A fine night to be Alight

The 500,000 lights have gone dark and the village is quiet until May when the tourists will return.

But for the month of December and the first week of January Upper Canada Village near Morrisburg, Ontario, was aglow with lights and bristling with activity. Outside the village the train tour showed us even more lights and animatronic displays at Santa’s workshop. We enjoyed the train ride but we were happy to get into the village proper as it was a bit warmer. As we walked though, we had to watch out for the “road apples” left by the horses pulling the large tourist-filled wagons or smaller private coaches with couples snuggling under blankets. We’d been to Upper Canada Village before but not for many years. However, the village depicts life in the 1860s, so not much changes. Or so we thought. It all seemed magical under a shadowy moon and everything looked so different. Buildings were awash with “wall lights” that changed colour or were framed with tiny lights. The lights floated as the trees they adorned seemed to disappear.

Only a few buildings are open during the winter festival and being true to their origin have no central heating. Staff was warm and friendly in spite of the fact they were bundled up but probably feeling the cold as much as we were. They were likely envious of the baker who had the comfort of the wood-fired oven as he made copious loaves of bread and pans of cinnamon buns, which were scooped up quickly in the outdoor food court.

We’d been encouraged to see the Gingerbread House display at Chrysler Hall. These were not your ordinary gingerbread houses; they were works of art. I’ve made a gingerbread house only once because of the work involved and mine was a very simple house with some candy decorations. I cannot fathom the effort—and patience—that went into these creations. The Grand Prize winner was a large house complete with piano, fireplace, bookshelves (with books) and other furnishings. We were dumbstruck by the detail inside and out.

Equally awesome was the imagination and detail displayed and the work involved for all entries. My favourite was the carousel, which evoked a summer fair that might come to the village.

We expected to be at the festival for about two hours and wound up staying close to four. That included breaks for dinner and those cinammon buns, but most of the time was spent touring the village  to see the displays including a light show in time to music and some carolling at Christ Church.

We might go back for the 12th annual Alight at Night Festival  and may even get back to the Village in the summer now that we’ve seen everything in a whole new light.

Moving on–One day at a time

In many ways September is better than January for new beginnings. Maybe it’s because of the “back to school—new year” thing that we all remember going through as kids, and with our kids. It’s time for that fresh start. It’s time to be moving on.

Before moving ahead maybe we need to look back and remember what’s come before and who has come before us. We need to remember what inspires us to keep going.  As the saying goes, “you can’t really know where you’re going if you don’t know where you’ve been.” So, I’ve been reading some of my blog posts and other writing from the past year. Lest you think I’m just being self-indulgent I had to find some appropriate writing clips to send to a potential client. I also needed to remind myself that I’ve done some good work in the past year, and that it’s time to do better work. I didn’t send this one called Back to the Future but as it was written about this time last year, I thought I’d share some of it with you here, and then move on from there.

While it is all well and good to say “live for today”, we can’t help thinking about tomorrow. Young children think in terms of yesterday, today, and tomorrow. Everything before today happened yesterday; things to come will happen tomorrow—or the tomorrow after that. That logic has its appeal.

While we may think in of long and short-term pasts and futures, we really only have today—even though some of the yesterdays are in the distant past, and the tomorrows may be in the long-off future. So we can really only worry about today. That’s the gist of an article, “Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow” that is read at many “AA” program meetings. It points out the importance of living “one day at a time.”

I learned the importance of these words from my Uncle Bob and he was the embodiment of that spirit.  He was a proud member of the “AA family” for more than 42 years. (I am not breaking his anonymity—he would tell you if he were here, and would like that I told you.)  When he died suddenly in June I’m sure it was without regret. Everyone around him knew he loved them and he knew he was loved. More than 200 people gathered for his funeral. Many more than that came to the wakes and memorials held in the days before and the week after.

“Bob K” had a heart that  was his curse and our gift. If you needed help; if you needed a ride; if you needed a place to stay; if you needed…—and it was in his power to help you, he would. He was a wonderful dad, grandfather (Papa), uncle, and friend. He was my mother’s youngest brother, and he was a really good friend to her too. I want to, and will write more about him, but the words don’t come easily yet. They are starting to, and he’d be saying, “Cork, just get it done—you might only have today to work on it.” Cork was his nickname for me.  He liked nicknames and shortcuts, and many of his family and friends were given a nickname.  He liked to keep things easy. He’d shorten the name of that article to YTT. He also liked KISS principle—Keep It Simple, Silly (or Stupid, but he didn’t like to be rude.)

