Gyeongbokgung palace

Today thanks to my lovely husband I got to go out and explore, WITHOUT the kids. So with new friends Kimberly, Milana, Erin and her husband Paul we went to Gyeonbokgung Palace. We took the subway there and was very happy to find out we only had to change trains once so it was less than an hour away.

Us with our tour guides.

We arrived at the subway station to be greeted by a bunch of middle school students that were acting as free tour guides. So we said sure we would love a free tour around the palace. Our guides Brian was in 8th Grade and our Jason (I think) was in 6th grade.  They did a fantastic job, gave us lots of interesting facts about the Palace we would not known otherwise. I really cant imagine me in the 6th grade giving up my Saturday to give a bunch of strangers a tour around a Palace in another language. They did think we were different to the other tourist they had, more into the details of things they thought.
The Palace was really cool, lots of people (well until it started to rain AGAIN). Brian our tour guide did get slightly concerned when it started to rain, and we asked him if he knew about the Typhoon expected on Monday. He was quite shocked by this news and was concerned because he would have to go to school. At KIS they might cancel school for the day (to be made up on a Saturday) and when we asked if they might cancel school for him his answer was NO, trees could be broken, roads flooded there would still be school. That is the Korean attitude to school though, most kids will finish there normal school day then go to another school, and also so some school on the weekends. For example our tour guides above, practicing their English skills showing tourist around.
The Palace cost less than $3, it was huge. We did not see all of it you could easily spend all day there as well as in the attached museum. Anyway here are some photos.

And my last couple of photos for today, just some cute or odd things from around my dong (neighborhood)

Chocoseum - to get your Culture and Chocolate hit all in one

looking for the pots on the roof, they are for your kimchi.

Markets, starting school, and new friends

Starting off with two apologies, one for the 4th of August was my last post (slack I know). Secondly for photo quality, we have been taking our little point and shoot with us and it really takes BAD photos.  Once we get our ARC (alien registration card) we will be able to get a new iphone then I will have a better smaller camera option.

Connor in his new Classroom

Since my last post school has started for Connor, Olivia will have to start later. She just turned 3 before we left and we have not potty trained her yet. Not thinking it would be a huge problem had her enrolled to start school with Connor. Two days before school started we got told she would have to be fully potty trained before starting. So long story short Liv gets to stay home with me for a bit longer, this is both a good and bad thing for me depending on the day. 

rock climbing wall

where Connor eats lunch every day, he tends to pick the western menu over the Korean Menu.

school pool

school gym

an view of part of the school

Connor is loving his new class and his teacher Ms Narsai, Starting to make some new friends. A couple of the staff kids are in one of the first grade class as well.

having a swim at school

On my last day home by myself I headed down to the Moran market, I had been wanting to go since we moved here. They only open every 5 days so finally I had the chance to go so I went. When we moved to Korea, I knew that they ate dog and I might see that at some markets. However this market was on my little tourist map so I thought it would be a safe one to visit. I made the very big mistake of walking down the first isle. The first cage of dogs I saw I thought was a little odd, to be selling older dogs I wondered why. Then it click when I noticed all the cages alongside other livestock, a butchering service and freshly butchered meat. By this stage I was starting to feel quite ill, and was very glad I had not eaten or brought the kids with.

dogs waiting....

I soon departed this area and explore the rest of the market which was full of people selling fresh fruit and veg, clothes and all sorts of lovely things I was hoping to see at the market. I however was still feeling very sick from the sights I had seen in the first isle and did not stay long or purchase anything. Since then I have been having real trouble purchasing or eating meat. I am pretty sure I am not going to return to this market or if I do not go back down that first isle. I borrowed this photo for google images because I did not take my camera out. I was not sure if I was even going to blog about this adventure because I did not want to highlight the negatives of Korea, but in the end I decided I should share both sides. If you want to see more on what they do at the Moran markets google it.


Yesterday Connor was invited to his first birthday party here, his little Aussie buddy from school little brother was turning 5 and they invited all of us along. It was held at little prince play cafe, I think we will have Connors birthday there. They have lots of these play cafes all over Seoul, they are great. You pay your $7 and the kids play you drink your coffee, total sanity breaks. They have staff on the floor keeping an eye on the kids, and there are cctv cameras every where with tv screens up where the parents sit so you can keep and eye on your child.
After the party we stopped of at Mcdonalds for lunch, was also a little bit of a bribe to get the kids to leave the play cafe.

sit back relax, and watch your kids play.

the long ride up from the subway.

After we go home and Olivia had a nap we were of again, this time out for dinner with old friends from Roxby. Art was having a department dinner at the Summerton's apartment, lots of drinks YUMMY currys and great company. Was nice to have a night out like that made me feel like we were back home in Roxby.
Anyway thats all for today, my last photo is of the walking trail I take Molly on walks for 2 or 3 times a day.

2 1/2 weeks down, only been lost once..

I am doing good, 2 and a half weeks and I have only been lost once. That was when I went into Seoul to get my passport at the Australian embassy, I was comparing google maps which is in Korean to my subway map in English. Anyway the stop that I thought was the right one that gets out right at the embassy was not the right one, so I got to spend and hour wondering around Seoul. I think I was just at the point where I might cry when I found a tourist information booth and they gave me a lovely map and pointed me in the right direction. So from now on when I am headed into Seoul I will consult my lovely map that is ALL in English instead of trying to compare the English subway map against the Korean google map. Stumble across a few things that I want to go back and see when I have more time. Wish I had of taken the camera with, lots of cool things to take photos of.

Pizza come tied up in a bow!

Art picked this up at the store, was with the Milk so thought is was Cherry Milk. Was juice.

Serving suggestions include; with cereal, in a stir fry, or fruit. Connor thought it was very tasty.

We needed a drink so Art thought to give this a try, seems popular here. NOT good, tastes like gin. We have been told we are drinking it wrong, meant to slam it down and follow with a beer chaser. 

We have been out to eat a couple of times this last week with people from KIS, last Friday to a Korean BBQ down the street. Was very tasty, and nice price all you can eat for less than $11 and the kids cheaper. You pick all the sides you want from the salad bar, choose your meat and cook it at the little BBQ at your table. Yummo, hopefully next time the kids will be in a little better mood and we wont have to leave so early. Last night we were picked up in the school bus and taken I have no idea where to "Gecko's Korea" a nice bar style restaurant, HUGE beers and yummy food. Meet lots of nice people from the school, then was driven home in style on the school bus.

Art at the Korean BBQ

View from Gecko's Korea.

Crossing the bridge from the subway station to the pool

There are lots of little free swimming pools around the area which is GREAT in this heat, I showed you photos of the water fountain last week, this week we caught a train to Jeongja station. Where we this great little FREE pool was just outside. Was on the weekend so was a bit crazy with people, but the kids got to have a splash. Lots of Korean kids wanted to practice their English on us, was very cute.

Us waiting for our train

On Tuesday we head out to the COEX mall which has a movie theater and an aquarium. Like most places here it was CRAZY busy, thought it should not have been so bad seen it was a weekday. But they had lots of cool stuff, like sharks and giant sea turtle. A section on the amazon which I really liked.

Anyway has been a fun week, Art has started back at work. So far he is enjoying the great school, fantastic gadgets and very supportive staff.