Weekend Explorations

We have been in school for a week and a half, but that is not what I am here to talk about... Now that school has begun, weekends are cherished!

Last weekend we slept in, laid around

watching tv/the computer, then around 3 decided we would go exploring. We decided we would walk and then try to get a bus across the river. (across the river is the more modern Seoul, high rises, shopping centers, etc.) We found our way easily to the bridge and decided we would walk across, rather than take a bus.

So we walked, and walked and walked. Once we made it across the bridge, we really weren't sure where we were, or where we were going. We had a destination in mind, but wanted to explore on our way there. So, that's what we did. W made our way under a bride, through apartment buildings, and up and down hills. We somehow ended up on a populated, westernized street. Come to find out it was the same road that crosses the bridge, ha! Anyways we walked up and down the street, went in an amazingly cheap store and bought pillows and pillow covers for our couch, along with a few other small things. Next we found an Asics store and bought Tim some new tennis shoes for only like KRW 59,000 (close to $53 USD) ! (He was thrilled because Asics is the only brand of tennis shoes he gets). We walked past some interesting places including: A big seafood restaurant,

an underground night club, and a Texas Restaurant. Around

8 we decided to journey back home. When it was all said and

done we had been gone about 6 hours and walked over 5 miles.

What a day!

This past weekend we had another similar to the one above. We had a late night Friday, so we slept in on Saturday, til close to 10!! We were in the hotel still, so we got to just lay around and watch tv. Around 1 we decided to go out and get some food, and maybe take a bus up to the Namsan Tower/Seoul Tower. [the tower is in the very center of Seoul, and is its highest point, located on top of a mountain] We ate at a very quaint sandwich place, then hopped on the bus. We thought the bus would take us close to the top, however it dropped us off in front of our school, close to the base of the mountain. We walked up and around to the entrance, then followed a trail that was some concrete, some dirt, and some stairs. We hiked up for at least 3K; it HURT! I had worked out the day before and was so sore form lunges and squats and running. We finally made it to the tower. We did not pay to go to the very top, but just looked off from the patio. We stayed for a bit, then took the bus back home (I recommend, if you are walking one way of the trip, walk home/down the mountain, and take the bus up...we are so dumb). Below are some of the pictures....

All of the locks are in memory of couples. Couples will go to the tower, and place a lock then trow away the key. It is a symbol of their eternal love, everlasting, no one can break them, etc. I know of a few couples at the school who have done this... we did not.

I am eating ice cream in one of the pictures, it's a different way to eat it, but it still tastes good!!

In the very first picture of the view from the tower, you can see a large black building, it is the Hyatt hotel. Just on the other side of the Hyatt and down the hill a bit, is our school. Then to the right of the Hyatt, and close to the river is where we live (you can kind of see the pink Samsung buildings on the right side of the picture, we basically live between those and the Hyatt)