When I told a friend who knew how close I was to my uncle about his death she asked me, “So how will you move on?” It was an unexpected but good question. She knew that he wouldn’t want me, or anyone else, spending a lot of time grieving his passing. He would want us moving on. At that particular moment I didn’t really know, but I remember saying, “I’ll just try to do what he did—make every day count.”  I’m trying. I am also trying to honour him by helping others whenever it’s in my power to do so. I find it easier to move on because I’m inspired by so many others. I’m inspired by the energy and enthusiasm shown by my husband and sons in their work and their lives.  The success and work ethic of so many of my friends and colleagues in PWAC gives me renewed energy. And I’m inspired by the knowledge that I don’t have to worry about yesterday or tomorrow. I just have to worry about today, and move on from there. One day at a time.

Do you have, or have you had, someone in your life that inspires you? How do you move on after a setback?  Join the conversation. Let’s keep moving on together.

YESTERDAY, TODAY, AND TOMORROW

There  are two days in every week about which we should not worry, two days which should be kept free from fear and apprehension.

One of these days is YESTERDAY with its mistakes and cares, its faults and blunders, its aches and pains. YESTERDAY has passed forever beyond our control.

All the money in the world cannot bring back YESTERDAY. We cannot undo a single act we performed; we cannot erase a single word we said. YESTERDAY is gone.

The other day we should not worry about is TOMORROW with its possible adversaries, its burdens, its large promise and poor performance. TOMORROW is also beyond our immediate control.

TOMORROW’S sun will rise, either in splendor or behind a mask of clouds–but it will rise. Until it does, we have no stake in TOMORROW for it is as yet unborn.

This leaves only one day–TODAY–. Anyone can fight the battles of just one day. It is only when you and I add the burdens of those two awful eternities–YESTERDAY and TOMORROW that we break down.

It is not the Experience of TODAY that drives us mad–it is remorse or bitterness for something which happened YESTERDAY and the dread of what TOMORROW may bring.

LET US, THEREFORE, LIVE BUT ONE DAY AT A TIME.

Authorship attributed to Richard W., a member of the Daytona Beach AA group. He wrote it in his “Daily Journal” in 1942 about a month after joining the program. He retained his sobriety until his death in 1965—source, Toronto Intergroup newsletter, “Better Times.”

We all need a little support

I’ve been going to classes lately at Yoga Samatva in Kingston, and the class I was in most recently was the most relaxing, while leaving me totally energized. All because of about five “supported” poses. I think the class was called “Subtle Energy and Relaxation.”

The supports came from the blocks, blankets, pillows, and bolsters we used to support our bodies while transitioning into the different poses. Our instructor Laurel provided guidance, assistance, gentle touch, and support as needed. As a newcomer in the class I think I got more help than others, and I was most appreciative for it.

Yoga is an interesting practice that can be done alone or in a group, and it can be as deep and spiritual as you want to make it. Some people practice meditation in conjunction with or in addition to the yoga practice. I don’t usually. For me, it’s about stretching my body, exercise, and relaxing. I’ve been to many types of classes, and tried various yoga practices and poses. This was by far the easiest, and one that I want to now combine with practices that are a bit more vigorous and challenging. One of my favourites is Hot Yoga, and I mean HOT!

The room is heated to about 38 or 40 degrees (Celsius) and you gently move through a series of poses. Sweat pours from everywhere and you are left dripping and glowing. A towel on the mat helps to absorb some but the teacher still cautions to watch your step because the floor gets slippery. This is not for everyone, and given that I don’t like humid weather I am surprised I enjoy this class as much as I do.

While there are yoga teachers and a new yoga studio in Napanee, I don’t know that hot yoga is available here so I will continue to make the drive to Kingston.  I have the mat, the blocks, and other supports at home but having the support of the teacher and the other yoga practitioners in a class setting works better for me. And we all need a little support.

