Land of Morning Calm

My last shift today, no 6 out of 9...I needed that bucket of coffee this morning



 I think, like many people I know, foreign travel will not really feature in my plans this year.
A friend has just invited me to Sitges in September which I’m seriously considering albeit for a long weekend rather than a two week break but apart from that , I think , like thousands of others I will concentrate on meeting up with friends in Blighty ...namely London, and in Yorkshire and in Liverpool and indeed in Wales.
Next year things change as I am planning to go to South Korea ! 
How’s That for a curved ball ? 
My friend and colleague Ben is moving there with his wife and daughter this year and in the spirit of adventure fellow colleague Ruth and I thought we’d throw caution to the wind, and don our explorer hats. to   “ do” the Far East Country which still remains a mystery to many westerners and meet up with him in the process. 
Note to self
Time for some overtime .....we may even visit Busan lol




Ps village news...a couple of days ago it was Auntie Glad’s birthday 
She was 102. 
She will have no recollection of me and the flower show and of tying bags of scones on the door knob of the cottage
She won’t remember the last show when she opened the proceedings with a bravura speech
And she probably not remember often sleeping in the sun outside her front door on sunny Welsh afternoons 

74 comments:

  1. How exciting! Something to dream about during those long shifts. Happy belated birthday to Auntie Glad. She may not remember those things, but she will have memories of her youth. I hope they are good, happy ones. xx

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  2. Could you add the midlands to your visit list?
    My sister in law is from South Korea....my daughter visited and loved it there...and as for Busan?? I hate scary movies and I'm not really a zombie fan either but that film was really really good xx

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    1. We ought to meet halfway .......perhaps Chester or Cheshire?

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  3. Siebrie7:12 am

    I've been on that hill with the tower, there's a cable car system (carts for 10, I believe) that goes up: https://www.seoultower.co.kr/en/visit/cablecar . The tower itself can be visited and gives a stunning view of Seoul.

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  4. You're very sensible to avoid air travel this year...all that recirculated air...no thanks!
    Old age can be very cruel, especially when the body determinedly carries on when the brain is no longer co-operating...but YOU remember the lovely, kind and caring lady who lived in Trelawnyd. x

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  5. How sad to learn that although Aunt Gladys is still in the land of the living much of who she was has already departed.

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  6. Happy birthday Auntie Gladys :)

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  7. Anonymous8:56 am

    Our Australian friend in Japan visited South Korea and quite liked it, especially once out of the city.
    Auntie Glad 102. Wow! Some people at her age still have their minds intact. It is a shame she does not. So she was born about 1919. A post war baby, just like us....err, wrong war.

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    1. I’m impressed with what I’ve read so far

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  8. You can celebrate who Auntie Gladys is, and what she meant to the village even if she's not able to participate. She was such a force for good. Happy Birthday Auntie Glad.

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    1. She remains a force for good ...her memory and the stories about her do that

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  9. It is one of my biggest fears, that my body should outlive my mind. I had a view of Seoul Tower from my bedroom window. Korea is an interesting place.

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    1. So many of you here have visited the country , that surprises me

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  10. Happy Birthday Auntie Glad, we will remember you.

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  11. Happy Birthday Auntie Glad, may she be a role model to many. Be bold, go places less traveled.

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  12. Wow South Korea - lucky you - go there, spread your wings. I often wondered if Aunt Glad was still around - sad she has left us in one sense but hope she had a good birthday.

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  13. i LOVE korea. i learned so much in my travels there. you must visit the markets and join the human train which enables you to move through the market at the busiest times. happy birthday auntie glad.

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    1. I can see I need to ask my followers all about the country x

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  14. Happy birthday to Auntie Glad. Happy she is still among us.

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  15. That sounds wonderful John-What shall you and Ruth get up to in such exotic climes?x

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  16. dear auntie glad. her scones live on in your memory.

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    Replies
    1. And in the “ pages” oh Going Gently x

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  17. Happy Birthday, Auntie Glad! I hope they're taking good care of her in the nursing home.

    I was in South Korea about 10 years ago, but I had caught the flu bug running rampant through our tour group and was sick as a dog almost the whole time I was there. I barely left the hotel in Seoul. All I really saw of South Korea was the demilitarized zone on the border with North Korea, which we visited on our last day there. But that was definitely interesting!

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  18. South Korea, not to be confused with North Korea.

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    1. Ach, John will probably end up flying into the wrong one...

