Wet, Hot Korean Summer

I write in the middle of a rain that, we're told, might signal the start of our rainy season. While we don't expect this to be like the monsoon season that exists in many parts of Asia, where it pours for months on end, we are told to plan for the next several weeks to be more rainy than not.

One of the most interesting parts of living where we do, in a very rural place (by Korean standards), has been watching the agriculture processes up close. The picture below, taken out our back window about four weeks ago, shows workers harvesting and bagging onions. Changnyeong County is famous in Korea for its onions, and for a few weeks huge bags of them were piled everywhere awaiting delivery to different places.

These, believe it or not, are also onions. I think they look like something from a Dr. Seuss book.

Now, rice grows in these same fields. During and just after its initial planting (first picture below), the rice was flooded by the irrigation canals surrounding the fields. They have dried out somewhat since. The reservoir just up the adjacent mountain, which feeds all the fields in this area, is looking rather dry. 

The golf course up the hill from us is also looking verdant these days.

The arrival of summer has given us a number of chances to visit the beaches in Busan. Although getting there involves rides on a motorbike, bus, and subway, this is still by far the closest either of us have lived to the ocean. So, we try to take advantage as much as possible on the weekends. The young woman in the picture below asked for a picture with Rachel because "you are so beautiful".

(She's right.)

The Gwangan Bridge runs across ones field of vision at Gwangali Beach, several hundred meters out. Luckily it's quite pretty to look at.

It looks good at night, too.

Busan is a particularly beautiful place during the summer. Because it is surrounded by water, it tends to stay a bit cooler than further inland. We recently visited an island in Busan that had great views of the city from the highest point.

The island is also famous for the Gamcheon Culture Village, home to the hundreds of colorful hillside buildings pictured below. I've seen this place referred to by some as "Korea's Santorini" -- a bit lofty a comparison, I think, but it's beautiful in any case.

An additional recent highlight from Busan is discovering the Galmegi Brewery, which has excellent craft beer -- a rarity in Korea -- and hummus!

We returned there on July 4th, and in honor of America's 239 years of freedom, they served pulled pork sandwiches. God bless the USA.

Also on American Independence Day, we had the chance to take in some sort of beach wrestling by adolescent boys. Korea -- you just never know.

We also joined several hundred other (presumably American) revelers in shooting off some fireworks on the beach.

We also continue to find new places to explore locally, and are often surprised by how rich our area is in both natural and cultural treasures. On a recent Saturday, we did some exploring near the town of Yeongsan that we frequently travel to on our motorbike. This stone bridge was originally built in 1780.

There was a Battle of Yeongsan during the Korean War, that is commemorated by this memorial. I guess we shouldn't be surprised that we, as Americans, are treated well here.

After a short hike, we paused at this spot overlooking Yeongsan.

About 45 minutes of hiking beyond this point brought us to the following spot. It continues to please us how much this area looks like the parts of Appalachia that we've spent so much time hiking (and miss dearly, of course).

The last weekend in June, as a bit of a birthday celebration for me, we went to the island of Geoje Island, just off the southern coast of the peninsula. This is Korea's second-largest island (after Jeju), and is home to a couple of large shipbuilding operations. Because of this industry, there is a large foreigner population in Geoje, mostly Europeans. We were quite surprised by this, but pleased with the additional options for Western food that were present.

I'm always pleased to see cargo being transported by the American Presidential Lines, which bear my initials.

In the last decade of the 16th century, Korea was invaded on multiple occasions by Japanese armies. (We've covered this in a couple other places on this blog, including our visits to Jinju.) One significant naval battle during this war took place just off the coast of Geoje. Here, the Korean Admiral Yi Sun-shin led the homeland to an undermanned -- and undershipped -- victory, using "turtle ships" of the sort pictured below. There is a large park and memorial to Admiral Yi on Geoje, replete with a shrine.

Not content to just sit on their history, Geoje apparently hosts a variety of cultural events these days. I'm unsure what the International Penguin Swimming Festival is, but it's apparently a thing.

We had a very comfortable stay at the architecturally interesting Radiance Hotel.

Despite the presence of so much heavy shipbuilding industry, a great deal of natural beauty remains. The second day we were there gave us better weather, so we got in some hiking as is our wont.

Surprisingly, we do find time to do the actual work that brought us here, too. One recent highlight was getting to teach Kindergarteners for two days (normally the youngest we teach are fourth graders). They were appropriately adorable.

