Sunday, July 25, 2010
Saturday, July 24, 2010
Seoul Part 3
While I was in Seoul, Soojeong started her new job as an intern at the Korean Travel Organization and had to go to work one afternoon, so we made plans for me to meet up with our good friend Sukyung for a day of exploring the city and shopping. It was great getting to see her again and hear about her life since being back in Korea. We reminisced about all of our fun times and Matsumoto as we went here and there trying new foods and enjoying the day. When we were still in Japan, she had promised that she would treat us to samgyeopsal (Korean grilled meat) when I went to Seoul, and when we finally met she kept her promise and treated Soojeong and I to dinner. It was delicious! I really enjoyed getting to see her again, and I am fortunate enough that I will be able to meet her again in Japan when she comes next week.
The other pictures that I have posted are of a park I found before I met Sukyung for our days adventures. This area was close to Soojeong's building, and it was full of interesting murals depicting the history of different events in Korea. There weren't many people there at all, and the purple flowers were in full bloom. It was very peaceful. The delicious looking cake picture was taken at a very cute and romantic cafe that Soojeong and I went to my last night in Seoul. The inside had a European feel to it, and the lighting and furniture made it a great place to just relax and talk with one another about life and everything that we had done. Being able to visit Soojeong in Seoul and experience her culture was something that I will never forget.
The other pictures that I have posted are of a park I found before I met Sukyung for our days adventures. This area was close to Soojeong's building, and it was full of interesting murals depicting the history of different events in Korea. There weren't many people there at all, and the purple flowers were in full bloom. It was very peaceful. The delicious looking cake picture was taken at a very cute and romantic cafe that Soojeong and I went to my last night in Seoul. The inside had a European feel to it, and the lighting and furniture made it a great place to just relax and talk with one another about life and everything that we had done. Being able to visit Soojeong in Seoul and experience her culture was something that I will never forget.
Seoul Part 2
These pictures are mostly from the day we went to Seoul tower. The view of the city was taken on the stairs that lead up to the view. The sky was kind of overcast, but the city looked very beautiful from there. I went to Seoul at the beginning of June, so there were still many varieties of flowers in bloom, making the city very colorful everywhere you went. There were even cherry blossom's near Seoul tower. We didn't go up the tower that time, but we went in and looked around the gift-shop, and also at the locket fence. This fence is where lovers take a lock that they buy, write a note on it, or an attached piece of paper, and wish for continued blessings in their relationship. It was interesting to see messages written in many different languages. I think that it was a fun and romantic day date.
The picture of the food posted was taken at a food stall we stopped at before going to the tower. After watching the travel channel, and especially Anthony Bourdain's No Reservations, I had always wanted to eat a food stall in Korea. Soojeong treated me to a delicious meal of pork leg and jijimi (almost a pancake like dish with different vegetables and meats in it) and it truly was a dream come true. It's funny, but out of all of my travels within the US, Japan, and Korea, I have found that my favorite restaurants aren't the ones that cost most, but the ones where people take pride and care in cooking whatever they serve. To this day, my favorite place to eat in Matsumoto is the mom and pop like restaurant just down the street from my house.
The picture of the food posted was taken at a food stall we stopped at before going to the tower. After watching the travel channel, and especially Anthony Bourdain's No Reservations, I had always wanted to eat a food stall in Korea. Soojeong treated me to a delicious meal of pork leg and jijimi (almost a pancake like dish with different vegetables and meats in it) and it truly was a dream come true. It's funny, but out of all of my travels within the US, Japan, and Korea, I have found that my favorite restaurants aren't the ones that cost most, but the ones where people take pride and care in cooking whatever they serve. To this day, my favorite place to eat in Matsumoto is the mom and pop like restaurant just down the street from my house.
Friday, July 23, 2010
Seoul Part 1
During the Golden Week holiday break, I took a 6 day trip to Seoul, South Korea to visit Soojeong. I flew out of Osaka and landed in Gimpo airport. Soojeong came to meet me at the airport, and stepping out of the gate and seeing my girlfriend for the first time in person since she had returned home, was something that is hard to put into words. Before going to Korea, I knew that it was beautiful, but now I can honestly say now that I have been to Heaven. What a beautiful country! Seoul itself is a modern megalopolis like Tokyo, but there are cultural monuments that you kind find on almost every street, wonderful food, friendly people, romantic and cute neighborhoods with almost Paris looking cafe's.. I can't wait to move there.
