Monday, January 30, 2012
Cafes Cafes Everywhere...and Lot of Stuff to Drink
Call me a hipster if you will, but I love cafes. One of my favorite things to do is sit at a cafe with a good drink and talk to Soojeong and our other friends about our travels abroad or of our days adventures. The number of cafes in Seoul is mind boggling, they are literally everywhere. There are so many neat cafes that look like they came from Paris, modern cafes with futuristic furniture and lighting, and themed cafes of all sorts. Prices for drinks really very from place to place, but I have yet to visit anywhere that is just overpriced. I love to sit at a cafe and study while I drink a nice hot drink. Seoul is a coffee lovers paradise.
Art Exhibit
The day after we went to the zoo, Soojeong and I decided to go and see a food themed art exhibit at the Sejeong Center that Soojeong had seen advertised on TV. The variety of mediums used was quite amazing. There were objects made from everything from brass to rice and even a dress made entirely of various fish bones and parts. The gallery wasn't crowded at all and it was nice to be able to walk around and really enjoy all of the art. One good thing about a large city is that there is always something to go see or do. Seoul is really the "Soul of Asia". From ancient palaces and temples, to modern buildings lit from bottom to top with color changing lights, there is something here for every type of person. Even in a place where apartments fill the horizon, small, quiet traditional neighborhoods can still be found.
Children's Grand Park and Zoo
In our free time, Soojeong and I have been trying to go to places in Seoul that I have yet to see. This past weekend we decided that we wanted to go to the Children's Grand Park and the Zoo that is located there, so that we could get out and enjoy a day out. We took a bus and train to get to the park, but it didn't take us too long. The park was quite large and there were a lot of things to see and do. I am sure that in the summer it is swarming with kids playing on the equipment, looking at the ponds, and running through the grass. There were a number of people there the day we went, but I think that the cold kept the masses away.
Inside the park we quickly found the zoo and set out exploring. Since it is a city owned park, the zoo was also free. There were a lot more animals than I thought there would be, and I was really excited to see a mountain lion here in Korea. They had tigers, lions, leopards, jaguars, African wild dogs, hyenas, and everything in between. I had forgotten how big a tiger actually is. The male tiger they had at the zoo seemed monstrous! Besides the large cats, they had monkeys, reptiles, birds, and even a botanical garden with bonsai that were up to 200 years old. To think that people have been taking care of them for so long is really quite amazing.
After our romping our the zoo and amusement park, we headed back to the frozen pond where they had free traditional ice skating for people to try. By looking at the pictures you will see what we were riding. Once you got some speed you could really fly around the pond and do some pretty fun tricks. The tools you use to propel yourself are wooden boards shaped like a "t" with a nail sticking out the bottom. I managed to only stab Soojeong in the leg twice. I am not kidding about that either. At least they nail didn't break the skin. We had fun there and after wards went to an area of Seoul known for its plays and musicals. We had dinner there and shopped around before heading home and calling it a night.
Inside the park we quickly found the zoo and set out exploring. Since it is a city owned park, the zoo was also free. There were a lot more animals than I thought there would be, and I was really excited to see a mountain lion here in Korea. They had tigers, lions, leopards, jaguars, African wild dogs, hyenas, and everything in between. I had forgotten how big a tiger actually is. The male tiger they had at the zoo seemed monstrous! Besides the large cats, they had monkeys, reptiles, birds, and even a botanical garden with bonsai that were up to 200 years old. To think that people have been taking care of them for so long is really quite amazing.
After our romping our the zoo and amusement park, we headed back to the frozen pond where they had free traditional ice skating for people to try. By looking at the pictures you will see what we were riding. Once you got some speed you could really fly around the pond and do some pretty fun tricks. The tools you use to propel yourself are wooden boards shaped like a "t" with a nail sticking out the bottom. I managed to only stab Soojeong in the leg twice. I am not kidding about that either. At least they nail didn't break the skin. We had fun there and after wards went to an area of Seoul known for its plays and musicals. We had dinner there and shopped around before heading home and calling it a night.
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
Kamakura
There is something magical about the city of Kamakura. I do not know if it is the old temples that dot the landscape, or the small little streets lit by the lights of warm and welcoming shops, but something about the town makes me feel very at home. Soojeong and I arrived in town just in time to get into to the temple to see the giant statue of the Buddha (Daibutsu) before the temple grounds closed. The statue itself is supposed to have been completed somewhere around the year 1252, and is very large and well crafted. It is made of bronze and you are able to go inside for a small fee. We did not have time to since the temple was about to close, but I am sure that inside is interesting.
After we visited the Daibutsu, we headed off for a little walk around town. We stopped in a few cute little shops to look for souvenirs, and to just browse around. One thing that Japan is famous for is kind people, and all of the shop attendants were no exception. We enjoyed conversing with the different people as we went around town and it really made me feel welcome. Nightime took us to the most famous shrine in Kamakura; Tsurugaoka Hachiman-gu, and it was very beautiful. The shrine complex itself is very large and includes water gardens, bridges, and lanes lined with trees. After browsing there for a while we headed back to a restaurant we had seen earlier so that we could get some dinner. We ended up eating tonkatsu (friend pork cutlet) before catching the train that would take us back to Tokyo and the airport.
