National Palace Museum

Today I went to the National Palace Museum in Jongno-gu Seoul. I spent all of yesterday tucked inside my Goshiwon planning out my Japan trip so of course I would want to get out today.

Before I take you on my journey into the museum let me first tell you that I upgraded my camera. It has been my impression that if you live here long enough you end up buying a DSLR camera. Why not? Walk around and you will notice many Korean citizens with these big cameras dangling from their shoulders with not a care in the world that the lens might bump into something.

So what camera did I end up with? I got the Canon Rebellious Woman 600D with Super-Macro-fisheye lens.

Awe.. I am just kidding. But if they did market a camera as "Rebellious Woman" I might just be enticed. Instead, I picked up the new Canon Powershot G11 which acts like a DSLR but without the bulk of one.

This camera is so new that the Korean market is just starting to pick up on it. The lens on this camera can be altered by adding conversion lens. There is a "fisheye" one on the market that I want to grab but for now will make due.

Using this camera calls for one to press more buttons and tweek the image before taking a shot. Meaning I am becoming one of those people who stand there taking a picture and after about 5 - 8 min finally move on. There are a lot of controls and settings that I am starting to get use to. Plus I need to get my brain back into the photography realm such as F-stop and aperature. All good though!

Let's move on to the museum as I am sure you don't want to here brag on about my camera.

Entrance to the Museum:

 

 

You make your way out of Exit five via line #3 at the Gyeungbokgong station. As you exit you go through this tunnel that is very narrow and lined with posters for the museum.

 

Coming out of the exit tunnel you are greeted with a traditionally styled building on your left, which is the cafe entrance to the museum. I stepped into the cafe for a bite to eat.

I had a dish where rice was wrapped in a leaf. 

 

The rice inside was very glutonous or sticky, so much so that it tasted like tteok. Unfortunately I am still getting use to the sticky and chewy nature that is tteok. So I guess I was a little surprised but however enjoyed my lunch.

Inside the cafe~

Leaving the cafe I walked into the museum but not the main entrance. So I took myself back outside to find the front of the museum and here is what it looks like.

  

 

As you enter the museum to the left is the info desk and locker room. In the front area was a little table where you can stamp a postcard for free. In addition the admission fee was FREE!

Why:

The National Palace Museum of Korea is free from the first of January to the 31st of December in 2009 to commemorate the centennial anniversary of the opening of the first museum in Korea.

 

B1 Level: Royal Court Paintings, Royal Palanquins, Royal Court Music

I started out at level B1 because I figured it would be a good idea to start by going up. I am not sure if there is a better or ideal way.

 

The first thing you notice is how dark and quiet it is, except for the sound of Korean court music being played in the background. This gave the B1 level an ominous feeling and also kind of cavernous.

 

The musical instrument section was very intriguing. There were bells and chimes some of which were made from marble. I could't help but imagine what they must of sounded like or how they were played. Museum viewing is great in this way because you can always find something you didn't know and want to understand more.

 

The royal court paintings were equisite to look at but a little difficult due to the low lighting. I can understand why though, as harsh light can destroy pigments and such.

The following screen is in the Chekkori style due to the painting of books and other genre of a scholar.

 

The gallery~

 

Detail of a painting on a screen...I can't remember exactly but I believe the large red circle is not a sun but a moon. I could be mistaken, however.

 

1F: Royal Childbirth and Education, Royal Scholarly Culture, Korean Empire:

Moving on I went up to the first floor and found myself learning something about Royal court history. Apparently the birthing process from start to finish was a very sacred part of court life. This makes sense if you think about, since they wanted to raise a royal prince with all the well wishes. Some practices were foreign to me such as that the placenta and other birthing materials were very sacred and thus they put them in jars and buried them. In my opinion, this might have shamanistic roots and could be a practice they used that dates back long ago.

So at the entrance to this exhibit you saw the placenta jar artifacts from different kings during the Joseon period. I didn't snap any pictures because one of the guards was having a good time trying to talk to me in Korean.

