Hi all!
The penny finally dropped this morning (after almost 8months here!) (North) Korea borders Siberia. That's why it's soooooo bloooody cooooold here!
Anyway, I went up to Seoul to see JUMP!
On Saturday morning, Bernice and I took the KTX speed train up to Seoul, First Class, mind you. A bit on the expensive side, but all the economy seats were sold out. What a lovely experience! We had so much leg room, that we could put both our overnight bags between our seats, and my legs still couldn't reach all the way to the seat in front of me :) I could get used to this, rather too easily. Travelling at 302km per hour, we arrived in Seoul 1h40min later. I met up with Julie (a Vietnamese-American - amazing story... her mother is a post-Vietnam War refugee)...met up with Julie in Itaewon, we went shopping (what else?) and had a humungous buffet lunch at a big Indian restaurant. Then off to see JUMP!
JUMP! is a martial arts theatre show, a physical theatre comedy. The actors all use taekwondo. This show has toured all around the world already. It finally made its way to JHB last year, and I was really bummed that it didn't come to CT. But since I realised that I could see it here in Korea, it was ok. Well, it was the first time in my life that I've watched live martial arts by 'authentic' Asians, if you know what I mean! I sat in that theatre, beside myself. I just couldn't believe that I was getting to watch this amazing performance, live! I sat there, on the edge of my seat, thinking to myself, "I can't believe this! I can't believe I'm actually watching live martial arts! I have to come and see this show again! And again! And again!"
The story is of a stereotypical Korean family, consisting of the grandfather, father and mother, daughter and her suitor, and the drunken uncle. A pair of burglars break in one night, and you can just imagine the confusion and hilarious results. (A word to the guys reading this....if you want awesome muscles, without the beefed-up Arnie Schwarzenegger body, take up taekwondo classes. Those guys had awesome bodies, that they made fly through the air and bounce off the ground! With total grace. AWESOME!!!)
Then there was some more hanging out with friends, escaping the cold in over-heated coffee shops, then some more shopping for gifts and souvenirs, hotel check-in. And out in the freezing cold again, looking for adventure. We stayed in a nice quiet touristy area, with loads of souvenir shops, restaurants and traditional Korean tea houses. We wandered down a quiet alley and found a beautiful tea house, named The Old Tea House. It was very small, but beautifully decorated with traditional Korean cushions and paper walls. There was the most beautiful, delicate fragrance perfuming the air....all the teas, of course! I drank crysanthemum tea, which had flowers and all in it. And to bed after that. Apparently it snowed in Seoul that night. By the time we got going the next morning, it had long since melted. So I didn't see any snow. But I can well believe it had snowed cos, it was certainly freezing cold out!
We had brunch at yet another Indian restaurant, which was also so beautifully decorated! It reminded me so of the cafes in Long Street. Some more walking around in the cold, and then it was time to catch the KTX (economy this time) back to Daegu and home.
So, a very nice enjoyable weekend. Nothing too spectacular....just a bit of theatre (martial arts), some local culture (tea house), some eating (Indian), some peaceful sleeping-like-a-baby (while it snowed outside), and some shopping (shopping).
I really have to take things easy for a bit, now. Relax and rest before my next trip....to the US, this time.
I'm sure you guys must already be getting tired of shopping mall Christmas music? I actually miss it now :)
Anyway, time to go...
Lots of love to everyone
Andrea
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