Hermit Kingdom

**Please note my pictures are not great because it was raining during the entire trip. However the links I've provided have fantastic clear pictures.**

Saturday June 20 I went on a USO tour to the Korean Demilitarized Zone known locally as the DMZ. It took approximately two hours by bus to arrive at Camp Bonifas and then a short wait for our soldier/tour guide. Once on post we were transferred to a second bus and taken for a briefing.

I was quite excited to get my own little UN visitors badge if only for a few hours.



Flags of countries who have sent help with to South Korea in either the Korean War or to maintain the DMZ.


We were next taken over through the fence and to the midline of the DMZ were negotiations are held. The building we were escorted through was originally meant for visits between family members but this sadly hasn't happened so far. On the other side of that building lay the actual midline, buildings that house the neutral nations delegations and then North Korea.



North Korean soldier watching us through binoculars.



Some of the ROK (Republic of Korea) soldiers that patrol this area. The blue building is the main negotiating building and were we were taken next.


Negotiating table with microphones that are monitored by both sides 24 hours a day. Both North and South Koreans can bring visitors into this building. Our tour guide/soldier is standing on the midline with a ROK soldier.


Exact midline. To the right is South Korea, to the left is North Korea.


Here I am quite chuffed to be standing in North Korea. We were not allowed to pass this soldier or touch him.


According to our tour guide/soldier these flags were placed under glass after an incident when a North Korean soldier came into the room and plucked the UN flag from it's stand and began to wipe his boots with it. Then he took the American flag and blew his nose with it trying to provoke a response as the room is also being filmed at all times.


One of the largest flags in the world. It stands in the North Korean village of Kijong-dong within the DMZ area. It is thought that no one lives in the village at this time.


Third observation post. At this point I am surrounded on three sides by North Korea.


Monument for the Axe Murder Incident Camp Bonifas is named for one of the men killed during this gruesome attack.


Bridge of No Return were prisoners of war were exchanged.


This rice was grown in Taeseong-dong the South Korean counterpart to Kijong-dong. The people of this village receive many benefits but are also under tight restrictions.


Care for a snack?



After lunch (I packed a picnic for myself but had to eat on the bus due to the rain) we were taken to the Third Infiltration Tunnel It was a very steep walk down but interesting. Unfortunately we were not allowed to take in cameras. I also thought I'd never make it back out.

This sculpture represents the hope for a reunited Korea and peace in the world and stands outside the tunnel facility.


Finally we were taken to the Dora Observation Post but we weren't allowed to take photos there and I can't find much about it online.

Heirloom Pattern

The sewing forum that I hang out on, Sewing Mamas is having a vintage pattern sewing contest. I love to sew from patterns found at thrift stores and yard sales so this was the perfect first contest for me to enter.

I used McCall's 5914, Child's Sports Separates from 1961. It was designed by Helen Lee, marked as a size 2, and originally cost 50 cents.



I picked up the popsicle fabric with no particular project in mind but the yellow was supposed to be in a quilt I'm working on but I went with blue instead.



Originally I was going to make it plain but I must have been channeling Patsy Aiken because I embroidered Izzy's initials and put on two different ribbons onto the top.



The shorts were the hardest pants I have ever attempted. The pattern called for a 4" zipper on the side, but I decided to put pockets on both sides and elastic in the waistband.



The top went together quickly and I really like it. But next time I will probably make it longer as I'm not sure how Mr. K. will feel about the belly button look.



Instead of going my usual snaps I actually took the time to make button holes and hand sew on cute flower buttons.



And a final gratuitous adorable shot.

Hacking ACU's

My friend here Amy asked me to make her a big purse from her husband's old ACU's. I looked for a tutorial but didn't find one so made one for all of you! Now this is my first tut so go easy on me.

Finished bag for those who are uninterested in all the details.




Tutorial for large ACU purse.

Materials Used
1 Pair ACU pants
2 ACU tops
thread

1. Seam rip the lower pockets from pants legs to use on the inside. Cut out back panel below the remaining pockets. Cut in half at the back seam and remove that blasted thick seam.


2. Sew the two pants parts back together. This will help this portion lay flatter and enable you to cut it straighter.


3. Cut out the front of one of the ACU tops. Cut out zipper on each side.


4. Sew the two top parts back together lining up the velcro strips across from one another.


5. Using the two sewn together bits as a pattern cut same size pieces from the back of each top for the inside lining.


6. From the pants and back of tops cut strips for gussets and straps.


7. Using the pockets you ripped out in step one sew on each lining piece. I left one pocket open and big and the other I sewed down the gussets to make three small pockets for pens, cell phone, or what have you.


8. Using the width of your strips as a guide turn up the bottom of one of the lining pieces. Pin a strip right sides together on each end of this turned up bit.


9. Sew the strips up the side of the liner piece tucking in a bit at the bottom. Sorry no better way to describe it as I had a difficult time myself at that point. Sew the second liner piece to the gussets you've now made on the first right sides together. Should look like this which will be the inside of your purse.


10. At this point your child/ren will probably come and give you the evils for being hidden away so long. So run and play a bit and come back later to finish up. :)


11. Repeat steps 8 and 9 for the outside of the bag. Turn up bottom, sew on strips, sew together.

12. For the straps sew together two strips twice then sew right sides together to form two long tubes. Turn out and adjust length to your preference. I made the straps quite long on this bag as it is a big bag and I like long straps.

