Weekend in Chuncheon for the Mime Fest!

May 23/09

Saturday Serene and I rushed to meet with her co-worker for lunch - the result - a MASSIVE amount of very delicious Indian food. After finishing, so full I could hardly move and very glad I had on slightly loose shorts we were on our way to Chuncheon. Rather than head out from where we were we decided to meet one of Serene's friends an hour or so away and leave from there - only to find upon arrival that all of the buses were sold out for the next 2 1/2 hours: meaning we would arrive too late for the festival. But, since another friend was already meeting us there from another region we had to head anyways and hope to catch some for the festival the next day before returning.

So, a few hours later (with some coffee shop laughs to fill the void) we were off and arrived after almost 6 1/2 hours for a trip that should have taken 3). Serene's friends, Makada and Esther, turned out to be fabulous and so the trip was well worth the time and effort. Great times were had, from random ridiculousness, my first stay in a love motel (complete with scuba diver ceilings and blue lights), pretending to be mimes, devouring obscene amounts of DakGalbi (chicken Korean bbq), and enjoying foreigner celebrity status!

The next day ... hides head in shame and embarrassment ... we went to McDonald's for breakfast. I had NOTHING to do with that decision. And we got visually molested by some other foreign guys; seriously, these guys stared at Reen and me for about five min. straight - completely unabashedly.

But then - oh then! Crazy fun picture taking time with props and a photo shop and the ability after to add words and symbols. :) Next came the shows and the best magicians I have ever seen. Seriously, some of the things the first magician did . . . I couldn't possibly imagine what the trick could have been. It was probably also the first time I've really enjoyed a magician. The other shows we got to see were nice, one of the mime/clowns had incredible tension. You could basically see the 'things' she was working with. And then . . . pure madness.

People running as water was sprayed and buckets thrown toward the crowds - a huge/long plastic sheet then raised in the air (representing a river I think) with everyone crowding under it - making it 'wave' and then . . . rain coats, hundreds of them being thrown from the rooftops - slowly floating down through the sky as people frantically reached for them.

Despite our efforts we didn't get any. Making our way down the street we looked for cover as we watched men getting soaked and soaped - stripping in the streets to perform this spectacle and then - a fire truck crane is raised and a torrent of water let loose from the sky as huge barrels are dumped on the streets, flooding the area. Serene and I ran to a raised billboard and balanced on the stand - only to rapidly shimmy to the other side and hide, crouched and squished behind the sign with as many people as could fit in - all trying to not get drenched. A ludicrous and extremely fun moment!

Minutes later we had to leave to catch our bus . . . just as the boat war simulations were starting. I'd seen these crazy cool scenario on my last trip at the Mask Dance festival but Serene never had. Sadness. :(

And . . . back to Ansan in the evenign for Seafood Galbi! (Various shellfish cooked on the bbq complete with an incredible stew from the drained shell juices. A belated and much appreciated welcome dinner from Serene. Mom would have been SO jealous!

(Unfortunately I don't have a USB cord for my camera so can't load any of my pics - but Reen caught some of the moments!)