콩국수 + 돌솥비빔밥

The summer's about to pass us by and yet..I haven't tried any kongkuksu (콩국수) or "white noodles soaked in soybean sauce" served COLD. Look at the ice cubes!! 

yes..that's how I describe it. 

My wife and I had lunch together. Rarely do we have lunch just the two us...:)

Kids were at school:) so we managed to have lunch together. 

Finally, my 콩국수 in Summer 2013. Yummy...slurp..slurp...slurp...^^ 

As for my wife, she wanted to have dolseotbibimbab or mixed rice on hot stone bowl. 

that's how we describe it. Full of vegetables and it's one of the so-commonly dubbed 'well-being' food in Korea.

so, why not having it, then?

Just the Three of Us: Water+Picnic+JAZZ!!! @ Children Grand Park (part 2)

The first reason why they dragged me out to this park was no other than....splashing themselves into the creek.  

They just could not wait to plunge into the ankle-deep creek...and had the best of their time in the park. and as for me? I was just watching them from afar.... 

It's not that hot that day, still..the glaring of the sunlight should be a consideration when it comes to taking the kids out in the water like this. 

Luckily, the management of the park provided the canopy-like tent to cover the whole area of the creek where most children were playing. 

As for the adults, they could just hang around inside the colorful tents set up next to the creek.  

As for us, we just spread out a thin blanket which served as a picnic mat:)^^

easy and light to carry.

The girls were having their snacks. Hungry, eh? 

Not a minute too soon, right after I told them the snack's gone:)...they're 

they're once again...playing around the shady part of the park. 

running around, playing hide-and-seek (yes..just the two of them), and... 

they seemed to have found something that aroused their curiosity. 

I didn't know what...until.... 

I saw them dragging long sticks..which I presumed was...the fallen branches of the tree!!

gosh  "Girls, you two..come back here at once. Throw that away...and come right here!!"

I told them to get rid of those branches... 

It's 6 pm already..and we're about to leave..when I read an announcement about that night's jazz around the world at the open stage!! 

Yippey....we're not going home yet!

Yes, girls. But..this is for Daddy, Ok?

I know you didn't know what jazz is. But, let me assure you that you won't be disappointed...(I wished).

so...I managed to 'persuade' the girls to stay for 1.5 hours more...at the park...to sort of 'accompanying' their Daddy in (trying) to enjoying the jazz concert.

Just the Three of Us: Under the Tree (Children Grand Park: part 1)

It's Saturday. mid noon. Mommy's staying home. Me and the girls went out for an afternoon picnic @ Children Grand Park. Set up the picnic mat, and me..laying down on my back facing up against the sky....under the shady tree.  

Yes..it's a relaxing feeling of being able to lay down myself in the park...feeling the breeze of the air...without any worries lingering on.... 

Enjoying the day, watching other groups of people doing the same thing: Saturday picnic on Summer afternoon in August. 

Hmm...wonder when I'll be able to do this again. 

Sure...I can if I want to.^^ 

Make the best of time before the start of the semester on the first week of September.

Where were the girls? They're busy swimming....I mean...playing in the water...

at the creek just around the corner...of where I was laying down..myself.

Good Morning, Daecheon (part 3)

Line up of lifebuoy for rent. These huge colorful inflatable lifebuoys were so appealing to any visitors that they are easily lured to rent one.^^ 

Birds resting. Boys 'wrestling' in the water in the warm morning shore. 

Sands were untouched. 

Cleanly and evenly combed by last night's tides... 

Birds still perching on their feet...on the ground.. 

reluctant to move about... 

Just like me who's reluctant to leave... 

A coastguard with his green vest and a patrol car began its morning chores... 

The whispering sand....? hmm..sort of. Only that...it's at the beach. 

One last look at the sands of Daecheon beach...

A Long Walk Around Daecheon Beach (part 3)

Where to go? hmm so many places to visit..but so little time. So, I decided to go to Mud Plaza...

