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Yes, You Just Saw Me On CNN & PBS In The Same Week!
January was a good month. Not only was I asked to participate in an episode of Point Of View on CNN, but an episode I had filmed with Samantha Brown on her latest show Places To Love aired. Bing Bang Boom! Here’s what you missed. This just in: I was on CNN’s program ‘South Korea POV’. POV stands for Point-Of-View and the premise of the show is that a local will guide viewers around a city. Having lived in Seoul for the past twelve years, I can say confidently that I am pretty adept at getting around, finding things on and off the beaten path and consistently try to share…
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The Peace Culture Bunker: Once Military, Now Communal
It’s not uncommon to travel around Seoul, or Korea for that matter, and find military bases and bunkers. Usually they’re surrounded by barbed wire and fences because civilians, like myself, cannot enter. They’re starting to get converted into community spaces though as they become unnecessary. The Peace Culture Bunker (평화문화진지), once a tank bunker is one of those places and it’s now a very cool community space. More and more these bunkers and bases are being given back to the community at large and they are being given back in some awesome ways. Don’t miss the new spaces to find around the city. Is Korea still at war? Technically yes,…
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Gamaksan Suspension Bridge & DMZ Tour In Korea: Review
A couple weekends ago, I was able to go on a tour to Gamaksan Suspension Bridge and the DMZ. I’ll be honest, that I hadn’t really had any interest in visiting the DMZ before, at least not the Paju area DMZ. Mostly, because so many people go there, I was unsure how much of it was a tourist zone/trap and how much of it was educational. A few years back I visited the DMZ in the Cheorwan area and found it extremely interesting but also it was insightful and real. There weren’t large busloads of people and the village that used to be there is just buildings that are clearly war…
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7 Places To Learn About War in Korea
Most people that spend any amount of time in Korea, visiting or living, will at some point hear references made to war, commonly the Korean War and WWII or any number of wars with Japan. Signs at historical sites will remind people that the historic site was burnt down during some Japanese invasion before being rebuilt and political turmoil between North and South Korea is a constant reminder of the Korean War. Before jumping headfirst into conversation with a Korean about said wars, it’s best to take the time to learn and get some perspective. Want to learn about the Korean War in Korea? Want to learn about the comfort…
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My Top Ten Adventures of 2013!
2013 was a great year for traveling. Not only did I get to see some fantastic places in Korea, but I also enjoyed quite a few trips abroad. Here are the top 10 places, here and abroad, that I saw in 2013. What a year! 1. Fukuoka, Japan: We started off the year with a trip to Fukuoka, Japan in February. It seems as the end of winter nears we always start to get a little cabin fever, not that we live in a cabin, or that we completely hibernate all winter, but we just need to get away. I had been to Fukuoka before, as had my husband, but this…
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How To Visit The The Cheorwon DMZ Area From Seoul, Korea
Most tourists that visit Seoul, Korea wonder if they can fit in a trip to the DMZ at some point. The areas that are open to tourists are centered around the tunnels that the North Koreans built as they tried to sneak into South Korea some decades ago. The most often visited by tourists and easiest to access is the DMZ area in the Paju region. While this is an easy spot to get to, it’s a bit too touristy for my liking. Though the trek to get to Cheorwon, Korea is a bit more tough, there is a completely different experience. Want to know how to visit the DMZ…