Sign on a Buddhist Temple

Isn't this a great quote? I love it.

This is the Buddha for Granting a Son - The legend says that if you rub his stomach, you will give birth to a son.

This looks like a Christmas tree but is really a bunch of branches that have been tied up and allowed to dry out. As you attend the temple, you can pay $1.00 to get a piece of rice paper and write a wish on it. Then you roll it up, and tie it onto the "Christmas tree". On New Year's Day, they will set the whole thing on fire, and everyone's wishes will be granted.

 Beach Hike and Fishing Village

These scenes from a "Fishing Village" are really a nostalgic view of  being on the coast in the city with the fifth largest port in the world!

The girl in the picture below has an especially tedious job. She sat on a chair for ???(all day?) and cut pieces of seaweed that were caught in the rope. Since the ropes are extremely long, and the seaweed very plentiful, you can imagine that this job goes on and on and on.

An Old Abandoned Fishing Boat

For Zone Conferences, each Zone spent a day at the Mission Home. The activity was hiking up Guemgang Mountain, with stops along the way.

They had activities and motivational speakers all along the way.

Elder George on the last leg of the mountain - to the top!

My best (Korean) friend, Vicky, her husband and her mother*

*is 64 years old but looks 42.

Vicky's daughter, Hana, was in a school chorus program which we were invited to attend. A lot of little kids stare at us - why? We are big, white, and old!

The concert was cute and fun.

SAND ART

Last weekend was the Sand Sculpture Festival, and we were lucky enough to attend! Sculptors come from all over the world to compete and they spend about a week making their creations. In addition, they had a "family sculpture" contest, an ATV sand course, and a sand mountain for sledding down on toboggans.

Brenda, Bryan and Hana in front of  Poseidon, holding his Trident as he overtakes a team of horses, a sea monster, and the ocean waves! I think he's been working out at the gym (!) by the looks of those abs.

The Seventh Voyage of Sinbad, side view of Cyclops, dragon, wrecked ship, and lots of snakes!

Side view of Sinbad. The Korean letters below say "Sinbad". Notice the detail of the snakes, the mountain behind, and the dragon birds on top of the mountain. The head with a horn looking at you on the right side is the one-eyed cyclops!

Moby Dick - Captain Ahab tries to be tough but Moby Dick destroys the little boat in one chomp!

The head of Medusa from Greek mythology. The long tentacles of the octopus remind me of every restaurant around here.

Cute little boy

This sculpture depicts the Narnia stories. The detail on Aslan the lion was amazing!

New Topic - "Granny Pants" - it's true, all the old Grannys wear these stretchable pants in garish, bold patterns. One size fits all, including all the missionaries, me, and Elder George. We have to keep buying more of them (between $2.50 and $5.00 a pair) because we wear them to the granny exercise class in the mornings at 5:30 am on the mountain. It's kind of a "Granny Zumba", but the missionaries go to try to talk to people and get contacts, etc. Needless to say, the grannies LOVE the young missionaries and always want to take their pictures after Zumba is over.

Practicing their dance moves

BUSAN MODERN HISTORY MUSEUM

A good outing for a rainy day, we ventured to a new part of town last Saturday to see the "Modern" history museum (20th century). It tells the story of Japanese occupation in Korea in the early 1900s, the effects of World War II, and the devastation of the Korean War. 

BUSAN 1910

BUSAN 1910 - traditional Korean clothing

1930  - The littlest girl in the middle is so cute

Facsimile of an old Trolley Car

BUSAN BECOMES AN IMPORTANT PORT CITY

 Thanks for reading!