December: A Little Buddhist Kimchi

Updated:March 2, 2011

There is a temple in Busan that offers monthly seminars for foreigners. This month, it was kimchi making! Kimchi is the staple Korean food, but I will say, this is a long process, so really, most of the work was done before we arrived. Mostly, what we did was just kimchi assembling. But very neat!

I've got to be honest, it makes me a little nervous to look up and see this giant bust of Buddha. It's lovely, but I keep thinking, what if that falls?

Catholics light candles, Buddhists light incense. I believe this is to honor the ancestors, but I could be wrong about that.

Took a tour of the temple.

Okay, so they light candles, too.

Nothing says prayer time like a giant, light-up Buddha.

Paper lantern heaven!

Each one of these has a prayer on it, for someone, from someone.

Buddhists are very decorative. Festive.

And now, let the "wae-guk" (foreigner) kimchi assembling process begin!

Why does mine look like a giant halupki?

Each of these pots is fermenting some edible treasure inside. That may sound delicious, but the smell is not. Oh, fermented foods!

(We were instructed to let our kimchi sit three days before eating so it could ferment. I did. It was not delicious. Not bad, but perhaps I should stick to halupkis.)