So I have a friend and his name is David Matteson. He works with a group called Synthetic Human Productions, and they make short films. He’s really good, and I can’t believe I never wrote about him before. You should check out all of Synthetic Human Production’s videos, but for now, I find this relevant:
Blogs of friends
So I used to update this blog regularly. Then I started meeting people here in Korea and they ALL have blogs! Suddenly it seemed silly, and so I haven’t updated my blog in a long time.
I’d like to take a moment to tell you about the awesome things my friends do. Elizabeth has a great blog that started out being about Yeongtong (the area we live in) but then expanded to everything.
Also, I have a co-worker named Coleen who has a blog about her travels (and she’s been some cool places!)
I would be remiss if I didn’t mention my friend Chris Backe, who is pretty famous here in Korea for his travel blog.
As you can see, I know a bunch of people who blog, and do well enough to get paid for it. It made my humble little blog seem pretty pointless, and so I haven’t been very attentive the last year or so.
However, in a few months I am going to backpack through Southeast Asia, so it’s entirely possible I’ll write more then.
Cheers!
Sedona Adventure
Sedona is beautiful. You should check it out.
Sedona is one of those places that really makes you feel that cool wonder-feeling. We are tiny people and the earth has things like The Grand Canyon, The Painted Desert, and Sedona which remind us how small we really are in relation to nature. The rock formations in Sedona are huge, and pictures can’t accurately convey what it feels like to stand next to them.
My visit to Arizona in June was composed of several small trips with several wonderful people. One such person was Jeanette Watson, who happens to be my grandmother. In this picture, she is standing next to a Catalpa tree in a shopping center in Sedona.
In the town, there are some neat things to see. For example, a very small but very nifty Catholic Church resides in the side of one of the red rock formations.
Our destination was just outside of town in a box canyon, at a place called Enchantment Resort. The main thing I have to say about this place is, the food is top-shelf. Everything there is really, really out of my price range. As with many things that are expensive, it is a very classy and high-quality place.
The views are really breath-taking everywhere in Sedona. However, there’s something particularly neat about being inside of one. That is an experience Enchantment resort provides.
Of course, the décor is old-west. I happen to like the style myself, though my vegan friends might cringe at the cow-skin rugs or the mirror rimed in antlers.
It was a delightful trip though, as Sedona always is for me.
On the way home, we took a detour though Oak Creek Canyon to appreciate the beautiful views. At the top of the canyon there is a nice “scenic vista” point where you can take pictures and buy Native American crafts. I highly recommend you stop there. And, just past that is Flagstaff, which has all kinds of delightful places to eat.
Vegas baby!
Vegas is still awesome, though toned down more and more every year.
Alright, now I know that what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas. However, I’m not much for personal details in this blog anyway, so I think I’m safe just telling you a few places that I like, and leaving out the more depraved stuff.
First off, everyone should see a show while they’re in Vegas. Absinthe was all the rage when I was there a few weeks ago, but there are plenty of classic Vegas shows like Jubilee that are great and probably shouldn’t be missed.
Second, go to Margaritaville. Jimmy Buffet is an American icon and even if you’re not American, everyone should be able to appreciate a good cocktail. The cocktail is an art form that many countries have yet to truly understand, but Americans have a firm grasp on making alcohol into something epic, and that is something you should enjoy if you go to Vegas. I can think of no better place to do just that than in Margaritaville.
Now then, if you’re looking for clubs, ask a taxi driver. They usually have coupons for Scores, Spearmint Rhino, and Olympic Gardens (which I recommended). There are dance clubs all up and down the strip too, and taxi drivers can always suggest the right dance club for the type of evening you want. Don’t forget to tip everybody. I know it was a bit hard to adjust to for me, since I’d been in Asia (one does not top there) for 18 months. Still, if you wanted to be treated like a rock star in Vegas all it takes is a little extra cash.
The food in Vegas is to die for. You can get anything you want. I was homesick for Korean food after a few drinks, and by god, I found some. The multi-cultural aspect is one of the best things about Vegas, in my humble opinion. Oh, and the chocolate fountain in the Bellagio is really amazing. The restaurant there is incredible too.
There is no end to the amount of things you can do in Vegas. Every casino has something cool, like the dolphins at The Mirage. The spas are some of the best in the world, too. My favorite is Qua, at Caesar’s Palace. And of course, you can even hop on a bus and take a tour around spots like the old strip on Fremont Street.
Whatever you do, look out! Vegas lives up to the name Sin City less and less every year I go. Don’t get me wrong- I love it! There’s just a lot of new stuff like non-smoking casinos. There was a time when Vegas was a place to do certain things that you couldn’t do at home. In some ways, it still is. In other ways, well, check the local laws before you visit, okay?
Flagstaff’s Best Spot to Hike
I went home for a visit recently. While I was there I took a few majorly awesome trips. The best of them was the trip to Flagstaff. June is such a great time to go to Flagstaff because it’s so nice out. It’s 80 degrees and sunny nearly every day.
Of course, the reason I went to Flagstaff was for the hiking. The Katchina Trail, on the mountain just below Snowbowl Ski Resort, is one of my favorite places in Arizona.
