The Andersen's Adventures

Byron and I decided we wanted to get out of Seoul one weekend in June and head to Sokcho on the East Coast. Sokcho is just 60 km from the North Korean border and actually used to be a part of the North until the end of the Korean war. It is quite a sleepy city with a population of just 84,000 but it does become busy near the beach in the summer season. It is a really beautiful place full of fantastic scenery.

Since the bus trip is 3 hours to Sokcho, the bus always takes a stop at one of the many rest stops along the way so everyone can stretch their legs and grab a snack.

When we arrived in Sokcho we were not sure where we were. All we had with us was our lonely planet book so we assumed we were at the right bus stop. Apparently there are two bus stops in Sokcho...and we were at the other end of town a little lost.

We walked around for an hour or so checking hotels and motels for vacancy but they were all full, so we finally jumped in a cab and headed to the other end of town. I will be honest...I was growing impatient with our situation so I kindly suggested that I stay with the bags at the 711 and drink a beer while Byron found a room! Pretty good deal. Byron returned about 40 minutes later and the first thing he said to me was..."don't be angry, it was the only room I could find." Well that sounded promising.

I must say that our room was clean and there was a bed and a bathroom which was really all we needed. Yes the bed was round and came with a mirrored head board but that is beside the point right? It was pretty cheap and right near the beach so we were happy. That night we headed down to the beach after eating dinner at a nearby bbq joint. The beach was filled with people shooting fireworks and roman candles. We sat in the sand and drank our beers and watched the nearby 5 year olds shoot fireworks by themselves. Charming really.

After a decent nights sleep we headed to the beach the next day to take in some sunshine and salt water.





There is a lot of seaweed draped over the railings to dry because it is such a popular snack here in Korea.


The water may have been a bit cold but it sure felt like summer on the coast.

Sokcho is also known as the gateway to Seoraksan National Park. This is one of the most popular parks in Korea and although it has many visitors all year round, autumn is the most favored season to visit. We decided to hike Ulsanbawi which is one the main hiking trails marked "very difficult" on the map. It was definitely a trek but was worth every muscle ache for the days following.



The Buddha is truly larger than life! Byron and I had a candle where we were were to write our family name on it with a wish and put it in with the other candles and light it. We lit the candle and watched as so many others added their candles and wishes to the cabinet.

As we headed up the trail we came to an amazing temple in the mountains.

And then we continued to hike...

Now this is where things got interesting. At this point in our journey we have finally come to the infamous 800 metal steps to the top. There are two things that I did not realize...the first is that those steps were completely vertical, and the second was the my fear of heights is worse than I thought. I had a few minor freak outs on the way up but the lovely Korean hikers kept cheering us on! Although I was slightly terrified, it was worth the view in the end.

And then I had to make it back down without my eyes closed. I put Byron in front of me to block the view to the bottom and everything was great!

We stopped on the way down at one of the food markets to grab some well deserved dinner. We had yummy seafood pancakes and beer. Then I remembered that my lonely planet book had described a specific fruit wine that you can order in Seoraksan called Maruju and so we ordered a bottle of that as well. When they brought us the wine they also gave us a complimentary potato pancake to snack on. Yum!

As we continued our walk we ran into some little friends I had met at the top of the mountain and they agreed to pose for a picture with me after such a tiring day.

We had a great first weekend outside of Seoul and learned a lot from our little trip. We have definitely gone back a few times since then and have explored other areas along the coast that I will share in the blogs to come!

Cheers,

Sam and Byron xo

As many of you know I have not been able to keep up the blogging lately due to my duties as tour guide and entertainer for our family members that have been visiting us over the past two and a half months. We all had an amazing time together and I will definitely be blogging asap about all the great things we did together. But for now, I should do my best to catch everyone up on our adventures during the spring and early summer months. Here are some pictures of some of things we were up to...

I checked out the Hi Seoul Festival with Blair, Shona and their kids in May. This is a festival filled with non-verbal performances, exhibits, and great music and food. The site was just getting set up so we went down to the park to check it out.

This was just around the time the weather started to warm up a little and many of the children were testing the waters at the park. As you can see from the pictures, Koreans do not find it necessary to wear a bathing suit to go swimming!

