Korean Holiday 2013 - Day Fifteen

Breakfast as usual. One woman went to put the metal tongs in the toaster to withdraw the toast whilst it was still on. There was, I assume, a French Canadian family, including a Korean wife, who were very loud. And a skinny Russian lad who pulled his chair out way too far to be considerate to others. I moved it uncomfortably out of my way, for him that is, when I had to pass and he was choosing more to eat.

I headed off to the Kukkiwon at five to nine and arrived by quarter past. It was one of the better signposted attractions but still not obvious so a bit of guesswork was required to locate it. The guy at the information desk spoke almost no English but I was allowed to view the gymnasium. There were some 200 black belts in attendance and only five of them were women. They were doing a referee training course. Not much happening so I went to the Kukkiwon museum, as the information guy had suggested, and poked around. Quite a few trophies and Olympic memorabilia on display. Back inside the gymnasium the black belts were about to receive a speech from an honoured guest so they were quite attentive. All done in Korean. After spending an hour at the world taekwondo headquarters the trainees broke up so I returned to the apartment. Would loved to have seen some training or a demonstration but it was not to be.

Road entrance to Kukkiwon

It is nicely decorated

Bigwigs' viewing lounge

Pay attention kiddies

Inside the museum

Looks like someone has been practicing their taekwondo on Australia

Looks like the Korean team from the 2000 Olympics autographed this hogu

Finished off most of the food we had and at 11:30 the reception called us to remind us that checkout was at 12. I thought it would be a good idea for us to leave a bit earlier as we didn't know how long the journey to the airport by subway would be.

Good thing I did. There was a good bit of luggage lugging to do and I had taken us towards Incheon instead of Incheon Airport. The missus noticed just before it was too late. Probably lost 30~45 minutes because we travelled further than necessary. Arrived 2 hrs 15 mins before our flight but had to return our rental phones, obtain credit from our subway cards, check-in (800g over for stowed baggage and 2kg over for hand luggage), go through security and immigration before the missus could do her duty free shopping which only left her with one hour before final boarding call and there was a transit train to take to get to our gate. Do I know how to save money or what?

We waited for her, after baulking at the expensive souvenirs, and forgot to buy lunch. When I spotted her in line for boarding she thought that we'd already boarded. Not much to say about the trip on the way back except at KLIA it still wasn't signposted properly where we were supposed to change flights and they didn't have enough people at the check-in. Very busy late at night.

The Boy will read at any opportunity

No parking rules in Korea

I rest my case

Korean Holiday 2013 - Day Fourteen

The missus went shopping with her sister today. The Boy and I went to Everland. It should be renamed Waiting-Forever-Land. We walked down to Gangnam Station via the backstreets. Interesting to see all the kinds of businesses around.

That's a decent load of Chinese cabbages

Chillies anyone?

All sorts of kimchi available

Heaps of different rice cakes for sale

Not a lot of space in the backstreets

Got eggs?

Advertising, cables - it's a busy skyline

Yes, we stayed in Gangnam

Looked for bus 5002, as per the guide book, but grabbed an Everland Resort coach instead. Asked the driver how much and couldn't understand his answer so kept giving him money until it was enough - W25,000. Didn't even know if it was a return ticket. Got there in half in hour. When we arrived he said it was a return trip and that departure was at six o'clock. There was a five minute bus ride from the parking lot to the entrance. I received a discount of W3,000 that I wasn't expecting - even after using my discount voucher. Bonus.

Entrance of Everland

Just part of the queue for the first ride - the Rolling X-Train

We rode the Rolling X-Train after a one hour wait. Too short but not a bad ride. Walked down to the T Express - largest, longest, fastest and steepest wooden roller coaster in Asia. Waited about 25 minutes before receiving a ticket to allow us to queue for the actual ride. And we couldn't start queuing for another hour and a quarter. Went all the way back up near the entrance before taking the Skyway down.

