Being Korean in Japan: Kyoto

They were so pretty that I creeped and took a picture ^__^

This is the second part of my Japan travels. Get to the first, here.

(picture heavy post)

I would have to say that the best part of the trip was going to Kyoto, for me. Don’t get me wrong, Tokyo is such an amazing, bustling city, that has so much going on all the time, is vastly interesting, immensely exciting, and perpetually new.

But more and more I am understand how much of a non-city girl I am. I hesitate to call myself a country girl, but there’s an unsquashable desire in me to be among open spaces, clear skies, fresh air, greenery and bluery.

And when I think about Japan, what excited me about Japan was perhaps not Shibuya Crossing as much as Gion. Harajuku as the Miyajima Torii. Compound that with my tendency to love all old, traditional, historical things… and it was easy for me to love Kyoto.

first up: Fushimi Inari Shrine

I bought a yukata after the woman pulled and tucked me into one. so pretty!

going to see the golden palace ^^

By the end of the trip, I kind of felt like Seoul was Japan’s kid brother, trying to be like their more mature older sibling, but never quite being as put together as Japan… but honestly, by the time those 5 days were over, and I crossed back to Korea, the thought crossed my head that it was good to be home.

Which leads me to another topic entirely. This trip was the first time ever that I had refered to Seoul as home. When I was stopped at customs in Japan (coming back to Korea) and there was an issue with my VISA, all the airport people were asking me why I was going to Korea, and what I would do there. I kept having to say, I’m going home. They would ask me, where is home? And I would say, Seoul. I live there.

After all of the panic (I was seriously worried I wouldn’t be allowed back into Korea when I had to teach class the next day), everything worked out and I had one of the most beautiful flight experiences of me life.

I was seated at the window, and my flight being late on a clear night, left me with a breathtaking view. I saw Japan with all its bright lights, I saw the clouds being sliced through the plane wings, I saw the brightest moon I had witnessed in a while, and I saw layers and layers and layers of city, clouds, and still night. Not wanting to forget it, I tried to take a picture of the perfection, but all manmade contraptions couldn’t capture the beauty before me, sadly.

thanks Japan!

Japan was an amazing experience, but nowhere complete. There’s so much I want to see and experience in Japan, that it merits another trip somewhere in the future.

Being Korean in Japan: Tokyo

This past week I had 5 days of vacation due to Chuseok (추석), or the Korean Thanksgiving holiday. A friend and I headed east towards Japan, visiting Tokyo and Kyoto.

My first impression of Japan/Tokyo is just how much more cleaner it is than Seoul. And everything seems much more orderly/symmetrical/organized than it does in Seoul. Oh, and that the city has more green spaces. And that the air quality to better.

Imperial Palace and the outer gardens. Doesn't quite look like Japan, right?

This was interesting. Very western styled buildings in the very modern downtown area of Tokyo.

Hand and mouth cleansing before entering temple...

acting the tourist.

Taking pictures and drawing things on it. Awesome and fun!

the ever popular Shibuya Crossing...

Hachiko statue with a Doggy under it!! Cutest!! :)

BAM! Tableside grilling :)

I realized on this trip how "korean" I had become during the almost 7 months I've been here in Korea. On the trip, someone called me and my friend "so Korean" which was interesting, and then there was the fact that I was speaking Korean to everyone haha.

Tokyo is such a big, interesting, vibrant place. So much to see and do and just experience. But I didn't only stay in Tokyo... but that's for the next post!

Samcheok 2: To the cave, Batman!

Morning, Samcheok.

We headed up to the mountains to do some hiking and explore this giant limestone cave, Hwanseongul.

ready to go!

entrance.

You can hike up to the cave entrance, or you can take a monorail up. We decided to hike, because when you are surrounded by this beauty, how can you not?

There was a steep incline that had us gasping for breath.

okay, this^ is something that I always saw on Korean dramas when someone would go to the mountainside: drinking water coming out of a rock! and then there are those spoons where you just scoop some water up and drink it to refresh yourself. a natural drinking fountain! and the water was so cold and crisp! (I tried not to think of the germs on the communal spoon)

Entrance to the cave.

I didn't take any pictures inside the cave, one because I have a crappy camera and two because there was a sign saying not to take pictures, although there were some foreigners who were taking pictures everywhere inside.

The cave is amazingly HUGE. It takes a whole hour to go around the whole thing. The best thing about the cave though, was the names of the different bridges, chambers, and passes: Summit of Hope, Palace of Dreams, Magic Wand, Valley of Desire, Bridge of Confessions, etc.

Bridge of Confessions was my favorite because it looked like something out of Indiana Jones, the ride, but then you look down between the planks at your feet and your see nothingness. The darkness of the cave extends below your feet for an unknown distance and all that is keeping you alive is this rickey old wooden bridge. Needless to say, we sprinted like made across that bridge!

The bus ride back? 7 hours! My bladder was going to explode. BUT, Samcheok was exactly what I needed to recharge my batteries :)

Samcheok 1: Feels like Home

Last weekend with friends Julie and Olivia in tow, we left the concrete jungle that is Seoul and headed east towards the East Sea (Donghae, 동해) to a little slice of heaven called Samcheok (삼척).

Me and Julie in our couple seats...

Poor Olivia in the nice and spacious solo seat

The bus ride was supposed to take something like 3 hours to get Samcheok. In reality, it took 4 hours, in which the 3 of us alternately ate, slept, and stared out of the window.

But when we arrived at Samcheok, this is what awaited us <3

The first meal of the day, a fish soup called Gomchigook (곰치국)-- 곰치 is a kind of fish and 국 is soup. I adore seafood and since we were right by the ocean I thought this soup had to be delicious. Like, there would be some sort of heinous injustice if it turned out to be anything other than tasty.

Turns out that there both that fish and that soup suffered a cosmic injustice. That fish because it was just unfortunately ugly. That soup because the texture of the fish was something akin to jelly--and I could not for the life of me appreciate it.

We spent the rest of the day along the strip of beach, played in the waves, played soccer/volleyball with a kid's abandoned ball, and ate snacks while drinking makgeolli (막걸리)--korean rice wine.

I love you Samcheok, I really do.

When we stood out on the shoreline, my friend olivia turned to me and said, "you stare at the ocean like its full of memories." I am, at heart, a girl raised by the sea.

Things to do, Places to See

This summer, instead of going out of Korea for vacation (I KNOW *facepalm*) I'm making the most of my 10ish days and venturing the hell out of Seoul to get more intimate with the rest of South korea.

On the Agenda?

Heading to the DMZ, visiting beaches/caves, an ancient temple, a palace, and even green tea fields :D

Now if only the weather would cooperate!

Haeinsa/ Tripitaka Koreana

Gyeongju National Park/ Anapji (via jason teale, National Geographic)

Boseong Green Tea Fields

This side of the Pacific: Haeundae Beach, Busan

Having been born and raised in Southern California, there are no words to describe how much I needed/wanted to see the ocean. And just how much it meant for me to do just that, in Busan, at its most famous beach: Haeundae.

A few friends and I made the 2.5 hour trip (KTX fast train) & the 5 hour trip back (slow train) over this past weekend, which was Children's Day/Buddha's Birthday.



,It's amazing how similar, and yet, how different it was to be back at the beach for the first time in over two months. I've definitely taken it for granted that I could visit the beach anytime I wanted back when I was in San Diego.

And I was definitely glad to be there, not in august, when the crowds hadn't yet come, when the weather hadn't gotten too blistering hot, and there was nothing but ocean water and sand before me.