Matching couple

 

Notice also that he is carrying her bag.  

A word about teams

Speaking of hiking.  This is a work team.  Team building.
Our friend told us you could tell because of the bags the women were carrying (fancy, not casual)

Apparently during the week there is no family life.  You are with your colleagues all day.  You all go to lunch together at the same time.  You go out for drinks after work at least 3 times a week.  Drinks, then dinner then kareoke with drinks.  And apparently kareoke can come with women.  Team building.
So here is team building.  Hiking together

B just took that photo.  Too bad I've lost my balls to still do things like that.
And just look how well it turned out?!  They all smiled. they thought it was funny.  Then they made him take their photo.
And they all do that peace thing.  All the time.

Koreans are professional hikers

We went hiking 3 days while we were traveling.  Seoraksan, Namsan, and Yeonhwado.  One thing you will notice if you ever hike in Korea is the professionalism.  I am not sure if this means they are taking serious hikes, but they certainly look like they do. 

From their trails to their gear

to their 80 year old women who kicked my mountain-girl ass.  (left, in red)

They also seem to be prepared at any time to have a picnic. (Including under overpasses in the city)

They do have beautiful mountains though

and oh so lush.

We tried to time our trip to see the seasons change, but this was all we got

Imagining THAT covering an entire mountain range, makes me feel like crying.

But we did see burial mounds (like the passage tombs in Ireland)

and Buddhas.  A lot of Buddhas.  Life-sized. human-sized. headless. 

South Korean Road trip p1

It's been a couple of busy weeks but here but I can't skip out on Korea to talk about permagray soup Paris again.  So here we go...

We traveled for 7 days with our friends.  First was driving from Seoul to Chuncheon - known for this delicious chicken and cabbage spicy dish.   Cooked on the table in front of you.

And then we headed on to Seoraksan

Apparently the stacks are for wishes/prayers. 
~
And then we had our first big seafood meal. 
As you might remember, I am not a seafood person.  I'll find something to eat, but this challenged even me.

That lady fishing out our dinner.  The entire port is lined with these retaurants. 

Our bucket of dinner, squid & all.

Which was then turned into this

~
And just in case you wanted proof how much they love children

This is the first dinner night.  She is not our waitress.

First impressions of Seoul

Everything is clean

Koreans like bright colors for clothes and signs.  

Masses of high-rise buildings backed by green hills.

No garbage cans on the street, but 5 different garbages at home

Everyone in twos (girls, boys, couples, couples dressed identically) and often linked arms or touching.

Koreans LOVE children.  And when I say love, I mean every place we went people: talked to, touched or gave things to our friends' 2-year-old.

Very kind people turn into Dr Jekyll when in cars.

Immaculate toilets

Kimchi is served at EVERY meal.  Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

The base of every main dish is garlic or hot pepper.

Dessert is separate.  No restaurant we went to served dessert.  But the entire city was covered with coffee houses with syrupy sweet coffee or tea, and desserts.

Koreans are professionally dressed hikers.  All of them.

No one actually knows the lyrics to any song.  Especially the kareoke video subtitlers.

Korean girls never show anything above the waist but they sure like SHORT shorts.

There is no 4th floor. 

3 of me, but no 4th floor.