Our trip to South Korea was all about seeing the family. This was a special treat for me as it would be the first time I met any of Danny's extended family. Over our 10 days in Korea we would stay at the home of Danny's Uncle who he shares with his wife, son (Hyung Ho) and another of Danny's Aunts. I had a lot of fun getting to know this family. And they really spoiled us; doing our laundry, feeding us, driving us around and showing us the sites. Hyung Ho took us to a water park, the mall, a Virtual Reality Park and rented us bikes in the local park.
The two Aunts we stayed with took us to the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) where we learned about the Korean War and the current relationship between North and South Korea. I still have much to learn about this part of the world's history. Our two hour tour took us to a train station built in the hopes of connecting the North and the South. It was opened for a short time in 2012 to mostly cargo trains. It has since closed. We looked out binoculars across the DMZ to North Korea. In the 1970s the South Koreans discovered that the North at dug a tunnel under the DMZ to reach South Korea. We could walk partway into the tunnel. Th DMZ is a reminder that these countries are still at war but that most South Koreans wish for peace.
I met all of Danny's Aunts and Uncles on both sides of the family and a few more of his cousins. Two of his Dad's sisters took us around to see Seoul. We went to the top of N Seoul Tower to see the skyline. We explored Changdeokgung Palace where we saw historic buildings and beautiful gardens. We walked around the shops of Insadong and explored the historic street of Bukchon. Danny and I did another trip into Seoul where we went to Gyeongbokgung Palace, a history museum and saw the President's House (the Blue House).
And we ate!!! Korean BBQ, Mandu, Korean style sushi, bingsoo, grilled eel, home cooked breakfasts, and so much more. After 10 days in South Korea we were real rested, well fed and felt very loved. It was the perfect 10 days before our busy tour of China.
