Spring Break 2013: A Lesson in Bourbon

 

While nearly 3 years has passed since touring the Wyoming Whiskey distillery in Kirby, Wyoming; some details remain clear: The crisp, Wyoming, spring air. The dull-glow of copper kettles. The bready-lively smell of the fermentation process. The intimacy of touring a facility as a group of four; long before the onset of tourist season. The balanced scent of oak barrels working their slow-sweet magic on Wyoming's first "legal" whiskey.

The tour and the facilities were truly an extraordinary and impressive experience. For Mike and Melissa, the tour was a perfect fit for their "Burlington-bar-purchase-focused-spring-break". Spring Break 2013 was the week in which Mike and Melissa took their finalized business plan to it's full fruition, looked over a ton of loan papers and made some kind of sense of what it would soon mean to own a small-town, Wyoming bar. Little did they know just how much Wyoming Whiskey would become an aspect of their liqour serving lives, the conversations that would rotate around this product which was so highly anticipated around the entire state.

Unfortunately, it has been painfully clear that Wyoming Whiskey has not won over the hearts of the people for whom Wyoming is home. Released before having had adequate time in a barrel, most Wyomingites first impression was that of paying too much for something too forceful and "green". Owning and more importantly, working a bar, the Harrington's have engaged in numerous conversations regarding this well labeled, poorly executed product. However, they've also had opportunites to try more recent batches and meet with members of the Wyoming Whiskey team - these have resulted in more positive experiences - a better tasting Whiskey (more time in a quality barrel is all it takes!) and down-to-earth sales reps that understand the value of ALL Wyoming beer, wine and liqour establishments.

Taking time to reflect back on this tour has provided a moment of grateful appreciation for the way the world works and the way things always come full circle, even the smallest of things.

 

Posted with Blogsy

Quick Trip: Phoenix, AZ

Since receiving tickets for Leonard Cohen prior to returning to the USA and having a job stateside, the Harrington duo was pleased to discover the weekend of the Leonard Cohen concert would be extended two days thanks to Parent-Teacher conferences, an obligation for teachers and parents, but not for paraprofessionals. Knowing that, if they were in the land of kimchi with a long weekend, they'd be sure to go somewhere and do something, the couple hit a few flight search engines and soon realized that Phoenix was beckoning them forth. Not only were tickets affordable, but the couple had a small handful of friends living in the city of warmth making the decision to purchase all the more easy.

So, after a cold, cold nights sleep in the Subaru, the couple checked in, disappointed to learn that Spirit airlines carry-on requirements were quite meager and the large bag to take-along the laptop (for NaNoWriMo) would cost an extra $40...bucking up and paying the outrageous fee, the couple was soon scarfing down breakfast, warming up and making their way to the gate.

Upon arrival at the gate, the couple soon learned that their flight was delayed by about two hours, longer than the anticipated flight itself. Always attempting to make the most of every situation, Mike continued reading while Melissa added to her NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) story about Lady Annyeong (a story which would not find it's conclusion in November as hoped, but has, at the very least, been started). The couple also spent some time eavesdropping on a group of hockey players who'd spent a wild week or so in the Rocky Mountain city of Denver and had a series of conversations regarding missing teeth and drinking beyond their fill. Also stuck in the airport, the same crew of men decided to attach a dollar to a string of floss and see how well they could prank passers-by, turns out they could do it without much trouble and brought loads of laughter to otherwise annoyed travelers.

PSA's and Pictures of Lady:Edition Four

Not so much of a PSA in the same sense of previous PSA's, but perhaps some helpful information nonetheless. Many of the following 'service announcements' may warrant a more full-fledged blog regarding the ins and outs of how the Harrington's accomplished the following tasks, but for now, this is more of an area to find some helpful links when preparing to leave Korean Public School and/or travel from Korea to the USA with a dog.

Speaking of the dog, the above photos are bit old and the Lady is now sporting a much more cropped hairstyle allowing her to feel a bit fresh in this humid, Korean summer heat!