In May I also found the fabric and craft market. Now those of you that know me understand how much I love to craft! Of course, I restrained myself from making any purchases because I already know that I will have more than enough stuff to send home at the end of our stay in Seoul.... I may have done a little shopping since we arrived in March

I love finding markets like this because I could wander through and window shop all day. The other good thing about these markets is that wherever you find a large flock of people shopping, you can find something to eat. In the middle of the market is a "food court" of sorts that serves everything you could ask for. They had one of my favorite things called Gimbap...which is somewhat like sushi with different fillings. It is usually filled with ham, egg, daikon radish, and mushroom. Yum! And the best part is that one roll is $1.00.

Whenever I am trekking around North of the Han river to visit markets like these, I usually end up walking along Cheonggyecheon Stream. This stream runs for over 8km and is a public recreation area in Seoul. It was a part of an enormous urban renewal project that the city finished in 2005 after spending $900 million to clean it up. After the Korean war in 1953 people began to move to this area of the city and set up make shift houses. Unfortunately with people came their waste, trash, and sand from the land surrounding. The stream was covered with concrete and became an elevated highway that ran through Seoul. The highway was in place for 20 years until the mayor decided to revitalize the area and tear it down in 2003 and restore the stream. Now it is a beautiful place for people to spend their lunch hour or just go for a walk with a friend.

There are also lots of palaces North of the river so I get to see the changing of the guard around noon if I am in the area. It is always a beautiful sight with all of the bright colors and decorative flags!

Later that month I got tickets to go to Modafe Korea, a modern dance festival. Since I have so much free time over here I decided to go to a show every day for a week and I was able to see some really interesting work. Of course the two shows I dragged Byron to were FULL of nudity and improvisation...but he survived as usual. The theatre was at one of the universities and is a really beautiful area full of young students, street performers, and great energy!

The Arko Arts Theater

Hanging out with my friend Vincent before a show.

The man in the next photo was performing when he spotted Byron above the crowd. He asked him where he was from and if he liked Seoul and when Byron answered yes, everyone cheered. It is not hard to pick Byron out so he tends to get a lot more focus here than at home. Its no big deal, my husband is just kind of famous here.

Some photos of the university area...

Sometimes at the end of the day Byron and I like to go down to Ttukseom Resort. In the summer, it is a large water park with multiple swimming pools and play areas but during the off season families, couples, old and young head to the the river side to hang out with their loved ones. There are lots of places to grab a bite to eat and a beer(of course). This place is only two quick subway stops from our house so we go down there with a picnic sometimes to relax and watch the sunset.

Now you may think its funny to hang out under a bridge since most of the people hanging out under bridges in Canada are not up to any good...but it is really peaceful here and you have a great view of the cityscape of Seoul.

Well that recap takes us to the beginning of June. Until next time when I take you all to the East Coast for our first out-of-Seoul adventure.

Miss you all,

Sam and Byron xox

On a rainy day in April I went to the Coex Aquarium with Shona and her kids and another family. The aquarium is inside the Coex Mall, one of the largest underground malls in Seoul, and it is about 15 minutes from my apartment on the bus. It is easy to get lost in the underground since there are so many stores and sometimes multiple coffee shops of the same chain. Trust me, by now I know my way around down there since I may have gone back a few times! It was the perfect way to spend a Friday afternoon when the weather was so miserable outside! I had actually read about the aquarium in my Lonely Planet book. Apparently the aquarium is ranked #109 of the 437 things to do in Seoul.

Upon entering the aquarium there are so many creatures to see. I really loved how they used the space in the aquarium to showcase certain species of fish. It felt more like an art gallery in sections since the tanks were designed out of household items or vending machines. Here are a few pictures.

It took about 2 hours to go through the entire aquarium with 3 adults and 6 kids in tow. There was an amazon section as well with many other creatures to see. The giant tanks were very impressive and there were many sharks and sea turtles to check out.

There was also a moving sidewalk through a tunnel on one side of a shark tank that was really beautiful but I couldn't get a good shot with my camera. I would definitely recommend the aquarium to anyone interested in spending an afternoon inside. I think the last time I went to check out any sea life was Sea World in 1992 so it was nice to have an up to date experience!

