Sunday, September 28, 2008

지리산 (Jiri-san) Pt. 2


I like rocks!


Washing feet after a long hike


It's a little blurry, but this is the trail we followed last time that led to nowhere land


From atop



Nap time:)


Self-portrait


Cliche


Mmmmm snacks :-D



The clouds looked really awesome



The steep trail


More nap time:)





Only serious hikers have walking poles....wait no just all the Koreans! haha!


About 1/2 way up





Pretty flowers





The first snack time:)

Try number two. If you recall a couple of weeks ago we attempted to climb Jiri-san. It didn't really work out for us. So, yesterday we headed off again. This time we left the dog at home and followed the path that everyone was on. Let me just say it's a tough hike. It is the second tallest mountain in South Korea and the largest on the main land. There is another peak on the island called Jeju that is the tallest, we hope to go there one day. It was a cloudy day but not raining yay! It also turned cold on Friday so the bike ride there was quite chilly. Once at the mountain though we warmed up right away. Most of the hike feels like it's straight up. We only took a couple of breaks but because we got such a late start (we didn't leave home until 1pm) we didn't get to a good lookout until 4pm. We stopped there and relaxed and ate a snack. We didn't want to have to hike down in the dark so we decided not to continue to the top and headed back down the mountain. The way up was tough but at least you can take your time, the way down was sooooooo hard, you can't really stop too much because it's so steep. Not even halfway down both mine and Mike's legs were shaking with overuse, or maybe because we're out of shape. It only took about 1 hour to get down (2 hours up) which was good because that meant part of our ride home was in the light. It was very challenging but very worth it. Needless to say we will be going back again to try and make it to the very top, the trilogy will be here soon, hehe!

Tuesday, September 23, 2008

Weekend Update

Martin (he makes some of the best drummer faces)
The band

Jam Mikey Jam!

Another uneventful weekend has passed.  Saturday we went to lunch at a friend's house and then went to another friend's going away party.  Mike played the guitar with a couple of people, a cover of the band "Flight of the Concords".  The two guys who sing are from New Zealand so it sound really good.  The one guy is leaving to travel and then head back to NZ. Sunday we were supposed to go to Hadong for a flower festival but it rained, a lot, so we stayed in and did nothing.

We found out that we may be leaving 1 month earlier, the end of February so from now on we must have eventful weekends.  We are not sure why it will be this way, but we were talking to our bosses the other day and I asked when we would be leaving, assuming it would be the end of March or April 2nd the latest, because that is when our Visa expires.  They said that we could just leave at the end of February even though we said we would stay til March.  Oh well, we'll see what happens.

Mike playing, the quality is not the best, but you get the idea:)

Monday, September 15, 2008

Randoms

From the trails near our house

You can't tell me he's not cute!

Giant centipede AHHHHH!

Ice Cream Monsters!

My new bag from Vietnam (made in Thailand haha)

Ruthy, our new friend who we inspired to come to Jinju after reading our blog!!!!

The one lone picture from Jiri-san

Trails near our apartment

The past couple of days has been quite relaxing.  We were going to go to Ulleong-do an island off the east coast of Korea but our co-workers warned us about the traffic, so we decided to go another weekend.  

Saturday we lounged around (I slept most of the day) then we took a late afternoon drive to the beach.  By the time we got their all of our friends were leaving.  So, we walked down the beach a bit Samjin and I fell in the water, I lost my sunglasses in the water and then miraculously found them then my arms and neck started to break out in some sort of rash.  Needless to say we were there for less than an hour before heading back.  

Sunday was another day of lounging in the morning.  During the afternoon we met up with a bunch of people to play soccer.  They are all really good and I am not, but it was still fun.  Mike twisted his ankle and had to sit out the second half.  I must be getting old and out of shape because my body hurts today.  

Today has also been a lazy day, in a few hours we will head to our co-workers house for a small Chuseok celebration and then to Jam Bar where Mike and some fellow musicians will jam out.

Oh and for anyone who doesn't know Mike is an Uncle!!! Wooohooo! Baby Christopher Daniel Lupo was born on Thursday September 11th at 7:17pm.  Congratulations to Chris and Courtney we wish we could be there to meet him!

Here are some random pictures from recent times.

Thursday, September 11, 2008

추석 and Presents!

Monday is a holiday!추석 (chooseok) It's like a Korean thanksgiving, a day to honor your ancestors and such.  The date of the holiday is based off of the Lunar calendar, it is the 8th month on the 15th day.  Normally we would have at least 2 days off possibly 3 but because of the way it falls this year we only get one:( However, our director got us all gifts Mike and I (and all the other teachers) got a Pantein Pro-V gift set, it has shampoo, conditioner, soap and toothbrushes. Getting shampoo is apparently a standard gift for this holiday.  Needless to say I think we are set for the next 7 months and won't need to buy any of that stuff and we will probably have some left over (maybe I will even start showering everyday! hmmm, haha!).  

