July 19, 2009 - Gyeongju, South Korea
"The best food in the world is equal to the number of mothers."
~ Korean belief
Good food feeds the soul. As a huge fan of ethnic-Asian-cuisine, discovering my dislike for Korean spices and food preparation has come as a surprise. From talking with other friends on the trip, many are also not enjoying Korean food. Korea is known for Kimchi - salted cabbage mixed with variations of radish, onion, and/or cucumber, then spiced with red chili pepper and garlic. After preparation, Kimchi is stored in large clay pots, which are often buried in the ground to maintain a
refrigerated temperature and hold flavor throughout the winter. Basically, Kimchi is an ancient practice of harvesting summer vegetables and then fermenting them to last through the cold, desolate winter. I've not acquired a taste for the pickled/fermented dish. Koreans say, "A man doesn't need a wife to survive, but he does need Kimchi." Well, this gringo says, "I need a fresh avocado."The Seokguram Grotto a UNESCO World Heritage Site, holds a 12 foot tall-free standing Buddha surrounding by Bodhisattva's, half moons, and lotus flower wall carvings. The holy images are buried within a tomb at the top of Mount Tohamsan. This famous location is known for observing magical sunrises over the East Sea (Sea of Japan), however, due to Monsoon's inversion, we viewed a sea of fog interlaced among a coastline of crimson hilltops.
This month I turned 33 years-old (year of the dragon). 33 years-old seems to hold significant historical value. Jesus died and rose from the grave at 33 years-old. Siddhartha Gautama (Buddha) reached enlightenment at 33 years-old, sitting under a tree in India. Larry Bird's Celtic Jersey number is 33.
+ 30% of Koreans are Christian
+ 23% of Koreans are Buddhists
+ 50% of Koreans have no-religious affiliation (fastest growing piece of the pie)
A final tour stop at the Bulguk-sa Temple, originally built during the Silla Kingdom (A.D. 528), was destroyed by the Japanese (of course) and rebuilt in the 1970's. This temple holds four traditional, massively build, instruments found in Korean Buddhism - used to call all creatures to prayer.
+ Cloud gong ~ awake all in the sky
+ Wooden fish ~ awake all underwater
+ Drum ~ awake all on land
+ Bell ~ awake all in the spiritual worlds
