Lisa
Saturday, May 30, 2009
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
The Princesses Visit the Palace
We went to Deokunung Palace today. It's a short walk from the hotel, we decided that was the one to see. When we got there there were tons of people around. They were there with signs and crying, mourning their former President who's funeral is tomorrow. We do know it's at one of the palaces, but we're not sure if it's the one we visited or not. We checked with the front desk about what time to leave for the airport due to the funeral and they said we'll make it there in plenty of time.
Right outside the palace a man who looked like he'd had a pretty hard life stopped us. He gave the girls 1000 Won each. He kept touching his mouth, so I assume it was for us to buy them some candy. He just insisted they take it. We visited the palace and it was truly beautiful. The architecture in there is amazing and the artistry.... When we were on our way back to the hotel we stopped at a bakery to get some food. They had Hello Kitty stickers by the register and Kaelin must have been eying them because the lady gave her one. I tried to pay for one for Chelsi too, but she just gave me the stickers and gave me my money back. The girls LOVE Hello Kitty. At breakfast this morning a Korean couple stopped us to talk. She is the director of the Korean Nursing Program at a university in PA. She and her husband are apprently very active with the adoption groups in their area. They were talking to us to make sure we were doing something similar in our area...the best we can. They gave me their room number and insisted if we had any needs at all we should come see them. They were both very nice!
We're leaving to get Jaemin in about 2 hours, so this is probably it until getting home. See you all later and love you!
Lisa
Presidential Mourners
This water clock is a Korean treasure.
Heungcheonsa Bell is also a Korean treasure.
Singijeon Launcher Carrier is a weapon used many years ago.
The girls in front of the throne hall.
View of the throne hall.
Inside the throne hall.
Neat looking tree on the palace grounds.
Steps leading to the throne hall.
Various pictures throughout the grounds.
King Gojong's modern palace.
Right outside the palace a man who looked like he'd had a pretty hard life stopped us. He gave the girls 1000 Won each. He kept touching his mouth, so I assume it was for us to buy them some candy. He just insisted they take it. We visited the palace and it was truly beautiful. The architecture in there is amazing and the artistry.... When we were on our way back to the hotel we stopped at a bakery to get some food. They had Hello Kitty stickers by the register and Kaelin must have been eying them because the lady gave her one. I tried to pay for one for Chelsi too, but she just gave me the stickers and gave me my money back. The girls LOVE Hello Kitty. At breakfast this morning a Korean couple stopped us to talk. She is the director of the Korean Nursing Program at a university in PA. She and her husband are apprently very active with the adoption groups in their area. They were talking to us to make sure we were doing something similar in our area...the best we can. They gave me their room number and insisted if we had any needs at all we should come see them. They were both very nice!
We're leaving to get Jaemin in about 2 hours, so this is probably it until getting home. See you all later and love you!
Lisa
Presidential Mourners
This water clock is a Korean treasure.
Heungcheonsa Bell is also a Korean treasure.
Singijeon Launcher Carrier is a weapon used many years ago.
The girls in front of the throne hall.
View of the throne hall.
Inside the throne hall.
Neat looking tree on the palace grounds.
Steps leading to the throne hall.
Various pictures throughout the grounds.
King Gojong's modern palace.
Fountains at night
We just, last night, noticed there is a fountain under the overpass next to our hotel, that apparently only comes on at night. But, it goes through several colors as it splashes up and is very pretty! The streets were crazy late last night and today. Tons of traffic and honking. I think it's all due to the funeral of the former President tomorrow.
Back to the market
I wanted to get pictures of the South Gate, but had no idea they had it blocked off after it was damaged in the fire. So they have it hidden and are doing something with it. But, we took pictures of it anyways. The rest of the pictures are of the area near there, downtown Seoul, and Namdaemun Market where we went back to shop. We finished getting everything I still wanted to get and got some great deals! When we were at the market a guy stopped to talk to Chelsi. He practiced his English with us and kept squeezing her cheeks to say how beautiful she was and then picked her right up. I had to grab a photo of that!
Later, in the afternoon, we took the subway and went to Eastern to see Kaelin's foster mother. We got there early and had hoped to hold the babies, but they must not let people do that anymore, so all we got to do was glance in there through the glass. They showed us where Kaelin sat for her picture as an infant, got her shots, etc. It was pretty neat to see. When Mrs. Kim walked into the room we immediately recognized her and she us. She cried a lot. She was SO happy to see Kaelin again and couldn't believe how big she'd gotten and how round her head turned out. She said she was really worried about her flat head as a baby.....I remember that being said on a video. :) She told us how good of a baby Kaelin was and that she never cried. She's now fostering TWO babies! She said one is seven months old and the other is 20 days! Wow! She bought Kaelin a cute little dress, some pastels to draw with and some hair accessories....she knows our girl! Kaelin is wearing the dress tomorrow to meet Jaemin.....she loved it! Kaelin didn't say a word the whole time. That was the longest I've ever not heard her utter something, but she did sing the Three Bears song for her and her foster mother LOVED it and cried again that she knew some Korean. She wants her to come back when she's older. She wanted to know everything about Kaelin aside from what I write in letters every year. She said she was very happy that we wrote every year and sent pictures. That makes me feel better that she likes them and gives me incentive to continue doing it. She requested that next year Kaelin also write a letter and draw her a picture, which Kaelin promised to do. I am also sending her some pictures from today because she had to leave her camera.
