Day 3 (Saturday May 25th)

Today,we enjoyed our usual HUGE breakfast.  Really starts the day off right!  Talked to a family at breakfast who just came in from Philly and we'll be going on a tour with them next week.  They had plans for the day as did we.

All of the guys stayed at the hotel to rest and swim.  They all are pretty tired even though they got quite a bit of sleep last night.  We woke up, but everyone else went back to sleep except me.  Jaemin was so impressed with himself because he stayed dry and he said "but, I left my pee alarm at home".  He said he doesn't need it anymore.  Don't know about that.  Us girls went to find Dongdaemun Market and the toy alley.  Wow!  We walked probably 4-6 miles today.  We finally found the toys after asking a police officer.  :)  We found a firetruck with Pororo for Jaemin and a Pororo camera for Jae and Pororo utensils for Jaemin.  Of course we got 3 little fans for the little kids.  They're only 1,000W and it does help keep you cool.  It was SO hot today.  Chelsi got some slippers and hair items, goggles and socks.  Kaelin got hair items and socks.  Then, we got some little insulated water bottle carriers so the little kids can carry their own water around.  We made our way back to the same subway exit and hopped over to the Hongdae area to find Hello Kitty Cafe.  The directions online stink and I forgot my little map, though, if I remember right, I don't think it would have helped.  We walked almost all of the area and it's a really happening place for young people so it was super packed!  We did not go to the free market....entirely too tired.  It took us finding 3 different people, asking for directions and playing charades until we found it.  The good thing was we found Etude House along the way.  So, I loaded up on my make up and we asked the ladies there and we were just down the street by then.  Then, we saw PINK!  We ordered frozen yogurt waffles.  It was just frozen yogurt on thick waffles covered in strawberry jelly.  It was really good.  We drank so much water when we go there too.  Hello Kitty is ALL pink and ALL Hello Kitty.  Had we gotten a latte or hot chocolate it would have had her face in the drink, but it was much too hot.  Our waffles were Hello Kitty shaped though.

By the time we got to the cafe we had no idea where we were and no idea where the exit we came out was, so we just started walking in a straight line and did find an exit to the same line, so we went back to the hotel from there.  Chelsi was carrying my camera on the subway, so she took some pictures on the way back.  The girls are finally getting the hang of swiping our prepaid subway cards.  We loaded some more money on them and went on our way.  And tonight we just have to go to the theatre and relax and watch Nanta!  Sounds good to me.  Then, more walking at the zoo (Seoul Grand Park) tomorrow.

Day 2 Part 2

We decided to go swimming.  The hotel has such a nice pool.  Brian said the locker room is even nicer so eventually he and Chase and Cole went to the sauna and whirlpool.  They relieved some muscles and had fun wearing themselves out in the pool.  It's 6pm here and poor Jaemin couldn't finish his supper.  He started falling off his chair at the table and we had to put him in bed.

We didn't feel like going out, so we just went behind the hotel to Cafe Mamas.  It's pretty good as all of the internet said.  Just sandwiches, but good.  Not cheap, but food isn't terrible cheap anyways.  Then, back to 7-11 for soda to bring back.

Our housekeeper came while we were in and just loved the kids.  She gave me a hug and thanked us.  So sweet, but we're the lucky ones.  She saw us again later and just loves to pat Jaemin.  I'll be taking a shower and going to bed soon.  The boys are content watching Discovery Channel.  One of the few in English.

On the flight here, I had some of the best compliments.  I had a compliment on my hair as we were walking back to our seats on the plain to Chicago and then twice was told what well behaved children we have.  So nice to hear from strangers!

I really do think everyone's enjoying themselves.

