A Good Workout

       The day started late for David with a long Subway ride that took him across the river that divides Seoul and into a new area of this Mega City.

 David was going to visit a Buddhist Temple.  The map suggested Lotte a huge duty free sky rise and Tombs of 12th Century King and Queen of the Dynasty that ruled that period.  

Samseoung Subway Exit

      The Samseoung subway stop arrived and David exited with a plan to visit the Tombs first. That site was the furthest away and since his legs were still sore he thought it best to get the worst out of the way.  650 meters the map said.  A couple of football fields...no problem...wrong.  Walking along a huge through fare with huge Sky Scrapers on both sides, David couldn't imagine a grave site in the middle of all this.  A 1/4 of a mile down the road he asked and was told keep going.  Another quarter of a mile and David realized he could have taken the subway another stop.  Finally someone directed him to turn right until the park then left.  He was getting exited in anticipation of reaching his goal and sitting down.  His legs were cramped and in pain, his pace slowed , his ankles ached with pain.  The sidewalk became rubberized and soft to walk on...a slight relief.  The lane curved around and each turn he expected to see an entrance to the Tombs.  There it was up ahead!  The gate was locked...Closed Monday.  

Rubberized Sidewalk

He walked around the corner and there was the next subway stop which he promptly entered back into the underground and returned to Samseoung Stop.  Off to the Temple which was visible on the map.  He decided to take the straight route through the Mega Duty Free center and stop to price an Ipad.  He did and really liked it.  Took down all the info with intentions of comparing when he returned to the hostel.  Time for an Ice Cream and Baskin Robbins then on to the Temple.  He was exiting the Mega Duty Free Center when he realized his coat was gone.  Did he leave it at the Ice Cream shop or in the subway....Panic... adrenaline RUSH and David RAN...yes RAN to the Ice Cream shop...his passport was in the coat!   He would have to go to the embassy to replace it.  The manager greeted him coat in hand.  David almost kissed him.  Now he was pumped full of energy and jaunted off to the Temple.  

Taken inside Baskin Robbins Ice Cream Shop

This is what I need.

         There he prayed thanks to the Buddha.  He barely managed the Lotus position after removing his shoes and taking a pillow to sit on.  He braced his back to the wall and almost looked like a Monk...almost.  The hard part was getting up off the floor.  

Buddha Watching Over David

Prayer Lanterns

          The complex was beautiful and laid out with the city surrounding it.  A diamond in the rough. While taking some pictures he ran into two visiting Monks from Chaing Mai Thailand and talked them up a bit.  They wanted to know if I was Buddhist.  Well close as any belief I will ever get...but not really.  Just couldn't grasp the reincarnation side of it but the never Compare, Criticize , or Complain he liked.  David left after about an hour and returned home to dine at the local Korean restaurant that was recommended to him.  Soup was great and only $3.  He was in bed at 9pm and up at 6a,m in preparation for departure on Wednesday.
      He would meet David again today in his neighborhood around 6:30 pm. He started the day at Tom Tom's Coffee with an Apple Cinnamon Bread and Latte.  Then the rain started so he returned to his room to get his umbrella and start out for the War Museum.