It is always important when you're on a grand adventure to set some ground rules for your travelling companions. Here are the rules I will remember to give Martha before we head out on our next journey.
1. I do not care, not even one bit what happened on yesterday's episode of the soap opera. You are NOT allowed to turn the TV on before 7:30 am. Whatever episode they are showing at 5:30 and 6:30 am they are going to repeat later in the day. I promise.
2. The only place you're going to hear me tell you to 'take a couple of thousand out of my wallet' is in Korea. You are always welcome to a few thousand Korean won. Don't think even for a moment I'm ever going to tell you to help yourself to a few thousand when we're back in Canada.
3. There is a reason people start getting ready for a trip a few days before they leave. Grant it you have done an absolutely fabulous job with the photos on this trip - but it's my camera and I want it back. It's not my fault you forgot the cord for yours!
You have been the best travel companion ever! I can hardly wait for our next trip!
Wednesday, March 27, 2013
Good-bye to Beautiful Seoul
Tonight is our last night in Seoul and we celebrated with Rosé and her wonderful friend from Australia, Peldon. On Peldon's recommendation we went to a fabulous chicken soup place that is big with the Japanese and Chinese tourists. We waited about 20 minutes to get in, but it was sure worth the wait! Chicken soup will never be the same for me. Two chickens were cut up and cooked in broth right at our table, with spices, giant rice noodles and potatoes added. It was absolutely the best chicken soup we've ever had! It was a beautiful evening, with a full moon, so we walked all the way back to our hotel!
Rosé is so lucky to have made such wonderful friends here. Peldon, and Rose's other friends we met last week, are such interesting and strong young women. We admire them all. They are on life changing journeys. I hope they will remain friends forever, wherever they settle in this great big world.
As for us, we're happy to be heading home tomorrow. We've had an amazing adventure and we've loved every minute of it. Thank you Rose for taking us along on your journey. We love you!
Rosé is so lucky to have made such wonderful friends here. Peldon, and Rose's other friends we met last week, are such interesting and strong young women. We admire them all. They are on life changing journeys. I hope they will remain friends forever, wherever they settle in this great big world.
As for us, we're happy to be heading home tomorrow. We've had an amazing adventure and we've loved every minute of it. Thank you Rose for taking us along on your journey. We love you!
Tuesday, March 26, 2013
What a Mother, and Aunt, Will Do
Those of us who are fortunate enough to be mothers know that we have experienced things that required strength we never knew we had. Sleepless nights for oh years, nursing a sick child, and then the rest of the family, broken hearts, broken limbs, wisdom teeth etc. etc. etc. Tonight Rose took Paula and I to one of her favourite haunts to have sundae, a dish made with the ever present chilli spices, noodles, vegetables, pig skin and blood sausage (made with noodles and well blood).
We wanted to appear enthusiastic, but it was a challenge. Look at my face in the pic below as it was being cooked at our table! I look at little apprehensive! Actually, it tasted really good, it was the texture that was a little disturbing. But as a good mother, and aunt, we gobbled it up, smiling. Rosé loves the stuff.
Even the restaurant was an experience - all pink!
The city just goes on and on forever, with loads of districts packed with people and shops. Tonight we were in Sillim, a district near the university. It felt much less touristy and more like a place where people live and work. After dinner we went to Cafe Bene where we sat for a long time having coffee and getting a lesson in writing in Korean from Rosé. Great fun. My stomach is rumbling as I write.
We wanted to appear enthusiastic, but it was a challenge. Look at my face in the pic below as it was being cooked at our table! I look at little apprehensive! Actually, it tasted really good, it was the texture that was a little disturbing. But as a good mother, and aunt, we gobbled it up, smiling. Rosé loves the stuff.
Even the restaurant was an experience - all pink!
The city just goes on and on forever, with loads of districts packed with people and shops. Tonight we were in Sillim, a district near the university. It felt much less touristy and more like a place where people live and work. After dinner we went to Cafe Bene where we sat for a long time having coffee and getting a lesson in writing in Korean from Rosé. Great fun. My stomach is rumbling as I write.
Monday, March 25, 2013
It's not my fault! (Paula's post)
Travel tip #7 from Paula - when all else fails blame the weather!! For the record, I did not give Martha my cold ... However, we're now both doing our part to keep the Kleenex company in business! We're having a lovely Jammie evening eating chips and drinking coke - and of course watching the soaps.
Our tour this morning was quite something. I'm such a smart sister! My favourite tour company Sunburst came through again! Nothing quite like a private tour! Our guide Jessica and our driver Mr. Chang were marvellous.
The reconstructed 'traditional house village' was located between two of the Joseon dynasty palaces and it is where the noblemen would have lived. Just beautiful. The house where we had tea and made kimchi was 70 years old and had the tiniest kitchen I have ever seen! I will never complain again. The kimchi refrigerator and the regular fridge were both in the front hall. It was so much fun dressing my sister up in play clothes! Haven't done that in years!
After lunch we headed out to wander the streets. Found all kinds of interesting things. I'm particularly loving the street food vendors. Some set up tents with little stools inside so you can eat out of the cold. I tried to convince Martha that squid was particularly good for colds but she wouldn't buy it.
