Seoul Day Two and Three

Sunday, October 30^th and 31^st

Happy Halloween from Seoul! We have been having a lazy weekend exploring Seoul. Saturday morning we walked down to the Namdaemun market which the guidebook says is the largest traditional market in the country and has been going strong since 1414. They say if you can’t find it here, it probably doesn’t exist.

From the market we wandered over to Cheonggyecheon. Again I am quoting from Frommer – This use to be a small stream that flowed through the downtown area that was hidden beneath a truck bypass for decades. In 2003, the mayor of the city (now the president of South Korea) decided to restore the stream and give the city some natural space. The bypass was removed, walking paths were opened, and 22 bridges were built. The stream now covers an area close to 7 miles long. Night or day it’s a great place to stroll with Seoul’s skyscrapers looming on either side of you. It really is an amazing development – we had a great time walking along it although we only did about a mile.

We didn’t do much the rest of the day just read and relaxed.

This morning (Sunday) we first checked the World Series game and Rangers were winning – yea! Then we went to church. Right next to our hotel is the Namdaemun Presbyterian Church (the first Christian church in Korea). We had such a nice experience there. Everyone was so friendly (I wonder how they knew we were visitors????) – they got us an English Hymnal and Bible. Then they got us a audio machine that switched between Korean and English so we could listen to the service. It was Reformation Sunday and it was really special to be singing “A Mighty Fortress is Our God” there. Their choir was very good. It was also communion Sunday. After church, several couples came up and showed us around and then insisted that we eat lunch with them – the church has lunch every Sunday. Charlie loved the kimchi! After lunch the people insisted on taking lots of pictures. It was truly a special experience.

I checked Google about Kimchi and one site said that Korea has named it a national treasure. It sounds pretty easy to make – vegetables pickled in a solution of garlic, salt, and red chili peppers. It is suppose to be a great source of vitamins B and C.

Charlie took a taxi to go visit the War Museum and I am getting a foot massage.

Seoul Day One

Thursday, October 28^th and Wednesday, October 29^th

Yesterday was a traveling day. We spent the afternoon in Narita/Tokyo’s international airport. We had beautiful weather throughout our tour and once it was over the rain came. It rained buckets all day yesterday. We felt so sorry for the ground crews out in the rain all day at the airport. That is a fun airport to just watch all the air traffic – 747’s, 777’s, 767’s – all the big ones along with the big air buses – it is a busy airport!

We arrived in Seoul around 8:30 pm and took the Airport Bus into the city to our hotel. The airport is huge.

We had a leisurely breakfast and then took a taxi to an area where we picked up the “Hop On/Hop-Off” tour. It really gives you a great over view of a city. This city is really something. We got off at the palace and spent a lot of time roaming around there. We caught the bus again and headed back to the start area. We did a ton of walking!

I admit that I did not know much about Seoul, but did you know that it is the 2^nd largest metropolitan area city in the world? I sure didn’t! It is really huge! And….Tokyo is the 1^st!

Right now, the whole attention of the city is geared to the “G20 Summit” when we checked into the hotel they gave us a letter saying that today there would be helicopters landing and taking off from the top of our hotel to practice security response. The summit is the 11th and 12^th of November.

Well, we need to go study our guidebooks for tomorrow.

Leaving Japan

Wednesday, October 27, 2010

We are now in a hotel by the Tokyo airport after a short flight from Osaka. We had about 3 hours this morning in Kyoto before we had to be ready to leave on the airport shuttle. So off we went for our last sightseeing and this time we headed to the “philosopher’s Walk” – actually it was what we had planned for yesterday, but couldn’t find it. Today we took a taxi to the Ginkakuji Temple and found the start of the path there.

The “philosopher’s walk” follows a narrow canal that is cherry tree lined so must be gorgeous in the springtime. It was used by some prominent philosophers from Kyoto University who used it for daily meditation - thus the name. It goes from Ginkakuji Temple and ends at Nanenji Temple. It is awesome.

Since we had a chance to be philosophical this morning about our visit to Japan we now have some questions for you our dear readers. Have you ever burned your “bum” on a commode? Have you ever wondered what buttons to push and what they do in a Japanese western toilet? We have answers and pictures. First, many seats are warmed, second, many seats “sing” to you (to mask natural sounds), third, some spray some wash, and most directions are in Japanese. The guidebooks warn you to not be pressing some buttons while you are getting up or you will have wet clothes. Every toilet has been a learning experience and yesterday was the best lesson yet.

