We arrived around 11 AM and the shops were opening. This made it kind of difficult for us because we wanted to get brunch. But most of the shops were closed and not many cafes serving food were open yet. So we walked through Insadong street passing by mostly everything. As we passed by we did a little window shopping. Before I knew it we were already at the end of Insadong street. I felt somewhat amazed, I didn't realize how short distance the street actually was.
Next, we crossed a large intersection which was near the Angok subway station. It was here that Jennifer bought some roasted chestnuts, which I didn't care for too much. And also we made our way into Samcheong-dong. On this path Jennifter promised me that there were some cafes that served up some good brunch food (pancakes, sandwhiches...etc.)
The street we started walking up on had the atmosphere of being quiet and waking up. The path was somewhat more narrow than Insadong street and it appeared that the buildings were mostly residential. But we started to come upon the cafes. One place looked promising but it turned out they were still finishing the morning baking of goods...
Brunch was satisfying and we spent some time chatting and catching up on our own individual histories and opinions of life abroad. It felt awesome to get some girl-talk in and stew about certain aspects of foreigner life. But the streets and galleries were calling our name so we moved on.
Decaying Korean Architecture:
Did I mention Jennifer is rich in her knowledge of Korean Art and Architecture? Well, it was a delightful treat to be served a history lesson of the architecture in the area. Part of my Asian Art history courses back in college covered aspects of Asian architecture. But what I studied came from pictures, so of course it was exhilarating to see these structures in person.
The area, though, appeared to be going through many transformations. Apparently this part of Seoul is for the richy-rich folks. Indeed, I almost felt like I was walking through Nob Hill or the Marina district of San Francisco. How I could tell? Well not that many people were on the street, the majority of buildings were painted cleanly and also done up in very stylish ornamentation. But the old and the new existed side by side in this area, and was evident when Jennifer pointed out to me old Palace structures.
We could tell this structure was older than the rest of the buildings surrounding it because of the wear and tear in the wooden beams, and also within the style of the eave of the roof. If you look close enough at the second picture you can see remnants of painting left on the round beams coming out under the roof. In time this building will be torn down to be replaced with something new. I stood there trying to grasp this reality, wondering why the Korean government would not act to preserve each and every old building like this. But it is what they do and I in time will accept this part of Korean society.
So we moved on and came upon an area where they were tearing down old palace walls. This place had a kind of flux feeling feeling because we caught the walls in a state of suspended renovation. For one of the walls was cut away, like a cross section, and made for a particularly interesting study.
This area was really starting to grow on me. Of all the places I have seen in Seoul this one seemed to give me the impression of what I thought a Korean street may look like. That is with old Palace structures and nature tucked in between it all. So I became somewhat envious of the residents in this neighborhood and wanted my own traditional yet modern home.
Cafe and Gallery Streets:Our path then took us onto the Cafe / Gallery street of Samcheong-dong, which reminded me of such places like Laguna Beach in Orange County and Geary Street in San Francisco. You could see Gallery window displays and cafes arranged next to one another. Also many of the shops had unique storefronts or architectural elements.
We stopped in a few galleries and took note of the art inside. Actually we didn't really go inside many galleries, I guess I was getting more of a feel for this area. But no doubt an artistic and creative edge permeated throughout this area, even if we didn't step inside many galleries.
As we walked up the street we came upon another Japanese Colonial style building. This time I could easily spot the Japanese elements. (Rectangular elongated windows and shortened eaves.) Jennifer made an accurate point about telling me how you can spot the irregularities, because it basically looks different than Korean homes. For those who live here I think you too can notice the difference. I think though that this structure has had some modern improvements and embellishments.
Turning the corner we came upon another street with cafes and galleries. On our way we spotted some graffiti art and a cafe with a crazy storefront.
Vista Viewpoint:Then we came upon an uphill road, which yielded a spectacular view. Not only of the mountain in the distance but of the Geoncheondong palace structures, and in the foreground below us were old rooftops.
I was told that couples like to take thier
sweethearts here for a walk at night, supposedly very romantic. (Hint, hint...BK)At this point the weather was getting colder and colder, and for some reason my body wasn't warming up enough. So I suggested we head back towards a subway station, as a way to see more sites and also get out of the cold. On our way we tried to find a cafe to sit in, but they all seemed too pricey for just a cup of tea.
Jennifer remembered that she knew a friend of hers who had a store in the area, and said that she couldn't pass by without visiting.
An Actual Cultural Experience:It was here at Jennifer's friends shop that I felt like I had a real cultural experience. It has been rattling around in my idea of
what actually makes a cultural experience? Is it when you go see a place that is designated as a cultural icon? Or could a cultural experience come from the interaction with the people of the culture?
Anyways, the shop this woman runs is, what I guess, a tailor shop. She handmade everything inside including hanboks, coats, scarfs and decorative cloth materials. It was a tiny little shop, with a kitchen and storage room in the back. When you walked in you came across a large table, where she did her needlework. Jennifer and I were greeted with a warm smile, tea, walnuts freshly cracked and mandarins. The shop keeper was an unmarried woman who looked like she was in her 40's or 50's (hope that is somewhat accurate.) A sweet woman with rosy cheeks and a wise smile.
Inside we drank tea and Jennifer talked it up with her friend about boyfriends, marriage and past times. I enjoyed sitting and sipping my tea and looking at all the handiwork.
As I sat there it felt like I was on one of those adventure travel shows where the host is seen going inside a local person's home and being given a modest portion of something to drink and eat. While at the same time he narrates the scene by saying "You can really get to know a culture by being a guest inside a locals home." Or "You really must get to know this culture by going off the beaten path and engaging yourself locally."
That is how I felt sitting there, for it was as if I was off the tourist path. Inside the store I caught a glimpse of a little storefront, that I would otherwise pass by. So I wondered to myself whether or not this designated itself as an actual cultural experience. I would like to think so.
Chinese for Dinner:Hunger was calling our name and so we said our goodbyes and headed back towards Anguk subway station. On our way we stopped at a Chinese noodle restaurant that is actually managed by Chinese people. From the picture on the wall I knew it was going to be delicious and indeed it was. The dish had that familiar ChinaTown from America taste, and perhaps actually better!
Ah, come on Joy...give us a smile!
And so ends my Art adventure with Jennifer. Thank you so much, and I can't wait to do it again...next time we will actually go inside more galleries.