My bed is covered in maps and guide books at the moment as we try and decide how to spend our last few days in Seoul. There are just too many choices so we may just go back to a few of our favourite places. We had to buy a new card for the camera 'cause we filled the first one up. Suggest you all start working on your excuses for missing the three hour slide show!
Our tour this morning was quite something. I'm such a smart sister! My favourite tour company Sunburst came through again! Nothing quite like a private tour! Our guide Jessica and our driver Mr. Chang were marvellous.
The reconstructed 'traditional house village' was located between two of the Joseon dynasty palaces and it is where the noblemen would have lived. Just beautiful. The house where we had tea and made kimchi was 70 years old and had the tiniest kitchen I have ever seen! I will never complain again. The kimchi refrigerator and the regular fridge were both in the front hall. It was so much fun dressing my sister up in play clothes! Haven't done that in years!
After lunch we headed out to wander the streets. Found all kinds of interesting things. I'm particularly loving the street food vendors. Some set up tents with little stools inside so you can eat out of the cold. I tried to convince Martha that squid was particularly good for colds but she wouldn't buy it.
My bed is covered in maps and guide books at the moment as we try and decide how to spend our last few days in Seoul. There are just too many choices so we may just go back to a few of our favourite places. We had to buy a new card for the camera 'cause we filled the first one up. Suggest you all start working on your excuses for missing the three hour slide show!
Sunday, March 24, 2013
Tea and Dress-up
We spent the morning on another tour, this time to an area of the city that has a cluster of reconstructed traditional houses. Many of them are artisan shops. We had no idea that the tea ceremony we were attending was in someone's house! After the end of the Japanese occupation in 1945 these houses were rebuilt. There was a small living room, maybe 10' x 10', and a kitchen and bathroom downstairs, then two similar sized bedrooms upstairs. It was quite the experience. This lovely Korean lady ushered us in and fitted me out in a hanbok. Two other ladies from Japan were there as well. I must admit that I felt quite self-conscious squeezed into the beautiful dress. The tea ceremony was quite complicated and ritualized, every movement and position meaning something.
Tea ceremony over, we all made kimchi! They explained that families would make a huge batch maybe twice a year. Every house has a special kimchi fridge to store it. We were given large stainless bowls with cabbage (a long sort of Savoy cabbage rather than the round ones we're used to), radish strands and spring onion to which we added red pepper spice, sesame seeds, fish oil, garlic, ginger and liquid rice starch. We squeezed the ingredients together then applied them to each leaf of the cabbage. Now it's supposed to ferment for 10 days or so. We're not sure if we'll attempt to bring in home!
Tea ceremony over, we all made kimchi! They explained that families would make a huge batch maybe twice a year. Every house has a special kimchi fridge to store it. We were given large stainless bowls with cabbage (a long sort of Savoy cabbage rather than the round ones we're used to), radish strands and spring onion to which we added red pepper spice, sesame seeds, fish oil, garlic, ginger and liquid rice starch. We squeezed the ingredients together then applied them to each leaf of the cabbage. Now it's supposed to ferment for 10 days or so. We're not sure if we'll attempt to bring in home!
Paula says 'if you can't beat 'em, join 'em'
OK I can't stand it anymore, my turn to go blogging!
It has been so interesting this past few days to see the city transform from week day to week-end! I was so glad (in some ways) that we saw the fabric market and fashion department store on a Saturday - to say it was crowded is the understatement of the year! It was wonderful though to see everyday folk doing their regular Saturday thing! We saw several brides with their grooms and moms picking out their wedding hanboks, and lots of girlfriends out for a day of shopping. Perhaps it was a good thing that the crowds of people prevented us from stopping in one place too long! (VISA says thank you!)
Today my favourite market was a bit sleepy and the streets were a little quieter too. I think this is because we're in the downtown area and everyone is at home. I think the restaurants and coffee places will get busier later on once the Saturday chores are done. What was really interesting today was that the street food vendors were all set up very early in the day. There are several at the corner and I think the ladies are starting to recognize me. I was pretty sure a couple of them were selling squid, but I was very happy to find one vendor today with signs in English - I would have eventually guessed that the big flat piece was a squid and octopus sandwich! Yesterday we found a hot-dog on a stick wrapped in French fries which R says is delicious, and big ribbons of fish on skewers. Fruit is very expensive here. I saw a small bag of oranges for $5 and a box of strawberries for $4.
I had a fabulous day at the market people watching and just getting lost in the neighbourhood. Our hotel is on the Cheonggyecheon Stream.. Originally a natural stream that was covered in asphalt in 1958 to make a road, and then uncovered again in 2003 and made into a beautiful pedestrian walkway. There are 22 bridges over the stream and lots of kids out playing in the water today!
Only down side to our trip is that Martha has become absolutely addicted to at least three different Korean soap operas .. It is getting increasingly more difficult to convince her to turn off the TV!!
