Erin in Korea!

This weekend was jam-packed full of awesome! I was exhausted at work all day because we didn't get home on Sunday until after 11:30 (and we left in the morning around 10am), but it was so worth it.

Saturday night Janelle, Hannah, Anna and I went into Hongdae, which is a part of the city that has a number of major universities and colleges. As a direct result, it also has a ridiculous amount of bars and clubs, and looks a bit like a Korean Las Vegas. I didn't take my camera because it's bulky, but Janelle had hers so I'll post pictures of that when I get them. We went to a pub first called Bricxx, which was really mello and cool, then headed to a club called Tin Pan Alley II (The original Tin Pan Alley was just across the road lol...I have no idea why there was a need for two of them, but that's Korea for you). Tin Pan Alley II was awesome and we danced like maniacs and there were a ton of foreigners there, which was nice because for once I wasn't the only whitey. The bars in Hongdae don't close until people leave, so it's customary to stumble out of the bar at around 7am, grab breakfast at one of the nearby restaurants, and catch the subway home (the subways stop running here at midnight, which kind of sucks but cabs are mad cheap so it's okay), but we bailed at around 3:30am because we knew we had a big day ahead of us on Sunday.

On Sunday I met up with Alicia and Lauren at Chang-dong station and from there we successfully navigated our way to Insadong. Insadong is like the traditional arts centre of Seoul, and features a massive outdoor market that sells antiques, traditional ceramic pottery, loads of tacky Seoul souvenirs, and a lot of other amazing things. No Western stores are allowed to have outlets in Insadong, except that Starbucks managed to weasel their way in there, on the condition that the sign had to be written in Hangul (Korean characters: 스타벅스 --> literally "Su-tah-bak-su"). It's the only Starbucks with the sign not written in English in Korea. Koreans love their Starbucks, by the way. They're bloody everywhere over here.

Anyway, Insadong was amazing and so worth making a second attempt at finding. From Insadong we headed quickly to Itaewon, the Westerner equivalent of Chinatown here in Seoul. Itaewon is where the American military base is, and so the majority of people living in Itaewon are foreigners. There's a used bookstore there called "What the Book?" and Lauren really wanted some books, so we made a side trip there. After that we met Janelle and Hannah in Sindang for dinner, where we had pig bone soup, seafood stew, two different kinds of rice, and the obligatory nine hundred side dishes (seriously, there were more side dishes at this place than ever!) all for less than $40 for the five of us, which was awesome.

Today at school was great. A new month means new afternoon classes, and my second period kids are hysterical. They were all so pumped that I was teaching them because they didn't like their last teacher, and we spent most of the time talking about Korean celebrities. There are five kids in the class -- 4 girls (Wendy, Rosie, Nancy and Judy) and 1 boy (poor John). They were appalled that I knew so few Korean celebrities, so we're having Korean Pop Culture Show and Tell on Wednesday, so I might have to bring in some Canadian pop culture just to even things out. It's also Rosie's birthday on the 10th, and she asked if we could have a party, to which I jokingly agreed, but which then spiraled into plans for a pizza and chicken party (lol chicken, so weird) that I never agreed on but that the girls wrote in their books that I had (literally written in Rose's workbook: "Erin Teacher said we can have a pizza and chicken party on 9/10.") so I guess we're having a pizza and chicken party lol. I have to talk to Don about it, because I'm pretty sure that's not allowed, but I might try to bring in cupcakes or something. Hopefully I can find somewhere that sells them, because I don't have an oven.

Anyway, pictures of Insadong and Sindang, because they're hilarious and awesome.

One of the first things you see when you get out at Jonggak station near Insadong. I love Korea for this -- amazing old building surrounded by skyscrapers. It's so cool.


French fries on a stick with a hotdog inside. Best invention ever? Maybe not, but certainly the most delicious. Alicia and I shared this for $1.50. Alicia is a street food connoisseur. That girl will eat anything from a vendor cart lol.


I have no idea what's going on in this statue, but that guy fails at horseback riding.


