Banpo Daegyo : Rainbow Bridge

Oedo Island or the "supposed to be European style Garden Island"

Haha, I'm still laughing about that island. It's 20 minutes boat ride from Goeje main Island and it's a european style island, where the last scene of the most famous korean drama was played. Koreans really like visiting place where their favorite drama was setting actually. So, when we went there, useless to say it was crowded. I should add "asian style crowded", a thousand people on the island, people 50 cm in front of you, 50cm behind you. I think I should know say that korean people really like being all together, with lots of tourists, not like european people usually do.

So, talking about the garden, the european style was quite funny, because it's all that we will NEVER have in europe, I thought I was in a disney movie, with classical music (which could be extracted from a disney movie too) coming from hidden speakers, and flowers, without forget the greek style naked statues ...

Bye Bye Seoul

One of those couples ...

Well I'm leaving in 16 days now, and so I need to write what I'm feeling now... Kind of weird, I truly know that I'll miss lots of things here, the life, the city, every single accommodation such as that super clean and efficient and never on strike subway, all the convenience stores opened 24/7, rice (yes, it's possible, and i'll repeat it if you want I'll MISS RICE and btw i'll intend to buy a rice cooker as soon as possible) and chopsticks (of course)  anyway i'll even miss the university, all its buildings, stairs, its hilly roads, its hair dressers, coffees, conveniences stores ....

BUT on the other hand there are SOOOOOO many things that I'll definitely NOT miss AT ALL like Kimchi (well I never liked it), its stupid couples wearing the same clothes, its sputum, its cold weather, the dorms, the bathroom of the dorms, the kitchen of the dorms (ha, no i forget I did NOT get ANY kitchen), the boring classes every tuesday and wednesday, the way that korean do NOT speak english (even student), the fact that they're SUPER shy and do NOT want to speak in english with you and prefer let you in a deep shit than tryin' to help you (sometimes)

Anyway, like I said in the beginning (and this article didn't help me at all to find out for which way I have to swing) it's a weird feeling, because I deeply know that when I'll come back to france, after the first weeks of rediscover of what's really food and bla and bla and bla, I'll miss living that life at 300km/h, I'll miss discover a new country every month, I'll miss being in holidays for 5 months, reality will be boring but I'll take the risk to be bored :)

Busan + Geoje Island

I'm in Geoje now, it's quite a beautiful island even if (as usual) the cities are really REALLY ugly, with lots of high residential buildings, ugly shops, big streets, and that, also on the sea side (cannot understand it). I'm here with my korean "adoptive family" and we've been there by car, and therefore we've made a break in Busan (because it's on the way to go to the island). We had lunch on Jagalchi Market (the pictures of fish I've made the first time I went in Busan were taken in that market) and that was quite interesting, because I never ate fresh fish on a market before, because it was impossible for me to explain to the korean fisherman what I wanted. But the result was a little bit disappointed and below my expectations : we had a kind of soup with all the fishes mixed together (first, it's a kind of bouillabaisse) but eating fish with chopsticks, and remove herrings with them is a real tough task. I mean, you cannot enjoy the taste because you're too concentrated about removing all these bones from your mouth that something else :)

Busan Fish Market

Geoje Island

Garling drying on the beach (same thing in Jeju)

Geoje Island from Oedo Island

On the way to Oedo Island

Did you Know About Chopsticks?

Every asian country get its own style of chopsticks, and therefore, if i'm going to a japanese restaurant in korea, i won't find korean chopsticks but japanese ones. So, I think it's quite interesting to look at the differences between all of them. 

So first, I will talk about ... korean chopsticks. There are medium-length stainless-steel chopsticks, with a flat rectangular cross section. They usually go along with a spoon. I really think that korean chopsticks are the easier to use, because you can grab little things precisely, thing that is not so easy with other types of chopsticks.

Then, chinese chopsticks there are longer than the korean ones, they are also round shaped (so basically they're not flat) and usually in wood. 

Then, let's talk about japanese chopsticks , they're short to medium lengths sticks that taper to a pointed end. They're also traditionally made of wood, and then lacquered.

Korean Chopsticks

Chinese Chopsticks

Japanese Chopsticks

4 days of Rachios Fiesta

Every year spring comes, and the lions roar. After the harsh winter weather and the brutal mid-term exams comes the excitement of Hanyang University’s annual festival, the Rachios Fiesta. From the 17th to the 20th of May, the entire campus came to life, and was vivid with youth, passion, talent, creative ideas, performances and events.

It all started late afternoon Wednesday. By 5pm, the open air theater was crowded and it was impossible to find an empty seat, let alone set foot on the grounds. The eve celebration started with the rooting ceremony of Hanyang University. The HYU rooters conquered the stage, making it known to the entire school that the Rachios Fiesta started. The performances of Girl’s Generation successfully put Hanyangians in the mood to enjoy and celebrate. 