Have you tried yoga? Tell me about your experiences.

******

I wrote the above piece on Thursday, June 2 (but hadn’t posted it yet) before I got a call telling me that my cousin Brett Kane had died of a sudden heart attack. One month shy of his 45th birthday,Brett was the youngest of my Uncle Bob’s three children, and Uncle Bob is the youngest of my mother’s eight siblings, the only one still living. The family tree is large, with my 21 first cousins, and their kids, and grandkids, filling out its branches.

Many of us will gather to honour and remember Brett, and to support Brett’s immediate family. We will take time from our work, and our lives, for the wake and funeral, because this is what this family does. We’ve been through this too many times, but we always know that we are all there for each other. We will laugh, we will cry, and we will support each other—because at times like this, we really need all the support we can get.

The Loss of Two Good Men

Our federal riding of  Lanark-Frontenac-Lennox & Addington lost two good men this week.

Liberal candidate David Remington was not successful in his bid to become our representative in Ottawa, and Larry McCormick, our Liberal Member of Parliament from 1993 to 2004, died .  I knew Larry was not well, but I was shocked by his death. It was comforting to learn that he’d died at home, surrounded by loved ones. My deepest sympathy to his family.

David learned a lot from Larry McCormick, not least of which was how to be present in your riding. No matter how far he had to travel, or how long a day it would be, Larry was always there for community events on Canada Day, and other special occasions. And he was always smiling, and extending his hand with a warm, firm grip. He was always very sincere and friendly. When you talked to him, he listened—genuinely listened. Larry regularly visited his constituency offices to meet people in the riding, and he met constituents in his Ottawa office too. He worked hard for the people in his riding. He’d learned the value of working hard for people even before he went to Parliament Hill.

For more than 25 years Larry and his wife Reta ran a general store in the village of Camden East, located about 15 kilometres northeast of Napanee, where I moved with my family in 1993. Shortly after we moved, I met Larry when I stopped in the store while out for a country drive. It was a general store, and had everything villagers, or visitors, would need. When Larry decided to retire, and then run for office for the federal election in 1993, the McCormack’s sold the store. It’s had a few owners since, but it always has been, and always will be “McCormick’s.”

Larry took those same people skills that made his store so successful and transferred them to his political career, which was very successful until 2004 when the riding was re-aligned and Larry found himself pitted against another MP, Scott Reid, from the then Alliance, now Conservative, party. It wasn’t so much a case of Larry losing the riding, because he was still tremendously liked and respected here; it was a case of Scott winning because he had stronger support in the larger part of this riding, and the Alliance/Reform party was gaining popularity. To his credit, Scott set up offices in both parts of this large riding, and tries to connect with people as he can, but he does not  have the same people skills.

Larry showed David Remington how to go out and meet people, and make sure you get around to as much as the riding as you possibly can. He took David with him to Ottawa as his parliamentary assistant once David’s municipal political career had ended. (David was a municipal councillor, deputy mayor and then mayor of Napanee.) David learned what was involved in being an MP and decided to run in 2008. Once again, the main opponent was Scott Reid, who won the riding, but David continued to make his presence known.

Through Larry, David learned the value of being personal and available to constituents. In the past year, and in the election campaign, David set up roundtable discussions to learn what people in the riding cared about. He set up town hall meetings if there were not all-candidates meetings in communities. He used all media at his disposal—traditional and social—to get his message, and the message of the Liberal party, out to the people. But they weren’t listening.

People in this riding must have been paying more attention to the loud noises being made by the the Conservative party, and the roar of the Orange Wave. They voted with the country giving Conservative Scott Reid a majority victory, and second place to NDP candidate Doug Smyth. I don’t understand what our voters here were thinking, but I respect their decision.

I hope that we have not lost David as a Liberal candidate and he will run again, but four years is a long time. Rightly so, David is not making those kinds of decisions right now.

David has run successful businesses, been a municipal politician, and worked as a consultant. He continues to be a strong community volunteer. He will return to his job with the Ontario Ministry of Children and Youth, where I’m sure his talents for bringing people together to solve problems and find solutions are well used.

First, David will pay his respects to his friend and colleague Larry McCormick, from whom he learned so much.

