DMZ

Writing a note on my computer for today... Friday the 20th of April.  It is after 9pm and I'm pretty tired.  My feet hurt from all the walking.  IT was a good day though.  Got a taxi from YoungNam SahmYook to Gyeongsan Station.  Took a train to Dong Daegu where we transfered to a KTX going to Seoul Station.  At Seoul Station, we jumped onto line 4 and took the subway to line 6 and then went to a stop where Willis could get a hair cut.  Keith and I ate at Quiznos (spelling?) and then walked around.  It was hilly and there were buddhist monks handing stuff out.  Saw a store that I kinda like from when I lived in Lincoln, NE.  It is called The Limited.  Got back on line 6 and went to line 3.  The subway became intensely crowded and it was difficult to move without knocking someone over.  Had to shove my way out.  Headed south to where we were going to find a hotel.  Started walking and didn't find it.  I asked for directions, but the guy only understood "hotel" and we didn't find where we had reservations.  We tried another place and the girl directed us to Exit 14, turn out, intersection, and on the right.  Her directions were right, but my interpretation of her semi broken English was wrong.  We walked for awhile and I again asked for help.  This guy was more friendly and knew a bit more English.  Eager to prove himself capable to me, he found where it was.  Back at exit 14.  Went back and this time checked the side street behind it.  I looked at the Korean letters and was sure that half of the name on the paper matched.  Walked down between those building where an arrow was pointing and there it was.  The entrance was inside a car garage.  Went in and checked in.  Now more fun was underway.  The guy manning the desk didn't realize that we had reserved two rooms... so we cleared that up really fast.  Then I got to my room and couldn't figure out how to turn on the bathroom lights.  Went next door and asked Keith.  He showed me.  Then he couldn't figure out how to turn off the tv.  I showed him.  Happily we went back to our own places for the evening.  I proceeded to go through all the free stuff.  Turns out I didn't need to bring anything with me but a change of clothes.  Everything else is provided.  EVERYTHING else.  I will make use of the bubble bath with pleasure.  Some other things... won't be used.  Good night ^_^

It is after midnight at this point so will type out what I can now and then post online once the sun rises.  Woke up this morning and got ready for the trip to the DMZ.  Met up with Keith and we headed to the subway.  Jumped on and found where we were to meet up at.  Stopped my McDonalds and Starbucks.  Then went and climbed on the bus.  Going through Seoul was, crowded.  Glad I wasn't driving.  The tour guide, William Cho, talked to use and gave us a lot of background.  We reached out first stop.  Funny.  It is a military memorial with an amusement park beside it.  It is spitting rain with a good wind by this point.  We all jumped out and took pictures.  I stopped in the souvenir shop and looked around.  Then we got back on the bus and headed to tunnel #3.  The gate security to the buffer zone is pretty tough.  No pictures!  We got to tunnel #3 and went to the museum.  We could take pictures there.  Then we went to the tunnel.  I put on a hard hat and started walking down.  Soon I was fighting to not panic as it just kept going down.  Got to the bottom and saw the tunnel continue on.  Turned and headed back up.  Talked to another expat.  Got back on the bus.  The soldiers at one of the gates bursted into a friendly grin and waved to me.  I automatically grinned and waved back.  As we started to drive on, he said "Goodbye, have a nice day."  I like hearing Koreans speak in English.  They have beautiful voices.  Scarily enough, he looked young enough to be one of my high school students.

Eventually we made it to our next area and tunnel number 2.  Ate lunch at a place that served marinated bulgogi.  Got pics of a statue of a guy that is Korea's robin hood as well as a tank and such.  Climbed back on the bus and determined that I was throwing my umbrella away when I got back to my apartment.  The wind was really destroying it.  Reached tunnel number 2.  Again no pictures.  Really thankful for my hardhat here as I bumped  the roof twice.  Went all the way here.  The guards were really nice.

We also went to a train station.  It will someday, hopefully, connect to Europe.  This is the place where I got drenched.  It was just raining that badly.  Was cold and wet the rest of the trip.  We also went to White Horse Ridge where a famous battle took place.  Have some neats pics of that place too.  The Korean soldier stationed there by default speaks English and took us on a tour.  Have pictures of him too. 

When we got back to Seoul, jumped on the subway to the KTX to Gyeongsan.  Went home.  Now I am tired.  Night ^_^