Day 2 (Friday May 24th in Seoul)

Today was a busy day.  We probably had more subway stops today than we will have most of the time we're here.  We went to Jogyesa Temple, then to Gyeongbokung Palace and last we went to Seodaemun Prison.  It was a lot of subway riding even though they're in the same area....or remotely anyways.  We're finally getting good at transferring lines.  We didn't do that 4 years ago, but this time we have to quite a bit.  Of course, first we had breakfast at our hotel's buffet.  Good way to start the day out.  Then, the girls and I went out to Paris Baguette to get bread for the peanut butter we brought and then we went to the 7-11 to get T-money for the subway system.  It doesn't save a lot, but does save at every transfer as if it was just one trip.  Kaelin's now has a lower balance than the rest of us because she kept scanning it and then some lady tried to help, but thought we were trying to go where Kaelin was (other side of the turn style) instead of vice versa and she swiped her card more.  Oh well, we now have it figured out.

Jogyesa, wasn't a whole lot to see.  They were praying in temple and you couldn't take pictures up close, but there were HUGE gold Budha inside that were pretty neat.  I did get a picture of the lanterns hanging everywhere and the outside of the temple.  Not a must see, but still glad we did.

Then, it was onto Gyeongbokung Palace.  Everything in Seoul's neat because you have a metropolis and there are pieces of history in the middle of it all.  Brian and I separated for a little bit so the girls and I could watch the changing of the guard and the boys all went to the bathroom.  He said when they were walking back in some kids from a 4-H club stopped him to ask questions like why were in Korea etc. and then they had to take pictures with them.  Later, we were stopped by some university girls who did the same thing.  This time, though, I asked them to take a picture of us in return.  Smart girl, huh?  We had lots of schools doing tours and they were trying their English by just saying a quick hi and then giggling when we responded.  There was a lot of girls making googly eyes at the boys.  Oh my!  The boys didn't hear them, but there was a group of girls that pointed and giggled every single time we met them in the palace.  But, when we were leaving they tried their English out and said "handsome guys" and giggled some more.  They got a lot of second glances!  We all had to duck to get through a little tunnel and someone made a comment about Cole being so tall when he came out and stood up.  So funny.

Last we went to Seodaemun Prison.  Cole doesn't like history class all that much, but he's just like his dad and does enjoy seeing history, so he picked this one out.  It was pretty neat.  It reminded me much of Missouri's State Pen now that it's closed.  So sad.  Especially the room full of pictures and names of prisoners over the years with the last being in the 1940's.  That's all the longer SK has really been on it's own and getting such a great economy going.  The torture there was awful.  Kaelin didn't like it that much.  She said it was creepy.  It was Brian and Cole's favorite.  Chase liked the palace.  I was content at all and Jaemin was just content when he was on my back.  He kept saying his foot hurt, but we think he twisted it maybe....not sure.  He got down when we said we'd go back to the hotel for ice cream lunch.  He was ALL better.

We promised him, he walked the rest of the way and we followed through.  There's a 7-11 right behind the hotel, so we went there and got a bunch of ice cream bars and went to the roof to eat. Resting time for the rest of the day/night.  Then, days off tomorrow except Hello Kitty for the girls and I.  I'm also hoping to go into Myeongdong for Etude House makeup one of these days.

We're here and were TIRED!

We left at 4am and arrived at about 5pm the next day in Seoul.  Just translating pure time, that was 3am the next day.  We still had to navigate the airport, which thankfully Incheon is one of the best, and exchange our money (some of it), get our cell phone, get our bus tickets and find the bus.  We did all of that including baggage claim and customs in 1 hour, which I thought was pretty good.  Then, we found our bus and it took almost 2 hours to get to the hotel.  We had lots of stops and then he stopped the bus and turned off the engine at one point, for some reason we don't know.  You literally go 1 foot, 1 minute, sometimes in Seoul.  Traffic is unlike anything I've ever seen.  I haven't seen New York, but honestly, if I wasn't too tired to have taken a picture outside of our bus I don't think it would even compare.  Still waiting for a bus to hit a bus as close together as they drive.  Welcoming the subway!