This riding has lost a good man in Larry McCormick. But we still have David Remington. If we’re lucky, we’ll have him in Ottawa too.

It’s Crunch Time–to get out the vote

It’s crunch time. Candidates and their supporters are out pounding the pavement, knocking on doors, and getting out the vote.

I know David Remington,  my local Liberal candidate, has worn out (at least) one pair of shoes as he’s traveled to communities in this riding—large and small, meeting as many people as he can. David has been out to seven—yes seven—all-candidates’ meetings, and has conducted a few “town hall meetings” in areas that didn’t have an all-candidates meeting. That is no small feat as this riding, Lanark-Frontenac-Lennox&Addington—is a very large geographic area—I can’t even guess at the kilometres David, and to be fair, the other candidates, have covered in this campaign.

As we get down to crunch time, David is likely picking up the pace over the weekend as I know he will be at several events in Verona, Perth, Napanee, and Battersea—and that’s just Saturday. I haven’t heard his plans for Sunday yet, but I’m sure it will be an equally busy day. I think I’m going to nickname him “Energizer Dave.”

It is Dave’s belief that if he gets out and meets people, and more importantly, let them meet him, he shares his vision of how politics matters.

And politics matters. That’s why people like me are getting involved in a way that they haven’t before. I’m joining the team on Saturday doing some door-to-door canvassing on Saturday, which should be fun, as well as informative. I’ve never participated in a campaign in this way before. Every vote really does matter, and if I can convince even just one person to vote for David, especially someone who was going to vote for someone else, or worse, not vote at all, it will be a success for me.

It’s time to get involved in the election process, and it’s time to get out the vote. If the turn-out out the advance polls is any indication, there could be line-ups at the polling station, which will be great. Vote early, and then get others out to vote. Do what you can to make this the biggest election in our history. It’s certainly one of the most important I can remember in my lifetime.

Today, Friday, April 29, we had the distraction of the Royal Wedding in London, England, which was lovely, but now it’s time to get back to the election here. It’s crunch time.

He can’t handle the truth

In today’s Toronto Star, there is an article stating that Stephen Harper doesn’t think the Opposition parties will work with him if he forms another minority government. http://tinyurl.com/3e2q2bo

He thinks we will be in “a black hole” if the Liberals form the government. We will be in a black hole all right, but it will be the Conservatives that will put us there.  Mr. Harper will want to continue to govern the way he has–with Harperocracy, and with no regard to anyone’s agenda but his own.

This part of the article was particularly telling:

“So far in the campaign, he has shown no willingness to compromise. Harper has pledged to re-introduce the budget that was rejected last month, just before the election was called. In the campaign he also say he will pass an omnibus bill with all the criminal justice legislation that wasn’t dealt with in the last Parliament and do it within 100 days of taking power.

Asked Wednesday if he would be willing to tone down his agenda so that it was acceptable to other parties, Harper was defiant.

“I don’t accept that question,” he told reporters.”

He doesn’t accept the question? (Maybe it wasn’t one of the five questions he’d allotted for the day.)

When challenged on the real reason for the election–his government being found to be in contempt of Parliament– leading to the attacks from the Opposition, and the vote of non-confidence, Harper said [during the debates], “I don’t accept the truth behind the attacks.”

He doesn’t accept the truth? Mr. Harper–you can’t handle the truth! (Thank you writers of “A Few Good Men” for giving Jack Nicholson that iconic line.)

Is this someone we can trust with any kind of power–minority or majority–NO!

Michael Ignatieff and his team of Liberals, including our local candidate David Remington can be trusted. They have been very clear about what they will do if they are asked to form a government, and they have been very clear about what they won’t do.  They have shown how all of their programs will be paid for without raising personal income taxes.  It’s all in the Liberal plan.

Check it out. Find out where your local Liberal candidate stands on issues that are important to you. It’s important to vote locally, as well as nationally. My local politics haven’t always aligned with my national politics but this time they are. I like many of the policies of the Green and NDP parties, and I think Michael Ignatieff does too. He will work with them to implement some of those policies but in a way that perhaps makes more fiscal sense–clear costs of their programs are not part of either the Green or NDP platforms, as far as I’ve seen.

We’re into the home stretch now–12 days to Rise Up.