Dance display for the kids

T Express - biggest wooden roller coaster in Asia

Skyway - best way to get around Everland

One helluva drop

Spaghetti Junction

There's a lot of wood and not much else

About 40 minutes into queuing for the ride

Going up

Another 40-45 minutes wait for the T Express but what a rid. Fantastic. Goes for about three minutes and totally worth the wait. Decided to try Horror Maze - another hour and a quarter wait. In the interim he wanted to ride Columbus Adventure, which was too busy, so settled on the Championship Rodeo.

Street parade

Colourful floats

Just some of the buildings in Everland

The Boy enjoyed the Championship Rodeo ride

We'd found a bankcard on the way back to the Horror Maze. The queue was thirty minutes long, after finally convincing them that he was old enough (in Korean years, at least), and it was scary and thrilling. Fabulous. Scared the crap out of our leader and he ran off without us a couple of times. The girl in the group sat down in fright twice. The Boy chickened out halfway through as it was pretty creepy. Afterwards we tried the K-Pop Hologram on the way out and that was very well done and enjoyable.

Inside the K-Pop hologram room

Just part of the bus parking area

Our bus driver was waiting for us although we were half an hour early. Then we found out, by accident, that we were on the wrong bus. But the other bus was overloaded so they sent us back to the first bus. Something about being unable to organise a two-door shithouse comes to mind. Back at Gangnam Station we walked the half hour home. Spotted my brother-in-law, checked the car that he was driving, and was sure that it was him. He just happened to be looking for a parking spot as we reached our apartment.

Catching flies on the return bus trip

The whole family walked to the shabu shabu restaurant, BIL and SIL were surprised that we managed to locate it again after only having spot it during a late evening walk in unfamiliar territory and being about five streets back from the main road, and had our meal. Not nearly as good as in Busan. Drinks later at Coffee Bene which weren't particularly nice although the dark choc ice cream was fantastic.

Shabu shabu ingredients

Starting the vegetables

Underway

Now we're cooking with gas

Advert for a karaoke bar (norae bang)

Korean Holiday 2013 - Day Thirteen

Early morning walk after breakfast. A few drunks around, on this public holiday for Hangeul Day, and still people drinking in bars.

First destination was Leeum Samsung Museum of Art. Pretty pricey - W26,000 entry and W2,000 for two audio devices. Some wonderful 12th-14th Century celadon pottery, paintings and calligraphy from 100-600 years ago, Buddhist works from up to 1,400 years ago, etc in museum 1.

In museum 2 it had contemporary modern art. Some proof that weird art isn't only from Western artists. Pity we couldn't take any photos.

Walked to Itaewon and had dolsot bibimbap and naengmyeon for lunch at Sejong Garden. Here we parted ways and The Boy and I visited the War Memorial of Korea.

Outdoors at Samsung Leeum Gallery

Dolsot bibimbap - hot stone pot mixed rice and vegetables

Side dishes as well

Nangmyeon - cold noodles

Bibimbap all mixed up - yum

Nice artwork

Artists at work in Itaewon

Some new exhibitions and some old favourites at the War Memorial. It closed at 5pm and we spent another half an hour outside looking at the warship, tanks, helis, etc. Saw the people that we sat next to at the NANTA performance last night.

Mural beneath the dome at the entrance to the War Memorial

Part of a massive sculpture

One of the first items you see inside the War Memorial

Replica of Admiral Yi Sun-shin's turtle boat

Another view of turtle boat - first armoured boat in history

Wouldn't mind to have a couple of these pieces of artwork at home

Some fantastic paintings of historical battles on display

From year 660 during Silla's wars to unify the Three Kingdoms

Admiral Yi Sun-Shin's longsword

Chopper out back of the building

Some serious weaponry on display

Can I buy one as a souvenir?

Me with a tank

Didn't decommission this one properly

Panorama of some of the hardware on display

Korea's War Memorial building

The Brothers in silhouette

The Brothers

End of another day

Back home and The Boy and I ate at Burger Hunter again. Not as good this time around. The missus and I went for a long walk in an area we hadn't previously been to and saw a shabu shabu restaurant.