End of Season Trek

     Green had transformed into the many varied hues of autumn by early October, and despite my best efforts, I had not been able to explore much further than Buraksan to see the change of season.  By the beginning of November, the prospect of getting out to enjoy the colors and weather were looking dim, until I ran into Mr. Pae at the library.  He suggested that we take a day trip to the northern side of Seoul  and hike through the Bukhansan National Park.  I had never heard of it before, but that was of little consequence, and so I jumped at the opportunity, and we quickly made plans to embark that weekend.

    Our journey began, as many do, at a bus stop, haha.  This trip was to be a lesson in traveler's patience.  The express bus took the expected hour to arrive at the station in Seoul from which we departed further North using the subway system, for another 35 minutes.  Upon arrival, I was foolishly expecting the park entrance to be within a mile of the station, easily within walking distance.  Well, I was wrong.  We still needed to take another bus, about 20 minutes up the road, which is still reasonable....except that we were apparently not the only pair who thought it would be a great weekend to get out.  I present the bus line:

 

     Ummm, so at the risk of hyperbole, the line was INSANELY long!  Persevere we did, however, and with little complaint or grumbling I might add, hehe.  In all actuality, for such a long line, it moved rather quickly, and after about an hour we were on the last leg of the journey there.  An interesting note was how nice the town just before the park was.  It looked like mostly new construction, and very clean and organized. They even had a Coldstone Creamery!

     By early afternoon we had finally arrived.

     The area just outside the park entrance was well developed with all manner of outdoor clothing shops, recreational gear vendors, hotels and of course restaurants.  One item of note was the abundance of Kimbap.  This is very similar to Japanese maki rolls, but in most cases, contains no seafood, rather cooked egg and sausage or spam in addition to various vegetables.  I came to understand that this was the preferred traditional hiking food, as it keeps well, is full of carbs, and packs easily.  To my great pleasure, as we were ready to hit the trails, Mr. Pae told me that his wife had prepared some for us as lunch, and we indulged.  I have to commend her preparation.  The rice was perfect, and the combination of pickled radish and sausage (similar to a small diameter mild peperoni) was delicious!

 Map of Bukhansan

 This was the first time I encountered this particular solution to cold weather cycling...Tonya take note, hehe!

 

     Happily satiated, we started on our trek to conquer the mountain, which began with a quaint trail along a beautiful boulder strewn trickling stream.  After a ways, the easy trail brought us to a rest area and very small temple.  This also happened to be a major crossroad for the various routes through the park.  Since it was already early afternoon we decided for the shortest path to the top of the park's namesake, and put the temple behind us at an eager pace.  However, whereas the first leg of the journey was gentle and languid, this path proved to be steep and treacherous, utilizing root, stone and loose leaves and gravel to making footing uneasy, and near vertical crevasses to bring all but mad men to a crawl.  We would not be deterred.  In fact, we both fell prey to the most classic of masculine vices; pride.  Neither of us would be outdone in speed of ascension, and so we drove up the mountain at astounding speed, heaving with breath and dripping with sweat, and bewildering the multitude of Koreans enjoying a leisurely stroll  in the park, complete with picnics including beer and soju!  It was not long before the reality struck that we are, in fact, not supermen, and would require several breaks along the way, and we were better for it physically and spiritually, for it afforded us a chance to really take in some of the hidden beauties of the park, such as this hidden engraving of a poem.  As well as some spectacular tumbles of limestone.

 

     After about two hours from the crossroads, we reached the bare rock and final assent to the peak.  The view from the knobs of stone, a mere 3,000 ft compared to our Rocky Mountain standards of 10-14,000, still felt like the top of the world.  We decided to content ourselves with these lower peaks because the crowds to the very top were just too thick, and not worth the frustration.  We spent some time here admiring the vistas as well as a pair of birds of prey hunting from the cliffs below.  After some time the wind changed and a cold crept into the air, and we departed with the same gusto we climbed, and really had a blast getting lost in the adventure of the decent. 

     Outside the park, the bus line was just as long as when we arrived, but now that we knew the way, we chose to walk back to the Metro instead.  It took us about 45 minutes, but that was less than the wait for a 20 minute bus, so we considered ourselves the victors, hehe.  It was not until I sat down on the bus 30 minutes later that the exhaustion hit me.  I barely had the strength to devour a delicious persimmon that Mr. Pae produced as we took our seats, before duly passing out, completed with contented snores and dreamless sleep.  It was a fantastic hike, and one I am deeply in debt to Mr. Pae for indulging me!  Hopefully I will have an opportunity soon to return the favor.  

Still to come, a visit to hot springs and Jimjilbang culture...