To write everything we did would take a lot of time; we went to 3 different castles (palaces), saw the presidential "Blue House", went shopping and out on dates a cute little restaurants all over the city, and just spent time doing the things we love. For me it was so interesting getting to see Soojeong's home country and city. Every street offered new sights, smells, and experiences. Learning about the history of Korea was very interesting and there were a lot of great museums we visited that had everything from the creation of Hangeul (the Korean language), past kings and wars, old weapons, pottery, and information on the festivals and traditions of the country. Korea has a different feel to it than Japan..to put it in words is kind of difficult, but I guess it is has a more homely feel. I am a nature lover, and being able to see the mountains from almost everywhere in the city was so wonderful. This is the hostel that Soojeong found for me to stay at: http://bangranghostel.com/room_rate.html
. It was beautiful and cost around $15 USD a night.
Another thing that I really enjoyed about the trip, was getting to meet Soojeong's friend Goeun and her older sister Sumi and boyfriend Joe. Soojeong and I met Gouen for a dinner of fried chicken, beer, and talking. It was a lot of fun to meet her and since she is able to speak Japanese as well, we were able to communicate about many different things. After we finished our dinner, we went to a cute little cafe in the area and drank delicious drinks as we joked. On a different day, Soojeong and I met up Sumi and Joe for dinner, and then a drink at a bar. It was nice to meet them and I was very surprised to be treated to dinner. Sumi is fluent in English, so so it was very easy to talk to her. It is interesting that at one table Korean, English, and Japanese were all being spoken. Everyone was so kind. I can't wait to apply to work in Seoul next year. Moving from a town the size of Stillwater to a major city like Seoul will be a different experience, but it is one that I am looking forward to more than anything.
To write everything we did would take a lot of time; we went to 3 different castles (palaces), saw the presidential "Blue House", went shopping and out on dates a cute little restaurants all over the city, and just spent time doing the things we love. For me it was so interesting getting to see Soojeong's home country and city. Every street offered new sights, smells, and experiences. Learning about the history of Korea was very interesting and there were a lot of great museums we visited that had everything from the creation of Hangeul (the Korean language), past kings and wars, old weapons, pottery, and information on the festivals and traditions of the country. Korea has a different feel to it than Japan..to put it in words is kind of difficult, but I guess it is has a more homely feel. I am a nature lover, and being able to see the mountains from almost everywhere in the city was so wonderful. This is the hostel that Soojeong found for me to stay at: http://bangranghostel.com/room_rate.html
. It was beautiful and cost around $15 USD a night.
Another thing that I really enjoyed about the trip, was getting to meet Soojeong's friend Goeun and her older sister Sumi and boyfriend Joe. Soojeong and I met Gouen for a dinner of fried chicken, beer, and talking. It was a lot of fun to meet her and since she is able to speak Japanese as well, we were able to communicate about many different things. After we finished our dinner, we went to a cute little cafe in the area and drank delicious drinks as we joked. On a different day, Soojeong and I met up Sumi and Joe for dinner, and then a drink at a bar. It was nice to meet them and I was very surprised to be treated to dinner. Sumi is fluent in English, so so it was very easy to talk to her. It is interesting that at one table Korean, English, and Japanese were all being spoken. Everyone was so kind. I can't wait to apply to work in Seoul next year. Moving from a town the size of Stillwater to a major city like Seoul will be a different experience, but it is one that I am looking forward to more than anything.
Sunday, June 27, 2010
Our Trip to Tokyo
Before Soojeong flew back to Korea back on March 26, she, our good friend Hyeon-Woo, and I all decided to spend our last days together exploring Tokyo and having fun. We went to Shinjuku, Shibuya, Roppongi, Odaiba, Harajuku, Ueno, Asakusa, and many more places. We tasted beer at the Ebisu beer factory/museum, went to a Las Vegas like roof covered shopping center in Odaiba, saw the beautiful Meiji-Jingu Shrine near Harajuku, and Soojeong and I even took a fun day date trip to the famous Ghibli Museum in Tokyo. It was a perfect date and a dream come true. Being able to spend time with my girlfriend and good friend, eating at restaurants, going to shopping centers, and just having fun laughing and joking with one another was such a wonderful experience that I will never forget. In saying that, it was also a bittersweet time for me. The purpose of the trip was to have fun and see Soojeong off at the airport when she returned to Korea. Being able to spend everyday with the one you love, and then having to say goodbye for a while, is one of the hardest things to experience. Soojeong and I are still happily dating, and I have since been to visit her in Korea (and she has come to visit me in Matsumoto) and things are wonderful.
I think that one of the most unforgettable parts of our Tokyo was our trip to Ueno Park on our last day together. Up until then, it had rained almost everyday, but on our last day together, the sun came out, and the cherry blossoms were in full bloom. I know it will sound like something out of a book or movie, but I truly believe that day that God gave us a wonderful present of good weather and a beautiful walk among some of the most famous trees in Japan.
