Spring Break Korea - day 3

We kicked off day 3 bright and early with a tour to the DMZ.  Because we had kids younger than 10 in our group, we weren't allowed to go to the JSA area, which is where you are much closer to North Korea.  Brock was thrilled with the bus ride!  

The bus ride took about an hour, and at times we could see areas of barbed wire and guard towers in the distance.  

The tour made several stops,  the first was a quick break for the tour guide to buy tickets.

I don't know what it was with these little people statues, but it was the only time the whole trip Brock volunteered to take his picture.  He kept going back over to them and would say "cheese".

This train was left on the tracks and was bombed.  

Reagan spotted a cup of cotton candy, and since we are on vacation, I caved and bought it for her.  If the guys can drink at 10:30,  Reagan can eat cotton candy at 9.  :)

Next stop was a museum area and then we got to go into one of the 4 tunnels that North Korea dug into South Korea.  The tunnel we went into was 25 stories under ground.  No photos were allowed in or near the tunnel, but it was really something.  The incline down to it was very steep and was like a ramp.  We were all given hard hats for the trip.  We walked down until we got to the actual tunnel, which at times was narrow, short and damp.  We thought the helmets were silly until we both hit our heads several times.  Did I mention that the tunnel was getting stuffy and hard to breathe?  At some point, we decided to turn around.  It was hard to carry brock and hunch over not to hit our heads and I was starting to feel clausterphobic.  Reagan continued on with our friends and said that there was a door, with a window and barbed wire at the end....  The climb out was a struggle and I felt bad for the elderly people that were really struggling to make it.  There were only about 6 chairs along the whole route.  

Another mom wanted her son's picture with Brock.  Obviously neither of the boys cared.

At the tunnel site you could see these signs that warn of land mines that are still in the area.  

The next stop was the observation area.  There was a yellow painted line on the floor and you were not allowed to cross it to take pictures.  Our pictures stink, but from the binoculars we could see propaganda village.  

Brock wasn't interested in taking his photo.

More little people to pose with.

Next stop was the train station.   This is the last stop before North Korea and didn't seem to be operating.  Honestly at this point we were getting tired of the tour.  We felt rushed at the important sites only to be shuffled here for no apparent reason.   I did manage to get a photo of Reagan with this soldier though.  

So, on the way back, the tour bus makes an unexpected stop at an Amethyst market.  Only 2 people in our group got off the bus to look, but the tour guide was somewhat insistent that everyone needed to go into the store since it was part of their deal.  We declined and decide to just get off the tour at this point.  There was a Cherry blossom festival going on and we were planning to come back to it later in the day, and it was right near the Amethyst store.  So, first on the agenda was lunch.  Jae pointed out a place that had "soup, like beef stew, but different".  Different it was...

The soup was a broth with lots of floating onions and then there was meat in the bottom.  The broth was good and it came with rice that you are supposed to dump into the soup.  We kept our separate.  I stirred it once, took a look at the meat and decided I was better off not knowing.  I'm weird about meat anyway, but when Brandon found tongue and Kelli accidentally ate cartilage, I was done.  

Brock showing me his sticky rice hands.  

So, we set off for the Cherry Blossom festival.  This lady was selling steamed tiny shells (snails maybe) and french fries.  

Roast Cuttlefish anyone?

 Here we are in front of the government building.  This building was on the river and it was lined with Cherry trees. 

A look at the crowds.

My attempt at an artistic photo.  

While we were walking, Kelli was stopped and asked to be interviewed.  It was so strange, she was answering the lady's questions in a pleasant manner, but the lady kept trying to get her to say something negative about the crowds.  Kelli finally gave in and admitted that yes, it was busy, and that was it, the lady was done with the interview.  

From here we split up and we headed back to the hotel for dinner.  Brandon and the guys were headed out tonight for a boys night - Seoul style.  I don't have any pictures, but they didn't get arrested, so it must have been pretty tame :)