Preparing to leave Korea is filled with the need to sell, pack, apply, meet for final dinners, say good-bye and try to organize something that resembles life after departure in whatever corner of the world you've decided to tackle next.

Pensions, Beaches and Green Tea: Happy Birthday Buddha

In order to perfectly round out the month of May, the Harrington's were thrilled to come face to face with a three-day weekend. Monday, May 28th of 2012 happened to coincide with the lunar date dictating Buddha's birthday (or arrival on earth) and allowed many residents of South Korea to enjoy an extra day of sleeping in and/or exploring the peninsula. The Harrington's made the most out of the weekend by celebrating, barbecuing, camping and exploring.

Saturday got off to a slow start with Melissa putting the finishing touches on a cover letter and resume for a dream job and Mike gathering the necessary items for a successful weekend which included tents, sleeping bags, home-made root-beer and home-brewed cider and beers.

With their tasks accomplished and fully yearning for a get-away, the couple loaded up the car and headed just south of town to Jang-tae san a recreational forest boasting a Sky Tower and Tree-top Tower walkway. However, the forest wasn't the sole purpose of the Harrington's outing, rather the couple was heading off to a Pension where they would spend the evening and the following morning celebrating Ryan's (one of Mike's soccer buddies) birthday. The afternoon and evening were filled with barbecued duck, pork, beef, a few veggies, more than a few pitchers of beer and bottles of makgoli, birthday cake, food offerings to and from Korean families at the same pension, a roaring campfire and numerous drinking games.

Morning came all too soon for some of those celebrating, including the Harrington's who struggled to sleep on the hard, heated floors of the pension. Regardless, the crew cleaned up their site, grabbed some orange juice, soaked up some morning sun along the river and went their separate ways with most returning to Daejeon while M'n'M made their way into the recreational forest and further South to the coastal city of Yulpo. 

As mentioned earlier, Jangtae-san boasts a Sky Tower and Tree-top walkway which provided the Harrington's a pleasant start to the day but were nothing entirely impressive or worth ranting about.

Video Footage: A weekend in Tokyo

True to form, the Harrington's captured a few video shots of their Tokyo weekend including train rides, Disneyland entertainment and more!

For your viewing pleasure:

The Great Reunion: A Weekend in Tokyo

Early in the month of May, Melissa spotted a status update from her dear friend since middle school, Mindy Litton. The status claimed that Mindy was in Japan. Knowing that Mindy's sister was working in Japan, this was a reasonable place for Mindy to be, however, seeing that South Korea is not all too far from Japan, it was unreasonable that Mike and Melissa should not work their tails off to figure out a way to have a happy little reunion in Tokyo while Mindy was on this side of the globe.

And that it is the beginning to this tale of The Great Reunion. The weekend of May 12-13th found the Harrington's hopping from bus to plane to train to subway for a whirlwind tour of the world's largest city and a reunion with the world's sweetest Litton sisters and the boyfriend to one, Alex Ly.

Early on the morning of May 12th, (we're talking like 3 am early) Mike and Melissa groggily made their way to Incheon airport where they caught an 8 am flight to Narita Airport, took an hour express train into Tokyo center and frantically searched for a dark-haired Mindy and her equally dark-haired boyfriend, no easy task. Finally, while Mike was off checking dark corners for the couple and Melissa waited at the main subway gates a voice shouted Melissa's name and within minutes the first hug of the reunion was underway.

Thrilled to be together, but eager to fill their bellies, the now group of four (Mindy, Alex, Mike and Melissa) made their way into a department store where they grabbed a quick, delicious bite to eat.

Bellies satisfied, the group was then on their way to the Tokyo Hilton where they planned to drop off their belongings (which included an air mattress from Mandy's place for the most comfortable sleeping arrangements possible). Little did the Harrington's realize that in heading to the Hilton they would end up at the subway station for Tokyo Disneyland. Therefore, rather than head over to the hotel, the Harrington's meandered the outskirts of Disneyland which showcased fountains, overpriced shops, flower arrangements and even an impressive magic-type show.