Myself, Jamie, Josh, and Ashley explored the forest a little slowly, due to all of us being a little short of breath at that elevation. 7,000 feet is nothing to mess with, and it’ll make you dizzy if you’re not used to it. I forgot just how much thinner the air is, since I’ve been living in Korea at sea level for 18 months.
Another thing I forgot was the beautiful ferns and forests in Arizona. I tend to only tell people about the cactus, since that’s all the ask about or expect to hear. Yes, I come from a desert. However, it’s a short drive to much greener pastures. (Well, Josh thought 2 hours was a long drive- so perhaps it’s a matter of opinion.)
I think the sound of the wind in the aspen trees is something everyone should hear. Josh had never heard it before, and wasn’t even sure which ones were the aspen trees. For the record, they’re the ones with the circle leaves.
Northern Arizona really is a great place to visit if you want to enjoy nature. There are ferns, like in many forests. However, unlike in most forests, there are very few bugs. I don’t know if it’s the dry air or what, but you just don’t get bitten by a lot of mosquitoes in Arizona. Since I’ve been away, I forgot how much I appreciated that.
So if you feel like escaping to a really lovely place, let me recommend Flagstaff. And if you do go to Flagstaff, let me suggest that you head up to the Kachina Trail on the mountain. It’s a great hike, and a fairy easy trail. (It must be since we survived it.)
The Coolest Sand Castles Ever!
The Sand Festival at Haeundae Beach in Busan is apparently a very popular event. Book a hotel in advance if you plan to go, or prepare to sleep on the beach.
I went to the Busan Sand Festival by accident. See, I was trying to take this awesome boy named Carey to see the Temple and the Aquarium and stuff. When I heard (after booking train tickets with KTX) that there was a sand festival that weekend, I thought it would be a small thing that might be neat to check out but wouldn’t affect our plans too much.
I am someone who can admit when I am wrong, and let me tell you, I was wrong! The Busan sand festival seems to be one of those things like Mudfest that every white person in Korea feels the need to do. Why? I don’t know. All I do know is that every pub that caters to white people had a line out the door and every hotel was full.
Now when I saw every hotel was full, what I mean is I slept on the beach. There was literally nowhere else to sleep. Also, it’s not like I was the only one. There were all kinds of people camped out on the beach. Before you ask, yes, I did check all the hotels by the station, in other random neighborhoods, and inland from the beach. There were really no hotels in all of Busan. I can be sure, because some of the people crashed on the beach were Korean, and they didn’t find hotel rooms either.
So with that said, how was the sand festival? Well, a lot of foreign people who come to Korea just want to hang out with other foreigners while they are here. If you are one of those people, there is no better place for you than the sand festival. You would have had a blast.
Also, if you really like sand castles or sand in general, sand fest is the place for you. I have never seen anything so elaborate made of sand. It was amazing! The theme in 2011 was Fairy Tales, and there were castles and princesses and dragons everywhere. It was really amazing.
Honestly, if you ever wanted to build and amazing sand castle or see someone else build an amazing sand castle, you need to attend the sand festival.
That said, it wasn’t really my scene. Carey hates sand, and I don’t like to hang out in places with a lot of other foreigners. It ruins my Korean experience. I was still impressed by the giant sand sculptures, but not as much as you might be.
Now of course, the sand festival was at Haeundae beach. That’s pretty much where all the cool stuff is.
I stand by my love and adoration of the Busan Aquarium, which has amazing exhibits filled with beautiful fish. (It’s under Haeundae Beach).
I also highly recommend the barefoot path, behind the Westin Hotel. (On Haeundae beach).
If you do go to Busan, there are also casinos, and a really neat Russian town. There is a lot to see. There’s the only UN cemetery in the world as well, which is a somber but also heart-warming adventure. And there’s the fish market, which is pretty neat as long as you don’t’ go right after the Aquarium (seeing the fish alive and then seeing them dead was a little sad.) So by all means, go to Busan. It’s a great place. Just make sure that if you go for the sand festival, you book a room in advance and be prepared to wait a long time for a drink at any foreigner bar.
Everland (the happiest place in Korea!)
In all of South Korea, is there any happier place than Everland? I think not.
Before I begin this entry, I should remind you all that I’m still in Suwon, South Korea. More about that (if you care) on the Bio page.
Now then, I am a pretty big fan of Disneyland. As a matter of fact, I’m about 5 years old on the inside; so I’m a pretty big fan of anything designed to appeal to kids. I guess you should bear that in mind when you read this, since the epic awesome that I’m about to describe might not be quite as amazing to a proper adult.
First, Everland has rollercoasters! Who doesn’t like to be twirled around and terrifying angles and high speeds? T-Express, one of the coasters you can ride at Everalnd, is actually the largest wooden rollercoaster in the world. However, if you have small children or are afraid of that feeling in your stomach just after a rollercoaster reaches the top of a hill and just before it goes down, fear not! They have smaller and less frightening rides for you, too. It’s like Disneyland in that it’s a theme-park that has a little something for everyone.
