South Korea
Pugak-san

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    • Day 4

      Kawaii and Markets

      September 3, 2019 in South Korea ⋅ ⛅ 21 °C

      It wasn't a fun night. There was a time once when a room like this would have been fine for us but we have to acknowedge that we really need something a touch more comfortable nowadays. I talk to the woman behind the desk to work something out first, then go see another hotel just around the corner to see if we can get a room. Once it is all sorted I pick up a couple of takeaway coffees and toasted snacks for breakfast. Korean bread is very light and a little sweet, not unlike brioche. A chain of stores called Paris Baguette has all kinds of bread snacks such as croque monsieur and french toast, or their versions of. On the way I stop to photograph all the little Kawaii characters adorning the streetscape.

      We pack up our stuff and move around the corner, leaving behind the mountain view. Once settled in to our new room we head off in the direction of the Namdaemun Markets. These aren't just a city block, the markets occupy an entire district with street names like Jewelry Row and Hairtail Alley. Richard is peckish and stops for a fried something on a stick and we press on. I love markets and I also find them intimidating. This one is an assault on the senses. We make our way along the fish alley where stews are bubbling right alongside the narrow footway. After a while we pop out the other side right in front of the Sungnyemun Gate, a solid and imposing structure dating back to the 1400s with a few touch ups over the years. As we consider which direction to go to best see it suddenly a platoon of colourful guards emerges from the subway in front of us and head into the markets. And as suddenly as they appeared, they are gone!

      The gate is situated in the middle of a city intersection with traffic and tall city buildings surrounding it. Standing beneath its arch provides cool relief from the heat of the day and offers a chance to admire the rather impressive dragons that guard the threshold at this point in the western wall.
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    • Day 4

      Chicken and Beer

      September 3, 2019 in South Korea ⋅ ⛅ 24 °C

      Later in the afternoon we take the metro to Seoul main station and head for Seoullo7017 but of course this means negotiating the Seoul station underground labyrinth first. The maps are great. Every exit is numbered and although not every exit has escalators there are 3-D illustrations of the station layout everywhere. You just have to work them out. So we exit somewhere, I am still unsure where and spot a bar. Seems like a good spot to get re-oriented.

      The Seoullo7017 used to be a freeway overpass and it has been turned into a pedestrian walkway with trees and plants and elevated lookouts. It takes us most of the way back to the Sungnyemun Gate which we hoped to see at night under lights. We've arrived too early and don't fancy hanging around so slowly make our way back through the market until we come across a hole in the wall selling fried chicken and beer. That's it. Nothing else. Just fried chicken and beer. Filled a hole.

      We return via the Myeond-dong street markets and eye off tomorrow night's dinner. Oh, and the cat guy, spruiking the cat cafe.
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    • Day 5

      A Palace. A Big One

      September 4, 2019 in South Korea ⋅ 🌧 20 °C

      We deliberately chose accommodation without breakfast to force us to get out and try local. I admit that today's choice didn't require much imagination. Right across the road from us Tous les Jours... Yes, I know. But it was quick and satisfying.

      We've got this Seoul metro thing nailed. One stop on the blue line then change to the orange line. Four stops to Gyeongbokgung. A bit of a trek underground to exit and a few more steps than I'd like and we are there. It's a bit of a drizzly day today but we have come prepared. We spot our first group of young girls in traditional Korean dress or Hanbok. You can hire these not far from the palace then gain free entry to several of the ancient sites so I know we are going to see lots of them, but they make great photos. The weather just means we are going to see less traditional footwear as skirts are hoisted to avoid puddles.

      The palace is beautiful and somehow even more so in the rain. Set against a mountain backdrop and hugged in brooding dark cloud it is a place of serenity even with groups of school tours thronging about. We sit in the outdoor area of the cafe in the grounds to take a load off and enjoy the rain falling on the small lake surrounding one of the many pavillions. A couple of Korean school girls see me and giggling say "hello" in unison. I reply "Annyeong haseyo" and they run away exclaiming "woah!"

      The photos tell more of a story today than I can wax unlyrical although some may have water droplets
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    • Over the big blue Pacific

      June 28, 2008 in South Korea ⋅ ☁️ 70 °F

      Sometime during the flight from LA, the day changed. I'm not sure when, but the sun has not set in 24 hours. While the plane was chasing the sun, I watched movies. I'm still trying to figure out There Will Be Blood; although, I loved The Savages. The venture into food-dom has begun. When they came around for the first meal, I asked for the choices. "Beef or blah, blah, blah," she said. "I'll take the second one," I responded, figuring it was the vegetarian alternative. Nope. Not only could I not pronounce it, she gave me an instruction sheet on how to eat it. "Bibimbap" is a bowl of steamed vegetables and ground "meat" (could not identify the originating animal). You put rice on the veggies, then squeeze "hot pepper paste" all over it. The paste is just that, and the container is exactly like travel-size toothpaste. After topping off with a packet of sesame seed oil, you mix it all together and enjoy. It wasn't bad and complimented the seaweed soup nicely. I watched more movies until the next feeding. A snack of rolls and bananas. Nope. Not a roll. I took a big bite and there was a meat (?) mixture in the middle. Or, maybe it wasn't meat. I'm really not sure. It was OK, I just have no idea what was in it. Regardless, it held me over until the next meal. My choices were beef or pasta. I took the pasta, which was really pasta and shrimp. Now I know why vegans are so skinny!

