Blog 62 - 29th January

Sungnam Choe and his family came for a farewell dinner. He was Damien's swimming mate from his early days in Suwon. We saw them during our first weeks here when we were taken to a traditional Pansori concert and have not seen them until now, just when we are leaving! Thank you for the semi dried persimons, rice cakes for Lunar New Year and yummy sponge cake. Our friends Im Seung Bin and Seungh hee took us to a new area on the Hangang River called Namyang Ju, north east of Seoul, where we stumbled across an old grave site of an ex-president's wife. What a gorgeous view and how different it is now than when she was buried a few hundred years ago! No doubt the site was chosen because of its Pungsu (Korean feng shui) and the quiet and space was indeed impressive.

A few last visits to galleries and palaces - how indulgent to have time to do these things with few commitments and apartment living which affords much space for leisure. These images are both from Dokgsu Palace where Esther and I went to see a wonderful photographic exhibition within the palace grounds at the Museum of Ccontemporary Art.

Damien's retirement dinner with his colleagues was across the road at Hoam House. The gift of 2 Kim Whan Ki limited edition prints and poster are much appreciated and will be treasured additions to our home. He is renowned throughout Korea as its first local abstract painter, also called the Korea's Picasso.

Gifts were exchanged between the oldest faculty member (guess who?) and the youngest member, Professor Ryu Young Ryel.

My colleagues celebrated a late Christmas get together and a farewell for Emilie and me as well as acknowledging completion of qualifications of Emilie and Kelly. How sad I will be to leave and hope to continue connections from afar.