Chinatown and Wolmi Island

I realize that I haven't written for awhile, sorry! I'm so busy here, as well as tired. My days at school are long. The bus leaves at 8:10 am and I return home around 6:45 pm. Add going to the gym, getting food, and then planning for the next day and I barely have time to do much else. There are plenty of topics that I want to write about that have happened lately. I will start with a fun adventure that I went on two Sundays ago. 

On February 5th, Sunday, Beth and I were invited to go to Chinatown while at church from James' younger sister Michelle. Beth had been wanting to go to Chinatown and it sounded like fun so we agreed to go. Joining us would also be a cute high school girl named Mary. Mary is 18 years old and finishing her final year of high school. Michelle is in university and I believe she is around 20 years old. Both girls speak some English so we are able to have conversations with them. We agreed to meet after church at 4:00 at the one of the closest subway stations.

We gather together at the subway station and travel together to Chinatown. While rushing from subway to subway, we link arms in pairs. In Korea it is more likely than in America for friends to show physical affection. I walk arm and arm with Mary, while Beth and Michelle walk arm in arm. It was a nice way to stay together and also work on speaking English with each other.

Waiting for the Subway

Me and Beth waiting for subway

Bubble tea! 

With our strawberry and nut pastries! 

 We arrive in Chinatown and take a picture. It is a nice day, warmer than the past week. The sun is in the sky without a trace of clouds. We walk up up up because Chinatown is literally on a steep hill! Apparently the Chinatown in Incheon is the largest in South Korea. It was pretty big, with multiple streets full of restaurants and shops. We looked at items for sale outside the shops, such as jewelry and fun little toys. We stop and buy these little flavor-filled pastry cakes. We share strawberry and nut-flavored cakes. Then I see it...a Bubble Tea shop! Of course I make everyone stop...I love bubble tea! I "cheat" and have Michelle order for me in Korean. I get a basic babao tea. It is delicious. We sit and chat in the tea shop for a bit and then we move on to more walking.

Chinese architecture 

Chinatown is steep!

Outside the entrance to Chinatown

Me and Mary in the Bubble tea shop

Statue at the top of the steps

Mary and me at the bottom of the steps

We find some neat stone steps that are very steep, but have a statue at the top. The steps beg to be climbed so we do. The look from the top is amazing. The sun is setting over the harbor. We continue to walk and decide to eat dinner in Chinatown. Once again, Beth and I "cheat" by having the Korean girls order for us. I tell them I don't really like spicy so they order separate food for me and Beth than themselves. We all share a delicious sweet chicken dish. Then Beth and I have these dark noodles that are pretty good and even better when we add some soy sauce! Mary and Michelle eat their spicy dishes. It is difficult to tell whether we were really eating Chinese food, because it seemed pretty Korean. We still ate with metal chopsticks and a spoon, which is Korean. The meal was great though and we watched some amusing Korean tv-show on the TV in the restaurant. Beth and I laugh as the Korean girls are on their phones during dinner...it's just a Korean thing to do :)

Sweet chicken dish that we all shared

Dark noodles for me and Beth

Slurp!

Michelle's spicy dish

Mary's spicy dish

Sometimes I make a mess...

After dinner we walk around a bit more, looking at food being prepared, such as the baking of rolls in an oven or the making of some sweet dessert. Then we hop on a bus and next thing I know we are at a small amusement park type place. I learn later that the place is called Wolmi Island. There are those large ship rides that rock back and forth, higher and higher. Here they are called the "Viking". No joke, there are three Viking ships here. Why do you need three of the same ride in such a small space? There are also bumper cars and one crazy ride called Tagada. Most people in the park are either in line for this ride or watching the ride. We stop and join in the watching. The ride is absolutely crazy! I scream as I watch the ride spin faster and faster and rock up and down. The girls ask if we want to ride the ride. I say no way! But then I realize it would be way more fun if I did, especially if the other three are riding. So I finally agree to go.

After we ride the Tagada

We get in line and my stomach is starting to get into knots. There is a DJ who controls the ride. The DJ teases people who are on the ride and tries to knock them off. He talks an awful lot and we wish we knew what he was saying. I cause a scene even before I get on the ride because I scream pretty loudly. I get the attention of the DJ and he asks in pretty good English if I'm an English teacher. I say yes and I know I'm in trouble. Beth and I realize the DJ is totally going to pick on us, being the only foreigners there. And boy are we right. We get onto the ride where Beth and I sit in between the two Korean girls. We hold onto the outside railing of the ride....because that is all you can hold onto. The ride starts spinning. It doesn't take too long until we hear the DJ say, "English teachers! English teachers!" And laughs and says other stuff in Korean for the crowds amusement. I'm screaming so he also mocks my screaming by saying, "English teachers AHHHH!" It was pretty funny, but not as funny as he holds our group at the top of the ride and causes the ride to shake up and down. We hold on for dear life as he tries to knock us off. I'm holding on but my back is being thrown again and again on the seat. I'm so close to letting go because of the pain, but Michelle falls off first, so the ride spins so we are no longer on the top. That was not the only time though! I think the DJ put us at the top at least 3 times! We were definitely picked on more than anyone and we gave the audience quite a show. The ride was fun but when it was over we were overjoyed! What a thrill! So much fun, so glad I did it :)

Here is a video I took while we were waiting to go on the ride!

Beth saying hello to the animals in the animal cafe

After the ride we walk around Wolmi Island. We pass restaurants and shops as we walk along the harbor. One shop catches our eye...it is a shop full of dogs and cats! It is a coffee shop where you can bring your dogs and cats with you. Is there such a thing in America?! I doubt it...doesn't seem sanitary. Anyway, we go in and pet the animals. We sit down and consider ordering but we don't. When we leave the owner gets mad at us and yells us out the door. Whoops. We continue to walk around and talk. I'm getting tired though and we finally get on a bus headed toward home. Before home, however, we make one last fun stop.

To commemorate our fun day we go to a fun photo shop in the mall. These photo places are popular in Korea. You can put on fun headbands or hats and step into a photo booth. You take multiple pictures on different backgrounds. Then you can add items to your picture, such as cute hearts or writing. We have fun picking out our headbands and taking photos. The picture taking went so fast though! We didn't have time to discuss what we were doing for each picture. Beth and I let the Korean girls handle the picture choosing and decorating...they clearly knew what they were doing and there was a time limit. It was super fun though and we have this memory for always :) The pictures are very tiny. I'm saving mine for when I get more and then I'll put them on a mug.

Ready to go into the photo booth with our headbands!

Hats to choose from at the photo booth shop

Photo booth shop

Headbands to choose from

At this point it was around 10:30 so it is bed time...school the next day! We say goodbye to the girls. It was a great day with new friends. If anyone visits me in Korea, Chinatown and Wolmi Island will definitely be places we have to go! Anyway, I look forward to hanging out with these girls more. I'm happy to have made some Korean friends :)