Rained Out

Today I wanted to go for a hike on Bukhansan. I had prepared well — I’d downloaded the trail map to my phone, bought a big water bottle and good snacks, and even woke up early to beat the crowds and the heat. But when I looked outside, the sky was suspiciously gray.

I checked a few weather apps, but none seemed reliable until I switched my search terms to Korean (that’s usually the trick here). The forecast said it would rain between 10 and noon — right when I planned to hike — but it was still dry around my hotel.

I debated what to do next. I have a storied (read: bad) history with hiking in the rain. Still, today would fit my schedule perfectly, since everything would be closed tomorrow for 추석 (Chuseok, the Korean Thanksgiving). In the end, I decided to take the gamble. I put on my hiking clothes, packed my bag, and took the metro to the starting point.

On the way, I saw many young men in military uniforms — soldiers on their mandatory service, heading home to spend the holiday with their families. At the bus stop, I met a Dutch couple who had the same idea as me. It seems Dutch people are drawn to rain the way slugs are.

When I finally arrived at the trailhead, it was pouring. I ducked into a convenience store to grab a snack and wait it out. I spent half an hour sheltering from the rain, refreshing weather apps, and doing crosswords on my phone before admitting defeat. I’ve learned that I’d rather skip a hike than do it in the rain. Luckily, I have plenty of time left in Seoul — there will be more chances to try again.

Groceries

On my way back to the hotel, I stopped for groceries and found another massive supermarket. This time I wanted to stock up for a few dinners. Grocery shopping here takes me much longer than back home — mostly because I still don’t have a clear idea of what to buy. I end up wandering every aisle, looking for things I recognize or just feel like eating.

I also tried shopping for clothes. I only brought three pairs of pants and one pair of shorts, and I wanted another. Unfortunately, all the stores are selling fall clothes now. Maybe that’s for the best, since the forecast shows nothing but rain this week anyway.

I also tried to find a cheap extra pair of shoes to rotate with the ones I have, but the sizes only go up to 43 — I’m a 45. I might need to hunt down a specialty store somewhere.

Leeum Museum of Art

To round out the day, I visited the Leeum Museum of Art. The museum had three exhibitions with very different styles.

Classical Korean Art

The first section featured old pottery, porcelain, paintings, and artifacts. It was especially cool to see the exhibit on 호작도 (Tiger & Jackdaw paintings). They even had some famous ones I’d seen referenced at the National Museum.

Modern Art

The next exhibition focused on modern art — and it was amazing. The only downside was the lack of detailed explanations for each piece, so I ended up looking a lot up on my phone.

Right at the entrance stood a casting of The Burghers of Calais by Rodin. I must have spent 15 minutes walking around it, observing every detail. Some parts were incredibly lifelike, while others (like the hands) were exaggerated and out of proportion. The piece is also massive — about 2x2x2 meters.

There were other great works too: a yellow Rothko, a huge Clyfford Still painting, and a scrolling LED poem by Jenny Holzer.

Lee Bul Exhibition

The final exhibition was by South Korean artist Lee Bul, known for her futuristic installations. It began in a large, dimly lit room with small islands of mirrors on the floor. Photos weren’t allowed — not because flashes could damage the art, but because they didn’t want visitors walking backward and tripping over the mirrors. Too bad, because it looked incredible.

The next floor featured more of her work, including a really fun mirror maze I got to explore.

After all that, I headed back to my hotel and decided to end the day early — that worked well the last time too.

Tomorrow: 추석

Tomorrow is Korean Thanksgiving, which means everything will be closed and most people will be spending time with their families. I plan to catch up on some work reading before I really start on tuesday. Hopefully, I can join a communal Chuseok dinner at the hotel — let’s see if that works out.