Just Horsing Around

Yesterday, we had our big trip with J's unit to a Korean Folk Village, which ironically enough was called Korean Folk Village. I was super stoked for this trip for a few reasons, the main one being that it was free, and the second one being that we could actually meet and hang out with other people he kinda works with. I mean all of our friends have either already left, or will be leaving soon, and with two years to go I see our time here being kinda lonely unless we befriend new people.


So yea, our trip started out kind of rainy, and by that I mean it was pouring out. Luckily once we got on the bus and started heading to our first stop it actually cleared up, and would stay that way until we came home. The first place we stopped at was Pyeongtaek Sea Port, we learned about the shipping industry in Korea, and even got to go on a boat ride. (Doesn't this sound like a school field trip?) Since it had been so rainy earlier they only allowed a few people to go on top of the boat, so you know I had to make sure I was one of them, and all I but pushed J out the door to reach those steps. =) 


After the boat ride we had lunch at a bulgogi house. This place was super cute, and like most Korean restaurants you have to sit on the floor. This place was different than others we had been too since the floor was actually cut out at the bottom so your feet had a place to go so it was like sitting at a table with chairs without actual chairs. Oh, and the bulgogi was amazing, as is typically the case.

Once we were done with lunch we went to a Korean Folk Village. I was so excited to be here because the place just seemed so interesting. Plus, there were horses, and you could ride them. I suppose saying you could ride them is an overstatement because you pay for your ticket and the man leads you around the track on the horse, but whatever, I was on a horse. Unfortunately, I have no actual pictures to commemorate this event because J had decided that his ice cream cone was way more important than me riding a horse, a horse that I named Mister Ed even though she was a female, but she liked her new name, and we bonded. After all of the excitement from the horses, we got to see traditional Korean performances, which included drums, a tightrope walker, and horse stunts. 

I'm On A Boat!!

I've neglected this thing for far too long. I guess I was worried that if I actually took the time to write something it would just turn into whining, but since I posted something complaining about how miserable the heat's been making me I feel confident enough to update my adventures now.


Somehow our Adventure Saturdays have turned into Adventure Sundays (I'm blaming the time difference and the whole being in the future thing) and this past Sunday we headed up to Seoul to ride speed boats on the Han River. Our latest trip was replacing the much anticipated trip to the water park which was rained out the day before. Damn you, Monsoon! So, we picked up two of our friends from the gate and made the trek to the Seoul. Once we parked the car we picked up some snacks and headed to the nearest train station to head to the pier. I'm not even going to lie, I was so nervous about this train thing because the last one we had to get on went UNDER the Han River. Um what? How can the subway go under the river? This thought had completely blown my mind. I mean I know there's one in New York, and there's tunnels and all in the states where you're actually driving under the water, but I just don't understand how it's possible. What happens if there's a leak? You're trapped and you die, that's what. Obviously we arrived at the pier safe and sound since I'm writing this, but still you never know.

Walking to the pier.

View from the pier.

So, once we made it to the pier we paid our 10,000 won each (which is roughly $8.48 thanks to my won to dollars app on the Bb for allowing to me calculate that so quickly) suited up in our little life vests and we were off on the boat. OhMyGoodness whipping around on that boat was so much fun. I wasn't worried about falling overboard and drowning one bit, that's probably more due to the fact that I'm a great swimmer. What I was worried about, though, was falling into that nasty ass water and heaven forbid that shit get in my mouth and on my face and whatever else. No ma'am, I was not feelin that. I'm not even sure how polluted the water is actually, but it's the fact that it's a river, I can't see the bottom of it, and it's in a city. I mean Korea has pollution from China rolling on in when the wind blows just right, so who knows. I'm just saying, I didn't avoid any and all contact with water from the Neuse River back home, to come to Korea and suddenly grow a third arm from a splash of water reaching me over the sides of the boat, and if said water got on my body, I was fully prepared to bathe in Bleach anywhere surface cleaner when I got home. Just kidding..or am I? On a similar note, I also managed to successfully avoid the Tar River in Greenville, during several Ecology labs back in the day.


So after our spin on the speed boat the guys that came with us decided they were going to go out on the jet skis. Obviously, I wasn't feeling that idea for myself since we just saw a girl return from her ride and she was soaked from head to toe. As it turns out, you couldn't actually drive the jest skis yourself, so you would be at the total mercy of the driver, and if he wanted to soak you he could. After waiting around for their turns, the driver (would they be called drivers, maybe operator?) of the jet ski set up another one at the end of the dock and just as one of our friends was about to hop on the back, the guy realizes he doesn't have the key. Unfortunately for him he was a little too late in his discovery as he started to drift further and further out into the river. 

Still searching for that key.

After a brief rescue mission by two of the guy's co-workers that was quite comical our friends finally got their rides and we headed to KFC. It definitely wasn't an American KFC, there was no mac and cheese, and no snacker. I did have a tasty bulgogi chicken sandwich, that reminded me of the bulgogi burger from Mcdonald's, except you know this was chicken.