Oeamri Folk Village of Asan

On Saturday, I went with my friend Gillian from Australia and Grace from Korea to the Oeamri living folk village in Asan.

Asan is the town next to Cheonan city. We were lucky enough to get a ride with Grace in her car. Bonus!

At the entrance of the village is the village totems, carved from cherry wood. They are believed to protect the village and provide good luck under the Shamanistic belief systems that many traditional Koreans ascribe to.

Despite the chilly weather (evident in the frozen water in the stream!), it was a beautiful day to be outside and appreciate traditional Korean architecture and way of life.

The Folk Village is interesting because it has preserved its traditional way of life. Most Koreans live in the fast-paced rat-race cities, but they still remember their roots and culture at places like the Folk Village.

The quaint straw-and-wood bridge leads to a village of about 50 straw houses (belonging to peasants) an 10 tiled houses (with Oriental-style "giwa" roofing) belonging to the nobility class which is called the "Yangban" in Korean.

It is called a "living folk museum" because local residents still live in many of the houses (although storming into their homes to take photos is discouraged!)

So I tried my hand at some traditional Korean games, and pounding rice with a giant mortar and pestle.

The village is located just under Seolhwasan mountain, which provides a lovely, rustic backdrop. Water flows around the village in artificial waterways, which provide water to the houses. I tried preparing cloth for a blanket by pounding on it (photo below), but this seemed like much too much work for a good night's sleep!

The folk village is also a popular location for Korean movies and TV-series, which use the houses and gardens as backdrop. You can imagine princess and princesses relaxing on the raised platform, and servants chattering in their quarters at the back of the house.

This picture shows a brightly-painted screen used during wedding ceremonies.

So, the traditional houses are made with paper walls and mud ceilings. Whoever decided that paper was a good insulator against -18 temperatures, should be shot!

It was a great trip, ended off with some delicious Korean food: Samgyeopsal, which is like Korean-style bacon in lettuce packages with red bean paste.

Thanks, Grace, for being such a gracious tour guide! (-; I'm sure translating 101 farm implements from Korean into English is not easy!

Everland... an epic battle of courage and cowardice.

Let's just say I will never use metaphors like "I felt a rollercoaster of emotions" or "Life is a rollercoaster" lightly again...






So this is the last of the unforeseen holidays, a Wednesday sneaking up right out of nowhere, on the coattails of Chuseok.

After much persuasion, including being handed "The Bryson Ultimatum", I decided to join Betsy, Steph, Jackie, Erik and Matt on a trip to Everland, the biggest amusement park in Korea and my kids' favorite vacation spot.

Everland is a short subway trip to Suwon and then a hefty bus ride out of the city and into the mountains. It's a beautiful part of the country, with the leaves starting to change color. However, it was the man-made marvels that were on our agenda for the day.

Everland was decorated in Halloween theme with pumpkins and bats galore. It's a massive labyrinth and has even been rated as the 4th most visited amusement park in the world. So despite being a Disneyland knock-off, its certainly not second rate.

Now for a culture note about Americans. They get out of the womb and straight into a rollercoaster chair. These adrenalin-hungry thrill-seekers have long out-screamed the natural terror one could be expected to feel on death-defying rides. They are quite blase about it. I've seen pulses racing faster in a sleep clinic.

The Koreans aspire to American entertainment standards, but us Africans are a different breed. We don't really like for our feet to leave the ground. We get our natural fixes from things like muggings, high-jackings, murder and violence. So amusement parks haven't caught on in a big way, and I've never felt the need to get high on anything other than life. But that was all about to change.

We approached a low-key rotating ride called "Championship Rodeo." It starts off quite calmly, a gentle introduction. Jenni was happy. Then it picks up speed.

All of a sudden it is trying to throw its passengers from their carriages in a dangerous, psychopathic fashion. My friends throw their arms up and scream excitedly. I tried to join in, but only a slow dying moan escaped from my mouth.

As I curled up in a fetal position, I heard Matt commentating happily beside me "Oh, this ride is messing up my hair" or "The ticket lady isn't dancing very well." as if he expected me to be able to respond when i was trying to stop myself from gagging or passing out, or jumping from the cart.

