Korea-Day 5

Temple in Seoul, Korea

 Such a different experience. The waiting room was like a hang out space, little kids hanging around everywhere. I figured out it's because it's the ONLY temple in their entire country and people travel to stay there for the day. Going into the session I felt so excited. I was the only American and I had a little headset and didn't know what anything was saying. But they all smile so much at me I don't even care. The beauty of it all is that it is the same no matter what country I'm in. And what I feel, is the same, no matter where I am. It was beautiful to be there, where Spencer once was when he served the Lord. Such a happy experience. Cutie miniature temple, you can't really tell that though. Lovely morning. 

 When Spencer was a missionary, he said they often went to the Krispy Kreme up the street after. We followed the tradition and I lucked out...finding a HELLO KITTY DOUGHNUT! Yup. Amazing. Delicious. 

We went to this downtown area that was very hipster/college town. Loved it. There was a fashion show on the sidewalk, seriously. We moseyed past a vintage book store. YES PLEASE! I found some cuties to take home to the new sis-in-law to be. 

 Garfield was chillin' at the fashion show. 

 Spencer and I always talked about this place called a Nolboo. He had a shirt that he wore with this funny guy on it and I always called him that name cause it was on it and funny. Do you think I ever knew it was a restaurant and that one day we would got there together and eat there!? No. Awesome. 

At every restaurant you eat at this is how the water is served. Fresh and not tap. In da little silver cups.

 I added ramen to our order (as always in my life) and it was a very wise decisions. 

 Before- giant pot of lovely food. 

 Demolished. 

Drop for drop.

 After the downtown stroll we ventured back to that little shopping market in Itewon to double 

check if there was anything else I might possibly need :) AND to pick up Spencer's suit. So quality. Stud. 

I had seen online some SUPER cool fountain show that was close by and shot off the Banpo Bridge. We got off the bus stop at this cute park area right on the river front. So many people just soaking up the cuteness and perfect weather. 

It was a gorgeous view of the city and bridge. BUT of course, as my luck always has, it was not working that night. SO, instead we kicked our feet up, got a coke, and enjoyed the evening view together. 

When we left we saw all these buildings on the water and various things going on. The park was hoppin'. There was a movie theatre on the water! It was so adorable. A view of the river and city while we sat in this little amphitheater and listened to symphonies play on the big screen. It was kind of like August Rush, Music in the Park. <3 Great ending to the sweet day. 

Korea-Day 4

Yeah I know, we're all over this now, It's been over a month, but for journaling and Grandparent purposes, I'm going to finish this week of travels. 

Our day started off early, but swell as we were preparing for an all day adventure to North Korea. Scared ya huh, nah we were going to the border between North and South Korea to the DMZ (Demilatarized Zone). We were, until as we were frantically looking around after we got off the subway unsure where the building was we were meeting at, we saw a bus with the company we were meeting up with pass by. Nah, couldn't be. Yep. Sure was. No money back. No other trips for the rest of the month. Day ruined. 

We were beside ourselves and unsure what to do. So we stopped at a coffee shop to recoup, drink hot CHOco and eat Kim bop. We decided we had til 8am to be moppy (left), but after that move on and find a new plan. 8 am hit (right) and we were ready to explore Korea on our own. 

We made our way over to downtown city heart of Seoul. The main transportation (bus/train/subway/taxi) station is there- Seoul Station. The main building is like 150 years old. I love history. 

 Cutie Spooner

We checked out the city and then decided plan B was the Korean War Museum. It was on our list of things to do so not a bad fall back. 

Super cool building. Amazing actually. When we walked up there were little Korean school kids running around in their matching uniforms everywhere. All schools have matching uniforms. They saw us and instantly stared and giggled. Then ran over with their peace signs as said "HI!" and then giggled and ran away. They weren't really even looking at me, only Spencer. Like he was a celebrity. To them I'm sure he's real tall, and REAL white :). They were so precious. 

There was an entire outside yard section with TONS of planes, tanks, jets, helicopters etc. that were used in the Korean war. Some were Korean, some American, and even for some reason Chinese. I loved it. I'm like a little kid with this stuff. When I see something from the time period I totally put myself in that time and just soak it all up. 

 Spence liked it too. Little boys would have LOVED it. 'Cept it was like, RIDICulously hot. Like sweaty, hot muggy, humid hot. No fun. 

They would set up reenactments in some of the planes that were pretty real and creepy. It actually makes it so much more real though, which is why I think it feel so creepy. Cause you're put in the same situation as the soldiers. Makes me realize what a wuss I am. Serious respect for any solider. 

 Little Korean plane doors. 

 I genuinely am staring at this missile thinking, we really shoot these at people? At places? They are so huge. We (as in all countries and people) just use these things freely? Those things are massive! My head did not quite get wrapped around the point. 

 But I totally saw the point of these fire arms. Totally rad and used in cartoons, so point gotten!

 Inside had all sorts of cool goodies. I was really impressed with Korean museums. Here are some favs. 

 There was a whole area of life size living situations that you walked through that showed life during the Korea war. Now when I think of the Korean war I think of how America was involved in it. I think of American soldiers in uniform and people's grandpa's. NOT this. And you can't really tell from this picture, but it was knarly bad. 

 However they do have a pretty good idea of what the "Future Warrior" will look like. I peed my pants laughing at this. 

 Oh and right before this we went through the interactive parts where we sat in a lil theatre with a bunch of junior high boys, many of them chubby and eating chocolate (my memory pulled that out), and simulated a fighter jet in 3D. The seats moved and such. The English was so awful. The subtitles would say like, "We are the ones that won! We are the ones that won!" Instead of the Korean that was more like, " We won, we did it, we killed 'em! Awesome". After we walked to the shooting range and practice shooting with machine guns. The kick back was way too real. 

 And dude, their scenes, as mentioned were so realistic. Too realistic...below...nuff said. 

 Korean flag that flew over when war was over.

 This wallet! Ever since I have known Spencer he has had the wallet on this right. If you were to see it on it's own you'd just think it was a nice tan leather man's wallet. Welp, the wallet on the left is what it started out as. They were still selling it there and he got it in 2007 on his mission! I'm forgetting why in the world we didn't buy another, but it made me so happy because this wallet is like one with Spencer in my mind. LOVED this moment. 

 Right next to the museum was the Korean Wedding Museum. Spencer's passion meets my passion!

 While there I saw a missionary couple sitting down making plans together. I was so overly excited to see missionaries I said, "Can I, can I Spence, please can I say hi!" Any American sightings are exciting, but missionaries from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, I was REAL happy. The cute little couple was from Draper and were English speaking missionaries serving their last month in Korea. So sweet. Finally someone to ask to take a picture of us together! Yay, for missions.

Coming home...which one of these is not the same??

 
There was a little mall place in the subway area right by where we always got off to go home, where we stopped for lunch. We ate Mexican food! The reason was because it was packed so it seemed popular AND they had a TV that showed pictures of people eating there and Obama had, so I just figured there was something big about it. There was-the heat. Hot, but yummy. Also I can't remember what we did after lunch. I believe we ventured to what's called Coex Mall and got some Coldstone, but the important thing is that walking home that night we found this thing. Spencer's family has this in their home and the boys STILL play real deal, fisher price b-ball games on it. There's crazy rules, lots of sweat, and boys get hurt. To spot one randomly in the dark, in Korea, only an Orr would appreciate it.