Masan's Train Station, Korea

It's hot in Japan. The heat index for tomorrow (Sunday) is forecast to reach 43°C. That's about 110°F. I came home to an apartment that felt like a sauna. My air conditioner is still trying to catch up after running straight for the past hour.

Needless to say, after working all day (it's Saturday night when I'm writing) and then going clothes shopping in the late evening, I'm too tired to really hash out a long post.

So, I leave you with this nice view of the road leading up to Masan's train station. The building is visible in the background on the right side.

Watching the Hanwha Eagles at Hanbat Stadium, Daejeon, Korea

 The Eagles joined KBO in 1986 as the Binggrae Eagles. Binggrae was a part of the Hanwha conglomerate, but split off in 1993; the team was renamed the Hanwha Eagles before the start of the 1994 season. They play in Daejeon, at Hanbat Stadium.

 Hanbat Stadium was built way back in 1964, and as such has some very old standards of stadium construction. Especially of note is the second deck set way back from the field (added in the 2013 upgrades), and the large amount of foul territory. The OB Bears used to play here (1982-1986), and the stadium has hosted the KBO All-Star Game in 1984, 2003, and 2012.

 Measurements down the lines are 100 meters each, with center field being 122 meters from home plate.

 The bullpens are located in the outfield, putting spectators there even farther from the game. The Eagles sit on the first base side and the visitors are on the third base side.

 Recent renovations (2013) increased the field size and seating capacity, and the ballpark certainly isn't horrible by any means. As you can tell by my pictures, it's possibly to walk all the way around the stadium. And there are several small seating sections catering to specific groups - family sections, couples sections, and so on. It's a nice touch.

 Additionally, the concourse is open to the field for most of the trip around the field. The only place where that isn't possible is a section behind home plate. The stadium also has a nice view of a mountain (Bomunsan) off in the distance behind the outfield.

 Food selection is pretty typical - beer, tteokbokki, sausages, and plenty of typical chips and other snacks found at convenience stores. Someone else mentioned that you can find churros here, but I didn't notice any. But, you can bring whatever you'd like into the stadium, so it's possible to get some fried chicken outside or pack your own goodies.

Access is tough. There's a bus (Express #2) from Daejeon Station (served by KTX) that will take you to the stadium, but it's probably easier for those who don't speak Korean to take a taxi. Always remember to have the Korean name of your location printed in Korean text for taxi drivers to read. They almost never speak English and Korean names can be different from the English ones. The ride is around 6000 won ($6).

The sports complex name in Korean is: 대전 한밭종합운동장). The complex includes a couple gyms, a large multi-purpose stadium for soccer and track and field activities, and more. The baseball stadium itself, in Hangul, is: 대전 한밭종합운동장 야구장.

Daejeon is about 150 kilometers south of Seoul, reached from Seoul Station on the KTX line in about an hour. It's the fifth-largest city in Korea, but there isn't too much to do in town. There are several surrounding mountains that are good for a hike, though.

Tickets for adults start at $7 for weekday games, $8 on the weekends, so it's very affordable, and despite its size it's still a pretty small ballpark in the end. The view of the field is nice and the fans are pretty good.

Summer Festival Time is Here!

I haven't seen any details on when exactly my city will hold its very popular "Odori" street festival, but some of the surrounding cities have already finished theirs. They tend to last a couple days with the big feature being what is best described as a parade.

 Dozens of groups participate, many sporting custom yukata (summer kimono) based on their affiliation. Some groups are local community groups, while other participants come from the same company. Each group is led by someone holding a lantern identifying the group.

 The order can change a little, but usually women come first, dancing on their toes by standing on their shoes in such a way that they function like high heels. It's a very specific dance, but it's not too complicated.

 Men follow, dancing as well. The dance here is similar and again quite simple.

Each group will have its own band playing different instruments, though they always have a bell-like instrument that they ring with a hammer and drums. The entire group chants as they walk down the street.

Despite all four photos above being of

This year, I'm hoping to really get some good photographs to give you even more details as to the street festival experience. And maybe I'll be able to get the post out before the end of summer!

Korean War Memorial and Museum, Seoul

Korea has had a tough history.

 

I'm sure you're familiar with the Korean War. But the nation has been invaded countless times over the centuries from all sides. The museum honors those who fought to protect their country and tell their stories.

 The entire building is massive, and it took me about three hours to get through it.

 You start with a hall of reflection to set the mood. Then the history lesson begins.

 As is common in Korea, dioramas and models help bring the details to life.

 Artifacts are also found, from battle armor to documents.

 One of the rooms holds a model castle that you can explore as you learn about defending it.

 You can climb to the top of the wall.

 The major wars are explained in chronological order, and the evolution of weapons technology becomes apparent as you move from swords to cannons.

 As you move from exhibit to exhibit you find yourself back in a main hall which has a wartime ship.

 A large portion of the museum is devoted to the Korean War.

 There are several life-size recreated scenes from the war, from the battlefields and bases to the villages and cities.

 Once you've "finished" the Korean War, you end up in a large area with several planes hanging from the rafterse. The bottom floor had some fun things for children when I visited, though I think it was a temporary exhibit.

 A smaller wing tells the story of the Vietnam War, and Korea's involvement in battle.

 Continuing on, there is a section on uniforms, including the futuristic looking combat gear in the right-hand picture.

 An indoor collection downstairs has several more planes and other vehicles.

 But once you've finished inside, there's a lot left outside.

 Dozens of planes, tanks, boats, large guns, and more are found parked on the museum grounds.

 As you can see, there was a good bit of snow on the ground; I visited early in the morning just after a fresh layer of the white stuff had fallen. I believe some of the vehicles are opened for viewing at various times, but due to the snow almost nothing could be looked into. How cool it would be to climb inside a tank! The snow also made it difficult to get great pictures of some things due to glare or just being covered. I'll have to visit again sometime!

The museum opened in 1994. It's now open daily (except Monday) 9:00-18:00, with last admission an hour before closing. Admission is free.

The easiest access is via subway Line 4 or Line 6; get off at Samgakji Station. Take Exit 12 and follow the road for a couple minutes; you can't miss the museum just after the first stoplight.