War Memorial of Korea (전쟁기념관)

If you're the type who finds memorials of any kind to be static and boring, the War Memorial of Korea, in Seoul, might be the memorial that changes your mind. It is more like a museum than a memorial, and it includes the Combat Experience Room, which recreates for visitors the battlefields of the Korean War: the sights, sounds and even the smell of burning gunpowder.

Unfortunately the Combat Experience Room was out of commission during my visit, but according to the signs the experience lasts five minutes, runs every 30 to 60 minutes, and plays about a dozen times per day. There is no English for the Combat Experience Room, only Korean. The rest of the museum includes English for everything, including the free audio tour.

Although the War Memorial is understandably focused on the Korean War, which has divided the peninsula for the past six decades, its exhibits pay tribute to the entire military history of Korea, including its role in the Vietnam War, and also its naval battles with Japan. There is a large-scale (but less than full-scale) replica of a Turtle battleship, also known as Geobukseon (거북선), designed by Yi Sun-sin during the Joseon Dynasty to fend off Japanese invasions during the late sixteenth century. The hull of the battleship was covered with spikes to protect against cannon fire, and to deter enemy soldiers from boarding the ship.

What I enjoyed the most was the life-size walk-through diorama-like exhibit showing the life of refugees during the Korean War. There was also an excellent exhibit on the complexity of the Vietnam jungles, including its underground tunnels and booby traps.

Below are statues outside the Memorial, near the Korean War Monument. The second photo shows the Statue of Brothers: an older brother from the South, on the battlefield, embracing his younger brother from the North. The crack in the sculpture symbolizes the fractured peninsula.

Jamsil Sports Complex (Seoul): Cirque du Soleil and Olympic Stadium

Below is the tent for Cirque du Soleil's Varekai, in Seoul at the Jamsil Sports Complex; below that and also at Jamsil is Olympic Stadium, centerpiece of the 1988 Summer Olympics.

Cirque du Soleil: Varekai (Seoul)

I've seen a few different Cirque du Soleil performances over the years (Ka, Las Vegas; Love, Las Vegas; Ovo, San Francisco; Kooza, Portland) and three days ago I saw Varekai, in Seoul at the Jamsil Sports Complex, which in addition to the temporary Cirque tent includes Olympic Stadium (1988 Summer Olympics) and Jamsil Baseball Stadium, home of Seoul's Doosan Bears.

The show itself, which tracks the story of Icarus after he fell from the sky, was probably the least compelling of the Cirque shows I've seen. That having been said, even a mediocre Cirque show is comparably enjoyable to most any other form of live entertainment. It was not a bad show. It was amazing, just not as amazing as other amazing Cirque shows.

Varekai is from the Romani language, and it translates as Wherever.

In this rendition of Icarus, he fell from the sky into a wild jungle at the base of a volcano, where he must learn to fly again. The costumes are fantastic, and watching a Cirque show with Koreans was a real treat. They eat it up. They love clapping in rhythm at nearly every opportunity, and they take any interaction with the performers (e.g. eye contact) very personally, which is to say that even grown men and women get as giddy as schoolchildren.

The acrobatics weren't quite up to par with other Cirque shows, and I'm not sure I'd recommend this show over others, especially if you're in a region where you've got a choice between performances, but if you find yourself in a foreign country, especially Korea, give it a shot. It was my first foreign Cirque show and the performers learned just enough Korean to make the audience laugh at certain moments. I imagine they do the same for other countries.

North Korea and South Korea: DMZ and JSA

ROK (Republic of Korea) soldiers, all black belts in Taekwondo, stand motionless in defensive Taekwandoe poses, and wear sunglasses, so as to never show emotion toward the opposition.

I've now been to the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) in Korea twice, most recently three days ago: once as part of a private tour (mostly in Japanese with limited English translation) and this weekend as part of a USO tour offered by the United States military (highly recommended).