Corporate Sponsorship III

With a slight hang-over induced headache and absent any fanfare, I awoke at the lovely hour of 0530 to collect my things and board the bus back north.  This morning's breakfast was a much more typical affair as we were no longer treated to a grand buffet, rather to what was considered a "continental" breakfast.  By no means was this a disappointment, since it gave me an opportunity to try the rice porridge once again and confirm it's bewildering appeal.  Surprisingly, for a hotel occupied by mostly Korean businessmen, excepting our group, there were more western breakfast options than Korean.  It makes me wonder if we have somehow insidiously influenced the native concept of what should entail "Breakfast Food."  I certainly hope not.  I believe, as the Vulcans put it, that Infinite Diversity in Infinite Combinations makes for a more interesting universe.

Awaiting us on the bus was the ever cheerful Ms. Linn, and the prospect of a five hour drive to our next destination, the Korean Navel Base in the city of Pyeongtaek.  This city also happens to be the neighboring city of Songtan, where Osan AB is situated.  I admit that I was a tad surprised that this large navel base was so close to us and I had never heard of it before.  With the exciting tour of the Hyundai shipyards fresh in my memory I was eager to get to this base and take a gander at some mighty warships.


During the ride, which was unfortunately extended do to some serious traffic, I was able to finish reading a short history book on Korea.  It was dated, and only documented up to 1993, but it was still very helpful in understanding the tenuous evolution of the Korean-American Alliance.  The author put forth that the American military was in an oversight position after the armistice was signed and South Korea rebuilt its government.  In this position, despite taking a generally hands-off approach to internal Korean politics, there still appeared implicit backing from the Americans for the next several presidential regimes, who acted more like dictators.  The American forces stood by as the ruling regime suppressed freedom of press, speech and assembly, and imprisoned many political prisoners.  By the late 1960s and into the 1980s there were large and occasionally violent protests against the Korean president as well as the United States due to the perceived intervention in domestic politics.  After nearly two decades of autocratic rule by a president who came to power through a military coup, he was assassinated  and replaced by his prime minister who continued to follow some of the same repressive policies, including the Gwangju massacre of 200 civilian protesters.  It was not until 1992 that South Korea would have its first democratically elected civilian president.  His wave of democracy, promise of renewed freedoms, as well as the strict but effective economic policies of the previous rulers put South Korea on the path to a bright future, which I am happy it has seized.  Had things not turned out this way, I doubt I would be able to explore so carefree, nor meet so many welcoming and helpful people.

Unintentionally, the end of this book and my lesson in modern Korean history was to prove poignant regarding our naval base excursion.  After a standard lunch of Bulgogi in the marine barracks we were taken to the salvaged and partially reconstructed wreckage of the Korean frigate Cheonan.  It was split in two by a North Korean torpedo, killing over 40 sailors and bringing the two nations closer to war than at any other point in the past 60 years.  There is no official reason why the North would capriciously attack a single vessel.  This was not part of some larger conflict, rather an isolated incident of aggression.  In my opinion, the North Korean government has these deadly "temper tantrums" every few years to demonstrate its commitment to hating South Korea and western democracy, in order to give them some bargaining power when they approach the West to beg for money and supplies to feed the thousands of countrymen that the "magnanimous" communist party is allowing to starve.  The ultimate question remains.  How do you bring this derelict and dangerous country back into the fold without a massive loss of life?  I am hoping that with the recent passing of Kim Jong-Il, that his son will have more sense and compassion for the millions of citizens relying on his leadership to get his country out of the mess it took his fore bearers 60 years to create....Let us have patience.  A bit more patience than we are giving our current president to clean up a mess in only three years that took over eight to create.

It was heavy thoughts that we departed for Suwon and the Hwangseon Fortress.  Having previously visited, and extensively posted on the fortress, I will forgo any repetition.  Instead of touring the fortress again, I spent my time trying my hand at Korean National Archery.  I may not be Robin Hood, but with just a crash course and 30 minutes of practice, I was able to consistently hit a 6'x6' target at 30 paces, HAHA.

