heart attack

So in the space of 24 hours I nearly had two heart attacks...

First, driving around on my bike to a coffee date I ran into my first roadblock.
Not having a bike license, I immediately broke out a sweat. I felt my heart pounding in my chest."What is jail like in South Korea?" was my first thought. I don't know, and I really did not want to find out. The evil karate cop with his tiny eyes, looking scary at me, stopped me for a Breathalyzer. Everyone blowing on the same breathalyzer?? hell no!! as the tae kwando chop cop stopped me, i was planning a hit and run... hit the cop with the helmet and run as far as i could!!!

all i could get out was...

"Ain't no way I'm blowing on that..."
don't know who got the bigger fright, me? or the cop?

Way to much english for a Korean cop and he ended up waving his funny yellow glowing ching chong cha stick saying "go!go!go!"....

Way to close to jail!!! hhahaha

That was heart attack number 1.
So for heart attack number two its a whole different story.

I nearly died of an amazing heart attack after I had my first bite of SKIPPY extra crunchy peanut butter in about 7 months time...  It was to die for!! Never thought i would miss it this much.  But theres little in life that can replace Skippy peanut butter. All i can say is...OH KOREA

Mexican in Korea

So you'd think to yourself what does South Korea, Mexico, America and Souh Africa have in common? I would like to say they are planning to take over to world but no instead this combination gives you the perfect lunch!!! 

How on earth you might wonder?

Well Friday during class I (South African) got this random message from my 2 stunning American friends (Alisha and Beka) asking me if I would like to join them on a trip to Busan (its the second biggest city in South Korea) to go find this Mexican restuarant down in Heaundae beach. 

Now you just need to say Heaundae beach and I'm in. And a new thing I learned was that the Americans are VERY passionate about their mexican food. Maybe its just because we have like NO mexicans in South Africa but they where shocked when they found that I do not really know Mexican food that well.

So we jumped on a bus for over an hour for mexican food -very passionate indeed- and with the help of Chelsea's good directions (another American) and Beka's perfect senses tuned into to finding a yellow sign, we found it!

It was a cute little restuarant with these posties all over the wall of people around the world that have visited it before. 

So ofcourse we had to make our own.

Then it came to  the food! (I totally get  why they are made about Mexican food). We decided  to have a starter first. And the choice was fresh gaucamole with nachos. And it was amazing!!! That avocado was perfect. By nature (since moving to korea) I had to add some spice. Good old fasioned Tabasco.

 As if the guacamole and nochos weren't enough! We had burrito's as our main! I ended up choosing a chicken burrito. And I couldn't help but finishing this brilliant meal off with a Corona (mexican beer? - I think-).

We had to finish the day of with a view of the beach. All and all it was a fun day out with my new friends. I am so looking up mexican food when I'm back in SA. And ok, the Americans? not that bad, at all!

Marli in Korea

Ok for some insane reason –it never happens to me- have I been either way to busy or way to lazy to blog. I think it might be the second one but lets ignore it. Look at the positive, I could have been lazy and busy together.

So many things have happened since my last blog, but most special, my dear friend Marli came to visit.

 It was probably the longest trip to the airport as I have been waiting for this day from my first day in Korea! And what an awesome feeling it was seeing her arrive and walking through those gates! We stayed in the most dodgy motel ever but perfect location.

 Had a 5 star, 5 course meal up in Seoul tour! The view, indescribable. Then hit Seoul Sunday morning, walking the streets of Myeongdong, Seoul plaza, Seoul underground shopping and visited a historical sight, all being soaking wet. 

Not even the rain could stop us. Finally, exhausted and wet made our way to the Nambu bus station at 6 to find the busses are all sold out until 12!! So we ended up spending about 5 and a half hours in a coffee shop….

We managed to go to Oede Island! A first time for me as well. The scenery was breath taking, the creativity astonishing and the boat ride CRAZY. First we had to deal with the ajuma’s all eating dried out octopus, then falling asleep falling all over the place, and then we were lucky enough to see them all get sick on the boat as well! Senior citizens in Korea = weird!!!!

We were also amazed by the driving skills of the captain; he takes you right into this small cave in the rocks!! You can touch the rocks on the sides of the boat, and then he backs out of the cave again, with waves coming in! Was way cool!

The weekend we hit Busan! I do love Busan! Biff shopping area, even found a hang ten store. Went to jagalchi fish market (something like the biggest fish market in the world I think) then Heaundae beach. We took a boat ride out, went to the aquarium. Had beer on the beach. Had a big motel room and just all in all Busan was an awesome place to hang out!

Two weeks came to an end way to soon! Most difficult part was to say goodbye to a truly loved and adored friend.

 6 months and we will meet up again! Miss you already! Than you for allowing me to share Korea with you! 

change for the good??

So I know we all have a certain perspective of a country or culture, lions in Africa, junk food in America, tea in England and I can go on. And it is not always the wrong impression. I had a certain impression of South Korea before a came.

I always thought of the Koreans as a respectable society. Their discipline in whatever they do is astonishing, their sense of perfection in the smallest detail is admirable, their education system to the point of extreme and the gentle bow to greet, makes you feel more welcome than any HI or HALLO will ever be able to do in a western society. They are remarkable people, who, officially still at war, dedicate their lives to their families, culture and religion.

But now the dedication has sifted. Westernization is the main goal as far as I am concerned.

So I sit and wonder, if the consequences of such change have been taken into account.

IS WESTERN BETTER?

They are bring up a generation of McDonalds, Kpop and Male Louis Vuitton handbag fans. Of men with with tights and girls in coffee shops (no offence if you do enjoy any of the previously mentioned.) As westernization starts to filter even into the smaller regions of the country I cannot but wonder if the change is worth it. Where is the bowing?  The two hand greet? The utter dedication to the perfection of a single rice crop?

