Incheon
Destination: the Sedge Mat Museum – but what the heck is sedge? (Ganghwa-do, Incheon)
0I know what you’re asking – what the heck is sedge, and why did they make a museum for it? It came up while looking for some weird / unusual places, and luckily enough the Ganghwa-do area has several worthwhile places for day tripping.
Sedge is basically straw – that is, the grass of several different species that’s brown in color and stiff in shape. There are a few Latin species at play here – Cyperus exaltatus, Triticum Aestivum, Phragmites Communis Trin, and Broussonetia Kazinoki Sieb to name a few.
It’s called 짚풀 (jip-pul), and while there’s very little English around, you’ll figure out More >
Destination: Jeondeungsa – where naked women hold up temples (Ganghwa-do, Incheon)
1Did I get your attention? Good – that’s one of the stories you wouldn’t ordinarily associate with a Buddhist temple. In this case, it’s true. We’ll get to that in short order, but let’s see what’s along the way.
Start with a hike including a steep hill and some big steps. Just past the ticket booth is a gate to Samnangseong fortress – er, the legendary Samnangseong. What you’re seeing dates to the 17th century and is called Jeongjok Sanseong. It used to hold a storehouse of Joseon Dynasty records; the wall and gate was reconstructed in 1976.
While there’s plenty of room inside, there More >
Destination: Modo Sculpture Park (Incheon, Gyeonggi-do)
0Somewhat remote from the mainland, the Modo Sculpture Park (모도조각공원 or 배미꾸미 조각공원) sits on an island that requires at least four different forms of transportation to reach from Seoul – train to bus to ferry, back to bus, then a walk. The reward, however, is to see some of Lee Il-ho’s unusual – and adult-oriented – sculptures.
Born in 1946, Lee Il-ho’s sculptures have spanned the decades. His sculptures were exhibited in New York and Miami in the late 1990′s, although he’s been busy since the 1970′s. This site seems the final resting place for many of these pieces – several dozen in all – More >
Destination: Silmido (Incheon), Korea
1AT less than a quarter of a square kilometer and with no human population to speak of, Silmido doesn’t appear to be worth the hours of journeying to arrive. At first, there’s little indication you’ve even arrived, much less found what you’re looking for. Silmido represents an fascinating destination, mainly because it’s well off the beaten path and has an interesting history.
Set the time machine for 1968 – South Korea had been raided by North Korean commandos in what history calls the Blue House Raid. In retaliation for the strike that left over 130 South Koreans killed or wounded, the More >
Destination: Jayu Park and Chinatown (Incheon, Gyeonggi-do), Korea
1I’VE been here before, but it’s always a good time.
Typically, I don’t blog about the same place – the last post on Chinatown dates back from July 2008 - but Jayu Park (자유공원) and Chinatown (차이나타운) are worth revisiting. Since they’re an easy day trip from Seoul and an excellent introduction to Incheon, they’re great for tourists or the expats that call Korea home.
First called Manguk Park and then Seo Park, Jayu Park rests in the Eungbongsan mountain of Incheon – the mainland, not the island. During the Korean war, all hope of reclaiming Seoul was seemingly lost as the U.S. / Korea armed More >
Destination: the new city of Songdo (Incheon)
1What a difference two years makes.
When I visited the Songdo / Incheon Central Park area in June 2009, the area was a construction zone. To put it nicely, walking down the street would not have been possible had I gone during a work day. Now, traffic is flowing, the area has a finished look about it, and there’s finally something to write about.
To put it clearly, the area is still developing, and a couple critical things are missing. If a place was ever deserving of a software-like ‘beta’ label, this is one.
The Tri-Bowl – a gleaming symbol celebrating the Incheon Global Fair and Festival More >
Destination: the abandoned Songdo Bible Park (Incheon)
2Let’s call this one NSFC – Not Safe For Christians.
And now, for something completely different – the abandoned site someone could actually stumble across without even trying. Presenting what’s left of the Songdo Bible Park in the Songdo Central Park. A little history is in order here, especially for the sake of posterity. According to ticket provider Interpark, the Songdo Bible Expo opened on August 27, 2010, shortly before Typhoon Kompasu came through and ravaged the area on September 1st and 2nd. The website UER.ca (Urban Exploration Resources) reports that “A poor attempt was made to More >
Destination: Songdo (Incheon) – South Korea’s ‘beta’ city
0What a difference two years makes.
When I visited the Songdo / Incheon Central Park area in June 2009, the area was a construction zone. To put it nicely, walking down the street would not have been possible had I gone during a work day. Now, traffic is flowing, the area has a finished look about it, and there’s finally something to write about.
To put it clearly, the area is still developing, and a couple critical things are missing. If a place was ever deserving of a software-like ‘beta’ label, this is one.
The Tri-Bowl – a gleaming symbol celebrating the Incheon Global Fair and Festival More >
Destination: Wolmi-do Amusement Park – at night (Incheon)
1Myrtle Beach, eat your heart out.
An excellent place to check out a more Korean version of the local nightlife is mere minutes away from Incheon station. Known as 월미도테마파크 (Wol-mi-do te-ma pa-keu, or Wolmi-do theme park) it’s a family-friendly outing much like Seoul Land and Lotte World. The area is easy to explore, pay by the ride, or just people-watch throughout the night. The lack of alcohol was a nice touch too, although it’s easily obtained from any convenience store or restaurant around the area. There just wasn’t anyone selling it inside the park.
Easily the ride that attracted the More >
Destination: Incheon Global Fair and Festival (part 3)
3This third part is actually the second visit to the Incheon Global Fair and Festival – see part 1 and part 2 of my first visit.The Incheon Global Fair and Festival continues to impress, even on the second trip. Again it’s essentially impossible to see it all in one day; even after the second day there are still unseen areas. I think I covered all the best spots however, and can definitely say I’ve taken more pictures at this one event than at any other Destination thus far in Korea.
Because some mothers are more concerned about their children’s clothing get wet and not their shoes!
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