Not-back to school day, and first day photos!

Can you believe it is 6th and 3rd grade, already??? School started here August 31st, and I *had* planned to do something fun for "not back to school" day. But, Gryphon is taking Korean and music at the middle school, and though she goes only a few times a week, she had to go on the first day. So we just waited until she got home.
We grabbed Mark, who was off, and went to Seoul Children's Park, a big complex with an amusement park, zoo, many playgrounds, water stuff and trails.

The playgrounds were nice, and they play classical music at them.
We started at the zoo, which is pretty old so the enclosures are small, and sort of sad. The kids were amazed (ok, we were ALL amazed) to see animal food vending machines! I have never been to a zoo where you could feed the animals, it is normally strictly forbidden.We bought bear food, because I recognized what animal it was for. I am not real up on my zoo animal names, and didn't want to feed the wrong food to the wrong animal! So since I knew bear for sure, bear it was.The girls tossed it in to some extremely depressed looking Sun Bears, but they didn't pay it any attention. It was a very strange zoo!After the zoo we wandered around a while, this is an arbor of gourds. I have seen grape arbors, but never gourd arbors!Kids waded in the streams and fountains, while Mark and I had some snacks. All the snack stands sell beer here, which is another strange thing to me. Mothers sitting at the park with their kids, drinking beer. Gryphon's feet in the stream, it was a lovely not-too-hot day.One of the things I wanted to find was the "barefoot park", where you take your shoes off, walk barefoot and feel different textures. I was imagining something tactile, sort of for kids, since its in the playground area. The sign says to do it for 10 minutes every day and its healthy for you.Cool, right?Uhh...not so much. See those jagged rocks? The pointy wood? IT HURTS! I didn't last 2 minutes, let alone 10! The girls gamely took their shoes off to try, but put them right back on. Mark took one look and said no way. My feet, not really feeling any healthier, just very sore!I snapped a photo of this guy, who is on a bench in the middle of the barefoot park.I think he has the right idea on how to use the park- leave your shoes on, and nap! Much healthier!

More mountain climbing!

We went to Mt. Soyosan up north near where Mark and I were stationed a million years ago this past weekend. Of course, there was eating involved- can't climb a mountain without eating first! The mountain is as beautiful as I remember, but much mroe built up. There is a village of restaurants now inside the parks borders, along the streams.

We hiked up to a spot I dearly wanted to return to and photograph, but...it was very much changed. And not for the better. What was 13 years ago a cave temple, carved out of rock, with only hundreds of candles for light, was now a big complex. And worst of all, the cave temple was ruined with doors, FLOURESCENT lights, and a proper (non stone) floor. I am so sad to see these "improvements"! A bright spot was seeing adorable cats running, sleeping and playing on the temple roofs, I guess they are temple cats.

The girls enjoyed this mountain trip much more than Tobongsan, because we just wandered up easy stairs and trails, no hanging on ropes or climbing rock faces this time!

Kimpo Rhythmic Gymnastics Meet

Rowan had her first meet this week, out at Kimpo, near Inchon, Korea. It was a HUGE meet, a full day of school kids from preschool to 8th grade, then groups, then FIG seniors and juniors, along with the national Korea group doing 2 routines for exhibition.

I was sooo nervous for Rowan, I can only imagine how she felt! Mark was able to come, though the taxi he took got into an accident on the way! The, coaches all judge, they have a ton of judges, and the girls warm up by themselves. Poor Rowan looked like a deer in the headlights, wandering around the warm up area not really practicing or stretching, just staring. It was pretty overwhelming! She did freehands first, and the crowd was really cool- they loved her! *EVERYONE* knows who she is, because we practice at a high school with the strongest RG program in the country, and the national team coach is sometimes there, and lots of really high level girls. So word gets around- RG is pretty small in Korea, anyway, compared to the US. But the girls that they *do* have are much better, they train at school, and with private ballet coaches and RG coaches. They have what have to be $1000 leotards, seriously.