You're never too young to learn how to throw a peace sign for pictures.

And you're never too old for a fun hat!

On a few other occasions, when the overall number of students in a given week is small, we team teach one class, rather than each having our own. This was a particularly fun group.

Finally, we've continued our practice of taekwondo. Last week we earned our green belts.

It's hard to believe that we have now been in Korea for over eight months, and that we are two-thirds of the way through our contract at Changnyeong English Village. To say that it's been a fascinating experience thus far would be a rather extreme understatement. We've made a lifetime of memories in this time and have learned a great deal about a culture and people that we had hardly any knowledge of previously.

Although there is a great deal to love about South Korea -- and indeed we do love it -- there are, of course, shortcomings of Korean society and a great many things that we miss about home. (And I'm not only thinking of Chipotle burritos.) Free speech is not valued to the same extent here as it is in the United States, and social conformity is often prioritized over individual expression in ways that are rather tiresome. Often, it feels as though the unofficial motto of the Republic of Korea ought to be "hurry up and wait", because so much Korean behavior seems motivated by such a mindset. The Korean word 빨리 (pronounced "ballie") means "quickly"; not for nothing is that one of the most commonly heard words, and one of the first that all expats learn.

Nevertheless, Rachel and I have found Korea to be a delightful place to live and it will always occupy a special place in our hearts. Though we will not be renewing our contract at CEV, we would not rule out living here again at some point in the future. Right now, we are very much looking forward to coming home in mid-November and spending a couple of months back in the States, celebrating the holidays with our families and catching up with old friends. Neither of us seem to have Asia out of our systems yet, however, so we're currently searching for a new opportunity to begin in this part of the world in early 2016. We hope you are all having a safe and enjoyable summer!

Japan -- Kyushu

Happy June, friends and family! Andrew and I just celebrated our 7 month anniversary of living in Korea and feel fortunate for all that we've been able to do.

While Americans were preparing to celebrate Memorial Day, Koreans (and many others) were gearing up for a three day weekend to celebrate Buddha's birthday, which fell on May 25th. In Korea, lotus lanterns cover the temples which often flood down the street to make a beautiful, colorful sight. On the day of Buddha's birth, many temples offer free tea and meals to all visitors. One could spot lanterns in every direction during May.

On Friday, May 22nd, we departed CEV for Busan, where we'd board The New Camellia for our overnight ferry ride to Fukuoka. The distance between Busan and Fukuoka is only 214 kilometers (132 miles). Though we were required to board by 8 p.m., the ferry did not depart until 10:30 p.m. We arrived in Fukuoka somewhere between 6 and 6:30 a.m. and were allowed to disembark at 7:30.

The ferry was a great way to travel between Korea and Japan. It had a nice restaurant, an arcade, norebong (karaoke), and beer in vending machines. What more do you need? Here are some shots taken of Gwangan Bridge in Busan prior to departure:

This really got me.

Our humble abode. 

Here is a map of Kyushu, the southernmost of Japan's four main islands. We stayed in Tosu, a small town about 25 kilometers southeast of Fukuoka. Tosu was a great base for our travel plans.

From the Fukuoka ferry terminal, we took a local bus to Hakata Station, the largest and busiest railway station in Kyushu. The easiest and most efficient way to travel between cities in Japan is by train. Rail transport services in Japan are provided by more than 100 private companies. There are also many different types of trains that operate at different speeds. Japan pioneered the high-speed "bullet train", which links Japan's largest cities at speeds of up to 320 km/h (200 mph). The fastest train that we took reached 162 mph.

Traveling by train certainly isn't cheap, however.  We bought a three day rail pass that allowed us to take any train that we wanted in Northern Kyushu. This pass was the most economical way to travel between cities. 

We traveled by train from Fukuoka to Tosu on Saturday morning. The landscape is very similar to Korea. Rice terraces, mountains, and quaint villages made for beautiful train rides. 

Once we checked into our hotel in Tosu, we took the train south to Kumamoto. The city's most famous landmark (and our destination) is Kumamoto Castle and is considered to be on the the three premier castles in Japan. The castle grounds are very large and fit for tourists. Before beginning our tour of the buildings, we stopped for lunch in a small village, where we had our first bowls of Japanese noodles. 

This cute guy is the Kumamoto mascot. I missed my calling as an impersonator. 

