City Lights and Palace Sights

Beneath the small bridge at the tail end of the Cheonggyechon: a man-made stream, cutting right through the the center of downtown Seoul. It was built several years ago as a public attraction and an environmental barrier.

Since we didn't get much snow here, so we had to settle for artificial snowflakes.
They were pretty cool, however.

Snow storm!

Laser light show near the end of the Cheonggyechon

"Takgalbi", or spicy grilled chicken. (tak = chicken, galbi = meat)
Possibly my favorite dish in Seoul so far!

Sunday night in Myeongdong, downtown Seoul. I've eaten out here several times now, but the lineups at the most popular restaurants are always daunting.

Just outside the National Folk Museum is a small circle of twelve animal statues, each one representing one year in the cycle of the Chinese zodiac. El (Ji-hyun) is 22 years old, by the Korean calender (they start counting from 1 at birth, not 0 as we do). So she was born in the year of the rabbit.
As for me, I'm 25 years old, "international age" (my Korean age would be 26), and born in 1983, so my zodiac year is the pig. I was taught by students from James' discussion group that a difference of four years on the Zodiac calendar between two people means a very compatible romantic match. (i.e. Pig and Rabbit)


These funny faces (inscribed with Chinese words below) were erected by ancient villagers, as sentinels or guardians against marauding ghosts and evil spirits. They were supposed to prevent disease, protect the harvest and so on. I sure wish I could scare germs and bacteria away by making funny faces at them...

Sunset over Gyeongbokgung ("gung" = palace)

Chimneys on the terraced gardens of Gyeongbokgung. Underground flues were used to heat the floors of the various buildings on the palace grounds.

A few gargoyles are perched on the roof, enjoying the view and waiting for the sun to set, so they can start their nightly rounds, protecting the buildings and those living within from harm. The most important buildings on the palace grounds always boasted the most gargoyles.

Traditionally, there is a designated mythical animal guardian for each point on the compass, keeping watch over the land, in their respective directions. Above, my favorite: the dragon.

There was a table inside the first palace courtyard where you could don the the traditional regalia of the palace guards. El suggested we play dress-up while waiting for our English-speaking tour guide.

This picture (and the three below) were taken in front of the King's banquet hall. On special occasions, much eating, drinking, and rabble-rousing would ensue.

Above and below: the royal throne room at Gyeongbokgung. The mountains in the mural behind the throne represent the five elements: fire, water, earth, wood, and wind.

The main entrance to Gyeongbokgung, complete with palace guards.

Tye and Julie joined me and El on our Sunday outing to Gyeongbokgung royal palace.
Julie is an old friend of Tye's and currently a teacher in Honduras. She came to pay a visit the weak before Christmas.

"bibimbap" or mixed rice, (bap = rice, bibim = mixed)
A common, though tasty mixture of rice, cooked vegetables, and hot sauce.

James and I in front of one of the many enormous Christmas light displays at a downtown mall. He helped me find a new headset at Yongsan electronics market, so I can now talk to everybody back home on the computer, via Skype, without my old microphone cutting out. Yipee!

The sprawling Namdeamun market. You can find everything imaginable here: clothing, food, jewelery, toys, seasonal decor, household gadgets.... you name it. There is even an underground arcade, where you can by imported alcohol, linens and more (no taxes if you pay in cash). This was a "quiet" Sunday night. On busy days, it's easy to lose yourself in the mobs and the mountains of identical looking merchandise that extend down the length of a half dozen intersecting allies.

The more lights, the more shoppers. At least that looks like the common wisdom:

Winter's cold is here. Give thanks for heated floors!

BCM staff Christmas dinner

White Christmas? Nope, it didn't stick.

Say hello to my little friends:

From Right to left: James, Henry, Cindy, Me, Sophia. A small party between several members of two English study groups. We had drinks at a cocktail bar in Hyehwa, called The Flair.

Later the same evening, playing Hello Kitty Jenga at a "game cafe". You get a coffee, pick out a game or two, and away you go. They even stocked most of the games I'd sold at Seeing is Believing last year! It's a testament to her multitasking ability that Sophia managed to pull that piece out without the tower toppling, while talking to her friend on the cell phone.

One of the bartenders doing her nightly cocktail routine at The Flair. It got good when they started lighting the bar on fire....

James, Henry, and I had "budejige" for dinner, or military soup.

These guys were busy at an outdoor stall in Insadong, making a traditional desert that used to be made specifically for the king. The crunchy center is wrapped in gooey threads, so fine that there are literally thousands of folds holding a single piece together. The guy doing the actually threading (for lack of a better word) would call out the number of folds as he separated the dough: first in Korean, then in English (for my sake.) I had to buy a package of course!

El (Baek Ji-hyun), in Insadong. I taught her the expression, "when pigs fly."

Still in Insadong: I got a free hug from that guy. Made my day. Also, notice the group of Koreans clustered around the white woman on the right. They were ogling her little white baby, with saucer plate eyes, in the stroller. Even the clown gave up his shtick to join them. Ha!

There was small procession passing through Insadong around lunchtime. The paraders were dressed in traditional clothing, depicting scenes that were common in the area, once upon a time.

Mindelleyonto, or Minto, for short. There's a large chain of these popular tea houses around Seoul. I visited this one with El. The first floor is a spacious lounge, for people to relax or study. Underground, however, are extra comfy booths, reserved for couples only, facing a movie screen at the front. Like a cross between some VIP lounge and a drive-in movie theater. They have an incredibly diverse drink menu. You simply use a punch card to order your tea, and pay at the end of your stay.

You...shall not...Cass! (thank you, Jared)

Kwangwoon elementary schoolyard.

Accident in the intersection just outside Kwangwoon. I think I've seen about three here already!

I went with my girlfriend to-be on a date to Namsan, or Seoul Tower, which boasts the best view of the city from downtown. El (Ji-hyun) is pictured here in front of a giant stack of luminescent teddy bears, at the base of the tower. I forgot my camera and my phone battery died, so we took a few grainy pictures with her cell phone. I'm sorry I couldn't get any pictures of the incredible view of the city at night! Next time...

To celebrate the end of exams, the Kwangwoon English staff was treated to a delicious, Parisian-style buffet dinner in Ibis, a hotel in Myeondong, (downtown Seoul), after which we were invited for a late evening of wine-tasting at Mrs. Jong's house, the grade 5 teacher. Her home is on a hillside in the center of town, with a staggering view of the city from her back yard, and her husband is a documentary film maker who frequently travels to exotic locations all over the world to make his movies. Fun night!