Moving Day/Sunday

Today we took our time because we knew we had to move and we couldn't get into our new place until later. We took a cab because of all of our luggage and it was a luxury compared to the subway and bus! On our way out of town we saw a parade of all locals dressed in traditional dress and the parade was pretty long, so long the drivers waiting for them to cross the road started honking there horns. And it cost us an extra 2,000 won just sitting there! : ) When we got to our new place I think our jaws dropped, we were used to slumming it and this place is a palace compared to our other places! Just kidding about the slumming bit. : ) But our new place has a mini living room, mini kitchen and sorta bedroom, love it! We decided to get a bigger place because tomorrow we will have Josiah!!!!! Wow, this just got really real now that I wrote that. I am not really nervous right now but I am sure I will be tomorrow. We don't know how long it will take us tomorrow to get to the Bethany offices because unfortunaltely when I booked this place I didn't know where anything was and it is further away than I thought, oh well no use thinking about that now. Other than moving and walking around our new place we didn't do a thing and it felt good, we have been moving around so much it felt good to sit. So now we sit and "chill" until tomorrow, Jess


On a side note Seoul has quite the police force and they really come out at night as you can see in the pictures. Downtown is apparently know for there demonstrations so the police are always out running drills and monitoring things. It is kinda scarey at first until you see all the locals acting normal! : )

our beautiful room

our beautiful room

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police force at night

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police practicing drills

parade when we were leaving

parade

Namsan Tower and Bukchon Hanok Village/Saturday

female performers

It was very rainy when we woke this morning but we wanted to see the Seoul Tower now known as Namsan Tower. We decided to take the subway and we knew where we were going thanks to our terrific tourist booth lady who has been so great. So we were walking along looking at our subway map when an older lady thought we looked completely lost so she enrolled the help of like 8 people to help us figure out what way to go. What a hoot, try 8 korean people and 2 americans and we looked like a bunch of clowns. We were trying to get her attention to tell her that we knew how to get there but she wanted to help so badly so we ended up following some young girls that she roped into helping. Made our day. So we made it to where we had to get off and catch the bus thanks to our young girls. We caught our bus with no problems and made it safetly to Namsan tower. Very much recommended, the views are spectacular! It had cleared up by then and we could even see the area that we stayed in and to say Seoul is huge is an understatement. It is like 100 plus times the size of Grand Rapids!!! We walked around the top of the tower several times and there were so many guys from India there who had to take their pictures with us, kinda funny until they started asking to hold my hand, which of course I refused! After we seen all we could from the top we decided to walk around a bit on the grounds than catch a bus back. When we got to the subway station we noticed a sign for Bukchon Hanok Village so we decided to check that out. Again very recommended. It was very traditional and had funiture and pictures set up in the houses so that you could actually see how people lived back then. They also had a stage where they had traditional dancers and performers. The girl drummers were the best and so beautiful and they sounded terrific. We walked around exploring for a bit than decided to check out city hall which is close to where we are staying. We don't know how we missed it but we did, I think we took wrong turn somewhere but we ended up walking down a really pretty street instead  so we figured that we didn't miss much. It is our last night in this area and I am curious to see the new area that we will be in so until tomorrow, Jess

