PALACES, FOOD AND ARTS - WHAT MORE CAN YOU ASK FOR ?

Changing of the Palace Guard

More Changing of the Guard

Band for Changing of the Guard 

Apologies for the ‘radio silence’ but I have been busy teaching.  But, we now have a few days to explore and hang out so I hope to get out a few more blog entries before we leave for Hong Kong. We have spent time wandering, often with a museum as a destination and have passed by a number of palaces on our meanderings (we are in the center of the older area of the city, so palaces abound). And several times we were able to see an enactment of  the changing of the guard at some of the palaces. The rituals no longer fill any ‘actual’ function beyond touristic and local pleasure because the last Joseon king had no off-springs to continue his reign (which ended in 1897).  However, it is a colorful ceremony with guards dressed in bright flowing uniforms, carrying flags or swords marching to a slightly off-key drum rhythm accompanied by brass gongs, horns and other instruments. Many of the ‘soldiers’ wore stage beards and moustaches as well (which I think signified some sort of rank in ancient Korean culture). The ritual itself included passing the palace keys to the incoming regiment leader, matching jigsaw puzzle pieces to make sure the incoming guards are not imposters and alot of marching around, across and through the space in front of the main palace gate. Not much more to say about it, but it was fun to see and join the crowds of tourists as well as local folks, many also wearing traditional hanboks, or traditional clothing to revel in the glory of the last dynasty, before being invaded and conquered by neighboring Japan. 

Dumplings the perfect street food

Dinner- 

In our explorations we have had time to try a broad range of Korean food- a fun and delicious process.  To start- Korean food has some basics that I really love. The first is that there is always soup at every meal- including breakfast. What kind of soup can range from hot (but not spicy) mild bean paste broth with bean sprouts to cold kimchi soup with greens. But it is  always part of every meal. Another staple is Banchan. These are the small dishes of pickled vegetables, sweet beans or something to adds more flavor and/or spice to the dish.  Diifferent restaurants have many varieties of ‘Banchan’ and its fun to see the range, which reflects the season and how fancy the place is. There is even a wide range of veggies used to make Kimchi- which is probably the most familiar Korean pickled veggetable Banchan.

Two dumplings 

Rice is also a basic and it comes with everything. The other day at the final party for my class we went to an Italian restaurant and my salad came with a side dish of white rice. However, something that seems uniquely Korean is that a dish such as Bibimbap (rice with lots of veggies, and occasionally fish or meat and a sweet hot sauce. These various things are brought to the table and you just mix it all up and eat it with a spoon or chopsticks or both!) Some of the time, bebimbap is served with the rice in a separate bowl that has been heated so the rice forms a crust on the bottom. After the rice is put into the bibimbap, hot water is added to the rest of the rice left in the bown forming a mild broth, like second soup, which is consumed with pleasure.

Another snack dish are bean or grain pancakes, which are usually made from ground mung beans mixed in with scallions, fish, greens or other fillings.  Other, favorites for me include dishes such as  grilled mackerel that is easily available (my fave). And of course Gimbok (Kimbok) which is a Korean version of sushi, without the raw fish. Instead it is a combination of rice with pickled veggies, egg, or other fillings and wrapped with laver (seaweed sheets). These are usually eaten as fast easy snacks but I could make a meal of of them any time, especially with tuna in the middle. The pictures are from some of the meals we have had.

Vegetable Stand in the Market 

Red Pepper for sale 

Pickled veggies of all sorts 

Food stand with piles of veggies. 

We also went to Gwangjang Market, a local market-where  you could, probably buy anything you needed- including clothing, toys, furniture as well as veggies, ground pepper and lots of yummy snacks filling the center aisle. Here you see a stand where they made fresh dumplings as well as fresh cut noodles in soup. Most of the small food shops also had lots of Banchan to include in what ever you had ordered. In general, Koreans seem to eat very healthy things- lots of grains, veggies, only small amounts of meat and not alot of sweets or desserts. (although we noticed alot of sweet coffee drinks, ice cream and cake stores etc- which are possible western influences)

Dr Ryu with Chicken dinner

Other foods: last night, we went to dinner with my host to a 'boiled chicken' restaurant. This is also traditional, and in addition to a few Banchan, the main dish is a whole chicken that has been cooked/boiled in its own juice until it melts off the bone. It comes with a congee-like rice soup that is made with some of the liquid from the chicken. That plus salt and pepper is the whole dish. Very mild and basic, but also very comforting and reminding me of Shabbat dinner chicken dishes that are simple but delicious.

Banchan for Chicken dinner 

Finally, I wanted to talk a bit about the presence of the arts here. There are many museums, as well as galleries everywhere I have gone. Theaters and music venues seem to fill every possible space, and the students themselves have multiple artistic talents. Even walking around there is a sense of harmony and beauty. Buildings often have areas where trees, flowers and bushes create smaller oasis of nature. In the part of the city where we are staying, we are close to some of the big hills, that surround the city and they are filled with homes and shops that spread throughout the green trees and other growth that cover the stony crags. It is hard to find words to describe way that harmony, balance, space and nature inhabit daily life and settings. 

OK this is short but I want to get it posted with pictures. More soon and thanks for reading.