Seoul... good for the soul.

It's been a while since Matt and I have been able to go to the temple. It's nearly 5 hours away now instead of 5 minutes, so it takes a little extra planning to get there. Matt took a couple days off to make a long weekend. Our car is a company car and we weren't allowed to drive there, so we decided to fly. GREAT decision. By the time they served us beverages and cleaned up, we were there... right as Lincoln was maxing out on sitting in one place. Anyway it felt really good to make it to the temple. I have a bazillion family names that need work done. Matt stayed at the hotel while Lincoln napped and I went and did some inititories. I printed a map out so I could figure out how to get from the subway stop to the temple. Unfortuneatly, I realized as I was walking that the map only had landmarks instead of street names and I wasn't seeing any of the landmarks. I was gonna be late or maybe not make it at all. I just decided to walk the way I thought I should and then low and behold, the missionaries were on my path and confirmed that I was indeed headed the right way. Pretty sure that wasn't a coincidence.

Later that afternoon, Lincoln and I played on the grass there and ate lunch while Matt did some baptisms. Not only was it nice to make it to the temple and feel of the spirit there but I have an intense sense of duty to get my family names done, and it was really satisfying to help several of them get one step closer.

So Saturday we went to the temple and then to Seoul Tower which is a tower on top of a hill in the middle of Seoul. We waited FOREVER to get on the tram to go up and then there were just herds of people everywhere. We spent 5 minutes at the top and then waited another FOREVER to get on the elevator to get back down. Maybe a week day would have been better. Here's a view from the top:

Sunday, we went to the English branch. It was SO refreshing to be able to understand all the speakers and each lesson without a traslator. Here is a little video of what the building looks like:

Later that night we went window shopping at a place where there are a bunch of little antique shops. The Paparazzi was there in full force. It was OK if we were moving, but if we sat down, crowds would gather. I thought that in Seoul Lincoln wouldn't be as big of a deal since there are so many more foreigners there than in Ulsan, but I was wrong. Everywhere we went, especially on the subway, people were ooing and awing, kissing his hands, giving him candy (which I ate) and trying to get him to wave. Once he figures out how to wave on command, he'll be even more of a charmer. One lady that was a professional phtographer took a bunch of photos of Lincoln and us and asked for my email so she could send them to me. I thought she was gonna charge me but she said "FREE!". SO here are a couple that she took. Matt and I are trying to pretend the crowd isn't there, but Lincoln was hammin' it up for everyone.

Matt and I realized after we got home that we didn't really take many pictures while we were in Seoul except of Lincoln being funny. I think both of us have spent too much time in Asia to be impressed any more, so I guess you'll just have to come and visit to see what Seoul is really like. Seoul really isn't what I had imagined. I thought it would be more like Hong Kong with skyscrapers everywhere but it is really spread out and not so tall. The only indication that it is a big city are the crowds of people on the subway and roads. The main highlights of the trip aside from the temple and church were finding maternity pants for me and western style kids clothes for Lincoln. The lowlights include hauling Lincoln and his giant diaper bag up and down the subway stairs all day, every day, and walking everywhere while pregnant. My feet did NOT appreciate the "vacation". Anyway, here is Lincoln in Seoul:

Sleeping while waiting for the subway

Chillin' in the stroller. He never sits straight in his seat... always leaning to one side.

Sleeping while waiting for the subway... some more.

Lookin' studly in his new clothes

Munching on his sock. It was a real challenge to make sure he didn't ditch a shoe or two on the subway. I even double knotted.

Giggles with dad, the tickle monster, in the hotel room.

THE END.