My introduction to the land of the brave was not at all flattering.

Undaunted, we went on the "Eagle's Fortress", a seriously impressive rollercoaster with all the necessary turns and falls. During this ride, I managed to let out a few proper screams, which definitely helped. At least it lets you know you are still alive. But I still couldn't quite whistle a happy tune or simply remember my favorite things... I still felt pretty wretched.

The next ride was the "Columbus' which is a huge Viking-type swing ride. This one definitely leaves your stomach in the air while the rest of your body is rapidly descending. Erik kindly said "It helps to open your eyes"and I was naive enough to believe him and thus got a crushing view of us screeching towards terra firma at a 45 degree angle with a truckload of Koreans. Surely Columbus had it much easier than this.

So with adrenalin coursing in my veins and a glazed-over expression in my eyes, I went to explore the rest of Everland. I discovered all kinds of innocent, peaceful rides which of course none of my hard-core friends had wanted to go on. I really liked Aesop's village - it's very child-friendly and magical, with lots of nooks and crannies for kids to explore and non-traumatic games and adventures. I was still waiting for my own PTSD to wear off.

We went to a perfectly un-scary "Haunted House" ride where you shoot ghosts with laser guns. Another room in the haunted vein lifts up entirely and turns around 360 degrees, very "Harry Potter", and pretty cool in a mind-bending sort of way.

Everland also had this crazy Abba-style band, which performed Western songs in a mildly embarrassed manner. Although the singer was Russian, this is a good career option for Westerners who don't get into the English teaching business. Everland likes its performers as blond and Caucasian as possible. In a big auditorium they had all kinds of dancing - Spanish and Irish tap and acrobatics.

As night fell over Everland, we got swept up in an incredible light parade. Different floats represented various fairytale, and I could not help but wave at the characters on top of them. For me, it's quite easy to be as mesmerized as a child in a land of costumes and make-believe. Kudos also for the people I was with, who had a healthy store of child-like enthusiasm for Everland. Consequently we could all merrily regress together.

After the light show, we went on a calm, classic merry-go-round ride and then did some souvenir shopping. I bought a bat Alice-band which my students think is very "cutie", and take turns wearing at the hagwon. On the late-night trip back we tried to come up with titles for my creative writing proposal. Topics ranged from the ridiculous to the sublime..but unfortunately never reached the sublime. But it certainly made the trip go a lot quicker. Everland was another novel experience for me, a quick lesson in introspective psychotherapy and in every way unforgettable.

Chuseok in the misty mountains...

This weekend and the first merciful three days of the week have been Chuseok - the Korean high holiday and somewhat akin to American Thanksgiving. In other words, the Koreans thank an unspecified deity for the harvest and celebrate by eating special foods like rice cake, gathering together at the home of their parents or grandparents and bowing to the ancestors. The Korean kids say its pretty boring for them, but its a few days off school, so who's complaining?

Having no ancestors or relatives anywhere in Korea, I decided to join Martie, Tina and Cor (the Van De Wilt crew) and a couple of their South African friends: Sigrid, Gabi and Lebogang for an all-South African affair, no substitutes accepted.

On Saturday we travelled to Soraksan, the famous mountains right on the North Korean border. Despite our fears for crazy Korean vacation traffic, the trip only took about three and a half hours. We stopped in Sokcho, the last outpost before the wilderness, to buy some supplies and then headed for the Sorak Youth Hostel where we would be staying for three nights. The Hostel looks motel-ish and bland from the outside, but the traditional Korean rooms were very cosy and the location was unbeatable, mountains on every side and a river running so close to our room that you could fall asleep to the sound of it. We made our beds on Korean matresses on the ondol floors and had a quick communal nap.

Now one fantastic thing about being on vacation with a bunch of South Africans... is the food. Perhaps it comes from our church-bazaar culture, or from a long tradition of carrying supplies accross the mountains during the Groot Trek, but the Afrikaners can't simply get fast food from a Korean kimbap shop. We prepared meat, fish, salad, barbecued veggies, the works on the equipment from our self-catering room and on the BBQ outside the hostel. It was "chop en dop" time in the Korean mountains.

