Anyway first off let me calm your fears. Nothing bad is happening in Korea as a result of the earthquake/tsunami/potential nuclear fallout in neighboring Japan. Fukushima is a good 750 miles or so away from me. And there is both land and sea in between us so we didn't feel anything from the earthquakes, and as far as I know Korea had no affects from the tsunami, either.
As for the nuclear meltdown, from what I've read the media is focusing a bit too much on the worst-case scenario there and I don't think that there is any reason to be concerned about it here in Gimpo.
Our biggest threat remains North Korea (which really can be likened more to that of a pesky little brother or maybe a drunken next door neighbor), and the yellow dust from China that rolls in every spring. Nothing to be concerned about.
Anyway, Spring seems to have sprung in Korea. The temps have been in the 50s and it's been gorgeously sunny and bright every day for a week. Saturday was the best views of the surrounding mountains I've seen in a long time. I went in to Seoul to do some shopping and sightseeing. Went to a palace I hadn't been to yet, Deoksungung. It really was rather underwhelming. But i did get there in time to see the changing of the guard ceremony, which is pretty cool. I've seen it before but this time thought to take a little video. So check it out:
So then I wandered around one of the huge markets in Seoul, and then went back to Itaewon for some shopping. I found the foreign food mart, which was so glorious. I got brownie mix! and root beer! And they have crisco! I had to laugh at myself being an ethnic minority shopping in an ethnic food store. We Americans don't normally consider our food to be 'ethnic', but of course here it is. I will be returning there again...although it is pretty expensive. But worth it, I'd say.
Also went to get a new/longer (real) gold chain for the expensive necklace pendent I bought...
I now own a piece of jewelry that cost over $300. this is quite the feat for someone who doesn't normally buy earrings at Target that cost over $5. But I figured I may as well splurge. It's hand-carved white jade of 2 cranes, which are an auspicious symbol of long life. And it's embedded in real 14k gold and now is hanging from a 16k gold chain. Apparently gold is at an all-time high in cost right now. So the cost is a bit more than one may expect.
So anyway that was about it for the weekend. Otherwise same old, same old.
Most exciting was the flowers my taekwondo master gave me on Monday. 5 long stem roses and a potted carnation.
Sadly, it turns out all of their new students got a rose that day, and so the 5 i got were really just leftover. But still, the fact that he handed them to me made me happy lol. I can pretend it was for a different reason.
So, that about covers this week. Or all that I feel like typing anyway. Hope you are all doing well back in the States!
2 comments:
T - Brownies, Crisco and root Beer!?! You're gonna regain all that weight you've lost! :) As for the roses, hmmm? He could have thrown them away. A rose is still a rose...... I'd still keep an eye on the Nuke plant. Which way does the wind come from? Take care love Mom
No, a rose is just a rose. Don't get too excited there.
As for the nuclear meltdown...winds in this area tend to be towards the pacific so we aren't concerned here in Seoul.
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