청와대 방문기

(English version is below)

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봄부터 예약했다 안 되고, 한번은 예약했다가 비 와서 취소하고, 장마 기간은 피하자는 생각에 뒤로 미루고…그렇게 계속 미루어 오던 청와대 관람을 남편 생일주간에 계획했는데…태풍 영향으로 일주인 내내 흐리다고 예보가 나와 또 미루고… 그러다 이번 주 월요일 예약 넣었더니, 또 큰 태풍의 영향을 받는다고 해서 취소하려다가, 지난번 태풍의 경험으로 그냥 기다려 보았는데 날이 맑았습니다.

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초등학교 저학년 때 막내 삼촌과 청와대 앞길을 걸은 적이 있었는데, 그때는 양쪽에 지키는 경찰은 있었지만, 저쪽 동네로 간다고 하니 지나가게 해주었고…그때 엄청나게 큰 은행나무 가로수의 은행잎이 노랗게 단풍이 들어 그 모습이 어린 눈으로 봐도 장관이었습니다. 그 풍경이 강렬해서인지 노란 은행나무가 은행잎을 날리는 꿈을 꾼 적이 몇 번 있습니다.

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어릴 때 보았던 그 은행나무를 보네요. 몇 십년 만에…아직 단풍은 안 들었지만

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경복궁역 4번 출구로 나와 15분 정도 걸으면 청와대. 경복궁 담을 따라 걸으니 그렇게 지루하지도 않습니다. 아직도 지방에서 오는 단체관람 버스가 많습니다. 나들이 나온 동네 어르신들의 기분 좋은 웃음소리들을 들으며, 영빈관쪽 문으로 입장했습니다. 영빈관문, 정문, 춘추관쪽 문이 있는데, 저희는 영빈관문으로 입장

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영빈관, 본관, 관저, 침류각, 상춘재, 녹지원, 여민관을 보고 정문으로 나왔습니다.

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청와대 관람을 하며 개인적으로 든 생각은

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첫째, 제가 오래 살았구나. 새삼스러운 깨달음. 청와대 본관에 걸려있는 대통령 사진들을 보니, 어려서 기억은 안 나지만 1대 대통령부터 모든 분의 통치 기간을 다 거친 거네요. 기억나지 않는 어린 시절도 있지만, 그후 60년대 중반부터 현재까지…. 우리나라의 발전을 되돌아보니, 저의 삶의 변화와 우리나라의 변화를 생각해보니 대단하다 싶습니다.

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둘째, 사진 보며 생각한 것보다 영빈관이나 청와대 본관이 작았습니다. 세계 여행을 하며 본 대통령 관저나 왕궁들을 머릿속에 그리며, 우리나라도 그런 수준일 거라고 생각했는데…우리가 못살던 예전에 지어진 거라서, 생각한 것보다 규모가 작고, 소박합니다.

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요즘 영빈관을 새로 짓는 것에 대해 비판이 많아, 시도가 중단되었는데… 여기를 보기 전에는 저도 기존 영빈관을 사용하면 되지…그렇게 생각했는데… 여기를 직접 보니, 현재 우리나라 수준에 맞는 영빈관을 새로 갖는 것도 좋겠다는 생각이 들었습니다. 이건 제 개인적인 생각이고, 작고 소박한 것을 선호하는 분 입장에서는 이게 왜 작냐고 하실 분들도 있을 것입니다.

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셋째, 오랜 시간 이용자 수가 적은 상태에서 관리가 잘 되다 보니, 멋진 나무들이 너무나 많습니다. 이 훌륭한 자연을 어떻게 보호하고, 후손들에게 물려 줄까 깊이 고민해야 할 것 같습니다. 다른 나라도 왕궁이나 대통령궁으로 사용하던 건물을 국립 박물관으로 사용하고 있는데…우리도 그렇게 사용하지 않을까 싶은데, 자연보호를 위해 비원처럼 관람객 제한을 해야 할 것 같습니다.

