Seoul... The Soul of Asia

   
      Despite being in South Korea for almost 2 months now, this weekend was our first opportunity to explore Seoul. The capital is a mere 4 hours away on a plush and spacious bus that only cost around $25 each way. We left immediately after school on Friday night, leaving Gwangju bus station at 6:50 and arriving in Seoul around 11pm. Seoul's subway system is very well planned and cheap, making it the easiest method of travelling around the city. After a quick subway trip we made it to our hostel. However, we weren't quite ready for bed so we walked to the Lucky Seven Casino, just down the street. The funny thing about Korean casinos is that Koreans aren't actually allowed to enter, only foreigners. As such, most casinos, like the Lucky Seven, are attached to hotels where guests spend their late evenings and early mornings. Baccarat was by far the most popular game, but there were the usual games like blackjack, roulette, slots, and poker. 
    On Saturday, we woke up early to go to Myeongdong, one of Seoul's best shopping districts. This shopping mecca included every store imaginable, from H&M to Forever 21, Nike, upscale second hand stores, and street vendors selling knock-offs. Although the area itself is less than 1 km squared, it is said that over 2 million people pass through it everyday. By the late afternoon, it was a struggle to walk through the streets, especially while carrying many shopping bags. Later in the evening we met up with some co-workers and friends to go to Itaewon, the foreigner district. Although this area is a little gritty, it was the perfect place to spend a Saturday night in Seoul. There are countless restaurants and pubs serving Mexican, Thai, French, American, Latin, and Indian food and beer with many shops specializing in "big sized clothing" suitable for foreigners. The area is also popular with U.S. Military personnel, so a dominant American influence is always felt. 'Hooker Hill' is also in Itaewon, which is Seoul's version of the Red Light District. We decided to embark on our own mini pub crawl through the area which included:
      - Strawberry pina coladas and jerk chicken fajitas at the Bungalow, a Caribbean restaurant          where guests sit on swings with their feet in the sand
      - Coronas and enchilada's at Los Amigos, a Tex-Mex restaurant with fake cacti and painted desert murals
      - Big Rock brews and Rockie Mountain Prairie fires at Rocky Mountain Tavern, a Canadian bar where the staff celebrated Movember surrounded by hockey paraphernalia 
      - Budweisers at The Grand Ol' Oprey, the MOST country bar I have ever been into where the patrons two-stepped to Toby Keith and Garth Brooks
  Sunday was a touristy day, with a trip to Seoul Tower, Seoul train station, and the traditional Namdaemun market. More on that later... We hopped back on a bus to Gwangju at 6, returning home very tired at 10, but certainly satisfied after a whirlwind trip in an amazing city. 

Lucky Seven Casino

Who knew the White Wizard lived in Seoul?

      

Myeongdong shopping district

One of the many cowboys in Itaewon

Erin and Sun's Wedding: Part 2

    Greetings from Seoul! We've had a pretty hectic past week between school and planning our trip to Seoul so this post is a bit dated. Part 2 of Sun and Erin's wedding is the reception, which took place at a bar called Hollic in downtown Gwangju. It's a rather nice bar, commonly frequented by foreigners and Korean hipsters, with a swanky yet urban vibe. It was a private party and about 50 people attended. They provided the guests (very graciously I might add) with an open bar and numerous bottles of champagne and vodka to toast the new bride and groom. Although it wasn't traditional by any means, it was a very intimate and joyful evening. Stay tuned from more Seoul and South Korea!

Erin and Sun's Wedding: Part 1

    This past weekend we attended our friend and co-worker Erin's wedding where she and her fiancee Sun were married in an incredible traditional Korean ceremony. The ceremony took place in Naju, a farming town just outside Gwangju, at an academy that teaches traditional Korean curriculum. Large and numerous temples, intricate tile work, the iconic curved roof structure of all the buildings, and the majestic mountains in the background made the academy the perfect setting for a wedding. 
    The wedding itself was, as you can imagine, quite different from one that you would experience in Western culture.  There was a large group of foreigners in attendance, as well as Sun's Korean friends and family. Even Erin's parents and brother came all the way from Canada to attend the wedding. We arrived about an hour before the ceremony began at which time guests mingled outside. The bride and groom (dressed in formal wedding outfits) were also outside to mingle with the guests. The ceremony began at around 11am with the audience seated on the floor while the bride and groom came in. The ceremony itself focused on honour and respect. A lot of bowing occurred, first between the mothers and then between the bride and groom. The bride is required to cover her face by keeping her arms up the entire time, which Erin later said was exhausting. Both the bride and groom also drank Soju (Korean wine) from two cups that were tethered together. For the entirety of the ceremony one priest chanted while another one commentated and said some vows (I think) in Korean. 
   Immediately after the ceremony the bride and groom stood together and posed for pictures with their families. Then we all moved outside where the bride and groom stood with all of their friends for another large group picture. After the group picture we moved to a group of tents where there was a very large and delicious buffet lunch. Oddly enough, after lunch is finished the whole thing is over. Most Korean ceremonies are very short and efficient, and although they all feature a buffet after, the guests just eat and leave without saying goodbye to the newly married couple. Sun and Erin however did have a reception later that evening, which I will feature in "Erin and Sun's Wedding: Part 2". Overall, the wedding was a unique experience that I'm sure I will remember for a long time and above everything else, it's always enjoyable to be a part of such a special day for two amazing people. 

