Yeongcheon 영천시, South Korea 2009

Korea's War Memorial

2012-03-25T04:36:00.001-07:00

I discovered Korea's War Memorial by accident. I was walking from a subway station toward Itaewon when the memorial seemed to pop up out of nowhere. During my first visit there, I guess I spent at least two hours inside looking at all the displays.

Jongno My First Time

2012-03-25T04:21:00.001-07:00

I went there to enjoy some volleyball. By way of Facebook, I met a very kind filipino man who had been living in Korea for about ten years or so. He was fluent in Korean and was a volleyball player. Well, at first, I thought it was all about a group of friends just meeting together regularly to play some volleyball, but I was wrong. Turns out that it was a volleyball team meeting for practice. Nevertheless, I went and met everyone. I didn't play any volleyball, but we all went out for dinner and drinks in Jongno afterwards. I ate plenty, drank a few beers, and called it a night. A couple of the teammates had helped me find a motel a few hours earlier, and it was only a short walking distance from the club where we enjoyed our drinks. I've used that motel many times since. Not a bad place to stay for only 35,000 wons, and there are plenty of sights to see, places to eat good food, movie cinemas, and coffee shops in the neighborhood. Also Insadong is not far away.

The temple pictured below sits right next to the motel where I stayed.

That's Seoul Tower in the distance (above).

Can you see Seoul Tower in the distance (above)?

Itaewon, My First Time

2012-03-25T03:54:00.001-07:00

      I found two hills affectionally called "Hookers Hill" and "Homo Hill." Actually, they are streets, each being one street away from, and running parallel to, each other. While I was walking up one of them, during my first venture through Itaewan that Sunday afternoon, I was approched.... I declined.

     Both streets are lined on both sides with bars. I have seen as much partying outside on the streets as I have seen inside the various bars. I've enjoyed a few beers at a couple of them (and that's all).

     Not all bars and clubs are on these two "hills."  I have seen many throughout Itaewon. Also, I've seen many (and have eaten at a few) restaurants featuring international cuisines.

     Besides eating some lunch, all I did in Itaewan was walk around. That required only a couple hours of slow walking.

I've eaten western styled breakfast at "All American Diner" a few times. Pricey, but delicious!

Great burgers are made at Kraze Burgers. During my first time eating at the one pictured above, a Korean man dressed in a gray suit sat at the table next to mine. While he slowly enjoyed his beer, he started a conversation with me. He told me his father fled North Korea years ago and started a new life near Daegu. I had told him I was living in Yeongcheon, and that rung a bell in his mind. Very kind man he was.

That orange building has been a reliable cue, telling me I'm near Seoul Station, when riding in a taxi. In those white tents was a church service being conducted.

My First Night in a "Love Motel"

2012-03-25T03:12:00.002-07:00

I did not go there for love and was happy to remain alone while there.

Through a "grapevine," I heard, a week or so prior, that there was going to be a Gay Chorus concert in Seoul, so I made plans to attend. It would be my first "solo" flight to an occasion in Seoul, so I consulted with my co-workers, and they were excellent at helping me find tools on the web that could help me through this venture.

I know a bit more now than I knew then. You see in Korea, it's traditional that children live at home until they get married (whenever that might be) unless they go away to a university. Love Motels have often been the only way Koreans could get away from the family to enjoy a date. From what I've read and heard, husbands and wives like to get away from the family too (but not necessarily with each other). Still, the "Love Motels" are fairly cheap. Married couple do in fact use them. So do single travelers like me.

The red lettering on that sign (straight ahead) says "Motel."

I thoroughly enjoyed the concert. It was conducted in Hyehwa, an area of Seoul where many universities are neighbors. So, there were (obviously) lots and lots of university type people -students, alumni, professors, etc - in the area, lots of outdoor entertainments, and lots of places to eat and drink (my kind of town).

Food display cabinets, like the one above, are in front of many restaurants all over Korea.

I ate lunch at the restaurant pictured above. Like many menus (and magazines) in South Korea, the menu here started out in English, but once you got past the cover you were on your own. The pictures were helpful, and the food was good.

