To the country we go!

It takes 3 hours to get to Gangneung from Seoul. About an hour into the trip, we already noticed shorter buildings and more greenery. To get there, we took Highway 1, which acquired its name because it was the first and only highway for a very long time that connects South Korea to North Korea (according to our DMZ tour guide). Following the road eventually leads you to North Korea, China, Russia, and France.

GANGNEUNG

We stayed in the city of Gangneung in the Gwangwon province in the eastern coast of South Korea. The area has many attractions such as Jeongdongjin beach, where many gather to see the first sunrise of the new year. This is also the city where Bee's ancestors from her father's side are from.

We were graciously received by the Ojukheon House's Director and Head academic of the Ojukheon House museum. They took us out to lunch to a local restaurant in a much more rural area, about 10-15 minutes away from where we were staying.

The owner and head chef came out to speak and present us a plate of dessert rice cakes. She explained that the middle rice cake represents the sun, which brings hope and happiness to them and is how they see guests. The rice cakes around it are like the sun's rays while the round rice cakes represent something similar to the motif on the Korean flag.

Lunch consisted of many traditional side dishes, mackerel, warm rice water (for drinking), rice cakes, and a beef base soup.

After a very filling lunch, off to visit some local sites!

OJUKHEON HOUSE [오죽헌]

The Ojukheon house is not just a house, but also a museum. The name translates to Black Bamboo house. It is named after the black bamboo growing behind the area. It is also the house Shin Saimdang, a famous painter in the 1500s, and her son Yi I, an influential scholar and politician. Shin is currently on the 50,000 won note and Yi I is on the 5,000 won note. They are also Bee and her father's ancestors. A large percentage of the artwork and pieces were donated by Bee's family, which in turn allowed the site to create a museum that is now managed by the state.

Fun fact: Yi I took the national exams when he was 13 and was number 1 in all 9 subjects for years! The national exam is taken by people of varying ages.

The head academic gave us a tour and provided us with more insight about the history of the property and the various artistic pieces better than the descriptions available. She didn't speak English, but Bee did a great job translating for us!

Fun fact: Shin didn't have paper so she painted on silk.

After the museum visit, we visited a small Korean War Memorial with different planes on display.

On top of the hill was an old President's plane you can walk through.

AFTERNOON ADVENTURES

After checking out the aircraft display, we drove to a nearby coast to see an old military destroyer and a captured NK submarine. We were told that they are currently filming a movie on the destroyer so we were unable to explore its dock and inner rooms. However, we were able to check out the NK submarine captured on 1996.

After some fun pictures and whatnot, we went to the Sun Cruise Hotel.

The Sun Cruise Hotel is a literal cruise ship on top of a hill. No cruises here, but for a small fee you can go in and see the view of the coast and surrounding areas from its observation deck. It was windy, but a very nice view. At the top of the cruise ship is a cafe that lets you enjoy the view while you unwind.

We then made our way to our dinner location by the busy area of Jeongdongjin to a small restaurant that served Dak-galbi. Dak-galbi is spicy stir fried chicken. The dish is cooked in front of you and starts with chicken and cabbage with sauce. When the chicken and cabbage are almost ready, they add the rice cakes, then split the pan into two sides to make room for the cheese in the middle. Once the cheese melts you can start eating!

After we've had our fill, we left for the beach to light some fireworks. Shortly after getting there all our cameras ran out of battery and we were all sad pandas.

SEONGYOJANG HOUSE [강릉 선교장]

The area and interior houses we stayed in.

It's not everyday you get to stay in a place considered a historical site.

There were actual straw huts! They replace the straw every spring.

When Bee first told us about this part of our trip, we expected straw huts. But no! We get to stay in the fancy Seongyojang house, which was an upperclass residence in the 1700s. According to the tourist information, it is one of the top 10 preserved original dwellings in the country that was constructed over 300 years ago!

Papa Bee told us they stayed right outside the house at the units by the courtyard in their last visit. This time around we are staying in the interior house grounds. Yup, past the "do not enter" sign. [Insert giddy school girl squeal]

As expected, no beds! The futons were comfortable and the room amenities were really not all that different from what you would get from a hotel (except it's roomy).

We spent the rest of the evening watching a Korean reality TV show called Produce 101. It is equivalent to American Idol except the goal isn't to pick one person but to create an 11-person pop group that stays together for a year.