Four day weekends don't happen often enough!

( Group shot on 무의도 [Muuido] )

Children's Day and Buddha's Birthday created a very nice four day weekend. Of course, these days flew by and I'm sitting around getting ready to go back to teaching, but I really enjoyed it while it lasted. Long weekends lead to many things, including yet not limited to, island hopping, breakfast eating, batting caging, Bishi Bashing, movie going, bar hopping, clubbing, norae banging, wedding attending, zoo visiting, Family Mart drinking, horse racing, baseball gaming, & Somaek sipping in Seoul Plaza.

Children's Day
( 5/5/2011 @ Muuido 무의도 )

A day trip to 무의도 was a wonderful way to spend Children's Day. 지선 (Ji-seon) was kind enough to plan the whole damn trip too. We met up with 지선 & 은정 (Eun-jeong) at 7:30am in Seoul Station, caught the Airport Subway out to 인천 (Incheon) where we took a bus out to another island. Once we arrived, we took the shortest ferry ride ever to 무의도. The island, itself, wasn't that amazing, but the company made the trip wonderful. Justin, Calvin, 지선, 은정 & I had a fantastic time hiking and beach hanging. We played games, drank a few beers & some mokgeolli & ate clams that undoubtedly came out of the ocean 500m from where we ate them.

( 무의도 )

( their boat )

( my boat... I WIN )

( dried fish )

( 지선 & Calvin )

( They can be a bit goofy at times )

( Calvin, 지선 & 은정 )

( my mountain pose )

( Calvin using one can of makgeolli to wash out the taste of a bad can of makgeolli. This is how we finished the bad can. HA! )

( another group picture )

( 지선 being scary )

( washing up )

( We spent twenty mintues trying to dam the stream. Fail. )

( nap time )

( avoiding the yellow dust )

( Justin perched )

( adjumas clamming )

( best friends )

( yet another group shot )

( failed jumping photo )

( clam feast )

( sunset )

( rocky race )

Leo & Sol-ji's wedding
( 5/7/2011 @ Suwon 수원 )

Leo co-owns the bar that we frequent, 주락 (Ju Rock). He & 자헌 (Ja-heon / Honey) have become very good friends of ours in the past year. It was a beautiful outdoor wedding that started at noon. They really lucked out on the weather; it was supposed to rain all day, but it turned out to be a bright sunny day that was perfect for a wedding. Honey picked all of us up in a party bus outside 주락 at 11:30. Of course we were a little late, but we didn't miss any of the action. After the wedding, everybody went to a big after party at The Rock, but I opted out of getting super shitty at 3pm. I headed out to Seoul Grand Park to goto the zoo with Amarisse. We saw a lot of animals, and I learned how to say many of their names in Korean. The two of us spent a large part of the evening doing Korean lessons. It was great. The end of the night was just the two of us drinking 소맥 (Somaek [Soju Beer mix]) at a Family Mart in 강남 (Gangnam). It was a solid day, but I didn't take my camera to the zoo. Silly me. I will get photos from Amarisse later.

( the bride & groom )

( the wedding party )

( Leo is picking up his father after bowing. I love it )

( Family )

( Leo mixing his wedding shot to be shared with Sol-ji through a kiss )

( rings )

( Leo's friends had a surprise )

( yep )

( bride & groom )

( family photos )

( extended family photos )

( Erik & Honey )

( Honey brought a box of Jager to celebrate. )

( Not happy about the Jager )

( Our table )

( Toast time )

( Congrats )

( Sol-ji, myself, Leo & Billy )

Doosan Bears
( 5/8/2011 @ Jamsil Sports Complex 잠실종합운동장)


Erik & I started the day by going to the horse races, but it was a short-lived visit. We showed up, accidentally bought nonalcoholic beer, watched a race, got bored & headed out to 잠실 (Jamsil). Watching all of the people obsessing about the races, the math & the money was really depressing. We had to get out of there. On the way out to 잠실, we made a pitstop in 강남 for some burritos at Dos Tacos. It was another one of those beautiful days, so it was just nice to be out and about exploring and enjoying the weather with a few beers. Eventually, we did make it out to 잠실 and we had a really good time watching the Bears destroy the Giants 5-0. Justin recently decided to switch teams from LG to the Lotte. Calvin jumped on that train too, so obviously I rooted for Doosan. I'm glad that I did. After the game, 은정, 지선, Calvin & I had some 소맥 at Seoul Plaza and called it a night. It was a nice end to a great four days off work. I just lay back in the grass and took in the city. Their were tall buildings all around me and the sounds of cars zooming down the streets on all sides. The weather was perfect and city was exactly where I needed to be.

( we sat in right field )

( Gabby, Jill & Rob )

( Erik )

Alright, five days of work, then I'm off the America!