Sunday, I took a long ride. Found a couple coastal roads just feet from the ocean and followed them as long as they lasted. Air smelled like salt water and fresh fishes; sky was clear blue and I was free on my hog. lol.

Palm Beach it's called. A swanky play for the rich to play. Palm lined entrance leading to large houses (which, I've yet to see in Korea -- except here), Mercedes in the parking. 1 min walk to the ocean of course.

Yesterday was Halloween and we had our kids make masks out of paper plates and ribbons, go trick-or-treating from room to room. They were all really excited and very cute. I should've taken some pics! Shoot.

Turns out, for the trip to Busan we have to come up with something to do in the booths. Something to entertain the kids when they come by. Have no idea and not a lot of time to decide either. Thought I had about 5 days but Ms. Kang asked me to have an answer last night after Jeremy had only mentioned it to me in passing the day before -- and he'd never mentioned a deadline. Got home last night to find I had a Missed Call from Ms. Kang. Hm. Today is my day to have the 3 head leaders of our school sit in on one of my classes. So, before this, I am going to play tennins with Erin and her boyfriend Chris.

Even Werewolves need a pint every now and again as this pic proves...

5 Day Market Pics.

Halloween

Last night there was a big Halloween party at the Blue Agave (foreign pub). Nearly everyone got dressed up or wore masks. Vampires, werewolves, angels, badminton players and pirates. I haven't been to a Halloween party in forever! so, even though I felt like crap -- because I went to the pub on Friday night instead when no one was there and drank too much then did nothing yesterday-- I went.
Never one for dressing up at Halloween, I went to E-Mart and bought a 1/2 mask like the ones they wear at Carnival (Spanish Accent). Stayed for one beer and went home. Glad too, because today is nothing but blue skies and I want to drive the coastal roads to the beach or for a hike. Something.
Next week (Nov 6 - 9) Jeremy (co-worker), Ms. Kang (boss at the center) and me are going to Busan for some English festival. Have a feeling we'll be monkeys' in a cage again but I'm excited to see the boys at O'Briens pub; maybe play some poker there. Course, it's an all expense paid trip which always makes it better :) The island is very nice but it is small and already I'm tiring of meeting the same people over and over again.
The weather is still really nice here. I'd say about 20C.
Yestearday, Anne-Marie and I drove down to the 5 day Market (it's held ever 5 days). It's kind of an outdoor market, tent coverings, everything for cheap, little restaurants. We bought some fruit and camomile tea in bulk. Was going to buy Ginsing but they're nuts, $50 for a small box. They said it stops you from getting cancer. So will quitting smoking but you don't see me doing that do ya? Haha, I'm funny.
And I don't know what the deal with that was but at the Market so many of the vendors had huge plastic bowls filled with earth and HUGE grubs. At least 2 x the size of my thump. All you could see were their fatty, milk white bodies moving, making the earth seem like it was breathing. Eeew. I think they eat them as a kind of apetizer. Like bundaegi.

People walking throught the Maze at Maze Park

Doug and Bill at the Restaurant (sorry it's sideways)

Pumpkins at the Pumpkin Festival -- It's only appropriate

The Pumpkin Festival

Yesterday there was a Pumpin Festival at the Maze Park past Hamdok Beach. Yeah, that's right, I rode my scooter t here. 30 min on the highway, flat-out at 80 km. lol. But it felt really fast on the bike!

Doug and Bill rode down there with me as well, but Bill's bike broke down on the way so he had to double with Doug. The weather was much warmer than I thought, was going to spend another day in bed, reading my new Tess Gerritsen novel and watching Desperate Housewives but Doug persuaded me to have lunch at this place on the coastal road near Dragon Rock and I can always be talked into something like that.

We ate Spagetti Bolognase in a hallowed out loaf of fresh bread; was tasty except for the bits of spam... The Fall afternoon sunlight was warm and I decided to head to the festival with them after all. Was really a beautiful ride, almost no cars on the road, but we arrived late. The pumpkins were already carved and being judged; the sun was beginning to set. I looked at some photographs displayed by a local photographer, phramed and situated within the pines. Thought about braving the Maze but who am I kidding? With my direction skills, I'd be lost for days and I really wanted to drive home before it got too cold.

Last Monday, I wrote that Erin invited me to go hiking with her. We went to Hamdok beach in her car and hiked this "small" mountain. I huffed and puffed all the way up, because it was really steep and she -- Iron Woman -- jogged all the way up it. She went up 2X and I layed on the beach for the second round.

