Day 8: Touring Andong... The Soju Museum

We did a day trip to Andong on Saturday. The first stop was the soju museum. In Korea they have different local soju depending on where you live. Daegu is famous for Charm Soju, its the standard at which we judge other soju. Pusan has its 'fresher' C2 Soju. Jeju has its icy cool smooth Halla Mountain Soju. And, Andong, a small city just north of Daegu known for its traditional laid back lifestyle, is known for its strong as hell, breath of fire, Andong Soju.

We toured the shity little museum with its cheesy displays on how Andong Soju is still made virtually the same way it was made hundreds of years ago. Then we helped our selves to plenty of free 'samples', also known as free shots until we were feelin pretty good.

Then, stinking like a bunch of alcoholic foreigners, we made our way by bus to an even more traditional village a few kilometers out of town..

Chanting To Amita Buddha

This was probably one of the most powerful of Fanta's experiences in Korea...



In a hall located at the far right hand side of the temple grounds, as dictated by feng shui, is a temple dedicated to Amita Buddha. In this painted old wood structure the sounds of a wooden bell and chanting of the faithful pulled us into mindfulness... mindlessness... into peace.

Days 4 through 7...

Uhhh... actually we're a little shady on the exact days we did stuff but basically we took the week to show Fanta around Colorful, Colorful Daegu. This is the motto of Daegu which gets ridiculed constantly by foreigners and locals alike but, in the climax of the fall season, it truly lives up to its name.

We checked out the herbal medicine market, went to our favorite tea houses, did some downtown shopping, and ate at some more of our favorites places.

The highlight of the midweek was likely our trip to the largest temple in the Daegu area, Donghwa temple. Alissa and I hiked around this area a few weeks before Fanta came and were fully aware of the beauty waiting to be appreciated on the holy slopes of Palgong Mountain.

After three bus transfers and a short but bit of a steep hike, we entered the temple ground of Donghwa temple. Its peace and tranquility was felt as we entered the enormous main gate. With the trees vibrant as ever and with monks chanting in the background we explored these ancient temple grounds.

Fanta's Third Day In Korea

While I darted back to Daegu to work, Alissa and Fanta took the fall morning to enjoy Gyeongbokgung Palace. This old palace and surrounding park must have been a perfect transition from Seoul's busy downtown to the slower pace of Chilgok, the suburb of Daegu where we live.

After we came home from work that night we went out for galbi (Korean pork BBQ) at one of our favorite joints. It was in that restaurant where we created an impromptu song that became a bit of an anthem throughout Fanta's stay.

“We're goin' eat GALBI, GALBI, tonight.
We're goin' eat GALBI, GALBI, tonight.”

Day 2: Artsy Seoul

On day two we woke up a bit late due to our late night gallivanting the night before. We took the metro to the Leeum Samsung Museum of Art, the premier art gallery of Korea. There we saw such awe inspiring pieces, the out door exhibit of freaky looking giant spiders was quite memorable as well as many old pieces of pottery from thousands of years ago.

After that we traversed small alleyways in search of Sanchon, a famous all vegetarian authentic Buddhist restaurant. It was a lot more breathtaking inside than the outside lead us to believe. Once we stepped inside we felt at peace inside this old traditional Korean home. We were served 16 small side dishes, all of which were better than any we had tried in the last few years in Korea. I guess that wasn't much of a surprise as Sanchon was selected as one of the top 10 best restaurants in Asia by the Washington Post.

After digesting our meal over tea in a few tea houses, we winded down the night at a Japanese bar.

Fanta in Korea Day One (Night One)

Over the next few weeks or so we will be chronicling the (mis) adventures we had with our friend Fanta- our last fling with Korea... Enjoy...

After waiting for a few hours at the wrong gate at the very Starwars-shaped Incheon International Airport, (sorry Fanta) we finally found Fanta and subwayed our way into the core of Seoul. Coming up from the subway station into the middle of Seoul was a lot like burrowing from one side of earth and then just popping up in the bustling brights light of Seoul's city center on the other side of the globe. The look and excitement on Fantas face when walking up those stairs is priceless.

After ditching her luggage at a cheap-ass love motel we wandered the small alleyways of Insadong before sitting down for Fanta's first Korean meal.

After chowing down on hot Korean dishes and a few bottles of soju we taxied down to hundred-year-old Dongdaemoon (East Gate) to check out the all-night-long market. The streets were packed with stalls and what seemed like tens of thousands of eager bargain-hunters. After hours of elbow-to-elbow shopping late into the night (mainly for earings and scarfs!), and at the point of all most dropping from shopping, we hauled our tired bodies into a street stall where we indulged in Korean street food.