view toward where we are staying

Bukchon Hanok Village

woman we met on street who were going to a wedding

view toward Chicago

female drummers

namsan tower

DMZ and Insadong Market/Friday

Today we had to get up pretty early because we had to meet a shuttle bus at the Koreana Hotel. We thought they would be the bus taking us to the DMZ, but apparently we had like 4 more people to pick up in 4 different places and on top of that we had a guy directly behind us who wouldn't shut up! I am not kidding when I say he talked nonstop from beginning to end. Finally we arrrived at the REAL bus that would take us to the DMZ. It was a nice bus with a tour guide who could speak good english and she was full of information. The first place we went to was Imjingak Park where you could see freedom bridge and a train that was once used to go to North Korea during the war. It had over 1,000 bullet holes in it and the wheels were bent out of shape from the enemy trying to stop it. Our next stop was the 3rd infiltration tunnel. This is a tunnel that the North Koreans dug almost to Seoul and which they blamed on a coal miner looking for coal. But it is obvious that it was to be used for other purposes. There was fake coal painted on the wall, dynamite holes drilled in from the North Korean side and the tunnel was slanted up so that any water gathered in the tunnel would run towards North Korea not Seoul. It is sealed on the end with 3 cement walls and we could walk all the way to the first one. After the tunnel we went to Dora Observatory where we could actually see North Korea and the tallest flag pole in the world! North Korea has to try to one-up South so their flag pole has to be taller than South and we could see their fake village they set up. It was a little drizzly and hazy so we couldn't see as much as we wanted but we saw the North and that was pretty amazing. After that we went to Dorasan station which is a train station that was built in anticipation on reunification with the north. It is a beautiful building but completely empty. I think it was sad. After that we headed back to Seoul and to the Amethyst factory which was not very interesting and they had the most annoying sales people so we left and went shopping to Insadong Market. Insadong Market is a very pretty place and had more antiques and better quality stuff than the other markets. We had lunch there and tried Bibimbop for the first time. It is a dish of rice, vegetables and egg and some sort of sauce. You are supposed to mix it up and eat! Not as good as bulgolgi but still ok. After shopping we walked home and came across a memorial set up for the korean war. It had a bunch of pictures with descriptions, very interesting. It had started to pour by than so we scurried off home and crashed. Tomorrow Seoul Tower, Jess

last train to North Korea

Bimbimbop

freedom bridge

wall of prayers for families

Dorasan Station

Bukhansan National Park and Namdaemun Market/ Thursday

Today we decided to go to Bukhansan National Park and do some hiking. We took the bus there which dropped us off about a mile from the starting point, which was a walk up quite a big hill and we weren't even to the mountain! Right at the beginning it was very peaceful, such a change of pace from the city. It was sprinkling a bit but the trees provided some cover. We didn't know what to expect but about a 1/2 mile up we came across a Buddist compound which was so pretty. They invited us for lunch which we declined because they believe in eating every morsel which I wasn't sure I could do seeing as I am not to crazy about Korean food and I didn't want to offend anyone. We were thirsty and our water bottles were empty so one of the monks showed us where we could fill it which was a pool of water under a big rock. I have to say, some of the best water that I have had. After looking around for awhile we decided to keep on hiking up, where we climbed about a mile where we either lost the trail or that was it! We couldn't figure it out, if we went any further we figured we would fall down the mt.! After our trip back down we caught the bus back and treated ourselves to McDonalds! When we were well rested we decided to go to Namdaemun Market which is considere a tourist gem. It was very large and crowded but so differerant than anything we have seen. After 5:00 the food vendors start coming out and it is so cool. The sights and smells are so Korean! Finally we made it home after a long day, where our feet hurt and our backs were sore but it was an amazing day. DMZ tomorrow.

Setting out food for the night

Namdaemun Market

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Bukhansan Mt. by Buddist Compound

on buddist temple

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monk

monks going for their walk

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getting our water

Changdeokgung Palace, Wednesday

Today we went to Changdeokgung Palace. We took the bus which was recommended by the tourist guides and which went pretty well until we realized they announce the stops in Korean and we didn't know when to get off. Thankfully we recognized the palace and only missed getting off by a couple of stops. The palace grounds and buildings were beautiful and we had a wonderful guide who made things interesting. After we decided to visit the palace's secret gardens which was led by another girl who spoke excellent english and kept things lively. She even knew American expressions! The palace gardens were considered secret gardens because the only people who could visit them were the kings and queens and whoever they decided could see them. Very special indeed! After our tours we decided to try a Korean resturant that was suggested by our guide from the secret gardens. We decided on beef Bulgolgi which they serve with several sides including Kimichi which I declined to taste but mom did and decided very quickly that she did not like. The Bulgolgi was very good and I would have it again. Today was also the day for our first visit to the subway to try to find a shopping district. Very, very stressful until we figured it out. We got lost a couple of times and thankfully the tourist information booths in the subway provided the right info to get us back on track. Finally we arrived at our destination and it was a bust. The toy and stationary district was nothing more than American toys and envelopes and pads of paper. We were expecting local toys and handmade paper. Oh well, worth the experience, and we made it back to our hotel on the subway with no problems! On the way home there was a large food exhibit by the river which was interesting as well as stinky. Korean food is VERY spicy and its odor is strong. It was a long but good day.

