Sunday, July 25, 2010

Jellomnado (part 2)

For Part ONE click here

Our dinner and housing is at a traditional folk village. These "villages" are set up to feel like Korea did before modernization insisted that gray unsightly boxes which some might call buildings decidedly threw the thatched houses into a history trash bin. Dinner is samgipsal (pork belly) with lots of different versions of kimchi and other random side dishes including quail eggs.

Barley water is place on our front porch for a refreshment before we go to bed. The little old lady who cares for us has more wrinkles than a shar pei. She is of the breed of Koreans who believe in hard work. She cared for our needs until late in the evening, and was up sweeping before I rolled off my floor mat in the morning. Sweet, but with a strong dose of "no nonsense" she makes me miss my grandmother.
After we lay on our floor mats, our fan, the only coolant available decides it no longer wants to accept electricity. Mosiquitoes versus death by heat are our options. We opt for heat as mosquito bites last much longer.

In the morning, we tour the folk village. There are several Korean families living or staying on the premises. Rabits, chickens and other farm animals hop around in their cages. As always, we are overly-intrigued by the animals.

There is a wall, not as grand as "The Great Wall of China" but an impressive one non the less surrounding the village with a walk way on top. It gives us a fantastic view of the village. It is stunning. I love this Korea. I love this Korea for it's aesthetics and quaintness. It is nothing like modern day Korea and it's hideous box architecture and industrial feel. Old ladies are selling their wares as we walk out. As usual they are all selling the exact same thing. We buy a cup of berries similar looking to blackberries from a hunched over smiling old lady. The first berry is succulent and sweet. However, as if by dark magic, as soon as we walk away, the rest of the berries have absolutely no flavor. I have to keep from spitting everyone of them out.

to be continued....

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