-
Start
-
Soyang River
-
Cheongpyeongsa
-
Flower Garden
-
Ethiopia
-
Pension
-
Park
-
Uiamho
-
Kim Yu-jeong Station
-
Jade Garden
-
Finish
Memorial Hall for Ethiopian Veterans in the Korean War 에티오피아 한국전 참전
Slowly flowing Gongjicheon in the south of the downtown, and at the entrance of Gongjicheongyo(bridge) that crosses the river, there stood a high and sharp tower.
I went closer and saw letters that I could never imagined seeing there. 'Ethiopia' was what it was.
It was a war monument established in 1968 symbolizing the shape of lion in order to commemorate Ethiopian soldiers from UN during the Korean War.
Across the street, there stood a very exotic black building as well. It was also a memorial hall for Ethiopian solders fought in the Korean War just like the monument.
A country that is called Ethiopia now is in the northeastern of Africa that made a significant contribution near Chuncheon areas including Hongcheon and Hwacheon during the Korea War.
The memorial hall is a two-story building and the exhibition room is small but it has War Exhibition Room on the first floor, Pungmul Exhibition Room and Exchange Room on the second floor.
In the War Exhibition Room, I saw a model of an Ethiopian soldier and comments on the 'Kangnew battalion(Royal Guard)' unit who were practically playing an active role in the war.
Around the model, the military goods that were used in the war and the information about the establishment of memorial hall were displayed.
Beginning with small documents like copies of official documents exchanged with UN board of directors to participate in the war,
helmets, water bottles, military uniforms, medical appliances and badges that were owned by soldiers at the time were also displayed.
Various weapons used in the war were also displayed including rifles and handguns that made me feel the imminence of war.
The patches of units who fought for us in the war and the list of soldiers who died while fighting for Korea under golden light looked solemn.
After the War Exhibition Room, along the stairs with photos of Ethiopia hung on the wall, I went upstairs.
In the lobby on the second floor, a big painting of animals representing Africa was hainging on the high ceiling.
To the right from the lobby is Pungmul(Institutions and Customs) Exhibition Room. Under the large drawings of Ethiopian lifestyles painted on the ceiling, many daily items were displayed and books and hardware metal goods were displayed by the window.
I checked exhibits displayed by the window one by one. The cross and ornaments related to Ethiopian religion, one denomination with Christianity, that almost half of Ethiopians believe in.
Plus, it was interesting to see 「The Koran」, the Bible for Islam which is second largest religion, displayed because its proximity to Arabic areas.
Most of them were metal and leather goods as well as swords of exotic shapes used in the war or to cut hunted animals and sheaths.
One of characteristics of Ethiopia is that they use 12-hour clock splitting a day into a daytime and nighttime unlike our 24-hour system. So the time that the sun rises, 6 o'clock, would be 0 o'clock in Ethiopia, and 18 o'clock when the sun sets would be 0 o'clock again.
And the first thing that pops up in our heads would be coffee. Ethiopia has proper temperature of highlands and tropical climates of lowlands at the same time so that it was the first place that coffee was found and famous for coffee, which is why a few kinds of coffee were displayed in one corner.
Ethipian bills that could buy the aromatic coffee. Ethiopian monarchy lasted until 30 to 40 years ago so the bills had the face of Emperor Heile Selassie on them but it's changed now as far as I heard.
We got out of Institutions and Customs Exhibit Room and entered Exchange Exhibit Room where you could hear the explanations on the exchanges with Korea unlike the name of room suggests.
Other than that, most of them were about religions and politics in Ethiopia. Elegant art pieces and daily goods in red and black colors were displayed.
Just like in-and-wash painting represents Korea, Ethiopia must've have traditional way to express arts in these colors. The trays and wall hangs as well as folding screens had all similar patterns on them.
But they look like cute characters on some of them and the others looked like they wanted to send a message like stories about legendary heroes or religious stories like bible.
Watching the wooden cup coasters at last, we got out of Memorial Hall for Ethiopian Veterans in the Korean War, and I thought we all have to appreciate their sacrifices in the Korean War when we needed help even if there's not even single thing in common between two countries not to mention the long distance.
Address : 365-3 Geunhwa-dong, Chuncheon-si (강원도 춘천시 근화동 365-3)
Telephone : 033-254-5178
Operating Hours : 09:00 - 17:00 (Closed on Mondays)
Ethiopia Jib (Bet) 이디오피아집
Walk in the alley next to Memorial Hall for Ethiopian Veterans in the Korean War, and you won't miss a building with pink roof. It's called Ethiopia Jib(Bet) as old as the monument.
As Ethiopia is the first country that harvested coffee in the whole world so you could taste its coffee here as well.
House is pronounced as /bet/ in Amharic so I assumed they started to call Ethiopia Jib(house) like Parandaemunjib(house with blue door) in country.
From the entrance, exotic goods were displayed including teacups for imperial families that made us feel like we're in Ethiopia, Africa.
