The War Memorial of Korea

Seoul is very quiet on a Sunday morning. There's also drizzle around so it won't be a good day for outdoors. I'm an early riser, I figure I should visit a museum that opens around 9am. The War Memorial of Korea fits the bill nicely.

There are a couple of statues and monuments at the front of the complex. There's a display discussing the genesis of the modern ROK armed forces (all after 1948) and displays discussing the battles fought by various battalions. All very compelling.

Closer to the entrance is a "United Nations" commemoration of all countries that contributed troops and/or medical staff to the war. Far flung countries such as the Philippines and Colombia were contributors as well as the usual suspects (I'm not being critical here, it's just a saying).

Inside I'm able to join an English guided tour, much detail about the background to the Korean War and how countries lined up behind the protagonists.

There's so much to see but I'm extremely hungry so I make tracks for a Mexican restaurant called Gusto Taco. The owner (Aaron) is a 50 year old New Yorker who understands GF and recommends a bowl of slow cooked pork burritos. I duly comply and he comes over for more conversation while I'm eating. Turns out he spent 20 years in IT on Wall Street and is still interested in the field. We chat about quantum computing and blockchain, as you do. He tells me a lot of Westerners struggle with Korean food because they want to try everything. Really enjoyable experience.Read more