I'm here!

I landed safely at 5 AM this morning, after the 14 hour flight... It was long, and the benadryl I took only lasted the first few hours, but they had so many movies to watch and albums to listen to, the trip was relatively enjoyable. I watched "Bridge to Terebithia" which I didn't want to pay for to see in the theater (it was decent, but not as good as the book), and also my favorite "The Painted Veil" which I had already seen. I started "Little Children" but fell asleep.

This morning, we went on a walk around the area in which we are staying. The part of Seoul where we are is quite hilly (reminds me of SF), has many bakeries and 99 cent (type) stores. We visited some palaces called Gyeongbokgung, Changdeokgung, and Changgyeonggung - these were quite stunning with brightly colored paint of blues, oranges, pinks, yellows, and ornate wood carvings. I'll post pictures when I get back! Then, we had a few hours off and I took a shower and a 45 minute much-needed nap, and then went to a lecture on the art of ancient Korea and the Silla Empire. Learning about the Silk Route is amazing, considering all the trade that occurred between Asia and the Middle East. Then, we took the subway downtown, and walked along the river there. It was a beautiful stream-like river with lots of reeds, large rocks, and people dipping their feet in to cool down on this hot day. The contrast between this river amidst the modern city was gorgeous. Then, we ate some Bulgogi for dinner.

Now, I'm really tired from jetlag, but I wanted to tell you some highlights. The subway was pretty cool, with TV's showing cooking shows and a news station!! There was an evangelist who sang about Jesus very operatically on the platform. I also especially liked the river, as it reminded me kind of the Saint Martin's Canal in Paris (though with its own special charm).

Tomorrow we are going to two museums and another lecture. And I am off to go for a swim at the hotel, and then to sleep. It is still really hot here!

gamsa hamnida for reading.