It's hard to keep in mind that we in Korea are 13 hours ahead of you in the east and central zones of our great USA! So, right now it's early Sunday morning, September 23 and so that means it's just Saturday night where you are.
Sorry for the Defcon silence for a few days. Hey, who knew that traveling was so challenging and tiring! Especially when you're over 70!!! But, we finally have a few moments this quiet morning to catch up on our notes.
So, on Friday we went to a nice mountain lake resort called Nami Island. It's about two hours from Seoul. It's an island on the Han River which was built up substantially with fill dirt when they built a hydro dam in the 60's. Now, after all these years, it's a refuge for animals and people who want a bit of nature away from the maddening crowds of Seoul and its environs. I personally would have like to go all the way to Pyeong Chang, but the 3 plus hour bus ride one way, so over 6 hours of travel convince the group to opt out. There isn't much there to see now anyway and it's still about the same kind of scenery.
Saturday we did Namdaemun Market. It's an old, old peoples' market that mixes a flea market with modern shopping and things. It's a bit of everything there.
Today, I chose to opt out of the Incheon landing tour since I am not a fan of MacArthur's mistakes. He allegedly made a brilliant move at Incheon, flanking the North Korean Army, and it was admittedly a wonderful thing, but then he screwed up so many things that he was FIRED by President Truman for many reasons such as insubordination, direct disobedience of orders, and many other issues like having so many thousands of American men needlessly killed for his arrogance. So, we'll do Namsan/N Seoul Tower, the main boulevard in downtown Seoul, the reclaimed creek turned into a people's park/recreation area, and we'll try to fit in the Korean National Museum and the Korean War Memorial that now sits on the former Yongsan AB golf course!!! My how things change. And, more are in store since the main USFK and Eight Army commands have been moved to Camp Humphreys in Pyongtek, 70 miles south of here. That's a good move, but Yongsan now feels like a ghost town!!!
Please excuse if there are some repetitions and duplications... I'm still having some technical issues with the interface between my iPhone and my computer/laptop... they don't talk with each other very well, and the pictures are not transferring smoothly.
So, I'll make some picture captions the best I can and try to explain what we've seen and shared with you my/our thoughts.
This is one of the pictures from the 50's display in Ami Dong showing Busan harbor before all heck broke loose.
Another picture that depicts life in Busan in those difficult times.
Downtown Busan before the war... streetcars and no cars, just a military jeep!
Picture of the late 60's Busan with some growth going up the hills
A picture of the massive lines of war refugees coming south to escape the commies
People crawling over the downed bridge over the Han River in the Seoul area, trying to escape the war and devastation during the "Forgotten War"
More refugees somewhere in southern Korea
The horrid conditions of makeshift shacks and such that the refugees had for shelter and "homes"
The base of Yeong Do bridge which has some stories to tell...
This is an interior shot of the old Seoul Train station... where I survived a winter as a member of a small gang of boys, one of whom was my "special hyung" in a very NOT good way... many terrible memories here...
My darling in front of the main doors to the old Seoul train station...
Ok, we jump to Nami Island, where a lot of the Korean drama "Winter Sonata" was filmed, including the famous "first kiss" with the snowmen!!
The countryside is getting developed, but still has a 70's flavor in most rural areas, with many attempts to become tourist traps and tourist stops...
Getting ready for 2019!!
Famous lane of trees from the drama...
A beauty and a birch stand...
Another lane of beautiful trees!
The "first kiss" stand!!
A heart to commemorate the song "My Memory" and "forever"...
My Darling in front of some replicas and memorials...
A view of the end of the lake
The gingko tree is famous in Korea, and very much treasured...
Nami island has many animals, including Mr. Rabbit here and his many friends,
A pot for preparing steamed buns... one of my most cherished childhood foods,
The lotus pond with a beautiful flower...
The first kiss snowmen are now forever memorialized...
A wistful mermaid waits for her love by the shore...
The Lotte Tower which we will visit tomorrow..., along with a night cruise on the Han River,
The view of Namsan Tower from the bridge that now connects north and south posts of Yongsan, which eliminated the gates and traffic issues at this busy intersection...
My Sweetheart in front of the former USFK headquarters building where I worked in the 80's
The UN Command building and N Seoul Tower...
Nam Dae Mun gate next to the market...
One of many thousands of shops within shops,
and in Myeoung Dong, more shopping and street food vendors of all kinds,
Life is a coconut!
The Myeoung Dong theater... hmmm....
And, finally, the board for the NANTA dinner show, a rousing drumbeat and rhythm show, very noisy!
Getting ready to head back after another long day...
So, with much gratitude to God for this chance to come back "home" to my natal homeland, and much thanks to my Sweet, Sweet Darling for her strength and endurance and patience and support, we come towards the close of a most wonderful trip. The nostalgia is already starting. There have been many highlights to this trip, and a few disturbing, aggravating ones, but we'll talk about those later.
I am so glad that I was able to make this "salmon run" homeward and got to see the explosive growth in Seoul and Korea. I know now that I could NOT live here with any kind of serenity unless I lived in the countryside, which is ever shrinking. I laud the Korean people for their hard work, dedication to national growth and their indomintable spirit, but I do not like their closed mindedness, their "hermit kingdom" mentality and their xenophobia and racism. It's sad to see a people still mired in their ancient thinking and cultural systems. Someday it may change, but doubtful.
So, today we are going to the city center, walk along the stream, and visit the war memorial. A lot to do.
Thank you for understanding that I am not young and lithe as I used to be and for your support and love.
We pray for you all, to have a healthy and happy and success-filled life. I pray that God will bless you, guide you, and always protect you from the evil one.
Love and prayers,
Casey and Adriana
No comments:
Post a Comment