SCENES FROM CHANGWON

For my 40^th post I wanted to just give some scenes and snippets of my life in Changwon. The things I do, the food I eat and the things I see.

Bulgogi dap bap - Bulgogi (thinly cut beef) with rice. It's about $4.

This is a fancy wine bar in Changwon.

This is a "coffee snob" cafe where they roast and brew their own coffee.

This is the result of a "health" vocabularly lesson

Also, they sometimes give us food at work. The dish on the right is called Dokpuki, the cylindrical things are rice cake.

I saw these guys on my way to work one day outside a cellphone store.

Taking a break.

The view from my neighbor's rooftop in Changwon.

Some other foreigners put together a Reservoir Party. This is during an Oasis sing-a-long. It was also pouring down rain and we sought shelter under a 2 story gazebo.

You never know what you will see at the market

I found a pho restaurant. I have not been there yet.

Another site of Korea. Passed out Koreans who drank to much. This guy was in my lobby afer coming back from work at like 10PM. Don't believe me? Visit : http://blackoutkorea.blogspot.kr/ an entire blog devoted to these heros.

Korea is very big on these "talent" performances. Where an audience gathers and there is a stage and group will do a choreographed dance.

A flier from the foreigner-organized and foreigner attended talent show. A benefit show for the local orphanage. The night raised more than $1,000. I performed doing a spoken word performance in the  style similar to the comedian Mike Birgblia or the podcasts The Moth or This American Life. To hear another story (not the one I did) visit here.  There should be video of it soon

One of Changwon's many city parks.

Swans at Yonji Lake.

Outdoor live music in front of the fountain maybe 15 feet from the entrance to my building.

A statue in front of Changwon City Hall.

EOREUMGOL ICE VALLEY

EOREUMGOL ICE VALLEY

It was Kelsey's birthday and she wanted to go somewhere special. She decided on the Eoreumgol Ice Valley. 

A group of us met in Changwon, had a lunch of spicy pork spine soup and then left for the valley. There was Kelsey's brother, Brad (mentioned earlier here); Lily, a native Chinese girl, but a near fluent Korean speaker; Kelsey; Lucas; Brad's university colleague, Cliff; and myself. Oh, and Brad's dog Dodo.

Pictured (from l-r) : Me, Kelsey, Lily, Lucas & Brad

The Eoreumgol Ice Valley about a 2 hour drive from Changwon. It is a naturally occurring phenomenon in which the rocks during the summer form ice on them (there was a scientific explanation, but I couldn't make sense of it)

After driving for 2 hours we go to where the valley began. There was a small hike before we go to actual go to the ice area.

As we made our way up there were people selling food like apples, vegetables and beondegi (steamed silkworm pupae).

Beondegi on the right

On the way to the freezing rocks there was a nice temple.

We hiked a small amount more until we got to the "Freezing Place."

We arrived at the freezing rocks and were met with a bit of disappointment. There was no ice because we were too late in the summer. The rocks were certainly cold and they were nice to be near and sit by. It was like a cold sauna. Also they were fenced off. 

The ice rocks

At the ice rocks
Pictured (l-r): Cliff, Brad, Dodo, Lily, Kelsey, Lucas and Me

My Korean isn't great, but I could piece together the unmistakable tone of disappointment when I heard the mother of a Korean family walk up to the rocks and say "yogi??"  (meaning: "here??" As in... "This is it?").

All in all it made for a good day and I always appreciate seeing new countryside.

HAEDONG YOUNGGUNG- THE TEMPLE BY THE SEA

HAEDONG YOUNGGUNG- THE TEMPLE BY THE SEA

Haedong Younggung Temple is built right over the ocean and is located in Busan. It is stunningly beautiful and is home to not only amazing ocean-side temple with an incredible view, but also a large golden Buddha.

Haedong Younggung Temple encompasses a large physical area including a long walkway that leads down into the temple area. Also, to clear up confusion, the swastika looking symbol is a Buddhist symbol. Only when it's tilted on it's side is it a Nazi symbol.



On the walkway there were 12 statues of the 12 animals of the Chinese Zodiac. Each with the animal's heads on a person's body.

Me with my animal: ox

Before descending into the temple area I walked past a nice pagoda statue.

Once on the actual temple grounds you are immediately met with beautiful sweeping views of the Pacific Ocean.



And then you actually see the temple itself.

The temple grounds are scattered with several statutes of Buddha, ranging from the different phases of Buddha's life. There is the slim, young Buddha (see in many places in Southeast Asia) to larger, fatter and wiser Buddha (Often seen in China).  There is also a statue or two of other key people in the Buddhist faith.

Younger Buddha

Older, wiser Buddha (approx 18ft. tall)

Non-Buddha Buddhist Deity (woman)