I think that one of the most unforgettable parts of our Tokyo was our trip to Ueno Park on our last day together. Up until then, it had rained almost everyday, but on our last day together, the sun came out, and the cherry blossoms were in full bloom. I know it will sound like something out of a book or movie, but I truly believe that day that God gave us a wonderful present of good weather and a beautiful walk among some of the most famous trees in Japan.
Monday, June 14, 2010
Trying to Catch Up: Snowy Days in Matsumoto
Being located in the Japanese Alps, Matsumoto receives quite a bit of snowfall annually. It snowed a number of times this past year, with two or three times bringing large amounts to our mountain city. Looking back at these pictures makes me wish that I could experience all of it again.
The first three pictures that are shown are of the huge snow we got this year. Waking up to that much snow was such a surprise, and that day Soojeong and I decided to ride all the way across city on bike to play billiards at a place we had seen when we got back from our trip to Kyushu. It makes me laugh know when I think of us riding all the way out there on slick, slushy roads, that sometimes made you get off your bike and push it for a ways. We eventually made it all the way to the billiard hall and decided that we didn't want to pay all of the fees the have and make membership cards, just to play a couple of games. Even though the roads were bad, I had such a wonderful time riding around the city with Soojeong looking at all the snow and laughing together. We didn't end up playing pool, but we went shopping together, and rode around the city together having fun which made it a day I will never forget.
The second set of three pictures is from another large snowfall we received this year. That night Hyeon-Wu, Soojeong, and I decided to build a snowman next to the river by the school. It was so much fun playing late into the night with each other, building giant snowmen and taking pictures together. The first snowman we built was too tall, so we used the parts from it and made two more snowmen. Thinking back to those times makes me so happy, and I wouldn't trade those times or memories for anything in the world.
I always get asked the question by my family, "aren't you excited to come home and see everyone?", and my answer is "yes". Of course I want to see my family and friends back home, but for me it isn't that easy. Coming here to Japan, I have found more than I thought I would;a beautiful girlfriend and love of a kind I have never known before, friendship with so many wonderful people from all over the world, experiences that made me realize who I am and what I want to do in life, and memories of days spent with the one you love and friends that I can never forget. When I think ofgoing back home and being so far away from it all, it makes me feel sad. I want more than anything to be done with school right now and starting the life I want.
The first three pictures that are shown are of the huge snow we got this year. Waking up to that much snow was such a surprise, and that day Soojeong and I decided to ride all the way across city on bike to play billiards at a place we had seen when we got back from our trip to Kyushu. It makes me laugh know when I think of us riding all the way out there on slick, slushy roads, that sometimes made you get off your bike and push it for a ways. We eventually made it all the way to the billiard hall and decided that we didn't want to pay all of the fees the have and make membership cards, just to play a couple of games. Even though the roads were bad, I had such a wonderful time riding around the city with Soojeong looking at all the snow and laughing together. We didn't end up playing pool, but we went shopping together, and rode around the city together having fun which made it a day I will never forget.
The second set of three pictures is from another large snowfall we received this year. That night Hyeon-Wu, Soojeong, and I decided to build a snowman next to the river by the school. It was so much fun playing late into the night with each other, building giant snowmen and taking pictures together. The first snowman we built was too tall, so we used the parts from it and made two more snowmen. Thinking back to those times makes me so happy, and I wouldn't trade those times or memories for anything in the world.
I always get asked the question by my family, "aren't you excited to come home and see everyone?", and my answer is "yes". Of course I want to see my family and friends back home, but for me it isn't that easy. Coming here to Japan, I have found more than I thought I would;a beautiful girlfriend and love of a kind I have never known before, friendship with so many wonderful people from all over the world, experiences that made me realize who I am and what I want to do in life, and memories of days spent with the one you love and friends that I can never forget. When I think ofgoing back home and being so far away from it all, it makes me feel sad. I want more than anything to be done with school right now and starting the life I want.
Sunday, May 23, 2010
Back in Matsumoto: White Day at Alps Park
After Soojeong and I got back from our ten day trip to the island of Kyushu, it wasn't long before it was time for White Day. White Day in Japan is just like Valentine's Day in America, except on White Day the boys buy for the girls (they also have Valentine's Day here where the girls buy for their partner) and it happened this year on the 14th of March. For Valentine's Day Soojeong had done so many sweet things for me; made me chocolates, fixed dinner, and made the entire day wonderful, and I wanted to make White Day just as special for her.
That morning I made bought the ingredients to make chocolate-covered strawberries, a card, and set about working. It took a couple of hours to get everything together, but with the chocolate-covered strawberries cooling in the refrigerator, I set off to buy flowers. I was lucky enough to find Soojeong's favorite flower (Freesia) at a local flower shop for the first time, so I bought it and headed off to get my strawberries. The weather that day was beautiful, and I headed over to the International Dorm to bring her her gifts. To see her smile made my day. We relaxed for a while, and decided to have a picnic lunch at Alps Park. Off we went.