The Starbucks in Insadong, just because. I got laughed at by some Koreans for taking this picture. Shut up, Koreans...we make fun of you when you come to Canada and take thousands of pictures too, you know.


The Engrish in Insadong was amazing. I couldn't take pictures of all of it, but here was the menu at the Tofu House we ate at. Alicia loves the Engrish.


Mmm, Scorched rice with marine products...can you think of anything more delicious? Ahahahaha "marine products" still makes me laugh.


An example of some of the sweet antiques in Insadong. Buddhas!


A beautiful old Go board.


This dog was checking out the antique books. I don't think he found anything he liked though, because then he followed us around for a while.


So cute. So filthy. Needless to say, we didn't pet him.


Some old men playing Go. Lauren has a way better picture of this than I do.


Random old statue.


Traditional Korean candy at a street vendor stall. Alicia bought some. It was pretty revolting.


This robot was creepy and awesome.


Old dude selling flutes. He was cool.


Stopping for lunch at the Tofu House. I had pork and tofu soup (SO delicious), Lauren had kimchi and tofu soup, and Alicia opted for the no-tofu route and got a Kimchi pancake. They served Coke in sweet glass bottles with Korean writing on them. Photo op! By the way, Korean Coke is sick. I don't know what they did to it, but it's pretty revolting.


Halfway through our tour of Insadong this awesome outdoor show started with dancers and drummers and everyone in traditional costume. It was super cool, especially the pompom hats.


That old dude in the middle? Yeah, not part of the show. He was just some crazy (read: probably drunk) old guy who happened to be dressed very traditionally who just decided he wanted to boogie down with the dancers. Security had to remove him twice from the show. Hilarious.


This picture kind of sucks, but that little girl was dressed in full empress garb and looked so cute. I think that soldier must be her dad, and I was trying to get a picture of her while she was still sitting on her throne, but she bailed before I got close enough.


LOL the Koreans in the background are SO UNIMPRESSED. Look at their faces. They look like they're at a funeral or something.


Ahahaha the crazy old man (on the left hand side of the picture) is just going to town with the dancing!


So Awesome.


Then a little parade started. Here's a bit better shot of the baby empress, who would only be part of the parade after being bribed with ice cream.


I went up to the crazy old man after he got booted out of the parade by security and asked if I could take a picture. He kindly obliged.


And then his friend, burnt-out old Korean hippie, wanted his picture taken too. Peace out, dude. Don't let the Man get you down.


And since Hippie and Crazy Old Man got their pictures taken, their buddy "The Grasshopper" wanted his done as well. Nice pose, dude. Ahahaha these old men ruled. They were so wasted. Then they asked me to buy them booze, but I didn't. They'd had enough.


Alicia and Lauren pay their respects at the monument for Korean Independence.


In case you ever wanted to read the Korean Declaration of Independence, here's your chance!


Pretty gates of Tagpol Park.


Very large turtle.


Part of Tagpol (Pagoda) Park, surrounding the Independence monument.


Lauren and I rock the Asian photo pose. w00t!


Beautiful pavilion in the middle of the gardens.


I love the detail on these buildings. It's so incredibly colourful.


And now of course it's time to look like total idiot tourists. Hooray!


The couple who took these two pictures was just killing themselves laughing. Ahh, the entertainment we provide for our Korean hosts is incomparable. They're so lucky.


Lauren has had enough embarrassment. Alicia and I are just getting started.


National Treasure #2, the 10-storey Wongaksa Pagoda. It was created in 1467. Pretty kickass.


Tombstone? In front of the Wongaksa Pagoda. Dunno what it says, it's in Hanja. It looks pretty, though.


Pretty flowering tree in Tagpol Park.


Always a welcome sight as you're looking for a place to have dinner. This was taken in Sindang. Over here the Swastika has more to do with Buddhism (it's a symbol meaning "well-being" and has been for far longer than it's been a symbol of Nazism), but it's still a little weird to look up and go "Whoa. Neon Swastika."


And on that cheery note, I leave you. Time for bed.