At breakfast on the next day, I studied the subway map. I had plenty of time, so I wanted to venture just a bit on my own before heading back to Yeongcheon. I studied both the Korean and the English versions of the map.

My first venture to Seoul

2012-03-25T02:19:00.001-07:00

By way of my Facebook page, I met a person who offered to host me around a bit in Seoul. It was my first trip, so I chose to stick to the obviously tourist attraction and enjoy some good food while there.

Seoul Station is not the only busy KTX (fast train) station in South Korea, nor in Seoul, but it is definitely a busy hub. Since my first visit and subway line going to Incheon International Airport has been installed. Every time I've gone to Seoul Station, there has been musical entertainment (and lots of smokers, cough cough) just outside one of the station doors.

I would call eating a very social occasion in South Korea. Most Korean restaurants I've seen serve a minimal of two people. Well, you can eat alone, but you'll pay no less than the price for two people. Sometimes, it's chicken, sometimes pork, sometimes beef. You grill it at the table. Often the side dishes are refillable.

That first Seoul Subway experience was exciting. I think I would have learned more had I not had a host. Honestly, I was just following him and not paying much attention to where we were going. However, one think I noted that has been true no matter where I've gone in Korea is that many (but not all) do not watch where they are going and/or they cut in front of others and or they stop in front of you without a second of warning. Don't misunderstand me. I found Koreans, generally, to be very polite, but I would call the behaviors I described as woven into the culture (we all intrude on one another space at one time or another, just move on.).

It's beautiful, and it cost a bit to go up to the bottom of the tower and a bit more to go to the top. In the men's room at the top, one can look out the glass wall as one is doing ones duty.

Bring your own lock and leave it if you wish.

That tower can be seen from a LOT of place in Seoul. It has been my point of reference many times.

My first visit to Gyeongju

2012-03-25T01:51:00.000-07:00

I did it on the spur of a moment. I had heard about the historical town Gyeongju, home of a national museum. I woke up one morning and said, "Let's go there." I was talking to myself.

When just staying at home in Yeongcheon

2012-03-25T01:22:00.000-07:00

During my first spring and summer there, rose aroma filled the air.

I found a coffee shop by the river in Yeongcheon. They served hot wings (above)

Yeongcheon was as peaceful of a town I've ever known.

I found a small lake not far from my apartment.

It was not unusual for children to practice their English with me.

I found a gym I could walk to in ten minutes.

They provided work out shorts and t-shirt plus shower soap and towels.

I spent the first couple hours of many of my mornings there.

Near my apartment, an open market would be displayed every Wednesday.
That's pumpkin porridge in those bowls above. Delicious (when it wasn't salty).

Red Peppers anyone?

Discovering a bit of Dongdaegu

2012-03-25T00:30:00.001-07:00

Up till this point, the only place out of town I'd venture about was Daegu. I always rode to the Daegu Station, and I never had to walk far before I found dozens of coffee shops and eateries featuring all sorts of cuisine. So, Daegu was enough to keep me busy for awhile. The trip was only 4,700 wons on a Saemaul train and 2,500 wons on a Magungwha each way. This time, I wanted to get off at the Dongdaegu Station. Once, I walked from Daegu Station to Dongdaegu Station just to see how long it that would take. About one hour of my usually walking pace was all.

I learned that many Mugungwha trains passed through Yeongcheon to and from Dongdaegu everyday, so it became my station of choice when I wanted to go to Daegu. Not only that, but it was the main transfer station when I wanted to go to Seoul or Busan. Plus, next to and across the street from Dongdaegu are bus terminals where buses transport people all over including limosine bus services to Incheon and Busan International airports. Also, I learned that it was full of motels and clubs where lots of nightlife could be enjoyed.

Daegu is in that direction (southwest)

Pohang is in that direction (Northeast)

You can't see it now, but on top of that silo looking building was placed a star light that changed colors. I could see it at night as my returning train approached Yeongcheon Station.

Kraze Burger (above) looks Burnham's Burgers below.

Their menus are fairly much the same, so I don't know what's up about all that.

