Gwangju, Mud Fest and Madeleine's Last Days in Mokpo

Alrighty... I have my computer back, my photos uploaded, and now, I can finally sit down and write all about last weekend.

On Friday, we (Madeleine, Ty, Camille and I) headed off to Gwangju for the evening. Madeleine and Camille were in high spirits - which became the theme of our whole weekend -

Madeleine and Camille having fun...

...Ty isn't

Our first stop, after booking the huge VIP at the Windmill, of course, was the Outback for supper. We then headed to a neat cafe that Camille knows of that is really cute, with an entire wall lined with books (mostly in Korean).

Madeleine examines Camille's book

Striking a pose on the streets of Gwangju

She was bringing them a pulpy mystery novel thing. Afterwards, we went to the Speakeasy, but were much too tired to make a late evening of it.

Madeleine and Camille having fun...

The next day, bright and early, we boarded the bus for Boryeong and the famous Mud Festival. Now, before I go any further, I'll have to admit that a) a girl I used to teach with in Montreal told me that it was the festival to see in Korea, so I was initially really excited about it before I moved here and b) I've been kind of avoiding it for the past two years.

See, most of the stories I've ever heard about the Mud Fest just made it sound like some sort of nasty Spring Break where foreigners made asses of themselves. I'd also heard the opposite, and that it was a big enough festival that you can really make the most of different things, without succumbing to drunken mud wrestling in your bikini, which of course, sounds like soooooo much fun.

Fortunately, the Mud Fest is super well organized... it's like the whole town (village) is a part of the festivities, with volunteers everywhere. It's also really really big. There was a stage way down at one end of the beach (we could hear the music), but we found ourselves at the opposite end, surrounded by more Koreans than foreigners (which was much better, methinks... as it was, we attracted a lot of attention from photographers anyway).

Our first job was to try to find a reasonable hotel room, which we sort of managed to do. Our hotel was pretty comfy, with a kitchenette and a... balcony! Yay.

The Mud Fest is also wicked awesome because you can walk around in your bikini all day, without being the only person on the beach who is doing so (Koreans tend to spend their beach time - and swimming time - fully dressed). And, since you're covered in mud, you sort of feel like you're "dressed" anyway.

(I've promised a minimum of bikini shots because, really, who wants themselves on the internet covered in mud and half-dressed.... but anyway....)

Buckets of mud to paint your friends with...

Madeleine and Camille having fun...

... Ty isn't

Being painted with mud...

Fun for the whole family!

Muddy Me

Muddy Ty (still pouting)

In the afternoon, we were attracted by drumming noises, and stopped to listen to (and dance to) some traditional drummers. We then followed them into a parade (right, what was I saying about foreigners making asses of themselves?) which led us further up the beach where we found a few Suncheonites.

Dancing in the parade (they gave me an umbrella!)

Balinesian dancers in the parade (we ran up the parade until we joined them)

That evening, Ty, Madeleine and I sat on a table on the beach and watched the fireworks over the water before being rained off the beach and back to the hotel.

Madeleine and Camille... still having fun (the day after!)

Sunday morning breakfast was provided by Madeleine (yay, the kitchenette), and we spent the rest of the afternoon suntanning... I mean... burning ourselves on the beach. Since the long long long beach is made of sand, we are still trying to figure out where this amazing curative mud is supposed to come from...

Shabu Shabu (no, I didn't eat the meat)

On Monday, we took Madeleine out for some shabu shabu, then to the famous "Audrey Hepburn cafe", which is the pinkest place in the world. The shiny pink vinyl couches are all surrounded by dangly pink beaded curtains. The best part though, apart from how it's decorated in Meron's favourite colour, is that you can get really awesome milkshakes there. Yum.

Pink enough?
Note our tans from Mud Fest coming through...

Ty is finally smiling!!!

Tuesday night was Madeleine's last evening in Mokpo, so she hosted a wee get-together for all the people she'd met and befriended during her stay with us. On Wednesday morning, she went back to Seoul, before flying out to Tokyo for a few days en route to Quebec.

She did so much while she was here - it's like she put a whole year's worth of food, day-trips, hikes and adventure into only a few weeks. I can't get over how nice it was to visit with someone who knows me "from before", and not just as an acquaintance over 2 years or less.

Hope you enjoy all the photos.... It's been a fun few weeks.