Chuck E Cheese* is where a kid can be a kid; Lotte World is where adults can be kids. This gem, located just one subway station away from me, is absolutely humungous. Let's begin with the basics:
a grocery store
a JCPenney-type store
a bigger Nordstrom's-type department store
3 food courts that I'm aware of
dozens, and I mean dozens of shoe, purse and clothing stores
a replica of the Trevi Fountain (not really a basic, but it's still there)
Inquisitive Reader: Well, Meg, that's pretty standard, what's so special about Lotte World?
Meg: Ah, young grasshopper, try these on for size:
an ice rink
a bowling alley
arcades
movie theaters (that's plural, not a typo)
a bookstore
Still Doubting Reader: All right, above average at best, but is this really worthy to be mentioned in your golden blog?
Meg: Yes. For this reason: Lotte World, in addition to being your one-stop shopping spot for groceries, clothes, books and a stroll around the ice rink, also hosts the largest indoor theme park, an outdoor amusement and water park and the whole shebangabang** is connected by a monorail. It's a playground for grownups!
Convinced Reader: Wow, I wish I had a Lotte World down the street from me.
Meg: Not all of us can be Meg.
Gyeongbok Palace:
This past weekend, Phil and I went to one of five palaces here in Seoul. Gyeongbok has a grisly history that doesn't accurately reflect its name. Gyeongbok means "shining happiness" in Korean. The palace was built in the 1390s and originally, the complex had hundreds of buildings. During Japanese occupation in the 1500s, it was burned down. It was
rebuilt in 1865 only to be to be torn down again in 1910 and, again, by the Japanese. What stands now is a reconstruction in progress that began after WWII. The front gate is called Gwanghwa-mun, seen here to the right. After passing through the main gate, one crosses a courtyard to the biggest wooden structure still standing in South Korea, Keunjeong-jeon. Keunjeong-jeon served as a royal throne hall. We could walk right up to the entrances but could not step inside. There were quite a few authentic artifacts inside the hall, like pillows on the floor for secretaries to the king. There are three pictures here, the outside, the inside and the ceiling.
(If you have a magnifying glass, I'm sitting on the stairs of the first picture.)
Next, we saw Kyeongho-ru, the largest pavilion in South Korea. It was used by the king to entertain visiting dignitaries. It is supported by 48 stone pillars and surrounded by a man-made lotus pond. Kyeongho means "joyous meeting" and the pavilion is still used today for special occasions. I imagine my pictures would have been better had there been leaves on the trees, but now I have a reason to go back. The last building to be noted is another pavilion, much smaller than Kyeongho-ru, called Hyongwon-jeong. This pavilion is hexagonal shaped and is two stories tall. It was often used as a place of relaxation and meditation by the kings. It is built on an island in the middle of a pond with a narrow bridge that connects it to the mainland. Below are two pictures of it.
Things I miss about America:
-the International House of Pancakes
-Grass. Space is a commodity here in S. Korea. There is not any spot of land that isn't being used here and an absence of space means civilization reaches up into skyscraping buildings. Every inch of space is occupied and treasured, which necessitates obsessive and unwavering efficiency here. But at the same time there probably isn't a word for "spacious" in Korean, and if there is, it's quickly falling out of their vernacular. To add perspective, explaining the word "lawn" to my students was incredibly difficult, because there are no lawns in Seoul!
-Super Bowl Commercials. I've managed to see some online, but it's not the same as watching them live and laughing while my face is covered with wing sauce.
-Street signs. Besides the only signs here being in Korean, there just aren't that many street signs here. So, even if I did have a map, I'd still be cazed and donfused most of the time.
-Not being stared at. I know, reader, I know. This was in my last post, but I've been here two months, and I still hate being stared at.
-Bigger shoe sizes. When I walk into a shoe store here, I waste no time and go straight for the rack with the biggest shoes. Who would guess that a 7 1/2 would be Sasquatch-sized here?
-Driving. I guess not using public transportation while I was growing up made me irrationally selfish with my modes of transportation. I intuitively itch for a mode of transportation that I don't have to share with strangers.
And now I leave you with three videos taken at Gyeongbok Palace. I'm not sure what they are or why they were performed, but it's not your every day experience. Enjoy!
*A masochistic parent's paradise.
** Shebang - (noun) the whole enchilada. Shebangabang - (noun) superlative of shebang (enchilada with rice and beans).