Tuesday, September 9, 2008

New Classes

So, today was the start of our morning adult classes.  I teach from 10-12 and Mike teaches from 11-1230.  I teach mostly business men and university students and Mike teaches Moms.  It's definitely weird to teach a class of people that are older than me when I feel like I really don't know what's going on.  It was ok for the most part but the schedule will definitely stink.  

Last night we had lots of fun.  The University had a festival for the freshmen I guess.  Basically all the incoming freshmen classes had to perform some dances and some skits and then the upper class men vote on the best performance.  After the dancing each class (different majors) set up tents where they serve food and drink.  We hung out with a bunch of the TAs that we worked with in the summer camp.  It was good to see them and we got to know some of them a little better.  We brought Samjin and he was a HUGE hit, hehe:)

Sunday, September 7, 2008

Jirisan

I had finished reading the "Dharma Bums" by Jack Kerouac; a 1950s true-life novel about adventures of cross country travel and mountain climbing; after which I exclaimed "Let's go camping!"

Our plan was designated for Saturday, September 6th. That day, the only cloudy day all week, found our motorcycle roaring down route 3 and route 20 en-route to Jirisan; the second highest peak in the Korean peninsula. On our journey there it started to speckle rain down on our helmet views and camp packings. The tent flew off the back at one point from the bungees thoroughly ruining itself. (I couldn't think of any way to scold the soft fibrous nylon). 

Finally we made it. I was cold as hell in t-shirt and rain, still basking in the fading summer clime. We parked the bike up this windy road where the true entrance was to this sacred park. Boom. Loud clapping dancing rain. Poncho purchase at a nearby shop. Gear ready, dog in tow, approach the entrance; No dogs allowed! Now here is a funny predicament we mused; after all this way with dog in tow, purchasing ponchos we still can't get on any trail because of our dog?

We lamented in a parking facility staying dry. Do we go back, do we wait? We knew camping was out. I took myself and a poncho out for a douse, around this back way where the governing house wouldn't see me. It was wet and gray, and I was alone, but lo-and behold I found alittle marked trail. 

Lucky us it connected with the rest of the park, and we found ourselves journeying through wet dense forest track. Beside us was this huge rocky river downstream. The rocks were glacial. Just huge. It was like a mountain artery. Reds and brown all slippery in the rain. 

So we marched on along until the trail fanned out farther into the woods. It was raining all this time. We did an up hill pine pass that seemed ancient (besides the path) then continued for a long while through a wet and leafy trail that consisted of grassy bamboo. 

My pants were thoroughly soaked through. Shoes muddy. Eyes and mind doubtful of reward. Where was this hike leading us? Surely, we both knew not the peak. The trail we snuck to was not some adventurous peak-seeking stairway, but instead an unkempt mountain river by-way.

We scoffed it, took the dog off the leash and went to the beautiful downhill river of giant rock, that flanked our right side to eat some snack.

We rested, ate, and played in the rain. Samjin; our little dog is basically a cat; he can never fall to his death.

After eating, we knew that we could just follow the river down to our starting point. Since the way there wasn't so nice we figured we'd take the rocky way down. 

The rocks are gianourmous pieces of earth. All of the pieces fit well in this downward puzzle of endless water. Shaped by endless waterfall lashings, all the rocks work together to create a labyrinth of hazards.  This is not a trial, trail, or some safe walk in the rain.

Anyway we were making our way down, witnessing pretty ponds of stopped raging water, giant rocks and general cloud scenery. Slippery climbs downward, keeping the dog in check, carrying him when necessary. 

Most of the way down Samjin found his own feet, but there came a particular rock that was so long and mossy and slippery wet that the three of us decided to skirt the top. We were closest to the wood-line, considering a way past when Samjin decided to nose down to the  edge. 

It was simply to wet and slippery. There was no getting him without falling over the edge. There was no coming back. After several minutes he made a valiant attempt but went slipping down back to the edge he went over. 

Horrified, I slid down another side to see just where the dog landed. When I reached the basin I found him, kicking his head above water (doesn't know how to swim) and was relieved for water to have found him. He dropped about 15 feet into a crystal clear pond!! I walked in to retrieve him. 

Icy cold now, fresh wet and wind swept from mountain air.  We hung out a bit to let the drama pass then continued on.

We got off the rocky down-mountain stream because my nerves were shattered so we headed back into the woods to follow some powerlines back to civilization.

Along that "trail" was some damning moments that may only go down in the archives of my consciousness but eventually we made it back to THE trail and got on that bike and dried ourselves off in the wind on our ride home.

Of course, not the way to do Jirisan. We'll be back. 

















My Dog is Not an Ambiturner

As I was playing with Samjin the other day I realized that he is not an ambiturner, he cannot turn left, or he can but it's much more difficult. How sad for him, hahahaha! Perhaps we will practice.

Thursday, September 4, 2008

A few more 'Nam Pictures

Drying fish for fish sauce....mmmm how smelly!

I bet he can fit more on that bike!

Home for 1 week:)

Mmmmm banana leaves for a banana!

Enjoying the hat:)

Sunrise and an early morning swim

Sunrise

The dunes

I'm special;)

Cow crossing

More dunes



Attack!

Crabby dinner!