WKB Tour - Day 5 / Final Day

Biking and our well deserved lunch!

Sunday was the last day of the WKB Tour with Kocis-Korea Net. I can't remember what time did our day started. I can only remember waking up, taking a shower and hurry up because we were leaving, we were schedules to ride a bike through the Island, some decided not to bike and take a "golf" car around the Island, I of course was very excited to ride a bike (HA! I didn't know what I was about to get into...)... I've been riding my bike for a couple of months in Mexico City on sundays...on AVENUES....so riding on an Island was way harder than I thought, 1st it was a HOT day, 2nd there were UPs and downs, you'll think the Up's were the only problem but some downs were scary because the road is uneven, at some point 3 of us had to walk with the bike because it was just too high (hahahaha), we finally reached the beach and it was a smoth ride for a little while :) *Happy times*, we got to the Lighthouse but it wasn't just any lighthouse, this one was on the form of Praying hands and some of us started praying to not ride the bikes anymore hahaha, the sea on that side of the Island was AWESOME! it was this green-blue water!, there was an elder couple there fishing^^ and after a little bit it was time to go back to have some lunch (yay!!), we were really tired and the Camera crew "offered" to take the bikes for us... but we didn't want to trouble them so we took the bikes and this time we won the people in the Golf car...until we reached the 1st (and highes) up... when I realized Grace was getting off her bike and getting on the car so Ema and I followed and the poor Camera Crew had to ride our bikes (Sorry guys!!!!!!), a couple of minutes later we arrived at our acommodation it was time for a well deserved lunch!, we had rice, Kimchi, a Fish soup and some banchan..oh yea and lts of water.

After lunch it was time to pack and go :( , we rode the back of the truck for the last time and talked about how much we were going to miss that truck haha, for some reason we all loved it.... although the 1st time I rode it I felt like an immigrant being taken to the US ilegally lol.

Fun times @ the Ferry

The owner of the houses where we stayed was very nice, he took us to the Ferry station and after we thanked him we were ready for our ride back to Gunsan. We took the "slow" ferry this time so we were up for a 90minutes ride (yay!...not so much), at 1st we were on the outter part of the ferry just having fun, taking pictures, joking around and some were trying to feed the seaguls again, after a little while I felt dizzy and I went back inside, turned on my music and plugged my earphones :D then Ema and Annabel joined me (I was actually on their seat as some guy was sleeping in mine haha), we listened to GD's new CD and then they started to educate me about Kpop :), introduced me to a couple of new bands and explained how they also felt a bit awkward by telling people they liked Kpop....

About 90mins after, we arrived at Gunsan's Ferry Station and it was time to go visit the Dongguk-sa Temple, this temple is the only remaining Japanese temple left in Korea after Japan's ocupation of Korea. The outside of the temple was completely different from Korean Temples, this was White and Brown (or black?..it was a dark colour), there were beautiful gardens surrounding the Temple and once inside you could feel the peacefulness of the place, the main room's ceiling was filled with Lottus lanterns, we had some time to enjoy the Temple and then we were off for an early lunch, this time we had a representative dish from the Jeonbuk area... Gan Jang Gae Jang aka Raw crab marinated in soy sauce, it came with banchan... LOTS and LOTS of Banchan and a Spicy crab soup... to be honest I didn't really like it O_o not because I'm picky with my food... Come on! I tried the alive octopus!, but this one had a slippery texture and not much flavour....as for the Banchand and the spicy soup I loved them, I don't know why didn't we put some of that raw crab on the boiling hot soup hahaha, even though I enjoyed watching everyone eat because for some creepy reason I enjoy watching people eating...

Once done with the crab we went to Gunsan's Modern History Museum and right next to it we saw the old Gunsan's Customs Office. The Modern History Museum holds a big collection you can find information going from Ships to the 3rd floor that resembles a Korean Villa, inside you can try on a Hanbok, take a picture, or do some ink stamps!

