April 2016

From down on the track where Dad did a couple of 800’s we could look up the steep hill and see this building, that looked like another Buddhist temple from a distance. We decided to hike up the hill/road after the track workout, to see what the temple looked like.  The building turned out to be the Busan Archery Training Facility. We watched as some men practiced their shooting skills. These were older men so I don’t know what groups of people might be able to use the facilities.

 

  

\

I liked the artwork on the side of this small practice building. The artwork reminded me of some ancient drawings of the long time art of archery (I guess I kind of romanticized it).  There was an older gentleman standing outside smoking, watching us looking on as the other man practiced. We were invited to come inside. I didn’t really look around or pay much attention (I felt as though we were intruding). But it was interesting to watch as about 5-6 men stood in a line at the edge of the building/practice field shooting taking turns shooting their arrows off toward the targets. It was far enough off that I couldn’t see the arrows actually hitting their target. There must have been some weights and other equipment inside that building. The ages of the men must have been much older than us. It’s a nice facility nestled in that same vicinity as the Giants baseball stadium, Sajik track, swimming natatorium, a soccer stadium.

We watched this man practice shooting his arrow, but it was tied onto the string so he didn’t have to go retrieve it from the field. 

Friday morning Sister Lee took Sister George and I to the Busanjin Market to shop. We each had something to find there. So FUN! I would definitely get lost in that huge warehouse. The Ins and Outs of that market are amazing with their many rows of vendors and many levels of shopping. I don’t know how people survive in a market system like that.

I am amazed at this woman’s ability to walk up the steps to the Busanjin Market with this tray of food on her head! It must be hot because she had a dish towel between her hat and the tray. Notice the tray is covered with newspaper staying put with clips. Small restaurants that are nearby will deliver trays like this to the many different vendors in the market place.

  

There were so many tables with so many vendors set up, this is just a small example. I like the colors and textures and many designs of just buttons!

 

Friday afternoon Ben came home from school a little bit early in order to pack his overnight bag before we left to travel to Gyeongju, where the Cherry Blossom Festival Marathon/Half Marathon/10K/5K races were being run. The office couple, the George’s, came to participate in the races with us.  We met the branch president of the Gyeongju branch, President Lee, and his wife, Sister Jung, at their favorite hotel in town. We looked in the hotel gift shop until the dinner time when the hotel restaurant was serving. Sister George found some beauty supplies to purchase (I can’t believe she really bought these!).  Sister Jung speaks a little bit of English, he does not. President Lee is very reserve/distinguished. During dinner they shared with us their conversion story, over a year of studying with the missionaries when they were a young married couple with children. They heard church hymns played on the piano, recognized that they were hymns, could not communicate with the foreign missionaries but felt the Spirit. Sister Jung spoke of them crying tears (you could see a little twinkle in President Lee’s eyes as she spoke and I had to wipe away tears from my eyes they are such wonderful people who are filled with the Spirit).  They told us a little of their years of church service, and of their family  sharing a video of the new little grand baby who is sensitive to/listening to a sad song and crying/being affected. Amazing.

 

Before the race began we had to take a shuttle bus from the hotel to the start of the race. Last year we had to get up early to switch out my race bib, so we were able to park up close. This year the hotel told us there would be no taxi service available and no shuttle provided by them but they must have changed their minds. It was a bit chilly outside but not as cold as last year. The weather seemed perfect for running a 10K.

  

 

There were thousands of people, lots of things in the sky like a blimp that dropped confetti at the start of the race, a hover craft taking pictures, balloons and streamers, and fireworks at the start of each race.  Actually, the fireworks went off for the marathon and the 10K but I think they forgot to shoot them for the start of the half marathon. Somewhere down the road a little bit we heard more fireworks going off like they forgot to do it for the half and had to get rid of them. It took us over three minutes to cross the timing pad to start our race because there were so many runners.

Dad did great! He finished in just over four hours, a couple of minutes slower than he ran it last year (pretty amazing since he did not get to do much training/no long run more than 15 miles).  We got t-shirts in our race packets this year! Last year they did not give t-shirts in our packets.  We ended up walking all the way back to our hotel poor Dad. Ben and I walked that path three times (back to the hotel after our races, back to the race trying to get there before Dad, and back to the hotel with Dad)!  Dad was smiling and happy when we saw him. No surprise Dad talked with people all along the race. He said he gave out 10 pass along cards!

Imagine this chanting with the drum playing in the background, hiking down the mountain. Fun memories!