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서울은 나들이할 장소가 많은데, 나들이 장소가 하나 더 늘었습니다. 지방분들이 관람할 시간을 양보한 후, 관람자 수가 줄면…청와대 뒷산 산책길도 걷고, 잘생긴 나무들과의 여유로운 시간도 갖고 싶습니다.

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청와대 사진, 사진의 미학으로 커 보이는데 생각한 것보다 실제 건물 크기는 작습니다. (*이 글은 아내가 자기 블로그에 올린 것을 번역한 것입니다.)

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감사합니다.

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feeling after my visit to the Blue House

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I tried booking for visiting the Blue House from spring, but I failed. MY second try was Ok, but I canceled it because of the rain and waited until the rainy season ended. Actually, I planned to visit Cheong Wa Dae during my husband's birthday week, which I had been delaying for a long time. I had to delay it again after hearing the forecast that the weather would be cloudy all week due to the typhoon. I booked ok again this Monday, but the weather was terrible by a big typhoon. But I didn't cancel this time and just waited and saw and it was calm and sunny. My guess was right.

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When I was in the lower grades of elementary school in Seoul, I walked in front of Cheong Wa Dae with my youngest uncle. At that time, police were standing on both sides of the road, but they allowed us to keep going. Then I saw the yellow ginkgo leaves of a huge ginkgo tree on the road. The beautiful maple leaves were spectacular to me. Maybe the landscape was too impressive for me at the time, I had a few dreams of a yellow ginkgo tree flying ginkgo leaves.

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Looking at the ginkgo tree that I saw as a child in decades now, I realized that It's not the season of autumn leaves yet, but my feeling was the same.

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We came out of Exit 4 of Gyeongbokgung Station on the subway and walked for about 15 minutes along with Gyeongbokgung Palace next to Cheong Wa Dae(The Blue House), and soon arrived at the entrance of Cheong Wa Dae. There were still many group buses coming from the countryside there. We entered the guesthouse listening to the pleasant laughter of the elderly in the countryside. There were Reception Hall Gate, Main Gate, and Chunchugwan(Press Center) Gate there, and we chose the Guesthouse Gate.

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We came out of the main gate after seeing the guesthouse, main building, official residence, Chimryugak(building where water flows), Sangchunjae(Meeting place for major foreign guests), Nokjiwon(The most beautiful garden in the Blue House), and Yeomingwan(A place to meet the general public).

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The following is what I personally thought while watching the Blue House.

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First, I realized that I have been living for a long time. Looking at the photos of the presidents hanging in the main building of the Blue House, I don't remember in detail, but I also shared the period of governance of everyone from the first president. Of course, there were my childhood days that I don't remember, but I remember vividly from the mid-60s to the present. Looking back on the development of my country, I thought about not only my life change but my country change. I'd like to say that it was an amazing Korea.

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Second, the reception hall and the main building of the Blue House I saw were smaller than the ones I saw in the pictures. Remembering the presidential offices and royal palaces of other countries I saw while traveling around the world, I thought that the Blue House in Korea would be at that level. But it wasn't. I thought it was smaller and simpler because I thought it was built when Korea was not rich yet.

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I hear that the government has suspended the plan to make a new reception hall due to criticism over it. I also thought that the current government could use the existing guesthouse before I came here myself. But I think now that it would be good to have a new guesthouse that fits the current level of Korea. It's just my personal opinion. Maybe there are many people who think the opposite of what I think.

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Third, I thought there were so many thinks to see such as charming trees, buildings and facilities because it was banned from the general public for a long time. I think we need to think deeply about how to protect these wonderful historical buildings and nature and how to pass it on to future generations. I have seen many other countries use buildings that used to be royal palaces or presidential palaces as national museums. Our government is likely to use it like that. In doing so, the government will likely have to restrict visitors like the secret garden nearby to protect nature.

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Fortunately, Seoul has many places to go out and see. What's more pleasing is that one more has been added here. sooner or later, the number of visitors from the small cities and countryside will decrease. Then we will try to walk on the trail behind the Blue House and have a relaxing time with so cute and beautiful trees.

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The Blue House photo looked big thanks to the photography technology, but it's smaller than I thought.

(*It's translated of what my wife posted on her blog.)

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Thanks.

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