Cherry blossom season

Several countries on this side of the world are enjoying the awakening of the cherry blossom trees! Last weekend, people swarmed the streets and parks in order to gaze and these lovely creations.

The trees bloom white and then slowly turn pink.

A clump of cherry blossoms add interest and beauty for residents of these high-rise apartments.

Many cars drive underneath this canopy of cheerful, delicate trees.

I enhanced the colors for a more vibrant effect.

Ready to kiss this ICE goodbye

You're never really prepared for the bitter cold until it hits you in the face with ruthless, unforgiving force. Sweaty summers and friendly fall temperatures annually wipe away all memories of frigid cold. Gradually, winter creeps upon us, masked by cheery Santa hats and decorated Christmas trees.

The "THE POLONECK FACE." Hmm. I suppose this is suited for a
strict budgeting North Face and Polo Ralph Lauren enthusiast?

"Cold weather is a MUST during Christmas" you might argue. Sure, we want cold weather during the holidays. With all the North Pole stories and snowy Christmas movies on TV, icy air just seems appropriate. Then, dreaded January-February happens, and suddenly, you're wishfully reminiscing on a summer vacation you had 6 months ago and wondering why in the world you were excited to purchase that brand new winter coat. If you're like me and you've grown up with mild winters, you probably view cold weather with an expression of utter disdain.

To put it plainly, South Korea is a lot colder that expected. Both Pepper and I have purchased new coats and sweaters and haven't stopped wearing them since early November. The cold temperatures would be more bearable if our workplaces were properly heated, but alas, another drastic difference from our previous working places to now: our buildings have no central heat. 

Many Korean businesses staunchly believe in "saving power." What better way to do this than to have zero heat pumping during the winter months? Somehow, small space heaters are expected to do the same job as a regulated heating system, but trust me: it's not the same. Students at my school are accustomed to wearing their goose-down puffy coats all day long, and surprisingly complain very little. I've lost count of how many times I've walked into a classroom at my school and was struck by a blast of stale, cold air. My next move is to coax a kid out of his seat so I can step up onto it and reach the electric heater mounted high on the wall, precariously held by a couple of screws. Sometimes they work, but often, I fail to make anything happen. I love heaters, but when they refuse to pump heat, my trust wavers. Also, all of the buttons are in Korean, so pressing them is guesswork.

We've been told that Seoul is quite a bit colder than Busan, so I suppose we're fortunate to be in the southeast region of the country. We haven't seen any snow this year; we've only experienced cold temperatures and icy winds......SO MUCH WIND. This winter will make us appreciate the summertime humidity all the more.

Heart and Seoul

Being away from our families and friends over the cozy, festive Christmas holidays was heart-wrenching. To ease the homesickness, Pepper and I visited the bustling capital city of South Korea: Seoul. The city where we currently reside, Busan, is about a 5-hour car ride away from this international hub, and having no car overseas, we selected a terrific option: the KTX, or (Korea Express Train). This bullet train has been channeling people across the country for many years, and I admit that we NEED one of these in the U.S. The train is so efficient that we departed at 10:00 a.m and arrived at exactly 12:36 p.m. Train tickets were just under 60 Korean won, which is nearly the same in U.S dollars. Like many people, we prefer traveling when the weather is comfortably warm, but being in a foreign country (and basically having to work nonstop) means we have to see the sights whenever opportunity arises. South Korea is surprisingly cold, and Seoul is quite a bit colder than Busan. So, we avoid Georgia's unseasonably warm Christmas...well, this year at least ;)

While in Seoul, we decided to tour some of the traditional tourists spots that Seoul has to offer.

Perhaps Pepper is taller than the ancient rulers of Korea.

There's something special about these houses. Personally, I believe these "hanok" homes are way more fun than your standard high rise apartment. Due to lack of space, most Koreans live in apartment buildings. Thus, traditional homes are just that: traditional, old-fashioned, yet respectable. 

I found a tiny door! Aw!

Strolling through Bukcheon Hanok Village.

Gyeongbokgung Palace! This was just a few subway stops away from our hotel.

While strolling through Bukcheon Hanok Village, I hopped inside and snapped a quick photo of this traditional Korean house (called a hanoks). There's something so peaceful about this entryway.

Pretty coloring on the palace structures.

Though much of the surrounding foliage is asleep for winter, the lake, along with this unique Korean building, still looks quite pretty. Welcome to Seoul, where traditional history and modern high rise buildings reside a few feet from each other. Can you see Seoul Tower peeking up from the right-hand side? It's a pointy white structure behind one of the skinny tree limbs.

Palace tours.

Posing in traditional Korean garb is a cutesy thing to do at many of the special, historical sights in Seoul. This type of women's clothing is called a hanbok. You can buy one from one of the many stores in any Korean city!

Hands in pockets. It's cold out.

After touring the traditional Korean village in the Bukcheon area, we stumbled upon a Japanese restaurant. Dinnertime!!

Buildings with fancy lights help to enhance Korea's night sky.

This was one of the many structures in the Changdeokgung Palace area.