Se he bok ma nee ba deu sae yo!

It was a very eventful first two weeks in Seoul. 

Home sweet home. We moved out of Seokyo Hotel into our new residence in Somerset Palace. Our apartment on the 12th floor shows a wonderful view over Jongno-Gu. It's a kaleidoscope of the old and the new - modern buildings on the left, and on the right, Gyeongbok Palace and just past it, the Blue House at the foot of Mount Bukhansan. Somerset's proximity to tourist spots and commercial areas makes it a very ideal home indeed.

What I see from our apartment window ... the snow-covered roofs of Gyeongbok Palace and the Blue House (executive office and residence of the South Korean head of state) at the foot of Mt. Bukhansan. Jongno-Gu is home to many palaces since it is where the Joseon dynasty estrablished its capital city.

A Buddhist representation of the Christmas tree at Jogyesa Temple, located right at the back of Somerset Palace

The apartment is fully equipped. I monkeyed around with the laundry machine and got it to work. I don't watch much TV, but yes, Korean TV is very entertaining. Programs are mostly K-pop, dramas, comedy and reality show. I am honestly not a fan of reality TV shows except for reality-based travel series - Lonely Planet, Globe Trekker and the like. Today I caught a comedy show along the lines of AGT, where a guy went inside a huge rubber balloon and started stretching and contorting himself like elastic man. I'm curious about what makes them laugh so I watched awhile. Korean comedy, just like Filipino is very physical and slapstick. What I really enjoy watching is "At Home with Venetia in Kyoto". It airs in NHK (Japan Broadcasting Corporation). It teaches arts and crafts, but so much more enchanting because the setting is in Venetia's beautiful herb garden. And her home looks just like the little house on the prairie.

I made friends with the housekeeping lady. She me makes me feel nervous every time she bangs the vacuum on the furniture, but she's actually nice and thoughtful.  She doesn't speak English but knows essential English words like towel and bed. She asked me the English words for detergent powder and dish-washing liquid. Next time she came, she implied if I wanted a refill, saying detergent powder and dish-washing liquid. Sweet.

The Neighborhood. I took a little time to walk in nearby Insadong to get familiar with my surroundings. I tried to keep it simple and remembered landmarks such as billboards and neon signs so as not to get lost. I got to a shopping street which connects to a multitude of alleys with little hole in the wall places - restaurants, souvenir shops, clothes, accessories, Korean art, food carts and many more. I find most shop owners and sales clerks friendly and courteous. They are persistent but generally, are still polite if you don't buy even after fitting clothes or shoes.

A shopping street in Insadong district

Etude House Cosmetic store 

Skin Deep. I think cosmetic stores are the most prominent in any shopping street. They stand out with their attractive paint colors and signages. Cosmetic packaging are also very pretty and lavish. I suppose this shows how much emphasis they put on beauty. I am simply amazed by the porcelain-like quality of Korean women's skin. Even the men. Has it something to do with the cold weather, eating leaves, drinking tea and going to the sauna often? Sometimes I could not help but stare (I'm bad), especially inside the train where I can see the women at close range. It is quite easy to spot who went through aesthetic facial surgery gone wrong. But I believe good skin is naturally inherent among Koreans. That, diet, plus an effective skin care regimen make them look flawless. I look at their hands and see how smooth and pinkish white they are. I often look at my hands and think how dry and rough they have become - like an old woman's hands. Needless to say, my hands are the most neglected part of my body. But my life through the years has been one where my hands have been put through a lot of work. The cold weather here has made it even worse. Today, I have a good reason to give my hands all the care and attention it needs. I recently developed lesions on my fingers of both hands. The upper layers of the skin has become extremely dry and has started to crack while the surrounding area has become very itchy. It hurts a lot to wash my hands. I also need to get a good hand cream and a moisturizer for my face, lest it suffer the same fate as my hands.