As is only appropriate, the tour guides planned to have our farewell meal at a local Galbi restaurant. Galbi is the local specialty, and is a meal of sweet/spicy Bar-B-Que-like marinated pork.  As with all traditional Korean meals, it is served around a table for four.  You all share a built in skillet to cook the Galbi as it is brought to you, as well as roast some whole garlic.  The meat, when cooked to your liking, is eaten in a manner common to many meals including sashimi and roasted meats served cold and sliced.  That is to have an assortment of lettuce and sesame leaves, as well as Korean ketchup (a thicker, darker, spicy and less sweet style), garlic and fresh hot peppers.  The fresh sesame leaves are beautifully heart shaped and have a pleasant anise flavor.  With little complication, one takes the finished meat, and whatever condiments are desired and places them in the leaf of choice, and promptly devours said package of joy.  Like most Korean meals, this is experiential and community dining meant to create conversation and this dinner was definitely fun and delicious! A bit surprisingly, there was no elaborate good-bye ceremony, or even a collective "See you later."  We simply were politely told that the buses would be leaving in ten minutes, and we should probably be on one of them, hehe.  By this time, I was eager to get back to my twin bed in a closet, and spend the upcoming weekend relaxing!  All in all, I could not have asked for a better welcome to Korea trip, especially on the company dole.  A great big Kamsahamnida to Hyundai and MSgt Sprague!!!!!!!!!

Corporate Sponsorship Part II

 With a disturbingly pleasant wake-up call (for 5:30 AM), I sprang into action, eager to see what the breakfast buffet had to offer.  The spread certainly did not disappoint, and although it had all of the usual western staples (eggs, bacon, sausage, biscuits, croissants, etc.) I was determined to have a typical “Korean” breakfast.  

This mindset introduced me to the fact that, unlike most western cultures, the difference between meals is very minimal here.  There was Kim-chi of course, and this was the first time I tried a white variety, mainly of cabbage, which was truly delicious; having a hearty garlic taste, but without the strong spicy heat of the red chile, allowing more subtle flavors of the other vegetables to come through.  There was bipimbap as well, and a rice porridge.  I am still trying to find the name of the porridge dish, as Ms. Lee was not at breakfast with us.  However, it appeared to me to be mainly flavored with seaweed, and although the combination does not scream breakfast ambrosia, I was really taken in with its slight saltiness and subtle and pleasant oceanic aroma.

At the toll of 6:20, we were all very politely, but unequivocally, ushered out of the grand buffet room and onto the buses, so as not to miss out departure time of 6:30.  However, despite the best efforts of our guides, Ms. Lee was not able to overcome the self-interest of one of our companions, who just had to have a cup of Starbucks coffee.  In true Air Force fashion, we could never leave a wingman behind, and so six buses full of groggy passengers waited 15 minutes for her to finally arrive (much to the consternation of the tour guides).

I must take a moment here to defend the brutal schedule keeping of the Koreans.  For one thing, they were going out of their way to show us a remarkable number of sights in a very short amount of time.  In addition, on this particular day, we were working against the weather.  The forecast was for a cold front of rain to move in and really cover the area in grey, rain and cold for the next two days.  With this in the calculation, our guides deemed it best for us to start early in order to get in as much of the outdoor locations done before the bad weather arrived.  And in true hospitality, they also provided everyone with marvelous blue ponchos which evolved to double as cat herding aids throughout the tour.

Well, with a full belly, and inquisitive mind, we departed for a park in the local Ulsan area called Daewangam Songnim (Pine Forest), a very charming park that lives up to its pine forest moniker.  However, this arboreal stroll is just a warm-up on the way to the picturesque crags that compose the shoreline of this park.  Clinging pine trees, jagged rocks and swirling seawater made this small place feel very alive and a little dangerous.  Watching the brave fishermen out on the rocks gave me a longing to grab a pole and join them in a little battle against the elements.  Then I remember how comfortably warm our bus was and quickly lost ambition.  

Along the way, Ms. Lee recounted to us the story of the burial of King Mumnu, the 30th ruler of the Shilla Empire.  As a true exemplar of the benevolent leader, he desired to be buried at sea, so that he could rise in the afterlife as a dragon to protect his people for eternity.  This was an important legend at that time because the coastal regions of the Shilla kingdom were under constant threat from Japanese pirates.  Today, this legend places his burial at a tiny island off of Bonggil Beach, and it is speculated that the large granite slab there is his actual underwater tomb.   

After an all-too-brief 45 min at Daewangam Songnim, we disembarked for the historic city of Gyeongju, the ancient capital of the Shilla Empire.  From Ms. Lee, we learned that it is a city of predominately older Koreans of moderately better means.  The city itself lacks the typical skyline of high-rises, and instead is composed of more traditional houses and very quaint shopping districts.  The vast majority of the city is actually a collection of national and provincial parks and museums, which reminds me in function a bit like Washington D.C.  Our first stop was the Bulguk temple, the largest in all of Korea, and arguably the most important.  The entry gardens are spectacular and despite the grey, rain, cold and crowds, this temple was still awe inspiring and distinctly sacred.  Again, we had only an hour here, and I will tell you that four hours would have only been enough time to satisfy my camera, not my curiosity.  As this temple is very well documented I will omit the usual explanations, and let the pictures tell the story.  

