Korea: my life, my story: July 2014

Wednesday, July 30, 2014

Parents in Korea - Day 8 (독립문 [Dongnimmun] / 삼청동 [Samcheong-dong])

( The parents with a 세월 [Sewol] demonstration behind them )

Parents in Korea - Day 8
2014.05.17 @ 독립문 & 삼청동

The seventh day of our trip was spent in 수원 [Suwon], so photos didn't really happen. We visited my neighborhood, my work, and the fortress. On the eighth day, we went to the Seodaemun Prison Museum. Unfortunately, I accidentally deleted most of the photos from the prison, but I have all the photos from after that tour. Right outside the prison is 독립문 [Independence Gate] and Independence Park. There was a big demonstration concerning the 세월 [Sewol] Ferry. We jumped on the subway after that, and we had food and drinks in 삼청동 [Samcheong-dong] and paid the 북촌한옥마을 [Bukchon Hanok Village] a visit. I don't have photos from their last day either, but we went to a baseball game and spent some time eating delicious food, 열탄불고기.

독립문 [Dongnimmun]

삼청동 [Samcheong-dong] /
북촌한옥마을 [Bukchon Hanok Village]

Toy Museum Samcheong-dong Walk Samcheong-dong Food Scavenger Hunt

How to get to 독립문 [Dongnimmun]:

Dongnimmun Station [독립문역] (Seoul Subway Line 3) - Exit 4

Go out exit 4, and you're there.

How to get to 삼청동 [Samcheong-dong]:

Anguk Station [안국역] (Seoul Subway Line 3) - Exit 1

Go out exit 1 and follow this map.

For more on my life in Korea, check out my tumblr account: Public Intox in Korea

Feel free to comment or email me with questions or comments: spenser.r.ford@gmail.com

Monday, July 28, 2014

Parents in Korea - Day 6 (DMZ)

Parents in Korea - Day 6
2014.05.15 @ DMZ / North Korea

I totally paid for a trip to the DMZ three years ago and made the mistake of staying out way to late the night before; therefore, I overslept and missed the trip. My parents' trip was the perfect opportunity to actually take the tour. It was a great trip, and I would suggest it for anyone. We booked through the USO using the Koridoor program. The trip started with a view into North Korea from the Dorasan Observatory. Next, we went to the 3rd Infiltration Tunnel; it was great, but only once. It's a hike down and back up again. We also, went to 도라산역 [Dorasan Station], which is a fully functioning train station, equipped with immigration, ready for when and if the two Koreas become one again. After that, we went to the Joint Security Area [JSA], and this is where we were able to walk into North Korea for a brief moment. For the remainder of the trip, we went to a few more spots, like a viewpoint to see the North Korean propaganda village of 기정동 [Gijeong-dong] and the South Korean village of 애성동, both of which are within the DMZ. We also so the Bridge of No Return and the sight of the Axe Murder Incident. Great trip.