Rise up and go to All Candidates meetings in your area.

Rise up and vote on May 2.

Rise up to a new dawn, a new Liberal government, and a new way of doing things.

Stephen Harper may not want to accept that truth, but it will be one he will have to learn how to handle.

The Political Game and the Hockey Game

Since the date for French-language debate was moved to accommodate the hockey game, I’ll use a hockey analogy here: the first part of the campaign was the regular season, and now we’re into the play-offs with Game 7 of the final being on May 2—election day. There won’t be a silver cup hoisted, but I’m sure there will be plenty of cheers, and some tears, by both the winning and losing teams. There may even be champagne.

If we can get excited about hockey, surely we can get excited about this  game of politics. It affects far more of us, in a far more important way.

To David Remington, politics matters. It matters to him who runs the country and how they do business.  He knows politics having served his local municipality as a councillor and mayor, and working as former Liberal MP Larry McCormick’s Parliamentary Assistant.  Dave knows business too, as he has owned a variety of businesses, including a coffee shop and a movie theatre, over the past 20 years. He is committed to making the communities in his riding better.

As a  second time Liberal candidate in the huge riding of Lanark-Frontenac-Lennox & Addington  Dave says people are getting to know him and feel more comfortable with him than they did in the last election. People like to vote for people they know, and they like to do business with people they know. With Dave in Ottawa, and when he’s back in the riding, they’ll be able to do both.

“I want to be a Member of Parliament who is accessible to residents, and involved in our riding,” he says. Working together we can achieve our goals, hopes, and dreams.”

Goals, hopes, and dreams—when was the last time you really believed those words could belong in politics?

After watching the debates this week, it was hard to tell if any of the leaders, including Michael Ignatieff, were keeping the goals, hopes, and dreams of Canadians in mind.  They seemed to be, at times, talking more about their own personal goals rather than the goals they have for the country. Stephen Harper desperately wants to lead a majority government, which Ignatieff rightly told him he hasn’t earned.  Jack Layton is concerned that he will be marginalized. Gilles Duceppe got in some good zingers and seemed to be providing comic relief more than anything. Since Duceppe doesn’t field candidates nationally, why was he even part of this national leaders’ debate? Ignatieff didn’t really address Layton’s comment (attack?) about Ignatieff’s attendance record in the House of Commons.   He can’t make anyone’s goals, hopes, or dreams a reality if he’s not there.

He says he’ll give Canadians a chance to be more engaged by having a “Citizens Question Period”, according to Dave Remington. “Citizens can send in questions to be addressed in Question Period, and they will be answered by Ignatieff and his ministers,” Dave told me. I guess Ignatieff plans on being in the House more often. At least he’d better be.

For me, the debates didn’t really produce a clear winner, and I’m sure each of the parties is putting their “spin” on how their guy did—I have to say “guy” because Elizabeth May wasn’t there as she should have been.

As I said in Democracry, Hypocrisy, and Harperocracy, I’m going to be critical when I think it’s called for. Ignatieff has not lived up to my expectations in the past, but he’s making up for it now. He looked quite Prime Ministerial, especially during the French-language debate. In both debates he was confident, and laid out his plans well, when given the opportunity. He also had Harper on the defensive, especially about the reasons for this election–and we know it has nothing to do with coalitions and everything to do with a need for democracy. Ignatieff needs to keep that momentum going, and keep reminding Canadians that we *do* need this election.

I know hockey is an important part of our culture, but this game is far more important. Politics matters to Dave Remington—and to me—it should matter to you too. I’ll be voting for Dave, and I hope you will vote for the Liberal candidate in your area, but the main thing is that you get out and vote.

Follow these play-offs in your area by attending All-Candidates meetings, and/or calling your candidate’s campaign office.

All-Candidates Meetings for Lanark-Frontenac-Lennox & Addington

 April 20—Verona Lions Hall—7:00 p.m.

April 21—Napanee Lions Hall—6:30 p,m.

April 27—Carleton Place—7:00 p.m.

April 28—Amherst Island School—7:00 p.m.