PSA's and Pictures of Lady: First Edition

Lady is indeed the most precious and adorable 3.5 legged dog living in Daejeon, South Korea, probably the world. She has recently received a haircut and been enjoying morning or afternoon runs with the Mrs. depending on the day.

In other news:

Here is the latest information regarding Cherry Blossoms and when you can expect to see them around South Korea.

If you don't make a habit of checking out Korea's Official Tourism website, you ought too, especially this page of special offers and discounts. If you have friends coming to visit, check out that Transportation deal which could potentially get you 50,000 Won free money. Or, if you're interested in a non-verbal performance, check out the discount on Bi-Bap.

Thawing in Vietnam: History Lessons and Sightseeing

After a fine breakfast of baguettes, jam, eggs, cheese, juice and coffee at a little coffee shop next to Hotel TiTi, the Harrington duo made their way out into the city in search of the sights and vibe of Ho Chi Minh's 6 million residents. Pleased to find a quaint and quiet park just a few minutes into beginning their walk, the Harrington's took a moment to truly appreciate and breath in the truth that they were indeed on vacation, outside of the U.S. and outside of South Korea. And the weather was perfect.

Appreciating the sensation of freedom and warmth, the Harrington's were a little too eager to purchase coconut from a boisterous and outgoing salesman and would later realize they most definitely payed the foreigner price (which was still only about $3US, so not really a huge loss). Regardless, the couple indulged and meandered around the city with intentions of hitting up a few important attractions including Notre Dame Cathedral, the Grand Central Post Office, the Reunification Palace or Independence Hall and the War Remnants Museum with a lunch time stop at Huong Lai Restaurant.

The course of the day had them slowly gaining a more developed understanding of not only Vietnamese culture but the influence of the French as well as Americans on their culture, development, land and spirit. Throughout the course of the day, the story of destruction, war, rebuilding, unity and cultural pride unfolded and left the Harrington's reflective of not only the history of one nation, but the current events of many nations and the greater call of humanity to step forth in compassion and justice.

Notre Dame Cathedral

Reunification Palace/Independence Hall

Of all locations the Harrington's visited, the War Remnants Museum was the most harrowing and challenging. Stories accompanied by pictures and pictures accompanied by stories told of the great many atrocities suffered in what Americans know as the Vietnam war. But they also tell the larger story of the atrocities that happen during war times. Irreparable damage. Brokenness. Destruction. Pain.

War Remnants Museum

The Harrington's were also alarmed to see the devastating and long lasting effects of Napalm/Agent Orange on not only the Vietnamese landscape, but the people of Vietnam and even the American soldiers and their families. Photos of children from as recent as the year 2000 showed several deformities attributed to the use of these lethal herbicides manufactured by none other than Monsanto. Monsanto being a corporation which first gained the attention of the Harrington duo during their dumpster diving days and through documentaries such as Food Inc. and Fresh is the equivalent to a four letter swear in the Harrington household (stand against Monsanto by clicking here). All this, the photos, the history, the effects, the unjust power of corporations were ultimately quite draining. Fortunately, a lovely dinner of spring rolls, noodle soup and bananas in coconut milk awaited the couple at Nha Hoang Nong before they headed off to Sozo cafe to grab their breakfast for the following morning.

Thawing in Vietnam: Day of Arrival

Having partied all night long with the Mullen's, still humming the tune of No Doubt's "I'm just a Girl", the Harrington's grabbed a cab from Dunsan Girls High School and headed to the bus terminal at 3:30 am to catch a bus to Incheon International Airport. Prepared to feel the pangs of hunger after such a late night, the Harrington's (specifically, Melissa) carried a bag of Paris Baguette Treats along with her one small daypack. Groggy and ready to nap on the bus the cinnamon rolls and pastries from Paris Baguette were forgotten by Melissa, resulting in a Subway sandwich breakfast after checking in at the airport.

Airport Eats

From Incheon the duo flew to the budget airline airport in Kuala Lumpur (LCCT?) Which is all that a budget airport should be, cheap and busy with budget travellers. After grabbing a quick bite and shedding some winter layers in the tropical warmth of Malaysia the couple was soon in flight heading for their final destination of Ho Chi Minh City.