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    2. His description involving mystery worried me

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    3. So many here have visited , I won’t be sort of advice

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  19. I am happy to read some news of Auntie Glad. She will have plenty of people who remember her (including your readers, thanks to you.). x

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  20. I hope you make it for Sitges (you... and we all... deserve a break like that). And South Korea. Wow. I've never been ANYwhere in Asia. Exciting.

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    1. We will see.....if I can afford it x

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  21. Happy Birthday to Auntie Glad. I hope they're keeping her comfortable in her very, very senior years.

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  22. Happy Birthday, Auntie Glad! Wishing you peaceful days.
    You will love your trip to South Korea and you have time to plan and save for all of the adventures you will have! xx

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  23. South Korea, that's very adventurous. It's a mysterious country to me too, except for the fact that it dealt with the pandemic much more efficiently than the UK.

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  24. Barbara Anne2:49 pm

    A belated Happy Birthday to Auntie Glad! When my mother had Alzheimers and had forgotten even me, when we sang Happy Birthday to YOU!, she brightened up, smiled hugely and tried to sing along. It was priceless.
    Wishing you lots of fun on all your travels near and far. I think it's wonderful that you and Ruth plan to visit your friends in South Korea when it's safe to do so.

    Hugs!

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  25. Nice to hear of Auntie Glad, but not so nice that she has no memory of all those wonderful times with you and the fellow villagers of Trelawnyd.

    Your future travel adventures sound brilliant and something to really look forward too.

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    1. Sue, you are one of the few here that has actually met her

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  26. Hopefully it is all in her dreams, all the good and none of the bad. Happy Birthday dear soul.

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  27. 102! Wishing Auntie Glad a very happy birthday, and hoping that she is comfortable, happy, and well looked after.

    Enjoy your travels, John! It's good to have something to look forward to during these times.

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  28. My son's ex-wife's mom was adopted from Korea and Lily (the wife) spent 9 months living there to try to learn the language. My son then flew out and spent 6 weeks with her and I honestly thought if they ever left Switzerland Seoul would be where they ended up. They loved it!

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    1. I’ve always wanted to visit Japan maybe Korea is my stepping stone

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    2. I read some parts of South Korea are still quite Japanese feeling and some vintage things are available in markets from the occupation many years ago.
      Japan is spectacular, 3 years ago I was there for a handmade paper tour and we were away from the cities, that's where you get the real feel for a place.
      If you start a proper savings regime you will be surprised how quickly the balance will increase.

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  29. Happy Birthday to Auntie Glad! I hope she is able to have happy and comfortable days. You know they say listening to music from your past often helps some memories to return.

    You have wonderful plans for future travel! It is wise to plan this far ahead of time for a trip like that. It is also fun to plan ahead!

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  30. Dave went to Korea back in the '80s and LOVED it. I'd love to go myself. I'll be interested to hear what you think.

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  31. Anonymous6:06 pm

    can you cope without flying with your hands holding the tails of your professor's gown

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  32. The troll and her usual drivel-Its quite clear to me who she is x

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  33. Anonymous9:16 pm

    My comment on South Korea. When I was in Busan (Pusan to me) I discovered below ground in the basement of a huge department store, just outside the main underground station, a plaster replica of the Trevi fountains, Rome. I was taken to see the royal tombs, I can't recall just where, and was underwhelmed. That was my general response. Roderick

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  34. I'll remember Auntie Glad until aging takes away my memory.

    Love,
    Janie

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  35. My son lived in Korea for seven years, and loved it. A very different culture!

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  36. Your trip to South Korea with Ruth sounds great. Having friends there makes it even better. Happy B-day to Auntie Glad. As matriarch of your village she truly loved her community and the people seemed to adore her. One very special lady.

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  37. A very Happy Belated Birthday to Auntie Glad... I add my voice to all the others that hope she had a Happy day with cake and lots of love. 102, what an age eh.
    Am only sad her memory has faded.. but I expect she will remember her youth.

    Jo in Auckland

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  38. They do say that 'you never eat badly in S Korea'; that I find very appealing.

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  39. Auntie Glad won't remember but you will John. And you'll smile when you do. I bet those holiday plans are really exciting. Something nice to look forward to.

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  40. I too want to go to South Korea! I thought I'd go in June 2020 but you know what happened to travel plans in 2020. I also thought I'd learn a little Korean to be able to say the basics and in the past year I've had 85 hours of classes and I can still barely speak it. It is an absurdly difficult language: there are 48 ways to conjugate a verb and everything is a verb, including nouns and adjectives (you conjugate them the same as verbs). But I'm going to hang in there and I hope to go in December this year and follow up in Spring of 2021. I look forward to reading all about your experience there.

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