Someone Told Me It's All Happening At The Zoo

(name that tune...)

So last weekend my friends and I went to the Seoul Zoo which turned out to be really really nice! I've heard zoos in Asia can be quite depressing. I think this is more true in China where there are some less than ideal sanitary conditions and the animals have really tiny habitats (except for the Pandas who get treated like royalty). Anyway the Seoul Zoo is the largest zoo in Asia and is about the same size, if not bigger than, the Philadelphia Zoo. It was really enjoyable and it was a gorgeous, crisp fall day (Boy do I love those kinds of days. My friend was making fun of me because every few minutes I'd say, "Can you believe what a gorgeous day it is!? I just love how all the leaves are changing colors!!" - So this is a shout out to my mom for teaching me to derive joy from simple things like sunny days and changing foliage!)

Anyway here are some shots from my zoo trip. Also in the evening we went to Seoul Land which is an amusement park in Seoul (the 2nd biggest of the 3 in Korea). It was really fun and the best part was it was only $10 for admission even though its usually $36 because (a) it was after 5pm and (b) there was a foreigner discount. I love getting great deals! Anyway, enjoy:

Mr. Giraffe who walked over and posed for me - how thoughtful!

Mr. Seal, who popped his head out of the water just in time for a photo-op

How about this bear, eh? Have you ever seen a non-cartoon bear sitting in this position? I mean he looks like he's watching the news or something, but really he's just staring at the people...who are staring at him... and probably thinking how he can manage to devour one of them...

This is me, talking with Mr. Llama

Around the entrance to the amusement park (I didn't take too many pictures because it was dark and, well, amusement parks pretty much look the same wherever you are).

Apart from this, of course. Here, your young child can be sealed inside a plastic bubble and float around in a pool without getting wet. Somehow I think putting kids inside sealed bubbles with no air holes might not catch on at amusement parks in the States...

Sitting in an autumn-themed Cinderella's carriage

Happy Fall!

I keep trying to blog but for some reason over the past week the Blogger website hasn't been allowing me to upload pictures. Hopefully this will figure itself out soon! I went to the zoo and to an amusement park last weekend and have some pictures to share so I will try to get those up soon. I hope you enjoyed the little slice of Korean pop culture I shared with you last week. If you haven't watched the music videos I really recommend you do that - if for no other reason than for a laugh. :)

Also I have an email address update. As I will, sadly, no longer be "Kayla in Korea" come November 9th (sniff sniff), I have a new email address: kaylaruthw@hotmail.com. I'll check both for the next few months but please update your address books!

This is going to be such a busy month - there is so much I want to do before I leave. I'm trying to savor every minute before it all ends. This is a very sad week for me because my best friend Sarah, from England, who arrived the same week as me in September of 2007, is leaving Korea for good on Saturday. We were both here for 2 years and are leaving Korea a month apart. I think it's a little less sad for Sarah, though, because she's heading to India, Australia, and New Zealand before she goes home to England. You might remember her as my travel buddy both in Hong Kong and in Tokyo! She is such a dear friend and I look forward to visiting her in England and/or having her come to visit me in the States (she's never been!). Last night I completed a scrapbook for her of her 2 years in Korea. We also bought a Korean flag and had all of her friends sign it. We're having a goodbye party for her tonight which promises to be a tear-filled event. I am glad I will only be in Korea for one month without her!

I hope you are all enjoying the arrival of fall as much as I am. The weather here is unseasonably warm (76 degrees!) but the nights are cool and the trees are starting to change colors. Oh how I love fall!