Suwon

 Suwon is a small town near Seoul and includes a world heritage Hwaseong Fortress built in 1796 by the King Jeongjo of Joseon who is famous for a drama called with his name, Yi San. 

It took me a long time to get to Suwon from Seoul by subway. The memory about Suwon was wet. It was raining when I arrived there without an umbrella. I didn't take a bus to Hwaseong Fortress. It seemed not far from the station, and I like walking. At first the rain was light. I walked in the street feeling daily life of this town. There were not many tall buildings and people, and a few small supper market beside the road just as China. 

road-side supper market

A GPS leaded me to Hwaseong Fortress, but I set a wrong point that made me to take a curving way. It rained more heavily, and I was lost. It was a road through the hillside, beside that was a pavilion. I decided to have a rest there, pinpoint my location and wait the rain to get lighter. There were three people already there, an old man murmured to himself now and then, and two middle-aged men talked with each other loudly. I was checking maps and GPS to plan a route from then on when one of the middle-aged men spoke to me in Korean. I said " I don't know Korea". He seemed to meet difficult and spoke to the other one. After their short conversation, the man came to me and ask me with English words: "YOU, COME, FROM, WHERE?" "China", I said. "YOU, COME, KOREA, WHY?" I answered him, but he didn't understand. He signal me to come with him. I thought he would show me the way, but he drew an umbrella in the sky. I found the fortress wall when we walked along the prior road. He made me wait among some houses by the road, and turn in anther direction. His house must be near there. After a while, he came back with just ONE umbrella. I was confused what did he mean? Didn't he want to borrow an umbrella to me? I thanked him and asked how could I give back it to him. He ignored my words and asked me to put up the umbrella with him. 

When we walked back to the wall, I told him I was going to get down the hill by showing him a map. But he point the peak of the hill where there was a big bell and then dragged me to go. I was scared and shouted HELP so that he released my arm. I got angry and told him don't follow me, but it didn't work. I had to do something let him go, I thought. There was a ticket booth on the foot of the hill and an old lady was sitting in it. I tried to tell her the issue, but she replied me in Japanese: "All this area is not free"...

 I continued to go toward Haenggung Palace expecting to meet officials but no one. There were another ticket booth in front of Haenggung Palace, and also an old lady who didn't understand me. However, she told me volunteers who could speak foreign languages was at the gate of palace. I moved to a volunteer, a young lady around 30 yeas old, and told her the whole thing. She was very nice, sympathized with me in my trouble and gave me an umbrella. She said something to the man, then he went away.

Haenggung Palace 

I roamed around the palace which is simple and not interesting and felt down. I did want to see the wall. However, since it was a rainy Monday, few visitors came here. I was afraid the man followed me, so I must avoided remote places. And I was tired, physically and mentally.

I returned to the station passing by the south gate of the fortress, Paldalmn. Unfortunately, it was in maintenance, I didn't see even a corner of it. Otherwise, luckily, I found a local market and delicious foods: BAOZI and MAHUA. I like local markets. They're funny, close to daily life, and makes me feel nostalgic for childhood. When I was eating baozi with satisfaction, the man who followed me before appeared. It wasn't a coincidence, because I'd told him I wanted to see Paldalmn. He pretended to be surprised and greeted to me happily. But when he saw the umbrella I was putting on, he seemed disappointed and went away. 

It was the last day I stayed in South Korea. I was tired. 

Fortress Wall

Paldalmn in maintenence 

Paldalmn at manhole cover

Baozi shop

Local market