The War Memorial of Korea

Yesterday was a very special and exhausting day. We got up early, ate breakfast early, then headed out as soon as we could. Yesterday was our last day in Korea without time constraints, and we knew we wanted to do and see a lot. We headed toward The War Memorial of Korea first. 

We had heard really great things about this museum from others who had visited it before, but we had no idea how amazing it would be. We spent over an hour just in the outdoor space. It was 26 degrees, mind you, so an hour straight outside is a pretty big deal. As we walked past the main gate, we noticed a monument that is quite famous. I have seen it in pictures before, but had no idea it was here. It is a huge statue of one soldier holding another at the top of a dome. 

Although it was beautiful, it set the tone for us and even the boys were instantly calmer, ready to learn. Inside the dome underneath the statue, was a beautiful mosaic and an etched plate for each country that helped protect South Korea during the Korean War.  We continued walking down a long path, which led to another statue depicting soldiers in battle. Again beautiful and heartbreaking. As we continued down the path we noticed a small group of planes, then tanks, then a ship, and it just went on and on. There were rows and rows of military vehicles for us to see. The boys were so excited to see and hear about each one. 

We started with the planes nearest the path. Some were small and one in particular was huge. Joe loves history and his Grandfather was a POW in the Korean War, so he had loved explaining all he knows as we went from plane to plane. He told them about the different jobs each of the planes had, why they looked different, how parts worked or why they were there. The boys were so interested in learning all they could and asked great questions.

The one thing they wanted to spend the most time exploring was the battle ship that was on display. It was a replica of a South Korean war ship, which had been attacked. The most powerful thing about this ship, is that each area where damage was done was identified with a hole and a red border. It was horrifying to see just how many there were and how many of them would have been where soldiers would have been. Although the boys were extremely interested, they were also very thoughtful about the impact of all they were seeing. Asking real, hard questions, with real, hard answers.

After the ship we continued on looking at the rows of tanks and weapon launchers. The boys bounced around, guessing at how each on worked and what the parts would do. This was about the time when we were losing feeling in our fingers and toes, so we headed back toward the main entrance to the museum. As we reached the building, we walked through a hall filled with the names of South Koreans who had lost their lives in the war. It was hard to explain this to the boys. 

Then we turned the corner and found ourselves in an identical hall. This one filled with the names of soldiers from other countries who also lost their lives. Each American state had their own list, showing just how many men fought and died for our friends in South Korea. About three fourths of the way down the hall, other countries were listed. There were names from many European countries, but also places that surprised us like Ethiopia, Thialand and Columbia. Many of the names had flowers beside them or at the base of the monument. 

Entering the museum was a bit overwhelming. We chose a side and went down the hall. This hall was lined with ever piece of ammunition used in the war. Bullets, missiles, hand grenades, thousands of them. Then we were in another area of vehicles- small planes and fancy cars, one was a gift from President Eisenhower to the first South Korean President. It was an armored Cadillac. Next came a row of communication devices used throughout the war.

Next, we went down the into the dark hall in the middle of the main hall. This area was somber and sad. We walked down a hall and into a dark room with a large black fountain. It was so peaceful, yet incredibly sad. Even the boys could tell that this was a very meaningful and powerful place and wandered the room in silence, only asking questions in whispers. This room led us down a hall and into an area of the museum where the history of Korea, and later South Korea, and their fight to remain a free and independent country. 

We wandered through the maze of artifacts for about another hour, then realized we would never have the energy to see it all. We decided to head to our next destination- Insadong for more shopping and a late lunch. We have heard that there are indoor play cafes all over Seoul and thought we would try to find one. The boys had been so calm and reserved all morning and we wanted to let them get some energy out. 

We found one on the CityMapper app, which was only a ten minute walk from Insadong, so we headed that way. What was supposed to be a ten minute walk, turned into a twenty minute walk and we when we reached the place on the map, we were told there was no play cafe near. Exhausted and hungry, we took the subway back to Insadong, the boys very unhappy about missing out on the play cafe experience. 

Luckily for us, the Poop Cafe was close by! We walked in the door and the boys were so happy that their frustrations and sadness was gone. We ordered four hot chocolates and Joe went out to the Poop Bread vendor right outside the cafe and got us each a chocolate filled poop bread. It was just what we needed! 

We finished our shopping, then headed back to the subway, stopping for roasted chestnuts and another egg bread. We also stopped at a vendor selling hand painted fans. He then handed us a paper filled with awards he has received from all over the world. He then painted Nolan and Maylee's names in Korean on their fans (Liam didn't want one, but picked out Maylee's for her room). He also painted the characters for Insadong and signed and stamped each one with his name. What an experience!