Stehouwers visit Korea

My parents came to visit for the first two weeks in October (I know, I’m a bit tardy with my posting!). It was wonderful to take in the sights, smells, tastes and sounds of Korea with them, but it was also great to share a bit of our daily lives here with them.

We did so much while they were here that we were all pretty worn out by the end of the two weeks. From planes, trains and buses, to subways, taxis and ferries, we did it all, including a lot of walking!

We visited temples and palaces, and a traditional folk village. Gwuangwamun, below, is a historical palace in the heart of Seoul. During our visit to the folk village we got a glimpse of what Korea was like before modernization. We took the subway to Dobongsan, a moutain just outside the city for a 6 hour hike. It was quite tough at the end! After we hiked along Suwon Fortress we stopped and had galbi, seasoned pork ribs. As you can see in the picture (forgive the bluriness), you grill it yourself at your table. Dad had a rough time here trying to use metal chopsticks to eat! We shopped in the traditional markets and along an artsy side street. They bought a few things, including some ginseng candy. We ate a lot of Korean food, including almost every type of street food we could find (Dad especially loved this!).
We watched some shows, a traditional Korean dance and music show and a martial arts comedy.
We even made it up to the DMZ (demilitarized zone between North and South Korea). From there we could see Gijeongdong, the North Korean city which is believed to be unoccupied, except for a small handfull of people who maintain the buildings. The flagpole in the picture is the tallest in the world, 160 meters tall, flying a 300 lb. flag!
The time went by way too quickly, but I think they’d agree that the 16+ hour plane ride was well worth it (hint, hint, Lee & Peggy!). We’re always happy to have visitors, so if any of this appeals to you, come visit (we’ll be here until at least Feb. 2008)!