A Walk through Wednesday

Rob and I make a point of visiting a McDonalds restaurant at least once each time we're in a new country. It's not because we're craving a Big Mac, it's more of a socio-cultural study. What do Koreans eat when they go to the Golden Arches?

Well, it turns out they eat many of the same things North Americans eat, but we do find a couple of items we haven't seen on the menu at home: a bulgogi burger and a Shanghai Spice chicken burger. Rob's burger is a bit of a bust; it's just a hamburger with sauce. My chicken burger is zippy by McDonalds standards, but rather moderate for Koreans. The dine in glasses are not disposable. The garbage disposal is like that in many Korean cafeterias; dishes and garbage are categorized for disposal and clean up. In short, it's efficient, and there's little waste.

By noon, we're walking through the Jogye Temple courtyard, a hop skip and jump from our motel. People are walking up to statues, kneeling before the indoor buddhas, and walking through a blue swastika circuit on the ground outside, meditating and praying. Across the way, a monk and a nun lead a family through a service. They pray, chant, and perform repeated prostrations before the altar. When they finish, the family goes into the temple and the monk walks our way. As he passes, he smiles and bows.

We wander on, finding our way to the scenic main boulevard with the imposing statues, the palace, and the mountains. It's crazy hot, and kids are splashing about in the water that's pumped into the area for both esthetic and practical reasons. There are lawns and flower gardens on this concrete patch in the middle of this big city.

Suddenly the water jets take off and there's a ten foot forest of fountains. Children are racing around squealing and jumping. I snap many shots getting a beauty of a three or four year old boy who can barely contain himself. He's the very picture of exuberance as he tries to cover his tooth grin with his hand. It may be the best picture I've ever taken. Or maybe it's just that it makes me outrageously happy. We also get some cool pictures of the grand statues of Admiral Yi Sunshin and King Sejeong. Then we visit the expansive underground display dedicated to these two Korean heros.

It's easy to see why King Sejeong was such a beloved monarch. He believed in equality, instituted maternity benefits, and supported the arts. His most important contribution to Korea was the invention of the Hangeul script, giving Koreans their own language. This exhibition gives us a great deal of information we failed to learn during our myopic western based education.
For example, we learn that Koreans had moveable type 150 years before Gutenberg invented the printing press.

Admiral Yi was another powerhouse. He was the war hero who managed to defeat the Japanese navy in the 1500s, despite the fact Korea was severely outnumbered. The key to his success was his invention of the so-called "turtle ships." These mighty beasts had spiked tops that prevented attackers from gaining entry. It's interesting to note that the Korean ships were built to be strong, safe, and defensive. The Chinese and Japanese ships of the period were light, fast, and built to attack.

The original badass, Admiral Yi rose up from rank and file soldier to commanding the entire Korean navy. He did so through never succumbing to despair and disappointment. When he failed his military exam by falling off his horse, he trained ever harder, and returned four years later to ace it. He believed in strengthening the coastline, and being prepared, even in times of peace. His philosophy on wars can easily be transferred to everyday life.

Admiral Yi earned many honours, including the title Chungmu, meaning, "unshakeable, loyal, and chivalrous." Four hundred and fifty years later, his resume still looks pretty impressive. He didn't just win, he battled through adversity to win. He provides the ultimate lesson in "getting back up on the horse." To paraphrase a popular self-help book for people who lose their jobs, he knew the colour of his parachute.

In the afternoon, we tour Gyeongbok-gun Palace. The name means "Palace of Shining Happiness," but it in this case, the name has proven somewhat ironic. This sprawling estate covers a couple of city blocks at the end of the huge boulevard with the statues. The founder of the Joseon Dynasty (King Taejo) had it built in 1394. It is said to have originally had 500 buildings. The palace has had a complicated history with wars, fires, and a queen murdered within its walls. Though much of the site has been reconstructed, and the buildings rebuilt, it's fascinating to think of the hundreds of years of history on this very ground.

For dinner we stop at a little shop near Auguk Station, not far from the palace. The eclectic menu includes "hangover beef soup," but I opt for bibimbap, and Rob goes for the curried rice. While Rob eat his Indian dish, he watches a story about India on television.

There's a lull in the action at the restaurant, so the three ladies on staff sit down to enjoy a soap opera. It's the typical melodramatic hamfisted fare, instantly recognizable in soaps around the world, but the ladies are riveted. They share a bag of sugary dried french fried crisps as they dish about the show.

We're back at the motel by 5:30, and not a moment too soon. Another six hours of walking has both of us feeling a tad exhausted. Spiderman 3 seems just the mindless pap to zone out to. And we're down for the count.