CHRISTMAS 2015 and More

December 21, 2015

Christmas 2015 and More

This festive setting was just waiting outside the movie theatre for everyone to enjoy. The two chairs made it a perfect photo op. No Santa = no charge.

We took advantage of it for the cheesiest Christmas picture ever.

Now for another evidence of the cheerful Christmas season:

These scary looking snowmen are on a cake at Costco. I think the eyebrows make them look a little angry. The stick arms are also a little Halloweenish. 

NOT CHRISTMAS - Since Christmas is a regular work and school day in Korea,  I will post some non-Christmas pictures. These are pictures of:

BEAUTIFUL THINGS

We visited a nearby Botanical Garden. The autumn leaves are on the ground for the most part, but the wintry landscape was still and serene, cold and quiet.

Granite boulders made stepping stones and waterfalls.

The highlight of this garden seemed to be these perfectly trimmed trees. 

 As the afternoon gets darker, the trees start to look like goblins, elves, or creatures from another planet

The slabs of granite and the cleverly shaped trees combine to make nature's art all around us. We saw not one piece of trash, and not one other person (except one diligent tree-trimmer).

View from the Mission Home at night:

Unusual  Cloud Pattern - Stunning!

                                  View from the Mission Home in the daytime:

               Japanese Elm Tree in bright autumn colors

Back to: CHRISTMAS

I am so thankful for Charles Dickens. If I'm feeling greedy or grouchy, I don't want to be a "Scrooge". When I am happy, I think of Tiny Tim saying, "God bless us everyone!" I am also thankful for Charles Schultz and all the Peanuts characters. Linus tells everyone, "That's what Christmas is all about!" 

and have a MERRY CHRISTMAS from Busan, South Korea!!

"It's Beginning to Look a lot Like Christmas"

December 13, 2015

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas

Sleigh bells? Carols being sung by the fire? Hot cider and Christmas cookies? Twinkle lights everywhere? The fragrance of pine boughs and cinnamon?

NO... think again. It's December 13 in South Korea, so the appropriate activities are:

1. start making the giant batch of kimchi to last the whole year (the fragrance of garlic and anchovy)

2. or go to a Buddhist Temple. 

We chose #2:

The Beomeosa Temple

just a quick subway trip and a short bus ride up the mountain

 Not exactly the most cheerful...

It was a beautiful day and I am about to enter Gate #1. There are three gates to get to the Buddha. On my right is our friend, Alma, from the English class.  On my left is our Tour Guide. His English name is "Wayne". He named himself after John Wayne.

This is Gate #2. The architecture and the attention to every detail is impeccable, displaying skill and craftsmanship. The brightly painted sections have been restored, but the building complex itself is 1,300 years old.

More Angry Gods

 The perfectly fitted stones have no mortar.

The final gate to Paradise

Behind us are tombs of the monks. The really exceptional monks have a turtle base. 

We were not allowed to take pictures of the rooms containing statues of the Buddhas. Those rooms are very quiet, shoes off, hands out of pockets, people prostrating themselves over and over, and lots of incense and candles.The paintings all over the walls are beautiful - no doubt to teach people who were illiterate about Buddha.