It has been so interesting this past few days to see the city transform from week day to week-end! I was so glad (in some ways) that we saw the fabric market and fashion department store on a Saturday - to say it was crowded is the understatement of the year! It was wonderful though to see everyday folk doing their regular Saturday thing! We saw several brides with their grooms and moms picking out their wedding hanboks, and lots of girlfriends out for a day of shopping. Perhaps it was a good thing that the crowds of people prevented us from stopping in one place too long! (VISA says thank you!)
Today my favourite market was a bit sleepy and the streets were a little quieter too. I think this is because we're in the downtown area and everyone is at home. I think the restaurants and coffee places will get busier later on once the Saturday chores are done. What was really interesting today was that the street food vendors were all set up very early in the day. There are several at the corner and I think the ladies are starting to recognize me. I was pretty sure a couple of them were selling squid, but I was very happy to find one vendor today with signs in English - I would have eventually guessed that the big flat piece was a squid and octopus sandwich! Yesterday we found a hot-dog on a stick wrapped in French fries which R says is delicious, and big ribbons of fish on skewers. Fruit is very expensive here. I saw a small bag of oranges for $5 and a box of strawberries for $4.
I had a fabulous day at the market people watching and just getting lost in the neighbourhood. Our hotel is on the Cheonggyecheon Stream.. Originally a natural stream that was covered in asphalt in 1958 to make a road, and then uncovered again in 2003 and made into a beautiful pedestrian walkway. There are 22 bridges over the stream and lots of kids out playing in the water today!
Only down side to our trip is that Martha has become absolutely addicted to at least three different Korean soap operas .. It is getting increasingly more difficult to convince her to turn off the TV!!
Seoul National University
Paula and I are quickly developing our own favourite parts of the city. I spent the day with Rosé at some of her haunts, and Paula had a marvellous day getting lost on purpose, if the shopping bags piled in the hotel room are any indication.
I took the subway out to see Seoul National University. It's a large campus, like UBC but with more hills and newer buildings. It looks quite beige right now, but I'm sure in the Spring it will look really beautiful as there are lots of trees not quite ready to green up.
I had to smile at the name of the place where Rose and I went for coffee: Hollys fresh coffee, romantic space! Because everyone lives with their parents, in very small apartments, "courting" has to take place away from home. Thus all the eating and coffee drinking establishments. I had to smile because there was a very sweet couple "romanticing" in the coffee shop.
After lunch at the university we went to Gangnam where we went to a fabulous bookstore. I bought a coat...not for myself. I am way to big to buy clothes here. There's only one size - very small! But it works for Rosé, and she needed a Spring coat. Who doesn't!
I took the subway out to see Seoul National University. It's a large campus, like UBC but with more hills and newer buildings. It looks quite beige right now, but I'm sure in the Spring it will look really beautiful as there are lots of trees not quite ready to green up.
I had to smile at the name of the place where Rose and I went for coffee: Hollys fresh coffee, romantic space! Because everyone lives with their parents, in very small apartments, "courting" has to take place away from home. Thus all the eating and coffee drinking establishments. I had to smile because there was a very sweet couple "romanticing" in the coffee shop.
After lunch at the university we went to Gangnam where we went to a fabulous bookstore. I bought a coat...not for myself. I am way to big to buy clothes here. There's only one size - very small! But it works for Rosé, and she needed a Spring coat. Who doesn't!
Saturday, March 23, 2013
Nirvana
We had to get the thesaurus out to try to find words to describe today! Dongdaemun Market, the largest market in the world. We just dipped our toes into one small part of the complex, the Fabric and Notions Market. Try to imagine 4 Hudson's Bay stores, 7 stories high, all connected by bridges, full (and I mean full) of nothing but fabric and notions (and people)! It was indescribable. You would look down one aisle and not be able to see to the end. There was fabric of every kind and description, lace, trimmings, buttons, embellishments, taylors and dressmakers. Rosé said most of the people there were design students. They had sketchbooks and were busy running from stall to stall working on their designs I suppose. I noticed one girl snap a picture with her cell phone of the stall name (and location) - it would be difficult to find again if you did not. The place was just packed.
We had noticed at the Hanbok market we went to yesterday that most of the stalls had these really cool Hanbok catalogues, sort of like pattern catalogues. Rosé asked one lady at a Hanbok stall today where we could buy one, and she gave us one of her old ones. It was so sweet. "Present," she said.
Other parts of the market are devoted to clothing, shoes, children's clothes and toys, paper and stationary and more. After a Korean BBQ lunch we went into a "department store" unlike any I've ever seen. Very high end but still individual shops. The clothes were very Korean: tailored, classic and very small! Just stunningly beautiful. I wish I could carry it off.
Rosé is off at dance and we have crashed.
We had noticed at the Hanbok market we went to yesterday that most of the stalls had these really cool Hanbok catalogues, sort of like pattern catalogues. Rosé asked one lady at a Hanbok stall today where we could buy one, and she gave us one of her old ones. It was so sweet. "Present," she said.
Other parts of the market are devoted to clothing, shoes, children's clothes and toys, paper and stationary and more. After a Korean BBQ lunch we went into a "department store" unlike any I've ever seen. Very high end but still individual shops. The clothes were very Korean: tailored, classic and very small! Just stunningly beautiful. I wish I could carry it off.
Rosé is off at dance and we have crashed.
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