You might think I'm mad but...: hidden gems

Tuesday, 12 November 2013

Do you see what I see?

Last week, on Saturday, my brother and I headed north to Seoul. On disembarking at Yeongdeungpo station (and after a doughnut or four) we proceeded to take the subway to Hongik university. One of the subways that we boarded (line 1, 6-2 gate, I think!!) had the most amazing carriage. I was in love from the minute I entered it. We were only on this subway for one stop, so I didn't take a picture (challenge issued by my brother) but I will do my best to describe it.

To the right of the door that we entered was a book case filled with books. One of the other passengers slipped one into his hand and proceeded to read just after we boarded the train. I kept staring at the bookcase hoping in vain that there would be something in English so I too could reach in and pull a book out to read.

To the immediate right of this was a seating area with two seats opposite each other with a little table. This was a mobile phone charging area. A second charging area was also available on the opposite side of the carriage. Right in front of both of these booths was somewhere where you could hang your umbrellas etc. It was nice day so no one was taking advantage of it - but because the bar wasn't too high, I was able to grab it instead of trying to keep my balance.

There was a water dispenser just beyond the phone charging area with those little paper cups. What I found most impressive was that it had both a cold and a HOT water dispenser - I would have thought that would be a bit dangerous on a subway as it lurches into a station! Not only was there the water dispenser in the carriage but also a snack area was to the left of the door that we entered. I couldn't see past the snack area and there wasn't enough time for me to explore the carriage in it's entirety. There were probably many more things to see but my eyes were too greedy for what was in my immediate vicinity. Plus that book case was distracting!

So, you might think I'm mad to have not taken a picture and to have accepted my brother's challenge. You might think I'm mad to not be 100% sure of the subway I was on. However, I think the latter is unavoidable as I was too concentrated on the actual carriage to really care where I was going. For the former, something that I have learnt this past weekend is that a camera can't always capture exactly what you see and sometimes the entirety of what you are seeing is more important than the snapshot of a particular time and space that a photo captures. I still love taking photos but sometimes what my eye sees and my mind captures is even more picturesque.

Map courtesy of http://www.smrt.co.kr/program/cyberStation/main2.jsp?lang=e

PS This post is inspired by a fantastic subway ride and the song Do you hear what I hear?

Tuesday, 21 May 2013

I'm a [small, small] girl in a [small, small] world

"Ah, what a small world it is, isn't it?" This question has been said to me and by me many times over the course of my life and I am sure I will both hear it and say it many times before my life ends. Whether it is because you bumped into someone you know in the most unlikely of places or because you found a random connection to someone you never met (Oh my gosh, you're from X!...Me, too! Wow, I've never even seen you around!")

To me, the world is simultaneously both a big, big world and a small, small world. There are so many places to go and see, things to do and people to meet that you could travel everyday of your entire life and still not see, do or meet all those things/people. However, there are so many moments and experiences that can make the world seem like a tiny place indeed.

There was recently an article in TheJournal.ie (http://www.thejournal.ie/pictures-of-ireland-585277-Sep2012/ ) that posted some absolutely stunning photos of Ireland. It's so easy to forget when you live there when "outside it's now raining", just how beautiful our little island is and what a wealth of culture and natural beauty it has on offer. These photos have inspired me to find the beauty in 세종시...or rather the little gems that make living in, what some may consider the back end of beyond, well worth it! (BTW - it's not the back end of beyond!)

I live in a new, planned city called 세종시. This is a growing town that is expected to have a population of half a million by 2030! Currently, the area of Sejong where I live is called 조치원. It's really small, less than 50,000 people live here but it is my home and over the last few weeks I've come to really appreciate it as the sun shines and the flowers bloom. A couple of weeks ago it was my friend's, Rucy Bear, birthday, and to celebrate we headed out to a lake in 세종시 Eating cake, crisps and sandwiches we kept exclaiming over this beautiful spot and found ourselves entirely grateful that it's a part of our new city. It's a man-built lake surrounded by new trees, interesting water features and a cycle path. It has an amphitheater in the middle of the lake that only adds to the atmosphere. As we sat there, and knowing that I had only just discovered it, I realised that " I do feel I will miss [조치원] much" whenever it is I decide to branch out to new things. I also realised that I don't know that much about the amenities and beauty spots of my town as I would like and so, I found myself setting forth on a challenge to capture the little things that have made daily life in Korea an easy transition.

So, you might think I'm mad to feel that I that I could already miss the small, small world of 조치원 if I left it anytime soon and you might think I'm mad to try and find any gems in this town. After all, when there are so many more beautiful places in Korea why would anyone want to come to this little place? Well, I hope when you review the following photos they may change your mind. 세종시 tourism may find themselves needing to commission me after this!

PS All photos were taken by me unless otherwise stated.
PPS This blog post was inspired by "Big, big world" by Emilia and the stunning photos in theJournal.ie.