Yeongpyeong Boarding Trip

Ever think back to what city was competing against Vancouver for the 2010 Olympics? Well I sure didn't until this year when I went snowboarding in Korea. The city/mountain is called Yeongpyeong (please don't mistake this for Pyeongyang which is a bit different Korean city). It's the best ski resort in Korea and it was our destination for the weekend getaway.

Sungku's friend found a great deal on a package trip. Transportation (3 hours each way), lift, rental, and a room all for 80,000 Korean Won (about $90 cdn). It was going to be my second time on a board this year and it was going to be fun.

'Course we were leaving on Saturday so we thought we would just chill Friday night. No dice. Ended up telling ourslves we were going to just get a few drinks and be back home relatively early to get some sleep. Instead, I'm getting a call my Sungku at 5:00 in the morning saying WTF is up we have to leave in 20 mins. So after pulling my buddy fromthe grips of a girly we jumped in the cab, made it home, packed in 3 mins and was back in another taxi by 5:45. Made it with about 3 minuets to spare even...and to think Sungku was worried. Needless to say I can't remember much of the bus ride 'ceot the first turn.

We got our rentals from a ski shop about 10 mins off the moutain. There were great and shuttled us right to the foot of the slopes. The slopes were soso to be positive. Mighty windy and was snowing a bit too.

Didn't ruin our day though and we made the most of it. Got worried about 2 hours in when after a solid bail I found the plastic on my right bindings broken. Good thing for cell phones and a Korea friend as we mae a call and had a new board and bindings delivered by the time I chugged my way to the bottom.

The room was freakishly hot and without a thermostat there were certain places on the floor that it was literally to hot to even touch. Was dry and I woke up a sore throat and tonsils (which I'm stll fighting today), but it was all well worth it. Hopefully gonna make it up once more before the season is over.

Colin

A New Years Eve in SK

Bit slow with posting these days but I'm keeping myself more than busy with new classes, studying Korean and Hapkido and the obligatory nights out on the town. Let's go back a bit to the night of December 31st,2006. 'Twas a relatively warm night as we broke open the box of fireworks we had just purchased. Myself, a fireworks nut from Lower Mainland BC knew what kind of fun and trouble we could get into with lots of fireworks. There is a reason why roman candles are not being sold in some cities including Langley anymore. Well...we didn't just hav a couple either, can't do that, go big or go home they say. Well...we went big, and then even had some extra to lug back home!Well there it is, a freakin big box of roman candles. How many you think in there? That would be 400 30 ball roman candles. Yikes. What a night it was. The plan was actually to sell these things. A few friends here in Korea thougt I was off my rocker to spend my night on the street selling things on New Yeras Eve but hell, any old weekend you can go out to the bar or club, might as well have something different to remember.

So, me and my buddy JEff divied up the box, threw the 400 sparklers we also had as well as a couple bottels of gin into the bag and set off.
We setup shop right in the midle of everything. Me and Sungku had a little argumet as to where we should setup but as usual I gave up and just wanted to have fun. We stayed put right on the corner of the big intersection in Jongno (which was clsed to traffic for the night).

Sungku actually went out and tried to sell some while me and Jeff spent most of the time drinknig and shotting them off. A few of Sungku's friends also came and they sold the majority of them for us. They cost 140 bucks overall and we only got 32 bucks back, but whatever, it was the fun that counted...plus we still have a shitload at my place for another evening.

Check out buddy. He's got an army hat on and he thinks he's felt a second test. He's ready though.
The area itself...wow, unimaginable. They thought we were nuts back home with roman candles..well...there were at least 1000 people there selling them along with us and about 300,000 other people. When you looked ahead, you'd see a minimum of 100 roman candles going off at all times...for about 4 hours straight.


The countdown was fun as an increased barrage of lights flew into the sky and the place went nuts.
Afterwords, me and Jeff paraded around the streets giving out free roman candles to kids...though never once did an adult give us a second look or seem to think it not acceptable to be giving a firework 3 feet long to a 4 year old child of about the same height.



According to news articles at least a dozen people got hurt and were admitted to hospitals with minor burns. I just hope none of them were kids, as above you see a 6 year old girl that we gave a roman candle too. Daddy was nice enough to light it for her and lift her above his head to shoot the 30 fireballs as high as possible.

It was quite a spectacle overall and a very memorable New Years.

We sat down for the drinks and food afterwards with a few other of Sungku's friends (who also just happned to be selling fireworks and we didn't know about it..they actually made about 200$). Got well and done as supposed to on New Years and caleld it quits at about 5.

We just weren't quite done for the night though. Look at all these fireworks I have on my shoulders. Look at how I can't walk straight. Look at that Starbucks.... (do not watch with children)



Hahah, that is what I think of Starbucks. Some obscene yelling I could have cut out (thanks Jeff) but no regets on lighting up them American big businesses. All in all. A very successful New Years. Hope yours was good too!!

Colin