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Published: November 4th 2006
Breakfast in Bed
Relax, it's just a nightcap people!Hey everyone, just got back to Seoul on Thursday as Rob, Chris, and I went to Seoraksan National Park on Monday. Seoraksan is known for it's vivid colours during Autumn, so we wanted to check it out. Well worth the trip! Sensational mountain peaks and the colors of the leaves were spectacular, even if a lot of them were already on the ground.
It was about a 3 bus ride on to get there so we didn't do much the first day, but on Tuesday we hiked up to the peak of one side of Mt. Daecheongbong and down the other side. When we read up on the hike it said it was very difficult but none of us believed it since they installed staircases throughout the hike. Well I was wrong because that was one of the most challenging hikes I've ever been on! Rob figures the elevation on the hike was about 1500 meters, and the total hike was about 17km! We finished with a respectable time of 9 1/2 hours though, so I'm pretty pleased with that!
Oh by the way, here's a funny thing that happened during our trek. There's a lot of school tours
going to Seoraksan, and I guess they're not used to seeing too many white people, because each time Rob, Chris, or myself passed by they squealed and shouted, "Sexy american man!" I dutifully informed them we're canadian, gave a little courtsey and squealed back. What can I say, I'm a bit of a showboat! Perhaps even funnier, one guy thought I was Leonardo DiCaprio. Leo DiCaprio?! WTF?! If it happens again, I'm gonna start signing autographs!
On our way down the the mountain, we met this guy Cheng. He's an older fellow, around 50, and he ended up accompanying us the rest of the way. Let me tell you, that guy knew how to hike! If I can hike down a mountain at that speed at his age, I'd be very satisfied with myself. We didn't have to slow down for him at all - in fact he slowed down for us since Chris strained his knee on the way down. It was really impressive, to say the least!
Once we got down we got down Mt. Daecheongbong, Cheng offered to buy us dinner - korean bacon, BBQ style! It was phenominal! Sadly, everyone at the restaurant got
a good laugh at my chopstick skills. I'm actually pretty good with the ones we have back home, but the ones in Korea are slim and metal and I am absolutely pathetic using them. I was so bad that the owner of the restaurant brought me little wooden ones, which I am sure that they use to teach their children with. Oh well, at least the people there got dinner and a show...
Anyway, long story short, we went back to Seoraksan for one more day, checked out the city of Sokcho, then went back to Seoul. Last night was crazy though as Rob, Chris, Justin, Nathan and Gillian (a couple of Justin's friends wha are also teaching english here), and I went to a bar called Wood Stock. It's a small little bar covered with posters and cutouts of various bands, most from the 60's and 70's. The beer was flowing, the band was groovin' (they were awesome!), and once they finished their set the karioke machine came out. Nathan got the evening going and before you know it, the rock god in all of us came out! It was my first karioke experience but definitely not my
Seoraksan National Park
During our hike up Mt. Daecheongbong. last - we all had way too much fun! My hits included
St. Anger - Metallica (seriously, what did you expect, New Kids On The Block? Sadly, it was an option...), and
Be with you - Mr. Big which I fuckin' rocked on - despite some some people will say. Rob did a bunch too, and he and I teamed up for a couple of duets:
You could be mine - Guns & Roses and
Jeremy - Pearl Jam. Hell, the band even let Rob jam on the guitar for awhile!
That's it for now kiddies! Rob and I are off to Tokyo early Sunday morning. So until then, I guess.
Toodles!
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Like everyone else, I love your pic's. Very good eye, and your an eyeful too! Have fun, be safe! Cheers!