Super cold day…

So cold today!! Sure am glad I brought my China hat. Thanks Allisa!

The Leeum Museum was great today. The museum has (in its permanent collection) traditional and modern Korean art, and some international artists too. I wasn’t allowed to take pictures.

The temporary exhibit was fantastic. Olafur Eliasson is an Icelandic artist specializing in installation art. Really fun exhibit. http://www.olafureliasson.net/ 

While I was enjoying art, my country elected Trump. 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭
After a forgettable lunch, a walk was in order. Just had a wander about.

While looking around, I came across a kind of demonstration. Some folks are still upset (justifiably so) about the ferry accident from some time ago. It seems that 9 kids are still missing. There was a memorial set up and protestors holding signs demanding justice. Some ladies were dancing. I watched for a while and cried a little thinking about how all those kids died.

Dinner was pot stickers.

I think the broken mirrors represent the human in modern society…. or something

Repetition and symmetry are big themes in this guys art so of course I like it

The entire room had misters and bright lights, so many rainb2
Froggy loves two-headed deers!

King Sejong, a very important guy
Now that’s advice I can follow
Sejong/Hanegul display below the statue
Here is the memorial to all those poor kids
Ahhhh yarn bombing

Actual easy day…

Had a nice sleep-in today, followed by a pretty good lunch at a chain called Udon 410.

The War Memorial of Korea was my only visit today, but a great one. A complex of art, plaques, displays, and tributes took all afternoon to see. 

Dinner was cookies and triangle kimbap.

This tribute to brothers separated by war was hollow
Inside was several art pieces and plaques showing Korean allies
The peace bell
Sunny day

Inside was a display on disaster preparation

Many war machines were on display

That is a freakin SCUD missile
Froggy liked the Howitzer best
Hall of fallen soldiers, Korean and otherwise. The American names were in another wing. Sadly, there are too many to fit in one picture
Plaza in front of museum
Reflecting pool
This teardrop is made of dog tags
The Indian soldiers sent to Korea were badasses. They were a parachute regimen who would drop in with medical supplies to treat the wounded
Soldier of the Month
Beautiful sunset
Dinner- it’s rice and other fillings wrapped in seaweed. Tonights was tuna and kimchee favored rice. Its actually really good

Busy day off…

Thought I would take a day off….LOL

That lasted about an hour. I can’t sit for too long as you know (Shannon) so out it was.

Settled for just not planning anything. I had to start somewhere, a temple is always safe.

This is called Jogyesa, a Korean buddhist temple. As you can see, its in the middle of town. The complex consists of buildings from all over Korea. I was lucky to see it during a chrysanthemum festival.

So, after spending a pleasant hour there, I just meandered off down the street. Most places were closed cause Monday.

Ill never come here 😦

Found this street that had literally hundreds of watch stores. The clock at the head of the street was broken lol.

Lunch was a good! egg salad sandwich.

This nice park led me to Chongmyo or Jongmyo shrine. Its the resting place for all the royal spirit tablets from the Joseon dynasty. It was very quiet there as it was a paid, timed entry tour only. No wandering around. World heritage!!

Ceremonies honoring the royal ancestors have been held here for over 500 years!
A sunny moment really captures the beauty of autumn here

This path is for the spirits only! Keep off!!

So I just wandered off again and found the CheonGyeCheon stream. It’s this flood control ditch that’s been made into a cool park, with art and everything.

“Wall of Hope”

King of the Frogs!

After a coffee break, 

a tourist sign told me that Namsan Park was nearby. It’s a very nice park with a super touristy and completely fake “traditional” Hanok village. As in 1998 traditional. Froggy liked it; you know he loves that stuff.

A time capsule
So tough!
It was pretty cheesy
Froggy wanted those coins!

So beautiful 

So on the way home we saw some more public art big surprise.

Dinner was these bun things made with pork, very yummy.

So that’s my exhausting day off.

Sunny Sunny Sunday…

Not really. It was cold and windy most of the day.

I still had a nice one, though. Some errands taken care of, the National Museum of Korea was beckoning me.

Quite new and very impressive, this place has a fantastic permanent collection. I learned a lot about Silla culture. There’s a super collection of Buddhist sculpture as well.

Outside the museum is a lovely park. All kinds of cute families enjoying a Sunday.

Just next to the park is the Hanegul Museum. Small but nice.

Dinner was (no joke) hot dog sushi from 7-11. It was better than it sounds.

Heres today’s pictures 

This spectacular painting was 24 feet tall
This was interesting to me for some reason
An exhibit at the Hanegul Museum
All the metro stations have these mysterious emergency supplies
Yongsan Family Park

Buddhist pagoda, some very old
The outside of the museum
A Korean typewriter
This park was ridiculous. Dragon Falls
Not Korean
Golden treasures from the Silla dynasty