Next stop was the Seomyeon arcade in Judies Taewa. The following video is our approach on the arcade, which happened to be flanked by go go dancers for some store or restaurant opening. This is a very common, almost compulsory phenomenon for the opening of a new business. But these dancers didn't appreciate Brian's video taking, and they sent their mascot minions to put an end to it.
Inside the arcade I proceeded to win many suckers for everyone on the rock paper scissors machine, my favorite arcade game. I used to love the drum game too, but I was shamed away from it after watching this guy. For those of you who haven't seen this game in action before, normally one person plays one drum and another person competes on the other.
But after we had done all we could do inside we snuck out the back way to avoid the minions, and there we found the rest of our night waiting for us in the form of a test of strength hammer game. This was fantastic. We quickly drew a crowd, which I doubt was so much due to this following performance as it was due to the novelty of giants like David, Duck, and Brian swinging away at it. However I include this next video because it is a very important precursor to the next one. Watch my score closely.
Next Brian tries it. You'd think a strapping young fellow such as himself might have a pretty good shot at beating a little Jess like me... but I don't want to give anything away.
Yeah! 765 to 703! Poor Brian, loses to me and then gets heckled most mercilessly for it. Not that I'm still gloating. But things heated up when a Korean challenger came along.
The footage of the Korean guy's swing was long and uneventful without editing, so I left it out, but unfortunately, David lost also, and both Laggises were defeated that night. Neither one of them liked the taste of it either.
That's right, everyone's trying to justify the loss to S. Korea, which now reigns victorious in the S. Korea vs. USA hammer swing competition. Everyone except for Duck, who at some point starts looking for an imaginary cat in David's shirt. Googles isn't there Duck! He's gone! Let him go!
It was a grand night, but eventually we had to head our separate ways. But we left with our dignity in tact, as evidenced by the following video.
Unfortunately, this last, best video was taken in a lower quality setting by accident, but there's no mistaking what happened in it.
Saturday we went to Haeundae where the jet ski gang was in full effect. The jet ski gang is this group of 40+ uber tanned idiots who ride their jet skis backwards and in donuts in the designated swimming area within a couple of feet of young children's bobbing head targets. They mostly wear speedos, but their ring leader wears a g-string, and a whistle, which he blows incessantly. He blows this whistle to tell his gang it's time to set up their plastic chairs and tables. Then it's TWEET TWEET again and now it's time to play frisbee. