Catch up Korea - Last Days

Well we had a pretty awesome time in Korea. Karson, Mr. "I NEVER want to go to Korea" is already planning the trip back when he is 11. It is too cute.

The day started with a visit by Kellis' foster mother who came laden down with gifts for our family. kellis warmed to her for about 2 minutes and then would not have a thing to do with her. UGHHHHH. She was being such a brat and it was embarrasing! Her foster mom, Mrs. Hong, remembers Kellis so well because out of the 100+ babies she has fostered she has only had 5 girls!!! She is very proud of her son who is a doctor and was concerned that when Kellis Came home Kylee might have been jealous as she had been the only girl...we reassured her that it was not the case!

Tuesday found us back in Itaewon going to Lee's Framing to pick out pictures. Kellis picked a flower/butterfly one, Kullen a soldier, and Karson a dragon. I found a copy of a very famous painting, and a round zodiac picture that I found interesting. Kylee picked a floral and a tiger. beautiful works for about $15 each. We also had a traditional Korean meal for dinner in the Hongik University area. No one spoke English so it was interesting trying to get a vegetarian meal for Kylee. Meanwhile, Dave went back to the antique store and bought the wooden men's hat box. It is beautiful and will be a real treasure for ou family.

From there we left the kids at home and Dave and I went out to the major
Oriental Medicine Market, Kyungdong Market. It was absolutely incredible. The
smells were so pungent and interesting. Spicy florals filled the air along with
dark earthy primal odors. Huge fungi stamped (maybe burned into the fungi) with
the word Korea on them. Willow bark, 8 inch centipedes that are eaten for back
pain or so we were told but when we discussed this with Mr. Shin he cracked up
so I am no longer sure about that. We went into a traditional pharmacy where the
wall is lined with drawers full of herbs, parts, barks, roots, flowers,etc. It
was amazing. I mean I have NEVER seen or smelled anything like it. Every shop
had a model of the human body with the the nerve pathways and (I can't think of
the word nor spell it...chacras). Huge racks of deer antlers would make a
Colorado hunter salivate for hours. I mean these were big racks. This is the
first time I have been there and it won't be the last.

Right across the street was a traditional market called Gwang-Sung. Vendors
each specializing in one thing: garlic, greens, fish, chickens, onions, etc.
Dried fish shops with jellyfish, squid, manta rays. Chickens being chopped right
there on big blocks of wood. Making douek (spelled inclorrectly) is harder than
it might seem so is grinding chilis into red chili powder. Didn't see a solitary
Caucasian for miles around. What was even more amazing is that the sidewalk
vendors would cover their stands with tarp/bungee cords and go home for the
night. Nothing is stolen....it is incredible.

Thoughts of the day:

In the USa they have yet to invent jeans that are as small as some of the ones
being worn here. Is there such a thing as a minus 000 size?

It is a little unnerving seeing the emergency gas mask cases. Even more
unnerving is the fact that there are like 40 masks in a locked cabinet. I mean
there are 100 people in a subway car times 30 of them...seems a little gracious
considering the typical human reaction to being gassed.

How do you decide what to specialize in? I mean I would love being around garlic
all day but is there a market for it esp. when there are 10 other people in
nearby stalls selling it too?

What are those green centipedes REALLY used for?

Wednesday we woke up to pouring rain so we pretty much stayed at Eastern until late afternoon when we decided to visit the Korea National Museum. It was gorgeous. Opened in 2005 it is composed of gleaming cream colored marble on a radius curve. Beautiful colletions for the Palolethic age with tools and pottery galore, golden crowns, etc. The second floor had full scale traditional house and many galleries of paintings including the Buddhist Collection, calligraphy, beautiful wooden furniture and large tapestries. There was a 10 story high pagoda that was spectacular. It was really amazing.

We left the museum and went to Korea House for the dance performance. Kullen fell asleep but Karson and Kellis loved the dancing. The women drummers were intense and amazing. Karson loved the mask dance while Kellis enjoyed the fan dance. The singer who is known as a "national treasure" well she sounded like a screech owl...could have done without her.

We then took our last subway ride and ended back at the guesthouse at around 9 p.m.

Korea has been incredible to our kids and for our family. We can hardly wait to go back and enjoy seeing more of the country. Next time our plan is to go to Mokpo and Busan. I think it has been a real healing adventure for Karson and instilled some pride about being Korean into our boys.

