Christmas in Busan = fun!

This post is well over due so there might be some spelling errors. Enjoy though!

For Christmas, Lyndsey and I decided to head to a place that we love - the beach! So thinking of sun and fun we decided to head to Busan or Pusan (Koreans confuse B and P's like there is no tomorrow). This bustling city is pretty darn cool in that it has all the cool stuff like Seoul but with beaches! The beaches are the biggest pleasant surprise that I have encountered in Korea, next to Jeju. Man I wish there were nice beaches in Canada haha Wishful thinking! This is Haeundae beach in Busan. It is one of the largest and most popular beaches. Around here is a bunch of great restaurants and coffee shops that allow you to enjoy the view of the ocean. We had some pretty good East Indian food here. Yum curry! The weather was brilliant so we just laid around and occasionally Lyndsey took off her shoes and went for a strut in the water. I thought it was too cold! brrr





We stayed in the love hotel district in the downtown area of Busan. This was unknown to use because we forgot the 'Lonely Planet' travel guide. After spending literally an hour wandering around and not finding a hotel, we then came across the love hotel district. Shockingly, this district is rather safe and contains really cheap hotels that are clean! However, I didn't enjoy the pictures of women sitting outside of some of the hotels. I am not a fan of that and we avoided those places...We eventually settled up on a 'tourist hotel' that was really fancy for a really cheap price! Here is a picture of the nightclubs conveniently located just down the street from our hotel. We didn't partake in any night clubs unfortunately.





One night we decided to go to a giant Korean Sauna that had a variety of pools. There were about 10 different pools from blueberry to 48c water. I personally enjoyed the rose pool on the top floor of the sauna outside on the roof. It was on the roof that we met two identical twins from Canada named Julie and Sarah. They both worked for a conversational English school and we had a good chat about Korea. Here is a shot of the hotel lobby where the giant sauna was located in. I really enjoy the beauty of Christmas in Korea!





We then decided after the sauna closed at 10pm to go hangout and head for a drink. They first took us to Sarah's apartment which was incredible. She had a giant two bedroom apartment all decked out in stainless steel appliances. I was a little jealous because she only works for a conversational school and gets a way better apartment then me haha Anyways, we then went to the university district of town full bars and restaurants. We went to 'the Crossroads' which had some foreigners in it. It was nice to chat and have a pint with these girls. Afterwards, we were pretty hungry and we wandered the streets looking for food because we missed the last subway. Subways in Asia also stop around midnight which sucks. So Sarah recommended this rotisserie chicken place. So we went in and grabbed the menu that looked like this:





However there was a man sitting near by who noticed how confused we were and helped us out. That was sweet and we ended up eat a roasted chicken stuffed with rice, sweet potato, and other such veggies. It was So we were super confused with the menu because as you can see there are pictures of poo piles and toilet paper. I laughed because I wondered what this meal would do to my stomach hahasooo delicious. After dining, Lyndsey and I decided to head back to our super sweet hotel were we watched celebrity gossip! Unfortunately we don't get any English news here so any news will do even if it is about Britney Spears.


We were wandering down the street in the University district and I had to stop and take a photo of this. Kenny Rogers, you have got to be kidding. Why would anyone want to do this! I would never name my business this! I have seen a few of these karaoke bars around Busan. Definitely must be a coastal thing.





Here is another scenic video of Haeundae beach. The beauty of the video literally speaks for itself!





Lyndsey and I found this weird little bumper cart area near the beach. There were these old run down cars that some kids were ridding around in. Being the big kid that I am, I said that we should go for a whirl. So we thought the ride was 50 cents and we put in the coin and we just sat there. I honestly thought we broke it cause well we are not tiny like Koreans. So this man came over and said a bunch of things I didn't understand and then I realized it was a dollar. So we put in another coin and here is how the adventure went:





Here is another beach at night near Haeundae beach. I forget the name. Aww that seems to be a common trend because some of the names are too difficult to remember. So we went here at night and bought and it pretty much had the same set up. However, it did have the famous bridge in Busan. It was beautiful! The video will show you:





So there was a man selling fire works and we decided lets do it. So with my great ability to count in Korean I was able to get us some fire works. The video is really good! I wish we could play with fire works in Canada.





