Week 9 -- Ojeong and Bomunsan

1. (What I learned about Korea)

This week I went to the Ojeong-dong agriculture market and fishery. It was very large and I enjoyed walking around it. I got some food for the room, and I got to see how some of the more traditional markets work in Korea. 

I also went to the Daejeon Prehistoric Museum up in Noeun-dong. There I learned about ancient Korea and what went on back then.

I went over to Hannam University and saw the Central Museum there. They had exhibits of ancient pottery and ceramics, so I learned a little more about what those were like. I also saw an exhibit on the early Korean Christian missions.

I tried the Daejeon specialty dish of samgyetang, which is a chicken that's been stuffed with glutinous rice being cooked in broth and served with ginseng. It was good (although difficult to eat with chopsticks). So I know a little more about the Daejeon specialties now.

Finally, I hiked Bomunsan Mountain this Sunday. That was a very fun time. I saw some of the monuments on the mountain, including the UN monument (dedicated to the UN soldiers who defended the area in the Korean War) and the Bomunsaji ruins (a field and some remains of where a temple used to be). I also hiked up to the top of both peaks, and so I got some very nice views of the city.

2. (Project status)

I've begun working on the back end for the GUI. It's very involved, but I'm making good progress. I also submitted the ICAHRR camera-ready paper.

3. (Photo of the week)

The view from a lookout post on Bomunsan mountain.

4. (What I learned about myself)

I hiked Bomunsan for over six hours, which is the most hiking I've done yet on the trip, so I showed myself that I can handle such a long hike. I also have begun trying the specialty dishes, and I enjoyed samgyetang, so I now know that I like the Daejeon signature foods.

5. (New people I met)

While on Bomunsan I met two English teachers, Theresa and Renee, from Canada. They're both relatively new in Daejeon (two months or less in city for both of them). We discussed the local environment and some good tourist locations.