Democracy, Hypocrisy,Harperocracy

This is the first in a series of “political” blog posts. Most will be related to the campaign of our local Liberal candidate, David Remington, whom I have known for many years. This is his second campaign to be the Member of Parliament for Lanark-Frontenac-Lennox&Addington. I will be commenting on David’s, and the Liberal campaign–promoting it as I see fit, but criticizing where I think that belongs. I will also be commenting on the issues being raised–or not being raised–in this campaign.

My bias will be evident. I do not like Stephen Harper and the Conservative party, and I do not want them returned to office. Michael Ignatieff may have been a bit of a slow starter as Leader of the Opposition, but from what I have seen so far, I think he will make an excellent Prime Minister because he will respect parliament and work with the other parties to implement his programs–something Harper has failed to do.

Education; prevention; connection.  Those three little words could sum up discussions held at the Liberal Party’s March 2010 Canada150: Rising To The Challenge conference, which looked ahead to what our country might be when it celebrates its 150^th birthday in 2017. Of course there were lots of other words that came up in the discussions and presentations, held on everything from pension reform to energy and the environment, to Canada’s role in the world, but those three words seemed to come up time and time again.

Those three words seem to be coming up a lot in this election campaign too, and they relate to three others: democracy, hypocrisy, and a near-hybrid of those two: Harperocracy–a word first coined in 2008, and certainly one that fits this election campaign.

Unlike some pundits who’ve said they don’t think a substantive issue has emerged in the campaign so far, I think there is indeed one—democracy—or the lack thereof. The current government seems to have forgotten the meaning of the word, and the fact that in 2008, they campaigned on, and indeed credited their victory with, a promise to have a more transparent, democratic system in place, something lacking, they said, from the Liberal government they’d defeated. So much for election promises.

The Harper government, as Stephen Harper wishes it to be known,  has prorogued parliament twice—in order to avoid the risk of being defeated on a non-confidence motion, and to avoid any political “distraction” [embarrasment?] during the Olympics. That is not democracy, nor does it keep parliament working to do the job its members were elected to do. Let’s remember that this election was brought about because the Opposition parties defeated the government on a non-confidence motion, and members of the Conservative government were found to be in Contempt of Parliament. Yes, Mr. Harper–many of us DID want an election.

Hypocrisy is defined as being “an application of a criticism to others that one does not apply to oneself. “ There are too many examples of how the Harper government has been hypocritical, to be able to outline them here. Suffice to say that if Harperocracy is allowed to continue, we won’t recognize this country—just as he predicted we wouldn’t when he became prime minister in 2006.

Democracy. Hypocrisy. Harperocracy. Those are indeed substantive issues in this election campaign. The Liberal party has embraced them, and are showing Canadians they offer alternatives to the hypocrisy and the Harper government. David Remington describes himself as a “grass-roots guy” who always wants to find the democratic way to work together to find solutions to the problems we face, Education, prevention and connection are words he likes to use—improving access to all levels of education, from early learning to post-secondary; prevention of illness to develop a better health care system, and connection between himself and the communities he strives to serve.

I’ve been disappointed that in the year since Canada150 Michael Ignatieff and the Liberal party has not risen to the challenges outlined during that conference. They seem to be doing it now.

I believe that David Remington and the rest of the Liberal team will once again restore democracy in Ottawa, get rid of the hypocrisy, and defeat Harperocracy.

Climbing Korea

Now that we’re into 2011 I thought I’d better get back to writing more about our trip to Korea, which was in September 2010!

As I mentioned in Old Meets New we did a lot of climbing in Korea. We’d arrived very late at night on September 14, so we really didn’t get a sense of the topography. We learned the next morning that seeing Korea would involve climbing. Our first climb was to Jeremy’s apartment. He’d said that it was only a short walk, but neglected to say that it was mostly uphill! We soon figured out how to get there by bus.

There was more climbing that night when we visited Incheon’s Chinatown. I’m glad we got to see this at night. The artwork on the stairs would not have been as striking during the day, and the views from Jayu Park would not have been as impressive. Something about seeing a city lit up at night is just so magical, and the cities in Korea certainly are well lit—often in changing neon colours.

Stairway to Incheon’s Chinatown, and the bright lights of Incheon.

We soon got used to to the climbing, especially at subway stations. There are nine subway lines in Seoul and many layers of tracks to get down to, and up from. We’d just look at each other and laugh, or groan,—more stairs.