We found this super run down amusement park that reminded me of the Calgary Stampede near the beach. This ride was the oddest ride I have ever scene. It literally was fun to watch for the first 2 minutes but literally this ride went on for 5 minutes and didn't stop. So Lyndsey and I left because I couldn't believe how horrible this ride was. If I was on it, I would be super super angry!

Seoul - everything you need and so much more!

Seoul...hmm...what can I say...how about fun!!!! This city is a mega conglomerate of everything that you need. After waking up at 6:30am to catch the 7:00am bus to Gwangju, Lyndsey and I then hopped on to the express bus to Seoul for a nice 3 and half hour ride. Seoul has many different districts and areas to satisfy any one's taste. After trying to find our hostel up in Insadong and eventually failing, we came across a new guest house and decided to stay there. Insadong is a great place for antiques and artsy crafty type stuff. There were some interesting galleries and I got some free hot chocolate on the streets. Here is a shot of the street taken from Starbucks of Myeong-dong which is a giant shopping area filled with every store you can imagine from 'Gap' to 'Roots' to 'Uniqlo'. Everything you need can be bought here at regular store prices, haha, nothing special in terms of a saving money. There are restaurants like 'Tony Roma's' where Lyndsey and I ate ribs. yum yum!



So my coworkers and I met up for some lunch at Bennigans - a western type restaurant. I was excited because it was not Korean food haha but yeah the service was bad. Koreans have a habit of splitting meals. No joke! Once when I was at Mcdonalds I saw a family split a cheeseburger combo. It was the oddest thing. But at restaurants you'll see a giant group of people order only a few entrees and everyone will split them. No one ever gets there own meal. So at Bennigans there was confusion because everyone wanted there own meal. Even with drinks, my set lunch menu came with a drink. When they brought it out there was three straws in it to share with my coworkers. Good Lord! We all had a great laugh at this!



Korea is full of interesting named stores and restaurants. I enjoy how they have Konglish which is an English/Korean hybrid of various words. It cracks me up. But it's bad too. Koreans have a habit of making an 'e' sound at the end of English words. For example 'lunchie' or 'finishedie' it drives me nuts. If they keep speaking English wrong, things will never change!



Here is a shot of Seoul down by Insadong. I like how there are paths to walk by the water. It's super cool. Apparently there are bands and vendors in the summer along the river too. That would be neat to watch. Seoul is interesting in that it is dirtier than most big Japanese cities but cleaner than most big Chinese cities. haha I saw some men peeing on the street late at night and I realized that doesn't help the smell of Seoul. Once in a while, I would catch a weird drift of stink while wandering in Seoul.



In Seoul there is a foreigners district that has some restaurants and foreigner needs. I went to a wicked East Indian curry buffet and had some great Thai food lunch. I like that in Seoul there is a diversity of people just like Canada. It's nice that way. It can be frustrating where I live because some kids still point, stare, and say 'foreigner' in Korean. It's annoying because the parents don't really do anything. Occasionally some parents will notice what there kids is doing and discipline them. I like the friendly kids that will try and speak English with me. They are pretty sweet.



This is a famous shot taken down in Dongdaemun. This area is full of shopping goodness that is includes knock off items sold from street vendors. Here I bought some bootleg DVDs for next to nothing. This shopping area is especially busy during the evening and all throughout the evening till the next morning. You can get some delicious street food (possible get sick due to unrefrigerated meat) while buying a knock off handbag. It is sweet!



In Seoul there is a lot of delicious food that is hard to get where I live such as Indian, Thai, Vietnamese and so on. However, there are a few really gross things that I have seen in Seoul as well. Take this place for instances. You can get various pasta from fettuccine to shrimp pasta all in a waffle cone. That is disgusting ice cream/hot food.



