Out and About in Korea...

My name is Colin, but my friends call me "English" and by friends, I just mean the random kids on the street. They are very original, Anne's nickname too is English.

Us at galbi (Korean BBQ.)

Cho and Adrian having a galbi-rific good time.

Not posed at all....us at a fountain in Children's Grand Park. We had to wait in line to get this picture as many others were doing the exact same thing.

ASTRO BOY!! He is everywhere here...I think I look just as tough.

Rule number one : Safety.

Rule number two : Safety.

Rule number three : Safety.

But not in Korea! Fun first!! Our question was...how do the kids get back down without stepping on the other kids. Answer, they don't.

Ancient remains are imported all the way from Eqypt. (Or just a pretty good knock off.)

Check out the uniforms for these guys...straight from Eqypt...I guess??

Kangaroo!

Anne and Julia outside a hotel in Seoul. Or maybe just another good photo-op...you decide!

Our second Korea wedding! This time we actually knew the bride (our co-worker Esther teacher.) We had a better idea what to wear this time.

The happy couple blow out the candles on their fake wedding cake during the ceremony. Like us Esther is a sucker for the photo-ops!

Our co-workers, Joshua (yes that is a girl), Wanda, Theresa and Lisa teacher.

Korea knows how to do sporting events..

Always a crowd in Korea and the same is true for a baseball game. This game in particular..it was Seoul vs. Seoul...Doosan Bears vs. LG Twins...both from Seoul. We sat on the Doosan Bears side (they divide up the crowd into sides) and clearly it was a good pick - we trounced the Twins 8-2!! Look at the those thunder sticks go!

Part of the crew at the game. They are enjoying their $3 Hite-uh and sunshine.

The man that makes it all happen. The keg man, literally a man with a keg on his back wondering the stands for thirsty souls. We were thirsty, $3 later, we weren't.

This game had it all, excited fans and riled up players! Nothing became of this bench clearing and then the players bowed to one another before heading back to their dugouts (we kid, we kid.)

Thunder sticks...we love thee. $2 a pop and everyone had them!! I wonder if leaf fans will notice that ours have bear claws and not maple leafs on them when we come back to Canada...

Then it was off to a soccer game (well actaully...we went to the soccer game first...but posted about it second.) Once again, a few people joined us.

Mark, Julia and Colin checking out the dried squid concessions before we went and got our tickets.

FC Seoul!!

Seoul plays at World Cup Stadium which was built for the 2002 World Cup. It's awesome - this game had tons of people there, 55,000, because Seoul played their rivals, Suwon (and sadly lost 1-0.)

Anne and Julia enjoying their $3 hite-uh (note the repetition.) The lack of price gouging leaves us all with a happy feeling inside...or maybe that was the beer.

Mark, we still don't know what you were thinking buying this cold, pre-made, hot-dog....or I guess, cold-dog (haha, we are so witty!)

To rally support for Seoul it was time to bust out the huge Seoul jersey - lucky for the people underneath Seoul didn't score at this time or they would have missed it. Unlucky for them, Seoul never scored...

Action on the field.

And so our love of Korean sporting events grows...always a good and highly affordable day out!

Colin turns 2-6!!!

Happy birthday Colin!! On May 1st, 1981, Colin O'Connor decided to grace the world with his presence. 26 years later, in Korea, we celebrated that occassion.

Note the knock off Mickey mouse birthday hat on Mark's head. Shocking, these are Disney trademarked!

Colin and Anne sing it up noray-bong styles (X 2 thanks to our mirror image!)

The gang at norah, picking out what tunes to sing - and drinking the imported convience store beers.

Colin really doesn't get into norah-bong at all. I mean, I don't know why we did this for his birthday, he was clearly not enjoying himself at all.

Colin shows off some of his awesome birthday presents :) I (Anne) am not biased at all.

On the actual special day we decided to hit up the driving range. Aka, a teired building where you fire the golf balls off into a net. Space limits have nothing on the Korean society.

Hey Dad, perfect form or what?! haha.

Ice cream cake, Baskin Robins style. Delicious.

So, once again, happy birthday Colin!! Hope it was the best Korean birthday you had to date!

Seoul Land!

Seoul Land is one of the happiest places on earth because Christmas is year round! Well, maybe not, but this ride is. The 2 loop coaster was for kids though, and alas, we were too big (but this did bring back memories of Santas village....oh how Anne misses Santas village!!)

Mom and Brad, this ones for you. I thought you might like to re-live the french horn days - so just swing back down to Korea, and we'll take you on this awesome ride! Ms. Rice would be so proud.

Colin's favourite - he's just so keen on what the future holds they built him a building. Aptly named, Tomorrow land. The future my friends, silver buildings with cool writing on them. ASSA.

In preparation for the 3D movie. These glasses will be hitting the streets on Myeong-dong and Dongdaemun within hours.

What could be cooler than 3D glasses? Riding a super fast (and by fast, I mean slow) singing tiger (all for the price of 1,000 won! - aka $1.)

Colin clearly needed a turn, his jealously enraged him, and he threw Anne off. Well, no she just got off so he could have a turn. He's so Korean - look at that VWE.

After his barbaric attack around the tiger, Colin got back to his roots as a caveman. Really, he just decided to hit up (as did Anne) a tourist head cut out - we are always on the lookout - from Japan, to Jeju, and back in Seoul.

Anne in front of Seoul Land. Note: 'Epcot center'!! We're in Florida (again...see Lotte World post.) The knock offs here are really quite exquisite.

Anne and Colin looking out at the world. Then, the monkeys mimicing them. Oh monkeys, you are so cute.

Nice work Seoul Land. Two more happy, satisfied customers.

a random assortment

A friend from home, Ashley, decided she wanted to check out some Asian culture and what better time to do it when you have friends living in an Asian country! So she hopped on a plane and trekked over to Korea. This is us getting our "culture" on at a palace downtown.


Us outside of a building at the palace.

A few** riot police downtown in preparation of protests re: the Free Trade Agreement between USA and South Korea.

**15,000...as read in an online article afterward.

We're models :) Or at least we can pretend to be by asking some people to take our picture at the fashion show (part of Seoul Fashion Week) that we went to.

The real models on the runway at the show.

The designer who made it all happen - it was really awesome to see a fashion show live...and hear great music that we clearly can't find to download as it's Korean...

Colin showing off his moves. Or maybe this is the picture of one of the guys putting on a show outside of Lotte department store. Break dancing is HUGE in Korea...and they are all really good at it.

Who's number one?! Park Ji Sung!!! Or at least that is what this poster in Korea will tell you - Ronaldo and Rooney who??

Ahhh isn't that sweet...literally, that juice was super sweet.

The gang out at a Parisian cafe for some mean Belgian waffles and drinks. Belgium, Paris? I thought they were in Korea you're asking yourself...well we are...we are also in Itaewon the international hub of Seoul, it's awesome. As was the woman who owns this place. She speaks French, English and Korean. We....we speak English.