Arriving in Ho Chi Minh City the Harrington's took a moment to orient themselves to any potential scams by glancing through the Lonely Planet while sipping some fresh watermelon and passion fruit juice. Always leary of taxi drivers that approach them while in Southeast Asia, the couple opted to hop in with a metered taxi which seemed to be 'recommended' by the airport staff. Entering Ho Chi Minh City was a concierto of honks, beeps, and whizzing motorbikes. The taxi driver 'kindly' took the couple on a small tour of the city before looping back to the street where the couple would find their hotel for the next two nights, Hotel TiTi.

Checked into the hotel and eager to see a bit more of the city and more importantly get some food in their bellies, the Harrington's took a short walk through a bit of downpour until they found a nice looking rooftop restaurant and bar. Looking over the menu, the couple quickly decided that a serving of goat meat fried in coconut oil as well as grilled beef and cheese sounded like the perfect compliment to a cold Tiger beer. And the dishes were perfect.

The Korean Love Motel

If you live in South Korea you've surely heard about the glory of the Korean Love Motel. Often cheap. Often sketchy. Often a touch of 'sexy'. Often fitted with tinted windows. These motels serve to meet the needs of a) men and women conducting affairs, b) young lovers getting out of their parents homes to experiment and enjoy one another's company (many Koreans remain at home until married, and don't marry until 30...so, you can see the need for such a market) and c) foreigners looking for cheap and adequate accommodation.

The Harrington's stayed in such during their winter 2011 travels to the north east coast and again this past winter when road tripping to Gyeongju. Always hoping to pay the minimum, the Harrington's have payed between

The Misadventures of Taiwan: No Vacancy

Rain unabating, the Harrington's opted to board a train and ride along the eastern coast of Taiwan. Initially, the couple planned to stop in a small sea-side town for a night before continuing a little farther south to the town of Hualien which serves as the primary jumping off point for the infamous Toroko Gorge National Park. However, as the ride continued and the rain persisted, the couple decided to go straight on to Hualien so as to get into the Gorge sooner and/or adjust plans as necessary.



Adjusting their ticket fare and being lead to open seats a few cars down by a caring Taiwanese train employee the Harrington's arrived in Hualien in the early afternoon of Wednesday, January 25. Promptly, the couple entered the visitor's center where they were greeted by a crew of friendly and English-proficient employees who set to work helping the duo find reasonably priced accommodation and offer suggestions as to what to do in town. With what seemed to be a decent room option at 1200 TWD (~$40US) the couple made their way to the Catholic Church/hotel. Unfortunately during the ten minute taxi ride and the Catholic Church's recognition that foreigners were in need of a room the room miraculously went up to 1800 TWD (~$60US). A bit peeved and increasingly aware of the sheer amount of people who would also be attempting to visit Toroko Gorge in the coming days the Harrington's left the Catholic Church in search of any other options available in the city.

A dozen and a half hotels later with one offer of a room for 3500 TWD (~$120US) in an all too shady looking hotel building the couple made the executive decision to grab a bowl of beef noodles before re-boarding a train and returning to Taipei, which was rumored to be 'empty' due to the Chinese New Year.

The train ride provided adequate time to continue on with their reading so the couple set to work reading their Kindles while sitting on the floor. As the train began to pull out however, the couple was encouraged to take some unoccupied seats (their original tickets were standing room only) in a train car filled with Koreans. Back in the city of Taipei the couple expected to find a hotel at a reasonable rate without too much hassle. A dozen hotels later they waited 20 minutes for a hotel room to be properly cleaned and were finally dozing off to sleep in a room with no windows but lovely white sheets and towels, warmth and a roof over their heads, and for that, they were grateful.

Airport Shuttle from Incheon to Daejeon and Back Again

With vacation season in full swing in South Korea a number of expats and other travelling bodies find themselves in need of transportation to Incheon International Airport. Fortunately, public transportation is rarely an issue in South Korea so getting to the airport is of little difficulty.

