Comments on: On Ganghwa Island http://www.rjkoehler.com/2006/07/08/on-ganghwa-island/ Korea... in Blog Format Wed, 9 Jul 2008 06:57:34 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Robert Koehler http://www.rjkoehler.com/2006/07/08/on-ganghwa-island/#comment-42880 Robert Koehler Sun, 09 Jul 2006 23:53:17 +0000 http://www.rjkoehler.com/2006/07/08/on-ganghwa-island/#comment-42880 USinkorea---I'm sorry to hear you had a bad experience there. Mine was excellent. Found the locals to be exceedingly friendly---good country folk. USinkorea—I’m sorry to hear you had a bad experience there. Mine was excellent. Found the locals to be exceedingly friendly—good country folk.

]]> By: hardyandtiny http://www.rjkoehler.com/2006/07/08/on-ganghwa-island/#comment-42859 hardyandtiny Sun, 09 Jul 2006 16:20:35 +0000 http://www.rjkoehler.com/2006/07/08/on-ganghwa-island/#comment-42859 makeshift base - it's crap makeshift base - it’s crap

]]> By: sanshinseon http://www.rjkoehler.com/2006/07/08/on-ganghwa-island/#comment-42834 sanshinseon Sun, 09 Jul 2006 07:35:20 +0000 http://www.rjkoehler.com/2006/07/08/on-ganghwa-island/#comment-42834 Yeah, Ganghwa is always interesting, especially Mani-san and Bomun-sa. I've never experienced any nationalistic negativity there, m'self. It's been awhile tho, i should go back... Yeah, Ganghwa is always interesting,
especially Mani-san and Bomun-sa.
I’ve never experienced any nationalistic
negativity there, m’self. It’s been
awhile tho, i should go back…

]]> By: NathanB http://www.rjkoehler.com/2006/07/08/on-ganghwa-island/#comment-42824 NathanB Sat, 08 Jul 2006 23:56:33 +0000 http://www.rjkoehler.com/2006/07/08/on-ganghwa-island/#comment-42824 I particularly liked that second picture. -- I felt guilty, there, too, even though as a Canadian I had nothing to do with any of the events that took place there. Gangwha Island was the scene not only of a French invasion (which the Koreans repulsed, after the French looted many precious royal artefacts that had been stored there), but of an American one, a Japanese one, and a Chinese one. The museum there takes pains to explain every foreign problem that has landed on Gangwha-do, but also failed to note the assistance of many foreign countries in the Korean War, something I felt was an unfortunate imbalance. I suppose there are other monuments commemorating those events. Perhaps some Marmot's Hole readers might enjoy the post at my old blog on this island, featuring three little known national treasures, a dolmen, and some other odds and ends. The post can be found <a href="http://hifromseoul.blogspot.com/2004/12/gangwha-island_30.html" rel="nofollow">here</a>. I particularly liked that second picture.
–
I felt guilty, there, too, even though as a Canadian I had nothing to do with any of the events that took place there. Gangwha Island was the scene not only of a French invasion (which the Koreans repulsed, after the French looted many precious royal artefacts that had been stored there), but of an American one, a Japanese one, and a Chinese one. The museum there takes pains to explain every foreign problem that has landed on Gangwha-do, but also failed to note the assistance of many foreign countries in the Korean War, something I felt was an unfortunate imbalance. I suppose there are other monuments commemorating those events.

Perhaps some Marmot’s Hole readers might enjoy the post at my old blog on this island, featuring three little known national treasures, a dolmen, and some other odds and ends. The post can be found here.

]]> By: GI Korea http://www.rjkoehler.com/2006/07/08/on-ganghwa-island/#comment-42815 GI Korea Sat, 08 Jul 2006 21:21:30 +0000 http://www.rjkoehler.com/2006/07/08/on-ganghwa-island/#comment-42815 I have been to Ganghwa Island a handful of times and never had any problems there with the locals. It is a nice day trip for those living in the Seoul area as the island has various historical and cultural sites to see not to mention some great views looking across into North Korea if you know where to go. I have been to Ganghwa Island a handful of times and never had any problems there with the locals. It is a nice day trip for those living in the Seoul area as the island has various historical and cultural sites to see not to mention some great views looking across into North Korea if you know where to go.

]]> By: usinkorea http://www.rjkoehler.com/2006/07/08/on-ganghwa-island/#comment-42793 usinkorea Sat, 08 Jul 2006 16:15:42 +0000 http://www.rjkoehler.com/2006/07/08/on-ganghwa-island/#comment-42793 Ganghwa Island was the only tourist place in South Korea where I felt like being a white man was considered an insult to the locals. Don't know if it was a fair feeling on my part or not. But a couple of reactions I got at the bus terminal just after I arrived stuck with from there on, and I not longer after I started looking around, I decided to dust off my sandles (Biblically speaking) and pass on seeing the rest of the place. Again, this was the only place I went site-seeing where I came away with a bad taste in my mouth... Ganghwa Island was the only tourist place in South Korea where I felt like being a white man was considered an insult to the locals.

Don’t know if it was a fair feeling on my part or not.

But a couple of reactions I got at the bus terminal just after I arrived stuck with from there on, and I not longer after I started looking around, I decided to dust off my sandles (Biblically speaking) and pass on seeing the rest of the place.

Again, this was the only place I went site-seeing where I came away with a bad taste in my mouth…

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