Once each of us finished the tour of the Museum we gathered outside and just across the street from the museum you can find the Jinpo Marine Theme Park, the park houses some retired military vehicles used in the past, on the inside of the Ship you can find weapons used during the Jinpodaecheop war and how it is the life inside this kind of ships, fun fact is…. Some parts are kind of Dark and creepy, this was the perfect spot to play some jokes on Ema (She’s easy to scare… Sorry Ema!!!), the Park opened in 2008 to commemorate Jonpodaecheop (Victory of Jinpo over the Japanese forces).

It wasn’t until I started researching for this post that I realized how important Gunsan is :O

After the Park we rushed to see a Japanese style Villa (?) in Gunsan, the place haven’t been completed, so we just looked around and then it was time to take Jessica and Asif to the bus station to return to Busan and Daegu *sad moment*, when we dropped them off at the terminal we took our last group picture and the rest of us went to the Famous Bakery “Lee Sung Dang”, this is the oldest bakery in South Korea and was founded in 1945, there’s a huge variety of Bread, Sweets, Coffees and snacks, I think each of us grabbed like 3-4 to try O_O but we all tried Lee Sung Dang’s most popular item… the Sweet red bean paste filled bread :)

                            
We packed our sweets and went back to the bus that would take us back to Seoul….this was the end of the WKB Tour… we arrived in Seoul around 10pm on a Sunday, I had around 13hours left in the country and I wanted to make the most of it, so when we arrived at the hotel I grabbed my backpack and went to Dongdaemun Night Market in order to find my K-pop souvenirs ha!, I took a taxi and less than 10 mins later I was there, I was told the place was going to be packed but it wasn’t!, I found a store dedicated to Kpop and did a little shopping there... and that’s how I got my BigBang’s Alive Special Edition CD :D , the next day I woke up really early and went out to buy as many snacks as I could :) and by 10:30am I was ready to part…. Maria, Annabel and Ema came to say goodbye L and that was it…I rode a taxi back to the Airport and had a nice talk with the Ajusshi and I couldn’t help it but I shed a tear on my way to Incheon… about 50mins later we arrived and this is where the bad part of the trip started… 

Our last hours together :(

My flight ticket was with Air France but operated by Korean Air…the 1^st part of my flight was Korea-Paris… I won’t deny it… Korean Air is awesome… I loved it and I wish Korean Air had flights from Mexico, the service is Top notch even if you are in Economy, the seats are very spacious and they had BigBang’s new album available to listen haha, 11 hours later I arrived in Paris…. This airport is…well Incheon should show the French how to make a proper Airport, my boarding gate was EMPY…well.. there were like 7 boarding gates and all were empty, the stores were closed and there was nothing to do… I had a 5 hour layover and after a while I got bored and fell asleep…luckily I woke up just in time for my flight… again things were confusing because I thought (once again) I was flying with Air France but my flight was operated by Aeromexico…I don’t know what is it but I just don’t like Aeromexico (Sorry Mexico, but you need better Airlines), the service was OK I guess… I slept most of the flight but I did notice that the flight attendants either don’t speak English or just refuse to do it..I understand this flight is going to Mexico and there are a lot of Mexicans on the flight, but there are also international passengers and not everyone speak Spanish, so even if you yell in Spanish really slowly they won’t understand you…ugh  K… good thing I slept as soon as I boarded the plane, just woke up when they were serving dinner and back to sleep…when I woke up again we were about to land.. YAY!! 33 hours later I was home!!!!

I still miss everyone very much but we Kakao/FB very often and whenever someone posts a new picture or something related to the trip I can’t help but to wish we were all back in Korea together!

Hopefully we’ll all meet soon for a new adventure in Korea…and I hope the Camera crew can Join us because now I’m used to give interviews hahaha.

-Gisela V.

N Seoul Tower

Who hasn't heard of the N Seoul Tower?

Morning View / Evening View

Talking about the N Seoul Tower is like talking about Mexico's Zocalo it's Mexico's landmark, I saw the Namsam cable car in My Name is Kim Sam Soon and of course it was a part of my "To Do" list while in Seoul.

Seoul Tower, also called Namsan Tower or, more recently, N Seoul Tower, is located in the centre of Seoul on Mount Namsan. Seoul Tower was opened to the public for the first time on the 15th of October 1980. Namsan Tower is 236.7 metres high and, because it stands on top of the Namsam Mount.

