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Travels in Korea!

Discussion in 'Community Off Topic' started by Forest, Aug 18, 2013.

  1. Forest

    Forest Beloved Grand Eagle

    Hi, everyone. If you've noticed that I've been around a little bit less recently, it's actually because I'm out of town... I'm actually in Korea!

    My girlfriend was adopted from Korea when she was 6 months old and grew up in the US, with American parents, but she likes to visit Korea periodically. This is her third trip, and she offered to bring me along. I don't travel much, but when she invited me, I decided it was too good of a chance to pass up.

    Hence, I've been in Korea since the 13th, and I'm having a great time exploring and learning about the culture. Some people asked me to share some photos, so here they are!

    Here is the changing of the guard, at Gyeongbokgung palace, where the kings of Korea lived for 700 years:

    The guards on watch at the main gate:
    Korea 050.jpg

    And here is a view from inside the palace:
    Korea 068.jpg

    The following is the Joint Security Area, the heart of the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), between North and South Korea. The two nations are still technically at war, and the blue buildings are where meetings between the North, the South, and the US occur, under UN supervision. The South Korean soldiers are standing half behind the blue buildings to present a smaller target to the North Koreans should shooting begin and also so that they can gesture discretely to other soldiers.


    You are allowed to take photos here. I suspect that the tours are a form of psychological operation against the North. We must look so well fed to the North Koreans, who have so little food, that it must sap morale to some degree. Sad...

    And to leave on a cheerier note, I thought I'd leave you with some greetings from Korea, Gangnam style:
    Korea 095.jpg

    You may recognize the pose from about 1:55 into this little video (now at 1.7 Billion views). What can I say? I have a slightly eccentric sense of humor...
     
    gailnyc, veronica73 and JanAtheCPA like this.
  2. NolaGal

    NolaGal Peer Supporter

    What a fun trip! Thanks for sharing :) My husband once dated a Korean girl and lived with her family for a year. He LOVES the food and has introduced me to many new things. I hope you're getting some great food there!
     
    mr tms likes this.
  3. Forest

    Forest Beloved Grand Eagle

    Oh, my goodness, I've had such fun exploring the food. It you look around, it can be both cheap and delicious. The food culture here is really terrific. We've had lots of great Korean barbecue, and some wondt is erful soups and pastas as well.

    The following was one of my favorites. It is incredibly hot here right now, so the following cold soup was very welcome. It was buckwheat noodles in a sweet, vinegary broth filled with ice crystals. It's called Mul Naengmyeon:
    Korea 104.rot.jpg
    Slightly less appetizing, but still cool, was Jagalchi fish market. I love the way he grabs the escaped fish and just plops it back in:​
    I almost got some terrific video of some cute kids with their Korean mom watching some sort of muscle-like mollusk that almost escaped, falling on the floor.​
    We had noodles with black bean sauce (delicious!) for $3 yesterday for lunch on the way up to a Buddhist temple. The shop was named "Live food." We didn't dare ask.​
    Speaking of live food, look what I found in my seafood chowder last night!​
    Korea 018.small.jpg
    Note the eye and the jaw. The meat from the neck was actually quite good, but we wondered how the locals managed all of the copious bones. ​
     
    plum and Rinkey like this.
  4. Walt Oleksy (RIP 2021)

    Walt Oleksy (RIP 2021) Beloved Grand Eagle

    I guess I'll stick with American food. The photos are great.
     
  5. plum

    plum Beloved Grand Eagle

    Forest, really love how you have a pen next to your spoon. Are you someone who feels inspired to write when they eat? Countless serviettes around here attest to this tendency!

    Live food? The mind boggles and then reels.
     
    Eric "Herbie" Watson likes this.
  6. Ellen

    Ellen Beloved Grand Eagle

    Forest, thanks for sharing photos from your trip. Looks interesting!

    Plum, thanks for adding poetry to this forum. I love reading your posts.
     
    plum likes this.
  7. plum

    plum Beloved Grand Eagle

    Bless you Ellen. Your words are a warm morning hug.

    Must say, I do love your avatar. I'd very much like to be floating in cool, blue water. Are the Blue Ridge Mountains as beautiful as they sound?
     
    Ellen likes this.
  8. mr tms

    mr tms New Member

    Holy cow - I didn't see this until just now. I actually just got back from 3 weeks in Seoul myself visiting my wife's (She is a Korean citizen) relatives. It was my third time going...had I known this, I would've scheduled a Korean TMS meet and greet. :)

    Are you still there? Besides the awesome food, make sure to check out Insadong, Hongdae (Club/Student area), Korean Folk Village (in Suwon), Namsan tower, Han River Cruise (at night the city is gorgeous). Glad you had fun and wish I had seen this sooner!
     
  9. Eric "Herbie" Watson

    Eric "Herbie" Watson Beloved Grand Eagle

    This is awesome forest- you look like your eating great-
    bring back souvenirs, leave the fish eyes- wont need em
    Im glad you got to show us your travel- it is so beautiful
     
  10. tarala

    tarala Well known member

    Thanks for the cool photos Forest. Brings back memories, I took the boat to Korea from Japan in 1976. I stayed for a month and had a ball traveling around.
     
  11. G.R.

    G.R. Well known member

    Forrest,
    Thanks so much for sharing. I hope you had an amazing time. I so enjoyed the photos
     
  12. G.R.

    G.R. Well known member

    Forrest,
    My son is traveling to South Korea this Wednesday. If you get this, any tips on South Korea. He is also going to Japan.
    Your photos are so inspiring. Thank you for communicating with all of us when you were away. It is very much appreciated.
    G.R.
     

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