I got a great night’s rest last night, as I am now able to actually sleep past 6 am. My train did not leave until 12:40 p.m. and since I had already seen everything this town had to offer, I lazed around the room, and watched an episode of Dexter online. I left, got breakfast at this really great bakery that would not have been out of place in New York or London, but was very cheap ($4 for a cheese scone, jelly donut and an espresso with mocha whipped pudding). Made it to the train station with 30 min. to spare so I chilled and ate my breakfast while watching little kids run around and play on a floor that probably would have killed me if I even took my shoes off.
Wrote the gear review on the train ride, then spent the rest of the trip listening to music from someone I had never heard of but somehow they made it on my iPod. I just sat and looked out the window at the beautiful scenery as it went by. I kept thinking about how I should go get my camera out of my bag, but I was full, comfortable and just sat and watched as bright yellow rice paddies and green fields rushed by. Every now and then there would be a farmer tending the rice paddies, and the contrast of their blue outfits was amazing against the sea of yellow grain behind them. Then I got off at the wrong station. I realized it about two minutes after I walked out. This place smelled like the underside of a Seoul sewer. And it was ugly. Gyeongju was not supposed to be ugly. I turned around, and ran back, and luckily the train had not left because the conductor was smoking a cigarette. Thank
god. I left Gungwon-ju and arrived at Gyeongju, which was the next exit.
I walked clear across town to the hostel, checked in, dropped my bag off, and left to go take picures of the tombs while I still had daylight. Got some good ones, met a group from Canada in one of the tombs who were in town for their sons wedding in Seoul. He runs a school and is hiring English teachers, so I got his number and will give him a shout.
I am trying to save money, and since I am here for two nights, I went to the store and bought everything (hopefully) that I will need for the next several meals. There is a kitchen here, so I cooked rice and ramen for dinner. I got some honey rolls and chocolate milk for breakfast and an apple for lunch tomorrow. I have not been eating large lunches, because they are inconvenient and I am always out in the country, or in a temple or something when lunch hits. Rice fills you up. As does some fruit. While I was eating, I met a girl from Holland, and we started talking. She got here last night, but she was the only one around, where as tonight I am here, as well as two guys from Spain, and a Japanese student. Tomorrow we are going to rent bikes and bike to either the temple that is 16km away, or to the mountain and then hike the trails.
-Side note, she has two books she has been trying to get rid off, Harry Potter #1 and the DaVinci Code. Unfortunately I have read them both, but I can re-read the DaVinci code. It has been a while. I’ll trade her my book which I finished on the flight over, but have been hauling around with me.