However the area where they displayed the royal court scholarly artifacts was very interesting. Throughout China, Japan and Korea they have valued the idea of the Confucian scholar. One who is wise in the art of poetry, calligraphy and painting.

This display showed handmade and died paper. I loved the variant colors.

 

 

Then I came upon the "Korean Empire" historical section. Alongside the wall was a timeline of events dating from when Korea officially opened up their doors to western influence and other outsiders. From there it highlighted when Korea first got telephone service to when Japan took over and then finally won independence.

The display cases showed some of the artifacts from this time when westerners were discovering Korea and when Korea was discovering western styles.

There were a few old books on display of works published about the Korean peninsula in a time when people were still discovering the nation. I wondered if one could buy a reproduction because I think it would make for a fun read.

2F Royal Life:

The second floor was left to explore but I was feeling a little bit hungry. I forgot to mention that I brought my sketchbook with me to draw the things I saw that took my interest. Unfortunately by the time I got to the 2nd floor I was getting too hungry to draw anymore. So I just left it to taking pictures. I can draw from them anyways.

This area of the museum housed my favorite cultural artifacts of Korea that of their ceremonial robes and accessories.

Needless to say, I had fun using my new camera to take pictures of these precious items.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

I set out of the museum filled with amazement and wonder but my gut was feeling empty. As I exited there was a changing of the guard ceremony going on at the Gwanghwamun Palace entrance.

 

 I found something to eat a cafe (an expensive yet tasty sandwich) and headed towards the subway. On my way I noticed they were doing something with Gwanghwamun Plaza. For they are building the new ice skating rink that will be used during the winter. That is going to be fun skating in the center there with King Sejong and the Gate nearby.

 

On the way I also found this fun looking bin which is meant to be used for the snow.

 

I would like to finish this post by pointing out how you can find yourself in an odd yet enjoyable place sometimes while living here. For instance, as I was making my way out of the station there was an art performance going on inside a small gallery. Inside a group of children were watching as a man fed coffee to a teddy bear. Needless to say I felt a little confused but knew that there must have been some significance and meaning. I went on my way though to rest at home.

 

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Osaka Visa Run the Planning

This will be my first visa run to Japan but not my first time visiting the country. As you may know last winter for vacation I visited Tokyo and had a kick ass time seeing the Studio Ghibli Museum.

For this trip I am going to the Kansai area which consists of the major cities such as Osaka (where the Korean consulate is), Kyoto and Nara.

I plan to stay for 6 days and 5 nights and 2 of those will be spent at the Korean consulate area.

It's a lot of fun being a traveler for you can pick and chose where you want to go. As if you are drawing up your own treasure map. For me I want to emphasize seeing the historical attractions and put shopping second. I recall spending some time in a shopping district in Tokyo and feeling like I was in Korea so I kind of learned my lesson.

What to do? Where to go? How much money to bring?

Last time I was scared of running out of money so I ended up having a big chunk at the end and spent it all in a shopping mall before I left. I feel like I am going to be hitting a lot of gift shops and areas where handicrafts are sold so I am considering bringing extra with me. Also I want to try and eat out more than I did last time, instead of buying instant ramen and eating inside my hotel.

As for sightseeing I have made a list of the major attractions I want to see:

Osaka:
Shitennoji Shrine
National Museum of Art
Namba street area

Kyoto:
Fushimi-Inari-Taishi (red gates)
Kyoto station area
Kinkakuji
Kyoto Handicraft Center
Tenryu-ji (bamboo garden / temple)
Many more!

Nara:
Todai-ji (largest wooden building)
Other famous place
Nara is kind of far and two days are already going to be reserved for Osaka because of the visa...so we will see if I get out there.

In this day and age many travelers like to take the fantasy kind of route and not really plan out their travels. A guide book and a map seems to be what most people find as essential to traveling. I kind of went this way when I was in Tokyo but found that I could have planed things out a little bit more.

That is why this time I am writing out where to go, how long it takes and what's in the area so I know what to check out before heading back to the hotel. Certainly I haven't planned it to the hour, for I am not that neurotic.

