The sight of the large Taiwanese flag painted on the side of Taoyuan International Airport gave me an overpowering sense of calm. I love everything about this country. I love the look of the currency, the sound of Mandarin, how polite people are on public transport, and even the smell of stinky tofu. This island nation was the best place for me to recharge before my journey across the Pacific.

 I was quickly on the metro heading to San Chong to stay with one of my best friends, Andrew. I can’t easily sum up how important Andrew and his family are to me, nor how special staying with them was. During the day Andrew and I would share food. He agreeably accompanied me to our favorite Indian restaurant four times.

Me: “Andrew, you know what is in Ximen and a close bus ride away?”

Andrew: “Let me guess Indian food.”

Me: “You got it!”

We watched a couple movies, played some board games, and had a nice trip to Jiufen with his awesome wife, Jenny, and their son, Ethan. Staying with them felt like home and I am eternally grateful for all they did.

I made two trips to my old school to visit my younger students. I was very touched by the fact that my boss had told the parents I was coming back and many of my students who had already graduated came back just to see me. My boss made a strong argument for my return to Taiwan and to be honest it sounds like a tempting offer. I saw many of my SAT and adult students. Two of the most significant of these students were, Tzuli and Jamie. Before arriving in Taipei, I contacted Tzuli’s fiancé and asked him to help me surprise the two sisters. He lied and told Tzuli to meet him for dinner at 6:30 outside exit two of the Sun Yat-sen metro stop. As I saw her approaching, I stepped out with my GoPro in hand and waited for her to recognize me. Her mouth opened, her jaw dropped, and she was almost in tears. For about 30 seconds she slapped her face in disbelief. We proceeded to her sister’s house and took her by surprise as well. Out of all my Taiwanese friends these two are the ones I connect with the most. They are funny, intelligent, open-minded, quirky, and extremely fun. They even invited me into their parents’ home to stay for a night. Thank you ladies for sharing your family with me. They like their daughters, are wonderful.

Since I have gone on about Taiwan so much in previous posts, I won’t bore you with a long list of why it is my favorite country. I will also abstain from listing the absurd amount of food I ate. All I will say is you haven’t lived until you have eaten in Taiwan.

Sadly, my time in Taiwan came to an end. I flew back to Japan to then fly to Australia where I joined a Royal Caribbean ship. Thanks for being patient with my short updates. I am almost caught up to the good stuff… my life at sea.

Kyoto and Tokyo for a second go, but this time during cherry blossom season! My time involved temples, temples, sushi, and more temples. I never for sure knew where I was going to stay since all the hostels were booked 100%. I guess the uncertainty kept me on my toes. By chance my visit to Himeji Castle fell on the same day that marked the peak of the cherry blossom season in Himeji. The whole town was crowded, but witnessing hundreds of cherry blossom trees in full bloom was a memorable experience.

I decided the expense and lack of accommodation in Japan was a good enough excuse to make an unplanned trip home... to Taiwan. Even though I still had two weeks left on my railpass, I opted to hunker down with good food and good friends. Stay tune for news from Taiwan.  

Look for an update Monday!

My time in Busan was relaxing and nice mainly because of my wonderful host! Seo welcomed me into her family’s home and provided a tranquil environment in which to recover from the fridge temperatures of Seoul. I don’t have a lot to share about my time there. Busan is a beach resort and during warmer months many Koreans flock there to take in the sand and beautiful ocean views. I walked along the beach front for a bit and visited the city’s most famous temple. That pretty much comprises everything I did from a tourist perspective, but that was fine by me.

Haedong Yongkung Temple is a long bus ride out of the city, but it is beautiful. Take exit 7 from Haeundae Station and then take the 181 bus. The temple is perched over-looking the sea and if you are lucky you may be able to catch Buddhist monks meditating on the rocks absorbing the tranquility provided by the crystalline water.  This temple is considered by some to be the most beautiful and significant Buddhist temple in South Korea. I met a group of women from Taiwan and like all extremely open and friendly Taiwanese people they were more than happy to jump with me.