The DMZ is the only place along the de facto border between North Korea and South Korea where the two sides stand face to face, every day, all day, all night. Despite the ceasefire signed in 1953, the two sides have been at war continuously since 1950. It is sobering and surreal.

The blue buildings below belong to the United Nations. The one on the left is the Joint Security Area shared by the opposing forces North Korea and South Korea, but it is never occupied by both countries at the same time. When one side finishes with the building, usually for a tour, they will unlock the door of the opposing side, and when they exit they will lock their own door. It used to be that only one South Korean officer was stationed in this building at any given time. It is now a two-man guard after North Korean soldiers tried to kidnap a soldier from the South, on duty alone inside the building. With a military escort and prior permission, civilians from both sides of the border are allowed to enter this building, but civilians entering from the South must first sign a waiver stating they understand the dangers of entering an active war zone. The actual border is the concrete slab on the ground that appears at the end of, and perpendicular to, the left fist of the soldier near the center of the photograph. You can see the slab extends toward the center of the blue building on the left. Although he is difficult to spot, there is a North Korea soldier with binoculars surveying the scene on the steps of the North Korean building (Panmungak) in the background. He is one doorway to the left of the sign in the center of the building's second floor. The sign reads Pan Mun Gak (Panmun Hall) in Korean.

Here is the concrete slab in a closeup photograph taken during my first visit to the DMZ in January 2011. The right side is South Korea. The left side is North Korea.

Inside the blue United Nations building (Joint Security Area) a soldier is stationed on guard during our tour. The flag indicates the border. To the soldier's left (and the vantage point from where the photograph was taken) is North Korea. To his right is South Korea.

This soldier is stationed inside the Joint Security Area on the North Korea side of the building. Behind him is a door that exits directly into North Korea. Should anyone from the South, whether it be a civilian or a soldier, exit that door, they would immediately be captured and/or fired upon by armed North Korean soldiers. Not that you'd be able to get past this guy anyway.

I found ROK soldiers to be even more intimidating than any of the United States Marines I've encountered. These guys are the best of the best in a country where Taekwondo is the national sport, and where every male is required to serve at least two years in the military.

This is the military police officer, Officer Lundgren of the United States Army, who served as our guide during our time at the Joint Security Area. He told us that quite often North Korean soldiers will try to goad opposition forces into action by making childish gestures, such as throat slashing or pointing their fingers like guns, bang-bang-bang style, like little children.  At this point of the tour we were surrounded on three sides by North Korea. In the distance is a North Korean guard tower, the former village of Panmunjom, and the building where the ceasefire agreement was signed in 1953 (now the North Korean Peace Museum). You can see the top of the North Korean guard tower on the right side of the photo, peeking out from above the tree line.

The waiver you have to sign before visiting the Joint Security Area; Demilitarized Zone, North Korea and South Korea.

Etymology of Panmunjom (Panmunjeom / Pan Mun Jom)

Panmunjom was a small village that no longer exists, at the de facto border between North and South Korea. Panmunjom was where in 1953 the Korean Armistice Agreement was signed.

Today the nearby Joint Security Area is commonly referred to Panmunjom (also written as Panmunjeom or Pan Mun Jom); however, historically this is not correct, though common usage would disagree, as even the soldiers stationed there call it Panmunjom, and you can see it written on the uniforms of both Korean and American soldiers at the Joint Security Area.

On American uniforms Panmunjom is written as Pan Mun Jom (판문점 on ROK soldier uniforms).

The village of Panmunjom no longer exists, although the building where the armistice was signed still stands. It is on the North Korean side of the Military Demarcation Line in the Demilitarized Zone. Today the building is the North Korean Peace Museum, ironically named because it houses at least one of the axes used by North Korean forces in 1976 during the brutal axe murders of two United States Army officers during Kim Jong-il's consolidation of power.

Originally the village of Panmunjom was named Nulmoon-ri, but during peace negotiations there was a sign outside the tavern in Nulmoon-ri, written in Chinese for the benefit of Chinese delegates. The sign said, transliterated to English, Pan (Nul) Mun (Moon) Jom (Tavern). So for all the sobriety, sadness and tragedy surrounding the village and its historical symbolism, its name means nothing more than the village tavern, specifically, the Nulmoon Tavern.