So readers if you have been to this area and know of a must-see sight or a great place to eat lemme know.

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Photo Assignment: Special

As you may know the website Chatjip is starting to take off and get some following. Within the forum section a "jjustind" recommended doing a photo assignment as a way to represent life in Korea in a visual format. I chimed in with making the theme based upon a generated word.

So for the current theme he came up with "special". I would like to share my response for you here. I wasn't sure if we were suppose to go out and shoot new pictures or use ones from our collection. So I did the second part and used ones from collection.

The first picture here encapsulates special for me because this was my view from my first place in Korea. It was taken when I was first here in Korea. Therefore it is special to me because it reminds me of the feeling one has when they are first here. Overtime the image of large apartment buildings is still a reminder of my foreign presence here.

The following picture was selected as #2 because it represents a time in Korea when I felt independent and awakened. It was the trip I took with Jennifer to Myeongkyung Tea Bowl Festival. This was the time when my ex boyfriend left me and I was starting to figure out my truer purpose in Korea. At the festival we met these lively folks and I had a fun time of course. For this picture is "special" because of the moment in time it captured and how it shows if you get out there you can find great people and places.

For my #3 picture and final one I would like to show this one from the 2S2 meeting. This is "special" because it represents the fragility of forming a community and keeping good friends. The idea to form a large enough community to make a positive impact on Korean society is a big dream and I think the people who support it should be considered "special".


So you guys why not head over to Chatjip and submit your own "special" photos for the assignment. It would be great to see what others find as "special".

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Shoes and Lanterns

Vacation time lately feels like I have been sucked into a black hole. The cold air keeps me from wanting to sightsee and on top of that I seem to be thinking too much about life. You could say that I have been doing some soul searching.

I am in between jobs and that is why I have this vacation. As much as I try to relax and focus on the free time my mind tends to stray and think about the future. I will be starting my 3rd job in Korea and making my way through my second year abroad. Homesickness still occurs and sometimes it goes up a level. Nowadays it is more about just seeking a home. Living in the goshiwon is convenient but I wouldn't call it a permanent settlement. It seems that the life of an English teacher is similar to the roaming of a gypsy. Unless you are able to stay at one school for an extended period of time you are left to change locations. In some respects I don't mind this because it gives me the chance to explore a new area and get to know new people.

However, lately I have been feeling somewhere stuck in the middle between my life in Korea and my "home" back in America. If I am to stay here for a long time then I need to consider why and what I will do. Also I believe it is time to take the language seriously out here and help myself to some classes.

Nevertheless soul searching is good for you and I am sure all will be fine.

I did another kind soul searching last week and that was for a new pair of soles. haha

Ahem...well anyways I went shoe shopping last week in Myeongdong and I thought I share the fun I had.

I was relieved to find many shoe stores in Myeongdong with plenty of cute and fun shoes. Of course the problem was making a choice.

I came upon these durable and sporty shoes but knew I needed to look around more.

A shop nearby were selling these fun looking hi-tops that I thought would give me a hip edge. But I wasn't sure on the size or how they would hold up in the rain.

Then I went to a "Landrover" store and found these Clarks, which as you should know I bought. They are really comfortable and fun. I like the style because they sometimes remind me of Elvin shoes like in The Lord of the Rings. Also for some reason wearing red shoes gives me a confidence booster. Myeongdong is a place to find many treasures and also find yourself encapsulated amongst the tall buildings. I went on a weekday and it wasn't as crowded as it would have been on the weekend. Meaning I didn't have to walk through elbows to get around. So if you need to shop and want to do it in Myeongdong then I suggest trying to get out there when you have time off during the week.
Another traveling event that happened last week was that I was in the Jongno Insadong area. First I had a late lunch with JH and then strolled through Insadong towards the Chyeongyechon stream. Here you see lunch was some galbi of beef and pork with rice in a bamboo cup.
The stream was decorated with lanterns as part of the Seoul Lantern Festival to celebrate the "Visit Korea Year". Actually this campaign is a mess because they designated the year as 2010 - 2012, which is two years really.