Rowan did great, didn't forget her routines (a concern, because they changed up unti lthe DAY BEFORE the meet!!) and was more snappy and polished than the girls in her school year category (grade 2). She got 1st in hoop and ball, and 3rd in freehands. Unfortunately, I am pretty sure she doesn't really get the 1st place award, because she is a non-citizen. That's okay though, the US used to have a rule like that too, and she knows she got the most points, even if she can't get first. She doesn't really do it for awards anyway, she does it for...well, I have no idea. She just loves it!

It was neat to hear them call her name- Row-in Bo-Duh-Ry. There wasn't room on the form for the meet to put her whole name, even in Hangul, so that's what she ended up with. All the moms and other team mates have a set cheer they chant- they say the gymnast's name, clap three times, and say "Hal Ti" which is like "you can do it". Adorable!

The second day we got out there at 7 am and Yuna's mom did everyone's hair. Poor Rowan's hair- it got so broken off and damaged! Her hair is much more delicate than the other girls. The coach, Kim Sung Saeng Nim (that means teacher), did their make up. Rowan looked a lot more like the other girls when she was done! They were the first of 6 freehands groups to go on, and the girls were hilarious watching the other routines. They cheered whenever a group messed up, and when the scores were posted and they were still in first. Unfortunately, Kimpo Elementary has a school club with wicked good girls (in very expensive leotards I don't think the moms had to sew!!) and they beat the GS Square girls. Still, 2nd is pretty good! (I think there is a possibility they won't actually receive 2nd though, due to Rowan. I just don't know how that works. I will feel terrible if that is so, but I know her coach knew ahead of time as she is an FIG level judge and obviously is well versed on the rules.)

Then we stayed to watch Korean 2008 Olympian Shin Soo Ji, and the other senior FIG girls. They were awesome! All in all, a very unique and exciting experience. I am so glad Rowan is involved with RG and we have had the opportunity to experience this type of thing.

And just to demonstrate how she really IS not like the others...

...I asked her coach if she really, truly was the ONLY waygookin (non-Korean) doing RG.

And her coach looked surprised. And said, "Of course. "

And I said "Really? Are you sure??"

And Kim Sung Saeng Nim looked at me like I was crazy for doubting her and said "Oh yes, I'm sure. Only one. Rowan."

Woah.

So I guess the fact that I get that Sesame Street song, "One of these kids is not like the other" stuck in my head whenever we go to practice (especially group!) is not an exaggeration.

She's the only one.

That's sort of heavy for an 8 year old. The meet is going to be a veritable circus, I am thinking. It's huge, anyway- they televise it (not low level girls, like Rowan), it's the whole country, it's days long. And I have a feeling everyone who is present when Rowan goes on the floor is going to stop what they are doing to watch her. Poor kid! Like it isn't nerve wracking enough to have to get in a tight sparkly leotard, do contortion to music and catch things for points, now she has the added bonus of having the "freak factor".

Sing it with me- "One of these kids is doin his own thing...one of these kids is not the same..."
In case you forgot the words: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sm-zWDaoCtI&feature=related

One of these kids is not like the other...

We found a coach here in Seoul, through much luck and a lot of work. Her name is Kim Ra-Won, and she is lovely! Well, a bit barbaric with the stretching, but that's just how it is here. I'll bet you never thought Rowan was inflexible, right? Well, she is here!

3 days a week we drive to Gangnam, to practice in a high school gym. There are other coaches with their girls there, too, but it is all private coaching. Our coach has other girls, but we see them only in passing. Korean gymnasts are REALLY good. Scary flexible. Not as polished maybe as the US girls, so Rowan has that going for her, but they are very, very good! She only practices about 1-2 hours alone, 3 days a week, and until recently it was all the coach figuring out what she could do and making her routines fit Korean rules. There is a meet on August 6-7th, and now Rowan is practicing her finalized routines. After that it will go to more skill learning, Rowan will have ribbon next year and is excited for that!

On Sundays we drive to Ansan, south of Seoul, for group. Her coach has a group of girls in Ansan who practice just one day a week, for 5 hours. They do individual routines and a group routine. They needed a 6th girl, so Rowan is doing it. It is a cute routine, but boy does Rowan stick out! According to the coach, Rowan is the only foreign girl doing RG on the peninsula. So we are REALLY strange. She will compete with the group at the August meet, too.
WHile Rowan practices in Ansan, the moms sit outside and eat and talk. And eat. And eat. I swear, I don't know how Koreans don't all weigh 900 pounds- they eat SO much!! My head hurts after practice- 5 hours of Korean chit chat is tough! At the last practice (there have only been 3) we started sewing sequins on leotards for the group, in addition to the eating and talking. I am not much of a sewer, but am getting the hang of it!

