Dance until you Drop

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I got up early to catch the train to the airport. I made it through the gate and onto the train just as it was pulling away (oops cutting it close). Not a minute after I got on, they made an announcement that every seat was reserved. Dang it! So I hopped off quick at the next stop to ask the platform conductor how to get one. He directed me back on the train, so I got back on. A few minutes later, the train conductor made his way through the train checking tickets and let me pay for one. Lucky me! When I finally made it to the airport, I was really confused trying to leave because the one I bought on the train was only half the price. I originally used my PASMO (the card you can put money on to use for the train, subway, and bus system) to get through the gate so I had to use that to get out and that would pay for the other half. Not realizing that I had an odd conversation with the gate guard about going through when I already paid. Luckily he had a chart in English that explained what he had been trying to tell me. Appeased that I wasn't getting double charged, I went in exploitation of the airport for a luggage drop off. I had repacked my bags so I only needed the little duffle of clothes for Korea and could leave behind the backpack full of souvenirs to pick back up on my return (it is only $9 for them to hold it that period of time).
The Tokyo airport, being one of the biggest hubs for airplanes going through Asia, is a bit confusing. I was on the south side of Terminal 1 and couldn't find Korean Air. Eventually I found a tiny sign saying that there was a north side with different ticket counters. The difference was the south side is the Star Alliance airlines (Uniteds Intl partners) while the north is the Sky Team (Deltas Intl partners). Finally I found it and got in line for my ticket. A man bogged down with a hiking backpack and a couple other bags came running in behind me huffing and puffing (guess he got lost too and was nervous about missing his flight). I started chatting with him and turns out he was on the same flight as me to Seoul - my calmness about the time cooled him down a ton. He was done with his trip (to Korea and then Japan) and was heading home to Switzerland. He had been visiting the girl he had been dating. Funny thing is that they met in New Zealand studying English. So of course we had to chat about New Zealand since I had done a study abroad there too. That took us to the front of the line, parting ways we got our tickets. Then the airport has you go to a security line but there aren't very clear signs telling you where to go, I had to look it up on my brochure map of the terminal (Fred had picked one up and given it to me when we arrived - lucky I kept it). I went through the scanners but they weren't happy that my toiletries weren't in a plastic bag (so they put them in one for me). Guess it matters here more than the US. Then I was confused again. There was a sign pointing to immigration and customs but to me it looked more like the way out than in because you went downstairs. I followed the flood of people though hoping I wouldn't have to go through security again. The signs on the next floor included references to gates, so I was much more comfortable going through. No issues at immigration (man Asia is so much easier and chill than the US and Europe about coming and going in their countries - I almost wasn't allowed in England when I went there). A quick two hours later (including a meal, that I didn't really want) I was in Korea.
Getting in to Korea was just as easy as the others. I just had to stand in line with all the Chinese tourists to get in. Even as a tourist, I'm one of the only non-Asians! On the other side, I found the 6009 bus like Corey instructed, but when I tried to send him an email notifying him of my status I couldn't get it to work. I spent the next hour on the bus to Seoul trying to get free WiFi to send a note. It turned into a game to see if I could catch a signal while we were driving and keep it long enough to send the email. Somehow I did (not realizing it though until I talked to Corey). Corey, Clara, and CJ met me at the stop to escort me back to their apartment. CJ was really quite and shy while Corey and I chatted along. Skipping the airplane meal, I was hungry. Claire kindly made me some food to eat quick before we headed out to explore. After I finished, Corey and Claire had some businesys to finish up for their logistics company, so I played with some necklaces with CJ. She loves dresses and jewelry. I was being goofy putting some on my head like a princess and that got her laughing which I think broke down the shy barrier she had up. By the time we headed out the door, CJ was talking, laughing, and skipping around.
The first place we went was Myeong-dong Cathedral, the largest one in Korea, which had a really good choir practicing that we stopped to listen to for awhile. That led us into Myeongdong Market, an area of town filled with nice stores many of them cosmetics and clothes. It is a major tourist hub and Clara pointed out that most people there were Chinese and Japanese not Korean (I still have a hard time telling who is who unless they are talking). We made a brief stop at the Croc store and then to get ice cream dipped in chocolate (yes it was just me and CJ eating it but yummy!). Next we move on to Namdaemun Market which is more my style with random souvenirs and a flea market type feel. I had fun looking around while CJ felt her way through. She found a bunch of Frozen Ana and Elsa stuff that she would stop and hug. It had me laughing and Claire shaking her head. Clara had me try hotteok(a Korean pancake filled with a brown sugar syrup) that was really really tasty! The park ended at the Sungnyemun Gate (aka Gate #1). Corey took us to Namsan Park next to give CJ some grassy space to play around on. The park is at the top of a hill (Korea is really pretty and full of hills) so we had to walk up a bunch of steps. About half way Claire and Corey stopped to take a break, so CJ and I went exploring. We walked up the rest of the steps until we found the place to play. We hurried back to grab the others and go up to the grass. On our walk up, Claire and I took the easier path (not the stairs) where she was telling me she thought it was funny how CJ had no problem going off with me when her and Corey weren't in sight. The top had not only a big grassy area but some fun statues to take pictures of. We aren't there long when Corey noticed CJ had to use the bathroom. She had to go so much she was waddling instead of walking! He picked her up and he raced after Claire who was scouting for a bathroom. I trotted after giggling at them. Corey was threatening that CJ would have to go in the bushes and she was all about that! However, we found one in time for her to go. Next they wanted to bring me to the Seoul Tower on the top of Mt Namsan. Not sure the best way to get there, we hopped on a bus that seemed to go that direction. Turns out it hit most of the tourist destination so was filled with foreigners (which surprised Claire) and brought us up right to the base of the tower - convenient! Those three hung out at the bottom letting CJ run around while I went up to the top to take pictures. As with all the other towers I've gone up, it was a bit hazy so tough to see too far, but still a really cool view. Back on the base of the tower, the rails were covered with multi-colored padlocks. They are called love locks and couples put their initials on them. The key is thrown away to represent their unbreakable love. It made for a really interesting and artistic look.
The long day had made us hungry so we caught a couple buses back to their neighborhood for dinner. We ate at a traditional Korean BBQ place where you have a grill in the middle of your table that you dump the meat on to cook. Each person had their own soup and bowl of rice, otherwise it was family style sharing the meat and side dishes. I tried some kimchi which had an interesting taste. CJ was starting to get tired. She was so good all day and sat quietly at the restaurant watching Tinkerbell. So after dinner, we headed back to the apartment. There CJs energy came back (thanks food) so we dressed up her Barbie (which was actually Cinderella) and then she put on her tutu to show me her ballet classes dances. That morphed into Corey looking up songs on YouTube she likes, which meant CJ and I were dancing around the livingroom to Shake It Off. Claire brought me over a cup of tea so we slowed down a bit as she and Corey set up my bed on the living room floor. CJ made the bed even more comfortable by sharing some of her stuffed animal friends with me to sleep with. Then the two of us sat and read a couple books. Finally she laid down on Claire's lap and went to sleep. That was our que that we could crash too. We spent a few more minutes watching TV before calling it a night.

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