Anyways, it was interesting to see the set up along the river. I would have stayed to see it all lit up but it was cold and windy out. Maybe next time when I have my new warm coat!



They say it is going to get warmer past Thursday so I will look forward to that. In the meantime I need to get a grip on my thoughts and not worry so much.

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Winter Coat Shopping

Winter is practically here already. The air is chilly and already the ondol (floor heating system) has kicked in.

I am not a winter person as I find it tiring to put on all the different layers before leaving the house. But this will be my second winter in Korea and I am happy that I know what to expect. Last year I didn't really know how cold it would get or how many layers work when it is snowing outside.

Nowadays I wear a sweater with one layer underneath and that seems to be okay. The more stock of sweaters and long sleeve shirts the better off you will be. Since there are a lack of dryers in Korea one needs to keep a cycle of drying clothes and dried ready for use.

Shopping for winter is whole other territory that can be frustrating too. I know that Korea's winters tend to be chilly and windy so it makes sense to find a coat that cuts out the windchill and keeps you cozy. Logically you would think that finding a winter coat in a country with the winter season would be easy.

But of course it isn't. Instead most of the jackets that are sold here are more about design than function. I went shopping at Lotte Department Store in my area for a new coat and tried on about 6 without buying any of them. I have also checked out Myeongdong and Emart but nothing lived up to my ideal image of the right winter coat.

The problem was mainly that they were too thin. I wondered how I was suppose to stay warm in such coat. The body of the coat would be padded but the arms weren't. My current coat is like one of these and in order to stay warm I need to pack in more layers. Last year I gave up trying to find a warm and practical coat and stuck with the one I had got.

Here is an example of the typical Korean coat. Although padded it isn't very warm. However very stylish~

This year, however, I want something new and functional. Since my search at Lotte failed I figured I really wasn't going to find what I was looking for here in Korea. So I went online hitting REI (an American company) and figured might as well pay for a decent coat and get it shipped here.

I came upon this coat: The Marmot Chelsea Coat in "wine" color
I am keen to that there are shops here that cater to brands like the NorthFace and Marmot. These are the shops that sell the mountain hiking gear. Now I could go around to these shops and search for this coat but I have a really big feeling that they aren't going to have it since this coat is really meant for the everyday instead of hiking up a mountain. Also I did a Gmarket search of it and got no results.

So I managed to find an online shop in America that will ship internationally.

All right that takes care of the coat now let's move on to the business of sweaters. It took a while for me last year to find a shop that sold basic thick sweaters. I loved that shop because the style was simple and the prices were reasonable. Now I am in search of a new shop or area to find the similar situation. In my opinion sweaters are too thin here or styled in such a way that make them impractical.

But really in this department of winter wear it is about what look you are going for and how much you are willing to pay. One warning I would tell people is that have a knowledge of how to wash your sweaters. Since most clothing bought here doesn't come with a label it is hard to know the material content such as wool or synthetic. Therefore be careful washing them. I have had a few shrink or get twisted out of proportion in the washing machine.

Don't forget about hats, scarves and gloves. Once inside you have to take all this stuff off and put it somewhere.

For those new folks to Korea if you like winter well then you are definitely going to enjoy yourself here. Actually the winters here are not as harsh as Northeastern US but still chilly.

Therefore I wish everyone a warm and cozy winter.

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Bukchon: Ambling Red Shoes

Like most journeys in Seoul, South Korea usually things begin by finding your way out of a subway station. Climbing step after step going up stairs you reach the top, sometimes, to be greeted by kooky adverts.

The message for today seems to be: "Bread is Ready, Coffee is Done." Reassuring? hmm

On this adventure I was on my to Bukchon which is a small hamlet in the Gahoe area of Jogno. Sometimes called the "Bukchon Hanok Village" you know to expect traditional styled housing with narrow winding streets.

