New Years in Seoul!

I beat everyone to New Years :) We celebrated last night. Jina and I walked around one of the shopping districts - so many lights, like a mini-times square, then we met her friend Steven for dinner and went to a party at the Imperial Palace Hotel with Steve's friends. Good times! We had planned to wake up at 6am to see the sunrise from the mountains. It's a korean tradition to do so. But we decided against it - it is bitter cold here and I imagine that hiking for an hour at 6am, 10 degrees, may NOT be the best way to kick off the new year :) We did have rice cake soup for breakfast which is traditional and will supposedly add a year to my life!

From Seoul & Hong Kong

From Seoul & Hong Kong up the elevator at the hotel

From Seoul & Hong Kong party folk

We went to a Buddhist temple yesterday. People were praying with meditation beads and kneeling to the statue of Buddha- flashback to catholic church! It freaked me out. From my limited experience with Buddhist philosophy and mediation, I had this hope that Buddhism surpassed all that ridiculousness of other religions. However, I shouldnt be disheartned because Buddhism was polluted as it was adopted by other cultures and their prior beliefs. So I can still believe that there is a tradition out there that is spiritual/philosophical sans religion.

From Seoul & Hong Kong paper lanterns at the temple