Ilsan: Cacti

We found a very large Cactus Arboretum at Ilsan lake!
Hundreds of different varieties!
Some are really tall!
Some have death spikes!
And some are just fuzzy!
I think this one looks more like some kind of seafood than a cactus!
Canadian and girl (Sarah - another teacher) and myself feeling very short!

Blue sky, sparkling lake, a kimbop, bottle of water and my MP3 player - perfect!






























Glorious clouds!



I found my little corner of grass.
Picknick on the "grass" with a view of dancing water!












Here is another example of the crazy masks!
Meanwhile I sit in a T-shirt soaking up as much rays as I can get!

An afternoon at the lake

I had some fun taking pictures of the magpies.
















Another interesting lamp post.

The main park with a lake in Ilsan.













A reflection of ME! in some big giant metal globe.
















The lamp post looks like something out of Narina.















Ah, the ladies in Korea want to be WHITE! They actually totally cover up when the sun it out!
They wear gloves and Big visor masks. Some of the makes are so large and go straight down over their whole face that they look like Storm Troopers from Star Wars. It is really quite funny.







Pretty tree

The mountains are beautiful!














The architecture is so colourful!














So, how far are YOU from Seoul?
:)










A little street market where I saw this table full of flutes!!!





After I started playing, a crowd surrounded me watching and then this man (the actual performer) came back to his stand and started playing (for real)!
I bought a flute (beautiful) AND, the guy gave me HIS own personal ONLY leather case for the flute! I tried to resist, but a Korean beside me explained that he HAD to give it to me, and that it would be rude to not accept it.

Old Palace in Seoul

Dried, flattened fish, Squid and French fries. How is that for street food! (this man has his cart just outside the palace gate)







A temple in the distance back dropped by a beautiful mountain.


















Old Palace
We arrived late in the day, so it was closed to see inside.
Another adventure for another day.


Just before they closed the doors we got a few pictures of the inside. (Chris is taking a couple himself)











The outside of the Palace wall.

Yes is did snow!











Waterfall in Seoul!







My first Korean Flute! (I can't believe I got the guy's personal case!)












My new toy!!!
I now have a Web cam, so skype me!!!