I, Mary, was in a toilet in this huge department store and could not keep from laughing and told Charlie when I met up with him that I needed to go back for a “photo op” there. The wall was plastered with instructions in many languages on what to do. He says you don’t need to take reading materials to a Japanese toilet just read the instruction manual on the walls. That will keep you entertained for a while. This particular commode had buttons for solids, liquids, sprays, washes, tunes, and to close the lid – bad one to push while sitting. And….who says that traveling is not educational. Well, off to my warm seat…….

Actually, we have been pleasantly surprised at the toilets. I was expecting not having “western toilets” and having to squat. In most places you have a choice – the door will say” western” on it. And……the best thing, they are all spotless here – we have never seen such clean facilities. The Japanese must be horrified when they visit our country.

Tomorrow night we are off to Seoul.

Kyoto Day Three

Tuesday, October 26th

Today was a full day free or there was an optional trip - we chose to explore on our own. So off we went with a map that Lucy drew for us and a few key phrases written out. We took a taxi to Nanzenji Temple which was a very nice place to go and relax, but we had things to see and do so we didn’t stay long enough to get calm!

From the temple we took off walking and with all of our maps just roamed around for several hours. At the main shopping area we stopped at a huge department store and had a good lunch. I found a “Thank you” card for Lucy.

Next we headed to Nishiki-Koji, a covered fish and produce market. It has been Kyoto’s food market for more than 4 centuries. It was really fun to roam down and see all of the stalls.

By the time we finished at the market we had been roaming and walking for about 5 hours and mentally I was thinking I am done!!!

Tonight is our farewell dinner at a local restaurant. It has been such a great trip and it is always sad to have to say “goodbye” to many new friends. Lucy has been a gem of a guide. We have had many good ones, but she is at the top!

We heard the following phrase several times – from our home/hosted visit and the Zen Buddhist yesterday – “One life – one encounter” from the visit and then “one life – one meeting” from yesterday. I guess that this is one of our reasons we like to travel is for those “encounters and meetings.” We know that we have a totally different feeling about Japan. We never really wanted to visit here and we would have missed so much if we hadn’t decided to take this trip.

Oh, can I tell you – it has been wonderful not having to overhear everyone's cell phone conversations. There is cell phone courtesy here – we have not heard people’s phones ringing and we have only seen a couple of people talking quietly on their phones. We sure could take a lesson from Japan on that – myself included, I admit. Can you imagine how delightful it would be to enjoy a restaurant without annoying cell phones!

Tomorrow we fly from Osaka to Tokyo and we will stay by the airport. Then on Thursday we fly to Seoul.

Kyoto Day Two

Monday, October 25, 2010

Today we had a late start – 8:20! Lucy does have a great sense of humor! We rode to the Zuihoin Temple for a Tea ceremony and a lesson in Zen Meditation. The Zen monk led us in how one should do the meditation. We were allowed to sit on stools if we couldn’t set on the floor. Thank goodness – so about half of us were on the stools. Then we had the tea ceremony – Lucy had given us lessons in the proper etiquette involved.

The Zen Garden here was better than the one we saw on Saturday – we all agreed on that.

Following the temple we rode out to Kameoka City where we meet some local organic farmers. The farm had been in their family for 400 years. We all pulled up some bean plants – edamae. We then got the beans off the plants while having a discussion with the farmers. Beans in sacks, we headed to our Japanese cooking lesson. We want you to know that we have been designated at “Sushi Ambassadors” for our country. I am afraid that I would have to resign that task. I still don’t like it, but Charlie liked his. The cooks there boiled the beans and they were pretty good!

Back at the hotel we had 40 minutes to get ready for this evenings program. Off we went for a Japanese Traditional Music lecture at the performer’s house. They were so sweet. They talked to us about the Koto, Shakuhachi, and shamisen. The first is like a harp in sound, the next one is a bamboo flute, and the last one is similar in sound to the banjo. We really enjoyed the music.

We went by taxi then to the Higashiyama District where we explored the path of Nene and the path of Ishibei which are beautiful alleys. They are filled with restaurants and Japanese style inns. It is said to represent the best of refined elegance that Kyoto can be.

We had a dinner at a local restaurant which was excellent – no fish!!

Tomorrow is the last day of the tour – it has been a fantastic tour. We really think that OAT (Overseas Adventure Travel) has outdone itself with this tour. It is “jam-packed” with so many different adventures and “discoveries.” We all have commented daily on how much we are enjoying everything. There certainly is never a dull moment or a wasted moment.