It is impossible to report everything amazing that is happening. We are blown away every 10 minutes. Like, over the top, how will we ever translate just how amazing, ridiculous, out of this world the whole thing is.
My day started off with a run at 6am past ponds, cherry blossoms, forests of bamboo. I ran into a group doing Dahn Hak (like Korean Tai Chi) in the park (dream come true)... lots of smiles, body tapping, feeling energy, giving each other massages... me and half a dozen adorable little old ladies and a couple guys in track suits with masks on. After my run I went for a walk through the residential streets. Very narrow streets, bright blue and orange tiled roofs, elaborate gates and beautifully adorned doors, everyone different, on even the most modest houses.
I was wandering around taking pictures when this woman (around 50) saw me. She tapped her chest and said "Picture?" Then she took me to her house to show me her garden. I gave her our brochure (thank god we translated it in Korean). She squatted down and read the whole thing while I was standing there taking pictures -- too cute. Oh, and when I got back to the hotel there were about 100 little kids playing in the park -- all in little uniforms (little brown skirts, little yellow suits, pink ones, blue... all different classes all in different uniforms and equally adorable). And this was all before 9:30am.
We met up with a couple of the Rotary leaders for tea. All of a sudden, in entered about 6 young Korean men in black pinstriped suits and sunglasses. I wish I could describe what that feels like!!! Totally surreal. Then we piled into three, very expensive looking vehicles and headed for lunch at Brian's restaurant (one of the young guides... our
English translator, he lived in Seattle for 4 years while going to high school). We are being hosted today by one of the youngest rotary clubs in Pohang. The young guys turned out to be really funny -- we had a great day with them, so many laughs. I have recorded lots of stories in my journal and taken lots of pictures.
I have NEVER seen so much food! For lunch we had a traditional Korean meal -- which consisted of about 20 different dishes (I am NOT kidding!). Everything was amazing. Lots of laughing about how the Korean's stay so slim. They say this is normal for them to eat like this. I am starting to believe them because dinner proved to be the same. Wait until you see the pictures. Platters of sushimi, crab, all kinds of kim chi, tuna, spicy fish, usually some kind of beef dish, noodles, pumpkin soup (yummy!)... followed by fruit for dessert and green tea. They drink this very sweet rice or wheat syrupy drink (I'm not wild about it). Each dish is very healthy, very little fat and no bread... a very small amount of rice. Everything seems to be combined for intestinal health -- seaweed soup is said to 'keep your blood clean', kim chi aids with digestion, etc.
We also had the Posco Steel Tour today. The Koreans are very proud of Posco... it basically saved the country from economic ruin in the late 60's. Pohang has grown in population from 30,000 in 1968 to over 500,000 now, all accredited to Posco. One of their mottos is that "Nature appreciates the way we do business"... hmm I wonder if the sea life and birds appreciated the way they filled the entire bay to build the massive plant.
After the Steel Factory we went to a 1,400 year old Buddhist Temple in the mountains. Oh Hu Temple was named because fish returned to the temple after many years and each of the founders (priests) of the temple believed that they were responsible for the fish returning, so named the temple Me Fish. Duck Guen(another of our hosts) is a Buddhist and he showed us how to prostrate to Buddha. There were many little buildings, different temples housing different gods (Buddha and his students, the Mountain God and Water God, and others). On the grounds people bring their personal Buddha statues (very cute little cartoon like statues) and beads to pray to the gods. I asked what the little colourful shoes that someone left symbolized and was told that they are for a new baby to pray for a long life. So rich. I wish we could have spent more time there...
Another beautiful dinner at a restaurant overlooking the sea -- breathtaking. We are wondering if we will limber up by the time we go home. All of our meals are eaten sitting on the heated floors. It is quite comfortable, but we need a little shifting when our legs start to fall asleep.
They are all so gracious. Someone once told me that Koreans were rude... true, they may not hold doors open, but have treated us like absolute royalty in every other way.
