Chuseok Spectacular at the Namsangol Hanok Village

 Ok, as you know by now my birthday was on Chuseok this year, which gave me five days off and a chance to explore more of this great city. I chose to visit the festivities at the Namsangol Folk Village in Chungmuro, Seoul. For one I really enjoy this time of year when people come out to engage in their cultural traditions and two I haven't been to this site yet.

 I arrived out of Chungmuro station and made my way up a street towards the village gate. Along this path were street carts selling traditional snacks, cotton candy and typical street food. The wafting smells of burnt squid along with sweet sugary cotton candy wafted in the air as I passed through the gate.

The above is hobakyeot, or traditional pumpkin candy that is broken up into small pieces. Now you would think this is some kind of hard crunchy thing to eat, however once in your mouth it starts to melt and releases a tangy sweet taste.

 I arrived before the major crowds came pouring in, allowing me to explore and move about the area easily. Upon entering you see a courtyard with traditional games set up, TBS eFM broadcasting from their truck and a stage nearby with performances going on. Definitely this was the place to be to explore traditional happenings in Korea and to mingle with Korean people.

 The highlight of this trip was seeing the youngsters dressed out in their colorful hanboks. Boys and girls looked as cute as dolls with their brightly colored vests and flowing skirts. Above you see children trying their hand at the game of Tuho where you throw long sticks that look like arrows into a standing pot with three holes. If you have ever tried your hand at this then you would know how tricky it really is to get those sticks in one of the holes.

 Another traditional game is called Yut, where you have four sticks and give them a toss in the air. These sticks are flat on one side which determines the play of the game. You count the number of sticks that landed flat and rounded to determine how many spaces you move your piece on the board. I think kids get the most kick out of throwing these sticks, which have been used in the classroom for school activities.

I'm not sure if the above game is strictly a Korean traditional one, as "hoop rolling" or "hoop trundling" is found in other nations. But the basics are there consisting of a metal hoop and a hook like metal stick to push this thing along. However, this one's a tricky game where it takes a few practices to get the idea of how it works.

 Alongside the traditional games was a overhang set up with traditionally made woven materials such as shoes, baskets and brooms. Inside this area were too older gentlemen working away at making these items.

 For the most part I enjoyed this lovely day in Korea where people came out to celebrate their culture and create memories with their family. I took a path leading up towards the tower that winded it's way around the venues and admired the scenery.

 Expect another post including a drum dance and parade, as there was plenty more to share from this special occasion. Chuseok festivities should still be going on around these parts of Seoul, so if you want to still catch some of the fun then head on out there!

Damyang: 죽녹원 Bamboo Forest

When I first arrived at Damyang I made my way to my pension (more detail on that later). The owners of the place gave me a lift to the nearest grocery store, and on the way back got me some local treats. This was bamboo shoot bread, and was very delicious with small pieces of bamboo (edible) inside, along with a slight sweet taste from the bread.

On my first full day in Damyang I headed to the bamboo forest ( 죽녹원) to have a lovely walk through tall stalks of leafy bamboo. Getting around Damyang is pretty easy and it was a short walk from my pension to the forest entrance.

On this day I got there around 10 AM, and that proved to be a good decision as I was able to meander through the forest trails without much bother from the crowds. I have never wandered through a bamboo forest and have always thought the idea of this to be enticing.

As I entered the thicker part of the forest and the light grew dim and shaded in lovely ways by the leaves and stalks, I knew this was a special place.

Damyang is located a bit north of Gwangju in the Jeollanam-do province on the Southwestern side of Korea. Of all my time here in Korea I have never ventured to this slice of Korea, and for my vacation figured I would cover this ground.

When walking through the forest I looked up and admired the leaves through the sunlight, making lovely silhouettes.

As you make your way through the forest you pass water fountains, benches and other little spots to stop and enjoy the scenery. Carved into the bamboo were names of couples who had left their mark.

The forest is of course the location of many famous filming spots, and also where Korea's officials have ventured.

The only panda's in this forest were fake, yet still quite cute.

In one area I noticed a bird close to the pathway, that didn't mind getting it's picture taken.

When you get to the back of the forest you enter into the "experience village", where there are traditional houses (hanok), grassy fields and fountains. I didn't really know what there was to "experience" but I had an enjoyable time sitting on the deck of one of the hanoks and taking a rest. Generally, the path throughout the forest is not to laborious but there are some hills here and there.

One of the fun parts of going through the forest were when random people said hello to me. "Where are you from?" Was one of the many questions, and even one visitor gave me a cold drink they got out of a vending machine. It's one of the charms of traveling around Korea, that is of running into nice people along the way.

Heading out of the experience village I admired the walk back to the entrance, and stopped in at the souvenir shop and cafe.

Of all the bamboo trinkets including fans, whacking sticks and back scratchers, I decided to go home with a bamboo cup.

When you get out of the forest you make your way to the left and there is a pavilion where you can rest and look out over Damyang.

In the above picture you see a water fountain area in the front, where kids enjoyed running through and then in the background you see a line of tall trees poking up. That was the meta-sequoia drive walk that is also famous in this area. However, I didn't partake in that as I have experienced tree lined streets before in Korea.

But stay tuned for more posts about my visit to Damyang, including some fun stories of getting lost and finding my way.

Changgyeongung Palace: A small oasis in the city

Although I've been living near the Hyehwa area for over a year now, it never really occurred to me to visit the place. Until recently, when I discovered that this area is greatly known for it's theaters and also has a palace nearby.

It's called the Changgyeonggung Palace and like many other of it's kind has beautiful architecture and many cultural assets. What I liked most about the palace was how it integrated itself within the natural setting, but also it's sort of dark history during the Japanese occupation. It was a zoo during that time period, and also a rice field was turned into a pond. All of which, can be enjoyed alongside winding paths amongst tree-lined forests.

When entering the palace you are first greeted by the long stone path to the Myeongjeongjan or Hall. Apparently, because this hall faces east it is quite irregular from the usual Joseon pattern, but was done so due to the areas natural elements.

Above is a view of the interior, where the throne was placed. The windows around the structure are made with lattice work.

Heading around the Hall, one is greeting with the gate Binyangmun, which made for an interesting frame around the scenery.

Passing trough the gate one enters a courtyard with several structures. I looked around and headed up towards a Hall one could rest in.

Those characters up there were written by a King, giving this space a stately feel to it although it was rebuilt over many times.

Leaving this area I headed towards the pond and forest-path section of the grounds. One walked by small monuments, vending machines in a forest and a green pond with ducks and other life in it.

The pond area would make a great spot for a picnic or just some place to generally kick back in the city. After you pass the pond you come upon the Greenhouse, which looked splendid amongst the scenery.

The interior housed various plants and trees, and it wasn't too humid inside. It was a pleasant structure to walk through.

All together, I would recommend coming out to the Changgyeonggung Palace because it isn't too crowded, and there is a lot of greenery to be enjoyed. I think it is one way to enjoy the historical relics of Seoul, but without all the Seoul-ness in it. Meaning, it has enough ground to cover that you can feel like your in an oasis in the city.

How to get here? 

To reach Changgyeonggung, one option is to enter through a back gate within Changdeokgung Palace (main gate near Exit 3 of Anguk Station, Line 3). The famous “rear garden” (huwon) can also be entered here. If you wish to avoid buying a ticket for Changdeokgung, you can simply follow its outer wall until you reach Changgyeonggung, since they are side by side. Alternatively, you can come out of Exit 4 of Hyewha Station (Line 4). Just walk along the street to the end, turn left and walk until you spy the main entrance across the main road.

 It's also just 1,000 Won to enter, which is such a deal!