I'm in a PC bang -- that is internet cafe, but Koreans laugh at that term -- called Star Wars. It is bowling-alley smokey and the lighting is very blue.
Tomorrow I'll probably be climbing Seoraksan with my brother who is in town. And this weekend more friends are flying in and it should be a fun-marathon. A fun-athon.
Also, Thailand and Laos soon. And then back to Canada. I'll also post some photos from the Jisan Rock festival from last weekend.
And I had my first kimchi-cheese-rice thing today, and... it was... kinda delicious.
Also, Michael Jackson died, eh? H1N1. Obama.
Et cetera. That covers EVERYTHING.
These are the mud flats in Incheon. Strange to think that this alien landscape is so close to where we live. I basically only see it on the way to and from the airport. Pretty, no?
Anyhow, this weekend we traveled a bit further for some mud, taking a two-hour bus ride South to Boryeong for their annual Mud Festival. The "high quality sea mud" is said to be rich in minerals and good for skin, which is enough reason for thousands of people to slather up and party every year. And so we did.
The first thing we encountered was a water-park called "Filland" -- enticing, but we skipped it and proceeded to Boryeong Beach instead.
We heard tell that the Mud Fest attracts mostly meat-head foreigners who get drunk and act like fools. We had apprehensions. But on the weekend of our visit the meat-head quotient was low. Korean families and a sprinkling of expats were enjoying the activities alike.
I left my camera in a locker and got muddy.
Then we got cleaned up and ready for Saturday night's "hip hop concert and global rave". The weather was intense! We danced on the beach in a rainstorm by the tumultuous ocean, eerily illuminated by the concert lighting. Later we moved towards the stage and joined the crowd where DJ Foreplay (DJ 4Play?) dropped a Billie Jean remix, an ajjoshi wrangled us into a circle-dance, and I think I high-tenned some dude. Wet fun.
Drenched and exhausted we found a room in a minbak and basically passed out.
Sunday was warm and sunny. We hung out on the beach, found some starfish and hermit crabs and watched people enjoying the sun and mud.
Thanks, Boryeong! You throw a good party.
Don't you love walking into your local pizza joint to find your freshly baked pie waiting for you all tied up with ribbon?
I took a short walk on Sunday morning and snapped some photos around our hotel.
Bye bye, Busan.
Went looking for some party action and crossed town from the PNU campus area to Gwangalli Beach in a taxi, windows down, saltwater-air whipping around our heads.
We found: roman candles and sparklers sold alongside booze, baby octopus bits still wriggling on a plate, a small amusement park and some middle-aged Koreans dominating a dancefloor with glow-sticks.
After the beach, we happened upon an outdoor foot bath. There were plenty of oldies soaking their dogs. The smell of sulfur hung in the air; I bet the hot water came from a natural hot spring.