After we visited the Daibutsu, we headed off for a little walk around town. We stopped in a few cute little shops to look for souvenirs, and to just browse around. One thing that Japan is famous for is kind people, and all of the shop attendants were no exception. We enjoyed conversing with the different people as we went around town and it really made me feel welcome. Nightime took us to the most famous shrine in Kamakura; Tsurugaoka Hachiman-gu, and it was very beautiful. The shrine complex itself is very large and includes water gardens, bridges, and lanes lined with trees. After browsing there for a while we headed back to a restaurant we had seen earlier so that we could get some dinner. We ended up eating tonkatsu (friend pork cutlet) before catching the train that would take us back to Tokyo and the airport.
The Train Ride to Kamakura: View of Enoshima
The train to Kamakura takes off from Fujisawa City, the home town of my brother's good friend Jun Sato. Because we were without a cellphone, and because time was very limited, we were unable to meet this time. I hope that next year when Sean and I go to Japan we can stay in Fujisawa City and go to Kamakura for a day trip. I think that the whole area is very beautiful and the houses are very well kept and neat. The train we rode was called the Enoden, and it looked like an old 1960s train. Heading towards Kamakura the train goes down narrow roads and then bursts our into wide open spaces with views of the sea and beach. Despite it being winter, we saw a number of people surfing and having a good time. 
Rinnoji, Futarasan, and Our Hotel
The complex that held Toshogu also held two other very beautiful shrines/temples. With the pass that we bought we were able to visit Rinnoji and Futarasan, and it was a lot of fun. One of them had three giant Buddhist statues that were very old and interesting looking. I always wonder how they are able to preserve things for so long at these places. After we looked around for quite some time, Soojeong and I headed back to the train station for to check the time of our next train and to get something to drink at a cute little cafe right next the the station.
We finally boarded the train to take us to Kinugawa Onsen where our hotel was. The snow kept falling heavy all day, blanketing the entire landscape with a thick white coat. Once we arrived at our destination, we found our way to the convenience store where we bought some of the old snacks and drinks we used to enjoy while we lived in Matsumoto. Just thinking about that beer makes me thirsty right now... Our hotel was very pretty and our room was very nice. Dinner and breakfast were included in the price and it was nice to be able to sit down for a meal and conversation at the end of our day. The hotel had a couple of indoor and outdoor hotsprings that made the aches of the day disappear. We got plenty of rest and prepared for our journey to Kamakura the next day.
We finally boarded the train to take us to Kinugawa Onsen where our hotel was. The snow kept falling heavy all day, blanketing the entire landscape with a thick white coat. Once we arrived at our destination, we found our way to the convenience store where we bought some of the old snacks and drinks we used to enjoy while we lived in Matsumoto. Just thinking about that beer makes me thirsty right now... Our hotel was very pretty and our room was very nice. Dinner and breakfast were included in the price and it was nice to be able to sit down for a meal and conversation at the end of our day. The hotel had a couple of indoor and outdoor hotsprings that made the aches of the day disappear. We got plenty of rest and prepared for our journey to Kamakura the next day.
Monday, January 23, 2012
東照宮 Toshogu
Our journey to Japan brought Soojeong and I to Toshogu Shrine, a shrine dedicated to Tokugawa Ieyasu, who founded the Tokugawa shogunate. The shrine is located in Tochigi Prefecture, and it is nestled in a beautiful forest lined with giant ancient trees that line the paths. It took a little while for us to reach Toshogu from Tokyo, but the train ride was enjoyable and the scenery was very beautiful. My friend James had lived in Tochigi Prefecture for over a year and he has always told me how beautiful it is. After making this trip I have to agree with him. There are so many cute small towns, clear streams, mountains, and hot springs, that only a fool could not like the place. I think I would really enjoy living there.
As we neared the train station to head to the shrine, the snow really began to fall. Normally this would be a hindrance to sightseeing, but it only added to the beauty in our case. There is nothing quite a mysterious and beautiful as a shrine that is hundreds of years old and covered in snow. The atmosphere of a shrine is quite different than a church, and I really can't accurately describe what that difference is. Soojeong and I bought a pass to view three different shrines; Toshogu, Rinnoji, and Futarasan. They were all beautiful and Soojeong and I had a lot of fun walking around taking pictures. We stopped for a lunch at a little shop where we watched the snow fall out the window for a while, before we continued sightseeing and getting ready to head to our hotel in a place called Kinugawa Onsen.
As we neared the train station to head to the shrine, the snow really began to fall. Normally this would be a hindrance to sightseeing, but it only added to the beauty in our case. There is nothing quite a mysterious and beautiful as a shrine that is hundreds of years old and covered in snow. The atmosphere of a shrine is quite different than a church, and I really can't accurately describe what that difference is. Soojeong and I bought a pass to view three different shrines; Toshogu, Rinnoji, and Futarasan. They were all beautiful and Soojeong and I had a lot of fun walking around taking pictures. We stopped for a lunch at a little shop where we watched the snow fall out the window for a while, before we continued sightseeing and getting ready to head to our hotel in a place called Kinugawa Onsen.
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