They are practically across the street from each other in Daegu.

Burnham's got my attention first, so.... However

I've enjoyed Kraze while visiting Itaewon and at Incheon Airport.

Usually after eating a burber at Burnham's (see above), I would have coffee at Angel in-us Coffee.

It was across the street, and that brownie (see below) was what I wanted most.

Sad to say, they stopped carrying that brownie after about a year.

So, I began looking for another coffee shop.

Palgongsan

2012-03-24T21:08:00.001-07:00

Visit to Busan

2012-03-20T05:59:00.000-07:00

Before I discovered "Love Motels" in Korea, I forked out $120 to stay at the Commodore Hotel in Busan. After I discovered them, I paid between 35,000 and 55,000 wons per night when I lodged out of town in South Korea.

I know! I know! It looks like I'm being inappropriate.

One of my youtube viewers was living in Busan at the time. He contacted me and offered to show me around a bit. He was born in Indian, but migrate to Cananda, so he wanted to eat some authentic Indian food. That we did. While the food was very tasty, it was pricey. I'm not convinced it was worth the price, but it made a nice memory.

Pohang, South Korea

2012-03-20T05:09:00.000-07:00

More Korean Food

2012-03-19T19:44:00.004-07:00

I have a lot more stuff on my Youtube channel.

While I was learning how to read Korean menus, I relied on the pictures.

Until I came to South Korea, I had never eaten Gimbab. I found them to be very very VERY filling, so I decided to not eat them often.

Ths menu is short and simple. Spaghetti or Pork Cutlet. Both I found to be delicious, so I returned here many times until the owner changed it into a fried chicken restaurant (I was soooo disappointed).

Above, on the left side of the menu are single dishes. On the right, family sized items. This place was a five minute walk away from my apartment. There kimchi was too salty for my taste, but everything else was always delicious. I could eat a meal there for less than 6000 wons.

Bibimbab (above) is basically a mess in a bowl, but it's delicious, filling, fresh, and inexpensive. That doesn't count the assortment of side dishes. This whole set up cost me about 5000 wons.

Dak (dauk) cakes filled with brown sugar. Very chewy and filling. I could never eat more than two or three.

In little brown bottles, like the one pictured above, were vitamin and herb drinks. There were everywhere. Sometimes they were kept in a heating cabinet. Sometimes they were in cooling cabinets.

Above, whew! it was a spicey dish with bits of octopus in it.

Ok, so it's one of many "Club Burgers" I enjoyed in Daegu. I know I visited this place at least ten time, because I had a little card stamped ten times after which I got a free one. One time, the nice people there gave me a free espresso drink (because of a delay, which I didn't mind, in getting my food prepared).

Welcome Lunar New Year 2009

2012-03-19T19:06:00.000-07:00

Discovering a bit of Daegu

2012-03-19T18:03:00.001-07:00

Since the 1990's I've become, for the most part, a happy loner, that is I've enjoyed finding out things on my own, doing things on my own, enjoying my own time doing whatever I want to do at the time. My first trip to Daegu was uneventful. I simply wanted to get there, wander a bit, and return home safe and sound before calling it a night.

The Yeongcheon train station is pictured below. Since the day I made this picture, the paved area in front of the station has been remodeled.

Actually, there are two KoRail stations in Daegu. One is called Daegu Station. The other is called Dongdaegu Station. Daegu station is closer to the downtown, but fewer trains go there from my town, Yeongcheon. Dongdaegu is a major transfer point for the KTX (the fastest train service in Korea), and is only a short distance, by taxi, from Daegu Station.

Here's something I'd never seen before.

Many times, I used Daegu City Center as my landmark.

When I saw this KFC, my initial reaction was, "OMG! My attempt to get away from westernization has been ruined!" Of course I was being silly, and I had already seen many other western brand names in South Korea.

Burnham Burgers was my first favorite place to get a burger cooked to order.

There were no such coffee shops in Yeongcheon at the time. I knew I'd be returning to Daegu.

I never had any trouble locating the Daegu train station.

I got home in time to enjoy a night cap in Yeongcheon.