13. Pin one strap at the top of each side of the outside of the bag making sure it isn't twisted. Turn the inside liner to the wrong side and put the outside into it so that right sides are together. Pin all along the top leaving a space between the two straps for turning. Sew around back sewing on the straps for added strength. Turn right side out and push liner to the inside. Top stitch around tucking in the bit you left open for turning.

14. You can have special strips made for the velcro bits at your local Army clothing shop. Enjoy your bag!

Hair Again

Yesterday I had my hair dyed again and I totally love it! I honestly feel it takes 10 years off my looks. The cosmetologist flat ironed it for me, something I'll never get around to doing even though I think it looks incredible.

Hulled Rice

Day 3

On day three of our holiday we decided to go to Icheon which is famous for two things: rice and pottery. The pottery was beautiful but mostly out of our price range. Mr. K. bought a kind of stew pot that goes in the oven though. I wanted to see the potters at work but as I found out today we were just in slightly the wrong place. We stopped for lunch at a little hole in the wall kind of place with the low Korean tables and ordered the rice. The rice came in a boiling hot clay pot with 20 different side dishes including grilled fish, two types of salad, cucumber kimchi (my favorite type), beef bulgogi, tofu soup, and many many more.

I also wanted to check out an outlet mall but while we saw it from the interstate we had no luck in actually getting there. A very upsetting yet normal occurrence in Korea. On the way home we stopped at Baskin Robbins for ice cream.

The kids had had enough car riding and were not very pleasant on this trip. Then again neither was I.

High Tide

Day 2

Mr. K. decided we should head for the Yellow Sea. We drove for nearly two hours and then couldn't find a great beach right away. After driving to the end of the road (literally) we decided to grab lunch. All the restaurants featured raw seafood and while I'm all for sushi having a live octopus chopped up in front of me is not my idea of a yummy meal. Got back in the van and stopped at a place a little further away. At first it looked kind of hopeless but I was brave and asked a table full of college students if any of them spoke English. Luckily one did and helped us order. What we got was a huge pot sat over a burner on our table. In the pot were various sea creatures in a fairly natural state. Claims, scallops, and mussels still in their shells. Shrimp still with eyes and all. A medium sized crab, a small octopus, and a thankfully cleaned out squid. Honestly if the squid had still had eyes I think I would have bolted. I'm all for trying new things, but I have my limits. It was good once we figured out which bits of the clams to eat and which to avoid and was served with rice and a large number of kimchi sides.

Then we headed to the beach. We found a good little spot and the Kids and I played in the sand and water. The water was cool but not cold but we were the only people in it which made me somewhat nervous. (Talking to my Korean friend at the post office today I learned that most Koreans don't swim.) Defne loved playing in the small waves and Deniz loved digging and running in and out of the surf. As the tide receded I noticed these small creatures in the back wash. At first I thought they were minnows but then noticed tiny legs. Then I thought they were shrimp and this is what I am still hoping, but then the idea came to me that they might be a kind of parasite. (Having recently read Parasite Rex by Carl Zimmer I see parasites everywhere I look.) If they were parasites my hope is that humans aren't in their life cycle because more than once I caught one crawling on my toes.

Around 6pm we loaded up to go home. I told Mr. K. a trip to the beach isn't complete until ice cream is had so I ran into a little convenience store and bought ice creams, shrimp crisps, and drinks. Back on the road we kept seeing roadside stands selling sweet potatoes. Finally Mr. K. pulled over and bought some freshly roasted and still warm. They were so good! Far sweeter but more yellow than the American variety. We munched on our various treats all the way home.

Look for Day 3 tomorrow. My all of two readers thank you for sticking with me!

Heat Resistant

Well trying to be anyway. First off I've misplaced the camera so no photos today sorry.

It was supposed to be a glorious weekend vacation to Jeju Island. I wanted to drive down and take the ferry over (four hours) spend one night in a hotel and another on the beach camping. Mr. K. said we didn't have enough time and he has to go pick up young cadets from the airport tomorrow. So instead we took some day trips all of which were less than perfect.

Day One
Saturday we decided to go to Coex Mall in Seoul because the weather was chilly and rainy. I was intrigued by the promise of a bookstore. The traffic on the interstate was bumper to bumper more than 50 miles out so we pulled into a train station. That station had no fast train so we decided to take the subway. 90 minutes, three trains and mostly standing room only later we finally arrived tired and hungry. The restaurant Mr. K. picked was confusing and expensive so I only ate a little. Then it was off to the bookstore which was huge and refreshing. I purchased a sewing book and though it is in Korean it has lots of adorable patterns. We got some small books in English for the Kids. Then we headed off to the food court for some rice and pizza. Later we went to a few shops and I bought some cute stationary items (another one of the things I hoard). We ate ice cream and stocked up on bread and cakes from Paris Baguette and got back on the subway home. The first train was so packed that even when pushed I couldn't fall because there was nowhere to fall. Yuck. The next train ended before the station we needed but a third train came quickly enough. The fourth train was the worst though because we ended up getting off one station to early and being abandoned like lost dolls. For more than thirty minutes no train stopped. We gave up and got a taxi to the next station were we had left the van. Do I like the IDEA of public transportation? Of course. Save the planet and all that jazz. Will I be partaking of it again anytime soon? No way.

Day Two will be published tomorrow.