With the exception of the Peace Museum, no traces of the original Panmunjom remain.

Dora Observatory at the 38th parallel in Korea

The Dora Observatory (도라전망대) sits on the 38th parallel immediately south of the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) and North Korea, in Paju-si, South Korea. On a clear day you can see miles into North Korea, including (with the help of binoculars) a statue of Kim Il-Sung.

From the observatory you can see also see the only two villages that exist within the DMZ: Kijŏng-dong, better known as Propaganda Village, which belongs to the North, and the nearby South Korean village of Daeseong-dong, better known as Freedom Village.

Propaganda Village includes one of the world's tallest flagpoles and largest flags (dry weight of 600 pounds), constructed as a response to the residents of Freedom Village hoisting a South Korean flag of similar but smaller stature. Propaganda Village is really a fake village, buildings that are nothing more than facades, with enormous speakers broadcasting false promises to South Koreans in Freedom Village, in hopes of enticing them to defect to the North.

Freedom Village is under constant protection from the United Nations, and in the past North Korean soldiers have infiltrated the village to kidnap villagers, mostly farmers. Those who live in the village are permitted to do so only if they or their direct descendants lived in the village prior to the Korean War. Women are allowed to marry into the village, but men, because of strict military draft regulations, are not. Men in Freedom Village are the only men in all of South Korea categorically exempt from the mandatory two years of military service.

This is the front entrance of Dora Observatory.

From the observatory you can view North Korea through these binoculars. Immediately after taking the two photographs below, I was approached by a uniformed ROK soldier (Republic of Korea) who inspected my camera. Later I learned he could have confiscated my camera without warning, because photography of North Korea from the Dora Observatory is not allowed, but fortunately he returned my camera, after, I suspect, realizing it is a film camera with no digital controls through which to review or delete photos. Maybe he just didn't want to deal with the paperwork associated with confiscating equipment, or perhaps the young soldier had never even seen a film camera before and didn't know what to make of a camera with no LCD screen.

Almost all of what you see below, except for the immediate foreground, is in North Korea.

Animals on Jeju Island (Jeju-do)

Thanks to its volcanic history, Jeju Island is known for its unique flora; however, there are some nice animals too, including the Korean Jeju dog, a rare breed known for hunting and loyalty.

This is a Siberian Roe Deer, which thanks to my wide-angle lens appears farther away than he actually was. He was remarkably calm and held my eye contact for nearly a minute before returning to his food. Only when I crunched some twigs with my shoes did he get spooked.

I spotted this deer while exiting the Geomunoreum Lava Tube System.

Korean Jeju and/or Jindo dog, spotted only a kilometer or so from the Siberian Roe Deer.

These horses live on southwestern Jeju-do, near Yongmeori (Dragon's Head) Coast.

Korean Jindo and Jeju dogs

Information on Korean Jeju and Korean Jindo dogs can be hard to find, so I am not sure how much of this is true, but I am sure that not all of it is false.

The Korean Jindo is a hunting dog whose origins can be traced to Jindo Island in South Korea; the Jeju dog is also a hunter, but it may have originated elsewhere (perhaps China) before being brought, thousands of years ago, to Jeju Island, where it became the military dog of choice.

With only minor differences, Jindo and Jeju dogs are similar in size, shape, color and demeanor.

When the Jeju dog fell out of favor with the military, it became the regional dog meat of choice, leading the breed to the brink of extinction in the 1980s, when only three Jeju dogs could be found on all of Jeju Island. It is my understanding that Jeju Island remains the leading source of dog meat for consumption in South Korea, where eating dogs is illegal but tolerated. There are now a few hundred Jeju dogs on the island, but less than 100 are known to be purebred.

I spotted three dogs on Jeju Island with characters of one or both breeds:

1) Tied up in a yard near Geomunoreum.