Along the way..another hotel with the word 'MUD' on it.^^ it's Mudrin. Hmm wonder what it means. 

as for the rest...let the pictures speak for itself.^^ 

I zoomed into some islets that I barely made out with my naked eyes....

As I kept on walking towards the Mud Plaza, I encountered more points of interests in the city center. Hmm ..not actually the center....it's still right next to the beach.

Even the bus stop is designed to again & again..remind visitors that they are in the city of MUD.

Mud Plaza!  인증샷 or a kind of proof that I was there.^^

The roundabout at the mud plaza. Not many vehicles were visible. 

It's not a bit quiet that afternoon.

The same spot.

The bright blue sky in the afternoon dozed me off a bit...I mean...I was a little bit tired of walking for about 8 km circling about the city...until I arrived here.

Another section of the beach was coming closer to my view. As if I was kind of recharged...

I was walking towards the beach...

the sound of waves approaching...

and..that's it. A vast and long coastline at Daecheon Beach came into view.

hmm..what a great day to spend...^^and I got to see the SUNSET at the beach,too.

and I did.

Daecheon Beach (part 2): The first glimpse of the beach

Then, I dared myself despite the heat^-^ to walk into the shore..and sure...there I found lots (well..not many) people sunbathing (under the parasols)^-^. 

or...swimming in the shallow water of the shore...hoo..it looked so fun. 

I noticed that a lot of them were using rubber duck-like lifebuoy or ring-shaped lifebuoy to help them afloat. It looked so fun, too.!!! 

The bright blue sky..and the well..not that white beach..but...enough to 'relax' the sore eyes....were all there to welcome me. 

Yeaah...finally I was at the famous Daecheon, Boryeong beach where an annual mud festival is held right here on the spot. 

People did splash themselves into the warm water of the shore.

Wish I could just go and soak myself in.....

Gyeongju Tour: Going Back to Seoul

Finally the day we went back to Seoul arrived. It's just 2 nights in Gyeongju. 

Some things we remembered from Gyeongju:

The 37 Celsius Summer Heat!!

The cozy pension we stayed in.

The not-so-many buildings in and around Gyeongju: which turned out to be an advantage.

We love the trees and the lanes..and the blue sky that dominated most of what we experienced there. 

Not many cars. blue sky. trees on both side of the lanes... 

The green paddy field along the way.... 

A dome protruding out of the hills....(did not know what)!! 

We changed our ticket 3 times!

First: the original ticket we bought from Seoul.

Second: The second one we bought after we changed the time schedule. We changed the tickets into the earlier ones so as to provide us ample time to take a rest in Seoul (after arriving).

The third: After we MISSED the TRAIN to Seoul.!!!!!!!

Yes, I got a penalty for the tickets we bought. GEREHGDHGOIDHGEKHGDKGHDFDDG#$GDGR$^DG&D*G&D(GD&(GD*)(GD*)D*G)_D&*(GDUIGDHIOGDJOIGDUOIGDUIOG&*(E^*&GE^*&E^

But...IT was a great experience and we can laugh about it NOW. 

Freya always had fun time and found something to do...to spend. 

She never stopped talking. Well, that's a good thing. 

What about Eyra? She's busy with her phone.!!!!!! 

We're transfering @ DongDaegu station. 

And the 13.42 KTX time was the train we're boarding. 

It's a hanok-style waiting room inside the station. Is it??

Now..let's take the whole group. Say 'Smile'''' 

More members of our group came along. We still had some time left before departing to Seoul... 

Oh...the KTX train was approaching...oops..no..not that one.. 

So, let's take some time off again.... but...not for long..since our train would arrive soon  

It's a good thing that both of them were always enthusiastic and energetic....^^ 

Never complain or whatsoever...they seemed to have always been able to enjoy their trip.

Hope you enjoy your trip in Gyeongju, girls!!