The Korea Adventure Continues

by Pa Rock
World Traveler 


This morning my pals and I went to the Seoul Arts Center which is several blocks long and almost as wide.  We took in a design show there which had some amazing work ranging from design projects by school students to projects of professional artists.  We also walked through other shops and galleries.  With all of that art just oozing forth, what did I buy?  A couple of 3-D postcards!  There's no accounting for taste!

After a morning of the arts, we walked several blocks until we found a subway station.  We wanted to get to Seoul Station, the main train and subway station in Seoul, to purchase tickets for our planned outing to Busan tomorrow.   We managed to figure out how to purchase the tickets from a machine that had an English option, but couldn't figure out which gate to board.  Fortunately we ran into a wonderful little Korean man named Pang.  Pang got us on the right subway train, led us through a transfer, and got us to within three stops of Seoul Station before he had to depart at his own stop.

Mr. Pang was seventy-six years old.  He and I were both veterans of our respective armed forces, so we talked about that.  He said that the Korean government had asked his to sign a paper agreeing to fight in Vietnam and he declined.  Mr. Pang was a smart cookie!   He said that he has one son, and that son is currently giving him some problems - but he didn't get specific.  I told him that my kids are perfect!  He also talked about an American that he knew well back when he was in the military.  His friend was William Hughes of Philadelphia.  Mr. Hughes eventually returned home to become an elementary school teacher.

Kelly took a picture of Mr. Pang.  If she emails it to me, I will post it on www.okinawanodyssey.blogspot.com    I am posting many photos of the Korean trip on that site.

Our late lunch was at Seoul Station - some little panini bistro.  Kelly and I had dessert at Cold Stone.

This afternoon we walked around a large open-air market near the train station.  Tomorrow we are taking a high-speed train to the coastal city of Busan for a day of sight-seeing.

Tonight I will be enjoying a nice Thanksgiving meal here at the Dragon Hill Hotel.