Sunday, June 30, 2013 and Monday, July 1, 2013

We were  up and out for breakfast at Tom and Tom's Coffee.  I enjoyed a pretzel with coffee and Kelly tried the Pepperoni Roll with hot chocolate. The interesting item to note was that they made and baked the items after we ordered them. So fresh from the press, so to speak!

Made to order

into the baking oven (very similar to ours in the states)

We enjoyed sitting in the park and eating our breakfast.  Said "hi" to two older Korean men.  Interesting to note how messy the park was... trash from the night before was ALL over the benches, ground, walkway... very sad to see such a mess in the area.

It was back to the apartment to clean up and pack for our trip to Cheon gae Lake in Pocheon. We were going to be with Aaron, Jeong Mi, Jeong Mi's dad, sister Limmy, brother, his wife, and their baby. Will definitely miss not having Jeong Mi's mom with us on this adventure. Mr. Park arrived and we packed up the taxi and the five of us headed out of the area. It would be at least a 2 hour trip depending on the traffic. This is in an area that is not really popular so Aaron is looking forward to the time away from the bar and the rush.

One of the toll gates we traveled through (they have HI Pass-like our EZ Pass)

 

We traveled through many tunnels; they were expertly created

                                        We arrived at the Lake where we met the rest of the family.
http://www.lakehouse.co.kr/shop_main/main_body.htm

Above is the link to where we stayed. We enjoyed a light snack and visited with family. The weather and the scenery were beautiful!

Jeong Mi's brother's baby tries on his grandpa's hat

Aaron tries on the baby's hat!

Baby waves hello (with his mom)!

We then went for a walk! One of the popular Korean singers had a pension built by the lake for his family to run. Very expensive rooms though (Aaron indicated around 300,000 won a night (( $300)). We noticed later in the evening that there were no lights on so must not have been any one staying...
We walked a very curvy road as we followed the lake shore..

Watch you do not start a forest fire

Pension build by popular Korean singer for his family to run

Map of area showing the sky slopes

Beautiful and serene

Then we had a frisbee game... Jeong Mi added a pole and bottle to remind us of the game we have at home that we have played together in the backyard.  Jeong Mi's brother gave it a try as well.

Then the family checked out the stones and the water below.. Jeong Mi's brother is a very good stone skipper!

Limmy at the water's edge

Aaron looking up

                                                                   More visiting with all.

Let the grilling begin!  Jeong Mi's parents have a garden and he supplied our meal with fresh cucumbers, peppers, (red, yellow), green peppers, lettuce, zucchini, and eggplant. They grew the cabbage and a family member created the kimchi to add to our meal. We had fresh mushrooms and meat of all kinds: pork, beef, duck, and a variety of the pork and beef. Jeong Mi's brother works for his uncle as a butcher in a meat market, so he was able to get some wonderful pieces of meat that he and Jeong Mi grilled.  The food was plentiful and we were urged to eat and eat and eat. They recommend wrapping the meat in a lettuce leaf and adding sauce and that is what I did.. so yummy.!  Again, very kind and generous family!

The grilling begins!

Limmy, Jeong Mi's brother, and Jeong Mi

kimchi

Our table overflowed with food

We sat and visited and ate and shared memories of our times together and talked of her mom. It was a very memorable time for us. It was starting to get dark by the time we finished eating, so we got our bags and were shown to our own pension for the night. The family was all staying (upstairs and downstairs) in one and they got a separate pension for us. When we stayed on the coast last year we had a bed, this year we had a Korean style ondol room where one "sleeps" on the floor on padded blankets.

Our beds for the night. 

Wall hanging

living room; screen door looks out on the lake

bathroom

shower and "sink" in the bathroom

It was a clear night and with a fan and some air flowing we slept as well as anyone can who is not used to sleeping on a floor mat. 

scene outside our screened porch

We were up the next morning and after breakfast, the owner of the pension gave the ladies and Mr. Park a ride on the lake in his boat.  The ducks just moved with the flow.

Four ducks hanging out on the shore

duck boats for paddling the lake

Kelly and Jeong Mi's dad conversing 

Using Kelly's Korean books for translation help

the boat ride

these guys were just hanging around

The seventh month:  July 1st 

packed up and driving down the road

checking GPS navigation system for directional help

Our next stop on our road trip was the the Baesangmyun Brewery Company, located in Pocheon-City, Kyungki-Do, Korea.
http://www.sansawon.co.kr/eng/gallery.html
"At Sansawon, there are people who know how to appreciate true tastes, liquor an food that agree with the principle of identical origins of medicine, food, and liquor, and unadorned Korean aesthetics. " We toured the Sansa Garden; saw Sewol, Sewollang; Buandang, Ugokru, Yusanggoksu, Chuiseongak, and walking trail. We also went into the sool gallery of Sansawon and viewed the home brewing Culture Gallery, the exhibition, and the Market where for a fee one could taste test the many liguors and wines that are produced by the Baesangmyeon Brewery. It was an informative and enjoyable time.

Yummy treat.. just like a sweetened puffed rice  cookie

Taste testing!

Kelly and I encourage you to check on the website link for explanation and understanding of all the areas that we toured this day.

Then it was time to head home with a stop at a "Korean" Chinese restaurant where we had a bowl of black bean noodles.. A very full two days. We got back to the apartment around 3:00 pm and took a much needed nap. We went to LB for the evening and I enjoyed a late dinner of chicken tenders and fries (Kelly had a chicken curry pie and fries). (Did not get a pic of these so I may have to order then again!  They were yummy for sure!)