Heading back to ROK for Xmas

[paul1598419]

Thank you for the education. I had no idea kimchi was such an absolute part of Korean diets. I just thought it was a side dish for most Koreans. It seems that superstition has no place where it is exclusive. Not that it is an exceptional observation as the thought of death has always held sway over people for thousands of years.

 

[Seoul_lasers]

Thank you for the education. I had no idea kimchi was such an absolute part of Korean diets. I just thought it was a side dish for most Koreans. It seems that superstition has no place where it is exclusive. Not that it is an exceptional observation as the thought of death has always held sway over people for thousands of years.

Korea while modern in one way ( technologically advanced), is still very superstitious due to its agrarian roots. Rocks, trees, mountains and various objects have spirits, and one of the main reasons why many graveyards in Korea are a) in the mountains b) have lots of trees.
While in Korea this time I met and had a session with a Mudang. It was my first visit but enjoyed the experience thoroughly.

There is a little video about Mudang performing (Gut 굿)

I've only seen this been done once in Jejudo and it was rather intense,
also included bloodletting/animal sacrifice (often a pig).

 

[Seoul_lasers]

Pictures of Yonggungsa -- The name given means - Dragon Palace Temple 龍宮寺　
This is the Dragon of the temple.




An engraved lithograph poem at the temple... I didn't get a good look at the inscriptions.




Oceanside, near to the Fisheries museum there is some improvised urban agriculture happening! I'd like to see this happening more in
B.C. (especially Victoria and Vancouver). This helps lower the cost of veggies! Growing here is Baechu, Napa cabbage and green onions.




After the temple we arrived at BEXCO, and the Shinsegae dpt store. We were greeted by Xmas wallabies (Kangol) and
a white Xmas bear saluting us. Shopping in Korea is a hell of a lot nicer experience than shopping the US or Canada.
Taxes are always included with the price and there is always a concerted effort to treat the customers right, much like in Japan.
Tips are NOT part of the customer experience here! -- Giving tips could be seen as = you either want "special" services or can be an insult to the employee or business.
There is always something interesting to see or sample. Again, Canada seems to strive to make things as cumbersome as humanly possible. There is next to 0 customer service and employees are always there with their hands out to get more by doing nothing.




Xmas Jinro Soju vendors handing out Soju prizes for customers pre Xmas.

The original Traditional market in Haeundae, kept as a historical site. Very cool and excellent vendors. Decent prices too.


A little trip to Busan isn't complete without dried frogs. These are used soup stock and eaten as "medicinal food."
This is a regional food item not common in Seoul- or so I have been told. It's on my list for next time. Tired french frog in Paris at age 15.
It was a ribbeting experience. Tastes like chicken.
Something worth mentioning - Every year some poor old country bumpkin Kim, Pak or Lee in rural Korea gets quite sick from eating Korean toads. One toad species common to the south is actually quite venomous, containing a significant amount of Bufotenin in their skin and organs and often gets confused with the edible ones. Deaths do occur from time to time during the summer in the rural areas from this menu item. Get your toads from someone who knows how to prepare them. This is definitely something NOT to DIY!


The Froggies featured in the picture are certified organic according to the vendor. Apparently good for people with lung issues like myself.
I will try next time I visit.

 

[paul1598419]

Can't say II'll be taking frogs or toads medicinally. I know there are many differences between western and eastern styles of medicine. We actually have some baked in biases toward people of color in medicine in the US. Medical students are still told that blacks don't feel pain as extremely as whites do or that they have thicker skin. That said, eating toads to mitigate a lung disorder seems a bit far fetched to me.

 

[Seoul_lasers]

Can't say II'll be taking frogs or toads medicinally. I know there are many differences between western and eastern styles of medicine. We actually have some baked in biases toward people of color in medicine in the US. Medical students are still told that blacks don't feel pain as extremely as whites do or that they have thicker skin. That said, eating toads to mitigate a lung disorder seems a bit far fetched to me.

Well, frogs have been used for 3000-5000 years in this part of the world as medicine, specifically the Chamkaeguri ( also known as Pelophylax nigromaculatus or the dark/black spotted frog).. Their populations are closely monitored by the Korean Government due to habitat disruption caused by humans. So far much of the conservation has worked well so they are relatively common.
If they are being used this long there might be something to it? 3000-5000 years is a heck of a long time to be using something that is ineffective as an alternative medicine.