Also this area is known for it's cluster of museums and living art exhibitions, and that was just why I was out and about in this area.
I took a taxi from Exit 3 up towards Gahoe-dong Catholic Church, which took a little while to ask the taxi driver. Once this was accomplished I started my walk through the streets of Bukchon.

My lovely new red shoes to help me on my way.

This journey was made also with the thought of how people have argued about how this area is being renovated to the point of no return. I wanted to see for myself what was going on but I am not really sure I knew what to look out for.
Gahoe Museum:
When researching this area and finding out what to see I put the Gahoe museum on my list. It was a great little pit stop for a museum. Quaint and intimate it felt as if I were participating in a private viewing. The exhibit that was current at the museum was a photography show that looked like someone had recently went to Mongol territory.



In addition to the museum space there are available demonstrations you can participate in. I wasn't sure whether there was a time frame to join in or whether you just asked to do it. While I tried to figure this out I took some pictures of the outer courtyard area.

Looking at this stamp area I figured if I just pointed and said "chuseayo" they would get the point. And they did! I did a rubbing of the "prevent 3 disasters". Figured it would make a nice keepsake or gift in the future. Just 4,000 Won ~

It was time to move on and so I set off for the next place to discover.

Museum of Korean Embroidery:
Who can't fall in love with handiwork like the delicate and intricate nature found in needlework?

If you have every used a needle and thread and know how simple the utensils are but how delicate the execution is than you will have an even greater appreciation for embroidery. Therefore a trip to a museum dedicated to embroidery and Korea's historical relationship towards the craft is a must.

I wasn't allowed to take pictures inside but I highly recommend taking a moment to bend over and a get closer look at the thread work. I couldn't help but imagine the craftsman or woman working tediously for hours.

The entrance~

Since photography inside was prohibited I had fun shooting photos outside in the courtyard. You can't help but get swept away with the serenity of these spaces. I know living in hanoks are known for their cold winters and hot summers but I wouldn't mind having the experience. You can stay in one for a few nights as an hotel experience.

Back to the peacefulness of this space, which I would like to emphasize because Seoul is a busy populated place. Finding quiet and empty spaces become your treasures.

Yet again it was time to move on and continue being the ambling traveler. Where to go?

I seemed to turn around looking in all directions and finding myself in the center of this hyper world. Almost like I was in a dream I felt like I could drift off at any moment.

I found my way going downhill.

Then I came upon these peep holes through concrete bricks and I couldn't help but treat them like viewfinders. I peeked through the holes and enjoyed the view from this framed perspective.


I enjoyed this experience so much that I made a little video:

Ah, my red shoes discovered something.

Going downhill further I came to a path that seemed more active. The gingko tree here seemed large and fantastically colored golden.

Soon enough this tree will be just bare sticks. It seemed as I turned the corner I was leaving the quiet walled area of Bukchon and entering the mix of commercial and residential area.

This was the day of the big test for high schools and I wondered if this contributed to the quietude. If you look closely at this next picture in the lower left corner you can see a woman standing there in a gray coat. She stood there the whole time facing the school, while I checked out some shops nearby I wondered what she was doing, and figured she was praying and waiting for her child while they were taking the test inside. She hardly ever moved. I couldn't help but consider what she was thinking and how hopeful she must had been.
Continuing on I made my way further into the active part of the area passing some nice cute shops.



Here is one of those Hanok hotels or guest houses where for a sum of money you can have close to an authentic Korean house experience.

A tea cafe~

If you have lived here long enough the site of cabbage piled up outside a grocery store is nothing new. A little bit of your Western self wonders about the health safety but continues on anyways.

Another typical site is that of hand towels drying on a rack outside a barber shop. I love it when they are all the same color.

Coming to end of the street I turned around and again saw something inspiring.

And then I came to where this adventure began at the exit of the subway station.

Living here for nearly two years now I can say that on this day I felt like I was for once really a tourist. Exploring on my own and discovering beautiful sites in the ordinary landscape of metropolis Seoul, without the feeling of having to teach the next day. I truly recommend finding yourself a walking path to discover and just head out on a journey. Turn every corner and find your own special place here.

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