We were only hopeful and not sure of accommodation as this festival is relatively popular with the locals so we didn’t know if we would actually be able to find a room to stay for the night. (ENTER INTO THE Equation – Jjimjilbang “a place of too many naked people and a very unpleasant night’s sleep” anonymous: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jjimjilbang ).
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| Sandy exhibiting our lunch for the train ride (Pb&J Sandwches and apples) |
We climbed on our train in hope and arrived in Jinju at about 16:00.
Just as we set foot out of the Jinju Train station it starts to pelt down with rain. We stand under an awning for about 10min before we are able to hail a taxi and when we do, we still have to run 20m to the taxi and get soaked in the process.
We give the taxi driver directions to the motel we had researched and what would normally be a 10-15min taxi ride turned into a 40min taxi ride because of the traffic volume that was in the city to see the lanterns. After paying way more then we should have for that taxi trip we get out to find out that the 1st motel we want to stay at is derelict, as was the 2nd ...
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| This picture is only a dramatisation as real images may offend sensitive viewers |
... and we couldn’t find the 3rd. In slight panic mode we eventually find a place called Motel Buckingham (as in where the queen lives) but it is super expensive (as in KW90 000 for the room). Worried that we will not find anything else we take the hit and pay for a room for the 3 of us.
We dropped our stuff and took a 20min rest before taking a walk down to the riverside where all the lanterns were.
AND NOW FOR LOTS OF PICTURES...
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| For no reason at all (even with the flash) I couldn't get my face to show up in this picture. Oh well - it still looks cool! |
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| Overlooking the river of Lanterns - the blue ring thing is the waterbed bridge I talk about later |
It was at this point that we begin to try and meet up with people. It was ridiculous – it took me 40min of phone-calling and searching and standing around waiting to be found before I met up with Alan, Lisa and Marelize (just a few of the wonderful people I flew to Korea with – they stay in Deagu).
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| From Left to Right: Sandy; Alan, Marelize, Lisa, Geoff (Duhhhhh!) |
Sadly they could not stay long as they had to catch their train back to Deagu so after a brief catch-up we said our good-byes and they headed on their way home.
Sandy and I were now really hungry, so we went in search of food and I picked up what amounted to McCain frozen chips that had been wrapped in dough and the whole thing dunked into a deep fryer. It tasted fantastic! I can’t remember what Sandy chose to eat but after we went and found waffles and the Korean version on éclairs for Dessert.
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| The things on the bottom left of the picture, yes the things on the stick with bumps all over it - that is what I ate! |
Next on the meet up list was Deborah and Andrea who were down from Deajeon. Sadly that fizzled before I could even start looking for them as it was getting late and they were keen to try and get a train back to Deajeon (which in the end they couldn’t do and had to stay at a Jjimjilbang – “ag shame” as we say in SA. I am so glad I was not them that night.
Next and final on the meet up list was Ashli (who had gone earlier in the day with her friend Libby). Ashli had found Soekie – another friend I flew from SA to Korea with and they were together – YES PLEASE!!! – 2 Birds with one stone (please excuse the slightly sexist term used here – pure coincidence)! Now this was a mission in itself. We had been in contact for the majority of the night trying to figure out where to meet her and every time we thought we had found the right place it was not the right place. The problem stemmed from the fact that they never stopped moving long enough for us to catch up with them - number 1. And number 2. The lantern displays were on 2 side of the river and somehow we always seemed to find ourselves on opposite sides of the river. This proved to be a problem because of the volume of people that had come to see the lanterns – we could barely move walking so it took ages to cross the river to get on the correct side. Eventualy we think we will find them as they say they are at the main staging area and they will be there for a while. After getting direction to that area (we thought) Sandy and I set off only to not find them and stumble on a break dancing battle instead.
It was super cool to watch these Korean’s move. One guy in particular was great BUT STILL NO ASHLI AND SOEKIE! I was so tired and annoyed now so I gave my phone to Sandy, who coordinated with them for the rest of the night until we eventually met up. As it turned out, the stage area we found was in the opposite direction we needed to go to find the MAIN stage where Ash and Soek were watching a few performances. Soekie was actually there with two of her friends – Rachel and another chap who was from the UK. They were both very cool. Once we met up it was 22:50 and we were all really tired, so we headed back to our motel and decided to stop for some coffee on the way at a supper cool coffee place. Ashli was not up for it so she went back to the motel and Sandy and I enjoyed Green tea Latte and black Earl Grey tea respectively before we went back to the motel and got a good night’s rest.
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| Our motel room after our good nights sleep |
All this and I have not even told you about the festival itself...
Well it was like this see...
The river had probably about 50 giant lit floats that were of different things. There were sports lanterns, traditional Korean lanterns and animated characters. There were also animals and a couple of other categories. Lining the river were stalls upon stalls of food places and theme park games. Oh and of course there were a number of lanterns lining the river banks as well. There were 1000’s of people there to see this stunning spectacle – as I mentioned the moving room (it was like friars on Tri-Varsity weekend). The Lanterns were truly beautiful to see. At one point there was a tunnel red lanterns that you walked through and each lantern had a message hanging from it. It was so red and awesome.
There was even an opportunity to make and put your own lantern on the river (which Sandy did with aplomb). We also paid KW1000 to walk on the floating bridge to get up close and personal with the lanterns. It was really cool and you had to have good balance as it was like walking on a water bed.
Here follows a link to of some of the Lanterns we saw:
Please tell me if the Link doesn't work
The morning after we headed to Dunkin Doughnuts found breakfast and headed home...
That was lantern weekend :)
Still to come on Geoff’s Asian Adventures:
2010 Korean F1 GP - Frustrating and Exhilirating
Halloween Folly and I guess peer pressured insanity;
Playing soccer against the Korean Army ;
FINALLY A USEFUL COUPLE OF POST THAT MIGHT ACTUALLY HELP PEOPLE COMIONG TO KOREA;
and
Jumping off mountains
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