No, nothing salacious, it's just that there are many things on the tourist trail here in Seoul that simply do not work when encumbered by the under fives. Sometimes you would never expect it. Above, in the "Story of King Sejong Exhibition Hall," after you have written your name in Hangeul, been told the movie is only for those over 8, and admired the turtle boat, you come across a "naval weapon firing experience" where you may choose your weapon and blow the Japanese to smithereens. These weapon-firing experiences are very popular here. The high-tech one at the war memorial museum was particularly troubling (as was the giant tank that fired smoke, light and sound at you if you inserted coins - the boy-child was terrified). There are actual firing ranges here in Seoul, but they have not yet tempted me, even on nanny-days.
What do tempt me are the markets, and they are so child-unfriendly. Crowded and narrow full of giant carts and speeding delivery motorbikes, there is no room for strollers and no space at child-eye level. On nanny-day, however, I can explore. Above, Mom and I found the food alley of Gwangjang market. Sensational no?
Buddhists, while not child unfriendly, do tend to organize events that are not exactly child-focused. Templestays I have always rejected on this basis, but for some reason when invited to a "family dinner" at Bongeunsa, and having confirmed that children were indeed allowed, I relented. Baru Gongyang: traditional temple dining to be done in quiet contemplation (no sound of conversation, dishes, and eating to disturb community harmony) is not, I repeat NOT for children They can not sit cross-legged before their own table of strange food and follow the precise method of pouring, serving, eating, and cleaning up that the spirit of Baru Gongyang requires. For those of you without accompanying minors, however, please chant and reflect and experience, and find calm peace and tranquility. My virtues are so little (literally - they are both under 5) that I am hardly worthy to receive it. At least, as Augustine spake before me, not yet.
This is Dragon Hill Spa, my first jimjilbang (Korean bathhouse/sauna) experience. There were baths (many types, many temperatures), a strange older woman in black underwear who scrubbed me (for a fee) with a very rough cloth very thoroughly, and (unisex) saunas and ondol-heated sleeping rooms of a wide array of styles: the salt room, the snow room, the jade temple room, the ochre pyramid room, the woodland breezes room, the charcol burning witch-oven room, the inside of a giant pine in the midst of a raging forest-fire room, the I accidentally stepped into a pottery kiln that is being fired room, the there has just been a nuclear disaster and I am hoping this burlap sack will protect me from the radioactive fallout room etc. Apparently intense levels of heat are comforting to some. In the tree-during-forest-fire room, there was even a gentleman exercising while we all burned. I enjoyed, particularly, salt, snow, breezes, and cool jade - but it was all good. I was sorely tempted by the many warm scented sleeping rooms, since neither of my young do any sleeping in the rooms I currently possess, so I will go back, one nanny-day and nap. Koreans suggest that jimjilbangs are good family spots, but since mine are too young for the PC Bangs, Sports halls, cinemas and firing ranges on site, I think I will keep these warm relaxing spaces to myself for a little longer.