Rising 777 feet (237 metres) above the summit of Mount Namsan, a beautiful mountain in the centre of the city, at a height of 480 metres above sea level, the Tower is the most conspicuous of Seoul's landmarks.

It serves as an integrated telecom tower from which TV and FM radio signals are transmitted for the metropolitan area. In 30 seconds two express elevators ascend to a height of 135 metres to the Observation Platform.
Architect: Jong Youl Chang

There are different ways to get to the Tower.

1.- By Cable car. You can get to the cable car station by getting off at Myeongdong Station (Line n. 4, exit 3) and walking for ten minutes from the subway station.
Hours of operation: 10:00-23:00 (3-minute ride to N Seoul Tower) 
Fare: Round-trip - ages 13+ 7,500 won, ages 4-12 5,000 won
          One-way - ages 13+ 6,000 won, ages 4-12 3,500 won

You can take a bus at Chungmuro Station (line n. 3 or 4) or at Dongguk University Station (line 3), which will take you to the parking area of N Seoul Tower or you can do it on foot by walking 30 minutes from exit 3 of Myeongdong subway station (Line n. 4).

Inside the tower you can find the Teddy Bear Museum (8,000 won), restaurants, shops, cafés can also be found on the inside.

The Tower admission fee is  8,000 won, I believe you can get a discount if you buy tickets for the Tower and the Teddy Bear Museum (I don't remember very well...)

See? Mexico City on the Top and Seoul's view on the bottom

I went to the Tower and the Teddy Bear Museum (TBM) twice, first I went by myself when I took the Seoul Tour Bus, it was a Tuesday so it wasn't really crowded, I 1st pass the Tower by day but decided not to get off the bus on that stop and came back in the afternoon (aroun 5-6) so it was getting darker and I must say, the view is better at that time. On my 1st visit I only checked the outside of the Tower since it was a perfect time to take pictures and visited the Teddy Bear Museum since it was getting darker and colder I decided to take the 8pm bus back.





My second visit was in the Morning, this time I did go up to the Tower and enjoyed a lil bit of the view, we (This time I was with a group) also re-visited the TBM but we were in a hurry so we only spent like 1:30hrs in the Museum and Tower, the only regret I have is that I didn't get to take the Namsam Cable Car..I wanted to do that so badly :( but I guess I'll do it on my next visit to Seoul.

On the outside of the tower there's a Roof Terrace well known for the"Locks of Love", apparently it was shown in a TV show, where the main character attached a lock to the fence, ever since thousands of couples go there an attach their Lock of love with their names and a loving promise. On the inside of the tower you can find something like this, instead of locks there are tiles, you can buy them at the Gift shop, add a picture and just write whatever you feel like it.

Locks of Love / Lover's Message Tiles

On the inside of the Tower (before the Ticket booth) there's another shop, it's all about Kpop, I don't know much about Kpop so I just snaped a few shots of the merchandise (Shh! don't tell anyone because pictures there wasn't allowed!), I guess next time at least I'll know a couple of those groups :P

 

Kpop Merchandise / Me with a Huge Teddy Bear

-Gisela V.

National Museum of Contemporary Art

It's time to talk/blog about something more than just going to spend time at the Korean Neighbourhood, it's time to let you know all Museums lovers know about this HUGE Museum that shows National and International exhibits. There are currently to "branches" (?) and a 3rd one  located in Seoul is scheduled to open in 2013, so if you are planning on visiting Korea be sure to visit one of this 2 (or 3 if you wait 'til 2013). Here's some important information about the museum :)

The mission of the museum is to survey and research contemporary art, collect and preserve works of art, and plan and host various exhibitions, both domestically and internationally.

Website     /     English Version

Admission

Entry is fee except for major exhibitions (Free day : on the fourth Saturday of every month)

Gwacheon

Land Area: 66,916㎡  / Building Area: 37,500㎡  /  Exhibition Area: 14,144㎡  /  Sculpture Garden: 33,000㎡

The museum building was constructed in a manner that harmonizes with both the natural and the artificial beauty of its surroundings. The design of the museum reflects Korea’s traditional architectural style. The museum features a sculpture gallery in the form of fortress walls, a painting gallery the shape of a semi-oval hall, and the Ramp Core in the style of a beacon mound that connects the two sections. The exterior space of the museum is designed to reflect a traditional Korean garden, enabling gradual access through a passage that gives the visual effect of a steady ascent. The main exterior material is a light pink Korean granite.  The museum has a traditional image that blends in well with the surrounding landscape. Fully equipped with modern facilities, scientific equipment and various installations, the museum is more than equal to the task of being the only national contemporary art museum in Korea.