Not exactly a part of the Bulguk temple complex, but commissioned by the same official, the Seokguram Grotto lies atop the same mountain, Mt. Halla.  In order to reach the grotto, one travels a long and winding road from Bulguk-sa and ascends into the mist covered forest of the mountaintop. In fact, there are 108 bends in the road, symbolic of the monk’s belief that we suffer 108 distresses through life, and by enduring these turns (or in traditional worship bows/prostrations), we are able to relieve ourselves of the pent up anguish.  When we arrived, the fog was so thick that we could barely make out the silhouette of the enormous bell tower at the entrance to the site.  Fortunately, as we walked the path to the grotto it began to clear, and the rain turned into a light, pleasant misting.  The choice for this place of reverence and meditation could not have been better conceived.  It is as if all of the natural elements of the area were conspiring together to overwhelm you with a sense of mysticism.  Without a doubt this ranks among my favorite places in Korea, and perhaps the most spiritual location containing a man-made structure, anywhere.  Again, this site is very well documented so I will allow my pictures to tell the rest of my experience.

Due to my fascination with the grotto, it was I that accidentally overstayed our visit by 10 minutes.  Fortunately, I had by this point become the “teacher’s pet” due to my innate inquisitiveness of other cultures, so Ms. Lee happily forgave my tardiness, even if lunch was our next stop.  That day’s Korean cuisine experience was Bulgogi, or “Fired Meat.”  This is perhaps the most ubiquitous meal in all of Korea.  Like all of their meals, it is meant for a group, at least four persons, and is made and served in a large, shallow, wok-like pan.  The pan is placed over a gas burner at the center of the table, filled with thin cut marinated meat (usually beef), an assortment of vegetables, mushrooms, light seasoning and herbs.  While you cook it at the table and take turns stirring it and debating about when it will be done to everyone’s liking, you are served a large assortment of side dishes, including Kim-chi and rice.  This is a very hearty meal, but surprisingly healthy, as the ratio of meat to vegetables is low, and the broth retains the vitamins and other nutritious goodies that are left behind from the cooking, not to mention a great deal of flavor!

At this Bulgogi house the side dishes were excellent. Most I had savored before: green beans with tiny dried fish, American style side salad, radish in spicy sauce, and spinach with sesame seeds.  However, my hands down favorite was the marinated lotus root.  The root was served in slices, about ¼ in thick and 2 in diameter.  The marinade gave them a fantastic salty/sweet flavor, and the texture was firm, but not crunchy or chewy, but more like, hmmmm, well maybe a slightly undercooked potato.  It is difficult to relate to any western textures I know, so I would highly suggest finding an Asian market and trying these guys out.

To my great pleasure, the little timing oversight at the grotto did not cost us at the lunch table, and we were given ample time to indulge; myself having two serving of Bulgogi and three orders of the lotus root.  And as if the guides knew my digestive preferences, our next stop was a walking tour of the burial tombs of the Shilla kingdom, just a short drive from the restaurant.  I wondered as we were walking through the park, if the people of the era of the mounds’ creation had intended them to make such a great place for relaxation.  It just seemed to me that the mounds were composed in such a manner that the easy meandering paths of the present-day national park could have been a re-invention of a past function.

Being the longtime capital of the empire that eventually united the Korean peninsula for the first time, Gyeongju has an abundance of major historical sites in close proximity.  From the Burial mounds, we took a short drive to the National Museum, which was a very interesting complex architecturally.  It is composed of the three main museums: a step-type pyramid, underground complex, and rectangular temple building.  It also housed the Emile Bell, the second largest cast brass bell in Korea.   We then took an even shorter drive to the Anapji pond; a beautiful pastoral landscape with a dominating pavilion.  This pond and pavilion complex was originally built by the order of none other than King Munmu, in the 7th century.  Although Anapji was very pretty, I found the area surrounding it to be even more interesting.  On all sides, covering many acres, were fields of what looked like water lilies or lotus leaves, all interwoven with an elevated walk-way system.  Unfortunately I did not have time to explore, but I will certainly be returning to Gyeongju and plan on investigating this with a picnic basket and some win.

At 5:30PM our touring was brought to a close at Anapji, and for the day, and we began the hour long drive back to our Hyundai Hotel in Ulsan.  Another opulent buffet dinner awaited our arrival, and after so many hours zooming from site to site in the cold and rain, I had worked up quite the appetite; as well as a growing longing for my very comfortable bed.  The evening’s meal was composed nearly entirely of western food, so there was nothing truly new to try.  That being said, however, everything that was prepared was very tasty, I even got to have chunks of the tender fat from the roast beef, making my taste buds and arteries very happy, haha.  