Here is Van and Mary eating their hearts away at the Pizza Mall. It was so frustrating going to this 3 story restaurant. You order at the cash register and then they give you a number. So you must listen to loud speaker to hear your number. It was so busy in there and I had the number 27, 555 compared to Mary who had 355. There's a smart idea, 'let's give the foreigner a really really hard number'




Street food. What can I say. It's everywhere. These tiny kitchens on wheels are the health departments worst nightmare. Nothing is refrigerated from seafood to pork on a stick. Plus the workers of the shops are handling money and your food all at the same time. Well if your into cleansing your bowels then I totally recommend eating street food. I have eaten my fair share of it in China and have sometimes paid the consequences. haha



This is downtown Seoul by a famous set of statues. Nice eh? There is everything you need down here! I can't even begin to describe the endless amount of fun you can have getting lost in the maze of streets. Streets aren't really named here just main roads. So if you ask some one where something is, there is a good chance they'll have no clue. Everyone goes by landmarks here. It's crazy!



Crazy cartoon hats for winter are the trend with everyone. I am going to buy one I think because it's very Korean. Gotta love the Hello Kitty on my head!



Gotta a sweet tooth? Try buying bulk at the night market. Everything you need in a market can be bargained for. You can find numerous stands selling pretty much the same items! I am not a big fan of candy but Lyndsey could definitely tell you all about it! I prefer hitting up the bakeries which can be found everywhere. Cake!!!



This is a great! I love how designer knock offs are sold right next to some frozen fish. I think it would be horrible to have your scarf smell like fish haha But hey, if its cheap, then I'll take two!




These crazy little carts are pulled by men everywhere in the market. Transporting goods on carts and motorcycles is really scary to be honest. There have been a few times where I have almost been hit because they literally drive through the crowds. The driving here is insane. The worst I have seen next to China. No joke of a lie! Pedestrians have no rights what so ever. You have to wait till the traffic clears to cross. It's scary at times!





Christmas is getting popular here in Korea, I like how some stores are so tacky and loud! This
store in the market screams Christmas. Sometimes I think it's a bit to commercial for myself.




The overhead shot of the market live and in action! This place is full of winding streets that are lined with vendors selling everything. However, I did have a difficult time finding sunglasses. I imagine they are not in season. That makes me a bit annoyed because I have gone to some restaurants, for example, a Vietnamese restaurant wanting to eat 'Bun' (Cold noodles with veggies). However, they said I can't get it because it's winter. That drives me nuts. So if you have a craving, it must be seasonal!!!!!!





The sign says it all. The fashion is something not to be desired by the Western palate. Lyndsey and I laugh at the tacky fashion haha But I really enjoy Japanese Fashion and I am hoping to go back there soon to stock up on some clothes!

Elementary Goodbye Party! What a night!

Well my first workshop has just recently come to an end. It was a good month of teaching elementary school teachers. Despite the language barrier at times, we sure had a blast! Elementary teachers sure are cheery that is for sure! So we had the official going away party the night before the closing ceremony. The party consisted of an awards portion which had a variety of awards such as 'best actor' for the skits and 'most improved trainee'. This shot I took is from the awards podium just like the celebrities do at the Oscars ahaha



Here is me opening my gift from my trainees. Bill and I got matching scarfs in the color of homeroom -green- it was great! This is a picture of my new haircut and color! My nose looks so big in this photo!





Here is me modeling the new scarf with my super Asian pose hehe I like how my supervisor is watching me and clapping. Everyone got super drunk that night. I bought a bottle of Vodka to my table to share with my trainees. A lot of the girls have never had Vodka before which was shocking. So I made them Vodka and berry juice drinks all night long. hehe After this night, I am laying off the alcohol for a while because I was super hungover the next day.




Here is my homeroom class for one last pose! They were a lot of fun at the going away party. We did a lot of dancing and singing. Lyndsey and I sang '2 become 1' by the Spice Girls haha It was so funny! I get nervous because when the foreigners sing, all the Korean trainees are so interested! They dance around us and clap to the beat!



The trainees were playing a drinking game with chopsticks and counting. I have never seen this before. So someone starts at the pointer (the person who is it) and together as a group you chant a Korean saying. Everyone will move their chopsticks to random people while chanting. Then when the chant is over, the person's (who is it) chopstick's where ever they are pointing at selects that person to drink. It is brutal. The person who just drank is the new person who is it! I hope that made sense! I didn't participate in this game because that is too much drinking for me!





