In a busy country!!!

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Hi there.

Ok. To sum up a bit: I left France last year, the 2nd of september 2006, to spend "3 months in Australia" as I said. I finally stayed 11 months in Australia... During my travel, I met a korean girl Ahyoung ; we travelled together during 6 months, then she went back to korea. So, 11 weeks after her departure, I took a ticket plane back to France with a stop over in South Korea. I arrived in Seoul the 3rd of august.

From this date, I live in Ahyoung's house with her familly. They are all very nice.
That's really good for me because it's not usual because of the traditions. It is very important for korean people. Usually, a guy can't live with his girlfriend before they are married... (That's start well, I'm already wrong from the begining). And once you are married, you usually live in the husband's house... So anyway, even if we don't respect the tradition, I'm well accepted in this familly.

To describe a bit of the korean way of life: they sleep on the floor, only with a thin matress, and they eat rice. Breakfast: rice ; Lunch: rice ; Dinner: rice! Of course, for european, that's looks to be a bit too much of rice. But actually, It's really good. And as well, that's help a lot the stomach because the food is often (always) spicy (very spicy)... No details!!!
The food is really good. Often, that's smell the fish or the sea, but very nice. It can be some kind of seaweed soup (soupe d'algue), or soup with some vegetable (spring onions, potatoes, onions, peppers (of course)) and some sauce call djindjangtzigué (I try to transcribe with our letters). Or it can be some fried meat and vegies with some other sauce. One famous sauce's name is Kotchujang (It's make with red chili peppers). The most important, in almost all the meals, is a kind of salad call Kim-chi. That is delicious and it is the speciality of the country. But I will speak about it later.

So, to come back with my girlfriend's familly ; I'm very lucky because Ahyoung's mother sometime buy some staff in a famous bakery call Paris-Baguette (there is an other one call Tous-les-jours). You can found some croissant, apple pie, garlic bread,... ; and I'm lucky because Ahyoung is the only one in the house to have a bed (I don't have to sleep on the floor; I had to one time, but my back is not make for it...).


Now, I'm here for almost 4 weeks. I went to visit Seoul. The town center, the shopping center (you know, I visit with my girlfriend), the gyeongbokgung palace (king's palace in the past), and a lot of restaurant. That's very good when you come to visit in korea, you can found good restaurant for very cheap price. But transport and accomodation are expensive (I think a bit same as in France). I went as well for 5 day visiting Busan, 2nd biggest town in South Korea, and Gyeongju.This both town are in South of the country.

I had almost forgotten, here is a quick description of the country:
Area: 99 274 km² (~1/4 of France)
Population: 50 000 inhabitant (480 p/km²)
Seoul: 2nd biggest city in the world

biz a tous
Bye

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Photos

Here we are!
One of the first activity: eat ice cream. It is the summer, even if it's rainy, it is still more than 30°C.

Hi Ahyoung!
In the street, as busy as the others streets.

And me
In the busy street as well

Pochinkak 보신각
A big bell near the town center which ring only for the new year

Even the wall
No space anywhere!

At the restaurant
The first time, I did a big mistake: I enter and go to the table. But nobody told me that we had to take off the shoes to go until the table. Of course, no chairs, just seat on the floor in front of a very low table. In fact, I had almost walked on the table...

The food
When you go to the restaurant, the korean bring a lot of dishes on top of the main one. the best is that if you finish a side dish, you can ask to fill it up again for free (a bit as the bread in French restaurant).

A traditional house
This house is a traditional house for rich people

Gyeongbokgung palace 경복궁
That is the palace where lived the past kings.

A guardian
Traditional costume of a guardian of the palace

The throne (le trône)
As you can see, It was full of bright color, red, blue, green, yellow.

It is very strange
The city had been extended around the palace. Now, the big building are all around...

An other house
Still in the palace, It is the house for people to sleep and/or write

The statue
I don't know what it is and what for but it is one of the statues near the temple of the palace

Comments

[phytoflo da crazy]

happy face for everyone
Hi cousin macarony sushi to the backflip alleyoop to crocodile dundee . I'm so happy for you and your wife, i met back an old girlfriend and now i live with her in caen since 2 weeks, i am happy now.... I failed my driving licence again (a fordidden way) as a beginner; i'm so disapointed. I don't give a fuck ,next time is the good one . If you find a thing like a buddah or something else i 'll enjoy so much. Good trip , muchos besos, see you soon world traveller adventurer:::::::::....°°°°°))))))