Before I could succumb to some well deserved rest, no evening on a tour is complete without a night cap.  So a few of my bus mates and I set out to find a little dive to grab a pint.  Just a few blocks from the Hyundai Hotel, on the other side of the Hyundai Department store, across the street from the Hyundai dry-docks (catching a theme here?) we stumbled upon a very well maintained little bar.  It was a nice change of pace from the Songton scene, as this bar was very clean, completely devoid of “Juicies,” and had a bartender who not only spoke great English, but was also not intent on getting us so hammered that we needed to take a taxi the two blocks back to the hotel.  With all of my objectives for the day accomplished, I turned in for a very satisfying night’s rest.  

Corporate Sponsorship Part III coming soon….

Corporate Sponsorship Part I

     Due to my exceptional powers persuasion and general awesomeness, I was one of a lucky few airmen selected to participate in the Hyundai Motor's Cultural Friendship Tour (actually, I just happened to be the only new guy in the shop who showed any interest in Korean culture, but hey, allow me my fantasies).  In order to promote good continuing relations between our countries, Hyundai sponsors these three day trips twice a year for about 120 service members each.  In that short period we travel to both ends of the peninsula, visit industrial, historical, artistic, religious and military points of interest, as well as are educated on Korean culture throughout the ride.  Needless to say, this was right up my alley and I am still thinking of the best way to appropriately thank my supervisor for getting me on this trip!!

     It all started in Seoul, well, actually in Songtan for me, as it is an hour bus ride to Seoul, specifically Youngsan Army Base, where we were gathering.  Anyways,  once there we were briefed on what was expected of us and the general itinerary.  As it happened, they basically just wanted us to be polite, pay attention, take lots of pictures and eat Korean food.  Daunting as these tasks may be, I was resolved to do whatever it took to impress, even if that meant I had to order seconds or thirds! LOL  The group of about 100 was divided into six buses, each assigned its own tour guide.  As a member of Bus 6 I was introduced to our super-high-tech and very comfortable bus, insanely masterful driver, and beautiful and gracious tour guide Ms. Linn.  Introductions complete, and cheeks comfortably situated, the caravan disembarked starting our five hour drive to Ulsan City and the main production site of Hyundai Motors.

     Along the way we stopped twice at rest stations on the Korean highway, and I was very impressed with the facilities there.  The stations seemed to be semi-standardized, with large restroom accomodations, a cafateria, several fast food vendors and the ubiquitous snack carts.  Everything was clean, but at every stop we were swarmed by children on school trips.  Now, I know everyone is used to me being a paragon of patience and cultural understanding...however, the shear number of children and the inherent chaos they bring was almost too much for me to bear.  So, rest stops were made with the utmost of haste on my part, lest I get swept away in a tide of grumpy-old-man outrage.... 

     On a more pleasant note, we ate lunch at one of the cafeterias and I had some not-so-special Bipimbop (basically steamed rice with various "stuff" added) which was actually quite tastey and filling, as well as a simple squid salad.  Of more interest was a side dish of unpeeled root vegetables that looked like miniature parsnips, in a kimchi-like sauce.  I asked Ms. Linn about them, but she was not sure how to translate, and so I just have to leave it as a culinary mystery at this point.  I am fond of the crunchy and earthy texture they have left in my memory.  At about 1330 we arrived in Ulsan city, about 15 minutes behind schedule.  This will become important later... 

     Ulsan city, home to the original Hyundai motor plant, and now home to their Heavy Industries division as well, is a very wealthy city, and it definitely showed.  All of the roads were in top condition, the streets were cleaner than I had seen in any other city here, and there was a running trail/park along both sides of the river that meanders through a great portion of the city.  Besides being unusually well manicured, this city actually smelled good.  To put this into perspective, but not intending to cast any insults at Songtan, the latent aroma of the Songtan Entertainment District (which is the very polite official designation for the trashy bar scene that stretches out before the gates of Osan Airbase) is somewhat of a cross between stale cigarette butts, urine, beer, old frier grease and rotting garbage, with a slight whiff of cologne.  Appealing, no?  Well, as I tried to explain to a local bartender the last night we were in Ulsan, the air there carried none of those aromas.  Sure it had a bit of an industrial scent, but the breeze from the harbor and general cleanliness of the city made it seem like a field full of the Aunts' roses.

     Anyways, Ms. Linn informed us that due to the presence of Hyundai and its workers, and those companies sub-contracted out to Hyundai, the average income of the city was nearly double that of the rest of the country.  As we took our tour of the facility, we discovered that Hyundai takes very good care of its employees.  They are given a generous salary, housing stipend, healthcare, pension, and pay for your first three children to attend college!!!  Not too shabby, and as others on my bus said, where do I apply?

