What could be more fun than having outdoor activities in the holiday season like this?
We searched on the internet and bumped into an info from Korea Tourism Organization that some parks or palaces around Korea were having lots of Chuseok-theme activities for anyone to enjoy.
So, we decided to go to Hanok Village which was just a 30-minute ride by subway. After getting off at Chungmuro station, we were glad to have decided to come here.
Why? our kids loved it.
First: there were varieties of first-hand experiences for children to take park in. There were traditional Korean kite making, sculpture making, Korean mask making, etc. The one that attracted Eyra and Freya was the kite-making activity.
After paying 8,000 Won for two, they were ready to make their own first kite of its kind.
They glued and tied them up all by themselves.
Of course, parents supervised them..^^
The colorful kites seemed to have captured Eyra's creativity.
In the chilling temperature (for us^^) of around 15 degree Celsius, the children were happy and seemed not to care of its surrounding...but to glued themselves into what they were making.
Tatatata......It's done.! They were so amazed at how things worked. They did it by themselves and they were just impatient of flying their kites off into the sky.^^
Aha....I knew it, Eyra and Freya chose the color and pictures of their favorite, ducks and dolphin.
It was a good thing that the sky was blue and that lots of things to do and see where just right there.
Afterwards, we went into several traditional houses available in the complex. Eyra learned about how things worked in the traditional Korean houses. Her Mom was just as curious as Eyra was.^^
This is pretty much how the house looked. Lots of visitors thronged into the house to take a closer look at it.See the white tent? I just learned that some Chuseok-related ceremonies were held in the morning.:( oh, no.... Had we known about it.
Still, it did not hamper or dampen our spirit of enjoying our time there. After all, there were other things to do and see inside Hanok Village. See the tteok that Mom was holding? We just bought it and ready to eat it...on the spot.
Eyra loved the green and yellow ones. She kept eating and munching the glutinous tteok.
One of the interesting things about this Hanok village is that it is located right at the center of the city (see the Namsan Tower?) that makes it accessible through varied means of transportation. So, we would take the kids here again to learn more about this.
Pose@! Action!
Oops..it was getting dark.
But...we haven't seen all. So, let's go and start exploring...
Off we went to circle around another house. The Hanok village indeed offers to its visitors a rare chance of seeing authentic Korean traditional houses right in the middle of the city. Sky scrappers that dotted the village seemed to be the striking contrast of how modern and traditional legacies could exist at the same time and space.
While happily clutching her self-made kite, Eyra was happy to tag us along into the journey of learning or at least admiring the beauty of Korean traditional house/architecture.
Freya, too, was seen clutching her kite and her Mom was busy taking pictures into the interior of the house.
I love the chimney (that's what I think it is...though I am not so sure)^^ Gosh, I wish there'd been some guide telling us what that was.^^
Anyone knows what those Chinese characters say? Hmm..wish I knew.
Freya:"Daddy, could you take my picture, please?"
* *Oh, sure, Honey..^^
Mom: "Me, too, please....^^"
**Oh...well, okay^^
This kind of stone-wall is typical of Korean wall. Well, I am not sure about it myself. But, judging from the fact that I found it at many other places, I think it could be it.
The red & blue lanterns hanging above were another typical Korean festivity-must have items.
*.* Have a Great Holiday*-*
