Liberation Day, August 15, 2013 in the RoK was definitely an interesting one for Zane and I. We were on a mission to head to Nakwon, an area in Seoul where you can buy anything related to music. It's also near Insadong, a popular area for tourists to visit to buy crafts, paper goods, art supplies and souvenirs.
Our day started like any other, headed on the 5500 bus, standing room only. Also, as usual, was the traffic. Bumper to bumper. But, we were moving at a pretty good pace until we rounded the curve near Itaewon. Then, we came to a virtual standstill. The trip shouldn't be taking this long.
I contemplated getting off the bus when we were near Myeongdong, an area I've been too a few times for clothes shopping, but decided to continue on. After about 10 more minutes of barely moving, and now 2:00 pm, a police officer directing traffic at an intersection approached the bus driver and spoke to him in Korean (of course). We began seeing people walking by in hiking gear, carrying flags. Many people got off the bus at the next stop, Zane and I decided to jump off the bus, too, to grab a bite to eat before finding a subway line to take us further.
We found a Subway sandwich shop and ordered a couple 6 in. turkeys. {A taste of home!} As we ate our lunch, we watched through the restaurant window as several hundred people walked by. The only flag I could read said "Korean Youth Solidarity". Everyone was walking in an orderly manner, not saying a word.
After lunch, Zane and I continued down the block. As we crossed the nearest intersection, Zane pointed out the protesters gathering at the end of the street running perpendicular to the one we were on. I snapped this photo while we were in the crosswalk.
Because I speak no Korean, I was carefully watching the people around me. They were carrying on as usual. Walking along. On cell phones. A few looked down the street, but others paid no attention. We kept walking as well. In that block, we passed a music store. Neither one of us really "feeling" like staying out much longer, we went in and bought the drumsticks and pad he needed.
Mission Accomplished, we turned back the way we came, thinking we'd walk back to Myeongdong, where I knew exactly where the subway and bus stops were, before heading home.
As we approached the intersection where I'd taken the pic about 30 minutes earlier, it was blocked by a huge police presence.
We were able to get through when a large group of people who had been waiting to cross the street waded out in a gap in the officers. We headed to the door of the shop on the corner, a Patagonia, and watched the officers moving down the street. Suddenly, they all surged forward, we heard a "pop" and we saw smoke. The crowd down the street started to disburse quickly. Our cue to exit!
As no buses were running through the area, I decided we'd find a subway stop, and started walking. We'd gone a few blocks when we came upon what I thought was an art installation. Large, blank concrete panels. As I passed, I turned to look over my shoulder and saw the graffiti on the opposite side. I stopped in my tracks and told Zane to turn around. It was a section of the Berlin Wall!
As we continued to walk, we talked about what we'd just experienced. The past and the present and the meaning of it all.
We found the nearest subway stop, and as we boarded the train, I thought of all the experiences my boys will be able to take back to the US with them, and how thankful I am to be able to give them this gift.
