High Flying

It has been a long time since I posted. I have excuses, too busy with school and not doing anything fun.

Today the kids and I went to the Osan Air Base air show. It was fantastic. I could watch planes all day. As it was the kids and I only lasted 3 hours before we left to eat but it was still a great time.

While the Blue Angels will always have a special place in my heart I can now say the Thunderbirds ROCK!

Homeschool Is Cool

September 1 I hosted a Not Back to School Party for the homeschool children on post. It was the first day of back to school for public school students. Instead of sitting behind desks we headed to the water park! It was great fun.

Learning to Share


I like this photo because it shows off the fun parts of the park.


Defne with some friends.


The cake.


Some of the kids.


My kids swimming on a different day.

Ho!Ho!Ho!

Sunday July 19 the kids and I went to Christmas in July at the sit down restaurant on post called Alaska Mining Company. I forswore this place several months ago as being to pricey and poor quality food, but D wanted to go badly and it gave her something to focus on and look forward to with Mr. K being on vacation in Turkey. He has my camera so the photo here is by the post photographer and the only one I have.

The food was your standard Thanksgiving/Christmas fair: ham, turkey, green bean casserole, stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, etc. Why the cook had to put coconut in the peach cobbler is a mystery.

Santa wore shorts and gave each girl a small bag with a little stuffed gorilla dressed as an elf. He was weird even for a Santa so no way was I letting D sit on his lap and Izzy refused to go near him. When D said she wanted a puppy for Christmas he asked if she meant, bosintang and went on to clarify that it is "dog stew". I sincerely hope she understood it to be, "stew for dogs" and not "stew made of dog". I ask you what kind of Santa talks of eating puppies in front of an eight year old girl?

I made this dress from the Anna Wrap Dress pattern. And yes I had to bribe her to wear it. Izzy wore a matching one, but didn't want to take hers off even to sleep!

Hermit Kingdom

**Please note my pictures are not great because it was raining during the entire trip. However the links I've provided have fantastic clear pictures.**

Saturday June 20 I went on a USO tour to the Korean Demilitarized Zone known locally as the DMZ. It took approximately two hours by bus to arrive at Camp Bonifas and then a short wait for our soldier/tour guide. Once on post we were transferred to a second bus and taken for a briefing.

I was quite excited to get my own little UN visitors badge if only for a few hours.



Flags of countries who have sent help with to South Korea in either the Korean War or to maintain the DMZ.


We were next taken over through the fence and to the midline of the DMZ were negotiations are held. The building we were escorted through was originally meant for visits between family members but this sadly hasn't happened so far. On the other side of that building lay the actual midline, buildings that house the neutral nations delegations and then North Korea.



North Korean soldier watching us through binoculars.



Some of the ROK (Republic of Korea) soldiers that patrol this area. The blue building is the main negotiating building and were we were taken next.


Negotiating table with microphones that are monitored by both sides 24 hours a day. Both North and South Koreans can bring visitors into this building. Our tour guide/soldier is standing on the midline with a ROK soldier.


Exact midline. To the right is South Korea, to the left is North Korea.


Here I am quite chuffed to be standing in North Korea. We were not allowed to pass this soldier or touch him.


According to our tour guide/soldier these flags were placed under glass after an incident when a North Korean soldier came into the room and plucked the UN flag from it's stand and began to wipe his boots with it. Then he took the American flag and blew his nose with it trying to provoke a response as the room is also being filmed at all times.


One of the largest flags in the world. It stands in the North Korean village of Kijong-dong within the DMZ area. It is thought that no one lives in the village at this time.


Third observation post. At this point I am surrounded on three sides by North Korea.


Monument for the Axe Murder Incident Camp Bonifas is named for one of the men killed during this gruesome attack.


Bridge of No Return were prisoners of war were exchanged.


This rice was grown in Taeseong-dong the South Korean counterpart to Kijong-dong. The people of this village receive many benefits but are also under tight restrictions.


Care for a snack?



After lunch (I packed a picnic for myself but had to eat on the bus due to the rain) we were taken to the Third Infiltration Tunnel It was a very steep walk down but interesting. Unfortunately we were not allowed to take in cameras. I also thought I'd never make it back out.

This sculpture represents the hope for a reunited Korea and peace in the world and stands outside the tunnel facility.


Finally we were taken to the Dora Observation Post but we weren't allowed to take photos there and I can't find much about it online.

