Rain, cold, thunder and lightening ... brrr!
I can only stare at the ceiling so long and my raging jet lag seems to be winning ... and finally Sunday morning I get up. But things are still quiet and dark at the hotel, so I bring my book and curl up on a couch in the hotel "living room" with a couple of other just-waking-up folks.
Breakfast included ... who knew that meant peanut butter, jelly and white bread? I understand that my other breakfast choice at a resaurant is soup and kimchee ... I'll stick to the PBJ.
Are you confused, did you think I was going to India? Yes, India is my destination ... but I thought it might be interesting to take an extended stopover in Korea for 3+ days. Planning ... none! Meaning: I've not done any reading about Korea and am not prepared, other than I brought my rather outdated Lonely Planet guide with me.
Temples sound interesting and Lonely Planet suggests the Inwangsan Shamanist shrine. Off I go via the subway to the Dongnimmum station, up a short alleyway, and walk right into a huge construction site. Huh, that doesn't seem too ceremonial and respectful. But construction workers periodically holler out pointing which direction I should walk and up the hill I start. At the what-I-thought-was-the-top-of-the-hill, I stop when I meet some folks coming out from the temple entrance telling me that it is closed. One of them (Min, from Seoul) speaks good English and invites me to walk with her and her friend (who can pantomine and say hello). Off we start up the hill! Thankfully I've been working out lately ... I lost count along the way, but maybe 800-ish stair steps later we get to the real top of the hill. It was almost funny, looking up at these stairs that just keep going up and up and up. But worth it? Kesawk-haseya! What a view in all directions of Seoul. Spectacular! Geesh, then it's down 800-ish stair steps!
About that rain ... I was definitely not expecting that! Little pitter patters on Sunday afternoon, turning to buckets Sunday night through Monday morning. And along with the rain came some terrific lightening and thunder shows, cold and wind. Good news, all those fancy poly-blend travel clothes dry instantly - except for the dried-out, formerly drowned rat look!
P.S. - I'm just now figuring out how to upload pictures from my camera at the internet cafe's. Takes forever and a day, since these computers appear to be from the last century ... and it keeps timing out!
Breakfast included ... who knew that meant peanut butter, jelly and white bread? I understand that my other breakfast choice at a resaurant is soup and kimchee ... I'll stick to the PBJ.
Are you confused, did you think I was going to India? Yes, India is my destination ... but I thought it might be interesting to take an extended stopover in Korea for 3+ days. Planning ... none! Meaning: I've not done any reading about Korea and am not prepared, other than I brought my rather outdated Lonely Planet guide with me.
Temples sound interesting and Lonely Planet suggests the Inwangsan Shamanist shrine. Off I go via the subway to the Dongnimmum station, up a short alleyway, and walk right into a huge construction site. Huh, that doesn't seem too ceremonial and respectful. But construction workers periodically holler out pointing which direction I should walk and up the hill I start. At the what-I-thought-was-the-top-of-the-hill, I stop when I meet some folks coming out from the temple entrance telling me that it is closed. One of them (Min, from Seoul) speaks good English and invites me to walk with her and her friend (who can pantomine and say hello). Off we start up the hill! Thankfully I've been working out lately ... I lost count along the way, but maybe 800-ish stair steps later we get to the real top of the hill. It was almost funny, looking up at these stairs that just keep going up and up and up. But worth it? Kesawk-haseya! What a view in all directions of Seoul. Spectacular! Geesh, then it's down 800-ish stair steps!
About that rain ... I was definitely not expecting that! Little pitter patters on Sunday afternoon, turning to buckets Sunday night through Monday morning. And along with the rain came some terrific lightening and thunder shows, cold and wind. Good news, all those fancy poly-blend travel clothes dry instantly - except for the dried-out, formerly drowned rat look!
P.S. - I'm just now figuring out how to upload pictures from my camera at the internet cafe's. Takes forever and a day, since these computers appear to be from the last century ... and it keeps timing out!
posted by CECILIA at 11:00 AM
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