Back in Blogging Business: Boseong Green Tea Plantation

      After a rather exhausting week of prep and after hours work, we decided to travel to somewhere a little more relaxing and scenic, the Boseong Green Tea Plantation. Each year, they decorate the tea fields with Christmas lights similar to ones you would find back home. We took an hour and a half bus ride to the southwest coast of the Korean Peninsula to visit the plantation built on the steep banks overlooking the ocean. Although we were a little skeptical as to whether the trip would be any good, the visit was well worth the time. Arriving just as the sun was setting, we were able to get a beautiful view of the fields with the ocean in the distance. As the sun went down the Xmas lights came on and illuminated the fields. Considering the weather was very very cold, we found some refuge above the fields in a little restaurant where we drank green tea (what else?) and ate green tea ice cream. Although it didn't compare to maybe the Buchart Gardens in Victoria, it definitely got us in a festive mood, just in time for the holidays.

Winter Hiatus

Pungam Reservoir at Night

   Just over the two month mark in South Korea, and it's been an amazing experience so far. Each day is filled with some new adventure, both big and small, adventures that I never could have imagined myself experiencing before. I've really enjoyed keeping this blog, as cliche as it is, most experiences are not complete without sharing it with others. Thank you for reading and commenting, it helps me fight the inevitable and dreaded homesickness that I'm sure awaits.
      Currently, our school is preparing for our winter camp in January, graduation in February, and all the extra Christmas event planning. As such, this means that us teachers are saddled with a lot of work and a short amount of time to complete it. Unfortunately, this also means that both my time to explore Gwangju and my time to record it on "life abroad", is going to be very limited over the next few weeks. From now until Christmas I will apologize for the infrequent posts, but I will resume as normal after the holidays. Thanks for understanding and Happy Holidays from Korea!

Laying Low

Tokyo at night, photo cred: trialx.com

   After many weeks and weekends filled to the brink with working, exploring, and celebrating, we decided to take a weekend off and just hang low.  Considering Christmas is just around the corner and there is lots going on at school, we thought we could use the rest for the upcoming weeks. The good news is that we have booked a trip to Tokyo for our break over Christmas! We will be there from Wednesday, December 28th to Sunday, January 1st. If any of you readers has any suggestions or things that you may have heard about Tokyo, please leave a comment!

May 18th National Cemetery

 

     I remember the first time I researched the city of Gwangju and reading this:


"Gwangju is best known for the Gwangju Massacre of May 18, 1980, in which at least 207 (or far higher depending on whom you ask) students were killed by army forces suppressing a pro-democracy demonstration."
   
  Not necessarily the claim to fame that I would have thought to advertise, but after visiting the May 18th National Cemetery and learning a little more, I now have a better understanding of what this event meant for the city. It meant that after this moment, Gwangju became the forefront of the democracy movement in South Korea. The people of the city are proud of the uprising and tend to be at the forefront of any political upheaval in the country. There certainly is a bit of an underlying progressiveness to the city of the Gwangju, as they focus heavily on the arts and constantly striving for modernity amidst a fading traditionalist austerity.

    The park itself contained many sculptures and monuments dedicated to the uprising, as well as an underground exhibition hall that displays all the names of the students who lost their lives. There was also a walking path that lead up the top of a hill, where you are then able to climb a three-story pagoda and take in some wider views of the city. It was our first real opportunity to see the expansive city from above as we begin to familiarize ourselves with different areas of the city. And with semi-blue skies and autumn coloured leaves that have yet to fall, it was the perfect day for some afternoon exploration. 

N Seoul Tower

    The best part of our trip to Seoul, and perhaps the most touristy thing we have done thus far, was going to N Seoul Tower. At 236.7 m tall on the top of Namsan Mountain in the middle of the city, it truly is the symbol of Seoul. The tower seemed to always leer in the distance, especially at night, when it's blue lights act as a beacon for the city centre. To get up and down Namsam Mountain you can ride the Namsan cable car to the top, which also offers beautiful views of the city. 
    The tower itself has 4 observation decks, with restaurants and many gift shops. More importantly it offers 360 degree views of the city with information on the different parts of Seoul and other interesting landmarks throughout the city. Although the visibility was low on the day we went, it still puts in to perspective just how expansive the city truly is. 
   Also at N Seoul Tower are thousands of 'locks of love'. At the base of the tower, fences are adorned with thousands of decorated locks hung by couples from around the world. The idea is that couples leave the locks there as a symbol of their everlasting love, a vow never to separate and to throw away the key. 

It's also tradition to leave your mark on one of the many wooden railings

Foggy view from the observation deck

Not too far away I guess...