about again, so I'll just get straight to the interesting parts. Went to Yeoido with Alex and Marine for the largest church in South Korea. Apparently it can seat up to 80,000 people and it looked as big as the Saddledome. I can't believe that Canada doesn't have anything comparable to that size. Afterwards, we went to the 63 Building and watched my first IMAX 3D film there about Boeing and their 787. There was also an aquarium there too, but it was the most depressing I'd ever seen. The enclosures were way too small for the animals that were there, what I still don't get is why would the aquarium decide to put some pelicans in a small room that doesn't allow them to fly?? If that aquarium ever closes, I won't feel sorry.

And today, went with Su to the Chinese consulate and embassy to ask about visa requirements to China. It seems very easy and convenient now, so I better get planning my China trip. Oh and knocked off another palace on my list of sites to see, Deoksu. Very small compared to the other ones.





Places visited in Korea: Gwanghwamun (Gyeongbok palace), Banpo (Rainbow) bridge, Itaewon, Gangnam, Gapyeong, Namdaemun, Cheongyecheon, Seoul City Hall, Jeju Island (Hallasan, IIchulbong, Jeju City, Seogwipo), N Seoul tower, Hongdae (Trick Eye museum), Yongin (Korea folk village), Changgyeong palace, Changdeok palace, Deoksu palace, Bukchon, Myeongdong