Another thing that strikes me is the androgynous look of the Korean male. I suppose this has been the influence of the K-pop culture. I like Korean male pop singers in red or blond hair because it suits their facial features and complexion. Still, I often get surprised by what most teenagers are wearing. So I have to ask Mannie, "lalaki o babae?" (male or female?)...I am afraid I have become too observant of people. Whenever I go to public places, I notice and comment on a lot of things, which is not good :-(

A different kind of Christmas. I made plans to check out Seoul Tower on Christmas eve, but the biting cold made staying home more appealing. Thus, we had a simple Christmas eve dinner of crispy fried chicken and a bottle of red wine. We went to hear Filipino Mass at Hyehwa Dong Catholic Church the next day. One of the benefactors of the church, the chairman of the Korean Catholic Businessmen's Association, presented the Filipino parishioners a free 5-kilo bag of rice each. That was really kind and generous considering how expensive a bag of rice costs around here.

A Korean-inspired "belen", showing the nativity scene at the Hyehwa Dong Catholic Church

The biggest surprise of  the day was our unexpected outing to Chuncheon, Gangwon Province to watch a basketball game by Woori Bank Hansae South Korea professional women's basketball team. I think the Filipinos are Woori Bank's biggest customers for overseas foreign currency remittance. So this trip was an appreciation treat from Woori Bank for the Filipino community. Initially, we were informed that it will be a one-hour bus ride. After more than an hour of travel, the bus took a toilet break stop. Mannie then asked how much farther do we still need to go. A Woori Bank staff said 45 minutes more. Mannie then made a comment in Tagalog, "Yun pala sa North Korea tayo dadalhin o, North vs. South ang game..." That wasn't difficult to figure out I guess because an American guy sitting behind us burst out laughing. We eventually arrived at the venue and upon getting there officially became the stick balloon cheering squad. Boy that was fun!!! The Hansae team lost, but they made such a heart-stopping rally behind a  20-point lead by its opponent in the last five minutes of the game which was a feat in itself. It was a great experience for the Filipinos with lots of food, prizes and giveaways. As for Woori Bank, I'm sure they were not disappointed. Filipinos make such a huge crowd (hakot) and a thunderous cheering crowd  (pala or taga palakpak) at that. 

Woori Bank Hansae South Korea professional women's basketball team

Another highlight of the past weeks was the post-Christmas dinner with Toyo Engineering Corporation's Japanese executives and Korean team. I went to Mannie's office for the first time. I am happy to make new friends with the company's gorgeous-looking Korean female staff. As expected, we dined in a Japanese restaurant. I like Japanese food! Some of the dishes and fishes are new to me, but that didn't stop me from trying everything. The only dish I didn't like was the abalone appetizer which I find too fishy. We went to a Karaoke bar afterwards and had so much fun dancing and clapping to the beat of Korean, Japanese and English songs.

Having karaoke fun with my new friends from Toyo Engineering- Annie to my right and Yuri to my left, and Mannie's boss, Mr. Igarashi

Ringing in the New Year: Every year, locals and tourists flock to Bosingak bell pavilion to participate in the annual Night Bell Ceremony and to pray their new year's wish. It happens right at Jongno-Gu, Jonggak station, just walking distance from our residence. The ringing of the bell is a Buddhist tradition which dates back to the 14th century. Back then, the bell was tolled 33 times to signal the end of the night and the beginning of the day or the opening and closing of the gates of the capital. It also symbolizes the 33 heavens of Buddhism. In the present day, the bell is still rung 33 times to usher in the new year. We elbowed our way through the venue which was teeming with people. There was a concert and street-dancing. We were expecting the New Year's Eve merrymaking to end with a grand finale - with a magnificent fireworks display just like in Manila, but that didn't happen. Nevertheless, experiencing the bell ritual and new year countdown in  Seoul in freezing cold was a unique and memorable experience altogether. 

The big crowd in front of Bosingak Pavilion eagerly awaits the Night Bell Ceremony and New Year countdown.

People praying at Jogyesa Temple on New Year's eve 

On our way back to the apartment, Mannie asked if I'm happy with our new "home". I will be happy anywhere we are together I said, home after all is where the heart is.  But I have also been thinking of my other home. I think of my parents, my sister, and my pets. I wish I could be in two places at the same time. I prayed in a special way for them as we passed by Jogyesa Temple.

So I end my post here and say, "Se he bok ma nee ba deu sae yo!" It means, "receive a lot of new year's blessings!" Happy New Year!