While these special events and performances were prepared for the festival, there were other interactive activities prepared by student bodies on the Culture Road, and Bar Road. The Bar Road which extended all the way from the parking lot next to the Graduate School Building and all the way to the Humanities Building was opened in late afternoons, welcoming guests to home-made snacks and meals, with varieties of liquor. Each department and major prepared their bars to come together with classmates, graduates, and even professors. Some of the bars such as that of Sokna, which is one of the bands of HYU, performed in their bars.

During these four days, students came to school, attended class, and afterwards spread throughout the campus interacting in games and events prepared by clubs and departments. With the evening breeze, they moved on to enjoy performances or went to the Bar Road, to participate and enjoy some drinks with their friends.

Random pictures on Jeju

 

Jeju Island !

A traditional house on Jeju

So last week, I went for 4 days in Jeju Island. So, concerning the situation of the island, Jeju Island is the more southerly island of Korea (and also the biggest one). It has been shaped by a volcano, which is now dead. The island is really different from all the continent landscape : lava is used everywhere, from the houses to the fences,  lots of thins are built with these strange dark rocks, which are therefore lava.

Also, the culture there is thousand miles far away from the real/traditional korean traditions, even the roofs of the houses are not similarly shaped.
People are also more welcoming that in Seoul I think, and they also speak a better english (maybe because it's also more touristic).

Palm trees & Promenade : Korean Hawaii

And so for small anecdote, Koreans say that this island is their little "hawaii". Explanation. Koreans can freely travel for around 20 years now, before they couldn't and the only place of expatriation was that small island, its palm trees, its subtropical climate and its clear and blue water.

So, concerning my trip, first I have to say that for a supposed subtropical climate, it was cold, VERY cold, 20° for 3 days, adding the fog, the wind, and some scattered showers sometimes.

But, to make up for any, the last day was awesome, 30°, big sun, beach (finally I experienced this subtropical climate).

I've been visiting lava tubes, which were formed thousand and million years ago : when the volcano was still "alive" the lava flows were gnawed the rock (as the water does too) and now, there are kilometers of tubes dig by lava that you can visit, amazing !

The lava tube, 20m circumference

Then, I've been climbing on some craters of this retired volcano, with an amazing point of view on the sea and the city below. The landscapes I've visited the three first days really make me think of irish landscapes : When we climb up to the crater, it looks similar as the Cliff of Mohair, same unleashed seawater, same fog, same wind, same wild grass ...

Irish landscape isn't it?

From the top of the crater, behind what you cannot see is the seawater ...

Oohhhhh and I forget to tell you something quite interesting : Jeju Island is also very famous for its statues (wich are called dol hareubang : stone grandfather). They may actually remind you the eastern island statues, but there's no similarity between them. The purpose of that statues is to protect the people, it's like an ancient religious culture, but still now, people who are building a house may put one of those statues in front of their house, in order to be protected.

Here are some other random pictures that I took on Jeju, the last day, when it was sunny, warm ... what I expected in other words !

Hyojae Beach, West part of Jeju

Jungmun Beach, South part of Jeju

Another kind of famous statue, in the waterfall park

Waterfall park

Seogwipo bridge on sunset

ART + SEOUL #4 (Time Lapse in Seoul)

I find that video about Seoul and it's sooooo amazing, I think it's just showing the most beautiful edge of the city. Let you enjoy it ! I also would advise you to enlarge the video, to see every little thing ...

ART + SEOUL #3 (National Museum of Korea)

The National Museum of Korea is quite interesting to visit. Even if you're not fond of art, you would like hanging around in this massive building, only made with glass and granite. Here are gathered from the most primitive to the most contemporary art works. Iron armors, gold royal crowns, porcelain and ceramics of all kinds, from all the korean dynasties. The following works are my favourite ones.

ART + SEOUL #2 (Samsung Leeum Museum of Art)

 

The Samsung Cultural Foundation was founded in 1965 and is now known as one of the most active companies in the artistic patronage in South Korea : After the opening of his first museum in 1982, then of the Rodin Gallery in 1999, the Leeum Museum is his new born.

This museum was inaugurated in 2004 is a  real little architectural jewel. Outside two Louise Bourgeois huge spiders welcome the visitors. Then, Lee Samsung appealed to 3 world-renowned architects to build the 3 different buildings of the whole site. 

The swiss Mario Botta had designed the museum n°1, dedicated to the traditional art, then the contemporary art museum has been designed by Jean Nouvel. The third museum has been designed by the dutch Rem Khoolaas, and is dedicated to the education.

The museum n°2 is the most interesting as far as I am concerned, because it hosts works from Frank Stella, Andy Warhol or Jeff Koons.

ART + SEOUL #1 (Juergen Teller exhibition)

Juergen Teller has worked 10 year with Marc Jacobs, and shot every single ad from the brand. One exhibition in Seoul is dedicated to his works, and I definitely need to go there, not tomorrow, because it's closed, not during my next free days, because I'm on Jeju, maybe on next monday ... Why not ? Argh, time goes so fast !

#11 (Metro pay phones)

#10 (Samcheong Dong)

 

Cheonggyecheon Stream