Hike with All-Day Club

On Friday afternoon, February 17, we went with the All-Day Club to a small Adventist traditional Korean restaurant near the institute. The menus were in Korean so I trusted one student, Rudith, to order a dish for me. She knew I don't eat meat (although since it was an SDA restaurant none of the dishes had meat) and that I can't eat spicy food so she decided on jajangmyeon, black bean noddles. When the bowl of noodles in a black sauce was set in front of me I was a bit dubious, but it was really good! Unfortunately, all the girls at my table agreed after the meal that we should have shared one dish between two people. I could only eat about half of the gigantic serving, but it was a really yummy meal. And of course I enjoyed the experience of going to an all-Korean restaurant with the students!

L-R: Whan, Soo, Claire, Michelle, Jonathan G., A.Mi, Jessie, Jonathan L.

L-R: Jong, Shawn, Sandra, Giselle, Tiffany, Ali, Jin, Wayne

L-R: Daisy, Jessica, Julia, Trisha, Stella, Rudith, Ali, Sarah

After lunch, we took the subway to Dongdaemun Station where we got a group shot in front of Dongdaemun, which means the Great East Gate, although it was being renovated so we could only pose with the facade. Then we crossed a few intersections and started hiking up the Seoul Fortress wall. Construction on the fortress began in 1396, five years after King Taejo founded the Joseon Dynasty. The fortress surrounded the old city at the time and the only entrances into the city were the four great gates. Originally 11 miles long, some of the fortress was destroyed and now only 10.5 km (6.5 miles) remains, although now Seoul stretches far outside the area of the walls.
- Ali

Group shot in front of Dongdaemun (Great East Gate) under renovation

Our first glimpse of the wall

Some students who wanted a picture when they saw Jonathan's camera

The huge range of economic standings in Seoul is often startling

Hole in the wall

Looking through

Jonathan L. commandeered Ali's camera for a group shot

And here's the group (minus Jonathan L. who took the picture)

Jumping Giselle

Starting our hike

Hiking along the wall

The stragglers

Housing

Other kinds of housing

A road follows the wall for a good portion of the way

Julia, Daisy & Soo at a lookout point

Group shot at the lookout

Us at the lookout

Finally we got to see these mountains without buildings in the way!

Really nice view

Near and far

One of the students took a picture for us

Near the end of the walk