"Everyone knows the more you wear pearls, little by little they become real....And isn't it the same with memories?" - The Madwoman of Chaillot

Wednesday, February 9, 2011

Going home

I skipped a few days because we were just too busy but will add that later. Right now we are at Incheon airport waiting to check out luggage - it turns out you can get here too early so Bill's usual strategy of being extra early backfired a little. But we ate lunch and can check in soon.

We too a train from Yeongcheon to Dongdaegu, (30 min) then switched to the fast train to Seoul (1.5 hrs) took the brand new airport train (45 min) from Seoul station to Incheon airport and now are waiting for our first flight - the 14 hour fight to Detroit, then we have a two hour flight to Minneapolis.

We will be home (relatively) soon.... About 10 PM Thursday night....

Bye Colleen!!

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Monday, February 7, 2011

Shopping Daegu

When we arrived, the streets were pretty much deserted as most people were with family celebrating the New Year. By late afternoon Thursday, young people especially were coming back into the city, with many going to the movies near us. Most stores were closed Thursday and some were also closed Friday but we did get to go out and do some shopping on Friday and the crowds were back!








The restaurant we chose or lunch








Cupcake store - for Katie











Even found gellato - didn't try it but it looked legitimate...


Our hotel



Underground in the subway - more shopping where Colleen found two shirts


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Sunday, February 6, 2011

Saturday - Palgongsam and family of Mrs Yu

A few tidbits and a summary so I don't forget. On the train to Daigu - a family wanted to sit together so Bill changed seats with them and they bought us a box of cookies from the snack sales on the snack sales on the train. Such nice people!

Over the holiday for lunar new year, we saw many children and a few adults traveling in traditional clothing - especially little girls in hanboks.

Mrs Yu - the school nurse with her husband Mr Kim has kind of adopted Colleen and sometimes take her to their home in Daegu for the weekend. They even included her in a trip to the grandmother's house where she was treated like a grandchild - on grandmothers' birthdays the give money to the grandchildren. Through them she met the Ha family - who call themselves her "fan club".

So we were picked up on Saturday and taken to Palgongsam a mountain near Daegu with many interesting sites - we visited the brassworking museum first. Also some interesting sculptures....





















Then met the Ha family and took a cablecar ride near the top.














































After the cablecar ride we ate in a traditional Korean restaurant.





















Next we visited a Hanti, Catholic shrine that now houses a seminary/school. It was a settlement if Catholics who had moved there to escape persecution for their religion but eventually they were all martyred and 37 of their graves are found at this site as well as some of their old, primitive buildings.
























































After the trip to the mountain, we went to Mrs Yu's house. One room was described to us as "Colleen's room". We had traditional New Year rice cakes and then dinner of another New Years tradition - rice cake soup. Everything was delicious as it has been everywhere!









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Busy!

Haven't had enough time to write as we've been busy meeting and seeing sights, eating and even learning a Korean dice game with people Colleen knows - but will try to catch up in the next couple of days....

Friday, February 4, 2011

Daegu and Yeongcheon

About a 90 minute train ride to Daegu where we are staying a few days. The first day we got here, checked into the Novotel Daegu City Center
View from our 20th floor room





Probably the largest and maybe nicest room we've had actually but with an unusual bathroom - three rooms with glass walls - one was the toilet, one the sink and then the large shower room - with glass wall into the bedroom, at least it has a sliding wood door operated from the bedroom side.


We repacked all the stuff we brought (and bought) for Colleen into one suitcase and took the 30 min train trip to Yeongcheon for the first view of Colleen's city.





Colleen's apartment is in the 4th building from the right.


We ate at a sandwich shop where Colleen often goes with her friends.





Then some grocery shopping in the store near her apartment.








End of the day Bill and I went back to Daegu.
The Yeongcheon train station.




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Thursday, February 3, 2011

Late night walk

We ate dinner in O'Kim's - a Korean Irish Pub - and watched a Josh Groban concert on big screen TV


We were about ready to go to bed (kind of early) when Colleen and I decided to do the walk along the water again over to the double decker 7400 meter Gwangan suspension bridge to get some night pictures. This is the bridge in my sunset pictures.

It was a fun walk and there were lots of people out walking. Got a few more city views at night too.... Kevin, I even tried changing settings and used raw this trip so I can adjust things when I get home... So here are a few photos - the bridge ones were too hard to get well with no tripod and wooden walkways that bounced...


Pusan's little mermaid












Colleen down on the rocks - looking at the small fires (candles) lit on the eve of the New Year, likely in memory of people who died on the water. There were also some with food and other sacrifices, some people praying. A very moving sight...





Tomorrow we leave for Daegu and Yeongcheon.