Well I'm back to finish off the reminiscing for semester 1 of the exchange. I'll be talking about the DMZ and Busan.
I don't even know where to begin for the DMZ. I'd always read and heard about it on the news or internet before, but never visited, so it was somewhat surreal to finally go there. I won't forget just standing meters away from the North Korean side and seeing a couple North Korean soldiers on the other side staring back with binoculars. I also wont forget going into the UN blue houses on the Joint Security Area where officials from both sides can meet for negotiations.
Then after we toured some infiltration tunnels the North Koreans had dug into the south and also a train station that was built during the sunshine policy with the hope of connecting Pyongyang and Seoul. Dorasan station just sits there now, still not having been used once...
The DMZ is one place I'll never forget because it's completely unique int he world.
And now moving onto Busan, another place I'll never forget. 11 people went on this trip and somehow it did work out, but it was fractured and splintered since the people broke off into 3 different groups...I learned my lesson not to have 11 people ever come on one trip, unless you know that all of them have the same thought process. But my group, consisting of only me, Su, and Murat covered the best places of Busan. We went to Chinatown and the downtown shopping area. There was also a gaming convention in town that Murat went to and he did snap some good pictures of him and the gaming girls there xD
Oh I cant forget about Haeundae beach, one of the most popular tourist destinations for Koreans during the summer. Too bad we didnt really swim or anything since we went in October or November, it wasn't cold at all though.
Also I want to briefly mention Chinatown. Out of all the ones I've visited, the one in Busan seems to come the closest to Cantonese food that you'll find in Calgary. Eating at the restaurants there felt just like home. The dishes we ate there were something I'd expect at Dim Sum, and I miss that so much TT
But only 11 more days!
And before I end this post, I need to thank Jinu and Melissa for meeting me last week! Good luck to both of you in your lives and careers and we'll meet again soon, I know!
Places visited-->
Seoul:
Gwanghwamun (Gyeongbok palace), Banpo (Rainbow) bridge, Itaewon, Gangnam, Gapyeong, Namdaemun, Cheongyecheon, Seoul City Hall, N Seoul Tower, Hongdae (Trick eye museum), Changgyeong palace, Changdeok palace, Deoksu palace, Bukchon, Myeongdong, Jongmyo Shrine, Arisu Water Purification Centre, Sinchon, Seonreung and Jeongreung royal tombs, Sinsa
Jeju Island: Hallasan, Ilchulbong, Jeju City, Seogwipo, War Memorial of Korea
Yongin: Korean folk village
Demilitarized Zone (DMZ): Panmunjom/JSA, Dora Observatory, Third Infiltration tunnel, Dorasan Station
Jeonju
Busan
Paju (Heiri Village)
Incheon: Chinatown and area
Suwon: Hwaseong Fortress
China:
Beijing
Tianjin
Dandong
DPRK:
Pyongyang
Kaesong
DMZ
Mt. Myohyang
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