Have Love Will Travel: May 2013

Andy and I have been lucky to have three eventful weekends full of beautiful weather and sightseeing with friends.

We took a day trip to the DMZ. Although we didn't go to the Joint Security Area, we had the chance to glimpse parts of the North, including the Kaesong Industrial Complex. It was unnerving as South Korean guards walked through our bus at the Civilian Control Line, and it was thrilling to walk through the 3rd infiltration tunnel. There were many symbols representing a call for reunification, and I felt a surreal sense of disconnectedness as I looked through binoculars at North Korea. I could see this country that is a subject of much controversy and debate, and I couldn't help but wonder what could come of the isolated separation North Korea continues to hold.

The remains of a train recovered after the Korean War. It was filled with bullet holes and other marks of conflict.

Trying to push the two Koreas back together.

These characters representing North and South Korean soldiers could bee seen at every site we visited.

At the northernmost train station just before the boarder. You could buy a "ticket" to Pyeongyang.

Andy and I take a Korean class that is offered through the YMCA in Cheongju. The teachers are so helpful and kind, and they had arranged a trip to the Jincheon Bell Museum and 농다리 (a stepping stone bridge with "thousands of years of history") for our classes. It was nice to spend the day picnicking and hiking with friends.

At the Bell Museum, we had the chance to make paper pressings of bells.

After spraying the paper with water, and covering it with cloth, we slammed a brush against the design.

Once the design was properly pressed onto the paper, we used small ink dabs to copy the design.

Andy tries to win for the blue team!

The waterfall near the stepping stone bridge.

Andy and James are always such serious gents.

In that same weekend, we had the chance to go to a shooting range with some friends from our building. I'm proud to say that I hit 8/25 clay birds, and I just missed tying with Andy's 9/25.

We also had the chance to see some traditional Korean archery.

Different from the western way, they pull the bow behind the ear and release with their thumb.

This past weekend was a holiday, Buddah's birthday. To take advantage of the time off, we took a trip to Sokcho. We went hiking through Seoraksan National Park, camped on the beach, and went exploring with friends.

Plenty of dried fish to be found at this seaside town.

안녕하세요! It's been a while since we've been able to take a weekend to travel somewhere we haven't been yet in Korea. This weekend we went with the Adventure Korea tour guide company to the Jindo Sea Parting Festival 진도 신비의바닷길축제 and the Hampyeong Butterfly Festival 함평 나비대축제. A great article about the science behind the Jindo Sea parting and the folk legend that accompanies the parting can be found at the National Geographic website. This article was published the day before we saw the parting so it is quite current. Nat'l Geographic Jindo Sea Parting

Here is the 'miracle' story that accompanies the sea parting. Taken from Nat'l Geographic.

"According to legend, tigers were once abundant on Jindo Island. But when they began invading local villages, people fled to Modo Island. One woman, Bbyong, was inadvertently left behind.

She prayed to the god of the ocean, Yongwang, every day until finally the god told her in a dream that a rainbow would appear in the sea the next day for her family to cross the ocean.

When she went out to sea, the waters miraculously parted and a rainbow road appeared. Bbyong's family crossed the sea to meet her, and thus began a popular tradition among locals and a mystical attraction among tourists."

Pretty mystical yeah... Here's that statue they were talking about. Also, there are no tigers here... anywhere.

So this was taken a bit before the action started.

You may remember our friends Asami and Kate who accompanied us to Lotte World and Seoul for the lantern festival. They were cool enough to meet up with us and hang out at the Sea Parting.

Ladies be posin'... A THREAT.

Look at that adorable face... there's a puppy too.

One of the larger draws of the festival is the annual flying of the whales, pictured below.

They can't fly very high...

After the flying whales (Why didn't I take pictures??? IDIOT) we put on our fashionable wares.

Yeah those boots were very comfortable... especially walking on the sharp rocks near the shore.

We then ventured out into the water.

Our target island.

Shaina found a starfish!

We had a really awesome time at the Sea Parting and we will definitely be going again if we stay another year. I leave you with a view of the ground that the tide going out revealed.

Our next destination was the Hampyeong Butterfly Festival which is held in the spring about 50km north of Mokpo.

When we arrived we were able to release butterflies along side the local mayor of Hampyeong. Everyone got a little container with some butterflies in it and on the count of three we let them go into NATURE. An interesting experience we had there was getting to make wax hands. The gentleman who made them would dip your hand into ice water then into hot wax going back and forth until you had a nice layer of wax on your hand. Then he would cool it and gently tug it off your hand. It was pretty cool/hot. Also, after our mud fishing incident some Korean dudes asked Shaina to pose for some pics with a barrel of mudfish. She obliged gleefully and many PR photos were taken. She was not compensated monetarily but her self esteem was greatly improved.