So after a day spent in the rain, and riding buses 진희 and I were back home, and oddly enough the weather was fantastic! The morning was spent relaxing and resting after the long weekend of being road warriors, but after we had lunch we decided to take advantage of the outstanding weather and do exactly what mothers across America were always bellowing at children spending a spring afternoon playing Nintendo: we went outside and got some fresh air.
진희 and I grabbed a camera, a tripod, and our bikes and headed out for a relaxing bike ride. Near our home is a stream known as 탄천 that has a decent bike / foot path and a series of small parks along the banks. This is the place we usually go when we ride, so it wasn’t really anything special, but a stream in the spring is a far different creature from a stream in the dead of winter. Grasses and trees which had previously been barren, were now an explosion of green. Cranes and ducks landed in the stream, and large fish splashed about in the water.
After riding a distance I measure as three subway stations, we stopped to take some photographs. Suprisingly a lot of them turned out really well. With adequate photos taken for my wife to update her cyworld page, we decided it was time to move on. With Monday being 어버이날 (Parent’s Day) here in Korea we (and by we I mean 진희) decided that it would be in our best interest to pick up some gifts for her parents. 진희 informed me that we would be going to a department store which was a distance of two subway stations from the place which we stood.
“Let’s ride!”
We took off down the bicycle path, avoiding children and small dogs. Finally we were close to our destination, so we headed off the path and onto the real street. Now we had to not only avoid children and small dogs, but also motorcycles and buses. As we headed toward the department store, something caught 진희’s eye.
“Have you ever been to 중앙공원 (Central Park)?” she asked.
“I have in New York.”
“Have you been to Central Park here?”
“No. Is it nearby?”
“It’s right over there.”
“Then let’s check it out.”
So we took a quick detour and headed to 분당 중앙공원. The park was beautiful. There was a large pond in the center of the park with elegant stone bridges crossing it. There was a pavilion decorated with 단청. And everywhere around us people we skating, biking, or having picnics.
KOREA FUN FACT: Apparently one can get pizza, fried chicken, and Chinese food delivered to large parks in order to have picnics. I’m not really sure how the delivery men find the people that ordered the food though.
Since we had both a camera and a tripod it should be more than obvious that copious photographs were taken in the park (see the example to the right). If you wish to see more photographs taken over the course of this day, kindly form a single file line and walk quietly to this site.
Following the photo session we headed over to the department store to pick up some gifts. Apparently things such as socks and hair dye are appropriate gifts, since that is what was purchased. Also we bought the materials needed to make 마파두부. From there we headed back home. The end.
Hi! I just happened to drop by your site (through other bloggers etc.) and realized that you live in the place i used to. I guess this is a cool coincidence!! Actually, I used to go to the middle school across from Tan-chun, called Pul-gok Middle School. Maybe you know where that is. If you don’t, I’m still happy I can see pics of lovely Tan-chun. I sure miss that place, living in Virginia.
Well, anyways, I wish you happiness with your wife (she’s pretty ^^) and some nice rain now and then.
-Hanel Choi (최하늘)
Comment by Hanel — May 10, 2006 @ 10:37 am
were did you get that shirt? it looks like something out of kramer’s closet. Dad
Comment by Ailinn — May 10, 2006 @ 11:39 am
Ailinn,
I stole it from Dad.
Truth be told, I purchased it somewhere here in Korea. At one of the larger markets I believe. I think it might have been the same place I got that belt while you were here.
Comment by Wyatt — May 10, 2006 @ 11:50 am
Actually, I didn’t post that. I guess Dad is posting on your site now, and he didn’t change the name. (Mine is automatically filled in when one tries to leave a comment). I have no storng feelings one way or the other about your shirt. ^__^v
Comment by Ailinn — May 11, 2006 @ 1:28 am
….and, yes, I did mean storng.
Comment by Ailinn — May 11, 2006 @ 1:29 am
Hey,
I have been reading your blog for some time now, mmm maybe close to a year… ehh. Your blog is good and always has interesting pictures and information. I have decided to post my own blog as I am now studying in Taiwan at NSYSU. I want to be able to post my youtube videos in my blogsome account however I seem to be having the worst luck, I spent time to read about it online and havent really came up with any results.
Can you tell me how you do it.. ? I would really appreciate it. Thanks for keeping up with a interesting blog, I wish you the best luck with you marriage.
Comment by Josh — May 11, 2006 @ 6:40 am
Josh,
When I upload videos, there’s a link at the bottom, and I simply copy that link and paste it in whatever blog writing software you are using.
The thing I had more difficulty with was posting photos from Flickr.
Comment by Wyatt — May 11, 2006 @ 9:21 am
Could tell me what the symbols on the doors are called in pic IMG_3755?
Thanks. Really appreciate it.
Comment by nanamjaya — May 11, 2006 @ 22:47 pm
Did you want to know what the Chinese characters mean (I can only read the last character [門] which means Gate), or what the circles are called (taegeuk / 태극 they are also feature on the Korean flag)? I hope it was the second, since that was the only question I one I was able to answer.
Comment by Wyatt — May 11, 2006 @ 23:33 pm