If you are beginning in Daejeon you have essentially two options: 1) Train (slow ~10,000 W/2 hours or KTX ~20,000 W/1 hour) to Seoul station followed by the Airport express (~4,000 W/45 minutes) to Incheon International airport or 2) Direct bus from Daejeon Dunsan (maybe aka Dong-bu) Bus Terminal (22,000 W/2.5-3hours). Either option lands you right at the front door of the airport for vacation adventures to begin!

And upon returning to Incheon one can easily back track option 1 looking for the Airport express line to Seoul station before returning to Daejeon or by looking for the following counter which is just outside of baggage claim and can hook the traveler up with a ticket to just about anywhere on the peninsula.

Jinju's Famous Castle (a.k.a. Fortress)

Following an enjoyable evening exploring Jinju's lantern festival, a packed-tight-ocean-side-camping-venture and island exploration, the crew you've read about all month (Mike, Melissa, Aaron and Lady Annyeong) made their way back into Jinju to explore the festival grounds and nearby 'castle' before heading north to Daejeon. The fortress is extensive, beautiful and wonderful for a mid-day stroll and city views. Filled with families and couples during the days of the festival, fortress grounds also offered unique photo opportunities (as in how Lady is now 'headless') and of plentiful people watching opportunities.

The final hours in Jinju were spent tracking down Jinju Bi-bim-bap (which should have had raw beef, but didn't, but was still delicious), steaking out a firework viewing patch of hill and enjoying the glowing lanterns one more time.  Once all was said and done, the car was loaded, Melissa was dozing and Daejeon was only a mere hour and a half away.

And that dear readers is the one thrilling travel of the Harrington's as Melissa then decided to go doubled-up style on her MAED and has been begrudgingly typing paper after paper every weekend since. Fortunately, there's a light at the end of the tunnel and the MAED will be finished on January 16th, 2012 just in time for two thrilling non-Korean adventures! Hoo-zah!

South Coast Camping and Nam-hae Island Tour

Having enjoyed lantern festivities, cool night air and the worlds most succulent roasted chicken, the Harrington crew and couch guy made their way toward an unknown destination in hopes of finding a piece earth upon which to set a tent. Falling asleep in shotgun, Melissa offered little to no help in anything having to do with settling in for the night. However, the commitment and determination of man Harrington to camp in Korea with the wits of a SmartPhone finally had the crew somewhere - on the south coast - of the peninsula, near a park, between ocean and rice field with a tent full of rambunctious adjummas (Korean for funky old women, much like the one seen here -- in the second video) within earshot. Like manly men, Aaron and Mike set up the tent and soon after, all were drifting in (and occasionally) out of sleep with Lady sliding around sleeping bags for the ensuing night.

Morning came quickly for Melissa, as is to be expected, so she took care of some business including walking Lady Annyeong through some nasty, destructive Korean flora that was eager to prick and stick onto fur and pajama pants. While getting all the prickly character's off of the Lady and finally settling in to read some Dracula while letting the boys sleep Melissa ran her fingers over the Lady and made a most unpleasant discovery amongst her white fur-coat, a tick. So it was, with squeals and gags Melissa aroused the men and coerced the Man into extracting the nasty little blood-sucker who so desperately wanted to be cast as Count Dracula on poor little Lady's neck.

From tick extraction and tent collapsing one naturally heads further south to explore the islands that be. For this crew, that was Nam-hae Island, full of joyous wonders such as American Village and German Village (neither of which were visited this round), desolate October beaches yearning to be a part of energetic and exciting photographs, raw, bony, spicy fish and simple, stunning seaside beauty.

Let it be known, that getting off the beaten track and/or enjoying Korea in the off season is sure fire way to rejuvenate the worn and weary Native English Teacher.

