Demilitarized Zone

Over the weekend we headed up to Seoul with the slow train, we left Ulsan on the last train on friday night and went to Daegu where we caught the first train on Saturday morning and 00:38.. We sang kareoke most of the way to Seoul while we watched the snowy fields pass by.. We went to a Jimjilbang when we arriver to shower and then we had a chance to visit the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ). This is a strip of land that separates North and South Korea. The DMZ was formed in 1953 when the ceasefire was signed ending active hostilities in the Korean War. The war never officially ended so each side is heavily guarded and the DMZ is the only Cold War border still in existence. The DMZ is a joint security area and from the border it stretches 2km  into North Korea and 2km into South Korea.

When we arrived we watched a short film about the DMZ and its history and then we headed off to the third infiltration tunnel, a tunnel dug buy North Korea. The tunnel was discovered in October 1978 and part of it is now a tourist attraction at the DMZ.

It was a ridiculously long walk down and then up an 11% gradient to look through a very small window and see very little on the other side... but I got my exercise in for the day.

 [Photos were not allowed to be taken inside the tunnel, I happened to find these with a google search]


We got some icecreams to eat in the snow and then took pictures of the sights.

North and South Korea trying to push the world back together

 Back on the bus we went to see a lookout point where you can see the 'Peace villages' of both North and South Korea that are situated within the DMZ. The South Korean town of Daeseong-Dong is dubbed the freedom village and there are 218 people living there. They have to live in the town for more than 240 days per year to maintain their residence. They also have to be inside the village by night fall and inside their homes by 12pm every evening. There are armed guards that watch over the villagers while they work in the fields by day and that watch over the village at night. 

The North Korean town of Kijong-Dong - dubbed propaganda village - doesn't actually have any people living there. The buildings are all shells. They used to play propaganda over the loud speakers at all hours of the day but that has stopped. 

In the 1980s, the South Korean government built a 98.4 m tall flagpolewith a 130 kilograms flag of South Korea in Daeseong-dong. The North Korean government responded by building a taller one, the Panmunjeom flagpole, at 160 m with a 270 kg flag of North Korea in Kijŏng-dong, the flag often tears under its own weight, the flagpole is the third tallest in the world.

Third tallest flagpole in the world at 160m high with a 270kg flag

We went to have a look at Dorasan train station 'not the last station from the South, but the first to the North'. We played around on the tracks and in the snow and took some cute photos..

After this we went for lunch, traditional korean food. Choice of Bulgogi or Bibimbap

After lunch we had one more thing to see.. The Conference row. We arrived and we told to walk it two and not leave the line, also there would be armed North Korean soldiers watching our every move. We were not allowed to point, laugh at or make fun of the North Korean guards at all. We walked into a large building and the first thing we saw was a North Korean guard, we couldn't help a nervous giggle. We quickly put on our straight faces. I will admit I was quite scared. Constantly aware of what was happening around me. Very alert. Anyway we went into a blue building which is on the border line, it is a South Korean building but half of it is in South Korea and half of it is in North Korea. We were allowed to take photos with the North Korean guards but to always be more than a foot away from them. Also no making fun of the guards..

We drove back to the base and we given a short tour. Below is the bridge of no return, at the end of the war the prisoners of war and other Koreans were told they could choose a country North or South and cross the bridge to their chosen home, and they may never return.

And we concluded the tour with the bus ride back to Seoul. Where we went to Lotte world and learned to ice skate and went on a few rides.

After a lovely mexican lunch for breakfast on Sunday we opted for the KTX back to Ulsan.

magical but freezing

Snow is magical...

It falls so slowly, from my office window I could watch a single snowflake sail down four stories until it hit the ground. It is beautiful! It looks like I'm in a fairytale<3





Although the snow is enthralling and oh so magical it leaves behind an unbelievable cold. I have never been so cold in all my life. My feet never seem to warm up even thought I'm wearing two pairs of socks, a pair of leg warmers and slippers. I feel like I have just had a surf in the pacific without booties. It's frizzleing... Today is -2, with a high of 4 and a low of -7. Everyday I think to myself 'today is the coldest day of my life' and then the next day proves I was sorely mistaken and it is even colder than the day before. And to make matters worse I am told by my co-teachers that this weather is nothing compared to January and February. The seem to feel the need everytime they see me wrapped up in my winter woolies. I wear so many layers of clothing to school I'd be boiling in South African winter. 

First snow of the year

It snowed last night... I kept seeing peoples comments facebook that it was snowing in Ulsan and I kept looking out the window and seeing nothing. M got home late last night with a handful of snow. I ran out in my pjs to see the snow. It was beautiful but freezing cold. I snapped a few photos and quickly ran back inside! This morning the snow was still there, there wasn't much of it but it was there.

Here are a few photos. 

You can see the snow on the roof of the truck

Snow falling in the light of the lamp post

Car with snow on it

The snow was still there in the morning

The temperature today, after the snowfall, with the wind chill it was -7

So that was my first experience of snow, it wasn't spectacular but there was snow, and it was so cold! The coldest I have ever been in my life up till now, and I'm told this is nothing in comparison to January and February...

The cold month of December

I have been super busy this past month but now it is December and I have hardly any classes at school. As I type this post there are student sitting in my classroom studying for their final exams next week. I will have next week off from class but still at school, the joys of desk warming.

This December I am hoping to finish my crochet blanket I started last month, with all my free time this should be possible...  In the past two days at school I have done another 6 rows. Its now starting to look too big to be a scarf.

We are planning a trip to the Demilitarised Zone (DMZ). This is a strip of land that separates North and South Korea. The DMZ was formed in 1953 when the ceasefire was signed ending active hostilities in the Korean War. The war never officially ended so each side is heavily guarded and the DMZ is the only Cold War border still in existence. More about the DMZ when we visit it in a few weeks. 

I also hope to see snow for the first time in my life ***

We are planning a skiing or snowboarding trip soon so I have no doubt I will see snow. I'm a little nervous I cant snowboard, but I have heard its similar to skateboarding. Anyway whether I get it right or fall on my face I think it will be a blast.

Maybe I can tick this off my bucket list...

I will  be experiencing my first Christmas away from home, Christmas is always a big family day for us. All the family gather and try to put all of their many differences aside and have a wonderful day! Also Christmas is Summer in South Africa so a white Christmas might make up for the lack of family this year.

I will have to skype to be part of the action! :) 

Miss my little famdamily!  

December has just begun, this is my first December where I'm not on the beach but in the office, Not in summer but freezing my ass off in Winter, which apparently has not yet properly arrived. But anyway, hopefully every other December from here on is in the sun and on the beach!