Later that weekend Byron and I went for brunch with his friend Brent and his fiance, Sungmin. We had a great breakfast but I must say the best part was my latte. I know that coffee art is very popular these days but I have never seen such a cute little baby bear than the one that was in my cup!

After breakfast we went for a walk through Itaewon and checked out the local shops and scenery. We are still not used to the signage on the shops in Korea but some of it is really funny.

After wandering around Itaewon we decided to jump on the subway and head back down to Yeouido and go for a walk near the Hahn River. It was the perfect afternoon for a walk! Spring had truly arrived and the breeze down by the water felt so nice. There were people everywhere having picnics and an afternoon walk by the water. It seems to be a very popular spot to hang out for young and old alike.

As we walked along the water we came across a park with tons of shallow pools and water features. It was really beautiful! I love how much work goes into the design of outdoor spaces here. It was like an architectural water park. I am sure when the weather warms up it will be a nice place to hang out and stick my feet in the water.

This place is a photographers dream! There are so many interesting sights right down by the river. A lot of families were flying long colorful kites. There was even an outdoor band shell where we watched some live entertainment that day. It was a great afternoon to take in some sun and relax.

Upon leaving the riverfront we walked up through some of the pathways at the park in Yeouido. We then discovered an outdoor exercise park near a pond. It seems that these types of parks are all over Seoul so that people can work out when they are out and about. Now as many of you may have heard, I was having a hard time finding a gym that didn't force us to pay $40,000 down and help us go bankrupt. Since then I have found a YMCA near our house that is perfect for what I need although I am the only one not wearing shimmer tights and short shorts!

But in the meantime, prior to finding a gym, we figured we might as well test out the park facilities and get our workout on! Byron put on his game face and we got down to business.

Who knows if we really used any of the machines properly but we had fun trying! Since we were in public we tried to keep a straight face while "working out" but it was pretty tough.

As you can see from the picture below, we were not the only people who were enjoying the workout facility. No this is not a joke, many people came to join us and get their sweat on in the park. I think it is a great idea to have these machines available for people. A lot of Koreans take exercising and their health very seriously. I have been on the subway many times where the lady next to me is doing calf raises and squats. Between that and the kimchi its no wonder they are all in great shape!

We decided we had worked out enough for the day and ventured up towards the main street to look for some food. On our way there we walked past a pond where many people were feeding the Koi fish! They were the biggest fish I had ever seen! Beautiful and colorful, but when a duck tried to snatch some of the food they were being thrown I thought he may end up as a Koi fish appetizer.

Speaking of food, we found a fantastic Chicken and Beer restaurant to satisfy our dinner needs. This is a very popular choice here in Korea, especially after a long night of drinking. We may have experienced the 5am chicken once or twice to help us sober up. We decided to go with some kind of crunchy coated chicken instead of a saucy chicken. The last time we had the glazed chicken it literally blew my lips off it was so spicy. Only safe choices were on the menu for us tonight. We decided with all of this chicken and beer we should have some vegetables to make our dinner choice a little healthier. Bad decision.

We ordered our chicken, beer, and vegetables off the menu which was of course in Korean, and didn't realize that the veggies would be tossed in hot chili sauce. It was unbearable. They served the vegetables with a few spoonfuls of rice noodles but it was not nearly enough to survive the burning sensation of the veggies as they went down. Although disappointed in our veggie choice, the chicken and beer were delightful! Needless to say we enjoyed our dinner and washed it down with a few too many beers. It was the perfect end to a long day of sightseeing in Seoul.

That is all for this adventure of the day! I will update you all soon with some more stories from Seoul.

Miss you all,

Sam and Byron xox

In Seoul you have the option of having many things tailor made for you. Bags, leather jackets, shoes, and suits are all available to be made just perfectly to fit you. We decided to head to Itaewon, an area filled with tailors, and have a custom suit made for Byron. Itaewon is a large neighborhood where foreigners enjoy the shopping and the nightlife. There are a number of tailors in this area that offer custom made suits. We decided to go to Hahn's Tailor at the entrance to Itaewon on a recommendation from some of Byron's colleagues. When we walked into the shop we were surrounded by rows of fabric. From heavy wools to lighter summer fabrics there were endless possibilities for colors and textures at Hahn's Tailor.

