Thursday, December 27, 2007
Skiing/Snowboarding/ SUICIDE TOBOGGANING!
The weekend before Christmas we decided to take advantage of the fact that the owner of our school owns a ski condo at a place called Phoenix Park. So the Saturday marking the beginning of three days off we woke up at 5 am and boarded the subway to take a bus to get to the hill! Really now it wouldn’t be a vacation if you didn’t begin it with little sleep. Phoenix Park is quite close to Seoul which means it is fairly close to us (About 140 km).... but it still took 3 hours by bus because there is just so so so much traffic in Seoul.
Phoenix Park is Korea’s largest ski resort with 13 slopes, eight chair lifts, and a mediocre snowboard park with half pipe, table top, round quarter and rails. Phoenix Park looks like any other ski hill only with way more people and with the absence of the beautiful backdrop of the rockies and fir trees. Some interesting differences were the chair lift lines. They = Ridiculous! There was very little order; on a six man chair lift they were allowing only three or two people go up at a time (no singles, doubles etc. lines!!!), there were these cool board ski stop areas where before entering one’s condo you could blow off the excess snow, the lifts also were automatic rolling (think extra large treadmill) once you passed the gate and before you physically sat on the chair, finally there were ‘foreign places’ for example there was a big BBQ display selling “American Beef” (no Canadian-- perhaps for Fear of Mad Cow?) but they sold just small chunks of it plain in cardboard tiny trays... (odd!) and there was also Beaver Tails (well almost it was plain bread-- not deep-fried with chocolate sauce/nuts.) The surrounding resort area had very little to do. There were a couple of restaurants, a Starbucks (man they have taken over the world... yet I am happy... is that wrong?), a bowling alley, and of course a singing room... aka karaoke room!
When we arrived we phoned someone to come get us and get us outfitted in gear (we didn’t pack snow pants/jackets etc.--- come to think of it I doubt Will owns one as he has never seen snow before Korea). We actually really lucked out because we had a Korean teacher at school help us out and she faxed over all our sizes and gave us the guys phone number so we could ring him when we arrived. The rental man then directed us to the condo (think tall apartment looking condo.... no chalet’s in this country!) And finally we were on the hill with lift tickets for an afternoon of skiing/snow boarding.
I decided to try skiing for the first time. I snowboard when I head to the mountains but I figured cause I had two equally new people, Will and Camille I might as well learn along with them. So we strapped on our skis. Camille took a little longer to feel comfortable and stayed on the bunny hill where as Will and I ‘manned up’ and headed right up the chair lift with Dan. Well for starters me and chair lifts are never friends... I always fall off and I have fallen on... and well a lot of you know the humiliating stories. So do you think this time was any different? Nah not really but it was by far a weaker humiliation I just somehow wasn’t on the moving treadmill on time and missed going up with my friends and had to ride with some Koreans who I tried to explain in English that this was my first time on skis and that I would inevitably fall..... it probably became clear to them what I said after I demonstrated the act on the top of the ski lift... ahh well! That’s me! ok so the skiing itself didn’t go too bad no real spills and I sort of got the hang of it as in some technicalities which I had to figure out on my own because Dan, our dear friend who had skied since he was in diapers is no ski instructor!
Will and I didn’t last long though and ended up getting the party snacks/food for the Condo. And well here we insert condo card games and shenanigans. Then around 1 a.m. everyone seems to be tiring out but not this girl! And have I mentioned yet that the ski hill is open 24 hours! (the lift closes for 2 hour breaks 4 times within that period). Okay so I may be crazy but I didn’t want to go skiing in that state I just wanted to frollick in the snow and possibly toboggan. So i get all suited up and Camille is shouting.... “Aghhh someone go with her!” (honestly I was completely ready to go alone)... but then a pissed off William Teacher began pouting shaking his head (prolly swearing under his breath) and getting dressed. Man I was pumped! Ok so at this point I have a one track mind I am raring to toboggan... Will has never been before so he must go. He wouldn’t let me bring out the large silver bowls but “ask and you shall receive” so there just happened to be two shops open selling toboggans. I then tried bargaining with the store owner as the shop next door had the same toboggans.... hahaha they gave me about a dollar off!
So then we were off! We tobogganed down a freshly groomed ski hill over and over again. Occasionally there was a little shot of soju involved but what Canadian hasn’t done that? Anyway so after we developed some mad skills, got a little “facial Fence burn,” and made some snow angels I was ready for more! So I told Will that we were going to ask to go up the chair lift. He replies “Are you crazy!.” I told him that we had to try... he wasn’t that convinced as our lift tickets were not for night skiing only the afternoon but he gave in and we walked up to the line with toboggans in hand. The lifty looked at us, looked at our lift tickets, and shook her head. I whined please and then we got a one gloved figure in the air... ONE TIME! ASSSSAHHHH and we were on the chair lifts like two dorks with toboggans in hand. We got to the top, said farewells to one another, and both went down suicide mission (belly down head first). The BEST ride of my life and the FASTEST I will ever travel down a ski hill. We literally felt like we were flying over the snow! Near the end we were whizzing past snow boarders and skiers with snow up our faces..... and we both made it out ALIVE and had a congratulating toboggan slap (think high five with toboggans)! Because I mean really who gets to live that dream! I am so BLESSED!
