Before I write anything else...Happy Birthday to Bre, the trend-setting, ground-breaking Gherkin! I thought of you all day and how fun this day would have been to share with you! Love you.
I think she may need some of the anti-aging things shopkeepers have so helpfully been offering me. I'll take care of you dear....in 36 days.
Our biggest surprise of the day was while we were waiting for the hotel shuttle to pick us up. "Hey, Gherkins!" Huh? George! George arrived at Osan on Thursday. It was fun to chat for a bit. I am so going to miss Misawa.
We took a taxi to Songtan....glad I didn't try to WALK with our luggage. We are at the World hotel and it's better than any of the others I've walked by that were on "the list." I love tips from FB friends. They are very helpful and friendly. Check out our room (though I DO wish I had brought some travel-sized Lysol and I wish my Lysol loving friends were still in Misawa so we could share this fact and we laugh together). The family suite is costs less than the two rooms at the Dragon...AND we get a free breakfast (American or Korean), free DVD's, free shuttles and lots of friendly laughs and smiles.
Since we arrived early I wondered if we could get our shopping done today and have tomorrow to connect with people and enjoy the pool. I realized today I've ALWAYS been "working" when in Korea and was focused. I'd taken about an hour per trip to shop and mostly seen Itaewon and a quick run through Insadong and Songtan. Today - and tomorrow - we have nothing to do but enjoy. I realized that everyone always runs me to the purse shops...but I've been under a purse ban....and I've noticed there are many other things to buy....streets and streets of stores... We spent the first 6 days learning the country's culture and history. Today we shopped....and 35 - 40 minutes after leaving the hotel we walked back up with these.
They laughed....tried to carry them and then got a cart instead. They said, "Have fun," as we left again. We are allowed 2 bags each of 70 lbs each. We brought 3 bags over. I'm hoping I can check these two boxes...I was assured they are under 70 lbs each.
Arielle assures me this is exactly what I need for a vintage wedding. I'm not so sure but it caught my fancy.....maybe one of the girls will wear it....I suspect it's a bit over the top....I mean I should maybe TRY to be proper.
As we left one shop, a lady stuck her head out the door and said, "You come look." I knew I am not to buy a purse for myself, but I wanted the girls to have this experience. The shopkeeper locked the door after us and the girls' eyes got big. ::snort:: Arielle has consistently turned down any offer to buy her stuff this trip....she said it would have to jump out at her for her to buy it. I KNEW STACIA would find something she'd want and so we entered the shop. Arielle gave me a look when she saw the purses on the main floor that said, "These are NOT jumping at me." The lady asked which she liked and she said she didn't really like any of them. *I* was prepared for what happened next. She said, "Follow me" and up, up, up we went....narrow rickety stairs....to a HUGE second floor of purses. They both found ones they wanted. I resisted...and it was killing me....but I consoled myself by thinking of the pottery I hope to find.
I bought the boys hats and water...and I gave them lots of pep talks. I'm debating leaving them home tomorrow and taking the girls with me shopping. They were amazing today, but I KNOW they hate shopping.....and this was agony....though they liked the blanket shop well enough.
I gave the boys a reprieve after 2.5 hours of shopping to sit in the air conditioned chapel. We visited the contemporary service at Osan. It was fun to see James and Kimberly again. We'll meet for lunch with Kimberly tomorrow. Also hoping to work out a time to meet with Hannah.
After chapel we walked to Chilis. I know we'll be able to enjoy this in the states soon. We avoided all the American fun restaurants in Seoul. However, I was STARVING for something GREEN and thought maybe I could get a giant salad at Chilis. It was harder than I thought. I have been picturing America as the Vegan's paradise. ::snort:: Not one vegan salad. I ordered the Chicken Quesadilla Salad and asked them to hold the cheese, chicken and quesadilla. I requested a bit of beans and plain tortillas. They forgot the beans but I was more than happy with my warm tortillas and a HUGE SALAD....Cliff bars only go so far.....we didn't see as many veggie and fruit street vendors out as we expected.
I LOVE THIS....there is a pretty good selection of free movies to watch at our hotel. I suspected...yep...reminds me of the Philippines in the 1980's. ::snort:: I guess you buy one, break the code, and make copies to loan out? Nolan had to run down and ask the man how to work the remote. He came up and showed them.
I skyped with my boyfriend tonight. How I miss Michael. He said I can buy bags...I have a specific thing (or two - either/or) I want and if I find it....I will buy it with a clear conscience. I could have bought it anyway and he wouldn't have been terribly upset...he likes to tease me about it. BUT I think it would have been disrespectful....though I was counseled by a fellow tour member to buy what I wanted, leave it at a friends and bring it out in a few months. ::snort:: This was at an amethyst factory where I was resisting $300 necklaces for the second day in a row. I simply commented I would like to talk to my husband before spending that much on jewelry. She bought a couple of things so I figure she made up for my lack of enthusiasm.
BTW this "high speed" Internet is much slower than the DSL we have in Japan. How I love Japan.
I LOVE the hat! I wonder if the chattering is part of being the baby. Oh my word, that reminds me of Carys!!!!