     Now, as I said, we were running about 15 min late for our tour of the car factory.  To be honest, as much as I am a stickler for a schedule, 15 min does not seem like a big deal, but our schedule was jam packed, and could ill afford any errors.  Once we arrived, we were ushered into the theater adjacent to the large showroom, introduced to the facility and its capabilities, and shown a promotional video extolling the virtues of Hyundai and its bright future across the globe.  I do not doubt any of their claims, and have seem the company grow in the market over the past five years considerably, however, I have to admit that industrial tours are just not my thing.  Fortunately for me, our 15min verspaetung meant that our Hyundai appointed tour guide put her high-heels into overdrive and had us through five factory buildings and a complete production life of a car in ten minutes flat. Just in time to be rushed out the door and whisked across town to the Hyundai Heavy Industries compound, where they construct large equipment, but most impressively cargo ships, of which they are the 4th largest producer in the world. 

     Cargo Ships.  Yeah, I agree, not getting my blood going either.  Until I saw the sections waiting to be attached, the cranes involved in the construction and then the unbelievable size of these vehicles.  Being able to see the entire ship in the dry-dock, without the water to obscure the potions under the waves, really put into perspective just how incredibly massive and complex these ships are.  We drove through the construction grounds (photos were prohibited here, and back at the car factory) first by the large warehouses where the various sections of the ships were constructed and stored.  This began to give me an idea of how massive these ships were.  Then we turned the corner and my jaw dropped.  There were cranes, ten stories high straddling a dry-dock the same depth and over 700 feet long, in which lay a partially constructed ship crawling with ants -read people- and twinkling with the light of welding torches.  Slowly I began processing all of the data.  The cranes said they were rated for 1209 tons,  that is nearly 2.5 MILLION pounds!!  And then it struck me that these ships were being held aloft in the dry-docks with steel pillars that looked in comparison like toothpicks.  I thought how uncomfortable would I feel walking underneath something so earth-shatteringly huge at work everyday, knowing it is being held up by only a few lengths of metal?  As you can tell, my assumptions about industrial tours have changed quite significantly thanks to Hyundai Heavy Industries. 

     After the driving tour, we were greeted with similar treatment as at the car factory: politely ushered into theater, given spiel about how thankful they are, we reciprocate, watch indoctrination, oops, promotional video, receive gift.  The heavy industries also had a small museum which we briefly toured.  It functioned as both as showcase of their accomplishments, and as a shrine to their founder; a man of modest beginnings, great ambition, good fortune, and humble way of life.

     With all of this strenuous touring, my tummy began to rumble as we were leaving the museum.  Fortunately for me, we were back on schedule and slated for dinner at the Lotte Hotel (pronounced like the popular coffee drink Latte), which is a large corporation in Korea, and has very high standards.  The hotel itself was very well appointed, reminiscent of a Grand Hyatt or Westin style business hotel.  However, the Americans had been prepared for this fancy occasion to occur the following day, and so we were all dressed in very casual attire, to which I was slightly embarrassed.  However, not so much as Lt. Col. Kim, who was the highest ranking member of our group and the figurehead for all functions.  His Korean counterpart, who was waiting at the hotel, was the VP of Hyundai Motors, a rather influential and well-to-do gentleman.  So I can only imagine how initially uncomfortable Col Kim must have felt when he found out the plans had changed.  Despite the impromptu nature to the gathering, Col Kim was very well spoken and received, and the dinner itself was bountiful and delicious.  In true hotel opulence, there was an ice sculpture commemorating the event, 20 feet each of appetizers, sushi, and hot plates, and desserts, as well as cooked to order Korean BBQ.  Also, I suppose the kitchen was informed of my attendance, as there was a roasted suckling pig awaiting my attention.  After the ceremony and picture taking, we had exactly 57 minutes to enjoy the great spread before it was time to be ushered out of this hotel, and be sent across town to the Hyundai Hotel where we would be spending the night for the next two days.  The Hyundai Hotel, although attractive, clean and modern, was more like a Marriot than a resort, but served our purpose grandly, and catered fantastic meals of their own.  With a head full of fresh memories and unexpected sights, and a belly fully of tasty treats, I settle in for a well deserved nights sleep, aided by a nip of scotch.