shopping

locals sitting by river

seafood for sale along street

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changdeokgung palace

our guide for the secret gardens

the river we sit by

Seoul and Deoksugung Palace

Tuesday
We woke up at 8:30 and had a wonderful buffet breakfast at the Hotel resturant which was free, or so we thought until we went to check out and they presented us with a bill! Serves us right for assuming! The Hotel again was very nice in calling us a cab and telling the cab driver where to take us next. That poor cab driver, after many twists and turns and shouting out the window asking for directions while my mom hyperventilated in the back over how many crashes we almost got in, finally found the place and was thankful to get rid of us. Now we were a little leary, again looked sketchy and we made the driver wait while we went up to make sure it was the right place, but man was the location ever great. Now the room is to say the least probably never something you would stay in while in the states,but it is clean, cheap and is in a great location. We can walk everywhere and there is a subway station right next to us as well as bus stops.

our hotel in Seoul!

Our first visit was to Deoksugung Palace. It is in the middle of the city and pretty cool, expecially the changing of the guards. After that we went for a walk by the river which is one block from where we are staying. Now if we had something like this in Grand Rapids it would  be amazing. Everyone hangs out here, kids are playing along the edge, grandmas are soaking their feet, guys are out with their girls it is so cool. There are differant bridges up and down the river not a one the same, fountains and waterfalls, lazer lights, art, you name it it is there! We stayed there until around 8:00 than walked back to our place where we were amazed to see we are staying on a happening street! Everyone is out dining, out having beers, visiting, shopping, pretty cool! Tomorrow we plan on going to another palace and trying out the subway. So until tomorrow, Jess

right in the middle of the city!

Deoksugung Palace, outer gate

with palace guard

changing of the guard

Deoksugung Palace

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I know we look fat but it is the costumes and we have our purses underneath!!

Jeju and Seoul

view from "love motel" Gawanju

view from the Sunshine Hotel, Jeju

hanboks at he underground shopping center, Jeju

On Monday we woke up around 6:00 found some breakfast than caught a 9:00 flight to Jeju island. It was about a 45 minute flight and routine as flights go. We caught a cab to the Sunshine Hotel where for a extra $20 you could get an ocean view room. It was very gusty when we go there but we didn't know that anything was going on weather wise. The hotel was very nice with amazing views and where glad we spent the extra $20 for the ocean view room. Once we were settled we went shopping in an area recommended by the front desk. And oh my do they ever love their clothes and shoes and stores in general. Shopping as far as the eye could see. It was really stuff meant for the locals none of the real touristy stuff we were looking for so we decided to try the subway to find our way back to the hotel when behold to our surprise it was a whole underground shopping center! It kept going and going, we actually go sick of walking around and found our way out. We caught a cab back to the hotel where the weather was looking worse and worse. We asked the front desk about it and they either played dumb with us or truely didn't understand us. But my mom went for a walk and ran into a guy who worked for the Coast Guard and could speak english and he told her there was a really bad storm coming and it was a typhoon. Needless to say we found a flight out that night at 8:15. It was an hour flight and we slept the entire way. It was a planes trains and automobile day for us! The tourist girl at the airport helped us find a hotel for the night we slept great. More later, Jess

view from sunshine hotel, Jeju