Saturday - June 7, 2008

Yesterday was our first day in Seoul. We got off the plane at 5:50 a.m. (friday, june 6) and our day had just begun. We got the hotel and showered we were really tired but figured there would be time to sleep later in life like 18 years from now, so we headed out on the streets of Seoul. Hungry, we were hoping to find somewhere to eat. We keep hearing about all this great Korean food but I guess that must be for folks who like lots of fish and seafood. For a girl who has a shell fish allergy things aren't looking so good here. Not knowing where we were going we headed up this cool looking street. The backstreets here are lined with shops and very narrow. We are near Hong Ik University so it is very you know university district like. So the shops were very small, trendy and no one spoke english. So we decided to use our eyes for food. Ah a bakery, you would think that would be easy to find finding something right...20 minutes later we decided on a loaf of bread stuffed with something that looked like maple frosting. Now after being fed we decided we would venture on a city wide bus tour. We headed downtown to find the starting point. We entered the subway and stood weary eyed at the subway map wondering how to read it and where we needed to go. The subway attendant did not speak english, he just gave out tickets and didn't speak a word. I guess he doesn't have too since most Koreans already know where they are going. So low and behold Adam spotted a guy with red hair. Yeah!!! A fellow foreigner. Ian, a guy from D.C here teaching English. Boy was he a lifesaver. We told him where we would like to go, he helped us read and understand the subway maps. He was heading where we were planning on going (to the start of the bus tour) and we all jumped on the subway and headed to our destination. During the trip we talked more about Korea what to see and do. He was very helpful and gave us a bit more confidence for our days journey.



We get to where we are going and get off the subway pop up streetside and look around and say now where? We were headed near Gyeongbokgung Palace because we heard the city bus tour starts near there by a blue pole. We knew it would be hard to find but little did we really know. So we start up the street thinking we were headed the right way...but were we? We stopped the next nice looking lady walking down the street. Speak English is like the first question you ask. She nodded. Is that a bad sign rather than saying yes??? Anyways we then point to our palace destination. She smiles and gladly waves her had to follow her. We try to talk a little. (Koreans like to practice their English. Another guy on the subway told us that they learn to read it in school but rarely get to speak it.)



Making small talk with our tour guide, laughing a lot and sure we were going to find that tour bus stop we were getting more confidence but then we walked by police in riot gear...we asked her what that was but she could only must up the words embassy and american something or other. Looking at each other with doubt in our eyes we turned the corner to see a magnificent beautiful palace. I kept wondering why this lady kept walking with us all the way to the palace. It was after she left us that Adam said she worked there. When she said she was tour guide I had no idea she was talking about at the very palace we were heading to. Things have been very serendipitous today, thank god!!! The palace was amazing. It was part of Joseon dynasty. Amazing the attention to detail and craftsmanship. The use of color is so awesome! We had a ball. We then went to the Korean Folk Village Museum. By then we figured the bus tour was not going to happen. We were told of a traditional shopping area, Insa-dong. As we turned the corner, those policeman in riot gear we mentioned now stood like a wall and marched, and chanted and rows of buses lined the streets. Again we looked for that English speaking foreigner. Ah ha, a light haired guy. He was from Germany visiting on business. He gave us the whole scoop...Ok by now those new savvy folks probably know where this is going...Koreans have been protesting in the streets against cheap, american beef imports. Unlike Americans today, kids, women and men march peacefully by the thousands (over 100,000) in front of the embassy in protest to their government importing cheap american beef instead of using local Korean beef. Watching the news and seeing people unite, kids dancing to music, parents teaching their children values in which to stand up and protest against things you feel unjust, is refreshing. I asked is it working...as our german friend said...yes.



We thought of turning around and heading back to our hotel. But we ventured on thru the police line and bus barricade towards Insa-dong for shopping. Insa-dong was filled with a lot of people and of course Adam stood out as the foreigner, sort of what I imagined Seoul to be like. As a matter of fact, we were interviewed by some middles school kids for their school project. They asked us what we liked about Seoul and why we were there. They were CUTE!!! After we browsed through the shops and made it to the end of the market, we decide it was time to go to bed (we have been up for hours and it was about 3 am Colorado time). We made it back to the hotel and went to bed. Sort of a crazy day, but it has prepped us for a more exciting and "efficient" today. Let's hope...

We are off to Eastern to see babies in the nursery! Yay! We'll see if we can get in on the weekend. Then we are going hiking and more site seeing.

We are getting very excited and anxious now to see our precious Ava and can't wait until Monday. If you see Grandma Alyce and Lily, ask how things are and please let us know. I am sure all is ok! We love you all and 'til next time! Thanks for the comments, it is very nice to have the support!!!
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