Amanda Takes Off...

In tonight's taekwondo class we ran around the elementary school track 15 times. I got there late, so I told the boys to tell Master I'd come to the studio when I was done. Two weeks ago we ran around the track 13 times, but I had to walk about 4 laps total. (I really hate running.) Tonight I made it through 15 laps without having to walk by telling myself, "Next time you can walk..." I then finished by walking two more laps to cool down. It felt good, except my knee hurt, so I studied Korean while the boys played soccer.

While I was making flash cards, Master's Daughter was asking me for lip gloss. I said in Korean, "I am wearing lip gloss right now!" She swooped in and kissed me, firm on the lips, a lasting kiss. She smacked her lips together. I laughed, "Do you have lip gloss, now?" She smiled and nodded, still rubbing her lips together.

I remember when Master's kids were shy with me. They certainly aren't any longer.

Photos from this hike at Namhansanseong Park are up in the Gallery.

Namhansanseong Park

From July 1st through September 30th, it has rained 46 days and been cloudy or foggy 32 more days for a total of 78 out of 92 really grey, flat days. I don't mind rain. I do mind not seeing the sun. Ever.

I leave the sky is flat white and the buildings are all grey or boring variations thereof. And Korea doesn't know car colors, so the cars are grey or white or black. And on top of it, greater than 98% of the people look, well, homogeneous. (Which is not to say they look all the same, but surely this isn't anything like back home.) It's making me really, really stir crazy.

So I told Good Man that we needed to go somewhere I've never been to help get my mind of the weather. Saturday we went to 남한산성 공원, Namhansanseong Park.

We got to the subway station and Good Man said, "We just walk straight." I didn't believe him, so I made him catch a bus with me. Two or three stops later, we got to the park. Good Man said, "So, it was straight," without any hint of malice in his voice. I had to laugh.

We hiked around the park and I shot more than 80 pictures of spiders, the Nephila clavata spider to be exact. We were standing near a temple and there were at least 20 of the spiders visible.

At one point, we were hiking up a hill and a young girl and her father were walking backwards down the hill. She almost bumped into us. A few seconds later she called up the trail in English, "I'm so sorry?" I told her it was perfect English.

Good Man told me that he thought if we climbed up 253 steps of a staircase we'd see the fortress. We didn't, but we got a nice view of Seoul. And the weather was beautiful, just starting to get a bit chilly.

Hiking down the trail, an ajosshi walked right past Good Man, burping several times in his ear. I was taking photos, but I turned. I wish I had a picture of Good Man's face. It was priceless. He eyes were closed, his head was shaking, and a smile was playing on his lips. A smile that said, "I can't believe this man."

At another point, we were walking past a large group of Koreans, speaking in English. Good Man asked, "Have you been to Colorado?... What do you think about it for retirement?"

I laughed and said, "You're only 25! You're not even halfway to retirement!" Based on how the Koreans laughed, I think they understood English.

We slowly made our way back to the subway station, stopping for scary bear notebooks (see photos) and dinner on the way.

It was a wonderful day, even if it was greyflatgreyflatgrey.