I've moved to http://dreemwhrld.wordpress.com
If you were on my mailing list, you should have received an email asking you to confirm your subscription to the new site. If not, you can just enter your email on the right side of the main page and you'll receive a confirmation email. This site will be left up for a while, for link purposes, as well as a just-in-case, however, the new site will be where all my new (and old) posts will be, including my biking trip in the islands. Stay tuned!
Monday, April 19, 2010
Moving Soon
I've been toying with the idea for a while of moving my blog to a different hosting site. I haven't because I was afraid I'd lose my comments and my content in the process. I think I've found a way to move all my information, so as soon as I'm ready, I'll be moving. If you receive updates, I'm pretty sure that I'll be able to save that information as well. If not, I'll post information here on how you can re-register. The look of the blog will be changing a bit as well, and hopefully it'll be a little closer to what I want. Thanks in advance for your patience while I figure out the new site.
Sunday, April 11, 2010
Han River Biking
So my best friend James left almost a month ago. It doesn't seem like it's been that long, but life goes on, as it must. The silver lining to that rather large cloud was that I got his bike, which was mine to begin with anyways, but that's another story. I've only taken it on two trips, because the rear wheel has a slow but steady leak, and I haven't had time to bring it down to the shop for them to fix it. I actually tried today, but they were closed, which is surprising, as many places around me are open on Sundays.
Anyways, I've gone on two rides so far. One on my own at sunset, and one a week later with my friend Amy. Amy doesn't get off work until 9pm, so we did a night ride of about 5 miles total - 2.5 east and then 2.5 back.
Even though there's another bridge with access to the Han River Park that's closer to me, I use the Hannam Bridge to get to the Park. This is because there's a ramp and an elevator to get down to the park, rather than the maze of stairs with a small ramp for your bike to navigate through.
The first time I went by myself was at sunset, which was chilly, but beautiful. There's something very calming about a large body of water with the sun low in the sky. Especially if you're riding around near it on a bike.
There was one part of the river where it looked like a building had sunk into the water, and a large crane on a boat was pulling pieces out. I don't think I've ever seen a spiral staircase coming out of the water like this before. It had attracted a small crowd of onlookers, mostly ajushis, or old men, walking on their own.
The bridges themselves are interesting, and I plan on going to try to see the Banpo Bridge Light Show, though it's been difficult to find out when it's scheduled. It's in the Guinness Book of World Records for the longest bridge fountain.
When I went riding with Amy, we went a bit farther than I had by myself, and discovered this giant tunnel full of graffiti. Apparently you can come down on the weekends and see the artists at work remaking different sections of it. It actually looks really cool, and as graffiti is very rare in Korea it made it feel slightly more like home.
Anyways, I've gone on two rides so far. One on my own at sunset, and one a week later with my friend Amy. Amy doesn't get off work until 9pm, so we did a night ride of about 5 miles total - 2.5 east and then 2.5 back.
Even though there's another bridge with access to the Han River Park that's closer to me, I use the Hannam Bridge to get to the Park. This is because there's a ramp and an elevator to get down to the park, rather than the maze of stairs with a small ramp for your bike to navigate through.
The first time I went by myself was at sunset, which was chilly, but beautiful. There's something very calming about a large body of water with the sun low in the sky. Especially if you're riding around near it on a bike.
There was one part of the river where it looked like a building had sunk into the water, and a large crane on a boat was pulling pieces out. I don't think I've ever seen a spiral staircase coming out of the water like this before. It had attracted a small crowd of onlookers, mostly ajushis, or old men, walking on their own.
The bridges themselves are interesting, and I plan on going to try to see the Banpo Bridge Light Show, though it's been difficult to find out when it's scheduled. It's in the Guinness Book of World Records for the longest bridge fountain.
When I went riding with Amy, we went a bit farther than I had by myself, and discovered this giant tunnel full of graffiti. Apparently you can come down on the weekends and see the artists at work remaking different sections of it. It actually looks really cool, and as graffiti is very rare in Korea it made it feel slightly more like home.
Thursday, April 8, 2010
Europe-bound!
This is my map. This is my map of Europe. Specifically, I have labeled it with the places I will be going this summer on my first ever trip to Europe. And I am SO EXCITED! You may have noticed that I did not opt for the more common Western Europe trip, including France, Spain, England, Italy, etc. I have instead, opted for Eastern Europe, planning on Poland, Ukraine, Czech Republic, and Germany. There are several reasons for this:
1) My friend Steph lives in the Czech Republic. She is the main reason I am going to Europe, instead of the closer, and cheaper, Southeast Asia or IndoChina. I haven't seen her since she left Uijeongbu, and not only is this a great excuse to see her, but it means I have a travel buddy in Europe.
2) I have some family history in a tiny little town called Bolekhiv. My dad's side of the family was part of a large Jewish population in that town before the war. So I'm going to try to find anyone that may be related to me, though I'm assuming that the only way to do that is by looking through the cemetery for headstones with my last name in Hebrew on it.
3) I love travel of any kind. I've only been to two continents (Asia and North America), and Europe would make my third. Only four more to go after that...
4) Why not???
So the plan is:
Fly into Warsaw on July 24th. Get a place and stay the night, since my plane lands late. Wander around Warsaw for the day and see what there is to see. Get a train ticket to Lviv, Ukraine, or even possibly straight to Bolekhiv. If I go through Lviv, spend a day there, then go to Bolekhiv. If I don't have to go through Lviv, I'll spend an extra day in Bolekhiv. Try to find anything/everything related to my family history.
On or about the 29th (Thurs), go to Prague. Meet up with Steph, and spend a day or two in Prague.
Then together, head to southwest Germany. Nuremberg, Munich, and any/everything in between. Take our time, and do what we want, for however long we want. Fly out of Munich on August 12th, back in Seoul Friday morning.
Can't wait!!
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