Bukchon-ro

The Quaint Village

Tourist agents do bring their clients to visit it.

Bukchon-ro represents all there is to a traditional country side scene.

Slapped in the middle of the city, it is a village cherished and preserved by the locals.

From the type of goods and display, we can sense that the place indeed is meant for the quiet and leisurely but the influx of tourists may have spoilt the ethos a little.

The lane is clear, neat and tidy. The books and its texture do reflect age and old times.

 The gloomy weather further added a tinge of melancholy to the atmosphere.

The Kim Chi pots are again a reminder that Kim Chi is a common must have item in daily meals.

Planted or kept aside on ground, the marination through winter allows it to be consumed sufficiently throughout the season.

When we got down, were greeted by traditional Korean houses with its intricate roof design wooden structure. The numerous tourists strolling around the houses might have caused some inconvenience and noise to the inhabitants. So, it is common to observe some older ladies employed to hold placards with the notice; :Shhh QUIET. Tourists can sometimes cause annoyance; so I feel.

But the feeling that you get cannot be put into words effectively. You have to be there to feel the pensive and moony temperament made possible by the wintry breeze. 

The Autumn leaves are a sure reminder of the season.

Everywhere I go, I had to fight against the cold. Layers after layers and I still have cold hands. The weather was a total change from home but it is fine to be under such weather occasionally. The sister is always dressed to kill for good disposition and mood. Her outlook and attitude are positive and nothing really can make her negative. If you need to do up your face just zap; if you need to loose weight just toxify, if you need to move just do it. It's fun being with her.

Bukcho-ro was also an eye-opener of the past.

Kim Chi

The Household Name

We were in time for an exclusive exhibition on kim chi.

Kim Chi is consumed by everyone here and the goodness of the marinated vegetable has long been known and felt by the locals. When googled on it, we found that the eyes, heart, stomach all will benefit from the product.

The lady in the banner is a master chef on it I believe. All Kim Chi experts seem to be in town showing off their skills. Kim Chi is made in many formulae and the tastes vary. But the novice here feels that they all taste the same. In fact, Kim Chi can be a little too over powering  especially if too much hot stuff is added. Taking it must be accompanied by glasses of water. 

 That is sister Mee Sing taking time off again to be with us. Behind us are huge Kim Chi pots which contain small portions of Kim Chi for exhibition.

Outside the exhibition hall are bags and bags of the Chinese cabbage and super huge radishes. I have never seen them in such sizes. It must be the temperate weather that makes it possible for them to grow to such enormity.

The Korean ladies in their traditional attire showed us the processes of Kim Chi making and the ethos was a perfect blend. Somehow when you see them in this set up you cannot but recall the Korean episodes that you so dutifully follow series after series.

 Two Korean ladies who speak almost perfect English explained to us the history of Kim Chi making and were hospitable in their gestures.

When we peeped through a small glass this were what we saw.

 I do not know how to name the marinated vegetables.

 The one on the left is marinated cucumber whereas the one on the right is radish.

 Mee Sing was invited to initial the visitors' book and at the same time we were informed that the cased book on the left is the first recipe book for Kim Chi making.

There was a transition of time on how Kim Chi evolved from ancient times to modern ones. There were some changes in the ingredients.

Kim Chi in traditional pots being exposed for the public; how when through a period of marination and how it is preserved till the last stages. Traditionally, Koreans start preserving them for winter consumption when the cold disallow planting. 

The produce has become a must have in homes ever since time allowed.

 The Chinese cabbage, radishes, spring onions and coriander are suggested vegetables and even the cockscomb which gives the coloring.

Yes, the cockscomb is the coloring agent for traditional Kim Chi making in the olden days.

 But today the red chilies do the job as coloring agent and giving that pungent, burning sensation after taste. Ginger is also a contributing factor to the right composition and taste.

 The vegetables ready for scraping/ The scraper does the essential task before the vegetables are put into pots and buried under the earth for cooling effect in winter.

While the earth serves its purpose in Kim Chi making, the Korean Peninsula is truly blessed by the seas surrounding it too. The Oceans is a rich source of food and many aquatic species have been preserved through time and again with the agent; salt.

With salt, all sea creatures can be preserved for a later date and consumption.

See the varied fish species dried with salt under the sun for all forms of consumption and cuisines.

Small fishes marinated with all forms of sauce and salt and it reminded us of our very own 'chincalok' of Melaka. Somehow the sea and its fishes will be preserved in almost the same pattern.

The fresh oysters will cause you to salivate. The vendor even ate it raw in front of us but it was too much for us to stomach. We had no guts for that.

On the way out of the hall, we were again invited to see the various forms of Kim Chi prepared under different vendors for sale. There was even a truck for the purpose; all so professional and eye catching.

The Kim Chi exposure will last us for a lifetime.

Morning Calm

The Garden

My sister is kind and hospitable. She said that our trip here must be made worth the while and it would mean not missing out on The Garden of Morning Calm. Situated in the suburbs some many kilometers away from the city, it took us about an hour of train ride to arrive. My sister said a taxi ride would cost more than RM500.00 but a train ride is less than a hundred. With time in our hands and no other good reason to spend the extra cost, we took a casual ride there.

