Hwaseong Suwon Fortress

Back to blogging about the visit from Mom and Dad. The last major thing we did was visit a fortress the Friday before Mom and Dad left. It was finished (I think) in 1796. It's HUGE. We only saw a very small part of it. It was a very steep climb that made me VERY nervous. We saw the Bell of Filial Piety, and just about everyone but me got to ring it. I didn't even see anyone ring it. There is an admission booth right at the bell where you pay to ring the bell. Tate was screaming because he was hot and hungry. The two very nice Korean ladies working in the booth, in period clothing, insisted that I come into the booth (which was enclosed and air conditioned) to feed Tate and get cooled off. I sat on the floor and nursed Tate, without a cover, right in the direction of the air flow from the A/C. They were amazed at his size (as are most Koreans) and at how many kids were mine. They cheered when he finished and belched, loudly. After that 'experience', we walked higher to a command post (I think) that overlooked the city. Along the wall we walked next to, we saw arrow slots facing different directions. It was VERY high, and I don't do well with heights. We were walking around (me less than the others) and I started getting very dizzy, from heat and height. I decided to walk back down to a little snack shack thing to get cooled off and get un-dizzy. I took Tate in the stroller. Within a few minutes of me getting to the snack shack, Ken called to let me know they were on their way down. And DOWN we went, back down the horribly steep hill, with me freaking out internally that me or one of the kids, or both were going to trip and go snow balling (without the snow) down the hill/trail. I was glad when it was over. We WILL have to go back to find the other parking area and see the aqueducts and other parts of the fortress. They have a trolley that we could have ridden, but we were all very tired and hungry. We got some Korean ice cream from a guy with a cooler on the back of a motor scooter. It was a good experience and we're glad we went. We were planning on going to a Korean Folk Village afterward. It sounded kind of like a Korean version of Williamsburg (if any of you have been there). BUT on the way to find the Korean Folk village, the van broke down. See below for my Dad's account of the remainder of that day's adventures. Needless to say, I think we were all glad the day was over when we EVENTUALLY got home. Pictures to be in a separate post due to length.

"I knew we couldn't get out of Korea without an adventure. Today is Friday, and we planned a trip to Suwon fortress, an historic site.

Now before I go any further please understand that the 2nd most populous metro area on this Planet is Seoul, which includes Suwon, a suburb ingrossed in the hugh metro area of apprx 24 million people. Anyway, we had finished a tour (yes it was a 3 hour tour) thru and along the fortress walls of old Suwon, got to ring the bell and everything) and were headed to another site. Made a left hand turn..........the 1998 diesel Kia died. It coasted to a stop, almost out of the road, but not quite. It wouldn't start. So we are stuck, in heavy friday afternoon traffic in constricted, heavily traveled roadway with two women, two children, AND two babies under 2years, with an Army E-3 in charge. I wasn't comfortable.

A half block down was a Hyundai dealership, to which Ken walked down to on the hopes that someone could understand English. Many here can speak English, but few can understand conversational English, with a southern accent. So he got some help, the manager there called a wrecker for us. The bridal shop (we were broke down in front of this expensive, and large bridal shop) took the women and children in, provided cool water, juice and entertainment by cooing at the babies). The wrecker came, Ken went with the wrecker and me with the women and children trekked back to the English speaking Hyndae dealer to ask help in getting a cab. They were very accomodating. Probably scarred them to death when they looked out their showroom glass doors and say the brood. He instantly identified me as a mormon, all the women and children! So, one of the sales people immediately ran out the door to the busy intersection, flagged a cab, told him where to take us, shoved us all into the cab, (no worries of car seats, seat belts or number of passengers) shut the door on us and we were on our way! One "U" turn and a few klicks we were deposited at the mother of all grand central stations! Now I have to the Grand Central Station in NYC, but the place in which we found ourselves exceeded the previous experience........substantially!

Friendly Koreans observed our plight quickly. A gentleman determined our destination, directed us to the site where we were faced with Korean speaking machine from which to purchase tickets. As Heidi and I struggled with these machines, a young lady came up and directed our efforts. She got the tickets purchased and scooted us on down the line. We followed the herd into the train station gate and got cold feet, so we made a retrograde movement, out of the flow of humanity to reexamine our tickets, written in Korean. I know, it doesn't make sense now, but you had to be there.

Another lady observed our puzzled looks, quickly looked at our tickets, and confirmed that we were in the correct herd, so we continued.

It was on the landing waiting for the train that we discovered that the five tickets, 3 adults and 2 children, those under two did not need tickets, were not close........we were split between 3 different cars, with seat assignments throughout the one car that had more than one person! As the train arrived Heidi and I decided to ignore the assignment, play dumb, and get on the same car. As we wandered down the aisle I tapped one young lady on the shoulder to ask her if one of use could take the inside seat. She gave me no opprotunity to ask, she just got up and moved forward. Instead of explaining, I just directed the women, Heidi and Mom, to the now vacant two seats. I took James (almost 2) and Blake to the rear of the car and sat on the floor. All went well until three minutes before our destination. Mom and Heidi were standing next to me. The true persons with the seat assigments showed up and demanded their seats. Mom and Heidi stood in the rear for the last 3 minutes.

A short taxi ride from the Pyeongtaek RR station and we were home in Paeongseong. Everyone was relieved, tired and happy.

Haven't seen Ken, yet. From the phone calls the problem was an electrical short. 15 minutes and 44,000 won later (about 42 bucks) Ken was back on the road. He should have beaten us home, but I refer to the former statements concerning the size of this metro area. I wish him well."