Samgyeopsal Supper

   This Friday, a group of the staff at SnS went out for dinner to say good-bye to two teachers and to welcome the two new teachers. About 15 of us went out to a samgyeopsal (sam-gip-sal) restaurant just down the block from school. Samgyeopsal is composed of thick. fatty slices of pork similar to bacon. Like bulgogi, it is cooked on a grill at the table and served with a million different sides and fixings to make lettuce wraps. It is a popular Korean dish and tastes absolutely amazing. Although we made something similar at home, these pictures will hopefully give a little perspective about how intricate the meal can be. 

Munchen Ice Bar

   A couple of blocks away from our house is a bar called Munchen Ice Bar. Although it wasn't quite the icy-German experience that I expected, it has quickly become our local gathering spot. With $3 beers and complementary snacks that include sliced persimmons, corn chip like things, and  cherry tomatoes, it's hard to complain. It also has a karaoke bong, which is a karaoke booth big enough for two people. Where the ice part comes in is how the beer is served. Pints of Korean beer is served in a mug made of ice. After you are finished your beer, there is a target for you to throw it at. If you hit the target you can win an assortment of items, from orange juice, to a plate of sausage, to coupons. Although I haven't been able to hit the target yet, there certainly is a bit of incentive to go back again for some more beers. 

All of the lights

Pungam Reservoir at night 

Another day in the SK

   Here are some pictures from over the weekend. Highlights included a trip to a bath house (a very naked one at that), our friend's hip hop show, some amazing Indian food, a visit to the arcade, and a walking trip around our neighborhood. Just another day in the SK. 

Outside a seafood restaurant. Apparently the  oysters are popular!

     One of my favourite Korean meals that we've discovered so far is bulgogi. In Korean the word bulgogi means 'fire meat' and it refers to how the meat is cooked, usually over an open flame like a mini bbq. At bulgogi restaurants, you start by choosing the type of meat you want, which is usually beef that has been marinated, although there are pork and chicken types of bulgogi. Next they bring out a wide variety of side dishes which often include different types of kimchi, raw onions and garlic, hot peppers, and lots of sauces. They also bring out lettuce and other leafy vegetables like sesame leaves. Then they bring out the raw meat which you cook in a bbq that sits in the middle of the table along with the raw onions and garlic. Someone at the table cooks the meat and cuts it into little strips with scissors. After it is cooked you take the beef and whatever other sides you want and make little mini lettuce wraps. 

      It is a great way of eating, everyone can make their meals according to their own likes and dislikes and it tastes amazing. We've been out for several bulgogi dinners (which only cost about $7 per person) and will continue to enjoy more as the restaurants are everywhere. Tonight we made our own home version with bulgogi pork bought from Lotte Mart. Of course we had some homemade sangria to go along with it, too bad you can't find that in any Korean restaurants. Cheers!

The Colours of Fall

    Fall in Gwangju has been much more beautiful than I expected. Languidly humid days and nights. Explosions of burning colours scattered on sidewalks and skylines. With the extended warmth, each weekend is another opportunity to explore the streets of Gwangju. This weekend we traveled by bus to the north end of the city to go to Home Plus, another multi-leveled department store that puts Walmart superstores to shame. They also blow Costco's store'oeuvres out of the water. Often on a weekday, we find ourselves at Lotte Mart shamelessly sampling every type of meat and finger food in lieu of a real dinner. 
    We capped our Saturday night off with a familiar game of Catch Phrase, some Soju, and a trip downtown. Bubble bar is quickly becoming our rendez-vous spot to meet up with the other foreigners seeing as we don't have a cell phone yet. The bar scene involves a lot of bar hopping, late late nights, and some sort of foreign delicacy served a la street cart at the end of it all. It's funny how you find yourself halfway across the world and can be surrounded by people and places similar to those that make home feel like home. Not as good as a night out with friends and family back home, but enjoyable nonetheless. 

Home away from home

Found some ice at the nearby World Cup Stadium Centre!