Gyeongbokgung Palace

Sunday we opted to make a comprehensive strategy to get as much done as possible everything was mapped out, subways, buses, everything! We started out at the Gyeongbokgung Palace was built in 1394 as the main palace for the Joseon Dynasty. The campus is huge it is also next to the national cultural museum and children's museum.

Afterwards our plan was to hop on the city bus tour, from all accounts this was a easy process pay your 10000 won and you have a day pass to hop on and off and they ferry you around to major points. Sounded great to get a better understanding geographically and hit the major places. However after standing a hot sticky crowded line for a long time someone decided to finally tell us it was sold out for the rest of the day, due to the high volume of tourists during the holiday weekend. Unbelievable.

We decided to head to the North Seoul Tower, an observatory that overlooks the city. I think we must of got incomplete directions from the ex pats that helped when they found us hunched over the map and guidebooks after the bus tour rejection. It took some serious hiking straight uphill, it was also kind of misty but not enough to cool us off. One thing in our marriage that puts each of over the edge is hunger for dan and overheating for me. Well it just happened that we both hit out breaking point at the same time we found the 1hour plus cable car line to get up the mountain. We knew at point the view of the tower would have to be enough and it was time for food and a breeze!

We found a terrific restaurant, with the help of photos and gestures Dan had this super good fried rice and bean paste sauce (doesn't sound as good as it was!!). I had the seafood platter, Dan was pretty wearry of my octopus but I was even more of the incredible amounts of chili sauce they put on it!

Figured we had better make another trip to Insadong, the artsy, craft area to look for souvenirs, I want to get Jae Hyeong (Evan) name on a few things. Well that would have been fantastic if I would have remembered to bring the Korean print of his name, well and I actually find the person that did that. How is all the other adoptive parents can figure this out? Because of th holiday there were thousands of people on this one street, including a marching band. This claustrophobic momma struggled!! After a long trip down and then back up the street we decided it was time to relax at the hotel

We came to the conclusion that if we were traveling to Seoul for a tourist experience we would keep going, because so far we are seriously unsuccessful. However that isn't out purpose here, we want to be successful at this family transition and being overwhelmed, frustrated, exhausted is not the way to do that.

I find myself re-watching all the videos we made of Evan over and over again, I cannot believe this is out little boy. He is so perfect (painted nails and all). we pray that the Lord (and Mrs Choi) has been preparing his heart for this rough road ahead. It breaks my heart to think what he about ready to go through. Very very bittersweet!