Our Traveling Nest: Skiing and a Trip to Chinatown...

The weather here is slowly beginning to get warm enough to be out without having to wear ten layers of clothing plus a jacket! This past week Mia and I were able to enjoy several long walks outside along the river. One day we met up with our friend Katie and her English Bulldog Bruiser. He and Mia get along pretty well so it was fun to get out and enjoy the beautiful weather. The day we walked it was almost 60 and I was hot in a t-shirt and yoga pants!

Friday night Robert and I went out for a date in Uijeongbu which is about 25 min by train or an hour or more by car! Someone insisted on driving! We ate at a fairly decent Italian Restaurant and then walked around for a little bit. Of course we had to enjoyed some Baskin Robbins ice cream to end the night. On Saturday morning, Mia and I took Robert out to the river to take in the sights and get out for a nice walk! Again Mia loved jogging with us and getting out to enjoy the halfway decent weather. It was not near as warm but it was earlier in the week but still wonderful to be outside! Then we did our weekly grocery run!

We decided earlier in the week that on Sunday we wanted to go skiing before the season was over. Robert had heard of a man made ski area called Bear's Town that was about 45 min from us. Sunday morning we got up and on the road. The drive there was beautiful! We drove down a two lane winding road through the mountains near our apartment. We had a good time! I did okay for this being only the second time in my life that I have ever been skiing! Robert was flying down the mountain but he stayed on the green slop with me the whole time! Might I add it has been several years since I skied the first time! We are planning on going back again next year!

On Sunday, Robert had to do some stuff for work so I went with our friends Katie and Alex to Incheon which is about 2 hours from here by train. While we were there we visited Chinatown, ate some jjajangmyun (a Chinese-Korean noodle dish with black-bean sauce, caramelized vegetables, and meat), visited Jayu "Freedom" Park, walked through Sinpo-Dong shopping district and Sinpo Market, and on the way home ate at a Bennigan's.

The Chinatown area was established by Chinese immigrants in 1884. It is small but has a lot of history! While we were there we ate the jjajangmyun, which was excellent and a lot of food for one person! It was not the traditional Chinese food you would get in the states! Plus to top it off the huge bowl of noodles was only 5000 won which is less than 5 dollars! The Jayu "Freedom" Park was very neat and again lots of history! It was the first Western-style Park built in South Korea. It used to be called Manguk "All Nations" Park but the name was changed in 1957 after a statue of General Douglas MacArthur was built. It was the site where he led the Incheon Amphibious Land Operations during the Korean War. Simpo-dong shopping district and Sinpo Market were two areas we walked through and took in the sights of being in another city! Sinpo Market had a hung underground shopping area which so nice! Since today it was snowing, raining, and cold! When we had decided it was time to head home we decided to stop in Seoul and enjoy some Bennigan's and oh the chicken quesadillas were wonderful and for a split second I felt like I was back in the states and then I realized I was surround by Koreans! It was a wonderful weekend and I hope to get out and enjoy more of this country again next weekend!