The fried-battered-seafood-pizza-like-thing was amazing, the pan fired chicken thing a bit greasy, but as we hailed a cab half cut off the other bottle of soju we ordered we were definitely ready to call it a night...

and that was just Fanta's first few hours in Korea.

Views From Bukchon

I had to make a short stop in Seoul on my way to Chuncheon to run one of Korea's famous full course marathons on the weekend. I spent most of my time unsuccessfully navigating old alleyways in the Bukchon area in search of a traditional Korean guesthouse where I could spend a peaceful night. The Bukchon area used to be the area of town where the well-to-do government officials used to live.

Enjoying a Sunday, Enjoying Korea, Enjoying the Fall

Today we took the opportunity to bask in Autumn's colourful splendor. A long rewarding hike up Daegu's holy Palgong mountains (pal = eight, gong = 0 . . . Eight-Zero Mountains).

The hike took us up a weaving path tunneling through trees bright with yellows, reds, oranges, and unturned greens. We made a stop at three Buddhist hermitages, each had its own charms.
After working up a mighty apatite we enjoyed a mountain-herb inspired version of chicken soup which included a whole chicken boiled in a broth with ginseng, jujube, and other medicinal herbs. We ate perched up on a deck watching the sun set lazily behind similar coloured leaves.

Full from the meal and exhausted from all the fresh air, we must have fallen asleep as soon as we sat down on our bus headed back into the city.

Local Market

I snapped these pictures when walking through a traditional Korean market. This market is located on my way from my first place of employment to my second and takes place about twice a month. It's always a real treat to experience the sights, sounds, smells, tastes, and just overall feel of traditional Korea.

Video From Dok Gu Spa

The outside was beautiful and serene.

The inside was jet massage crazy.

Weekend Get Away

Last weekend we freed up our busy Saturday and went on a little bit of an adventure. We headed to the east coast with 'beaching it' in our minds.



The weekend was a little drowsy and when we got to the beach in Pohang we bunkered down at a motel with a beautiful seafront view. We Listened to the waves put us to sleep after filling up on a variety of fresh shellfish that we filled with onions, hot sauce, and cheese while they roasted on the barbecue overlooking the beach.



The next morning we took a bus up a famous coastal highway that spends most of its time snaking its way between the mountains on one side and rocky coasts and sporadic small white sand beaches on the other side.


After a few hours and a few bus transfers, our bus ascended a mountain valley before being completely engulfed in their greenery, taking in the scenery we reached our final destination, Dok Gu Hot Springs Spa.

It's Been Two Years to the Day

I still enjoy the sound of cicadas chirping in the trees in the heat of the afternoon sun. The greenness of the towering mountains peeking between high rise apartments. The smell of the briskly moving mountain stream after a night of heavy rainfall. The sights and sounds of fighter jets flying agilely in formation overhead. The sound of the pattering rain and happy croaking frogs. The smell of the sun dried vegetation after a long rain. The thick smothering humidity of the air in the lungs, coating my body.

This is summer in Daegu.

And as I write this, the sunny day seems cooler than usual. Fall will soon be here. Enjoy it while you can.

Summer Stamina

The days are still unrelentingly hot. To give you an idea of exactly how hot it is here, I haven't wore a jacket, sweater, pants, or even a long sleeve shirt in Korea since the beginning of April! Even in the middle of the night the temperature generally stays above 30 Degrees if you factor in humidity.

One of the ways Koreans beat the heat is to eat dog, chicken, or goat soup. These animals are said to give the common person stamina to fight through the hottest days of summer thereby allowing them to work their hardest in uncomfortably hot conditions.

So yesterday, some teachers at the prison and I, went out for lunch. The restaurant was a goat restaurant, but also served dog. Evading pressure to try the dog, I ordered goat soup.

Enjoying the Summer in Daegu

Over the last few weeks we have tried our best to enjoy the summer weather in Daegu.

Our good friends, Maggie and Noah, purchased a small charcoal grill and we've been putting it to use. Rooftop BBQs and grilling burgers in the park, our weekly picnics have definitely improved.

The best way to enjoy the summer in Daegu, the hottest of all cities in Korea, is to simply leave Daegu. And so, with the daily temperatures around 100 degrees F not including the smothering humidity, we've been trying to make it to the beach.

Last weekend we spent the day at Korea's largest beach, Haeundae Beach, in Pusan. This weekend we are off to Daecheon Beach to take part in the biggest beach party of the year, Mudfest.

Enjoy the heat to its fullest in the Summer.
Enjoy the cold to its fullest in the Winter.
In this way, great appreciation of nature's opposites will be cultivated.

Peace