Floating Lanterns and Festivities in Jinju, South Korea

The night of October the 7th, the Harrington duo alongside their Sofa-Sleeping friend Aaron and the most trustworthy sidekick Ms. Lady Annyeong loaded up the dear Guemi Matiz and hit the expressway en route to Jinju. About 2 hours, an egg salad sandwich and an unfortunate exit choice later, the crew pulled into Jinju, South Korea where festivities were just beginning to light up and had yet to receive the full flux of weekend travelers. So it was that the Harrington family and Mr. Fitz enjoyed an evening of glowing lanterns, candle-lit-floating-lantern-wishes, tunnels of glowing-red-lanterns, joyous children, fire-breathing phoenix and dragons, floating river bridges, heaps of food scraps for the Lady and a most amazing late-night-chicken-snack all on a Friday night. Having enjoyed the festivities and committed to setting up a tent and sleeping in it, the crew made their way south (slightly unknowingly) and pitched their tent between the sea and a rice field .

The Jinju Lantern Festival was fully enjoyable on all accounts. For the Harrington's, arriving Friday night was a special joy as the crowds were smaller and partaking in the festivities proved much easier than when the crew attended the same festival on Saturday night. Saturday night was highlighted by

Fresh Eats and a 108 Ft. Tall Buddha

A polite suggestion and a three day weekend lead to the Harrington's enjoying yet another road trip, enjoying a Subway sandwich and touring the temple grounds of Song-ni-san National Park. Having caught wind of a nearby Subway shop on Thursday night, the Harrington's began daydreaming about the delight which is found in fresh baked bread, southwest chipotle sauce and the simplicity of 'eating fresh'. Four days later, they had found directions, called up the Dickerson-Bradford's and loaded up the car en route to Cheongju on October 3, a national holiday in honor of the foundation of Korea (a story which involves lots of garlic, bears, tigers and the son of a god - which is best saved for a later date when all the details are worked out) and set about finding Dream Plus near Cheongju's bus terminal. The building was easier to find than expected and the crew need only wait until 10:30 a.m. before they were able to order their foot-long subs which would later be enjoyed in the crisp, clean October air at the foot of one of South Korea's National Parks.

Continuing on, the couple enjoyed the beauty that is Korea's countryside on the windy roads leading to Songnisan National Park. Known for it's gigantic Golden Buddha built in 1993 and an ancient 5-story wooden Pagoda, Songnisan has numerous visitors throughout the year and a holiday weekend only increased the amount of visitors making the trip. Regardless, the sites were beautiful, the day perfect and the meal prior to wandering the grounds absolutely fantastic! While Korean food does much to please the taste buds of the Harrington duo, not much can beat the satisfaction of a hearty and delicious sandwich which Subway so perfectly provides.

Getting There (Subway): Get to Cheongju's Bus Terminal, either one, whether by bus or car or taxi and look for the Dream Plus building (pictured in the first collage, top left) . It is between the Bus Terminals, near Lotte Mart and a number of nice cafes and restaurants. Subway is on the first floor and opens at 10:30.

Getting There (National Park): Not sure. Most parks have a bus that will go into them. By car you can take National Road 25 from Cheongju or the Expressway 3. Out of Daejeon, take the Expressway or National Road 37. You should see many signs for 속리산. Southern entrance provides views of temple grounds and large Buddha whereas entering on the northern side will provide for less congested hiking opportunities and more picturesque scenes which the Harrington's have now placed on their 'to-do list'.

Anseong Winery Tour and Grape Harvest 'Festival'

In order to bid farewell to the month of September, the Harrington's joined a meet-up group, loaded the car (primarily with their bodies, some maps and a handful of snacks) and made a quick jaunt north to Anseong, home of Kenneth Kim's Winery. Legitimately interested in wine-making and beer brewing, Mike was excited to see the inner workings of a Korean winery and Melissa was simply content in knowing she'd get to take in a fair share of complimentary wine throughout the day.

The trip began with a visit to a Grape and Wine history museum that culminated in dixie cup filled with grape vinegar which was surprisingly refreshing (at least, the first sip was). From the museum, our guide and host Ken politely acquiesced to a request to visit the French Catholic Missionary where Anseong's wine tradition began in 1901 according the Official Site of Korea Tourism. The abbey building was a unique combination of traditional Korean design and of course classic European cathedral design. The building today is an interesting contrast to the cement block church which greets visitors to the abbey.