While we were waiting to meet Kaelin's foster mother they put us in the computer room. There was another couple in there from CO that were picking up their son. We talked to them for about an hour. It was nice to chat with someone from the US and about the fears of going home etc. I'm a little fearful of our flight. We were told in Chicago to call Korean Air a couple of days before we left to have our seats switched so we can get bulkhead and basinett, but when I called they said I should have set it up when we left. Frustrating! I'm going to try to talk to them when we arrive because they have us sitting in two rows with strangers on the aisle while we're on the inside. Pretty sure those people are not going to like having us get up with 3 kids often! They'll regret that for sure.
It really was a great day. We walked to a local florist and got some flowers to give to Jaemin's foster mother tomorrow when we take him. They're very pretty and money here goes a lot further on flowers than they do in the US. A lot better flowers for the money....they are beautiful!
Observations from the week so far; people park their cars on the sidewalk and if you're walking there you better move 'cause mostly they don't stop. Bikes and mopeds will run you right over as they weave between streets and sidewalks often. We've been knocked around by people too. They don't slow down for anything. The subways here are super easy to figure out, but today Lois realized we could turn our tickets in at our home stop for 500 won back. That was a good discovery. We've had a mixed bag of reactions from people on the subway. That's where the majority of the reactions have happened. Most older gentlemen just love Chelsi and talk away to her and smile. One man, today though, was saying things to us and was definitely not happy with us...but we have no idea what we did.
Tomorrow, we'll try the palace, but due to the former President's death we're not sure it will be open. It's just a quick walk though. After that we're going to baby proof the room and go get my boy! YAY!!!!
This is one of the potties at the agency (squatty potty for women) :)
Kaelin's dress from Mrs. Kim. Her caseworker said they call this kind of dress the princess syndrome...dresses for spoiled little girls. :)
Not sure when I'll post again since tomorrow is baby night! I should have some time in between to post about the palace, but after that....who knows! Pray for our safety on our trip home!
Lisa
Later, in the afternoon, we took the subway and went to Eastern to see Kaelin's foster mother. We got there early and had hoped to hold the babies, but they must not let people do that anymore, so all we got to do was glance in there through the glass. They showed us where Kaelin sat for her picture as an infant, got her shots, etc. It was pretty neat to see. When Mrs. Kim walked into the room we immediately recognized her and she us. She cried a lot. She was SO happy to see Kaelin again and couldn't believe how big she'd gotten and how round her head turned out. She said she was really worried about her flat head as a baby.....I remember that being said on a video. :) She told us how good of a baby Kaelin was and that she never cried. She's now fostering TWO babies! She said one is seven months old and the other is 20 days! Wow! She bought Kaelin a cute little dress, some pastels to draw with and some hair accessories....she knows our girl! Kaelin is wearing the dress tomorrow to meet Jaemin.....she loved it! Kaelin didn't say a word the whole time. That was the longest I've ever not heard her utter something, but she did sing the Three Bears song for her and her foster mother LOVED it and cried again that she knew some Korean. She wants her to come back when she's older. She wanted to know everything about Kaelin aside from what I write in letters every year. She said she was very happy that we wrote every year and sent pictures. That makes me feel better that she likes them and gives me incentive to continue doing it. She requested that next year Kaelin also write a letter and draw her a picture, which Kaelin promised to do. I am also sending her some pictures from today because she had to leave her camera.
While we were waiting to meet Kaelin's foster mother they put us in the computer room. There was another couple in there from CO that were picking up their son. We talked to them for about an hour. It was nice to chat with someone from the US and about the fears of going home etc. I'm a little fearful of our flight. We were told in Chicago to call Korean Air a couple of days before we left to have our seats switched so we can get bulkhead and basinett, but when I called they said I should have set it up when we left. Frustrating! I'm going to try to talk to them when we arrive because they have us sitting in two rows with strangers on the aisle while we're on the inside. Pretty sure those people are not going to like having us get up with 3 kids often! They'll regret that for sure.
It really was a great day. We walked to a local florist and got some flowers to give to Jaemin's foster mother tomorrow when we take him. They're very pretty and money here goes a lot further on flowers than they do in the US. A lot better flowers for the money....they are beautiful!
Observations from the week so far; people park their cars on the sidewalk and if you're walking there you better move 'cause mostly they don't stop. Bikes and mopeds will run you right over as they weave between streets and sidewalks often. We've been knocked around by people too. They don't slow down for anything. The subways here are super easy to figure out, but today Lois realized we could turn our tickets in at our home stop for 500 won back. That was a good discovery. We've had a mixed bag of reactions from people on the subway. That's where the majority of the reactions have happened. Most older gentlemen just love Chelsi and talk away to her and smile. One man, today though, was saying things to us and was definitely not happy with us...but we have no idea what we did.
Tomorrow, we'll try the palace, but due to the former President's death we're not sure it will be open. It's just a quick walk though. After that we're going to baby proof the room and go get my boy! YAY!!!!
This is one of the potties at the agency (squatty potty for women) :)
Kaelin's dress from Mrs. Kim. Her caseworker said they call this kind of dress the princess syndrome...dresses for spoiled little girls. :)
Not sure when I'll post again since tomorrow is baby night! I should have some time in between to post about the palace, but after that....who knows! Pray for our safety on our trip home!
Lisa
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