It soon became anextended sociable affair of making food together, listening to jokes and drinking red wine. (they now even have one brand of good-as-gold Stellenbosch red wine at a supermarket here..sheer bliss!), playing cards and just taking it easy as night set over the mountains. One of the best finds of the trip was cheap-cheap local prawns, which were pan fried to a beautiful pink.

The next morning we left the sanctuary of our hostel and went to where the action was - the Sorak National Park. Soraksan is a misty craggy mountain set just next to the coast and rising up from green hills. After a fair walk from our hostel through the area, we entered into the lush green forests..along with about 1000 other Koreans. To say that Soraksan is popular is an understatement. Everyone from geriatric ajumas in rediculous bright pink hiking suit to a toddler strapped to a weary mom's back was hiking through Soraksan.

We bought some mielies (corn) from an ajuma and went to look at the Buddha statue and temple in the park. Soraksan is a holy mountain to the Buddhists, so there are many temples, but my SA friends were a little templed out, so I didn't get to see as much as I otherwise would want to.

What we did get to see were spectacular views: we bought tickets to go on the cable car up to the Gwongeumseong Fortress, 700 meters up into the mountains. The short 5 minute cable car trip was dramatic and exciting. You get a whole new perspective on the park, with its tall, ancient forests, the temples lying below you, the wet hills around you and the sharp jagged peaks beckoning you to them.

Gwongeumseong Fortress was a refuge for King Gojong during the Goryeo dynasty (1254) or so the story goes. From the cable car we walked to the peak.. where piles of stones mark the Korean flag flying on the highest point. From the top there is a panoramic view of Sokcho and the East sea. When you get close to the edge of the cliff (as I love to do!) old Korean ajuma ladies yell at you to get back. Surely they don't want to lose too many foreigners to the misty mountains.

On Monday we decided to go to Kanseong, a Lonely Planet recommended beach/lake town even closer to the North Korea Demarcation Line. I spent a lovely day just relaxing on the white sand, playing in the water and reading my courtroom/murder mystery novel.

After another evening of chatting, mountain air and obscenely-named card games, it was time to pack up and come back. The journey home was less glamorous. It took double as long as it did to arrive, as we decided (unwisely) to head through Seoul, where 25% of Korea's population were trying to get home after their celebrations, all on the same highway. But we got home in one piece in the end, a little ragged, but happy for the break.

Of course we have only had a taste of Soraksan and I hope to go back there in the early winter, when it truly lives up to its name of "craggy snow mountains". But Korea is such an incredibly beautiful country hidden beneath a dirty urban veneer. I will try to remember that downtown Cheonan or central Seoul may be the economic heart of Korea, but its certainly not what makes this country breathe.

How good to be with my people again - to speak my language and remember who I am. Their humour, their stories, their perspectives, remind me that I am not as alone here as I sometimes feel I am. It was the best way I could possibly be refreshed.

Icheon pottery village

Today was Korean Independence Day, (hail, the once-a-month public holiday!) and I boarded the bus with Cara, Stephenie and Suzie bound for Icheon, home of Korean pottery both ancient and modern. (If Adam and Elisa have gone there FIVE times, its got to be good, right?)




Icheon is famous for its traditional Goryeo and Joseon porcelain. We got to the Icheon Pottery village and started wandering around the 300+ pottery shops and exhibitions. Then we got fortuitously recruited by some brave Koreans and followed them to a back room where the pottery was being made. I got to play with a wet wad of clay on the wheel, which I find extremely therapeutic (beat that clay! pretend it is your enemy!) I decided to make a curvaceous vase with some help from my very patient Korean potter-teacher and I think it turned out rather nicely.