Once back in town Indian food was consumed, a dog with painted eyebrows was seen, and a visit to a golden retriever petting café was attempted. I finished the day with a walk on the beach.

The next day I spent most of my time updating the blog and going out for udon noodles. The restaurant owner was a bit confused by my note written in Korean requesting my food not to have onions or meat, so he asked his 28 year old son to come out and speak with me. He was very friendly and inquired where I was from and told me he is planning a trip to New York this year. At the end of the meal, he offered for me to stay at his father’s home for free if I needed a place. They were worried that I may be paying a lot of money to stay in a hostel or hotel. I was a bit taken back by the kind offer. On the bus to Haedong Yongkung Temple a woman offered to hold my backpack since I was standing and she had a seat. On the metro a man approached me and asked if he could shake my hand. All he said was, “I love Americans. Thank you for coming here.” Again, I have never experienced this in another country. I had so many strangers offer me help in Korea that I was really impressed by their culture’s strong sense of generosity.

Before flying out to Osaka for round two of Japan, I spent a nice morning with Seo. She gave me two postcards of Busan, a traditional mask to paint, and helped me try on her traditional wedding gown. Her soft-spoken persona and thoughtfulness sent me on my way with a strong lasting impression of how special of a place Korea truly is. For more on Seo checkout my Couchsurfing tab.

Dr. Lee’s secretary, Sherlyn, was a glorious surprise. She hosted me for 4 nights and greatly enriched my time in Seoul. She is originally from the Philippines, but has been living in Korea for years. Unfortunately, her husband died a year ago and now she is raising her boisterous and lovely 3 year old son on her own. Her son is not in need of love though. He has a team of woman doting on him. Sherlyn’s mother and mother’s friend act as baby sitters almost around the clock.  The mother’s friend hasn’t been back to the Philippines in 16 years. She has spent time working in Dubai and Korea, so that she can send money home to support her children. I can’t even imagine leaving your family behind for so many years in search of work. Even though they miss their homeland, they have created their own niche in Korea and welcomed me into it. It was fascinating listening to them go in and out of English, Korean, and Tagalog. It is obvious that their lives revolve around hard work and family. They don’t have much and yet they were willing to be incredibly generous to me. I just wish I could have spent more time with them and in some way repaid the favor.

On my last full day in Seoul I went to say goodbye to Dr. Lee. He was generous and gave me a ton of vegetarian snacks including seaweed and a jar of honey tea for my throat. He made a few last jokes about me being a pain in his ass and we said see you later. Next I went in search of a Taiwanese Buddhist restaurant!!! Ironically it ended up being ran by the same Buddhist denomination as the temple in Taiwan I stayed at. As soon as I walked in, I knew it was going to be phenomenal. I got there a couple minutes before official opening time and it seemed the woman setting up felt a bit confused by my presence. Her husband arrived and he spoke English, so I explained that I had lived in Taiwan and was greatly interested in Buddhism. Instantly the atmosphere changed. I was no longer an intruder but a welcomed friend. We discussed theology, relationships, and how best to pursue finding your inner self through meditation. He is Korean, but his wife is Taiwanese. He has spent time meditating with masters in Tibet and all over Asia. I could have spoken with him for 7 hours and been content. In addition to good conversation, the food was like a quick trip home. Red grained rice, steamed bok choy, tofu, an assortment of vegetables, green bean soup, Taiwanese oolong tea, etc. YUMMMMMM. Plus, there was pineapple cake and not just any pineapple cake, but the good stuff. As more and more time passes and I get farther away from my life in Taiwan, I continue to realize how rooted my heart is there. It truly feels more like home to me than any other place.