Here is a photo of JS, Ryan, and I just being plain silly. Ryan always makes funny faces in all the photos. JS is very drunk here which is very common for Korean men. No jokes! It is pretty interesting because all Korean men I have come across love drinking alcohol. Always. At every meal, minus breakfast occasionally. I couldn't be bothered. I decided to stick with my Starbucks addiction because it is worth my money!





Here is So Young (the girl pointing), Bo Bae, Sarah, and Georgie doing some Korean rap. I just love the enthuasium. Koreans love rap and hip hop music. I think Korean rap is funny even though I have no idea what they are saying. I just dance to the beat.




Here is the final photo the following day after this crazy night of partying. I was in bed by 11pm because well I drank way too much. However, I did hear that many of the teachers partied until 4am. Yikes. I don' know how they do it. I really do not! Overall, it was a good experience teaching Korean elementary teachers. They were fun and eager to learn new methods and activities. That made me happy!

Jeju Island - 14 hours per a day of fun fun fun!

The elementary teachers workshop had a three day trip to Jeju islands. I was shocked and I didn't know that every workshop would have a random trip with the trainees to a different location in Korea. I am not complaining because everything was paid for and I still got paid my regular salary! Super sweet. So here is the 3 day escapade filled with 14 hour days on a tour bus of fun! May I add that there was a microphone on the bus and each trainee had to give a speech about some aspect of Jeju. This was kinda annoying because there wasn't much peace and quiet on the bus! But I did win a bunch of cell phone charms from answering questions! Score!

We visited the largest crater on Jeju island which is apparently a UNESCO World Heritage Site. I have visited quite a few of these in my lifetime and I hope to visit more of them! Once we climbed the hill to the crater, we then did some crazy Korean poses and here is one of Bill and Lyndsey!



This is taken from Lyndsey's point of view and I think that she is loving it! haha




This is a poetic shot of me taken in the wheat field leading up to the crater. Lyndsey and I did some dramatic poses and laughed in between shots! It was grand!




We then went to a rock garden, yes I said a rock garden with a bunch of different rock formations. It was pretty funny to see all the Korean tourist whip out their giant cameras and snap some photos away! haha Lyndsey and I are trying to once again to a crazy Korean style dramatic pose but then Sunny and Well added some character to this pose haha






Alright, so two of the sites we visited were botanical gardens. One was indoors and one was outdoors. The outdoor one was kinda sad because it is winter and the plants are pretty much dead haha Any who, this is the indoor botanical garden that had a brilliant Christmas theme. I kinda missed Christmas and especially Christmas baking while I was here!



I love penguins and here I am pretending I am a penguin! I do admit that these guys are way cuter than me! I was tempted to steal one because they were so cute haha but I didn't!




There was a Native themed section in the Desert plants exhibit. I just though I would do a random pose and cause some trouble haha!




Here is a beautiful shot of Jeju island from a large looking post situated in the garden. It was amazing to know the water is right at my finger tips. Well metaphorically!




I am supposed to be doing a macho man pose but now that I look at the picture, it just looks like I am thrusting the garden haha Oh my! But a worker there yelled at me because I was standing on the sitting ledge. Whoops!




This tour bus was parked next door to our tour bus. Thank goodness I am not on that tour bus or I would scream. I thought my 14 hour days were bad!



Korean Saunas- Jim Jil Bang- (Sorry, I couldn't take any pictures) - So the first night in Jeju, Lyndsey, Victoria, Rina, Lucy, and I decided to treat ourselves to a traditional Korean Sauna. I was pretty ready to get naked and scrub down because I have done it numerous times in Japan. However, it was different to go with friends and my trainees because well I know them haha However, we all enjoyed the different bathing pools of various temperatures of water. I especially enjoyed this shallow sauna bed where you lie down and there are jets on the seat. Lyndsey and I literally lied around for 25 minutes! It felt great to have jets massaging our bodies! After the hot water pools, we headed upstairs to the next level of steam rooms. It was great to go in to various temperature rooms and cover our bodies in hot rocks. Oh, by this point the sauna gives you these ugly mustard yellow shorts and t-shirts to wear on this floor. There is also the option of watching TV, a snack shop,and pillows for lying around and relaxing. Man I love Korean saunas!
Here is YYOK asleep on the bus right behind Lyndsey and I. I think he passed out from drinking to much at lunch!