Phoenix Park is Korea’s largest ski resort with 13 slopes, eight chair lifts, and a mediocre snowboard park with half pipe, table top, round quarter and rails. Phoenix Park looks like any other ski hill only with way more people and with the absence of the beautiful backdrop of the rockies and fir trees. Some interesting differences were the chair lift lines. They = Ridiculous! There was very little order; on a six man chair lift they were allowing only three or two people go up at a time (no singles, doubles etc. lines!!!), there were these cool board ski stop areas where before entering one’s condo you could blow off the excess snow, the lifts also were automatic rolling (think extra large treadmill) once you passed the gate and before you physically sat on the chair, finally there were ‘foreign places’ for example there was a big BBQ display selling “American Beef” (no Canadian-- perhaps for Fear of Mad Cow?) but they sold just small chunks of it plain in cardboard tiny trays... (odd!) and there was also Beaver Tails (well almost it was plain bread-- not deep-fried with chocolate sauce/nuts.) The surrounding resort area had very little to do. There were a couple of restaurants, a Starbucks (man they have taken over the world... yet I am happy... is that wrong?), a bowling alley, and of course a singing room... aka karaoke room!
When we arrived we phoned someone to come get us and get us outfitted in gear (we didn’t pack snow pants/jackets etc.--- come to think of it I doubt Will owns one as he has never seen snow before Korea). We actually really lucked out because we had a Korean teacher at school help us out and she faxed over all our sizes and gave us the guys phone number so we could ring him when we arrived. The rental man then directed us to the condo (think tall apartment looking condo.... no chalet’s in this country!) And finally we were on the hill with lift tickets for an afternoon of skiing/snow boarding.
I decided to try skiing for the first time. I snowboard when I head to the mountains but I figured cause I had two equally new people, Will and Camille I might as well learn along with them. So we strapped on our skis. Camille took a little longer to feel comfortable and stayed on the bunny hill where as Will and I ‘manned up’ and headed right up the chair lift with Dan. Well for starters me and chair lifts are never friends... I always fall off and I have fallen on... and well a lot of you know the humiliating stories. So do you think this time was any different? Nah not really but it was by far a weaker humiliation I just somehow wasn’t on the moving treadmill on time and missed going up with my friends and had to ride with some Koreans who I tried to explain in English that this was my first time on skis and that I would inevitably fall..... it probably became clear to them what I said after I demonstrated the act on the top of the ski lift... ahh well! That’s me! ok so the skiing itself didn’t go too bad no real spills and I sort of got the hang of it as in some technicalities which I had to figure out on my own because Dan, our dear friend who had skied since he was in diapers is no ski instructor!
Will and I didn’t last long though and ended up getting the party snacks/food for the Condo. And well here we insert condo card games and shenanigans. Then around 1 a.m. everyone seems to be tiring out but not this girl! And have I mentioned yet that the ski hill is open 24 hours! (the lift closes for 2 hour breaks 4 times within that period). Okay so I may be crazy but I didn’t want to go skiing in that state I just wanted to frollick in the snow and possibly toboggan. So i get all suited up and Camille is shouting.... “Aghhh someone go with her!” (honestly I was completely ready to go alone)... but then a pissed off William Teacher began pouting shaking his head (prolly swearing under his breath) and getting dressed. Man I was pumped! Ok so at this point I have a one track mind I am raring to toboggan... Will has never been before so he must go. He wouldn’t let me bring out the large silver bowls but “ask and you shall receive” so there just happened to be two shops open selling toboggans. I then tried bargaining with the store owner as the shop next door had the same toboggans.... hahaha they gave me about a dollar off!
So then we were off! We tobogganed down a freshly groomed ski hill over and over again. Occasionally there was a little shot of soju involved but what Canadian hasn’t done that? Anyway so after we developed some mad skills, got a little “facial Fence burn,” and made some snow angels I was ready for more! So I told Will that we were going to ask to go up the chair lift. He replies “Are you crazy!.” I told him that we had to try... he wasn’t that convinced as our lift tickets were not for night skiing only the afternoon but he gave in and we walked up to the line with toboggans in hand. The lifty looked at us, looked at our lift tickets, and shook her head. I whined please and then we got a one gloved figure in the air... ONE TIME! ASSSSAHHHH and we were on the chair lifts like two dorks with toboggans in hand. We got to the top, said farewells to one another, and both went down suicide mission (belly down head first). The BEST ride of my life and the FASTEST I will ever travel down a ski hill. We literally felt like we were flying over the snow! Near the end we were whizzing past snow boarders and skiers with snow up our faces..... and we both made it out ALIVE and had a congratulating toboggan slap (think high five with toboggans)! Because I mean really who gets to live that dream! I am so BLESSED!