I don't know why this blurry- I guess my camera setting were all screwed up. Too bad- these are the group girls and the 2 little girls also practice in Ansan though they don't do the group. They range in age from 6 (littlest) to 10. They are very nice and it has been amazing watching Rowan learn a routine in a language she doesn't speak!Its been surprisingly easy.

Rowan and Eunji, who is 6 (7 in Korea). This little girl is SO amazingly hard working! She just practices non-stop the whole 5 hours. She takes her RG very seriously! It is adorable to watch.

Rowan is enjoying it very much here, even though it is really different. I think its going to be an amazing experience for her. She is really brave to take on so much at so young, I am very proud of her. I wouldn't be caught dead getting stretched like that- I would have punched the coach and quit the first day! But she has a really serious drive to do this, so we'll just let her go as far as she can, until it isn't fun any more!

Yongsan Barracudas!

Gryphon has been getting up at the terrible hour of 5 am and going to summer swim team practice with the Yongsan Barracudas. She is happy to be back swimming!
Her first meet was this weekend, against Osan. She did really well- better than we expected after a year off! Here she is waiting for her heat and talking to Katerina.
Breast stroke! Its a 50 meter pool, so different than what she is used to.Longer!
Being monsoon season still, it POURED. But most of the races were done by then, and since they are already wet, they swim anyway as long as there is no thunder or lightning. You just get used to being totally soaked to the skin during monsoon season, whether in the pool or not! Go Gryphon! We're off to Osan for a meet this Saturday, then back here, and the championships are in Taegu the 8th of August. That weekend is also Rowan's first RG meet, and its a huge nation-wide one, so...going to be busy! I have photos of Rowan's gymnastics too, so stay tuned.

A trip to the Seashore!

We got the heck out of Seoul, since the weather has been so nice (still no real monsoon weather!)

In a guide book, I read about an island off the city of Incheon, just outside Seoul, called Muui-Do. So we grabbed our map and set off to find it. Wow- I am so glad we did! We took a ferry across a small straight, to the tiny island. The beach we went to, Hanagae, was wide and sandy and shallow, but also had great tide pools. I ate some lunch (see the photos!!) and then we played at the beach until the late afternoon.

Then we drove around the rest of the island, down little country lanes, past tile roofed houses with courtyards and kimchi pots. SO cool!! The small town at the far end of the island had a large breakwater we walked along, and a view of more tiny rugged islands in the distance.

Then we took the ferry back to the mainland, but as it was dinner time, stopped to eat. We found a seaside restaurant in the woods, with colored lights and a huge dinner of clams, oysters, fish stew and noodle soup. I cannot figure out how Korean eat SO MUCH, we always have ton of food left over. Gryphon chowed down on the seafood, and Rowan bravely tried a few clams but stuck to noodles and vegetables mostly. Then it was back into the big city!

Fun in Korea (some random stuff)

Mark and I went on a real live date today, the first in...well, a really LONG time! We went to Namdaemun and went shopping for some umbrellas and rain gear, monsoon season is upon us.

After shopping, we went to one of our favorite things about Korea- above-the-street coffee shops. We had our first date in one, waaayyyy back when.I had ginseng tea, so yummy. Mark had a Coke. SO American of him.

The view of people walking along the market below us.

This photo is for Grammy and Papa, its an IGA!! Grammy, you can send Papa to the store, even in Seoul!
Beautiful jars of ginseng in the oriental medicine area of the market. We never did find "camera alley", which is on my list to visit and try to pick up a used lens or 6.
Another thing we went to Namdaemun for- cheap obnoxious matching shirts. This won't make much sense to any of you, I wish I'd planned better and had a photo to illustrate this. But, Korean couples (young ones anyway) dress alike. Yes, both the girl and the boy wear an obnoxious t shirt, often pink or with mickey mouse, or some random English on it. It is hilarious and totally bizarre. Soooo...we were going out to eat with our friend Kee, who is easily embarrassed, and couldn't think of a nicer surprise than showing up dressed like this. He was thrilled. Also, he refused to walk with us until we changed (he's Korean American so he has the advantage of blending in around here). Totally breaking these shirts out another day, they ROCK.

