We met up with one of the former Elder's favorite investigators, Joyce, who treated us to a fancy Korean lunch. It was absolutely perfect, and I even tried octopus (don't worry it wasn't the live kind that they cut up in front of you, while you try to grab the legs with your chopsticks before they wriggle off your plate. Dave says you have to chew that kind really well or else they will suction to your throat. Sometimes I think my taste buds are turning Korean, and then I remember I still have along way to go!). I actually liked it, but just looking at the suction cups on the legs didn't make me want to eat a whole lot!
I thought you would get a kick out of how many dishes are on the table. In Korea you get a dish, and they also bring many many side dishes. Surprisingly, this picture was taken after they had already cleared the first course! Can you believe it?
Joyce took us on a scenic drive of Anseong...
...after we saw this sign we were worried we might crash into the lake. You will be happy to know we survived without any casualties!
Next we stopped at this Tea House. After the large lunch I couldn't imagine having anything else, so David and I shared a glass of hot Citron Juice (Orange, lemony hot drink, with cut up peels, very delicious and tasted packed with vitamin C) I was in love with how picturesque it was, from the large purple couches we sat on that reminded me of Belle in "Beauty and the Beast" to the gentle music and gorgeous view. Lovely is really the only word to describe this experience (Lucy enjoyed it as well, as she napped in Dave's arms, maybe that is why I had such a good time!).
Outside the Tea House I caught a cute picture of Lucy's ringlet...haha...I guess only a mother would notice that sort of thing about this picture. I am so glad the humidity here in Korea has brought out the curls on my little girl.
We spent the rest of the afternoon wandering the area. This area seemed a little more ancient, than the area we live in. Many houses reflected ancient architecture, there was more hidden alleyways, and altogether it was just brimming with character. I couldn't resist snapping a shot of these cute Grandmas just chillin' in the alleyway.
Here is Dave with KC outside their old house. They lived on the second floor, which means those lower two windows were theirs.
We ate a snack and watched Lucy play with Dave in the land of the smurfs. (I was so wishing I had some blue body paint and a white diaper so I could get a picture of my little baby in Smurfland...okay...just kidding, even for a funny picture I don't know if I would paint my daughter blue! But you have got to admit, this playground certainly does have the smurf feeling...)
I think this was the first time Lucy went on a slide with her Dad. Yay for mushroom slides!
I don't know if I was just being more observant because of the meandering feeling of the day, or what, but I sure saw a whole lot of spiders. I looked up in this alleyway and saw at least 40 of these gigantic spiders (yeah you think they look bad in this picture, up close they are neon!) I can only count 5 in this picture, but you have to imagine tons of these guys above our heads. The funny thing is I think my arachnophobia is getting a little better, because rather than running, I had to get a picture, then suddenly I imagined them all dropping from their webs and landing on us and my heart started racing and I immediately had to get out of there, but for a moment there, I did really well.
Here's one at the bus stop we found praying on a Cicada. This vicious sight totally helped me cope with my spider fears (yeah right!).
We found a traditional stone bridge...
And I took a million pictures as usual...I just couldn't get enough of the perfect reflection in the water!
They were preparing for a festival, setting up ancient stuff, so I think this guy was just tightening bolts and what not, but this picture still seemed to take me back a hundred years to the way things were in Ancient Asia...waterwheel, stone steps across the river, some reeds and a wide brimmed hat...I love it! A truly enjoyable day, picturesque to be precise, I hope it will forever remain like a picture in my mind!