The construction of the castle began in the early 1600s and took seven years to complete. It was designed by the feudal lord who ruled the area, Kato Kiyomasa. Kato was an experienced warrior, and he used his knowledge to build fortifications that were highly regarded for their strategic effectiveness. Less than 50 years after its construction, the castle and surrounding area were taken from the Kato clan and given to the Hosokawa clan which ruled the area for the next two centuries.

The castle played a pivotal role in the Seinan Civil War in the 1870s, during which the famous samurai Saigo Takamori led an uprising in Kyushu against the new government. Kumamoto Castle was the main base of government troops in Kyushu, and Saigo attacked the castle in early 1877. Despite being outnumbered and losing many buildings, the government forces were able to withstand Saigo's two month siege, forcing the rebels to retreat. The castle keep burnt down in 1877. In 1960, the building's outward appearance was reconstructed. Inside the building, however, is a modern museum that displays the castle's history and construction. 

Kato:

Here are a  couple of views of Kumamoto from the top of the main tower.

These stone walls surround the castle grounds. 

And I thought he was handsome before.

We spent several hours exploring Kumamoto Castle, then continued our exploration of the city. Japan's public transportation system is exceedingly efficient. Of the four cities that we visited, three included tram systems pictured below. This was an easy way to move about town. 

That evening, we took the bullet train to Fukuoka, where we had dinner at a rowdy local hot spot. The dining experience at Sushiko Honten was described as elegant and dignified on the 2nd floor and raucous on the 3rd floor. We chose the 3rd floor beer garden that overlooked the pier and featured all you can eat sushi and all you can drink alcohol.

The experience was indeed raucous. The buffet included sushi, salads, and an assortment of raw meat that could be cooked at your table, including chicken, beef, and crab. We enjoyed the people watching most of all.

On our second morning in Japan, we departed for Nagasaki. 70 years ago this summer, at 11:02am on August 9, 1945, an American atomic bomb detonated 500m above this exact spot, instantly killing an estimated 75,000 people, mostly women, children, and senior citizens. Another 75,000 were horribly injured by the explosion, which contained ground temperatures of up to 4000 C and searing, fiery winds over 1000km/h. Visiting this site served as a sobering reminder that this sort of weapon has no place in a civilized world and its use is completely unjustifiable from any reasonable moral perspective. Thank God no such weapons have been used since that day, and pray that they never are used again.

This marks the epicenter of the atomic bomb: 

Part of Urakami Cathedral built in 1895 that remained standing after the nuclear bombing:

Groups of schoolchildren learning about the nuclear bombing and paying their respects through moments of silence and song:

Nagasaki Peace Park:

Words from the sculptor:

After experiencing that nightmarish war, that blood-curdling carnage, that unendurable hooror,
Who could walk away without praying for peace?
This statue was created as a signpost in the struggle for global harmony.Standing ten meters tall, it conveys the profundity of knowledge and the beauty of health and virility.
The right hand points to the atomic bomb, the left hand points to peace, and the face prays deeply for the victims of war.
Transcending the barriers of race and evoking the qualities of both Buddha and God, it is a symbol of the greatest determination every known in the history of Nagasaki and of the highest hope of all mankind.
-Seibo Kitamura

We concluded our visit at the Nagasaki Peace Park and took the tram to Nagasaki's city center. We ate noodles, then toured Suwa Shrine, the major Shinto shrine of Nagasaki. The shrine features a 277-step stone staircase leading up the mountain to the various buildings that comprise the shrine. Suwa Shrine survived the atomic bombing in 1945, which is thought to be due to its strategic location in the central part of Mount Tamazono-san. 

That evening, we trained from Nagasaki to Fukuoka for a late dinner. We stumbled upon several street food stalls, called yatai. If we've learned anything about eating while traveling, it's that street food stalls often have the most authentic, delicious food, despite their unpolished appearance. This yatai delivered just that.

The next morning (Memorial Day & Buddha's birthday), we departed Japan via ferry for Busan. This time, our ferry left at 12:30 p.m. and arrived at 6:00. Kyushu felt like the perfect location to get our feet wet in Japan. Overall, we were thoroughly impressed by how clean Japan is and how relaxing the atmosphere felt. The people were incredibly friendly and transportation was painless. 

We have a 5-day weekend at the beginning of August during which we'll fly to Osaka, Japan's second largest city. Thank you for your continued interest in our travels. We miss and love you all!