The ride was hitchless and the cool morning added tranquility to the pleasant journey. 

We got out of the train at Cheongpyeong a connotation of peace and harmony.

Back home we hardly take the time to smell the flowers; let alone rest. So we did the rightful thing. Left everything behind and race for a peep at Autumn in Sonata Land. What a wise decision though it was a last minute one and buying air tickets at premium price. Sara laughed when we told her about it as she went there previously at a quarter of what we paid. Who cares? Just do it.

The ultimate point was to be with the sister too as she may be leaving the place in the near future.

Mee Sing, the sister is a perfect guide. 

She has been to the garden no less than 4 times in the last month bringing friends and sister Lee Ying and husband. 

But she reiterated that each trip brought different delights as she witnessed the changing hues.

 However, whatever hues the garden holds, they are nevertheless breathtaking.

 See the beautiful fading deciduous trees in the midst of evergreen ones.The blend is almost perfect.  

The cabin is constructed on logs and big tree chunks. The late Autumn is chilly and the soft breeze is a reminder that Winter is here to stay. The garden stroll accompanied by soft, soothing music over the loud speakers adds composure to the most fretful ones. Yes, the walk gave us a chance to examine life's perspectives.

Mee Sing here patiently waiting for the brother in law to pick maple leaves and even ginkgo ones as book marks. Papa is fully at ease with nature. In his tours he will make it a point to visit the country side and be in sync with the outdoor and then reluctantly give in to scouring malls with ladies. So the morning tour was still the same; visit garden first then only oblige us at the various countless malls.

Even as we strolled under the steel arch, we were told that plans are underway for a transformation to take place at the garden during winter. Apparently it would be turned into a winter wonderland when light bulbs are lit up to welcome Winter. The Koreans are a hardworking lot; they improvise and make thing work for their lot. They are a forward going people with a common goal. Mee Sing said there was no record of snatch theft and she can enter a lift without the fear of being trounced or clobbered. Shouldn't the world be doing that? How is it that digression has cropped in so quietly and so imminent ? Do people live to fight for a sensible cause or die for no cause?
 I am getting confused too.

 I believe this Chinese Juniper, so I read, symbolizes the Garden of Morning Calm as we took in the majesty of its 1000 year existence. The grand old tree is stately and stunning and it took away our breath. How beautiful as it stood so confidently for the world to gaze.

In the garden, there are themed plots denoting the origins of the country and the effort is to add colour to the walk round the site.

As we can see from the type of tree, this is the conifer garden. Conifer trees stay green in all seasons. So a small, quaint village is put up to represent the coniferous lands. The railway tracks are made alive during allocated hours but we did not get a chance to witness it.

 

This one is known as the Pagoda Valley. Rock-like features in the form of pagodas are built along the valley and it was a sight to behold. Many took initiatives and effort to stack them and it has become a spot for tourists to pause and ponder.

Somewhere in the midst of the resplendent garden, they created a road to heaven. It is a mini chapel and I entered it only to witness the cross being placed centrally in it. I had a most welcoming experience as I witnessed a young father singing the song "Jesus loves me" to his hardly a year old son. This is it. The young dad knows it well to bring the child up in the faith.

I was also told that many Koreans have embraced the Christian faith and the wave has changed the religious pattern here. Everywhere we traveled here, it was a common sight to see churches being planted whether in the suburb or the city. God bless the land.

This is the Cottage Garden.

It was designed alongside a cottage that was built according to traditional houses in Coltswold, a beautiful suburban UK village. So the locals do not have to travel there to see one.

The next garden is themed Korean.

The entrance and the exit; so typical of any Chinese houses too. Much Chinese influence is felt here and the beliefs of prosperity and fengshui so real.

A typical traditional Korean abode with wood as a major building material and the so famous wooden floor for rest and sleep. Partitions are set up to divide the different functions of rooms; dining, rest, study and the like.

A chrysanthemum bonsai plant so intricately wired and grown. 

The plant is small but matured; typical of all bonsai plants. 

The pots are kept cool during the winter months where KIM CHI is marinated and preserved for food. No home is spared of this traditional practice. The Koreans can stomach them in real hot sauce. Even my Malaysian palate finds it challenging. It's Kim Chi for every meal just as it is sambal for Malaysian cuisines. Making Kim Chi is an art that the locals cherish for as far as memory can stretch.

The Sunken Garden

I read that it is shaped like the Korean Peninsula and carpeted with various flowers and trees that represent the desire for South and North Korea to be reunited.

The clumps of beauty caused us to sit and rest around without wanting to move. The species of flora enchanted us and you can never get tired watching them.
So refreshingly spellbinding and captivating.

The cabbage family is represented in spectacular hues and shapes. It is eye opening and educational.

The young and old find the Garden of Morning Calm therapeutic and relevant. A volunteer group gathered the aged and physically challenged for an outing there and the trip will surely be etched in their remembrance for many days to come. 

So beautiful. 

I looked up the thesaurus for other words to describe; dazzling, ravishing, appealing, charming, gorgeous and splendid...no word to describe.

The Garden of Morning Calm.

You must see it.