Inchon, Korea
March 20, 2013
Bidding Japan farewell the Pacific Princess steams along in a Westerly direction for the Korean Strait. We then follow a northerly course following the coastline of South Korea for the port of Inchon. The Korea Strait is a sea passage between Japan and South Korea, connecting the East Chia Sea and the Sea of Japan.
In 1394, royal geomancers chose the site of present-day Seoul as the new capital of the Chosen Dynasty. Today the capital of Korea is home to over ten million inhabitants, a fifth of the country's population. The city is one of the great showcases of Asia, a center for trade, commerce and tourism. Despite Seoul's hyper-modernism, the city offers an intriguing counterpoint between past and present. Bustling traffic speeds by quiet palace gardens while modern skyscrapers tower over century-old shrines. The port of Incheon is your gateway to Seoul and South Korea. Westerners first entered Korea from the port in the 1880s. Incheon was also the site of General Douglas Macarthur's surprise amphibious landing during the Korean War.
Korean Folk Village
With so many choices of what to do we opt to step back in time for a a deeply rewarding and cultural day at the Korean Folk Village. Think of it as the Williamsburg of South Korea where you can go to see a near perfect re-creation of traditional Korean life. The village began to form in the 1970s with about 30 folk villages being relocated to Yongin, a satellite city in the Seoul Metropolitan Area.
Meticulously restored, the positive response spurred development and today the village is a world-class outdoor museum promoting Korean culture to domestic and international visitors. Today the village inhabits 243 acres, incorporates traditional houses, government houses, temples, schools, mills, bridges, gates and performances stages. Around 30,000 items of daily life have been collected from diverse regions and placed in the various buildings enabling visitors to enjoy an authentic cultural experience.
A live performance of traditional folk dance and music enhances the feeling of being welcomed into a rare and exotic world and forges warm relationships with the big-hearted, industrious Korean people.
Returning to the pier at the end of an intriguing day we give our Korean tour guide, Lucy Kim a crystal heart in the name of love and peace.
The Pacific Princess sets course for our next port of Shanghai, China.
Lots of love to you all!
Talk to you soon. Love, Brigit and Sophia
March 20, 2013
Bidding Japan farewell the Pacific Princess steams along in a Westerly direction for the Korean Strait. We then follow a northerly course following the coastline of South Korea for the port of Inchon. The Korea Strait is a sea passage between Japan and South Korea, connecting the East Chia Sea and the Sea of Japan.
In 1394, royal geomancers chose the site of present-day Seoul as the new capital of the Chosen Dynasty. Today the capital of Korea is home to over ten million inhabitants, a fifth of the country's population. The city is one of the great showcases of Asia, a center for trade, commerce and tourism. Despite Seoul's hyper-modernism, the city offers an intriguing counterpoint between past and present. Bustling traffic speeds by quiet palace gardens while modern skyscrapers tower over century-old shrines. The port of Incheon is your gateway to Seoul and South Korea. Westerners first entered Korea from the port in the 1880s. Incheon was also the site of General Douglas Macarthur's surprise amphibious landing during the Korean War.
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| Typical style housing for people of Seoul, Korea today |
With so many choices of what to do we opt to step back in time for a a deeply rewarding and cultural day at the Korean Folk Village. Think of it as the Williamsburg of South Korea where you can go to see a near perfect re-creation of traditional Korean life. The village began to form in the 1970s with about 30 folk villages being relocated to Yongin, a satellite city in the Seoul Metropolitan Area.
Meticulously restored, the positive response spurred development and today the village is a world-class outdoor museum promoting Korean culture to domestic and international visitors. Today the village inhabits 243 acres, incorporates traditional houses, government houses, temples, schools, mills, bridges, gates and performances stages. Around 30,000 items of daily life have been collected from diverse regions and placed in the various buildings enabling visitors to enjoy an authentic cultural experience.
We enjoy watching an equestrian performance by highly skilled riders and
their trained horses
Lunch at a typical Korean BBQ restaurant offers us a culinary
experience we won't soon forget
We watch a typical style Korean wedding
A live performance of traditional folk dance and music enhances the feeling of being welcomed into a rare and exotic world and forges warm relationships with the big-hearted, industrious Korean people.
A woodworker crafts a special sign for us
Returning to the pier at the end of an intriguing day we give our Korean tour guide, Lucy Kim a crystal heart in the name of love and peace.
The Pacific Princess sets course for our next port of Shanghai, China.
Lots of love to you all!
Talk to you soon. Love, Brigit and Sophia
*****
