When I was young I would spend most summer days running around "exploring" the woods and dirt roads throughout my neighborhood in Wakefield. If you lived in the area and had woods on your property, there's a good chance I've climbed one or two of your trees or skipped a rock on your pond. My favorite spots, fortunately, did belong to my own mom and stepdad, so it was no problem spending all the time I liked down by Thompson Creek and in a particularly hilly spot on the far side of Mom's acreage. Now, 30 and in Korea, I'm back to my old tricks. Don't go worrying, Ma; there's plenty of public property for me to explore here... and besides, civilians don't keep weapons in this country. But I digress.
Anyway I have mentioned her before: Mudung Mountain. Although I keep hearing about the amazingly fresh air to be had on top, both times I've gone, either city smog or nearby fires have affected the air quality. A haze lingered in the air and the sky was overcast when I went this past Sunday- with weather just cool enough to make a fair girl forget to put on sunscreen. I was in the company of two new American buddies, Karla and Meika. They took me to a quaint traditional tea house nestled in a rural area of the mountain, only a step off the beaten path (quite well beaten, in fact- the mountain being such a popular destination for locals and tourists alike.) I learned the proper Korean way to serve and enjoy tea; taking only three or four rounds to master the finish-in-3-sips custom.
Then we walked around some small farms and down a curvy two lane road until we reached a popular traditional Korean garden: The kind created with zen in mind... where poets and philosophers have come for centuries to find harmony in their surroundings so that they can better concentrate on their muses and musings. Unfortunately, that well designed tranquil atmosphere has turned into a sideshow, which means you couldn't sit in one spot and clear your mind anywhere inside this garden today any more than you could at your local shopping mall's food court. All the same, it was pretty cool to see the old masonry, bamboo and clay and stones.... actual fire pits built under floors for heating homes. The place was special, and I particularly enjoyed how it did have a general path to follow, but not a strict one- so we were free to run up this hill or play in the stream. I hunted for cool rocks or ancient artifacts... did find two pieces of broken pottery. It's most likely they are from some bowl recently purchased from the local five-and-ten, but I'm holding on to them just in case.
Next we took a short hike to a sweet resting pavilion that was surrounded by good smelling trees and flowers and such. There was one scent in particular I struggled to place that reminded me of home; after it bugged me long enough, I ran around sniffing every leaf in sight- and although I enjoyed that experience and now feel closer to my friend, Sinoun, who's always enjoyed an acute sense of smell, alas, I never could quite place that aroma. But I did discover wild mint, white jasmine, rose stalks, ants marching sideways, wild red berries, sticky grass, and those white flowers with strong stems we would tie end to end to make jewelry with- remember?
I continue to explore the city streets, as well. When I can't sleep or just have time to kill, I will often just follow the roads downtown and see where they lead. At night you can walk along the river that runs between opposing directions of traffic high above (the swishing sounds of cars and bikes blend nicely with the flowing water) and neon lights stand firmly overhead but move excitedly when reflected. Couples hold hands and whisper, friends lean on each other and giggle loudly. Shop keepers prepare for their customers or prepare to go home, depending on the hour and the business. Dirty independent cats dart between buildings... I have yet to see a rat. I find bottles and unwanted old sandals, mirrors, dressers, and coats piled on street corners, waiting to be claimed by one of the old, bent recycling collectors. Citizens of Gwangju are never hesitant to call a curbside a trashcan, so streets are often cluttered and unkept, but night workers do sweep through regularly so that early morning looks a sight better. It works out for us, though, as that it makes it easier to locate interesting alternative canvases. Sooner or later, we're bound to create something awesome.
But for now, I'm satisfied peeking under rocks and smelling trees- soaking in those things that inspire.
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