      The flight was 12 hours, arriving in Seoul on time. The airport is apparently newly remodeled. It looks like a giant shopping mall. Many stores were having their "Grand Open" sale. I took advantage of the time to walk for about 90 minutes. I was pleased to see the western toilets but puzzled by the soft-ball size contraption on the wall of the stall: "Etiquette Bell." Trust me, I wanted to ring it, but I feared the consequences. What is it?! If you know, please e-mail me. I thought about my dorm in college, where you had to yell, "Flush," in order not to scald the person in the shower; however, there was no shower in sight. Then I thought it might be an alert to others not to enter this bathroom, if you were being too stinky. Anyway, you can see why I didn't engage the bell.

      The flight to Ulaan Baatar (henceforth known as UB) was a piece of cake after the previous one. I sat next to a Kazahk-Mongolian, who was thrilled I was visiting his country. He spoke approximately ten words of English and all I could do was point to the Cyrillic writing with English translations in my guidebook. By the end of the flight he had invited me to stay in his apartment. Although I have read this type of hospitality is customary in Mongolia, I turned him down. Maybe in my younger days, but I already had a ride planned from the airport to Nassan's Guesthouse.

      When I arrived at Chinggis Khaan International Airport at 9:30 pm, it was still light outside. Immigration, baggage and the ride went smoothly. Nassan greeted me, then introduced her daughter, Bolor. Bolor ushered me to my room, where I promptly fell into bed.
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    • Day 1

      Russian Air Defense System

      August 4, 2016 in South Korea ⋅ ⛅ 31 °C

      Russia has developed a miniature burning laser weapon for special operations forces,which using low energy laser. The weapon is only 300 grams, it can blinding the enemy or temporary loss of combat, and has received the Chechen War test.
      http://www.htpow.com/ultra-powerful-laser-point…
      Russia has also developed a 56 kg weight of individual automatic photoelectric warfare weapons, mainly rely on the built-in laser radar lock the precise location of the target, resulting in loss of the combat effectiveness of the enemy soldiers and photoelectric equipment and effect distance of up to 1.5 km.
      Powerful Laser Weapon Can Destroy the Enemy Satellite Completely
      http://www.htpow.com/green-5000mw-laser-pointer…
      As the world's first major achievements in the field of 5000mw Laser weapons, the Soviet Union has long maintained the technical advantages of laser weapons. As early as 1972, the Soviet Union carried out a powerful laser weapon test, they use a mobile laser cannon destroy the air moving target successfully. But due to the 90s of the last century, Soviet power weakened and continued unrest.
      At the same time, the United States has invested a lot of manpower and material resources to carry out research, the rapid development of Russia's anti ultra. The United States began in 1983, "Star Wars" program in the laser radiation system research work, after the beginning of the development of up to 30 years.
      http://www.htpow.com/5-in-1-green-100mw-laser-p…
      HTPOW 30000mw Powerful Blue Laser Pointer
      Although the U.S. Department of defense since the end of 2011, announced the termination of the ABL airborne 100mw Laser Pointer project research and development, but through several ballistic missile interception test, the United States in the field of lasers have made great progress. At present, the United States missile defense agency has begun research on the use of high altitude UAV laser weapons. It is to see the great prospects of this field, and in view of the United States space based laser weapon is relatively mature, Russia is unwilling to fall behind, they also involved in the research of space-based laser weapons actively.

      Strategic priority to protect the nuclear power

      It can be considered that the current Russian air based laser weapon system deveolpment comes from the enormous pressure of the military field of space. At present, the Western powers have extended their military reach into space, and Russia's 200mw Green Laser weapon system will be used as a weapon against the country's space weapons and equipment. The Russian side has revealed that Russian existing laser weapon can destroy enemy satellites flying in the hundreds of kilometers of track, ground-based laser weapon system is used in combat.
      http://www.htpow.com/200mw-green-laser-pointer-…
      Russia and the United States, Russia has a long time competition in the laser field, in March 2007 the Russian "Tatiana" satellite of the sudden suspension of work, it is considered to be related to the United States to test laser weapons. After the disintegration of the Soviet Union, Russia's comprehensive national strength has appeared relatively weak. However the peripheral security environment has become increasingly complex, especially eastward expansion of NATO, the United States will continue to plan to deploy anti missile system in Eastern Europe, the outbreak of the crisis in Ukraine is directly in front of the Russia's doorstep, the strategy space and deterrent power suffered a great threat. In this case, Russia can only rely on more strategic nuclear forces this "killer".
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