Do not get me wrong, 'n am an optimist, and fully believe in change. But to what extend?
Is the live of a business man in Seoul so much more complete than the peaceful farmer with his donkey?

So I am finally finding out what it means to miss home.

 It has got nothing to do with the building structure I grew up in but the fact that my parents do not look more happy anywhere else in the world but in that house. 

That my best girlfriend is sleeping in my bed because she misses me that much and I cannot be there to join the pajama part. 

That my best guy friend is sleeping on my 4 year old nephew’s bed and I envy him. I know I miss them because I burst out in tears when I saw my granny. 

Because it seems my brother is becoming a man and I am missing it.

All I actually wanted to say is that between the ski resorts, Busan trips, Seoul adventures and even Bali vacations there is still only one thing that I crave, and that is my family.

Miss you guys so much.

Cherry Blossoms!

My friends (2 couples from the states) invited me to go with them to Jinhae to the cherry blossom Festival 2012. So excited since I thought I might miss seeing the cherry blossoms and there have been much talk about these cherry blossom trees. As a South African I have not seen them. Maybe they are in SA, I just never took notice.

Shame what good friends, the squeezed in, in the back to make space for me.
From left is Amanda Grove, Chelsea Diamond and myself. On your way to Busan.

Costco inside

Just thought it was funny how they
tied the fish up together.

So in the car (6.40 is very early….) we jetted of to Busan first for a very imported stop. Costco. Wanted to be there nice and early to miss the masses. In south Africa terms, it is very similar to our Macro stores. Where you can buy produce on large scale.  Ready to shop at 9, we found out the store only opens at 10!!! No reason, just changed the time….. so we ended having to kill time. I guess the early bird forgot the worm might still be sleeping. Wish I had budgeted to do groceries there. First place I have seen where I would dare to buy any red meat. Also, they had these amazing hot dogs and cola for 2$. Absolutely delicious. It seemed as if Derik enjoyed a lot. Funny how out of everything you could possibly by i walked out with a bottle of red wine. Somethings will just never change.

Streets of Jinhae

Then the long drive to Jinhae began. The drive was beautiful, with Cherry blossoms all along the road. We took a chance and hope that they were in full bloom. Luckily for us a lot of the trees were in full bloom. There are different shades of cherry blossoms. A pinkish, light purple blossom or a white blossom. I fell in love with the white blossoms. The bigger the trees, the more amazing it looked. As you drive down the town area of Jinhae its just cherry blossom trees everywhere.

Chelsea and I in the cherry blossom spirit

Street with stream in the middle and the
wooden walk way on both sides

Same stream but from down
below.

This is us just trying to get some shots of
the stream.

On the dech trying to take my picture
 without  someone stealing my spot

Just walking around Jinhae

We came to the festival area and there were so many people. Koreans as well as foreigners. Everyone trying to get the perfect shot of the cherry blossoms. The festival was this two sided street up the hill with a stream running in the middle of the 2 roads. It had a beautiful wooden walk way all along the stream with the cherry blossoms hanging over the stream. 

Only problem was there were

Amazing waffles!

 so many people so had to 

kind of push your way into taking a photo, and even then you had to 

wait for people to pass or ignore 

the idiot pushing you on the side.

We wanted to take a picture of all 5 of us in the shot so Jeremy would let the Koreans just walk past us and look at their cameras. When he saw a couple with a professional looking camera he stopped them and asked to take our picture. Then suddenly this random korean guy jumped into the shot and just wanted to take a photo with foreigners. SO weird!

One option was whale meat

Now I have to mention the amazing street food we ate. It as a waffle folded in two with cream and strawberry/blackberry jam in the middle. It was to die for. But there many other things you could also eat. Now

Koreans can build a little restaurant just where ever they want to. Fold up chairs, tents and tables and you have yourself a Korean restaurant. Many of the menu's also comes with pictures. The down side of that is you know exactly what you are eating. I have heard of many weird things you can eat in Korean but have not yet seen any of these so called crazy foods. Until this festival. If the little feet on the larvae they sell you do not freak you out, their smell will definitely. Or the big being BBQ in the middle of the street with the feet and head as additional snack. 

Beautiful view going up the stairs

But the craziest and saddest thing i saw 

at this festival was the whale you could eat.

The chunks of whale meat and fin could be seen from the street into the movable restaurant. Needless to say, i did not try the whale.  

There was another street filled with vending shops and street food and just silly things you could buy. There streets bike you could hire to drive around and do sight seeing 

and then at the end of your trip you just return the bike. With a lot of people making their way up and down the street. We decided to go up to the tower looking out on Jinhae. 

The only problem was you had to climb 365 stairs. One for each day. Up the hill. But the surroundings were beautiful and the climb quick. Then we had to climb another 8 floors stairs up the tower. But worth every step as the view on top was unbelievable.

So the view from the top of the tower was beautiful. The tower is designed that on each floor you can walk in a circle and get a 360 degree view of Jinhae. Definitely worth the stairs we had to climb. Coming down Jeremy and Derik found these hoola hoops. Unfortunately I don't have the pics to show, but it was hilarious to see these guys move there hips to get these hoola hoops swinging. 

Exhausted we made our way back to the car. Felt bad for Jeremy having to drive back as us girls got a  nap in at the back. It was a lovely day all in all and i love seeing all the different places Korea has to over. Loving the festivals and love sharing it with awesome friends.

I just realized again that God is amazing as He made every little single little pedal, every little flower, every tree and every person looking at these flower. What a blessing to see His wonder.