The only thing the tailor had to do at the initial meeting was take Byron's measurements. It was entertaining to watch the small tailor try and get all his measurements without a laugh or two.

One week later we went back to Hahn's for his suit fitting. It was already starting to come together and we were really happy with the fabric choice that we made. The tailor had to make a few adjustments to the suit jacket and take in the pants a few inches but it looked great. They are so nice in the shop and really professional. We have heard that this shop may be on the pricier end of the custom suit spectrum but it was really worth it.

One week after the fitting we returned to the shop to pick up the suit. They had Byron try it on and make sure everything was to his liking. It looked fantastic. Byron was really happy with it and I gave him my stamp of approval. They even stitched his name on the inside of the breast pocket which is a really nice touch (even if the spelling is off on our last name).

So now he is all suited up for work and has a variety of shirts and ties to go with his suits. I only have to give my fashion sense on his tie and shirt combination each morning. Yes, I am a good wife who doesn't mind being woken up by Byron to give him the OK on his outfit for the day. He has definitely learned a thing or two in the past 7 years! We have come a long way since the days of basketball shorts and hooded sweatshirts.

Stay tuned for more adventures to come...

Miss you all,
Sam and Byron xox

There is no better sign of Spring's arrival than the pink and white canopies of cherry blossom trees that line the streets of Seoul. This year was the 7th Annual Hangang Spring Flower Festival in Yeouido and we went down on a Saturday to check out the flowers and entertainment. People from all over the country travel to attend the festival and see the 1,641 cherry blossom trees that grow row upon row in Yeouido. With the stunning Hangang river as a perfect backdrop for the festival, its hard to not feel like you are on a movie set somewhere or in a fairytale. In addition to the thousands of cherry blossom trees that bloom there are so many other trees and plants in bloom...87,859 other plants to be a bit more accurate. It is certainly a sight to be seen!

On our way to the festival we came across this awesome fish fountain! I loved the colors and just like everyone else, had to stop and take a couple photos. I also had to photograph the tie stand for my Dad who is a bit of a tie fanatic! I am sure we will buy a few when my parents visit us in August.

With everything out in bloom I think it reminded us a bit of Victoria. It was nice to just spend an afternoon walking around the pathways to all of the different parks enjoying the sunshine.

I think we arrived to the festival at just the right time. It was about 1pm and there were not too many people there yet. It was nice to be able to stop and take a few pictures without having the pathways filled with people. By the time we left around 4 it was certainly getting a little crowded!

By mid afternoon it was really starting to warm up and I got a little bit of sun on my chest since I had a low neckline on my dress. Some of the elder women that came to sit beside me on the bench did not like this and began to chat with me in Korean and cover me up with their hands! I should have known since not many people wear low cut tops but it was pretty funny to watch them cover me up with their hands and pat my chest like I shouldn't be exposing myself to the sun!

Although it had been a busy afternoon at the festival our day was far from over. We were going to babysit for Blair and Shona that evening so they could have a night out. We then attempted to get down to the subway at Yuinaru in order to travel to their place in Insa-dong. Here are a few videos that sum up our experience at the station on a busy Saturday.

After getting through the crowds and making it to Insa-dong we had an hour before we had to babysit so we went for BBQ. As always, it was delicious! We had pork and beef and a variety of side dishes. Of course there was beer to wash it all down. We also found out how tasty kimchi is when you grill it!

After finishing our glorious dinner we headed over to Blair and Shona's to babysit their kids, Jamie and Scarlet. We had a great time with them and Byron was certainly utilized as a full jungle gym for the kids.

As you can tell from the photos Byron was a popular guy that night! I clearly had time to take pictures while they played hide and seek with Byron and jumped all over him. He only came home with a few bruises! We put the kids to bed and when Blair and Shona came home we stayed and had drinks with them. It was the perfect end to a busy day out!

Sam and Byron xox