Day Four in Korea in which Cheryl Gets Gray Hair

Well today has been interesting and exhausting. Did I tell you that Eastern down in the lobby has a bathroom with those incredible luxury toilets. You know the ones that have the heated seat, that rinse you off after you are done doing your business and then dry you with warm air? Needless to say I like that bathroom but Dave gets impatient when (in his words) "You decide you must pamper your butt." Excuse me if this is too graphic... and yes I agree it is a thought that can elicit night terrors but I do think it is kind of unique to these parts.

We started by taking the subway to get to the Seoul City Tour bus. First thing that happens is I can't find Kullen. My heart drops. Look around. Panic. Look around somemore. Now if you have ever been on the Seoul subway you know it is a madhouse, full of people, fun to ride but insane at the same time. Easy to loose a child esp one like my son. Then just as I feel I will lose it I hear a voice "surprise, here I am Mom" and out he pops from the telephone booth 2 ft away!!! Man if this kid survives until his next birthday (which I might add is tomorrow) he will be lucky. Thirty gray hairs later and we get on the Green Line and off we go.

The Seoul City Bus Tour is great. Fairly cheap and you can get on and off the bus at your leisure. We started by getting off at Gyeongbokgung Palace and were disappointed to see the guards of Changing of the Guards fame on the other side of the street. Bummer. Little did we know that we did make it and saw part of the ceremony. The kids loved it esp Kullen who loved the nice shiny gleaming swords and anything else that could be considered weapon-like. They were also having right in front of the palace a "Look like a Korean in Traditional dress" morning. No sizes for kids but Dave got dressed and the boys put on the hats while Kellis whined. I got some nice pics. Back over to the guards. Pics with the guards. Kullen decides to run over to the BIG Korean Drum and whack it...I get yelled at...then they decide to put up the sign that says NO NOT TOUCH THE DRUM....did I say something about Kullen making it to his next birthday???????????????????????

Well, all I can say is that when you are 6,7, 4 once you have seen one palace you don't need to be bothered looking at another. Scratch palace hopping off the list. Maybe next time we come we will see a second one. So we leave and as we are leaving here come the guards again in a prosession. THe kids loved watching a listening to it all.

Back on the bus. Go past the War Memorial of Korea...decide to go there on Wednesday when it rains. Go past the National Museum of Korea...another Wednesday adventure. Head to Itaewon. Look for Mike's print shop which we find is now named Lee's. It is closed. Bummer. Found an incredible antique store with a traditional hat box for them men's traditional tall hat. Considering this but how the heck to do you get it home? Stop for quiznois subs. The kids have never had one due to their previous to this trip gluten free diet. They devore them. How much forbidden food can these kids put away? See a hysterical sign there that says Smoking Time Am7-Am10 and PM 8-Closing time. Oh, specially priced combos are not available on the weekends...could we pretend it is MOnday then? They then go to Cold Stone Creamery (another previously forbidden delight) while I go to Joy Jewelry and order 5 necklaces in Hangul of my kids names which they will deliver to our hotel before we leave. YIPPEEE.

Then we headed over to Namsangol Traditional Korea Village. Last time I came there were two other people there but today it was packed. The vendors were nearby hawking their yummy corn cakes, chestnut cakes, pine nut pink coated treats and numerous other things that looked interesting or gross depending if you are 48 or 7. What was special about today at the Village was that all the traditional games of Korea were being featured. There was the bow and arrow shoot...did I say something about Kullen making it to his next birthday????....the traditional see saw which I might add is much harder than one would think but something that Kullen excelled at. The best part was watching two ladies in the 60's who were able to do it and here the thawp, thawp, thawp as they landed in perfect synchrony.They were amazing. They also had a game in which you cast arrows into a jar (don't know the name but did take a pic of the directions on how to play), the traditional rope swing, Yut with Horse, and a spinning top game in which you use a whip to get it going and keep it going, etc. It was great to see families with young kids as well as the much older generations playing these games and enjoying themselves. The laughter was infectious and hearing old and young laughing together was just music to my ears.

Suppose to go to Korea House for the performance today but one of my children was acting up and exhausted us to the nth degree...I don't think I have to name names here if you know what I mean.

Thoughts: Never have I been in a country in which its traditional clothing has such bright colors along with the guards uniforms. Dyed purple and pink ears on a dog with matching toenails...now that is almost sinful. How do you teach kids to try much less eat dried squid? Is there any bribe that is big enough for that? I wonder how many people get run over here per year? I have yet to see any drivers flip someone the bird. It appears there is no road rage here...now that would be an interesting research project. How many gray hairs can one little boy give one momma in a day...no research project necessary for that one...43!