Blogs from Gangwon-do, South Korea, Asia - page 9

We took a bus to Gangneung from Chuncheon and had been told the shuttle bus was right outside the intersity bus terminal, there was no sign though but the bus came and we eventually got to the resort. We had booked into the hostel onsite for 11,000 won a night per bed. We checked in and then took a walk around the resort. The resort was not as modern as we were expecting, there was not that many places to eat. In the main building there was a Family mart and a Bueno Pizza restaurant (charging 30,000 for a pizza). There was also a dining hall style place with food court style stalls but they were never open in the 4 days we spent there. The internet cafe had reasonable rates of 3000 won an hour. ... read more

The much awaited Ice fishing festival has begun here in Hwacheon. The festival runs form January 10th - 27th. So what is it? Well the frozen river of Hwacheon becomes the site for millions of people to have a go at fishing through holes in the ice. You just buy or bring a fishing rod (they are being sold for 2000 won at the festival) and find a hole in the ice that isn't already being used and - well wait for a hungry Sancheoneo fish to come along! There is a stage arena which when I was there had five singing and dancing Soju bottles. The festival luckily has much more than the ice fishing - if like me you are opposed to catching a fish and then letting it writher in pain for 5 ... read more

When I registered with travelblog about 4 months ago, I had totally convinced myself that I would be writing regularly and that my entries would be interesting and full of my adventures in yet another part of the world. The reality is not that I simply havn't had time to write more that I havnt had much to write about. In August when I arrived I had high expectations of seeing and really settling into a country I would spend the next 12 months. The first 7 days were spent at an orientation in Seoul. The long days that week meant that I saw about 2 blocks of Seoul at 11pm one evening. Then on to my new home for the next year. On the last day my friend and I were told we would be ... read more

It amazes me that even the strangest of things can eventually become routine over time, even some of the most un-routine things. Even looking back some of the writing from previous entries, what happens outside of plans and schedules and itineraries and outlines are the things that have, more or less, morphed into being what we call our everyday life, if that is possible. This week seemed to be a snowball rolling down a hill of unexpectedness, starting off on Thursday afternoon. I had heard the entire school staff was supposed to go on a field trip to a town on the East Sea (or Sea of Japan on some maps, but NOT the Korean people). Outside of being vaguely informed, and I need to chalk this one up to my feeble memory, it pretty much ... read more

I need to preface anything I mention in this blog with the fact that I am a fairly seasoned outdoorsman, I think. Okay? Just keep that in mind as I take you though our little endeavor in our first Korean National Park… We went on Saturday, but the Friday before that, following suit, was another practice in Yeoju magic. Just as last week, stumbling on a crowd of English teachers in the Gu’s pizza joint, a similar fate awaited us as we strolled the aisles of E-Mart (the Korean version of Wal-Mart,but only half the size and the parking lot is on the roof). I was an aisle ahead of Cass, I think I was in search of the plentiful free samples throughout the store, when I found her talking to someone. I went over and ... read more