Weekend 10 of 52.

Rugby League Game at Tony's Aussie Bar, Hiking in Gupabal, Namdaemun Market, Lotte World Shopping Center

Fridays, for us, are for foreign foods. Korrine found out that Tony's Aussie Bar in Itaewon was showing the Australia vs. New Zealand Rugby League game, so Dan and I had our first taste of Australian food and football. If America would have rugby, I would watch it. We also ate some pavlova, which is like a meringuey marshmallowy fruit pie thing. It was good.

Marius invited us to go hiking with him on Saturday morning, so we met at the subway at 8 and followed the hiking gear costumed Koreans all the way to Gupabal to find a mountain to climb. Of the two paths, we chose the steeper one that peaked instead of the longer, easier trail. Of our group of six, Dan and I were the only two who didn't go all the way up. We made it to a decent cliff and we sat and enjoyed the quiet view. Also, an especially concerned Korean man told Dan that his shoes were really inappropriate for mountain climbing, that he didn't think it was safe to continue. We didn't put much stock in that admonition, as we'd made it halfway there with no hiking gear at all, but Korrine said that getting to the peak involved rock and rope climbing, so I think that fellow was probably right.

After lunch on the Shinsegae Department Store food floor, Chinese dim sum and various desserts, we walked through Namdaemun Market. I think it is my favorite of the markets so far. It was mostly clothing and street food, and it was really fun for browsing. We found the only jar of dill pickles in all of Seoul, but we had to pass it up for lack of cash.

On Sunday, we were really looking forward to going to a baseball game. We took the green line for almost an hour only to find that the game had been sold out! We were so sad, but we decided we should at least do something in the area, so we walked around the Lotte World Shopping Center for a while, and I bought a jacket decorated with a patch of Florida and the words "Redneck Riviera" emblazoned over top. What? Amazing. It is too small, but I am from that Riviera, so I obviously had to have it for my life.



The sky in Itaewon.


The Aussie Shop. Australia won, in case you were wondering.


Escalator nation.


The hikers here are serious business. We had to be the only people on the mountain who were not fully outfitted. They have the shoes, the pants, the jackets, the shirts that wick away moisture, the hats, the packs, the poles, even picnic lunches.


Mountain trees.


Our combined international knowledge decided that this was some sort of war bunker. There were several of them hid throughout our trek. Korrine climbed down in one.


And then she hunted crocodiles, because it's what Australians do, you guys. One of my favorite things is to hear Korrine say, "that's not a knife". True story.


So, here's what we got to hang out with. These are different mountains.


The view of the city.


On a cliff. The weather was perfect, which is lame to say but wonderful to feel.



Korrine's shots of us on the cliff.


Explorer.


In the trees.


Because we decided not to go all the way up, Dan and I had to go back down the way we'd come. It was pretty tricky at times. We had to make use of the classic scoot move, and I definitely fell on my butt in front of two different groups of shocked Koreans. It wasn't even when climbing down the rocks, just sort of skipping through sandier parts.


Smokey Bear seems a bit worldlier here with his feather in his cap.


For whatever reason, our transfer station was decorated like the bowels of a cave.


Namdaemun Market.


Tons of clothes.


We could hear the baseball happening, but see it we could not. At least we caught a glimpse of the nearby Olympic stadium. We'll have to go back to check out the museum.


On the basement level of the Lotte World Shopping Center. I don't get it, but I like it.

-Serenity