Land of the Morning Calm!

It's been a week since my less than graceful entrance into the Land of the Morning Calm or Korea if you will. Today 3-1-09 I spent the morning checking out the markets of Seomyeon where I purchased a variety of fruits and vegetables that will surely last me a whole 2 days if I'm lucky. Upon my return to Deokcheon, with spirits high (due to the unusually nice weather) I decided that an afternoon hike would be a good way to spend a Sunday. Upon strapping on my hiking boots which I thankfully included in my aggregate of random items brought over in my larger-than-allowed-by-airline, could stuff ten midgets in duffelbag, I packed my bag and headed off for the mountain. What I thought was going to be a short 45 minute or so hike turned into a 4 hour extravaganza. Upon reaching the top I was rewarded with (with the exception of the grand canyon) the most spectacular view that I have witnessed in my brief 24 years. Standing on the top what appeared to be the tallest mountain around I was able to see the entire town of "Dynamic" Busan. What a treat. Not in all my extensive hiking in Utah, Arizona (excluding the aforementioned view) and Nevada had I seen a sight like the one that lay before me. And apparently I was not the only one to think that hiking was a good option for this glorious Sunday afternoon.

It is well known (to those that have any interest in South Korea) that Tae Kwon Do is the national sport of Korea, yet I can assure you, that hiking must be a close second. For a country whose terrain is comprised of 70% mountains, the Korean people sure do know how to take advantage of it. There were droves of Koreans, (I was the only foreigner to my knowledge) out hiking, however only a few managed to summit. And these few took every opportunity to question my nationality, and upon discovering it, to further question my prerogative of choosing such a strenous form of afternoon entertainment. As it turns out, speaking with a Korean man who appeared to be my age, I learned that at least in his minds eye, all Americans were "lazy couch potatoes" as he so eloquently put it. His inquistive nature hit the pinnacle when he seemed to seek a source of proof for this "non-traditional, not seemingly lazy" American. So, he asked in his broken English, if he and his friend could take their picture with me. Of course, my strong desire for social integration with the people of this great land prompted me to not only take my picture with them, but insist that they capture a photo with my camera as well. After all the photography was done, and a few more conversations in broken English were had, it was decided that I would return to the not so quiet, tumultuous urban landscape that is Deokcheon. And so I went, descending upon the city that will be my home for the next year, happy that I would soon be given another nice day in which to explore more of the Korean country side; and even happier that I could dispel any notions of American's general laziness, even if it was only for two of the millions of Koreans who inhabit the peninsula. However, when they do show the picture to their friends, they will afterall, probably just say that I was Canadian. Oh well.