Taekwondo and gymnastics photos coming soon! Happy 4th to everyone!!

A bus tour trip through Seoul

Thanks to the awesome USO on Yongsan, we got to take a fun trip around Seoul last weekend. It started on Yongsan, in a big Korean tour bus. They are fun, they have curtains and TVs and cupholders. The girls were thrilled.

First stop was a cruise boat on the Han River. The Han divides Seoul, and is crisscrossed by bridges. (16 maybe? I forget!) The weather was really perfect, and it was fun to float along past reedy islands, cranes, and of course the great big city and its bridges.

Then it was back on the bus to the Coex mall, Asia's biggest. We ate lunch first at a shudderingly-dreadful "fusion" restaurant. It was free, so I ought not complain, but...trust me, do not, under any circumstances, eat pasta or pizza in Korea. It is just not.the.same. Korean food is wonderful, there are so many dishes you could never try them all, so trust me, stick to that!!! American food done Korean style is...not so good.

The mall is home to our next stop, the aquarium. It was your usual aquarium, but they had Korean fish, which was very interesting for us, who knew nothing of Korea's fish! And also a display of strange objects used as fish tanks- refrigerators, a toilet, a sink, and so on. The kids really enjoyed it.

Last we drove to a martial arts/comedy type play. It was pretty much wordless, making for no language difficulties. It was SO cool!! The actors were hilarious, it had audience participation, just really neat. The martial arts/acrobatics was neat, too.

So thank you, USO, for a really fun day!

And now, some good news...

I was runner up for a contest run weekly on a Flickr group called Seoul Photo Club, and my photo got published in the Korea Herald!

I have been admiring this Flickr group for a long time- a year or more. And once we moved here, I thought maybe I'd add to the pool, but gosh, the photos are soooo good. I worked up my courage though, and posted just one, the picture of Rowan dressign in hanbok at the traditional village. Not the most technically great photo, but I thought the subject matter made it interesting. They thought so, too!! Still, I was horribly embarassed my on-camera-flash, quickie snapshot won. (If you go check out the photo pool, you willsee that this is NOT false modesty on my part- these people totally rock the photography!)

It was neat the photo was of one of the kids, but I missed getting a copy of the paper due to all the Cleo-butt-cancer craziness. Never fear, I found one in the sad, empty little Hannam Village library. They archive them after a week in a cupboard full of yellowing newspapers from God only knows when. I am pretty sure this particular Wednesday edition will not make it to the cupboard. Shhhhhh!

More photos, and some rather suckish news

These photos are from Changdok palace, one of the largest palaces in Seoul (there are about a gazillion.) We had to go on a guided tour, when last I was here they let you wander at will but no longer, so the photos are sort of ...eh. Too many people (like about 50 in our tour alone) and not enough time!!! The pand and pagoda pictures are from the area behind it, a royal garden that is one of my all time favorite places in Korea.





So okay, after you've perused lovely photos of Changdok palace and the "Secret Garden" behind it, I've got some bad news.

Cleo has cancer. :(

Its inoperable, its a rare cancer and its all around her butt. We thought it was a swollen gland, but when I took her in to get it looked at, they said cancer. I've had her out to Seoul University Vet School, and they unfortunately concur. They can replace a dogs organs and clone it out there (for serious!), but they can't do anything for poor old Cleo. No butt transplants have yet been perfected, and its spread, besides. We aren't real keen on radiation or chemo, for a dog, especially *our* dog, who would not understand or enjoy going through that. So its to hell with the diet, lots of food and love, and we'll enjoy whatever time we have. I take her back Wednesday and should hopefully know more about what to expect as far as time then. Prayers are always appreciated, I'm sure you all know how much Cleo means to us.

