Family means more fun!

It may be a little early to be playing tour guide in Korea, but I'm always up for a new challenge. My mom and brother arrived hassle-free Thursday evening. They've handled the culture shock quite well, even though they may still be a bit jet lagged. We've been a sight to see in my neighborhood...Koreans aren't used to seeing a family of foreigners in my area.

We have quite a busy itinerary for the ten days the family is here. We had a few Korean meals, which were met with warm praise from mom and chris. On Saturday we visited the DMZ. The tour was through the U.S.O., so we were able to see some things that other tour company's weren't allowed to provide (this wasn't free of course). Our first stop on the tour was at a United States Army base right next to the DMZ. Here, a few soldiers briefed us on the history of the DMZ, and went over the locations we would see. The first location was probably the most interesting. We visited the meeting room for where the North and South go for diplomatic negotiations. The small building is literally located half on the North's side, and half on the South's. It was fun to say we stepped foot in North Korea, and we actually got to see North Korean Soldiers watching us about 20 yards away. They had binoculars on us and everything...
We went to an observation post where we were surrounded on three sides by North Korea, and could see the 'propoganda village' that North Korea built right across the border. Essentially it's a fake town that the North built to try and attract South Koreans to defect and join the North. In the village is a HUGE North Korean flag (literally almost the length of a football field). This is in response to the South's big flag they put on their side of the border. It's probably the most immature quarreling between two countries I've ever seen. But the North's flag is so big that the wind wasn't strong enough to get the thing moving when we were there....after that, we visited a tunnel the North Koreans dug to try and sneak soldiers into the south. It's pretty creepy, and it's very far underground.

Today we visited the Palace Grounds in Seoul. A lot of the complex is still being restored because of constant invasion from outside (Japan twice, North Korea). However, the buildings are still very impressive, and like nothing I have ever seen before. Their was definitely a very powerful civilization here many years ago. Enjoy the pictures!

The fam will be visiting the school tomorrow with me...they will be instant hits I'm sure. We'll head to Everland with the 9th graders on Wednesday (they have a field trip this week). Check out the Everland theme park at www.everland.com. Then we will head down south for the weekend to Busan and Gyeongju. More updates next week.

Photos:
Mom in front of a big palace structure.

A few North Korean soldiers watching our tour group as we visit the negotiation building right on the border of north and south.

Chris and I in the negotiation room. We are accompanied by a South Korean border guard. I'm actually standing in North Korea and Chris is in South Korea. The U.N. Flag marks the border.