Following these initial aspects of the day of wine, the Harrington's and meet-up crew made their way to a nice lakeside restaurant for a wide variety of traditional Korean dishes and the first samplings of Kenneth Kim's wines. Wines ranged from whites, to ports, to sherry's and other red varieties. There was no holding back on Ken's part and wine glasses remained full through the meal and two vocal performances from meet-up attendees who had professed and hidden talents in the world of music and performance.

With bellies finally filled the crew re-loaded the bus and made their way to the wine 'estates'. As is expected, Korea is not Napa Valley. That out of the way, the winery was ultimately right up the alley of Mike and Melissa with their humble Wyoming upbringing and acceptance of all things done with a dose of redneck thrown in. Highlights, other than the continuation of free-flowing wine included a dark, dank dungeon of a wine cellar, wine in large plastic bottles most generally associated with Culligan-type water systems, heavy-duty brick wall paper covering the small abode and the outrageously massive power line serving as a reminder that while you may be in the countryside, it remains that you are in fact on a small peninsula filled with millions of people who appreciate electricity.

Additional highlights of the hours spent on the estates were live music, grape chowing and grape stomping and walking away with complimentary bottles of wine.

The days events came with a number of opportunities to receive a discount these included 10,000 for joining this meet-up group, 10,000 for early-registration and 20,000 providing your own transport. So it was, the Harrington's each paid 40,000 for a day of touring and drinking, eating and drinking a bit more (but not so much as to be unsafe to drive) while walking away with a 30,000 won bottle of wine each. Overall, looks as the couple made out quite well.

For others thinking of touring, look for a good deal such as this and you should have no regrets. Remember you're in Korea, not California and you should have no regrets. Consider going with a meet-up group as you may luck out and meet a few individuals who are interesting, kind and willing to sell/give you some hops for brewing. You may also meet individuals with whom you disagree and could get on fine without ever meeting again, but you'll never know unless you try it!

A Road-Trip for Chuseok

Upon returning to Korea at the end of August, the Harrington's, namely Mike, began the process of buying a car and acquiring a Korean driver's license, the process of which may require it's own story/article/blog post. Regardless, the couple purchased the fine specimen that is a Kia Matiz named Geumi from dear friends (who-ought-to-return-to-Korea-rather-than-establish-life-in-the-states) and anticipated road tripping it up with their sweet 3.5 legged Lady Annyeong.

Fortunately, Korea provides a healthy bit of vacation for foreign English teachers mid-September (whilst the Korean population offers thanks for the 'harvest' and honors their ancestors during the holiday known as chu-seok) and the couple, having failed to plan a legitimate overseas or Jeju-bound trip for the 5-day weekend, giddly embarked on a short day trip in their little white Geumi Matiz.

Free to hit the road when they so pleased, the couple made their way out of Daejeon between 9:30 and 10:00 and headed West. The road trip took them to Chilgapsan Provincial Park where they received gestures that indicated Lady was in fact, not allowed into the park, at this entry, on this day, ever...(the couple is not entirely sure as rumors abound that pets are allowed into provincial parks, but not national parks, therefore, an investigation soon be undertaken). Regardless, the park allowed for a small bit of parking lot walking for Lady Annyeong and a short bit of Chilgapsan exploration by the man Harrington.

The trip continued forth until the couple passed through Boryeong and arrived at Daecheon Beach. Boryeong is famous for mud and more specifically a mud festival which tends to be a big hit amongst foreigners who like things dirty, the destination was however marked by eating raw fish and strolling along the beach for our beloved Harrington family. Sights along the beach included fishermen, foreigners swimming and playing chicken and an unimaginable number of creepy crawly bugs that went insane upon feeling the vibrations of humanoid footfalls.

From Daecheon, the Harrington's swung back east, toward Daejeon where all three Harrington's unloaded and spent the evening in full out relaxation mode.

