Seodaemun, Olympic Park etc

On Saturday, I visited possibly the grimmest place in Seoul: Seodaemun Prison. This was built in 1908 by the Japanese in order to imprison the independence fighters among others. There are several of the buildings remaining, including a couple of cell blocks and the execution hall. In the basement of one building, they have recreated some of the torture scenes using rather graphic mannequins. Water torture, the rack, floggings, bamboo under the nails, electrocution, sexual torture - it's all there. Below is the front gate and the chair used for executions (the trapdoor opened and the corpse was cut down and dragged out of the cellar underneath using a back entrance).





Later in the day, I came across a taekwondo competition being held in a public square. I am going to put the pictures up later because the connection is dead slow. Also, some pictures of Olympic Park.

Another miscellany

Since I have been stuck in the lab these past couple of weeks, I haven't managed to do a great deal of sight-seeing. As a matter of fact, I think that I have seen most of the sights of Seoul (as defined by Lonely Planet). A week and a half ago I visited the War Memorial Museum in Yongsan. It is a large place and has a good exhibition on the Korean War, about which I knew very little before visiting. Outside there is a large display of military hardware, which the children love playing around. Of course, it is nothing compared with the Bovington Tank Museum in Dorset! Below is the front entrance to the War Memorial Museum and a selection of missiles.





Randomly, here is a picture of Seoul Tower:



Since it rained for the first time in yonks on Sunday, the air has become a lot clearer and it is possible to see right across Seoul to the nothern hills from my flat (note Seoul Tower on the far hill):



One more thing: Umbrellas. In a country where I am at least 6 inches taller than average, umbrellas are nothing other than vicious!

Miscellany

In the Buddhist temples such as the one we visited south of the Han river, they have four instruments that they ring out at the service times. There is a drum, a 'cloud gong', a gigantic bell, and most uniquely, a dragon-fish hybrid that is knocked about with sticks. Below is the head - very colourful!



Diagonally across the centre of Seoul from the temple is a mountain that is covered with Shamanist shrines and suchlike. It is typically rugged and steep. A short, intense climb will get you up the hill and you are rewarded with a great viewpoint over Seoul centre. On the far hill is Seoul Tower, and in the foreground are the fortress walls of Seoul (reconstructed).



South of Seoul is the city of Suwon. It is an hour by train and a ticket is the equivalent of only 70p! Just outside Suwon is the Korean Folk Village. We went in Chuseok, and it was heaving. It may be like this all the time: if so, I have never seen such a popular folk village. It had lots of reconstructed houses, ranging from a peasant's hovel, through a well-off farmer's house to a landowner's villa. There are also shows such as a display of horsemanship and, below, a tight-rope walker!

Restaurants

I think that the UK would do well to follow in South Korea's footsteps regrding restaurant service. For a start, there is generally a little button on your table which calls a waiter over. Secondly, as soon as they bring your food, they also bring the bill in a little wallet that they place face down on the table. This means you can check it as you go and, furthermore, lets you leave when you please without having to catch someone's attention and ask for the bill (UK waiters all seem to disappear at this point). There is no fuss: you simply get up and pay at the till on the way out. Perfect - it is quick clean and obvious. What's more, tipping is frowned upon.

I approve of tipping when waiters are not paid well (in South Africa, they are often not paid at all), and it does offer a chance to express displeasure/appreciation. However, assuming the waiters are paid well enough, it is refreshing to be in a country where words of appreciation are sufficient.

Scotland v France, 2006-10-07

The best goal of the year! Scotland v France, Hampden Park, 2006-10-07 Fantastic!

The previous week

has been one of intense Seoul searching (pardon me). N and I took the opportunity of the Korean Chuseok holiday (a kind of thanksgiving) to leave the lab and go sight-seeing around the capital. I will probably put more pictures up over the coming few days but here are a few with which to get started.

One night we took the cable car up to Seoul tower. It is right in the centre of Seoul, on a decent sized hill and so commands views over all sides of the city. Something like 70% of the population of S Korea receives its television and radio broadcasts from this tower. The guide leaflet made a cheeky claim that it is the third or fourth highest tower in the world. However, this includes the hill that it is standing on. It is, in fact, at number 120 or so. Here is a view of downtown Seoul, towards Insadong, palaces and the north.



A garish stall in Namdaemun market. This market is primarily for clothes and suchlike. I find these markets quite dull (women's territory!)...give me a food market any day, preferably with grotesque creatures from the Deep!



And here is a picture of one of many paper shop in Insadong. These shops are dangerously tempting, even for someone with no experience of Oriental calligraphy. I especially like the big brushes and heavy, intricately carved inkstones (which are pricey). The paper is sold in large sheets; it is soft and is stored in big rolls like cloth sheets.

Mosquitoes etc

If there is one thing I dislike about Korea, it is the generous helping of mosquitoes. In an attempt to keep my room free of them I have to keep my windows closed all the time. The low buzzing that they produce is just on the edge of audible noise, which creates an exaggerated irritation; I am never quite sure if I can hear them or am imagining them flying around my room. It generates the 'ants in your pants' feeling where you imagine itchiness all over and can't sleep. I wish they'd all go to the devil.

The BBC has just reported that North Korea have claimed their first Nuclear Weapon test. That'll heat things up nicely for my visit to the DMZ!

Climbing Mt Gwanak

On Saturday, we participated in the national sport of hiking. Mt Gwanak is the highest mountain in Seoul. At 629m it is not particularly high, but it is quite steep and provides some pleasantly dramatic views from the top. There is also some minor scrambling to be done. The mountaineering experience a little diminished by a solid wooden stairway up the final part to the ridge! Below is a view along the ridge towards the radar station. As you can see, there were Many People.



Here is a view of part of the SNU campus from the top. My apartment block is near the centre. Beyond are the southern sprawls of Seoul.



And here we are, at the photo spot. Can't help feeling my legs look disproportionately large here!