Much more to come in Parts II and III, as the whirlwind tour continues :-)

A Steep Climb

On the return leg of one of my regular trips up Burak-san a few weeks ago, along an overgrown side trail, I stumbled upon somebody foraging in the bushes.  It turned out to be the gentleman from the library who had originally given me directions to Burak-san.  He was collecting a small green berry that grows along the lesser traveled paths, and was just as surprised by me as I was him.  Once we recognized each other, though, we had a good laugh at the coincidence and realized just how much the other enjoyed tromping through the mountains.  Well, one thing led to another, and after a few days we had arrainged to meet up to go hiking at a local mountain Mr. Pae suggested.  This, he promised, would be a much more strenouous hike than Burak-san, which is a fairly gradual climb...and boy was he right.

Our destination was located on the border of our town of Song-tan and the larger neighboring city of Anseong.  As we approached the parking lot for the trail-head, we were both shocked at how popular this trail was.  There were over a hundred cars in the designated lot, with massive overflow into the lot for the independence memorial across the road.  This was definitely a serious destination, with its very own refreshment complex housing four restaurants and a great patio with a grotto and waterfall. 
While gearing up Mr. Pae explained that about three miles down the trail was our "destination," a small temple with a spring and public restrooms, which really peaked my interest.  So with our enthusiasm high, and a supply of delicious sandwiches from Mrs. Pae, we headed off to a great adventure. 

 

Well, after two miles of intense climbing we agreed that it was time for a well deserved break, and indulgence in the sandwiches so thoughtfully prepared. In addition to the ham, egg and cheese sandwiches, I was introduced to Mr. Pae's favorite drink, a black sesame and soy milk drink, which was slightly sweet, but more savory and had an enchanting and distinctly toasty sesame character.

Another 20 minutes of hiking brought us to our destination.  Due to the heat and humidity that was supposed to have dissapered the week before, fatigue was starting to set in.  We were in need of a re-supply of our water stores and a cool break.  With our batteries a bit recharged from the spring, we finished the short climb up the hill to the temple, and began a little investigation.

According to the information plaque, the temple was originally built in the 9th century and fully renovated in 1986, and is still in radiant condition.  It intended function was to accommodate a fortress nearby, but its usefulness and beauty have endured.  Of particular interest, was an exterior series of ten paintings documenting the path to enlightenment through the metaphor of a boy who lost his cow.  I was particularly happy to have Mr. Pae along for this, as he seemed to derive as much interest in discovering its meaning and following the story of as myself.  This temple also carried a theme of remarkably carved dragons in the rafters and gables, all carrying the famed "Dragon Ball (pearl)" which is said to symbolize the dragon's ability to grant wishes.

 

The return trip was even more grueling than the initial trek.  You see, I have become accustomed to the trails of the American West, which were predominately used originally for pack animals in the mining industry.  To accommodate the loads, a rather "modern" technology was employed; switch-backs.  It has been years since I did a significant hike that did not utilize switch-backs to mitigate the rate of ascent, and man alive was this a wake up call to how convenient they are.  At one point, on the back side of this mountain, we gained 800' of elevation over a horizontal distance of only a quarter mile.  That is a whopping 60% grade!!!!!!!  It necessitated three breaks, and three soaked handkerchiefs.

The adventure left me with a very satisfied sense of accomplishment when we finally returned to the trail head.  Before departing, however, we made a brief detour to the independence memorial.  It tells the history of the importance of Anseong in the "March First Movement" of 1919.  These were the first riots in opposition to the oppressive occupation of Korea by the Japanese.  The brutality of the Japanese displayed in the history of the occupation is blood chilling.  The independence of the Koreans is as hard fought and dear to them as any free nation, and I am proud to serve in the defense of its continuation.

A Beautiful Temple, and Unforgetable Stew!

Staying closer to home, I chose to travel to the famous "Dragon Jewell" Temple, a.k.a. Yongju-sa, as well as the neighboring tombs of a Joseon Royalty, "Yungneung and Geolleung."  Both built in connection with the Hwaseong Fortress, and burial site of Crown Prince Sado.

On the long walk to the temple from the metro station, I grabbed a quick bite from a street vendor and found that the Koreans have one-uped us on unhealthy food. They took a perfectly unhealthy all American corn dog, fried it, then covered it in a second layer of batter and fried it again!  You got to love ingenuity, haha!!

The entrance to the Yongju-sa is guarded by simply magnificent wooden statues of the "Four Heavenly Kings."  These are about eight feet in height while seated, giving a very imposing impression, while the ferociousness in thier visages made me think twice about taking their picture...but I found the courage in the end.  This tidbit of their mythology is humourous, and it makes me wonder what they would have to report in today's climate; "On the 8th, 14th and 15th days of each lunar month, the Four Heavenly Kings either send out messengers or go themselves to see how virtue and morality are faring in the world of men." (from wikipedia).  And here they are:

The North

The South

The East

The West

 
They are all stomping on these gremlins which I suppose would symbolize the opposing notions of greed, violence and suffering among others, perhaps.