Insadong

Last weekend we went to Insadong, an area of traditional homes and building in Seoul. It was SO cool to see all the tile rooflines and little beautiful courtyards.
Kimchi pots- you know I love them!!!
We ate lunch at a fabulous restaurant inside a traditional home. It had a wonderful courtyard with fish and flowers, and paper doors and windows, and the MOST beautiful old wooden floors you ever saw. We ate on the floor, and had the traditional Korean meal.
It came with a gazillion side dishes, including dough porridge I had always wanted to try. We also ordered a seafood pancake for Gryphon, who loves all Korean pancakes and soups! Mark liked the fish. (It was yummy- just smoked fish!)
The stone gate at the front of the restaurant- no idea what it says as my knowledge of Chinese characters is virtually zero now. Well, I know numbers, and person and mountain, but that's it!!
The outside of the restaurant.


Mark and the girls wandering down one of Insadong's twisted alleys. I guess I have a thing for walking pictures!!

Skype

Skype is a *free* video call service we have been using to talk to our friends and relatives in the US since moving here. It is easy to use, all you need is a webcam and microphon (most laptops have these built in now) and did I mention its FREE???

Here are the girls Skype-ing with Olga and Val.They love to talk to their friends about Webkinz and DS games! Good thing it's, you know, FREE!!

I'm Cami Beaudry on Skype, look us up!!

Mountain hiking

We went hiking last weekend, but I haven't had time to get the photos up until now. AT this moment I am waiting for the household goods to arrive (they are late!!) and annoyed, so I decided to get these up to take my mind off it!

Bukhansan National Park is mountain range north of Seoul (Buk means north,Han means river, San means mountain). One of the mountains in the park is Tobongsan, where Mark and I used to go and hike on weekends. Now, hiking in Korea is not like hiking in say, Washington. There are hordes of people, for one thing. Also open air restaurants and snack stands all the way up, and tiny jewel like temples tucked into the gullies. Korean take hiking very seriously, and dress in hiking clothes and carry hiking poles and whatnot.

I finally got to buy an item I have long coveted- a scarf map of the park!! It has all the trails, temples and mountains on it. Sooo cool, I always wanted one.

The area has grown up since I was last there- far more building line the entrance street, a school that was in the boundaries of the park gone, far more people. But many things are the same- the beautiful temple complex at the bottom, the snacks sold (dried squid, Gryphon's favorite), the quiet(ish) streams, beautiful rocks and amazing views.

I am sure there will be many, many more mountain photos to come. We took the wrong path, and instead of sort of strolling up (what I remember) to the awesome rock outcropping and temple at the top, we found ourselves scrambling up rocks. I am not a fan of heights, so I was not so happy. Of course 78 year old women kept passing us, so it couldn't have been *too* hairy a climb, but then again, old women in Korea are awfully tough! SO we didn't get to the top on that path. Another day we'll go and get there.

If you click on the Flickr link for the slideshow and watch it on Flickr, you can hit "show info" and then the captions of the photos will appear. Or you can just look at the photos on the blog.

Korean Traditional Village

We got up and were sick of staying home, so we headed out, just the girls and I, to Namsan Traditional Korean Village.

It was SO COOL.

They moved several tradtional buildings and homes, including a Queen's residence, to an area south of Namsan Mountain. They put on performances, have traditional craft demonstrations, and altogether it is just a gorgeous little jewel in the middle of Seoul.

Watch the slideshow for lots of great photos! Be sure to hit the "show info" button, and it will give a description of what the photos are.

Happy Birthday to Gryphon!

Gryphon turned 11 on (our) Saturday, and the day started with a Hogwarts letter! Then it was off to Lotte World, Seoul's version of Disneyland.

Lotte World is a big mostly indoor amusement park, with mascots that are bears(?). It was crowded, but very fun!The balloon ride goes along the ceiling, high above the park. Sort of scary high, actually!!There is also a bowling alley, a movie theater,a swimming pool and an ice rink in the Lotte World complex, along with a mall!

The bridge to the outdoor part, Magic Island. Hmmm, where *have* I seen that castle before??

We opted to skip the peanut roasted squid, and instead were just tickled pink they had...
CHURROS!! A little taste of home!

We were at rest because of this sign.

Gryphon had a great day, hard to believe she is 11!!