Time’s running short, and I never got around to figuring out a way to get pictures off the camera, so I’ll have to wait till I get back to do the expanded photo-essays that my travels really deserve. For now, a quick point by point recap of the last days in Seoul:
- Day trip to the historic island of Gang Hwa, which was the site of several clashes with Western powers (including the US) during the late 19th century.
- A round of GOLF, which is definitely deserves its own post later. Between the car that drives itself and the caddie that washes balls and clubs and gives you the distance remaining to the hole, there wasn’t much left to do except walk up to the ball and hit it.
- Nightime view of the Seoul skyline from a park on the Han River. I got some AMAZING shots; can’t wait to upload those.
- A visit to an international middle school where my friends are teaching. Completely run in English, it’s something of an educational revolution in this country. Also worth its own blog post.
- Dinner with my old coworker and her husband, where the waitress asked us, as politely as possible, to finish up our dinner to make way for the people who were waiting for a table. Apparently, this happens time to time in Korea. It’s not that we were lingering at all, either. I would likely chalk this one up as another casualty of the “hurry up” culture that Koreans are notorious for.
- A brief visit to the War Museum with my dad, which was rushed since we had to move on to…
- Seeing my great uncle, who has recovered quickly from his surgery, one more time before we left. My dad and I hoped this wasn’ t the last time we would see him alive, but likely, that was the case for me. Thankfully, I was spared the lecture and was given some inspiring words about the importance of family.
- And one last dinner with other random relatives. Dad’s cousins? Not exactly sure. Again, the subject of guns in the US came up, as did the upcoming decision to allow US beef to be sold in Korea. Not surprisingly, they’re afraid of mad cow disease, as well as the increased competition from cheap American beef.
It’s been a helluva trip. I did pretty much all the sightseeing and friend seeing I wanted to do, and I got enough relative time to hold me over until my next trip (whenever that may be). But after over two weeks away from home, I’m ready to get back.
Before I sign off and leave this country, I do want to pick out the highlights of the trip:
- Best sightseeing moment: tie between the Seoul Skyline on the river at night and the massive royal ceremony at Gyeong Buk palace. You’ll see the pictures soon, I promise.
- Best relative/family moment: spending enough time with the Little Terror (my young nephew) in Kunsan to feel like I was actually getting to know him.
- Best food: tough to pick one thing in particular, but it may have been the clam noodle soup (kal gook su) that we got in some random countryside establishment.
- Best feeling: knowing that I’m going home soon, and that I can come back.
