Our Neighborhood

This is our neighborhood. It is large 15 story building in with restaurants in the bottom and a plaza. Really this is normal, but we have one of the nicer/newer complexes in the "Guro" area of Seoul.

In one of these photos you can see our apt window. We are on the bottom (really 2nd story) to the far right.

Another picture has "Soo Espresso." Our local cafe. Really, it's not that good. But it is there if I need it! And sometimes I need it.

The food here is pretty good to. We just when to a restaurant downstairs with another teaching couple from Canada. The place is good. Basically it is Korean BBQ that specializes in pork. But you take the cooked meat (yeah, I eat it) and wrap it in lettuce with various other things. Yet, the best part is that is was very reasonably priced. It was about $50 for a 4 people feast plus drinks!

Also, there are little restaurants which you can get a big meal for only $2-3. You just better like is spicy.


--TO

Cherry Blossoms!

Spring brought us the fantastic blooms of the Cherry Blossoms and Magnolia trees. It is really something to see. The first picture is looking at our apt building from a walkway just across the busy road. There is a nice nature trail not far.

The sad thing about these blossoms is that they don't last long. These pictures where taken last week and they already look like your average tree. God certainly makes us appreciate the beauty of his work by giving us such little time to enjoy it.

--TO

Spring!!!!!

(our apt building and a cherry blossom tree)
(a rabbit that Dani just had to take pictures of)

(A nice park )


Finally we have some warmer weather. Things are looking prettier and flowers are blooming. Cherry Blossoms blooming! Sun light!

Our Apt

Okay. So here are some pictures of our apt. Yes, it is mundane. But ya see how we live.

It is really a large apt for teachers here in Korea. Of course, there are two of us working for the same program so we each get housing privileges combined.





First, our bed. It is as hard as a padded rock. No really, it's hard yet strangely comfortable.

Secondly, our bathroom. There is a separate shower! God has blessed us indeed! You see, usually the small apts will have a shower hook up connected to the sink. So you are really just showering over the sink and everything drains through a drain in the middle of the bathroom floor. Oh, but we have a separate shower! Yes!



Lots of storage. And notice the washing machine (that destroys your clothes!)



Walk-in closet! Booyah!


The front entrance has a motion light (they are big into those things here). It is annoying, though, when you want to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night without turning on lights (lights wake me up too much). Sometimes I try to stick to the wall as close as I can, but the motion light sees me every time.



Our Kitchen is nice. The former tenant was an artist and left a rather nice floral design on the door of the fridge. The left over toaster oven contains so many colorful burny things in it that I consider it a piece of art as well.


And look! A TV with only one English channel: AFN (Armed Forces Network)
The door to the left is our bedroom and the hallway to the farther left leads to the bathroom.


Please leave your shoes at the front door! But it is good because the floors are heated (ondol is the name for this Korean invention - originally heated by a fire under the floor boards).

-TO

Changdeokgung Palace Moonlit Trail

Dani and I were invited to visit one of the many palaces here in Seoul for what was the first of what they called a "Moonlit Trail Experience." Basically, about 150 or so people (mostly from our teachers organization and some folks from some local embassies) were invited to attend. It was really quite nice and they briefly explained all we where looking at along. Although, I really don't remember much of what they said.

But I (Dani) do. They talked about the structure itself and how everything done was to symbolize life and the relationship of a king to his country. For example, the main pool by the bath house is square but the island in the middle was round. This was to represent heaven (the island) on earth (the pool). All of the fish in the pool are the people of the country and the king was the water in which they lived and breathed. The beams on the ceiling of most of the palace were covered with chicken wire. I thought this was new to keep away pigeon poo but actually it was there during the original days as well (obviously replaced as it wears out). If the birds were to nest in the rafters, snakes would also climb up and eat the young. The kings palace was to only represent life and not death so they covered this to keep out anything "impure".

We were also treated to refreshments, tea, and a professional Korean theatrical performance where three women played the Gayageum--a stringed instrument that has a distinct Asian sound. They were an internationally renown group and it was amazing to hear them play.
Here is a link to a website which explains more than I remember.




Also, you can check out more professional pics of the palace here.