2) Roaming off-leash near a major road in Jeju-si.

3) In Seogwipo-si near Jeongbang Waterfall.

Korean newspaper delivery via motor scooter

The Korea Times is the oldest of three English-language daily newspapers currently available in South Korea. Despite having the world's fastest Internet connections, some people in South Korea still get their news the old-fashioned way: delivered to their door daily.

Seen in Jeju City on Jeju Island.

Engrish (Konglish): Dry Creaning

Consider how funny you would sound, native English speakers, speaking Korean or Japanese or Chinese or Russian or any other language with sounds not familiar to the English language.

Seen in Seoul, near Hongdae [Hongik Daehakgyo a.k.a. Hongdik University (홍익대학교)].

Jeongnang (three wooden logs instead of a gate)

Jeongnang is the English transliteration of a Korean word found on Jeju Island. It refers to the gate-like structure with three wooden logs, seen in the photographs below. The island prides itself on having no thieves or beggars, so it is local tradition to use jeongnang instead of locked gates. The fact that there are three wooden logs, and not two or four, serves a purpose:

All three logs removed means, Welcome.
One log in place means, Returning soon.
Two logs in place means, Gone for a while.
All three logs in place means, Gone all day.

This jeongnang was in the front yard of a home near Geomunoreum.

On a hiking path at the entrance to Geomunoreum.

Sculpture in the Jeju-do capital city of Jeju-si.

Decorative jeongnang for informational purposes, near Cheonjiyeon Waterfall in Seogwipo-si.

Olle on Jeju Island, South Korea

Olle is the English transliteration of a Korean word found in the local Korean dialect of those living on Jeju Island. It is a word used to describe the many footpaths built for locals and tourist. It is my impression that initially they were designed for locals, simply as a means to get around the island more efficiently and pleasantly, but because Jeju Island is the premiere honeymoon destination for Korean newlyweds, and because many other tourists visit as well, there are now olle built simply for the purpose of enjoying the beautiful scenery.

There are hundreds of miles of olle on the island, and many free maps easily found on the island. The maps are available in Korean and English, and probably Japanese (and maybe Chinese).

There is nothing fancy about Jeju olle. They are only wooden footpaths, but they wind along the coast, up into the hills, and also through the more urban areas of the island, and I use the word urban liberally, because there isn't much on Jeju Island that doesn't feel rural. On their paths you will find beautiful views and the occasional odd item, like this Chinese gravestone, surrounded by a wall made of volcanic rock, up in the hills near Cheonjeyeon Waterfall.

Yongmeori (Dragon's Head) Coast; Jeju-do, South Korea

Yongmeori Coast is on the southwestern shoreline of Jeju Island. These unique cliff formations include hidden sea caves and plenty of unique places where you can wander safely, so long as you watch your step. Sometimes the formations drop unexpectedly into the sea, and there are also ponds with water so still you might accidentally walk right into them should your eyes be wandering elsewhere, an entirely plausible scenario considering the scenery.

The Yongmeori Coast entrance, where you descend from the top of those cliffs down toward the water, on steps carved out of the volcanic rock that makes up the coastline.

One of the many Korean women who manage impromptu seaside restaurants, where they catch fresh sea animals to sell to passersby. The foods are either eaten raw or cooked over a fire.

A view of the coast in one direction.

A local fisherwoman near the end of her working day.

One of the local restaurants tucked into the cliffs, and above one of the ponds you may fall into if you're not careful. The waters are clear enough to easily spot fish and other sea life.

The same restaurant but from a different view.

A view of the coast in the other direction.

While on my way home but still near the coast, I walked by a more permanent restaurant on land. I was immediately invited to join in the fun: drinking shots of soju and eating raw octopus, one of which I enjoyed more than the other (take a guess). The women are Korean tourists from Incheon, and the man at the head of the table was their hired driver who lived on the island.

Korean fire engine in Jeju City on Jeju Island

Seen near the beach in Jeju-si, Jeju-do, an autonomous province off the coast of South Korea.