High Tide

Day 2

Mr. K. decided we should head for the Yellow Sea. We drove for nearly two hours and then couldn't find a great beach right away. After driving to the end of the road (literally) we decided to grab lunch. All the restaurants featured raw seafood and while I'm all for sushi having a live octopus chopped up in front of me is not my idea of a yummy meal. Got back in the van and stopped at a place a little further away. At first it looked kind of hopeless but I was brave and asked a table full of college students if any of them spoke English. Luckily one did and helped us order. What we got was a huge pot sat over a burner on our table. In the pot were various sea creatures in a fairly natural state. Claims, scallops, and mussels still in their shells. Shrimp still with eyes and all. A medium sized crab, a small octopus, and a thankfully cleaned out squid. Honestly if the squid had still had eyes I think I would have bolted. I'm all for trying new things, but I have my limits. It was good once we figured out which bits of the clams to eat and which to avoid and was served with rice and a large number of kimchi sides.

Then we headed to the beach. We found a good little spot and the Kids and I played in the sand and water. The water was cool but not cold but we were the only people in it which made me somewhat nervous. (Talking to my Korean friend at the post office today I learned that most Koreans don't swim.) Defne loved playing in the small waves and Deniz loved digging and running in and out of the surf. As the tide receded I noticed these small creatures in the back wash. At first I thought they were minnows but then noticed tiny legs. Then I thought they were shrimp and this is what I am still hoping, but then the idea came to me that they might be a kind of parasite. (Having recently read Parasite Rex by Carl Zimmer I see parasites everywhere I look.) If they were parasites my hope is that humans aren't in their life cycle because more than once I caught one crawling on my toes.

Around 6pm we loaded up to go home. I told Mr. K. a trip to the beach isn't complete until ice cream is had so I ran into a little convenience store and bought ice creams, shrimp crisps, and drinks. Back on the road we kept seeing roadside stands selling sweet potatoes. Finally Mr. K. pulled over and bought some freshly roasted and still warm. They were so good! Far sweeter but more yellow than the American variety. We munched on our various treats all the way home.

Look for Day 3 tomorrow. My all of two readers thank you for sticking with me!

Hwaseong

For mother's day we decided to have a little adventure and travel to Suwon Hwaseong (Fortress). My guidebook gives it three stars, a good place to go when the weather is nice (which it was), and a UNESCO World Heritage site. So why not right?

To say it was a disaster might be overreaching just a little. When we got to Suwon we found the signs sparse and confusing. Mr. K. took a lot of wrong turns and got the van into some very tight places. Eventually we did find an entrance got a map and directions and headed off on foot/stroller.



After walking down a steep hill for about half a mile and realizing we had quite a way to go I gave up and sat on a bench to read. (Anyone at all interested in science, biology, medicine, or parasites you must read Parasite Rex by Carl Zimmer. It is excellent!)

Twenty minutes later Mr. K. and the kids came huffing and puffing back to my little bench. For reasons unknown they were not allowed on the mini-train to the archery observation. Their purchased tickets were taken away and money was returned. D was upset, Mr. K. was nonplussed and I simply added it to my list of reasons that I'm not in love with this country.

So we hiked back up the hill and decided to go to Papa John's Pizza for dinner. Mr. K. decided to drive around a bit and somehow managed to find two more much larger and ground level entrances to the fortress, but I was so over the whole thing and each time told him to keep driving as I took photos out the window.


We also spotted an IGA.


And cars ornamented for weddings in a style similar to the tradition in Turkey.


I felt so very American and a bit ridiculous taking photos out of a moving vehicle but sometimes it is necessary to give in to what we are in order to maintain this insane life we lead.

Eventually we came to the pizza place and everyone was happier.



Hilarious (at least to me!) menu item.


Table condiments.


Me with my kids. It was mother's day after all. I made the blouse for myself from Butterick 5217.


Izzy didn't want to share me.


Pizza was perfect, but oddly served with sweet pickles.


Then on the way home I asked if I could run into Paris Baguette. What a mistake to let me loose in that place! I wanted one of everything.

History

Last Sunday we went to the Korean Folk Village just outside of Seoul. They took houses from different periods of history and areas of Korea and moved them to this sight for preservation. It was a very large place with some performances as well so we didn't see nearly everything. We had a nice lunch there as well but I forgot to take a picture of it.

Mr. K and the Kids in a traditional archway.


Tight rope performance.


Alter at a traditional wedding. That is a live chicken and rooster up there.


Bride being led in.


Another visitor who was dressed up for her visit.


Petting a donkey.


Cotton spinning.


Defne on horseback.


Carved masks.


Dried squids.


D grinding rice. She was quite fascinated by this.


Basket weaving.


D with traditional dancer.


Izzy playing dress-up.


Mr. K in mayor outfit.


Close encounters of the bovine kind.