In The News

So there is a new event that is gaining popularity here in Songdo.  It's kind of like a Saturday Market with a bit of garage sale mixed in.  Okay make that the other way around.  Well we went to the first one just after arriving and they are holding them about every month.  Check out the following link and then go down to the second picture on the page.  Look in the middle for a yellow shirt and the only curly blonde hair...See anyone you might recognize???

http://www.koreaherald.com/lifestyle/Detail.jsp?newsMLId=20110823000520

Busan Part 2

 So after we visited the temple we headed down to join the rest at Songjeong Beach.  Wyatt is a avid surfer and the swells were small so they rented a few surf boards and got everyone up on their feet.

I'm pretty sure Kelly and Grant have it somewhere in their blood line.

 As they were hitting the surf board I rented a 14' Hobie Cat.  The winds weren't to strong so I didn't get it up on one pontoon but it was good enough to get everyone a ride out a half mile or so and back in.  It was a perfect day at the beach.

Busan

Grant, Race, Finn

On  Thursday the 15th of of September we headed off on a road trip with the Cameron family.  Wyatt, Jaqui, Race, Finn, & Kai.W left at 6:00 and took a five hour drive South to Busan.  We were meeting one of the Korean familys from school who live in Busan and they had invited us down for a few days.

We arrived in town close to 11:00 and headed out.  The weather was wonderful, the beaches were everywhere, the sand was plentiful and the water was warm and clear.  Lets just say we spent many hours on the beach.

It didn't take Grant long to get wet at Haeundae Beach.

The view from our hotel was very nice and we were just a short walk to the beach.  Out the window you can see the Gwangan bridge.

We met up with a few more friends the first evening and had a great Korean dinner.

On Friday the Camerons headed off to a new beach and the Hevlands to a side trip to visit our first official temple, Hae Dong Yong Gung Temple.





It was amazing.  The temple was cut right into the cliff and overlooked the sea of Japan.

Ya gotta rub the buddah belly.

 From the picture above with G&M to the picture to the left of G&K it was 125 steps down.  And we are talking very steep steps.

To the right is a view to the North East

The photo to the right is taken facing East North East toward Japan.


More to come soon of day two.

Holy Moly Mater

 So after a couple of month in South Korea we have discovered that the bus, subway, and bikes are a great way to get around.  However, Songdo is quite some distance from the main city of Incheon and quite a few other places we want to go and see.  Not to mention Watson isn't what you would say, "welcome" on the subway and bus.  So after some extensive searching on craigslist we located a high quality set of wheels, which we have named Mater.  And for those that have seen the Cars movie, Mater is a pretty good similarity.



So you too could be a proud owner of a 1994 Hyundai Galloper, 9 passenger 4x4 Diesel SUV, 5 speed, with a few small rust spots and 199,000 Kilometers.  The kicker here is it cost us a whopping 1,000,000 Won, ($877.50 US).  And insurance for one year was only $469 US.  It is no Mini cooper or Ford sport trac but we can all hop in and head out for a day with our friends and/or Watson, and if one of the crazy Koreans bump into it, I don't care.  If it lasts us a year it will be well worth it.

I think I will install a PIT bar to take out a few of the mosquito like delivery boys that zip around on their scooters.

Our House

For those of you who have been wondering what an apartment in Korea looks like, this isn't it.  I have been to what I would consider a typical "Korean apartment" and you could fit five of them in one of ours.  We are very lucky and Chadwick International has provided us with a pretty nice Flat.

So.... while Kelly and Grant were at school the whole apartment was cleaned so I thought I'd grab a few pictures for you all.

Above is Watson enjoying some time in Grant's play room.  Soon to be a guest room for whomever our first visitors are.



To the left is Grant's room.






Here on the right is "MY" kitchen.  However I'm sure you can tell I didn't have anything to do with the decoration.  After I'm done with breakfast, lunch or dinner is doesn't look anything like this.

And below is the master bedroom.  The entire apartment is going through it's transformation but it is starting to feel like home.  Once the living room is finished I'll give you a look at it.

It's been very busy this first week back after the holiday and I've fallen a bit behind.  I'll have photos of our trip to Busan up shortly.


Mark

More from Seoul

What an adventure we had for the beginning of the Chuseok holiday break.  We spent Sunday and Monday in Seoul.  We board the subway in Songdo and 90 minutes later we were in downtown Seoul and just a block and a half away from the Savoy Hotel.  We had a great time with all of our friends.

Sunday was spent walking around the market checking out all the shops and vendors.

Shoes everywhere....Kelly was in heaven

After breakfast, which is not an easy task to find in South Korea, on Monday morning, we headed for Seoul Tower.  Wow, what an amazing view it was.

Photo from below

Ground Level 

Sign posted on the observation deck explaining all the locks

Locks of Love

Mark Wishing he had studied up and brought a lock with him 

View of the crew from the top of the tower

Only in South Korea

So we took a journey today to spend part of our holiday week of

Chuseok in Seoul. We are staying at the Savoy Hotel with some new

friends, Michael & Tonya (kids are Forrest & Coco), and Chris &

Christina. It is located right on the edge of town in the Myeongdong

district, not far from the Seoul Tower.

So we check in and head out for shopping and dinner. When we come back
to freshen up we found our door standing wide open with the light off.

Grant getting ready for bed and doing what he does best,  read.

Update on Mark

Just a quick update on the happenings with me.
Found a hospital about 20 minutes away and go there for physical therapy twice a week for the shoulder recovery.
Have been appointed to the CIPA, Chadwick International Parent Association, board as one of the two Library Liaisons.
I've also been asked to be a board member of the FAB, Foreign Advisory Board.  Had my first meeting today.  We help make recommendations to the city on how to improve things to bring in more foreigners.  Sounds like it's going to be fun. 
I have been working, well I use that term loosely, volunteering my time at the school putting together the fire drill action plan and school evacuation guidelines.  Since it is such a new school many of these things haven't been formally put together.  Hoping it may turn into a real job.
And then there is the shopping, cooking, dog walking, and laundry.  But I'm sure everyone already figured I was doing that.
Grant and Kelly are both very busy at school and doing well.

Walk at Night

The temp is finally starting to cool off a bit.  The three of us went for a walk the other night, but apparently we weren't alone.

 

This little guy, or gal, went nose to nose with Watson.  For Watson's sake we were hoping it was a boy.  Otherwise she would have had a lot of chewing to get Watson's head off.  

After negotiating our way past the praying mantis we made it to the park for a nice little stroll.  This picture doesn't quite capture how it really looked but it gives you an idea.