This man was on the boardwalk going towards the beach. I would date him but he didn't talk much. I am not a fan of the strong and silent type. Maybe he only speaks Korean!



Here I am enjoying the beach in my winter gear and sunglasses. It was nice to have some down time and collect some seashells! I miss the ocean a lot!



Here is a famous little beach that we visited. Lyndsey, Victoria, Tim and I were bad because we had to stay with the group but instead we ventured off onto the beach. We then took off our shoes and strolled in the water. It was brisk but nice!



Everyone sitting around digesting the food. Lots of soju is consumed at lunch and well pretty much every meal. I am not a fan of it at all. I think it smells like nail polish remover!



We ate alot of Shabu Shabu (Japanese hot pot) during our trip. Basically it is one pot of boiling liquid (this one was spicy) for four people. You get a bunch of interesting side dishes like small fish, different Kimchis, and pickled things. We had a big pot of seafood that consisted of odd sea creatures I have never had before. Some of them were even alive. So when the broth started to boil we sat around and watched our lunch die. I felt bad and while eating some the sea creatures, I told them I was sorry! The Koreans thought it was funny but I did feel a bit sad watching my lunch die. However, it was delicious!



Instant coffee machines are a must have in most restaurants. Just walk up to the machine and pick between 4 options: black, milk, cream (which is deathly sweet), or tea. Convenient and just a shot cup size. Nice!



You could take a romantic yacht tour of Jeju! Oh how wonderful, if only I had free time during the long jammed packed days and also a boyfriend!! Wishful thinking!



Here I am dancing on a pier beside the ocean after consuming a seafood lunch! There was a woman selling squid with her giant stereo blaring some loud traditional Korean pop music. I suddenly became inspired to dance. Then YYOK started dancing across from me on the pier. I like the randomness in my life hehe



Here is one of the many beaches in Jeju. This one had a mini harbor and was super cute. Lots of good seafood restaurants. I really like seafood and living in Jeju would be pretty sweet!



Some of the Korean teachers and I took a stroll after lunch to the beach. Just a natural picture of the gang walking. This was taken after I dance on the dock to some traditional Korean music while YYOK (the old Korean trainee) danced alongside. It was hilarious!



Here is a random shot of me with a waterfall at one of the botanical gardens we visited. Being that it is winter, I don't understand why we visited these botanical gardens. All the plants were pretty much dead or on their way into hibernation. Oh crazy tour!



We stopped for a delicious fresh seafood lunch by a beach (the name is unknown). Here is a giant cliff with some cool holes in it. I love being by the ocean and man I really wish that it was hot and summertime when we went!



We also looked at some rock formations in a few caves which I have seen before in China with Annee! However, I did think it was funny to see Christmas in a cave!



Here is a nice little garden that we stopped at. I was freezing and walked ahead of the group because I left my coat on the tour bus. Dang it! But I like the little rock people and I had to take a picture of them!



Rape flower, yes I said rape flower, is a famous flower in Jeju. So at the gift shops at every location we visited, rape flower products were sold. I thought this was funny to think that you smell like rape...Oh I am so bad!!!



Lyndsey, So Young (my homeroom trainee who is the number student in this session), and Bill posing with a traditional statue at the folk museum.



A random crazy shot showing how much fun we are having in Korea! I love my crazy photography skills!



At the Jeju folk village, Lyndsey and I took the sticks used in a traditional game and decided that we would pretend we were Harry Potter instead!



So the second night in Jeju, Lyndsey and I were feeling tired from spending 14 hours a day on the go constantly sightseeing and speaking English. The second night after lounging in our hotel room we decided that we would go on a walk and check out the town. So as we were walking down a main stretch of road I saw a canopy covered tunnel leading to a good old open air market. I love open air markets in Asia so I told Lyndsey we should check it out. We were walking and noticed a variety of shops were shutting down for the day but we continued to walk until we noticed some loud music in the distance and some Korean people dancing around. Lyndsey and I decided what the heck, lets go check it out! Little did we know but a bunch of fish market workers were having an after work party and they asked us to party with them! Here the older men and women of the fish market are dancing and drinking (beer and soju) while chomping on mandarins, chicken, and pork.