With a full belly, I climbed up Namsan Mountain to see Seoul Tower. The hike up was nice and from the path the city’s ancient wall was visible. What was more special than the view was the person I met. I was walking and listening to music when an older man came up behind me and said, “Excuse me, are you American?” I was startled to say the least, but nodded in confirmation. He looked pleased and dived right into conversation. He spends 6 months each year in Seoul and 6 months in Southern California. He was very adamant that the US is his favorite country. Normally, people do not randomly approach me to share their love of my nation. Actually, it is usually quite the opposite. So this man was a welcome shift from the norm. He was 8 years old when the Korean War began. As we climbed the hill together, he painted a mental picture of a small village overtaken by the North Korean Army. The people were put to work and many were taken and forced to fight. He recounted hiding in his school at one point, how hard it was for his family to find food, and the joyous moment when American soldiers retook the village. He even grabbed my hand and said, “I would like to say thank you to your grandparents for saving my country. Without them South Korea would not exist. My father and your grandfather were brothers in war and now because of them your people and my people are friends.” I was so moved by this man’s emotional display of gratitude to a complete stranger who had absolutely nothing to do with the war. It just goes to show the significance of the Korean War and how deeply it impacted the lives of the Korean people. Out of everything I experienced in Korea, this conversation and the brief moment this man held my hand left the deepest impression in my mind. I will always be critical to some degree of my country’s politics and historical past, but at the end of the day I am American and I too love my nation.

At the base of Seoul Tower there was a cultural fair with a variety of performers. There were traditional dancers, swordsmen, and musicians. I observed for a while, took into the 360 view of the city, and headed back down the mountain. I personally don’t think paying to go to the top of Seoul Tower is worth it, but that is coming from my budget backpacker perspective.

I then headed to Gwangjang Market. There was food, furs, clothing, jewelry, cheap electronics, bedding, dishes, furniture, etc. I got an awesome GoPro video of a man selling Korean honey string dessert. He was featured on one of the Travel Channel shows and was incredibly animated. He went on a 2 minute rant about how his candy is made and at the end he informed me that he was really high. Regardless, of his mental state, I bought some honey string dessert and went on my way. On the way home I hunted down the headquarters of the Seoul Marathon with hopes of buying a tee shirt for my brother. Apparently, merchandising is not a thing they do. The man I spoke with just looked at me like I was crazy. “You want what?” Sorry Tim no shirt for you.

The next morning I accompanied Sherlyn and her family to church before catching the bus to Busan. Everyone was very friendly and they even shared a healthy vegetarian lunch with me. I hold a lot of respect for those who are religious and enjoy experiencing their form of worship, but am not religious myself. That being said I didn’t feel uncomfortable until the end of the morning. Sherlyn had heard a conversation I had with Dr. Lee about me not feeling well, so she asked if her church could pray for me. I said yes and showed appreciation for the kind gesture. Little did I know that they weren’t just going to say a prayer, but have a whole congregational fervent prayer chant with me standing at the front and strangers placing their hands on me. One man even placed his hand on my breast. Now if you know me, you probably know that I am not easily embarrassed, but this moment took the cake. I had no idea where to look or what facial expression to hold. I just kept thinking, “When is this going to end? It has to end soon right? Finished? Not yet… Don’t laugh… Look somber… Look thankful… Look reverent? Ok, this is weird…” After my face returned to its natural color, I said goodbye to the whole family. Her mother joked that she was relieved I hadn’t turned out to be a serial killer. Sherlyn was holding back tears, which made me feel emotional as well. I had bonded with them for several days and had been touched by their acceptance and the amount of love her son had shown me. It was hard to leave.  

It was another crisp clear day in Seoul and I set out to explore the traditional Korean architecture of Buckchon Village. On the way I stopped at a Buddhist temple known for its vegetarian food. I explained what I was after to a woman in the guest information booth and she quickly threw on her coat and motioned for me to follow her. She led me into a members’ only eating hall.  She pulled out a card and swiped it multiple times. I wasn’t going to be able to pay for the meal. As soon as I saw the food I was so incredibly excited. It was just like the temple stay I did in Taiwan. Minimalist Buddhist fare is delicious and so healthy. I wish I could have at least one meal like that every day. My hostess then gave me a tour of the temple and explained in elementary English several of Buddha’s teachings. One of the main reasons I travel is for experiences like this. Sharing a simple meal with someone from a vastly different culture can be enlightening and at the end of the day isn’t human connection what we are all after. I said farewell and she recommended that I do a temple stay next time I am in Korea. I most definitely will!