For example, maybe you love animals. In that case, you’ll want to take the safari ride and see the Lions and Tigers. They even have a Liger, which seems to be what happens when a Lion and a Tiger really love each other. I’m not a huge fan of such things, and was more entertained by the pretty birds. I love colorful stuff because, as I said before, I really am about 5 on the inside.
Evrland also has a positively amazing garden. It’s really big, and really beautiful. I highly recommend taking a stroll through it and enjoying whatever is in season. It just so happened that when I visited, that was tulips. However, if you go in the summer, I’m told the roses are breath-taking.
It really doesn’t matter if you have kids or if you just go on your own. You’ll find something you love at Everland. Also, for you English-speakers, nearly everything is in both English and Korean, so you don’t have to worry about seeing neat animals and not being able to figure out what they are called.
To get there from Suwon station, the nice ladies at the tourism office assured me that there are city buses which are cheap. I guess I could have done that, but I didn’t want to. So, I went down to the taxi stand and asked to be taken to Everland (in English). The cab driver knew right where to go and it wasn’t that expensive. I think I paid 25,000 Won, which I considered well worth it.
Oh, and I should mention that the tickets to get into the park are about 35,000 Won. So, it’s cheaper than Disneyland, as well as being totally fantastic.
Club Spot in Hongdae, Seoul
If you’re looking for counter-culture in Korea, check out Club Spot!
There are a lot of amazing places to go in Seoul, South Korea. There’s the art district in Insadong. There’s the foreigner district called Itaewon. But my favorite place of all is Hongdae, and my favorite place in Hingdae is The Spot.
The Spot is right across the street from Hongik University. If you walk out of exit 12 from the Hongdae subway station, you pass the KFC was hang a left at the first street. It’s on the right, just before you reach the university. Across the street is a really cool park where they often have musicians, street performers, and tents set of with all kinds of cool vendors.
Club Spot is a venue, but their alcohol supply seems to increase every time I go in there, so I think it would be fair to call it a bar too. Some of the coolest bands I’ve seen in Korea, I have seen there.
A recent show I went to that was really fantastic had Loyal to the Grave and Day of Mourning; two really spectacular hardcore bands.
I’ve had some good times at The Spot. I’ve seen a lot of the counter-culture in Korea, which is hard to see. When you first arrive in Korea, it’s easy to see nothing but trendy stores and K-pop. However, when you take some time to delve into the various sub-cultures, you’ll find a lot more cool stuff than the surface club scene might lead you to expect.
I sincerely recommend Club Spot as a killer party place when you’re staying up late in Seoul.
My First Korean Wedding
Korean wedding, hanbok, marriage, traditional
I went to my first Korean wedding. The union of Sammy and J.R. was nothing at all like I pictured, so let me show you…
I pictured a Korean wedding ceremony, but it was a very Western affair. They wore Western-style clothes and had a very Western-inspired ceremony.
Interestingly, they even imitated several of the rituals we do in the west, such as that cute moment when the new couple cuts the cake. But don’t be deceived! It’s not real cake, and no one ate any. It’s a “prop cake” they have at Korean Wedding halls, just so they can take pictures.
They even had a simulation of a Champagne toast. This was actually a fountain made to look like a set up for a Champagne toast, that they took a picture with.
It was like a Western wedding, but it was just a bit off. The appearance was right. And yet, Western couples wouldn’t have made some of the calls that Korean wedding chapels do.
Oddly, Korean couples all do these Western ceremonies like the girls see on TV growing up. They want to wear the white dress like modern culture says they should. BUT they also have a Korean ceremony. Since it’s traditional and they are sort of shy about Korean traditions, this ceremony is only for family. So I sat with their friends and other co-workers at a buffet in the wedding hall while they had their Korean service.
I tried to photograph them afterwards in their traditional Korean hanbok. They didn’t exactly hold still for it…
Seasons
Seasons in Suwon, South Korea are striking to me. It may be because I’ve never seen seasons, and it may be because Suwon is stunning. I don’t know. Check the pictures out though.
I am from Phoenix, Arizona. We don’t have seasons there. The grass is always green. The trees always have leaves. And, there is no time of the year when you need a coat at noon.
Living in Suwon, South Korea has given me my first experience with seasons. It’s amazing to have the world around you constantly transforming. I arrived in winter, which was my first experience living in snow. Sending me from Phoenix, Arizona to a place to Suwon, South Korea in January was like throwing a cat in a bathtub.
On the other hand, winter was beautiful. Everything looks so fancy when it’s frosted in snow! And, while I thought winter was awesome, spring was absolutely amazing. I was in awe of all the soft petals drifting down from roof gardens and planters all around me.
Summer was hot, which I am used to. However, it was really humid, which I am not used to. I discovered something about humidity though; it helps plants grow! I am used to scrub bushes and cactus. The surrounding got so lush in summer it seemed like everything was growing.
Now it’s fall. I was impressed with winter, spring, and summer. Then the leaves started changing color and I realized fall was the greatest season ever! I have never seen so many wonderful colors.
So, to all my wonderful Phoenicians; visit anytime. Seasons are positively fantastic! And Suwon is a beautiful city to experience them in.
JD's Blog 