We stopped to buy our lunch, and from there we headed up into the hills. By bike it took about 30 minutes, but we made it there, and set about having a great time. The weather was sunny with just a slight cool breeze. The park was very beautiful and we were able to enjoy the picnic with views of the mountains, trees, and flowers of Nagano Prefecture. There were so many things to do at the park; roller-slides (that we had a great time riding together), zip lines, obstacle courses, a huge rock climbing wall, and a very nice museum with a lookout tower at the top with views of the Japanese Alps. They even had a free zoo there with many different animals. For me, it was a perfect place to spend the day with Soojeong relaxing and playing together.
After we left the park, we had already decided to go out to an Italian restaurant named "Mar de Napoli" for dinner. The restaurant was very beautifully decorated with paintings, mosaics, and lights. Our food was excellent, and the dessert was just as delicious. What a way to spend the day after playing. White Day was so much fun, and it was a day that I will never forget. From the window of my apartment I can see the tower at the park, and I hope that someday we will be able to do it all again.
That morning I made bought the ingredients to make chocolate-covered strawberries, a card, and set about working. It took a couple of hours to get everything together, but with the chocolate-covered strawberries cooling in the refrigerator, I set off to buy flowers. I was lucky enough to find Soojeong's favorite flower (Freesia) at a local flower shop for the first time, so I bought it and headed off to get my strawberries. The weather that day was beautiful, and I headed over to the International Dorm to bring her her gifts. To see her smile made my day. We relaxed for a while, and decided to have a picnic lunch at Alps Park. Off we went.
We stopped to buy our lunch, and from there we headed up into the hills. By bike it took about 30 minutes, but we made it there, and set about having a great time. The weather was sunny with just a slight cool breeze. The park was very beautiful and we were able to enjoy the picnic with views of the mountains, trees, and flowers of Nagano Prefecture. There were so many things to do at the park; roller-slides (that we had a great time riding together), zip lines, obstacle courses, a huge rock climbing wall, and a very nice museum with a lookout tower at the top with views of the Japanese Alps. They even had a free zoo there with many different animals. For me, it was a perfect place to spend the day with Soojeong relaxing and playing together.
After we left the park, we had already decided to go out to an Italian restaurant named "Mar de Napoli" for dinner. The restaurant was very beautifully decorated with paintings, mosaics, and lights. Our food was excellent, and the dessert was just as delicious. What a way to spend the day after playing. White Day was so much fun, and it was a day that I will never forget. From the window of my apartment I can see the tower at the park, and I hope that someday we will be able to do it all again.
Saturday, May 8, 2010
Lantern Festival
While Soojeong and I were staying in Nagasaki, we were fortunate enough to be there during the time of the Lantern Festival held in Nagasaki's China Town district. Lanterns were hung over the rivers so that their light reflected across the water, animals of shapes and sizes lit the areas where people gathered for food and events, and there were even lanterns shaped like swans and lotuses that were set into the river to add to the effect.
The main area where most of these pictures were taken, was truly a spectacular place. The smell of Chinese and Japanese food being cooked was in the air, music and performers entertained the full audience, and they even had a dragon dance. For me, it was a wonderful night that I could spend with Soojeong, enjoying our time together as we learned something new about Nagasaki and the people there. There is something very romantic about a part of the city lit by lanterns. I don't know if it was the soft glow of the lights, that reminded me of candles, or knowing that you are witnessing something special with the one you love, but whatever it was, it made our night there one that I will never forget.
The people of Nagasaki must have worked very hard to put the event together, and it really showed. Along with the regular animal lanterns; like pelicans, goldfish, etc., there were all of the animals of the Chinese Zodiac, and famous characters out of old legends. Nagasaki is a wonderful city, and I would love to go back sometime and see the festival and events again.
The main area where most of these pictures were taken, was truly a spectacular place. The smell of Chinese and Japanese food being cooked was in the air, music and performers entertained the full audience, and they even had a dragon dance. For me, it was a wonderful night that I could spend with Soojeong, enjoying our time together as we learned something new about Nagasaki and the people there. There is something very romantic about a part of the city lit by lanterns. I don't know if it was the soft glow of the lights, that reminded me of candles, or knowing that you are witnessing something special with the one you love, but whatever it was, it made our night there one that I will never forget.
The people of Nagasaki must have worked very hard to put the event together, and it really showed. Along with the regular animal lanterns; like pelicans, goldfish, etc., there were all of the animals of the Chinese Zodiac, and famous characters out of old legends. Nagasaki is a wonderful city, and I would love to go back sometime and see the festival and events again.
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