peculiarities

Just thinking and observing Korean charachteristics. I'm watching TV. Cute stuff...and funny stuff, and wierd stuff. Love relationships, ways of dressing (all guys wear suits and its sooo awesome, or they're wearing jeans and layered t shirts. Girls all wear dresses and hi heels...or super short shorts or skirts, or short dresses over pants...and the 80's are still here!!! or they are casual with jeans and tshirts that are almost always layered) I'm learning the Korean way of layering finally...I've always been curious. Other things like eye tucks and nose surgery is super popular. I havent really paid attention too much, but then sometimes you look and something's a bit different...oh..they eyes!

Teeth are quite important too. You can get toothbrushes at every 7-11 or Mini Stop or Family Mart you go. That is any convenience store. When I stayed at a hotel in Seoul they give you keys ( actually I had to ask for keys) and a toothbrush. Essentials. You can get these really cool little packs with little toothpaste and toothbrush anywhere...like in the 'stationery' stores everywhere. Everything is sooper cheap, and I have to try to stay out o fthose places..cuz there's so much that is interesting to get. I've become a pencil case junkie...they're great to store little things in besides pencils!! Travel makeup, jewellery, thumbtacks, pins, hair stuff, all that kinda stuff. Things that I would use anyway.

So I got a fishy and a cell phone!! Craziness! Lindsey is leaving tomorrow to Thailand, and I get her fishy and cell phone. Yayyy! A cell will be sooo awesome when I go to Seoul....its crazy without one I must say. I love the craziness of Seoul. The crazy subway system...I forget until I compare that Vancouver has ONE line, and Seoul has I dont know how many. At least 15? And then there's transferring from one to the other. Thank Goodness the signs are in English too.

I went to Seoul this past weekend for the Children's Day long weekend. It was pretty good. I dont remember if i already wrote about it, so I will fill u in anyway.
I went on Friday am. Arrived at about 430. Made my way by subway to Insa-dong..the artsy area of Seoul that I absolutely LOVE. It's not directly obvious from the street, so I ended up wandering a bit...I LOVE doing that by myself. And I fell in love with the back alley streets...and found a really cool meditation centre there. Apparently it's 'famous' in Seoul. And I found a really cool tea house that I went to later by myself. Man, that was the best part of the weekend, I swear. So peaceful and very Korean.
Insa-dong was crazy with whities (foreigners) and I happened to bump into a few people I knew! Crazy how small the world is sometimes.
I spent a few hours with Candice and Luca, her Korean boyfriend. Then they had to go, and I decided to wander around and then I got familiar with the shops, and the crazy awesome buildign that is a ramp all the way up to the top. It's transition is so lazy and peaceful and a slow but steady climb. I LOVE that place so much. It's called something that starts with 'S'.
Then Candice and Luca came back and we went for tea in another really cool place. Then we went to see a Korean film at a DVD bang. Good stuff. Funny movie. Man, Koreans are really interesting when it comes to family dynamics. I dont know if I'd ever understand it...but it's really interesting.
Then Luca showed me a hotel in Insa-dong..which cost 40 a night. LOVE it.

The next morning I woke up to a rainy day. Met Luca and Candice, and we went to the electronics place, and I GOT MY NEW CAMERA! It was so cute. The salesman was really helpful, and he gave me some good stuff with my camera like a case, and a card reader, and I got a 1G card with it. Then, I said I had to go to the bank to get the money, and they packed it all up for me. I thought I would go and come back, but no, he took a picture with me and my new camera...and gave me hi fives and a hug, and then he sent me off with some other guy carrying my bag up to 3 different ATM machines and up 4 floors to one that would give me the money. Then right there, I forked over the money in 10's cash! Done deal. Ha! Then a couple of bows later, and he was off...and I had my new camera! WOooooo! I love Korea for that stuff!
Then we went off to lunch of icecream...never enough icecream in Korea...or I should say...a lack of...

Then Candice and I went off to the National Gallery of Korea. WOW...that was amazing. The building took my breath away...man, Alison and Brian...I SO thought of you guys! google the national gallery of Korea (images), and you'll see what I mean. After a few hours there...and just one floor, we had about all our brains could handle. Then we went to get our stuff..and I heard someone singing. Then we went outside to discover a man singing an opera song! I just about cried it was so beautiful...well I for sure had tears anyway.

Okay, I'm going to have to finish that later..cuz i really ahveta sleep! And I cant spell or type anymore! Ha!

Later....