About Nuclear Power: A Middle School Teacher Trip

Common amongst South Korea's teacher population are 'Teacher Trips'. On July 19th, Mike Harrington was lucky enough to find himself loading onto a party bus, complete with karaoke and dried squid snacks to head to...Techno Valley. A little area about 10 minutes drive time from his school. Here, he began 'learning' about nuclear power (although actual learning would have required a more advanced Korean vocabulary than either of the Harrington's possess). After a few hours of touring near home, Mike and his co-workers made their way to Gyeongju for a series of tourist site visitations, all night eating, snacking, singing and drinking followed by a morning visit to a nuclear powerplant before returning home and conducting final preperations for his summer camp.

Everland: Where Everyday is a Holiday

The weekend of July 18th the Harrington's found themselves on the road with Kolt and Holly Callaway, drinking smoothies from a Ziploc and hoping that Everland would live up to it's hype. Just under a couple of hours by Kia Matiz and the couples were parking, gathering thier water, cameras and peanut butter jelly sandwiches and heading into the main gates of South Korea's Everland Amusement Park owned by one of Korea's leading companies, Samsung. Upon entering the park, the couples were greeted by the magic of dolphins hanging from trees and European mountain scenes...it was bound to be a good day.

Not wanting to waste any time, the group of four quickly made their way to Everland's claim to fame, the T-Express. Known for being the world's steepest wooden roller-coaster, T-Express draws in the crowds year round. For the Harrington's and Callaways, the T-Express was first on the list of rides to ride, and the four were far from disappointed. After a short 40-50 minutes of standing in line, the crew took their seats near the back of the coaster, buckled up and hoped for a thrilling ride. After a steep climb the couples were SHOCKED by how quickly and how steep the 'steepest wooden roller coaster' lets the riders fall into a series of twists, turns and near decapitations. Having survived the coaster once, the four friends made a few rounds in the animal 'kingdoms' before returning for another go on the T-Express. That's right, T-Express, 2 Times because they're champions!

For the Callaway's and the Mrs. of the Harrington clan, the animals always hold a special appeal. Everland's animals were no disappointment. From 'Wild Babies', to swimming seals, to acrobatic monkey's, prehistoric turtles to oddly functioning kangaroo's the animals of Everland are constantly entertaining and fascinating. Between one zoo enclave to the next, the four friends made their way into an animal show which highlighted birds that fetch 1,000 won bills, dogs that play pianos, and a myriad of animals that run across a stage. All in all, very good times to be had amongst the animals of Everland.

The following photo collage serves as a warning message to all who may one day venture to Everland. Should you be on your way to chow-down and have not been drinking much water nor eating, the following is not highly recommended. The Callaway's were not too thrilled with their decision to "Spin It" right before a picnic lunch. Learn from their mistakes dear readers, learn from their mistakes.

As is true of any day amongst Koreans, the opportunities for photos abound. Cute children and cute couples rule the lay of the land at Everland. For 35,000 - 38,000 Won, (check the Everland website or chat with Korean friends to find out about discounts) Everland is a perfect value. Food prices are reasonable (2,000 for Churro and 4,000 for Hot Dog, etc.), there is plenty to do, and the shows (animal, acrobatic, Summer Splash, Parade of Lights, etc.) are free of cost.

Were the Harrington's to make any complaints it would be only two things: 1) So many fake store fronts promising beer and European foods offer nothing of the sort and 2) There's not enough time in the day to do all that one would surely love do on their Holiday at Everland!

For a bit more insight, check out some video footage from the Harrington's day in Everland.



Getting There: The Everland website provides information regarding 3 buses that leave from Seoul. Tours likely go from other locations around South Korea. Everland attendees are best to team up with a driving friend or ask a Korean friend for assistance in finding the best way to go to Everland from their particular starting point.

When to go: Everland is open year round. Even on a Saturday in June, the park wasn't too busy, nor was the whether unbearable. From what can be gathered, the heart of summer (July and August) through the fall are the most busy but perhaps also the most comfortable times to be outdoors!