 

[paul1598419]

It wouldn't surprise me that there is no medicinal effectiveness as the placebo effect can be quite high in some cases. Just because people have been doing it for a long time proves nothing as doctors during the civil war didn't even wash their hands. It has been said that you had a better chance of living if you weren't treated by a doctor. In Europe at that time doctors did use sterile conditions to treat wounds. I would want to see some research on the matter before I could take it seriously. If they cause no harm then it really doesn't matter as much, but you've said that people have used poisonous varieties too. That is kind of scary. It is considered an alternative medicine here, but likely not in Korea.

 

[Seoul_lasers]

It wouldn't surprise me that there is no medicinal effectiveness as the placebo effect can be quite high in some cases. Just because people have been doing it for a long time proves nothing as doctors during the civil war didn't even wash their hands. It has been said that you had a better chance of living if you weren't treated by a doctor. In Europe at that time doctors did use sterile conditions to treat wounds. I would want to see some research on the matter before I could take it seriously. If they cause no harm then it really doesn't matter as much, but you've said that people have used poisonous varieties too. That is kind of scary. It is considered an alternative medicine here, but likely not in Korea.

yes, I agree. I too was skeptical of a few alternative medicines in Korea until I tried them myself. I am one to be quite skeptical.
My first introduction to alternative medicine was through the consumption of raw Ginseng, something I still have not forgotten. I was warned by the herbal doctor that it would work on increasing yang ( or positive energy) -- and it will "heat you up"; and good grief they weren't kidding, I ate a 2x2 cm cube of raw ginseng and about 15-20 minutes later I was sweating profusely. I felt like I had a heater directly over me and got very hot. I felt my skin tingle.. like there was an electric charge on it. It turns out that Ginseng (Insam) has panaxtriol, a naturally occurring steroid in it, similar to anabolic steroids. Yes, are people that are quite allergic to it as you might think. I suddenly had a head rush of incredible energy, like someone stuck me with a cattle prod.... This was being used to treat bronchitis. hence to say it certainly helped.
This experience really changed my perspective on Korean traditional medicine.. There also other plants we consider in the west as highly toxic that are also utilized carefully in Korea, that have similar uses.
Yes, they work and if misused could kill you very easily. -- Toxicodendron vernicifluum being such a plant.

 

[Seoul_lasers]

Christmas in Seoul, Dec. 25th 2019

Jogyesa - Temple with new years lanterns ready for display.




Xmas tree at a temple complete with penguins and a snowman... why not.





The dharma wheel showing the 8 fold path.




Sejong Daewang (Statue monument to Sejong the Great - the unifier of the Korean people and the founder of Hangul)





Gyeongbukgung - panorama





Bukchon hanok maeul - Residences.

 

[paul1598419]

You are far more trusting of herbs than I am. I won't even take supplements because many are dangerous with the medications I take. Grapefruit comes to mind. I have always been skeptical of supplements as GNC pushes some nonsense as a testosterone agonist which wouldn't be possible if it actually worked. But, there are people who believe anything on television.

 

[Seoul_lasers]

You are far more trusting of herbs than I am. I won't even take supplements because many are dangerous with the medications I take. Grapefruit comes to mind. I have always been skeptical of supplements as GNC pushes some nonsense as a testosterone agonist which wouldn't be possible if it actually worked. But, there are people who believe anything on television.

I am not trusting of herbs until I have seen some proof of action. Many of our pharmaceuticals come from plants. A good example of this is Willow bark. Will bark contains salicin and salicylic acid that both act upon pain receptors. Another, Phellinus linteus, a wood mushroom used for 1000s of years has just recent been shown to contain protocatechuic acid, protocatechualdehyde, caffeic acid, ellagic acid, hispidin, davallialactone, hypholomine B, interfungins A and inoscavin A of which interfungins A is a potent inhibitor of protein glycation.

 

[paul1598419]

No, I have been aware for years about the biological medicines that are available to western medicines. Wintergreen comes to mind when talking about sal acid or curare, which is a powerful alkaloid used as a muscle relaxant, not to mention opium, which gave us powerful pain relievers. Many led to totally synthesized medicines such as aspirin. Got much of this information in college in the 1970s.

 

[Seoul_lasers]

Yes, I am sure you were aware. I was just reiterating that many of the herbal remedies used in Korea have some fairly recent scientific backing. Other alt. remedies are more in folklore or superstition ( based on looks).