I recommend you stop by one of the tourist information booths and get a map of the Buckchon Village area before exploring. There are several very nice photo spots that are highlighted on the tourist map. If you feel inclined, there are several houses that have been converted into small businesses. You can learn how to make traditional Korean toys, buy traditional soap, or rent traditional clothing and do a photo shoot inside one of the historic homes. After meandering through the streets and asking a lot of mainland Chinese tourists to jump with me, I made it with one minute to spare to the English guided tour of the Gyeongbokgung Palace. Doing a tour is the way to go with these types of sites. The tour lasted an hour and made sure I saw all the highlights. If I had done it by myself, I would have been there 3 hours easily. Warrant the strong wind chilling me to the bone definitely welcomed a shorter stay than what I normally would want.

What I found most interesting from the tour was the significance given to the mother of the emperor. She was given her own lavish quarters with a multitude of servants and attendants. As soon as the emperor died, she was shifted to another abode and replaced by her daughter-in-law. The extensive heating system was also fascinating. The Korean peninsula is slammed every year with a long and cold winter and thus they were forced to be inventive. Several of the most used buildings were elevated with large ovens underneath the main floor. I greatly enjoyed the modern version of these heated floors and think we should start using them at home (albeit with central heating it would be an unnecessary luxury… but still). If you are making a trip here, make sure to see the Blue House (the president’s official residence) which is directly behind the Palace.

The evening was spent in search of yet more Buddhist vegetarian food and this time it was beyond heavenly. Directly across from the temple there was a temple stay information center with a restaurant on the second floor. For 8 USD you could load up a tray of soup, rice, kimchi, sweet potato, seaweed, and an assortment of vegetables with tofu. The most important rule when eating in an establishment like this one is that you have to eat everything on your plate. Waste is unacceptable. Let’s just say it was painful getting everything in my stomach and I may or may not have hidden one of my sweet potatoes in Tim’s bowl. I was there so long that one of the employees gave me the evil eye. What? I like to eat and if a meal is 100% plant based I go overboard.

What I haven’t shared yet is the absurd Couchsurfing situation I found myself in. A month in advance I contacted a host who had a high rating and a lot of positive reviews. A few days before getting to his place I contacted him to confirm directions and he never responded. Tim said I could stay at his host’s house. On the way there Tim started telling me a few things about his host. All of a sudden it hit me that his host was the same one I was supposed to stay with. It was strange that after chatting with me for a month he just went MIA, but he was still accepting other surfers. Well things were still going to get weirder. An hour before our arrival, he contacted Tim to say he was stuck in Japan due to a snow storm. So he just gave us the code to his apartment and said we could stay there without him. Now that sounds generous, but in reality it is just bizarre. Who allows complete strangers access to their home? I trust people, but there is a line. We got there and the apartment was nice, but there was no heat.  I know beggars can’t be choosers, but my real complaint wasn’t the heat. It was the fact that the host had just pressed accept to all the Couchsurfing requests he received. He had stopped responding to my messages because there were too many surfers for him to communicate with. That night there was a Thai family with a young son and us all sharing two beds in a small room. Not only was it a freezing night, but the father snored like a bear with a collapsed nasal passage. I really felt for his wife. She felt uncomfortable in the situation and was obviously embarrassed that her husband made it impossible for everyone else to sleep.

The next night things got more festive with 13 people all cuddling together and sharing one toilet. Not ideal. In my opinion this isn’t being a good host. The fates were looking out for me though. At the chiropractor I was joking about my horrendous sleeping conditions and the secretary offered for me to stay with her family. More on Sherlyn and her family next post.