Let's go Observing!

So today I will do another short blog since yesterday's was also quite short. Today we went to an observatory at the top of a mountain just outside of Jochiwon, the place where we live. It was this cute little place called Star Park (you'll see the signs and whatnot below). We hiked around in the mountains for a bit, exploring, finding bugs and seeing the gorgeous sights, until it was time for us to head inside the observatory to look at the sun through a telescope, watch a 3D and 4D movie, and (at least for me) freak out about the 2nd floor mural of the little prince :D

After we poked around, found super cheap vending machines, and got rained on a bit, it was time to head out for lunch and then to the Suspension Bridge (a walking one). Lunch took some time since we didn't inform the poor people we were coming and I worry that because of that our first real meal in Korea was...meh. But still it was our first meal so documentation was necessary, though by the time our food arrived I was too hungry to get all of it.

After lunch we went to a suspension bridge that was created purely for foot traffic. Now, if you didn't know the difference between walking and driving suspension bridges here it is, they actually make the bridge wobbly so you swing from side to side, and bump into people. It was a good time, and we were in a region where peppers are widely produced (something I was very happy about) so there are pepper signs and pepper people everywhere. At the end of the suspension bridge is a huge dragon that kids would go climbing on and trails that you can hike up the side of the mountain on. After all was said and done we all passed out on the bus for about half an hour.

I believe the caption was "YES, stepsssss"

Chili pepper trail marker om nom nom

Clearly you all know this is telling you where you are.

Star Park!

A lot of the signs for touristy things are also in English, the movies weren't however.

80 cents for one of these bad boys, and these machines are everywhere, and have coffee.

We found a slug friend ^_^

Korean War Memorial

Ok, so if you go to Korea, there will be super fit people everywhere, and this is why. FREE OUTDOOR GYM!

They love little characters like this, and I have to admit, I do too :D

Statue of someone we were not informed of. Lovely stonework though.

Le Petit Prince est ici! Reste, mon cœur.

Space suit.

Waiting for our Bibimbop lunch...

Another little pepper person!

Look at those GIGANTIC peppers.

Dragon.

Leaving the area.

It was such a beautiful and fun day today, lots of sights to see, lots to learn, and a bit to eat. This last picture doesn't even begin to describe how beautiful the mountains are in Korea, and if you go for a drive there is farmland everywhere, even if they are small farms. This was the one area where there was no planting, my guess being because if the river floods, goodbye crops. But other than that we had a straight shot home, and nearly every mile that wasn't hills were rice fields, all hand planted. Well that's it for now, I'll give you an update again soon. Until next time, I hope the world is good to you :D

-Sara