There were lots of hills too. Our first hotel stay in Seoul was about a kilometre from the subway station. Jim figured out a diagonal route to make it a shorter walk. What the map didn’t show, of course, was that it was pretty much uphill all the way. The second time we made the climb seemed so much easier without our heavy backpacks. We found cheaper accommodation after a few days, and consciously or not, made sure the second place was on flatter terrain.

Not to be missed was the Seoul Tower, which of course meant more stairs and hills.  As with other sights it was worth the climb especially when we  saw the tower with the moon behind it. The sights and lights seen from the observation deck were breathtaking.

By the end of our first week we were fairly comfortable travelling on the public transit system.  Sometimes we went on the bus, which saved some climbing, and let us see more of the city at ground level. With 25 million people to serve in the greater Seoul area the transit authorities have developed a very good system—one that cities here could learn from.

In Busan our motel was right on the strip at Gangwalli Beach, which was nice and flat, but getting there involved climbing a few flights of stairs from the subway. When we visited Beomeosa Temple we appreciated going on the bus for the trip up but walked down to enjoy the view.

On the walk down from the temple

Jeju Island has several mountains but as it was raining much of the time we were there we saw most of them from the comfort of our rental car. We did one short trail for a better vantage point of the sea, but it wasn’t much of climb.

Short climb on Jeju Island

Our final city stop before heading back to Incheon was Mokpo. One of its fine attractions is Yudalsan Park.  San means mountain.  We asked if there was a bus, but alas, there wasn’t, so up we went. Once at the park, there were more stairs and hills to climb, but the view was worth the effort. I didn’t do the full climb, but Jim did, and was rewarded with a great panoramic view of the city and the harbour. I enjoyed the view, and some lovely music, from a lower perch.

Mokpo from Yuldansan Park

You’d think that with all this climbing we’d lose some weight but climbing builds good appetites. Our many fine meals may have countered the exercise we got, but it was all in good balance.

In spite of, or perhaps because of, the hills, mountains, and stairs, South Korea is a beautiful country. The best way to see it is  on the trains, subways, and buses, or on foot —so be prepared to climb.

Old Meets New

The mountains. I was impressed by the architecture of the Gyeongbokgung Palace but it was really the mountains that I found awesome.

We’d been in Korea for a few days and I knew there was some steep terrain because we’d climbed more than a few hills. (More on that in my next post.) I wasn’t prepared though for the mountains, so I was awe-struck and needed to take that in for a few moments. Later on, we came to this spot where I could really take it all in.

Temple and Mountain

Walking through the gates of the palace, I felt transported from a very modern world to a very old one. It was amazing to see how the ancient palace grounds, where people seemed to be spread out and moving quietly, fit right in with the busy city and its crowds of people all moving quickly. Seoul is a growing, vibrant city, and there was almost a constant noise of new construction everywhere. It seemed weird to have this so close to this ancient palace, flanked by the mountains, yet located within walking distance of the subway and many new buildings.

Ancient Palace

Future Building

The Koreans still love their buildings to have angles.

South Koreans have a reverence for their past. They recognize the importance of sharing their history with residents and visitors, so they have preserved this ancient site, while building newer museums on its grounds. The museums depict the folk culture and art as well as the history of the country.

This 15^th Century palace has been destroyed and rebuilt a number of times over its history. Everything, from the dress of the palace guards to the furnishings in the halls, has been meticulously replicated. The hand-painted artwork, roof tiles, and stone walls may show their age, and have been replaced in parts of the palace, but the traditional building style has been preserved and respected.

Palace guards, Joseon era dress

After spending a couple of hours at the palace, we took a short walk to the Insa Dong Market, one of many markets we were to visit. It featured both modern and traditional, or traditional-looking, items. Clothing, house wares, food, and artwork are all here. We were at the market on a Saturday, likely one of the busiest days, and all of the activity was a sharp contrast to the tranquil settings of the palace—so close, yet so far away in time.

Say Kimchi

Ancient-looking stone sculptures greet visitors to the Insa Dong Market

Of all the things that we saw and did that day: at the palace and walking through the market, it is that first sight of the mountains that remains etched strongly in my mind.