Day trip to Daejeon

Ok, we are back! All better now. Sunday was kind of a bum day, but I think you allowed one bum day on a trip. We stayed close to the hotel and slept too much. We missed the meeting due to, I don't know, not fully understanding that although South Korea is not a large country, it will take you 4 hours and a will of iron to get anywhere. So that was disappointing!
But Monday made up for it. Mom's sister stayed the night at the hotel ('Emo'-aunt in Korean) and after breakfast we all took off for a train ride back to where Emo lives, Daejeon. It is about 2 hours away. It was nice to sit back and watch the countryside. This was the farthest we have been out of the city. We passed rice fields and farms, and began to see some mountains.
Emo's husband (Emobu) picked us up from the train station. Our plan for the day was to meet with some friends. That is about as much explanation as we received. Emo started studying the Bible about 2 months ago, so she wanted her sister to meet her study conductor. She was a very sweet sister. Then we met up with a special pioneer couple and headed to lunch.
So, our first cultural experience! We went to a Folk Village/Museum in Chubu. It was in the mountains, which  were so pretty and green. The foggy day had cleared and the sun came out. It was beautiful. The village was landscaped so nicely, and we walked around a bit before heading in to lunch. (And we have yet to reach a limit to how many times we can reference 'Dae Jang Gum'!)

Doenjang jars-for fermenting the soy bean paste

So we have another huge and delicious meal. This time I order bimbimbap (note to self: eat more bimbimbap! It is so good!) and again we all overeat. They also order makgoelli, rice wine. Interesting. It is not my fave, but it goes well with the meal. The special pioneer sister knows some English, so we talk a little. They were assigned for many years near the DMZ.

Digging in

After we eat, we head to another little house for tea time (or in my case, caramel macchiato time). We go in and they make us go upstairs where we sit on the floor at little tables and have our drinks.
We take more pictures, every possible combination of the 7 of us. The pioneer couple heads off, and we head on to Gyeryong Mountain.
Everything is so green and pretty. (Dare I compare it somewhat to the Tennessee mountains?) We do a little light hiking (is there such a thing?) and then head back.

The sisters, taking a stroll

We get back to the train station and say our goodbyes to Emo and Emobu. It is 8pm and we have a two hour train ride ahead of us. We settle in and promptly fall asleep on the train.
Oh, but wait! The best part! We were able to exchange money, ask for a subway map, buy food at a store, and ask for postcards, all on our own. Without having to repeat ourselves. People understand us! :)