It's been a while since I posted anything. The main reason is that I've been too busy working, but I have made a quick trip to Korea as well! And even though we have spent a fortnight there, which isn't really short I you think about it objectively, it did feel like a quick trip!
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| Memorial Park in Munsan |
So this post is about my first impressions of Korea. It felt to me like a mixture of Chinese and Japanese. Which is probably true. Korea has long been a satelite state of the Chinese imperium, and later has been occupied by Japan. So the noise definitely sounded Chinese to me, but the way things are done in a set manner, the emphasis on the 'correct way' of doning anything, reminded me very much of Japan.
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| View over Munsan (to the north) |
And the fact that Korea has been in a permanent state of war since the 1950's does show. The people themselfs do not seem very concerned with it. But for us tourists, it was quite visible in places.
We visited our friend, who lives in the border town Munsan (1 hour north of Seoul), and we decided to go on a morning walk in the surrounding country side. The path started right behind the memorial park. And then passed trenches and foxholes, not used at that moment, but very well maintained. But it was quite busy that morning with other hikers and no one but us seemed to notice the millitary appearance.
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| Walking past trenches |
Now.... the correct manner to go hiking in Korea. Firstly, you need to wear the proper hiking gear. That means: hiking trousers in a bright colour, with black patches on the inside of you legs. A matching long sleeved, light wear jacket. Both in this season's colour. The seasonal colours this spring were orange or pink, we were told that last autumn they were burgundy and mustard.
Under your jacket you wear a long sleeved shirt, the woman wear a large sunshade and the man a cap, and every one wears trainers with neon laces. Of course you carry a backpack. Optional accesoires are walking poles, bandana and gloves.
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| Typical Korean hiker (from SFA) |
