A Night of Music and Culture...

Ahhh, our hotel. It's like Upper Canada Village goes to Asia. A small Korean Inn, built to emulate a Korean manor of 150 years ago. The rooms are small and cozy, with really really warm heated floors. The doors are twin sliding doors ... heavy paper on wooden frames. It was freezing cold outside, but so toasty warm inside. No beds, we slept on heavy mats on the floor. Mmmmm so toasty warm.

For an hour in the evening, the folks at the Inn put on a Traditional Korean music festival. First, some cool stringed instruments that look like benches sounded lovely.

Next, a guy playing a tin-whistle made out of bamboo-y stuff. His facial contortions were amusing to watch. First, he went red in the face, then he went puffy in the cheeks, then he went crossed in the eyes, then odd screeching sounds were brought forth from the instrument. That one was harder to listen to.

Third, a guy played a solo piece on the stringed bench.

Fourth, a woman 'sang' a screeching, shouting, grunting song - that sounded very difficult to do, and she got a loud ovation for it.

Finally, the group of Bench Players returned and played some really nice Christmas carols. It was awesome.

Afterwards, they served us boiled sweet potatoes and green tea.

nice.