The trip here was pretty noneventful, thankfully.  We got to our first airport and there was some sort of issue with Chase's name, of all my kids, on the ticket, so we couldn't do the kiosk and had to wait in the really long line with 1st class tickets constantly bumping in front of you. Then, some poor guy got booted off a United flight and found an American flight, but needed to catch it almost an hour before we had ours and we were cutting it close, so we let him in front of us.  He looked stressed!  By the time we got to our gate (thank God I was so prepared the ticket agent loved us) we loaded within 10 to 15 minutes.  Jaemin loved flying above the clouds and Cole and Chase kept watching out the window taking in their first flight experience.  We got to Chicago with plenty of time to spare, but left a little late because a little storm decided to stroll through....yes, our luggage took on water.  I don't know if it was in transit or in the belly of our Korean Air flight.  All I know is that when we unpacked some of our gifts were wet (not damp) our luggage was wet on the outside and my white shirt had a water mark I'm praying isn't stained because it's my favorite.  I rinsed it and hung it up to dry.  As an aside, the only thing we've noticed I forgot to pack is Brian's socks.  Ooops!  We were arguing about what kind and I guess I never revisited, so he's wearing Chase's since I packed the big boys plenty.  The flight to Seoul was LONG, but Korean Air always keeps things comfortable.  Cole even made a comment as soon as we loaded how much nicer the plane was.  Brian's only complaint was they're feeding you and giving your drinks so often it's hard to sleep.  I can't even count how many drinks and food they offered.  We had at least 2 snacks and several drinks, including wine and beer at no extra charge!  The kids, and this is cool, got little welcome packs.  They even gave one to Chase, isn't that sweet?  :)  They got stickers and colored pencils and little magnadoodles.  Awesome because I forgot to buy one. They had, probably, 15-20 movies to watch, series, etc.  No one wanted for anything and I got probably 4 movies watched...of course dozed here and there through them.  One of the attendants just loved Chelsi and made sure to tell her goodbye. Jaemin's personality will be back soon, but he did VERY well.  He loved the first plane ride and was so amazed at flying that he just sat their and had a perpetual smile on his face for the 40 minute flight.  He did pretty well playing the iPod most of the time on the long flight and watched Cinderella.  Thank goodness for USB ports on this flight.  The little extra we spent to fly Korean Air was SO worth it and there's not a person out of the 7 of us who won't agree.  Jaemin slept the last 3 hours of the flight, as did Cole.  Cole was really comfortable.  Window seats are the best on this flight because there's so much space and then you have the bonus of leaning your head to go to sleep.  Chase had the other window seat and finally took melatonin to sleep the last few hours.  He rarely sleeps while traveling; just has trouble.

The hotel is just as nice as the last trip, 4 years ago.  We have a 2 bedroom at Fraser Place Central.  Ours has a king...awesome!  We have a queen at home, so this is nice.  The girls have a queen in their room.  Chase is sleeping on a pull away in the living room, but it's not an American hotel pull away. It's like a full on twin bed pull away, not a cheap, nasty mattress.  Jaemin and Cole slept on the pull out couch.  They all fell asleep with no problems, but it's only 5 am here now and I don't know how they all slept.  I'm hoping they're sleeping well.  We'll see when I venture out of the bedroom.  Jaemin is beside me playing angry birds so Cole can sleep some more.  There's enough room for all of us.  Of course, we had to go get more towels last night, but that's typical anywhere we go.  We have gifts unpacked and bagged and today we're going to venture out a bit.  Tomorrow's an easy day.  The girls and I are going to check out Hello Kitty Cafe, maybe a market place and I just bought show tickets to Nanta for tomorrow night.  Have to see a show, right?  It's like being in NYC and not going to a show.

Will post the few pics I took after the kids get up and I can get to my camera.


AND here are the pictures.

Jaemin playing iPod, waiting in Chicago.....and the rest of the family.

He was excited to see how big our plane was.

Not too long into the flight.

The ground from the camera on the plane....probably closer to the arctic.

Last leg....everyone's tired.