Seoul Korea LDS Temple

http://www.ldschurchtemples.com/seoul/

Here's a pagoda on a sidewalk rail and it's moving day for these people.
We did another 'dry run' tonight because we're going to the Temple here in Seoul on Saturday. (Now WE get to be the people wearing headphones in the Temple) But it was tough to find the place. It's well hidden and it doesn't help that the area is spelled both Sinchon and Shinchon. But we got off the subway and walked right past the street it was on because it was a hill and we weren't paying attention to the sign that was right over the sidewalk- it said Seoul LDS Temple 70M with an arrow. There's a lesson in there somewhere about paying attention to the still small voice and not wasting your life on the wrong path. But it's quite the shopping district, that's for sure. It was dark by the time we got there and we were tired and thirsty, but it was comforting to see the Temple, complete with the Korean flag out front. When you're used to seeing the Stars and Stripes by your Church buildings, it's different. Then again, someday the flags we salute won't really matter because none of that will matter.
There's something spiritual to me about being here defending S Korea from the aggression of the North. I'm not OK with the oppression from there and all the threats and rhetoric. I'm sure the poor N Koreans don't appreciate the starvation and oppression and having to be louder than the next guy at praising Kim Jong (Menta-Lee) Ill. Thanks to Mike Lostra for that wisecrack. So these people have pulled themselves up by their bootstraps, because this place was levelled in 1953 when the North came down and shredded everything. They work really hard here and they've made something of themselves. It's impressive- because they had nothing and now they're the most-connected people in the world. I just hope it doesn't ruin their society and culture- like they don't all become addicted to stuff and lose their way. In Japan, you don't dare talk to people on the subway, even if you're lost, but here, if you even look lost, they'll stop and help you. They're very friendly. Not that Japan is a bad place or the people are bad, it's just different. They have many generations of tradition here in Asia and we really don't. But they still emphasize family and hard work, as do we, but they really appreciate things in a way I don't think the US does.
I'm starting to work on Hangul to read the stuff on the signs. At the bus stops, only a few stops are in English, so it's hard to get around. You have to sit there and use your imagination. "OK- the little stick figure on the circle and then the house that looks like it's on fire next to the sideways L" then you look up and forget what you're looking for when you try to find your bus stop. At least the lines are numbered and laid out by color, so it's not too hard. If all else fails, you go to Seoul Station and catch the 149 bus from there. Their language is so logical. No wonder English is so hard to learn, it must drive the poor Koreans nuts. I before E except on the 4th Thursday of the month and these words use these letters and sound like this, but here's the 23 exceptions to the rule. Poor people. I'd like to know if they make fun of our silly Gringo accent as bad as do to them! I guess it's Mi-guk to mean Americans. It's not a derogatory term to say that, but there's a derivative that they used to mean the people here.
We got back at about 10PM and the kids went right to sleep. But as usual, the people on the bus and subway loved the kids. Violet has this thing where she cries until we let her hang from the straps on the subway and the people love it. She can almost hang on it herself, too. It's free entertainment and the people here offer their seats to us and the kids all the time and I try to say it nicely that we don't need it. They're good people here. Always on the go.
Mothers with babies like to point to Violet and show their babies to her. It's a lot of fun. I think the kids will enjoy it here as we go out and look around at stuff. Once they get more accustomed to being out and BEHAVING, we'll have more fun. And then I'll take them to the Palaces around here. There's quite a few, so stay tuned, you've only seen the trips we take for fun.
I ate lunch at the KATUSA (Koreans Attached to the US Army) Snack Bar. I got bipinbap (vegetables and rice)- for 3500 Won. And 2000 Won for Mandoo. Yummy. I love Korean food. Good for you and cheap. My favorite is Beef Bulgogi with rice and they serve 3 kinds of kim'chi with it. Radish, cucumber and cabbage. It gets progressively hotter- radish is the tamest. It's still good stuff. This 2 year hitch will go too fast in some ways.
KATUSA Soldiers make sure they salute EVERYONE. I guess they have corporal punishment in their military ( I guess we don't know what it's like to have a LOT of guns pointed at you for 50 years ) so they don't want to get slapped or whatever. They salute indoors and run up to the officers in the Korean military that might be leaning against a wall smoking and salute, just to make sure they do it. Everyone smokes here. That's a tragic part of the deal. Smokes are cheap, and it's a common thing to smoke. Yuck. If there was a national campaign to stamp out smoking and run marathons, they'd probably do it and live longer. Their birth rate has declined as a result of their modernization and their divorce rate is similar to the US, so thank goodness they've joined the 21st Century....... NOT. But they're not in nearly the trouble Japan is. In 50 years, Japan won't be what they are today if they're around at all. I can contrast the 2 countries because I've been to both. I'll have to see what China is like when I get there.
We love Korea- it's not what any of us thought, but that's normal, because it's only a little similar to Japan on the surface, otherwise she's her own place.