Self-portrait in South Korea

Because I post only photographs I took, I don't often post photos of myself, for obvious reasons, but below is a self-portrait taken on a pedestrian bridge near Seogwipo Harbor on Jeju Island, an autonomous South Korean province in the Korean Strait.

Smiling rock face (near Cheonjiyeon Waterfall on Jeju Island)

Can you see the rock smiling?

How about now? Pay attention to the reflection in the water.

Maybe if I flip the rock sideways?

Sojeongbang Waterfall, Seogwipo-si; Jeju-do, South Korea

Not to be confused with the much larger and nearby Jeongbang Waterfall, this is Sojeongbang Waterfall, on the southern coast of Jeju-do, less than 10 minutes walking from Jeongbang.

The view from the base of Sojeongbang Waterfall: In the distance is a local houseboat on the water, and much closer are the remains of a coconut on a volcanic rock.

The view from the crest of Sojeongbang Waterfall: On the water is the same houseboat.

Jeongbang Waterfall, Seogwipo-si; Jeju-do, South Korea

Jeongbang Waterfall is the only waterfall in Asia that falls directly into the sea. It's a gorgeous place to visit and easily accessible from Seogwipo Harbor in Seogwipo-si (Seogwipo City). I walked there in about 30 minutes after visiting Cheonjiyeon Waterfall, Saeyeon Bridge and Saeseom Island, all three in the immediate vicinity of Seogwipo Harbor. About five minutes walking distance from Jeongbang Waterfall is a smaller waterfall, Sojeongbang, which is also worth visiting if you're in the area.

Unlike tourist attractions in America, which are constantly cordoned off by ropes and rules, attractions in Korea are presented with trust, common decency and common sense. This means you're allowed to walk up right to the base of the falls, even going so far as to bathe in its pond, but it also means you're responsible for your own safety, because you'll be able to walk in and around places that may be dangerous. Usually there are warning signs, but not always for the places that are obviously dangerous. That is where the common sense applies.

Don't get the wrong idea about Jeongbang, though: It is not a dangerous place to visit, but be careful if you are jumping from ocean rock to ocean rock. Please don't crack your skull.

Legend says that an ancient Chinese emperor (Jin) sent one of his servants (Seo Bul) to Jeju Island's Mount Halla in search of magical herbs that would grant everlasting youth. On his journey the servant came across Jeongbang Waterfall, where he carved his name into the rock. The name Jeongbang is somehow derived from this servant's carving, "Seobul Gwaji."

This is the view from the base of Jeongbang Waterfall, out toward the ocean and an uninhabited volcanic island off the coast of Jeju Island, itself a much larger (and inhabited) volcanic island.

Cheonjiyeon Waterfall, Seogwipo-si; Jeju-do, South Korea

Not to be confused with Cheonjeyeon, a series of three waterfalls also on Jeju Island (Jeju-do), Cheonjiyeon stands alone. Of the three major waterfalls on the island, and including the fourth minor waterfall (Seojeongbang) I saw, Cheonjiyeon was perhaps the most beautiful. Actually, that's not true: Jeongbang was in my opinion the most naturally beautiful, but Cheonjiyeon is special because it is accessible 24 hours per day, which makes it possible to arrive at odd hours and avoid the crowds. Here it is at about seven in the morning, before the daily crowds.

Rolleiflex: It is unclear to me why you'd place a life preserver in shallow waters (appeared to be less than one meter) near the base of the waterfall as opposed to somewhere above its crest. Maybe the tides change and/or there are tricky currents.

Rolleiflex: The faux-wood felt out of place in an otherwise mostly natural environment. But even so, it was a nice bridge, and it can be found on the approach toward the base of Cheonjiyeon Waterfall.

Rolleiflex: A flower petal sits alone on a volcanic rock near the base of Cheonjiyeon Waterfall.

Leica MP: Cheonjiyeon Waterfall, immediately before a crowd of 100-plus Japanese tourists arrived.