Gyeongju Cherry Blossom Marathon

 First and foremost: I did not run a marathon. I didn't run anything actually, but I did sign up to walk the 5 kilometer cherry blossom run out at Bomun this weekend! Unfortunately, the cherry blossoms have all fallen, but we still got extremely lucky to have an absolutely gorgeous day! It's been cold and windy and grey most of the week, but Saturday was sunny and absolutely stunning.

We began our day with a bike ride out to Bomun in the wee early morning hours. We got there and put on our official looking "racing" gear. Our registration package included a really nice athletic shirt which I'm very happy about! As we got into line to begin the race, a lady was handing out helium balloons. She handed some to my friends, but one look at me and she decided I probably needed some help, and she proceeded to tie it to me just in case I dropped it.

After the walk, which was pretty and full of happy cute little Koreans, we got to go to the afterparty picnic! We got free food, free beer, and free makoli (Korean rice wine). We also got to watch a free show of dancing, and get free sports massages. As if this wasn't good enough, we then went across to the Gyeongju Expo where a world festival was happening, and due to participating in the race, we got free admission! The festival had stalls of various countries with Koreans in the traditional clothing of that country handing out pamphlets to us. All the pamphlets were in Korean, but the pictures were lovely. We even got to try on hanbok, the traditional Korean dress, which I have been wanting to do since I got here, and we were given a whole bunch of very random free things. We even had a free medical checkup. I was very impressed that they were able to tell from my results that I am a lefty! Apparently my left side is more muscled than my right!

All in all, it was a gorgeous day we spend outside picnicking and enjoying the perks of being foreigners in Korea. It was spectacular, and the company I had was lovely. Today I baked cookies at my coteacher's house, so all in all it was a very wonderful weekend. Her husband was watching a Korean drama, and Adri and I were jokingly guessing the plotline based on music and facial expressions. My coteacher said our plot was better, hehehe. Enjoy the pictures!

My helium balloon tied
snugly to me by a
nice Korean woman
who just knew I would
drop it!

Crazy little flying camera machine

It felt like we were in the Hunger Games

Only in Korea...
"Hey you in the crazy
stilts costume...
Could you take a
picture of US?"

Korean hanbok!
Really not the most flattering cut
but I was thrilled to try one on!!

Next, wedding hanbok!

As I took a picture of this traditional Korean
wedding, a man took a picture of me!
A traditional tourist, I guess!

Mmm, I love Korean fancakes.

Who doesn't like kenturkey fried chicken?

Ahh... pizza, twisted potato, and hotdogs. Italy's
most classic culinary delicacies. 

Tidbits

The gym teacher was trying to poke fun at my coteacher by calling her a caveman. He surprised me immensely by saying "She is australopithecus." He then continued the joke calling her "Homo erectus." I took this opportunity to explain to them why middle school students always laugh when they learn about Homo erectus. It was a comical conversation with even more comical subtle hand gestures.

Today I was eating an after school snack in my favourite kimbap place (kimbap is the Korean version of sushi... it's similar in that it involves rice and seaweed, but otherwise is very different) and two groups of middle school students who used to be my grade 6 girls opened the door and came in to say hi! It was lovely. I asked how they were, and they said "Sad. Middle school is.... ugh." Haha pour things. One group included the girls who  made me that amazing rainbow letter. Walking home I passed another graduate of my school who couldn't remember my name but excitedly called out the name of my school and waved.

This inspirational quote is inside
a delicious but horribly
dingy Vietnamese restaurant.

This is a Vietnamese inspired meal called Shabu Shabu
(this is not the dingy place). It is AMAZING.
You cook the meat in the broth in the middle,
then you make your own rice paper rolls with
everything. It's unbelievably delicious. 

At Starbucks you can buy an
individually packaged "Chiquita
Super Premium Banana"

Went on an after school bike ride with a friend and
found this neat little traditional looking village.
We didn't have time to go inside, but we did
snap some photos with the statues and
glass ducks at the entrance.

Here are some quotes found on an optometry store window. Quite poetic if you ask me...

"Glasses were made for ovesight proofread

and protection

EYEWEAR

It is called speech

that is dress worn

in face

as glasses situate

On trend of fashion

Protect eyes,

give point to bored Kodi

item that

can produce various atmosphere.

Now, glasses are fashion!!!"

"Do not buy glasses,

it is that buy flavor and image

Feeling that want

to see

face near

Only my feeling

that have read intact mental image

Window that

have filled

alive impression

make only my flavor and style."

Even more blossoms!

I went back to Bomun today, but today I had some tour guides. I went with my neighbours and their Korean friends. This allowed me to not only avoid getting lost, but we took the most magical side route too. It was like walking in a fairy forest. The blossoms were amazingly full, the sky was blue (finally!) and whenever the wind blew it rained petals. Gorgeous. Also my friends have two adorable dogs and things are better with adorable animals always.

My awesomely neon Korean shoes surrounded by
petals

My two buddies,
Dolce and Bowser.
I love them so much!