Just one more thought on the restaurant we ate at for lunch... the bathroom had the most incredible sink made of amethyst and heated toilet seats! See what I mean? Unbelievable.
ye pun (beautiful)
My day started off with a run at 6am past ponds, cherry blossoms, forests of bamboo. I ran into a group doing Dahn Hak (like Korean Tai Chi) in the park (dream come true)... lots of smiles, body tapping, feeling energy, giving each other massages... me and half a dozen adorable little old ladies and a couple guys in track suits with masks on. After my run I went for a walk through the residential streets. Very narrow streets, bright blue and orange tiled roofs, elaborate gates and beautifully adorned doors, everyone different, on even the most modest houses.
I was wandering around taking pictures when this woman (around 50) saw me. She tapped her chest and said "Picture?" Then she took me to her house to show me her garden. I gave her our brochure (thank god we translated it in Korean). She squatted down and read the whole thing while I was standing there taking pictures -- too cute. Oh, and when I got back to the hotel there were about 100 little kids playing in the park -- all in little uniforms (little brown skirts, little yellow suits, pink ones, blue... all different classes all in different uniforms and equally adorable). And this was all before 9:30am.
We met up with a couple of the Rotary leaders for tea. All of a sudden, in entered about 6 young Korean men in black pinstriped suits and sunglasses. I wish I could describe what that feels like!!! Totally surreal. Then we piled into three, very expensive looking vehicles and headed for lunch at Brian's restaurant (one of the young guides... our
English translator, he lived in Seattle for 4 years while going to high school). We are being hosted today by one of the youngest rotary clubs in Pohang. The young guys turned out to be really funny -- we had a great day with them, so many laughs. I have recorded lots of stories in my journal and taken lots of pictures.
I have NEVER seen so much food! For lunch we had a traditional Korean meal -- which consisted of about 20 different dishes (I am NOT kidding!). Everything was amazing. Lots of laughing about how the Korean's stay so slim. They say this is normal for them to eat like this. I am starting to believe them because dinner proved to be the same. Wait until you see the pictures. Platters of sushimi, crab, all kinds of kim chi, tuna, spicy fish, usually some kind of beef dish, noodles, pumpkin soup (yummy!)... followed by fruit for dessert and green tea. They drink this very sweet rice or wheat syrupy drink (I'm not wild about it). Each dish is very healthy, very little fat and no bread... a very small amount of rice. Everything seems to be combined for intestinal health -- seaweed soup is said to 'keep your blood clean', kim chi aids with digestion, etc.
We also had the Posco Steel Tour today. The Koreans are very proud of Posco... it basically saved the country from economic ruin in the late 60's. Pohang has grown in population from 30,000 in 1968 to over 500,000 now, all accredited to Posco. One of their mottos is that "Nature appreciates the way we do business"... hmm I wonder if the sea life and birds appreciated the way they filled the entire bay to build the massive plant.
After the Steel Factory we went to a 1,400 year old Buddhist Temple in the mountains. Oh Hu Temple was named because fish returned to the temple after many years and each of the founders (priests) of the temple believed that they were responsible for the fish returning, so named the temple Me Fish. Duck Guen(another of our hosts) is a Buddhist and he showed us how to prostrate to Buddha. There were many little buildings, different temples housing different gods (Buddha and his students, the Mountain God and Water God, and others). On the grounds people bring their personal Buddha statues (very cute little cartoon like statues) and beads to pray to the gods. I asked what the little colourful shoes that someone left symbolized and was told that they are for a new baby to pray for a long life. So rich. I wish we could have spent more time there...
Another beautiful dinner at a restaurant overlooking the sea -- breathtaking. We are wondering if we will limber up by the time we go home. All of our meals are eaten sitting on the heated floors. It is quite comfortable, but we need a little shifting when our legs start to fall asleep.
They are all so gracious. Someone once told me that Koreans were rude... true, they may not hold doors open, but have treated us like absolute royalty in every other way.
Just one more thought on the restaurant we ate at for lunch... the bathroom had the most incredible sink made of amethyst and heated toilet seats! See what I mean? Unbelievable.
ye pun (beautiful)
2 comments:
Incredible, You must have been excited to find Dahn hak. I didnt know it was that popular there. But I did know you were eager to find it- and it only took 2 days. great!
It all sounds very colourful and amazing.
Oh hi ,
me again, iam hoping my posting comments will get others to put some out there too.
I was wondering what they pay for deisel and gas there. The price in Vancouver is $1.20 per litre. Here in Courtenay its about 1.12.
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