Our side trips

We have been very lucky to have made some good friends that take us to different places around Seoul. 

In September we went hiking up to a fortress on the top of the nearby mountains.  It was used for defense and the wall runs along the ridge line.

It was a very warm day and by the time we reached the top we were soaking wet.  On the top of the mountain was a great breeze.  This is Jackie with our guide Jane, we met her in our weekly English Class.

Once you have trekked (the word Koreans use for hiking) up the mountain, the view from the summit is spectacular.  We were looking down on the part of Songpa, where we live and serve.

The buildings at the top housed the military. The gates to the fortress still exist.

It was great to walk through the old gate and think of the history of the area.  Korea has had to defend itself from many invaders.  It is inspiring to see how far Korea has come since the Korean War, the last time they had invaders. Our peers in Korea lived during that time.  They tell of becoming refugees and fleeing to Busan to the south.  Everyone was so poor after the war.  They express their gratitude to the United States for ridding their land of the invaders from the north.

This is the headquarters of the fortress. 


 I love all the colors and the lotus blossom symbols in the painting on the rafters.

I really like the limes of the roof and the dragon-like creature in the middle.

The curved lines of the roof make Korean houses different from Japanese roof lines. 





We had a great time and really enjoyed learning more about the history of Korea.  It was not an easy hike because of the steepness of the trail.  Going down is not easier than going up but it was well worth the hike.  Afterward we were looking for a place to get some food.  There was a place near the trail head; I asked about going to it.  Jane said they served dog soup and that she does not eat "dog" any more since she now has a pet dog.  Dog soup is suppose to give you energy when you are worn down.  We were glad she has a pet dog and didn't ask us to have some dog soup.  We instead enjoyed some beef soup and good vegetables.

We love being able to serve a mission in Korea.  We enjoy being able to help missionary work go forth to the Korean people.  Our missionaries are hard working and faithful young men and women who tell people about the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  We get hear about the people they meet, teach and come to love.  We know that the missionary work will go forward so that all can come to know their Savior.