Travel updates are to come, but for now, know this:
Phil, Steven, and Julie are stuck in Busan, after their high-speed ferry did a U-turn back to the salty, spicy, and raw city that is Busan. (description provided by Lonely Planet.)
After considering all options like staying in Busan until the ferry is available on the 21st, going on an over-nite ferry, and taking a plane, we are going to try getting a plane to Osaka.
Wish us luck, y'all...
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Monday, March 17, 2008
Julie's Take on Seoul
As you may imagine, Phil, Steven, and I have been running around Seoul like crazy -- I have enough material for 20 blog posts. So I'm just going to put up some of the best pictures to take you through our travels.
Goodbye, U.S.A. Helloooooo, Korea!
Arriving in Itaewon, the "Homo Hill," where our hotel, The Hamilton, was located. I would rate it 3 stars.
Early in the morning, we joined a tour that took us to the DMZ, a demilitarized zone between the two Koreas at the 38th parallel.
Phil and Steven with Freedom Bridge in the distance. This is where South Korean and North Korean P.O.W.'s crossed to be returned back to their respective homes.
Steven and Phil outside the 3rd tunnel that was discovered that North Korea dug in order to invade Seoul. Our tour guide was quite frank with her description of the political state of affairs.
"Please do not take any photos in the DMZ. If you do, you will have a veeery special memory."
"At first North Korea didn't admit that they had dug the tunnels. But now they do. And there is a lot of evidence for it anyway."
"In the DMZ, there is a South Korean aboriginal village that is protected by the UN, and a North Korean propaganda village that is not real -- no one lives there."
"Before, there was a U.S. base in the demilitarized zone, but the North Korean spies would infiltrate and kill them, so they left the area."
A station that will run from Dorasan, South Korea, to Pyeongyang, North Korea, in the future. Very symbolic, very optimistic, a little heartwarming, mostly sad.
Back from the DMZ walking around Seoul. Steven and Phil in front of City Hall. "Guys, turn around! It's right there!"
Steven and I at an amaaaazing restaurant for lunch. The place did not have an English sign, but my newly-acquired-in-the-bus makeshift Korean alphabet skills saved the day! "Pa...k...ss...i...m..." It's here, it's here, it's here!!" Park-ssi Mulgo on Jebi: I rate it 4 stars.
At Changdeokgung Palace with Phil+Steven's friends, Phil+Michael. A UNESCO world heritage site. Huge and beautiful.
So during the Changdeokgung Palace tour, the woman kept saying how the Japanese invaded Korea and burnt down this gate, that hall, that over yonder pagoda. And every time I would feel a little pang of guilt, which the boys thought was hilarious.
The killer came when the tour guide said:
"Now, 1945. Of course it is a very important year, when the war ended. Actually, it was between the U.S. and Japan. And.... Japan lost."
And then what does Phil do? He starts chuckling away for a good 5 minutes!! Omg I don't know him...
After the palace, we headed to Insadong, an artsy area with lots of nice souvenir shops. Phil, Michael, Steven, Phil, and I stopped for some tea at a nice cafe. The tea was potent but definitely much-needed since it was getting really cold and we had been walking around all day.
After shopping around and having dinner in Insadong, we took the subway back to Itaewon. And we were standing in front of this lil' lady lookin' very stern in her perhaps feigned sleep.
"Hello, lil' lady! I'm Phil, I'm happy to be in Korea!"
"Stupid foreigners... standing in front of me..."
We visited Phil+Michael's apartment in Itaewon and then turned in for the night.
That's the end of Day 1! Day 2 to come soon!
Goodbye, U.S.A. Helloooooo, Korea!
Arriving in Itaewon, the "Homo Hill," where our hotel, The Hamilton, was located. I would rate it 3 stars.
Early in the morning, we joined a tour that took us to the DMZ, a demilitarized zone between the two Koreas at the 38th parallel.
Phil and Steven with Freedom Bridge in the distance. This is where South Korean and North Korean P.O.W.'s crossed to be returned back to their respective homes.
Steven and Phil outside the 3rd tunnel that was discovered that North Korea dug in order to invade Seoul. Our tour guide was quite frank with her description of the political state of affairs.
"Please do not take any photos in the DMZ. If you do, you will have a veeery special memory."
"At first North Korea didn't admit that they had dug the tunnels. But now they do. And there is a lot of evidence for it anyway."
"In the DMZ, there is a South Korean aboriginal village that is protected by the UN, and a North Korean propaganda village that is not real -- no one lives there."
"Before, there was a U.S. base in the demilitarized zone, but the North Korean spies would infiltrate and kill them, so they left the area."
A station that will run from Dorasan, South Korea, to Pyeongyang, North Korea, in the future. Very symbolic, very optimistic, a little heartwarming, mostly sad.
Back from the DMZ walking around Seoul. Steven and Phil in front of City Hall. "Guys, turn around! It's right there!"
Steven and I at an amaaaazing restaurant for lunch. The place did not have an English sign, but my newly-acquired-in-the-bus makeshift Korean alphabet skills saved the day! "Pa...k...ss...i...m..." It's here, it's here, it's here!!" Park-ssi Mulgo on Jebi: I rate it 4 stars.
At Changdeokgung Palace with Phil+Steven's friends, Phil+Michael. A UNESCO world heritage site. Huge and beautiful.
