Speaking of which, this week my friend Andrew came in from the states to visit me as well. There is a little more excitement because he’s staying about 10 days so we will have time to do more stuff. Drew is also a gamer (like me) and pretty much has a very similar sense of humor.
Because he came in Saturday, I went up to Seoul to meet up with him. Kathy ended up coming up with me and the whole trip morphed into a visit to Seoul Grand Park. Now let me say that Kathy is always informed and prepared when it comes to travel. She manages to come up with details that I never even considered. However, I was grateful to have her around. Because the trip to the Park/Museum/Zoo was her idea, I was just along for the ride. I hadn’t left Daegu sense the second month I was here so I was a bit stir crazy and ready to see Seoul again.
First thing about Seoul I love; there is considerably much less staring. People in Seoul are more accustomed to seeing foreigners. Also, this is the country’s New York City. People don’t have time to gawk because they usually have something to do and somewhere to go. So the ride on the subway line isn’t quite as bad as Daegu. The trip to Seoul Grand Park wasn’t too long. However, it’s longer than most trips in Daegu. You quickly see the difference in the two cities by just riding the subway alone.
We got there and headed to the National Museum of Contemporary Art. To get there, we had to take a transport up the hill. What’s funny about this is how we knew that once we picked a section to sit in, we would clear it of any Koreans. This is just fact; Koreans will go out of their way NOT to sit near foreigners. I have to wonder if it’s so bad back home but I can’t see how it’s much worse than all the black kids sitting at one table in the lunch room during high school and all the white kids at the other. Still, it’s kind of humorous to me. . . . sometimes.
We ended up seeing quite a few interesting pieces. I loved the stuff made during the Korean War and some of the Modern pieces and photography. I’m not as deep into it as Kathy, whose knowledge of art and art history far exceed mine. Still, I like what I like and some of the pieces were amazing to me. I’m sad I couldn’t take pictures of some of them, but I might have to ask Kathy about her list of artist she pulled while we where there.
Desi met up with us after Kathy took some pictures of the area with the sculptures and the three of us headed to the Zoo. I hadn’t visited a Zoo in a while and I forgot that they are usually inhabited by children. Seeing as how Desi is the only one of us not camera shy, she ended up being the subject of more than a few pictures. I took a few pictures of animals, but my point and click isn’t equipped to get good shots of stuff. I left it to Kathy’s mega camera.
We rode the air lift back down to the entrance to the park and the whole time Desi and Kathy made fun of the fact that I was a bit nervous about being up in the air on a cable. I admit, I’m not great with heights but it’s not like I’m hysterical about it. Kind of takes me a second to get my nerves settled. It was about the time we got back on the Subway that I got a call from Andrew saying he arrived at the airport. We got some food while we waited for him to call when he got to the train station. Drew got in and we hoped the train to get back to Daegu. Andrew and I caught up about what was going on back home and his first impressions of Korea (he was surprised at the way the bus drivers narrowly miss hitting damn near everything) and the fact that Korea doesn’t have the same level of politeness (as least by western standards) when it comes to things like standing in line and bumping into people.
We got back to Daegu and it was getting slightly late. Still, we dropped Andrew’s luggage back at my place and we all went off in search for something to eat. I got a call from a friend saying he was downtown with some other people and me, Desi and Andrew met up with them. After grabbing some food, I showed Andrew a few places most of the foreigners hang downtown and introduced him to various people. He slid right into the situation and had a lot of fun. I was happy to finally be out the house after my self-imposed three week exile. For once, I was happy to get a few drinks and it was a good time by all. At some point, we all made it to a Norebang and the epically bad singing began.
Now understand that Norebang for me and Drew is greatness. We typically throw parties back home the enviably involve playing Singstar, Guitar Hero, and Rock Band. Bad singing for entertainment is the normal thing for us because it combines our wiliness to be silly with the love for gaming. In the end, we went wandering until it was time to go home. . . . but not before Andrew pulled down a heater off the wall in a club and sat on it. A HEATER. As if it were a chair. It was at that point that I realized both of us might have more than our share of drinks. However, mission accomplished: I showed my friend a good first night in Korea and I also got to spend a fun day in Seoul. I also got to hang with friends and that’s usually a good thing.
(All The pictures here were taken by my friend Kathy. Wonderful photographer and good person too.)
