Bong Eun Sa

‘why do we come to temple?’ i asked my company

‘i don’t know, why do you come?’ 

sitting on the stone near the temple’s entrance, i ask myself what’s my reason of being here.

it’s only 5 minutes walk from the busy coex mall, but instead of coming here, we can just go straight back to the subway and be somewhere else.

i’m not buddhist, and have no interest in becoming one. but for some reason, i want to pay a visit to this temple that was mentioned in my guide book as ‘situated on a forested hillside and have a quiet, secluded atmosphere.’ 

walked through the ‘gate of truth’ with painting of the guardians, i started to feel the atmosphere of this place.

  

it’s quiet and people are concentrate on their ritual. and the calm atmosphere had me move slower, so that my movement don’t disturb others.

  

i don’t know the role and purpose of these lanterns. (if anyone knows, please share your knowledge)

rows and rows hang above and along the way. all i know is that the repeated pattern of these rows that move with the wind just make me feel calm.

and follow the lantern lined path lead me deeper into other area of the temple. 

and it is so… quiet.

 

and i started to wonder if this place really only steps from that shopping mall i wandered through earlier?

and i realized that maybe the reason of me being here, is just to find a pause in my travel rhythm in this rush capital.

and i wouldn’t know i need it until i get it.

 

a perfect spot for a long, deep breath.

and a slow walk.

 

and i was lucky enough to hear the monk’s practice their drumming ritual.

the beating sound is somehow feels like it was from far away and it’s so close at the same time.

and it’s not a sound you would normally hear in the city like this.

 

‘why do we come here?’

for some places, you would only know the answer once you’re there.

 

so… just go.

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a thought that was never in my head

 

reading the first sentence on my latest post, “The thought to visit the fish market wasn’t in my head when i first plan to visit Busan” …

and i felt funny, because it reminds me that there are actually more of the sentences of that kind that i should put in this blog.

not just because it’s relating to seoul, but it’s actually the beginning of this all.

that would include,

‘the thought of making a blog was never in my head when i planned to visit korea.

but then i found out there’s a blog competition that the winner could get a prize as a trip to korea.

and so i think it would be good to try. and so i start learning about blogging.’

(and i was not in the selected blog list at the end, but i start to like blogging a bit, so i keep update.. very slowly)

and more of the sentence would be,

‘the thought of visiting korea was never in my head.. at all.

it was never in my head because i’m not a fan of K-pop culture, i can’t remember who’s who in TVXQ.

i like watching coffee prince, but never think of going to the place,

i don’t like kimchi and i don’t fancy ski resort.

i don’t use cosmetics, so i don’t plan to go shop for a luggage full of etude.

i like to travel, and i might think of korea sooner or later,

but there’s a long list of places already in my head before that.

the thought of visiting korea was never in my head when i went out one saturday night.

i actually think nothing when i lift up my hand to wave hello to one stranger.’

 

the thought of visiting korea begins after that.

 

and i did go to korea.

didn’t buy any cosmetic, and still don’t know more about any singer.

 

and i’m sure i’ll go again.

 

how can just a wave of one hand changed my life.

 

ahh.. the thought of visiting korea was never in my head.

 

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Jagalchi fish market : Busan

The thought to visit the fish market wasn’t in my head when i first plan to visit Busan. But once in the city, i decided to give the market some time in one morning. It turned out to be quite an enjoyable sight. There’s an indoor market area and an outdoor market. I turn right to the outdoor market.

Not just fish and sea shells, but other weird looking living creatures. Some are very funny when you think of what it looks similar too :)

The information on the travel info guide is true, about ‘jagalchi ajumma’

Most of the people in the stalls in the market are women, middle aged.

Some of them sell fresh, living fish. Some has a stall of dried products, and you can see the process of their making, just above the stall.

But once you walk through the small gate behind the stalls to the port side, that’s a men’s world.

Younger men loading the fish crates, reloading the boat.

Older men fishing.

For me, it’s the port life that’s interesting here, not just the fish.

 

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seoul in mono

they say seoul is constantly changing. and it moves forward in fast paces.

but today, for a moment, let me walk you slowly through seoul.. in grayscale.

Incheon int. airport

Tapgol park, Jongno

Bukchon hanok village

on the way in subway

Toto museum, Insadong

Seoul Museum of Art

light painting by nature

Seoul tower

Coex aquarium

Bong Eun Sa temple

last light in the cloud, view from naksan park, Daehangno

the secret garden in Changdeokgung

old town area near insadong

(to be continued)

 

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dakgalbi

One of my favourite menu!

