A Good Night Sleep

Brandon and I departed for South Korea on Tuesday to visit my sister, Anneliese who is here teaching english for a year.  After spending an incredible week with family in Bend, we boarded a plane for Portland at 4pm (PST), flew to PDX, and arrived in DIA at 9pm (MST).  We moseyed about the airport until 11pm when we found a quiet dark corner, and a delux memory foam mattress (the standing mat behind the check in counter) and put on every layer of clothing we had for warmth.  You see, sleeping by the window of Denver when its -13 degrees outside is chilly. 

After an uncomfortable night with little sleep we returned our mattress to the check-in counter and boarded a plane at 6am (MST) to SFO, a little breakfast in lovely green San Fran and finally we boarded our 11.5 hour flight to Seoul, South Korea.  Where we arrived at 4:30pm on Thursday (17 hours ahead of MST). We then boarded a bus for 5 hours that took us to Daegu where Anneliese is living. 

Our circadian rhythms have declared mutiny. 

Aside from the traveling, it was so wonderful to see Anneliese waiting at the bus station!  She looks great and is impressively managing living in this strange place.  Its a different world here, I still can't remember how to say hello or thank you or two tickets (fundamental sayings I like to master before entering any community). There is English in some areas, but in the less touristy sections of city or country - good luck. Anneliese is maneuvering the city like a professional, and has made great friends. Which is wonderful to see. 

Daegu - On the street where Anneliese lives

The first thing that we have noticed about South Korea is the fashion.  Believe it or not, we are fashionable!  This is not because we suddenly gained a keen sense of anything - this is because Koreans dress in mountain expedition garb (sometimes with hiking poles) to stroll the city streets.  None of these people actually hike or mountaineer, its expensive, therefore cool.  We were hopeful (the first woman to climb each continent's highest peak was from South Korea), but in reality it all comes back to he who spends the most money, is most fashionable.  Walking out of my sisters apartment we come across every US and European brand outlet - and its all more expensive than in the States.  My personal favorite is the Ugg boots, black tights, short shorts and expedition jacket on top of a tight sweater - ready for the clubs!  Fascinating. 

Korean Fashion - note the advertising campaign

 

We have also noticed the smog.  We went for a hike to Soekguram Grotto, a temple in the mountains of Gyeongju a little ways outside of Daegu.  This area is beautiful, with mountains surrounding - unfortunately you can't see very far because of the smog.  It's like LA in the summer time.  Anneliese was telling us that it gets worse particularly in the spring when the yellow dust stirred up from Mongolia and added to by the pollution of China and dumped onto Korea.  The mask is an essential commodity - and you can get them scented, patterned, and in any fabric, color, style you can imagine. 

Smog above Daegu

The Buddha in the Grotto was very impressive.  It was made an World Heritage Sight in 1995 and is worthy of such honor.  Its an impressive granite Buddha inside of a cave.  Anneliese felt it to be a deeply spiritual in this place and compares the idole to Michaelangelo's David.   

Temple near the Soekguram Grotto

Til next time....