It had a long history, long enough to show us pictures of Chuncheon even before it wasn't as developed as now.
This place became to be popular in Chuncheon since it started to get coffee directly from the Ethiopian Emperor after his visit to Chuncheon in 1968, long before brewed coffee was popular in Korea.
Starting from Ethiopian traditional sculpture that we thought was an employee welcoming
customers right behind the entrance, signboard that Ethiopian Emperor hung by himself and traditional goods made of woods inside the cafe were displayed.
One side of wall was all glass which gave us a clear view of outside and the other walls had numerous paintings and items that made us feel African atmosphere.
While small tables were prepared, each for a couple or 3-4 people, by the window where you could even see Gongjichoengyo,
there was a big table in the middle which probably would occupy 10 people, and inside the cafe there was space that looks like they were selling Ethiopian textile goods.
As we sat down, a foreign employee with exotic look gave us a menu greeting in Korean so fluently.
On the menu, I could also see ginseng tea and black herbal tea along with coffee but the price was much higher than regular drinks we had.
I probably should've tried hot americano or espresso but in hot weather like that, I always have iced americano.
They poured syrup into a small pretty cup and iced-americano was served with ices in a tall cup. I don't know how long since I've head this coffee with separate syrup…
We wanted to enjoy time having drinks slowly and enjoying much but the trip must've been exhausting because of tight schedule so my dried lips started to suck everything so quickly.
At the duck boat center right next to the window, a few couples were paddling and wandering around Gongjicheon.
While we were enjoying a rest with coffee, it was already past 7:30 that it looked like it was going to get darker any time soon. I had to finish the last ice and headed to our next destination.
Although it was quite expensive, small items reminded me of a museum so that we could feel the taste of coffee from Ethiopia at this amazing place in Chuncheon, Ethiopia Jib(Bet). It was a nice place to relax our bodies exhausted from our journey with sweet things for my eyes. Plus, you could get drinks almost at a half price for to-go so in a cool day, you could taste Ethiopian coffee at a reasonable price on a bench outside.
Address : 371-3, Geunhwa-dong, Chuncheon-si (강원도 춘천시 근화동 371-3)
Telephone : 033-252-6972
Operating Hours : 10:00~11:30
Website : http://blog.naver.com/ethiopiacafe
Lake and Starlight Festival (Near Chuncheon MBC Broadcasting Station) 호수별빛축제
The 4th Lake and Starlight Festival held in area near Chuncheon MBC broadcasting station located at the end of Gongjicheon has been held since May 29th until July 27th under the theme of 'Lake from the Star'.
It doesn't have many festivals nor events but the square of Chuncheon MBC broadcasting station at the end of the lake was decorated with so many lights enough to lighten the darkness.
Gongjieo shaped lights that represent Gongjicheon river were emitting the light in different colors,
and even pine trees that looked like they're from paintings had small lights on them so that we could see their silhouettes even after the sun set in the late evening.
Probably because it's held by the broadcasting station that deals with music on the radio or public broadcasting, they're not just lights with simple scenery
but rather special lights shaped of 'psy' or singers who sang 'crayon pop' a while ago so they were used as a photo zone for kids.
Starting from the parking lot, this festival had lights on flatland as well as along the paths to the hill where you could look down the Uiamho.
In front of a small stage where you could get a clear view of Uiamho behind the building, young kids were having so much fun playing a ball under the moonlight and characters made by Chuncheon MBC characters.
And in the square right next to it, a big stage was prepared probably there's going to be some event on air and people were sitting on chair waiting for someone on stage. A famous singer maybe?? We didn't have any interest in this kind of stage anyway.
When you go down to the front yard where the parking lot is along the elaborate lights, you'll see colorful lights of animal shapes higher than adults.
Blue elephants, red dianosaurs and deers with white antlers were placed in line along the path that were as big as children.
It wasn't dark enough so the lights weren't bright yet but the kids seemed to be excited running here and there around the animal-like lamps.
On the other hand, couples and young teenagers kept taking photos at the beautifully decorated photo zone.
The space that used to be a fountain was also recreated as a heart-shape light to bright the place,
and square TV- and start-shape photo sets were prepared as well but not so popular.
But when it got darker, more and more people kept barging in probably because there was a festival in the park nearby and it got crowded soon.
I wanted to wait until it gets even darker and the lights got brighter but considering that the pension was far from there I decided to go look for our pension we booked.
This Chuncheon Lake and Starlight Festival is not funded by the city but by broadcasting station MBC but it's been held annually and there are advantages such as being able to see unique lights while taking a while in front of cool Uiamho so I suggest you to feel blessed with the night view in Chuncheon during festival season.
Address : 238-3, Samcheon-dong, Chuncheon-si, Gangwon-do (강원도 춘천시 삼천동 238-3)
Telephone : 033-259-1215
Operating Hours : 2014.05.29~2014.07.27(4th year/annual festival) 19:30~22:30
Website : http://www.chmbc.co.kr/
