Seoul exploring

I woke up at 5:30, because the dog was whining, and when I went downstairs to let her out, I was greeted by a bouncy Gryphon. "Hi Mom! I've been up since 2! I'm making waffles!" Ah, jet lag. So I stayed up, and Rowan joined us at about 6. Earliest she's ever been up. :) We walked the dog, unpacked, and waited for Mark, who said he'd come by at lunch. Well, he showed up about 10 and has a few days off to get us situated. But instead of doing paperwork and whatnot, I talked him into taking the day and going into the city. The girls were so excited- they wanted to go to NamdeMun market.We hopped on the subway near the post, and went to the Seoul Station area to get lunch first. Gryphon's criteria was a place we could sit on the floor at. We found one, and had kalbi (ribs) cooked at the table and wrapped in lettuce, with rice, garlic, and of course kimchi and side dishes. SO GOOD. Rowan got all adventurous and though it couldn't tough anything else she had, did try the kalbi and pronounced it "good". Mostly though, she ate rice and lettuce. (But not together, because in Rowan's world, food can't touch.) Gryphon chowed down and tried it all. That's my girl! We practiced Korean, and the words are slowly trickling back in- I pulled the word for garbage can out of my brain somewhere, and garlic, and a few more just arrived out of nowhere. So while I definitely need to study, it does help a great deal to be *in* Korea. Many people said my Korean was good, but I know they are just being polite! :)

We rode the subway then to Namdemun, a wonderland of "stuff". From garlic to rice cakes to towels and Korean clothing, its here. Rowan bought a doll- she named her Mina. Gryphon is searching for a small plaid backpack she saw somewhere, but oddly enough, didn't find at Namdemun. We saw beautiful Hanbok (Korean traditional clothes) and bought chopsticks.

Its a good thing I warned the girls that Koreans might touch them or their hair and would talk to them, because Rowan got a lot of that. Gryphon is not too old, but she *looks* older, so she got comments but not as much touching. Rowan actually enjoyed it, for someone normally so shy. She thinks it is great Koreans are so friendly, and she is not shy in Korea because people are nice. They *are* so nice- so helpful if you look lost, and always smiling, it is so great to be BACK!

We had planned to go out and eat with one of Mark's friends from work tonight, but when we got home around 3, Gryphon and I crashed. We are soooo tired. Rowan, on the other hand, did cartwheels all the way to post from the subway station, drug Mark to the park 3 times, went to the Burger King playland, and stayed up until 10. She apparently has no jet lag. Tomorrow is paperwork day- I need to get my license, a ration card, get us into all the various military systems. I'm sure we'll get an early start, at like, oh, 3 am, since we'll be up!!

SO good to be here. What an adventure, and the girls are amazing- nothing phases them!