This is one of the lager temple complexes in the area, with over a dozen seperate buildings, all of which have specific purposes.

All of the exterior woodwork of the temple buildings are painted in remarkable detail.  I found the work on the beams and rafters of the bell house to be truly exceptional.

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Within a park in the city of Hwaseong, about a ten minute train ride and 40 min walk from my place, lay Crown Prince Sado (the father of Jeongjo) and Princess Hyegyeong (posthumously named Emperor Sangjo and Empress Heongyeong), and King Jeongjo and Queen Hyoui.  There is a very sad story as to why the son King went to such great lengths to pay tribute to his deceased father.  It seems that the good intentions of the crown prince were subverted by a power hungry consort to the reigning king.  In seeking to have her progeny raised to the throne she had to get rid of Prince Sado, and so with the help of other court officials had him accused of treason.  Now, the current king thought of Prince Sado as a friend and trusted advisor, but in the face of stiff political opposition, and an emotional ploy, he was convinced enough to have prince Sado punished.  The choice of punishment was confinement to a rice box.  These were wooden chests measuring about 2.5x3x3 feet.  In such a confining space, and without any nutrition, Prince Sado died and was buried in the city of Seoul.  To the great displeasure of the treacherous consort, Prince Sado's son Jeonjo was crowned the King's successor several years later.  In order to exonerate his murdered father, King Jeongjo decided to relocate his tomb to an area south of Seoul, in a grand arrangment.  In addition to the physical tomb structure, King Jeongjo made yearly trips to the tomb to pay homage, and we all know that a king does not travel alone.  In fact, in order to accomodate these journeys the great fortress of Hwaseong, which I visited the week before, was built to house his 6,000 retainers.  And we gripe about the cost of a plane for the president, imagine what would happen if he had to take 6,000 people and a fortress with him, every time he wanted to leave the capital!!!!  As his final act of filial piety, King Jeongjo decreed that he would be buried beside his father.  Over the past centuries, the tombs have changed location twice and been through numerous renovations, but remain true to the achitecure of the early 18th century, and currently are surrounded by a wooded park in the outskirts of Hwaseong City (about 20 min south of the fortress of the same name).

 

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After about five solid hours of walking and touring I was ready to sit down and have a hearty meal before the hour long walk back to the metro station.  Fortunately, just a block from the tombs are two heavily trafficed korean restaraunts, so I followed a group of folks into one and settled in for an authentic meal.  Now although this city is not that far from base, in fact much closer than most places the other Americans visit, it is a little off the beaten path and does not see many non-koreans.  To that end, there was a distinct lack of picture menus, which are my best help in ordering.  So, feeling confidant in my choice in restaraunt, I courageously took the menu, point to the third thing on the list, and said I will have that please.  With a smile and nod, my server dissapered to bring the onipresent kim-chi to tide me over till my meal waqs ready.  Well, as it hit the table, it was not all that apparent how much I had erred, as it appeared like many of my other meals; a steaming bowl of hearty broth with vegatables and muchrooms, rice, and a bowl of, of...what is that stuff I am supposed to eat in my soup???  As I pondered the deep purple blobs in the metal bowl, I took a few sips of the broth, and up sprouted an ARTERY!  Well, now my brain was racing, and the answers my highly analytic mind were delivering were not at all comforting.  What else do I know that has the color of the bobs?  Blood sausage and pudding, obviously.  What do arteries do?  Transmit bllod through the body.  What is this soup?  Congealed blood and artery soup, you nin-kum-poop!  Never on to baulk from a culinary challege, I put on my most gracious face for my doting hosts, plopped the blood in the soup and went to task.  Aided by a generous addition of chile paste, I managed to chew every rubery bit and bloody bite.  In truth the congealed blood had very little flavor and was of a semi-hard texture reminicent of softer aspic jelly, without any chewiness.  The artery bitson the other hand were excessively chewy, with a very gamey aftertaste that I did not truly enjoy.  Laughing together at my my expense a the counter, I thanked them for my meal and their hospitality, and with a look of true curiousity they asked me literally if it was "deliciousy."  Well, I would hate to be called a liar, but I couldn't be the guy to steal the sparkle from their eyes in witnessing some unwitting bloke down such a bizarre meal...so I say yes, emphatically, haha.

In the future I plan on doing a much more thorough interrogation concerning my meals, but hey, how many people can say they had Congealed Blood and Artery Soup?  Hopefully Friday I will get to posting my adventure with my budding new hiking buddy Pae Hyong Chon, one of the librarians on base ;-)