Tibet Photo Exhibit, October 5th

I almost forgot about this, so it's going out of order. One night I went down to Samcheondong to attend a Tibet photo exhibit put on by Kyoung and Johan, a Korean-Belgian couple we know. They're not professional photographers, but they were so inspired by a recent trip to Tibet that they put on this very well-organized event to raise money for the children there. They had their photos nicely framed and hung, and offered specially printed books of postcards, all for purchase with all proceeds going to charity. At the opening ceremony I attended, they had a traditional Korean flutist and singer perform, and Kyoung, who is learning how to tango, bravely showed her skills. I think if you click here and here, you can see (poor quality) videos from the evening.

Biking: Han River & Gangnam, October 27th

After a fairly miserable summer and early fall, the last couple of weeks have finally cleared up, offering lots of sun and mild temperatures. Saturday the 27th was just one of those days, and we took advantage of it by taking the bikes out for a spin. We rode down the hill to Itaewon for lunch at the pita place, kept riding down to the river, rode to and crossed over Banpo Bridge into Gangnam where we locked up the bikes and took a long walk around the popular shopping district of Gangnam. The sun set as we rode home, and we stopped for some pictures on Hannam Bridge.

Royal Banquet, Grand Hyatt, October 9

On the evening of the 9th, Morten and I attended the Royal Banquet in one of the Hyatt Hotel's ballrooms. The women had thrown such a fuss about what attire was appropriate (floor length? 3/4? short? gloves? sleeves? no sleeves as long as accompanied with a wrap?) that I was nervous about my short dress with no sleeves, but I put it on nonetheless, and Morten, in his 'dark suit', and I walked up to the Hyatt. We presented our invitation along with passports and were given official name tags. After a little mingling in the outer reception, we were instructed to form a line. Then, as we entered the main hall, we passed the Queen and shook her hand. I put on my little sweater for this part, just to make sure I didn't offend her. The MC was a Danish opera singer--a tenor--and throughout the evening he sang with a Danish soprano. The Danish Royal Guard Brass Ensemble played during the food services, and there were also performances by the Niels Landoky Jazz Trio, a Korean jazz singer, and the Royal Ballet. The food was delicious, and I really enjoyed the musical program.

Seoul National University Museum of Art, October 9

I was invited to a gallery opening of Danish art in conjunction with the Queen's visit on October 9th. I wore what I hoped was appropriate clothing, arrived at the requested time, and showed the proper identification for entry. There were several speeches from members of the official delegation including the Deputy Prime Minister, and though the ceremony was not so interesting, it was interesting to see how an event like this is put together. Then while the Queen and the delegation got a private tour of the exhibit, a Danish jazz trio played for us in the auditorium until we got clearance to view the exhibit ourselves. I wasn't able to take photos inside, but I was able to get a shot of the Queen as she exited.