Finding Our Seoul: May 2014

I recently had a business class in which the students discussed an article on time and money. The author argued that time is more valuable because with it you can earn money, but money can't buy you time. Touché, I say. Our Korea travels are less play and more work these days, hence fewer blog posts, but it's a good place for us. There's something to be said for financial security and its connection to happiness.

When we do have free time - Sunday fundays, we call them - we explore different areas of Seoul. April brought a quick cherry blossom season and luckily we made it out in time to catch the blooms (often they only last a week or two, especially if it rains).

A typical Seoul crowd, out to see the cherry blossoms.

Looking out at the Han River and Central Seoul

Spring is birthday time for us, so we celebrated with some pretty spectacular eats. Traditional Korean (me) and traditional American (Zak). Hamburger and fries, that is. (A damn good $15 burger. I think the first one since we left the States.)

Mushroom, lotus root, and burdock on pine needles.

Grain and veggie cakes.

Banchan veggies ready for bibimbap.

Mix the veggies and top with gochujong and sesame oil. Bibimbap served!

Zak's birthday dinner night with friends, complete with cake!

What tops of the list, and brings me back to the time and money theory, is that our long hours more than paid off with a trip to Busan, a southern coastal city now on our top-Asia list. From the moment we stepped off the train, the salty air hinted of a levity hard to come by in fast-paced Seoul and the entire weekend was spent hiking along the beach, feasting on fresh caught seafood, and enjoying the freedom of time unstructured.