Deoksugung

Building Area :3,428㎡  /  Exhibition Area : 1,152㎡

In 1998, National Museum of Contemporary Art, Deoksugung, an annex of the National Museum of Contemporary Art, was opened in Deoksugung Palace in the center of Seoul.

Seoul(Scheduled to open in 2013)

Land Area : 27,402㎡
Building Area : 33,000㎡

The National Museum of Contemporary Art, Korea is scheduled to open Seoul Venue in the centre of Seoul in 2013. The New Construction Site of the National Museum of Contemporary Art, Korea will establish the identity and stature of Korean art by hosting a variety of planned exhibitions seeking to new experimental analysis, and efforts to expand the boundaries of expression embracing both the tradition and the present of visual art.

Permanent Exhibitions 

Ramp Core, “The more, the better” by Nam June Paik

Located at the center of the museum, the Ramp Core is 13.8m in diameter and spirals upward to a height of 22.8 meters, in a vast space lit by skylights. Viewed from above, it is clear that the Ramp Core is the centerpiece of the museum. It also plays the role of a gateway as well as a connecting passageway to all galleries in the museum.
Visitors are greeted with “The more, the better” by artist Nam June Paik, which was installed at the center of the Ramp Core in 1988. 1,003 TVs, a number that was chosen to represent Korea’s National Foundation Day, October 3, are installed in a round tower 18.5m high and 7.5m in diameter. This vast cone-shaped video tower is the first work of art that visitors see in the main entrance hall, and each monitor can be individually appreciated by walking up and down the slope of the Ramp Core.
The Ramp Core, with its natural light from the ceiling and the illuminations from Nam June Paik’s “The more, the better”, is not only a hallway that connects each gallery, but a beautiful exhibition space in itself

Sculpture Garden

Surrounding the museum building, with the background of the beautiful landscape of Cheonggyesan(Mt.) and Kwanaksan(Mt.), there is a 33,100 square meter Sculpture Garden spread out over green turf. The Sculpture Garden also plays the role of a multi-purpose complex in which events such as open-air concerts, danc- ing performances, and poetry readings can be enjoyed.
The works of art in the sculpture garden can be enjoyed from various angles and on various backgrounds. The sculpture garden provides a unique charm that visitors cannot experience through an indoor exhibition.

SPECIAL EXHIBITIONS

LA SOMBRA DEL HABLA. COLECCION MACBA

Exhibition period : 13 July, 2010 - 03 October, 2010

Exhibition Venue : Gallery 1 & Central Ha

Floating Hours_ Moon is the Oldest Clock

Exhibition period : 8 May - 4 July, 2010

Exhibition Venue : National Museum of Art, Deoksugung

30th Anniversary of the Young Korean Artists

Exhibition period : 17 April, 2010 - 6 June, 2010

Exhibition Venue : Gallery 1, 7

And many many many more!!

CULTURAL EVENTS

This are events created by the Museum and I think it's really cool because it's another way to unify the Families and the people.

As a multi-purpose cultural complex, the museum provides a range of cultural events, including music, films, and performances. Two of the most popular programs are the cultural festivals in May (Month of the Family) and October (Month of Culture), at which the whole family can enjoy a number of fun art-related activities and outdoor performances.

In tune with Korea’s adoption of the 5-day work week and to foster a healthy recreation culture, the museum holds classical concerts on last Saturday of each month, and on every first and third Saturday there are other live events such as chamber music, fusion music and performances at the central hall

The museum also has some EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS (here some examples)

·         Education for Professionals

·         Program to foster art professionals and train experts

·         Education Linked to Exhibitions

·         Educational program for each type of trainee which is aimed atpromoting understanding of special/permanent exhibitions of the museum