After making the vase, I etched a Korean-ish design onto it and added some paints for color. It will now be fired and delivered. Since all the instructions were in Korean, I really have no idea what color it will come out when its finished. (Black flowers and pink leaves weren't exactly what I had in mind?) We had lunch at a delicious traditional Korean restaurant in the village and then did some more pottery window-shopping. I bought a set of three miniature Korean jade-colored vases, which I think are lovely. No use buying any of the really big porcelain pots, unless you want suspiciously heavy carry-on luggage on the plane! (Apparently people have been smuggled out in some of the human-sized kimchi pots...)

Waterfalls and teddy bears

I woke up in my God-sent room and easily found the Hiking Inn in Seogwipo, where the very helpful owner was able to suggest some sights that he thought I would enjoy. So with the sun still scorching up above as ever, I went to the Jeongbang waterfall, an easy walk from my hotel.

I love waterfalls. I love how their sound and majesty drown out all other noise. The Jeongbang waterfall is special because it is one of a handful of waterfalls in Asia which run directly into the sea. It was stunning. After walking in the water and getting thoroughly soaked, I sat on the rocks and read, just taking in the sound of it. In the distance, a greenery-covered island loomed - looking like something out of the Caribbean.

After the waterfall, I caught a bus to Jungmun resort near Seogwipo, an flashy tourist area with five-star hotels that made my mouth hang open. Of course, staying in one of them would have cost the price of my entire vacation, but it was still fascinating to see how the rich and famous (and honeymooners - everywhere honeymooners!) live it up in gold-accented foyers and private gardens and beaches. One of the hotels (Lotte) is designed to look like the Lost City in South Africa, but I recon the original is better.

So in Jungmun I went to the Teddy Bear Museum, as somewhat of a sceptic. I'm just not that into teddy bears. But it was one of the most unique museums I've ever been to. The original teddy bear was created in honor of Theodore (Teddy) Roosevelt, and ever since then, teddies have been quite naturally suited to satire, and in copying famous people. The first exhibition called "History" included scenes from 1908 England, the Titanic, The Beatles, Howard Carter uncovering the Egyptian Tombs and Space Teddies. Many of the bears move and dance around their displays. For children of all ages!

The second floor is called "Art" and has teddy bears recreating scenes from Western art, such as the Mona Lisa, the Last Supper, The Kiss and Van Gogh's self portrait. There is also a teddy bear picnic garden and a teddy bear shop, where I bought myself a Jeju teddy bear to take home.

These two photos show the destruction of the Berlin Wall and Disneyland.

I took a long confusing walk/climb down the hill to the Jungmun beach, which they evidently hide from us plebs who don't stay at one of the resort hotels. The scene from the top of the hill was beautiful. The beach itself was warm and fun, if a little crowded with Koreans trying to make friends. "Are you on honeymoon?" "Oh no?" "Why, alone?" The swimming was good though, as I had the deeper water all to myself (the Koreans don't swim but bob up and down in their inflatable tubes as big unbroken waves roll out against the sand).

In this sticky, moggy, gluey humidity, its tough getting out of the water.

As dusk fell I went back to the Hiking Inn. There was another waterfall that the owner recommended, and I was happy to see this in the cool dark of the evening. It is called Cheonjiyeon falls and its the first photo on this post. The whole park is lit up spectacularly at night (but unfortunately my camera couldn't capture any of its night-time magic!) You are supposed to be able to see a face in the falls when it is lit up at night, but this may be another fanciful Korean Rorschach . The park is beautiful too, gentle-running water, dramatic rocks and colored lights which really accent the natural foliage. The water was full of fish of all sizes, visible under the water, even in the dark. The time spent there, just watching people and watching the waterfall run its course, reminded me of Hogsback, far away in South Africa.

After an enchanted night I slept peacefully in my room and spent my last couple of hours in Jeju supporting the Jeju tourist economy with a sudden spending-urge. So aside from the Jeju teddy bear, I bought myself Jeju perfume (which smells like the citrus plants and subtropical flowers grown here) a moonstone bracelet and a Harubang stone frame for a choice Jeju vacation photo. And chocolate! Jeju's unusually flavored chocolate - read: pineapple, tangerine, cactus, green tea, chili - is delicious! So Jeju isn't just a big Korean hype, it's an awesome natural treasure-trove and well worth a visit.