We had a blast with the ladies constantly feeding us alcohol and shouting 'one shot' which is the Korean term for a shot of alcohol. At one point I didn't want to drink my one shot, so one of the ladies grabbed it out of my hand and drank it! I was shocked!The ladies were hilarious with their circle dancing and slapping our bums. Korean people are very touchy feely I have noticed. But it was so much fun!



Here is one of the funny drunk men who were doing some traditional Korean dancing with us. We danced for one hour with them. When we left, the ladies filled my pockets, purse, and a giant bag with Jeju mandarins. I was so happy! Then two old ladies who were super drunk pointed to their cheeks so I kissed their cheeks haha and they were so happy! This experience made us so happy and definitely made me appreciate how kind strangers can be! These are the moments I appreciate!



Here a video of the dance party with the fish workers. Just imagine listening to this type music for an hour and dancing haha For some reason the songs were literally like 10 minutes each and there would only be a brief break inbetween to refuel on alcohol.


This is a traditional Korean house from long ago. I saw many of these at the folk museum. They were pretty cool.



This little guy is pretty lonely cause I ate all of his friends on Jeju! Oh so much pork was consumed during our trip. I recommended that if you don't like pork, especially bacon (they love to cook back bacon and wrap it up with lettuce and rice and put red pepper soybean sauce on it - I call it Korean tacos) then don't come to Korea!



Mrs. Heo, one of my supervisors (who is 50 believe it or not!), is modeling the traditional Korean toilet. I like how she really got into it! Literally!




Saint is modeling a traditional Jeju carrier. I like how he is drinking an ever so modern coffee at the same time!




One of my Korean homeroom students, Bo Bae, was telling me that she needed to stand behind me because her face is too fat. Yes, Korean people have an obsession with wanting narrow faces because they literally think there faces are too fat and round.



Left to right - Phil, Saint (one of the Korean teachers), Bill, and Mrs. Heo (one of my 4 supervisors). This is the mans shot originally but Mrs. Heo just couldn't resist a bunch of men posing with their jackets off!



Here is a couples shot of Lyndsey and I by a waterfall haha In Korea, doing serious couples shots with friends and lovers is very serious. I saw some of the trainees honestly making some hardcore 'Sears catalogue' type modeling at all the tourist spots. I, on the other hand, enjoy doing crazy poses!



Lyndsey and I enjoying a good swing at the Jeju historical village. Apparently this game is historical and apart of Jeju culture. In my opinion, swing sets are really in every culture ahaha I like how Rina (on my homeroom trainees) is coaching us on how to swing with our legs!




In the background you can see the famous church (well apart of the set) from the soap opera. Yeah, I don't really care about the soap opera at all, I just wanted to show you these nice scenic shots! hehe If only you could have seen all the tourist buses!



Another beautiful shot from the soap opera set! Jeju sure had some nice beaches but we didn't visit them because they were not on the schedule. Damn schedules! I thought about staying here forever but it was a little to windy for me!



This is my soap opera pose! Don't you love how dramatic I look in this shot! I am imagining my lover has left me for another and now I will throw myself into the ocean haha Oh Korean soap operas and their crazy plots!! hahaha




This is a famous peak, I forget the name of it, haha but it is used as a set for a famous Korean soap opera. Apparently it is popular to visit sets of soap operas in Korea. I couldn't be bothered to visit them personally but this one was nice considering the view! Definitely a tourist trap with all the vendors waiting to steal your money!



After working 3 days for 14 hours a day with non stop touring, this is how everyone felt. Victoria is demonstrating who everyone felt on the airplan. It was great to tour Jeju islands but at the same time we had a tight schedule of non stop sightseeing. Even the Korean teachers were tired. Man on man, it felt good to fly back to JETI. Plus, I just bought some Chanel lipgloss at the duty free shop! So I was pretty wired on the flight home!



Dunkin Doughnuts...A possible breakfast lifesaver. At the hotel, we were given a horrible 'Western breakfast' that consisted of: a cold hot dog cut diagonally to look attractive, 4 tatter tots, 2 slices of an orange, 2 dry pieces of toast and cold scramble eggs. It was pretty bad because everything was as cold as ice. So Lyndsey and I found a Dunkin' Doughnuts and bought muffins and mochas! Yum Yum!