New Times with Old Friends... Sunday, May 13

You know this world really isn't so big when you're on the total opposite side of the globe and see someone from your home town.  Today that's exactly what went down.  A high school friend of mine had messaged me, telling me he's in Korea on a business trip for a week, so we designated today as the day to hang out. 

The plan was to go shopping in Insadong, check out some other random area of Seoul for dinner and then head to Banpo Bridge.  Insadong was a huge success, with it's street vendors, loads of people, and bombardment of cool shops to venture into.  We ended up checking out Apujung for dinner.  I insisted he eat some real Korean food, none of this fusion, modern day Western food, so I took him out for bulgogi.  Introduced him to some mukgoli (rice wine) at dinner and left him smelling like the sweet delish bulgogi we had just gobbled down.  Banpo Bridge was kind of a bust.  It's a double decker bridge with an estimated 10,000 lights on it and a cascading waterfall lining the edges of it.  I had read online that they do daily shows, blasting the waterfall and turning on the lights, so we headed there but there was no such show.  On a plus note though, we got to check out the Han River at night and strolled around for a while there.  

It was pretty cool running into someone from so long ago, especially because it was in such a place so far away from where we know each other.  It was interesting catching up with him, hearing where our lives have taken us and what has unfolded.  High school was 12 years ago for me... wow, that totally ages me!  

Close to 10pm we hugged goodbye and parted our own separate ways.  He had to head back up to Incheon and I had to get going back to Cheonan.  I ended up being handed a 11:40pm bus ticket back to Cheonan around 10pm so I refunded the ticket and hoped on the subway.  Korean subways... I'm convinced they never give a boring ride.  There's always something going on in the subway.  

Tonight it was some overly exhausted young Korean girl who was passed out on the shoulder of a soldier sitting beside her.  When he got up and just left her there, I questioned him, "Isn't that your girlfriend?"  Turns out it wasn't so out burst laughter from those around me who were listening in.  I quickly snapped a picture of her and no sooner did I take the shot but then down she slid on the seat and onto the floor. 

I returned to Ggum Guum around 12:30am.  Pyen Chi and Balboa greeted me like I was Santa Claus arriving at Christmas so I took them out to go play for a bit by the river.  It had been a long day but it was a great day.  I don't really get visitors here in Korea though I don't understand why.  Asia is incredible!  I'm kind of sick of traveling back to Canada to see friends when they really should venture out to experience Asia.  Asia is definitely a must see on anyone and everyone's Bucket list!!!