Wednesday, December 26, 2007
Christmas Eve/Christmas Day
Christmas Eve
Christmas Eve was nice. I did the usual last minute mad shopping! Then I wrapped gifts and Roberta, Camille, and I had some drinks and then headed to “Bar 10.” “Bar 10” is our “Cheers” of Ansan. Everyone knows your name and all us foreign personalities go there to hang out and reflect on Korea. It is dark but clean and nice... we all flock around the bar itself on stools.... I think just to prove our own “Westernness” to ourselves, as Korean people do not drink at the bar, but rather prefer to drink at booths... possibly more socially acceptable.... but each to their own I suppose. The Bartender is named Reo and he is quite friendly though his English is a little lacking... but what he may lack in a great conversation he makes up for with his unbelievable “Fire Skills.” Yep he throws the bottles around, throws a torch of fire around and then lights shot after shot in a blaze complete with “party” sparkles! He may have even melted some hearts in the process--- though I am not speaking of my own ;) Anyhoo so Christmas Eve there we all were.... and it was nice almost everyone had showed up and despite being reluctant to spend Christmas Eve in a bar--- I was in good company and therefore had a good time!
Christmas Day
Christmas day was full of loving phone calls!!! (thanks again) We then meant to do a gift exchange amongst our “Brighton Family” (you know spices, salad dressing -- the real valuable stuff that is hard to find in Korea) but this ended up just being a girls gift exchange as uh hum.... the boys were too hung over!!! Talk about Grinches. No matter we had fun and Roberta was good and scared at her crazy large present--- but loved the foam mattress (the beds are rocks over here) and hockey stick so hopefully she can puck around in her apartment---- aren’t her neighbours going to love her?!
We then all trucked on the Subway to Seoul and had an amazing “western” dinner. Only it wasn’t the usual Canadian/American style Christmas feast, instead it was very “Oceanic”--- Apparently that is the continent that makes up both Australia and New Zealand. Though this is an ongoing argument as we like to razz Camille that she truly doesn’t belong to a continent! Anyway, as it is warm in the Southern Hemisphere around Christmas instead of dreaming about Mashed Potatoes, Turkey and Ham, Camille and Will have been dreaming about BBQs. Well this is just what we had... and it was amazing... a buffet of meat.... I never would have thought I would love such an obscene amount of cooked flesh.... but I did... Ohhh Korea what are you doing to me??? ;)
Christmas Eve was nice. I did the usual last minute mad shopping! Then I wrapped gifts and Roberta, Camille, and I had some drinks and then headed to “Bar 10.” “Bar 10” is our “Cheers” of Ansan. Everyone knows your name and all us foreign personalities go there to hang out and reflect on Korea. It is dark but clean and nice... we all flock around the bar itself on stools.... I think just to prove our own “Westernness” to ourselves, as Korean people do not drink at the bar, but rather prefer to drink at booths... possibly more socially acceptable.... but each to their own I suppose. The Bartender is named Reo and he is quite friendly though his English is a little lacking... but what he may lack in a great conversation he makes up for with his unbelievable “Fire Skills.” Yep he throws the bottles around, throws a torch of fire around and then lights shot after shot in a blaze complete with “party” sparkles! He may have even melted some hearts in the process--- though I am not speaking of my own ;) Anyhoo so Christmas Eve there we all were.... and it was nice almost everyone had showed up and despite being reluctant to spend Christmas Eve in a bar--- I was in good company and therefore had a good time!
Christmas Day
Christmas day was full of loving phone calls!!! (thanks again) We then meant to do a gift exchange amongst our “Brighton Family” (you know spices, salad dressing -- the real valuable stuff that is hard to find in Korea) but this ended up just being a girls gift exchange as uh hum.... the boys were too hung over!!! Talk about Grinches. No matter we had fun and Roberta was good and scared at her crazy large present--- but loved the foam mattress (the beds are rocks over here) and hockey stick so hopefully she can puck around in her apartment---- aren’t her neighbours going to love her?!
We then all trucked on the Subway to Seoul and had an amazing “western” dinner. Only it wasn’t the usual Canadian/American style Christmas feast, instead it was very “Oceanic”--- Apparently that is the continent that makes up both Australia and New Zealand. Though this is an ongoing argument as we like to razz Camille that she truly doesn’t belong to a continent! Anyway, as it is warm in the Southern Hemisphere around Christmas instead of dreaming about Mashed Potatoes, Turkey and Ham, Camille and Will have been dreaming about BBQs. Well this is just what we had... and it was amazing... a buffet of meat.... I never would have thought I would love such an obscene amount of cooked flesh.... but I did... Ohhh Korea what are you doing to me??? ;)
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