Chicken, tteok, vegetables, noodles pan fried on your table with little spicy and sweet sauce. And of course, gimchi is on the side. And you just sit there, waiting for different staff to mix the ingredients in the pan for you. Whoever walk pass your table, will stir a few times, and walk away. Another staff walks by, stops, and stirs. When it’s ready for you to eat, they will let you know.

I love the tteok in this! sticky, chewy, yummy.. umm umm..

And once the pan started to get empty, but you still have some room in your belly, you can always order rice to mix in.

The one I went and enjoy a lot is ChoonChunJip in the restaurant area in Sinchon. They have a few menu and photos on the wall. Some with cheese, some with noodles. But you can just look over at the table near you and gesture that you want the same. If you want it to be more spicy, you can always ask for the hot sauce.

Dakgalbi is much less spicy than jjimdak. And while jjimdak chicken comes with bones, dakgalbi is already off the bones.

Do you love Cheonggyecheon?

 

Cheonggyecheon or Cheonggye stream was restored in 2005.

From the covered and polluted stream, turned to be a concrete lined stream with walk way and small water amusement area for kids and adults to enjoy. For the exchange of today’s appearance of the stream, some old markets nearby were moved to other place during restoration.

Look at it as it is now, Cheonggyecheon is the cool line across the dry concrete buildings. And it provides people of all ages the chance to hear the sound of the peaceful sound of water running in the center of this big busy city.

So, won’t you love it?

 

(From the Cheonggyecheon, you can walk to Gwangjang market and on to Dongdaemun Market.)

a walk in hongdae (2)

Apart from party scene at night, hongdae has quite a chill atmosphere during the day. Walk off the main walking street, into small lanes around the area, you will find yourself walk into many shops and cafe decorated in vintage style.

Many home decor shops, cloths, small gallery are scattered around the area for you to spend your lazy afternoon walking around. And once you got thirsty, coffee shop and good looking cafe are also at every corner.

If you are here on weekend, don’t forget to stop at the playground near Hongik University’s front gate. Art and craft market where artists come and sell their work is there. The item ranges from hat, bag, jewelry, painting etc.

The saturday market is called ‘Free Market’, and the one on sunday is ‘Hope Market’.

Just a small walk from the playground you can find ‘Lomography Gallery Shop’. If you love photography, if you love snapping, if you love toy cameras, then you know what you will find here. Apart from cameras, many lomo stuffs are available for sale. There’s also a cafe inside. http://www.lomoshop.co.kr/

 There’s also an information center where you can pick up hongdae’s area map. It’s on Seogyoro, near Starbucks. Or out exit 5, hongdae station, walk to walking street (the one with a walkway on the middle of the street). Turn right, and you should see it near the junction.

Hongdae also hosts Seoul Fringe Festival in August. 2009 is it’s 12th year of the festival.

a walk in hongdae

A friend who had visited tokyo said, hongdae has the same atmosphere as harajuku. I never been to tokyo, so i can only assume that harajuku would be like hongdae.

Don’t come here early in the morning as no shop will be opened for you to shop.

Come in the evening, a friday or saturday evening will get you among countless crowd hanging around exit5 of hongdae station, waiting for friends, waiting for party to start.

The Hongik university is famous for it’s art, so hongdae is full of art and korea’s indy culture.

The last friday of each month is ‘clubday’ the night you can buy one ticket and enter any of the club participated in the area. Most clubs stay open until 5 in the morning, so you can get the first subway home.

Lots of place to eat, lots of places to drink, and lots more to shop. And you can still do your shopping at 11pm here.

 

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Naengmyeon 냉몐

 

It’s buckwheat noodles in cold broth.

The broth is sour and cold, as there are some ice in it.

A summer food, I supposed.

Other things in the bowl are, reddish, cucumber and boiled egg.

Oh, and a few slices of beef too.

It’s served with mustard, to spice the cold meal up a bit.

And scissors, to cut the noodles if you find it too sticking together or too long.

Jjimdak 찜닭

This spicy chicken dish has its origin in the region of Andong.

Chicken, grass noodles, potatoes, carrots and other ingredients are marinated in the spicy sauce. The chicken comes in pieces with bones with noodles that are quite sticky. The chicken is normally so tender that it’s easily off the bone with no effort.

Sour, cold soup of dongchimi also served together.

I have to say it’s quite spicy, so have water and napkins ready at hands.

When the chicken is nearly finished, you could order rice to mix with the leftover seasoning.

 

Try Bongchu Jjimdak, http://bongchu.co.kr/  a chained restaurant which it’s only menu is jjimdak. and you can order portion of half or whole chicken.

There are many brances. The one I went is in hongdae.

 

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