Ascent

There is no hiding my disappointment with Seoul's pollution problem. I'm sure some major cities are worse and they are trying really hard here to clean it up - they separate their garbage into biodegradable, recyclable, and general garbage; and they have labourers up by at least 5am to sweep the streets; but the stench persists. Their sewer system is either outdated or exceeding capacity. While walking down the streets you may often catch a rancid whiff of rotting vegetables, the sting of something that smells like Korean body odour, or the staggering smell of vaporized feces. It is a far cry from the clean oxygen of Canada. Especially because the effect is multiplied by Seoul's heat and humidity. I miss that dry, cool September air in Manitoba. Nothing beats Canadian Autumn.

Right, where was I going with this? I was giving you a glimpse into my forlorn state as I reminisced of my homeland. It became particularly salient when I first decided to climb Mount Namsan. It towers above my house and is only a short jaunt away. As soon as I entered it's green canopy, I took in something I had forgotten the sweetness of: clean, fresh air. Despite being in the center of Seoul, the elevation and sheer number of trees on this mountain dared to hold the pollution at bay. I had never been so happy that I lived so close to this Emerald Giant. Humanity in its industrial zeal has cut many deep scars into Mother Nature. But thank God for sanctuaries like this mountain, where I can be freed from the polluted punishment of our wrongs.

Last night I laced up my runners and charged up the mountain. Normally I would regret pumping my lungs with Seoul's air, but I was at Namsan! Ascenting its sides with quick and deep breathes. I slowed to walk as I crossed a short wooden boardwalk by a miniature marsh, and then pressed onward to a lookout point over the city. From the top of the mountain the view is impressive. There are millions of lights all around you, stretching across a vast distance! The population of the city is over 10 million (over 24 million in the metropolitan, topping the world charts). Imagine the change for someone who has lived in Winnipeg all his life. And I work in the busiest sector of it all - Gangnam.

These experiences are welcomed for me, but I also need retreats. Thus I relish in Namsan, and I look forward to this long weekend where I will escape urban-mania and visit the South or East coast of Korea.