Day Five
"수양이 도를 만든다" (Su-yang-i do-reul mandeunda)
Translation: "Discipline creates mastery."
Our hotel for the conference was in Inchon. It is about 40 Km (~25 Miles) from Seoul or about 1:40 by subway.
We got up and met one of our team members. We had not made a plan for our day (uncertain of our teamresponsibilities), but we were released for the day. We decided to rest - not a Kyle quality. After trying that for 20 minutes we went to the pool. We had made a reservation (required) for a 3-hour window but decided to go immediately.
I used the house slippers provided since I limited myself to two pairs of shoes on the trip, hiking shoes and dress shoes. Hotel slippers are always size ten or below (I have no idea if this is true, but it feels true) so my heels hung off the back and I had to shuffle like Tim Conway to keep them from falling off. We arrived and slid into the water and swam to the opposite end of the pool. After a couple of minutes, we realized that we were the only ones not wearing a bathing cap. Right at that moment a very serious attendant in a suit came walking straight towards us and gestured vigorously that we needed swim caps. We got out of the pool and then had a 10-minute comedic interlude when one guy tried to sell us caps, while -another employee said they could loan us caps. We borrowed caps. Then we got back into the water.
Our legs were still swollen and tender from the hike and the water felt good. The sky was blue and clear and then we realized we could make it back to Seoul see a couple of things and make it back to our 8:30 PM group dinner. Then we put it into high gear. Out of the pool, return our hats, head to the room get our travel gear, walk to the subway, and start the long journey.
One of our first purchases had been a palace tour combo pack. It was burning a hole in my pocket. We needed to see one more to make it cost-effective. It was also the oldest, largest, and most famous. The travel app said that a bus and then one train would be the fastest journey and would put us at the site at 1:32 PM. A savings of about 20 minutes from the journey we took the night before. The problem was the bus was about a 13-minute walk away and we had 10 minutes. We started fast-walking trying to keep our panic in check. We were at the last intersection and got stopped by a light. A big red bus drove past us emblazoned with the correct number. The don't walk sign flashed with a taunting countdown. The light changed and we ran. There was a large crowd waiting at the bus stop. If we could get close, maybe they would wait. It looked like I was fleeing from Cindy as we powered down the empty sidewalk in our futile race. The bus pulled away and we were left huffing and puffing.
I consulted the travel app which directed me back 200 yards to the subway entrance. The subway process involved Incheon line 1 to Seoul express train then switch to the green line 2, and then finally 4 stops on the orange line 3. I watched the map app, counted stops, and feverously checked our progress. We arrived later than anticipated. I usually feel triumphant walking out of the subway tunnel at our destination, like a hunter returning to camp with enough food to sustain his family. I was not feeling triumphant, but defeated by all those lost minutes. If we had started the day with a plan! Our target had been the 2 PM changing of the guard ceremony. We arrived at 2:08 PM and needed to walk about 2 minutes to get to the viewing site. Those bathing caps made my head hurt in more ways than one! If we could have had those 10 minutes back we would have made it on time. If we had made the traffic light . . . if, if, if.
Gyeongbokgung Palace
The palace is massive with gardens and buildings dominating an area of about 77 football fields. One travel writer said of the changing of the guard ceremony, "I’ve been to many of these around the world over the years, and this is one of the most impressive." He was correct. We saw half of it and were glad that we had rushed. Then it was off to see the palace. They had English walking tours, but not timely for us. We chose to go on the self-guided tour. It was great. The palace was very similar to the one we saw on Friday and the interpretive map and signs were enough for us to move us across the huge space.
There were two museums one at the entrance that explored the palace in more detail and one at the exit focused on handicraft arts. I thought we would go to the one at the beginning, but as we approached the end the design of the Folk museum won. It was a huge multilayered pagoda rising into the sky.
I thought it was a museum of Folk art. I was wrong. In America, it would have dealt with Folk art: cultural, informal, utilitarian, and simple designs by craftsmen that reflect a unique group of people. "Folk art is often functional or decorative, including objects like textiles, pottery, wood carvings, painting, and metalwork." We quickly understood that this was not the way the museum was using the word. The museum was labeled as, "The National Folk Museum of Korea." I think in English it might be more accurately called "The National Culture Museum of Korea."
It was a crash course in what it means to be Korean. I cannot think of a museum in the same genre.
The museum is divided into three permanent sections, K-Culture, Calendar, and Life-Cycle and one temporary section Coffee.
K-Culture. "K-culture refers to the global influence of modern and traditional South Korean culture, especially through K-pop, K-dramas, K-beauty, and Korean cuisine. This phenomenon, known as the "Korean Wave" or "Hallyu," has captivated international audiences with its music, entertainment, and lifestyle trends. It also includes traditional Korean arts, language, and customs, making South Korea a major cultural force worldwide."
Calendar. Key events include Seollal, the Lunar New Year, a time for family gatherings and honoring ancestors, and Chuseok, the Korean Harvest Festival, celebrated with feasts and rituals of gratitude. Dano, a traditional festival marking the end of planting season with cultural performances and rituals.
Life-Cycle. Korean life passages are marked by significant traditional ceremonies that celebrate key stages in life. Baek-il (100th day) and Dol (1st birthday) are important milestones in a child's early life, symbolizing survival and good fortune. Other major passages include Gwanhonsangje, which represents coming-of-age, marriage, and funeral rites, each accompanied by unique rituals that reflect deep-rooted cultural values of family, respect, and continuity.
It was one of the most interesting museums. It was not focused on seeing artifacts, but on learning about Korea and Korean Culture. It was world-class.
Three words were used to describe modern Korea, Be Useful, Be Natural, Be Together (Six in English, I know, but only three in Korean). It made me wonder, "What words describe American culture?"
The visit ended at an outdoor reconstructed traditional village. We wish we had more time, but calculated we needed to go. We were hungry and planned to get some fried chicken on the way.
For the next several hours nothing went according to plan. The chicken place was slower than expected, the experimental order we made was weird and neither of us wanted much of it. We got word that the team had revised our meeting time. The train schedule got wonky. We hurried through the food we could eat and then rushed to the train station. The route said we would arrive 15 minutes earlier than our plan, but exactly on time for the group. We, however, would have no chance to change from shorts and travel clothes.
We grabbed the train, rode three stops, switched, then rode more, and then transferred to the wrong train. We were supposed to get an express train but got a local train. It stopped at all the stops! We were now going to be 15 minutes late. Then I realized that it was going in the wrong direction. The stations had been the ones I anticipated, but thensuddenly the train veered south instead of West. It took me three stops to realize the issue. We got off and revised our plan. Ride back three stops and then switch to the correct train. We were going to be seriously late. The trip was agonizingly slow. We finally popped up down the street from our hotel and walked/jogged to the hotel. Fortunately, everyone was running late as their flights had just arrived. The were bleary-eyed and did not notice our disheveled state or just averted their eyes from us.
It was the first time our team had been together, it was not my best moment.
One more sleep and the conference begins.
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