South Korea

South Korea was an absolutely astounding trip. Was really impressed with the city of Seoul and the cuisine certainly was a welcome change from the lacking flavors of Japanese cuisine. The mountainous scenery and the Koreans' love for the outdoors really added to the enjoyment. Spending time with Jeremy was really great too. A fellow Willow Laner, Jer is now teaching English in Seoul. It's crazy to think that the last time we saw each other was in West Virginia.

This rock is one that women come to pray to for a male child. It has been naturally weathered to resemble a hooded monk in mediation, contemplatingly looking over Seoul.

All these offerings were stacked up and I found a man singing loudly in the tent just behind them. Wonder where all that alcohol went...

This is the most famous shaman shrine in Korea. I was not able to see inside but could hear tha dancing and singing that was occuring for good blessings.

Seodaemun Prison was one that the Japanese used to confine and torture the Korean freedom fighters. This was a truly harrowing visit, one that was made all the worse by the fact that I traveled solo.

The pictures above and below are some of the things that made it so chilling. You were supposed to crawl inside that box and press the glowing button to see the torture that the Koreans experienced, so you could put yourself in their shoes. The chair to the right was one that was set up for fingernail torture. In the below picture, a caution sign says that pregnant women and children are not allowed to try out the noose demonstration. One place showed a man in a standing coffin that reduces one to paralysis in a matter of days, and just down the way was an open coffin where "you could experience what our freedom fighters went through." In one building basement, there were animatronic robots set up within cells that were activated by motion sensors. As I walked through the basement on my own, the figures would come to life and scream in Korean as they were tortured. It created a lasting impression, and made one wonder what drives men to such acts. Those who had visited had felt the same, as they had graffitied their dissent in broken English on the walls. My personal favorite, that was seen quite a few times: "Japan is f***ing country."

Enough said.

The Olympic Park was one of my favorite sights. Not only was the area filled with rolling hills and paths, but sculptures from artists of the world were exhibited throughout.

This is one of my personal favorites: "Hanging Nature."

On the Olypmic Park grounds, ancient dwellings had been uncovered and are now protected.


Royal tomb.

This is the Royal Palace, at which a festival for the Independence Movement Day (March 1st) was taking place, which included dancing and a most impressive display of tightrope walking.

On the same grounds, this is the site where hangul, the Korean writing system, was invented.

A wild bar in Sinchon, around where Jer lives.

The above is the Seoul Time capsule, in which hundreds of items were placed in 1994, on the 600th anniversary of Seoul. It is set to be opened it 2394, during Seoul's 1000th year commemoration.

These are smoke stacks used for signaling atop Namsan, the central mountain upon which Seoul Tower sits.

And, of course, no trip would be complete without a healthy serving of silkworm larvae.