After that, she took me to play tennis at a court near her house. Needless to say, I was happy. Then she showed me the Sports Complex near my apartment where they have a free gym and 8 tennis courts! Plus an outdoor track. This is Erin's third year working at the Center on Jeju and she knows her way around well. A fellow Canadian we get along well.

Story on Myles is that he is leaving jeju today. Epik wasn't going to do anything about it -- just a slap on the wrist -- until reporters contacted Bill about the story and it became a big deal. Then EPIK asked Bill to drop the charges saying: "don't make a mountain out of a molehill" but he wouldn't and good on him. So, EPIK finally decided (for fear of bad publicity) to fire Myles or rather, have him agree to resign.

I recieved the books I ordered online from the bookstore in Seoul. Talked to my friend Jao Na from China. She is back from Germany, back in China I mean. She got a teaching job at a middle school.

Today is Monday and it's almost done. Was a productive day. Got most of my lesson plans for the week done, Alicia is coming to my place tonight to cook with me, because we are on the Diet now and she is interested in learning some of my low-fat meals.

Friday night poker at my apartment last weekend. From right to left of me: Doug, Bill, Woody, I forget cause I just me him, Laurie and Me again. I broke even plus a dollar or two.

Gwaknan beach this past Sunday. I took the photo. It's Lisa and Alicia in the water.

Myles and Myles and Myles

So much to tell. First, start at the beginning I guess: The Festival.

Well, the government/city put on this English Festival and all the EPIK teachers had to participate. We were assigned "booths". I worked at the Canadian Booth and the New Zealand booth since they didn't have enough Kiwis to fill the days. 2 1/2 hours in each booth friday and Saturday BUT we got 2 extra days of vacation for it in the winter! So, even though we were monkeys in a cage for a few days, it's all worth it come Christmas because I have 16 days vaction -- including weekends -- in all. Very sweet.

Once the dates are confirmed I am thinking of visiting Louise in Laos, or parking myself on a beach in Thailand, or going to Ankor Wat -- or all three! Very exciting.

In other news, China sent the forms and my level has now been officially changed back to Level 1 and my pay with it. Very happy about that.

Last night, I was too tired to go out again, so after I talked to Wendy on Messenger, I just crashed. 5am, Bill is knocing on my door.

"Are you on Crack?" I ask, seriously.
"Kinda" he says, "Myles cut me."

Now, Myles is a fellow EPIK Teacher here that is just plain trouble. He grew up on the mean streets of N.Y. -- in the suburbs. He had it tough growing up, as his physician father provided everything. But he thinks he's a gansta! Who knows where he's been, what he's done or sceen, but anyway, the boy likes his Riddlin, and Vikadin, and other pain killers which he washes down with lots of liquor. And subsequently becomes violent. He's been kicke out of 2/3 of the foreigner bars in the city. Was just allowed back when he was starting some trouble again with a girl in the pub on Saturday night and Bill said: "let's take it outside."

Outside, a crowd gathered and Myles pulled out his knife, cutting Bill in the neck. Spouted off some stuff and Bill went to the hospital. Thankfully, he missed the arteries and there's no serious damage. There is now talk of Myles getting deported, but we'll see.

I wasn't there myself, but it was all the talk yesterday.

Yesterday, Kyle, Alicia, Me and Bill went to Gwaknan beach -- one I hadn't been to before, it's on the West coast -- and once there met up with Lisa, Justin and this Aussie couple. NO ONE else was on the beach because it was too cold for the Koreans. I thought it might be too cold for me too, because the wind was really strong and the air is thin now. But Alicia and Lisa went in, I got jealsous of how much fun they were having in the big waves and jumped in myself. It was awesome! Warm once you got in! lol. And the waves were just crashing. Beautiful beach, sand was perfect both on shore and off, no weeds. Just perfect.

Afterwards, a few of us headed to the only restaurant in sight which was was a large, quanit place a few hundred meteres from where we were camped on the beach. again, restaurant to ourselves. Ordered Sum Gyup Sal (Bacon/Pork you bar-b-q) and all the side dishes. A little beer and some soju too. By the time we got back the sun was setting. I jumped in again, but the waves were not as strong as before and the air was too cold to stay in long.

Slept like a baby last night. :)

AND I have today off because I worked a couple hours on Saturday. Erin just rang me and we're going to have a lunch then do a quick hike. Goody! My first hike. She's super fit so it should be interesting. Might sleep real good tonight!

I know there's lots more to tell but I can't remember it right now. Sorry for the late postings, I'll try and write more often...