Escape from Seoul - Saturday in Suwon

Headed to Suwon this past saturday morning to explore along the city's unique defensive wall. Suwon is a small city (only a million people) south of Seoul, but still lies within the metropolitan area and is connected within the transit system. In fact, getting there took about 1.5 hours of standing-room-only crowded subway cars, but cost only about 2 dollars with 1 transfer between my neighbourhood and Suwon. The wall was pretty impressive and it felt great to have gotten out of the capital to explore a bit more of what this country has to offer.

The wall was built only 200 years ago but walking along it make crossbow exchanges and cannon-fire battles colourfully imaginable.

One of the day's highlights would most definitely include catching the last few minutes of a drum-dance preformance outside of the city's restored palace. The heavy layers of make-up these boys were wearing didnt seem to weigh them down all too much - some of the jumps and spins they were pulling off were stunning. Its so reassuring and delightful to witness proof of a real and sustained Korean culture, other than the heavily westernized city life I've seen so far. Discoveries like this validate my mission to see as much of South Korea as possible while I'm here - because its not all just rush-rush cities full of honking Hyundaes and Outback steakhouses.

King Jeongjo seems like a pretty nice guy, despite what the others say about him.