Happy to be back down...enjoying a glass of Outback's finest.

As we watch the LAST cable car descend, we ponder our next move in mid-eve dusk.

Mini totem dedicated to people of the underworld.

A peaceful countryside.

Mt Geumjeong is the Korean version of the Great Wall, initially erected to thwart Japanese and Chinese invaders hundreds of years ago. It was destroyed and since been restored.

Hellooo?? Come in, come in!

Ready for ANY invasion...just not ready to get back down.

Mike and I at the south gate fortress.

The Terminator and Shawnee pausing for a pic.

Well, its good to be back on terra firma after our weekend sejour up to Mt. Geumjeong.
Having a good time, snapping pics of the Korean mountainside, we lost track of time and when it came time to take the cable car back, foregoing the trek backdown, we made our way over to the descent point. HOWEVER, Mike, Shawna Lee and I looked exasperatedly at each other as we watched the FINAL car of the day head down the mountain. A quick glance over to the ticket kiosk negatively reassured us that indeed at 6 pm the cable cars stop....and it was now 6:10.

Sooo, as available daylight was getting sparser by the minute, we thought it might be best to follow a rudimentary trail down the hill as we tried in vain to pursue the last two seasoned hikers as they quickly shot down the hill in the looming darkness.
Once about 300 meters down, I quickly realized that this might not be the best plan of attack as we were not able to pursue our Korean "guides" as quickly as we might have liked and they all but disappeared 'cept for the distant pitter patter of footsteps beyond sight of our increasingly low level of visibility.

After a few expletives bellowed out in the evening dusk by yours truly, we thought it best not to risk not seeing how to get down the rest of the path as we were more increasingly surrounded by darkness.
We hurried back up the hill where we were met with almost total darkness.....
now...... I WAS a cub scout and do remember the "Always be prepared" motto however, this was just suppoed to be a relaxing, SHORT, walk in the hills on a sunny Sunday afternoon.
So with no food, suitable clothing, nor flashlight, we meandered around the abandoned cable car site.
There was a small handful of Korean staffers shutting down the teeny snack spot that rested above the exit point.
We timidly ascended the darkened stairwell that led up to this venue and I sheepishly asked for help in my weak Korean, coupled with some well placed gestures.
The older lady told us to have a seat and brought forth some hot green tea.
As we pondered our plausible fate...Weathering camping out the night in the chilly mountain air, waiting for the morning to catch the next cable car down..a mere 13 hours away...we desperately hoped that we would be able to get down sooner than later.
After some somewhat tense (language barrier) period of time, the ole fella in the group appeared coat and keys in hand and gestured for us to follow.
He immerged out of the now complete darkness in a vehicle resembling a range rover and the other old ladies and the three of us piled into the back of the truck.

Once inside, a sense of relief came over and and as we plodded down the rugged terrain, bouncing and being thrown about, we were able to let up and realize that we would be able to get back to civilization unscathed.
Thank GOD for their friendliness or we might have had a little bit of a predicament to contend with. We offered them some money and they quickly waved it off.
So here we are back in the city, and we quickly decide that a steak and rib dinner is in order after the ordeal.
Here's hopin that this week's vacation is a LITTLE less eventful ;-)

Don't worry, I STILL know how to use a computer!





Checking back in after a relatively uneventful January....aren't January's usually that way?
Had a bit of a setback on NewYear's as I inadvertently slipped and cracked my head open.
A quick trip to the ER the next day found no residual damage and after being put through an MRI and CAT scan an happy to report no exisiting brain tumors as the silver lining to that regrettable experience.
Will have some vacation time coming up here next week, so will likely have plenty of opportunities to put the ol digicam to use more frequently.
Saw a show where Britney Spears was asked her New Years resolution and she offered that she was content to just "take better care of herself".
While not overly considered a sage, she alluded to what many of us sometimes take for granted.
So cheers to that, think I will second that notion.
Global warming has made temperatures not only bearable, but quite pleasant over here. Soon be shorts and tshirt weather and I cant wait.

Alright then, take care y'all. Will have something more for you to see then just me ugly mug in a few.....

T