So during the Changdeokgung Palace tour, the woman kept saying how the Japanese invaded Korea and burnt down this gate, that hall, that over yonder pagoda. And every time I would feel a little pang of guilt, which the boys thought was hilarious.
The killer came when the tour guide said:
"Now, 1945. Of course it is a very important year, when the war ended. Actually, it was between the U.S. and Japan. And.... Japan lost."
And then what does Phil do? He starts chuckling away for a good 5 minutes!! Omg I don't know him...
After the palace, we headed to Insadong, an artsy area with lots of nice souvenir shops. Phil, Michael, Steven, Phil, and I stopped for some tea at a nice cafe. The tea was potent but definitely much-needed since it was getting really cold and we had been walking around all day.
After shopping around and having dinner in Insadong, we took the subway back to Itaewon. And we were standing in front of this lil' lady lookin' very stern in her perhaps feigned sleep.
"Hello, lil' lady! I'm Phil, I'm happy to be in Korea!"
"Stupid foreigners... standing in front of me..."
We visited Phil+Michael's apartment in Itaewon and then turned in for the night.
That's the end of Day 1! Day 2 to come soon!
Sunday, March 16, 2008
A Very Full Day of Seoul
Our internet connection (or my crappy laptop with the combination of the crappy hotel connection) at our hotel in Seoul is not the best, so this post may be a bit brief.
We stared our day yesterday in Seoul with a tour of the DMZ at the borders of North and South Korea. We visited the freedom Bridge, that POW soldier's from The Korean crossed into their respective countries at the end of Korean War, a tunnel dug by the North Koreans' believed to be used to invade South Korea and then the border observatory of North and South Korea. At the observatory we were able to view a very hazy North Korea. At the termination of the tour we visited the last train station/stop in South Korea at the border, the he three of us were able to pose with a very serious looking South Korean soldier.
We returned to Seoul to look for a quick lunch spot. After a bit of searching through the maze of side streets we found our restaurant, Park-ssi Mulgo on Jebi, thanks to Julie's newly acquired understanding of Korean symbols. The restaurant is a small 4 table establishment in the Insadong neighborhood and the food was simply delicious!
Following lunch we met up with our friends Philip and Michael at Changdeokgung Palace. One of Seoul's 5 palaces. After an extensive 90 minute tour of the palace grounds we meandered over to the Insadong Market where tons of Korean souvenirs and other art items were for sale.
During our stroll through the market we stopped at a traditional Korean Tea House for a break from the frenzy of the Market. The tea house was exactly how I pictured one to look like, small and intimate with a lingering smell of mystery.
After more shopping through the interesting shops and stalls of the market we stopped for dinner at a Korean Bibim bap (meat and rice bowl) restaurant where we were all able to try soju; the "Sake" of Korea.
We ended our day at Philip and Michael's apartment with some hot tea, soju cocktails and snacks before returning to our hotel for the night.
Overall a great day in Seoul!
Saturday, March 15, 2008
We made it!!!
Phil, Julie, and I have all made it safe and sound in Seoul, South Korea. After 16 hours of air travel we are all exhausted and headed to bed. Our flights were fine, we watched a bunch of movies, ate, and napped on and off.
Tomorrow we're headed to the Demilitarized which is the border between North and South Korea, it's more commonly known as the DMZ.
Annyeong-haseyo! (Korean for "Good Night!")
Tomorrow we're headed to the Demilitarized which is the border between North and South Korea, it's more commonly known as the DMZ.
Annyeong-haseyo! (Korean for "Good Night!")
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Proj Chopstix Mtg Decisions
1. We will cancel the 1 p.m. ferry (300 yen cancellation fee) and buy the 8:45 a.m. ferry.
2. Tentative plans in Kyushu are to leave luggage at a hotel in Fukuoka (19th), go to Nagasaki for museum and dinner, then go back to Fukuoka and stay night. Next day (20th), we go down to Kumamoto for the castle and cherry blossoms. If we can't see the blossoms, Tokyo should have blossoms too. Afterwards, come back up to Beppu for the hot springs and stay the night. Next day (21st), maybe do a little more hot springs, and then head to Hiroshima.
2. Tentative plans in Kyushu are to leave luggage at a hotel in Fukuoka (19th), go to Nagasaki for museum and dinner, then go back to Fukuoka and stay night. Next day (20th), we go down to Kumamoto for the castle and cherry blossoms. If we can't see the blossoms, Tokyo should have blossoms too. Afterwards, come back up to Beppu for the hot springs and stay the night. Next day (21st), maybe do a little more hot springs, and then head to Hiroshima.
Sunday, March 9, 2008
Tokyo - Boyztown - Heath's advice
"Definitely, without a doubt, this is your plan:
1. Start at Advocates cafe http://advocates-cafe.com/access.html for beer blast or happy hour (all-you-can-drink beer for 1,000 yen from 6pm to 9pm and half priced cocktails).
2. After advocates, hit Arty Farty http://www.arty-farty.net/top.html around the corner - or ask around at Advocates Cafe for what is a good place to go on that particular night. 
If I'm free, I'd be happy to join you for some of the evening, so just let me know."
1. Start at Advocates cafe http://advocates-cafe.com
2. After advocates, hit Arty Farty http://www.arty-farty.net/top
If I'm free, I'd be happy to join you for some of the evening, so just let me know."
2 Potential Hotels in Busan
Click on the following 2 photos for information on 2 potential hotels in Busan. It sounds like we are leaning towards the first hotel (Commodore Hotel):
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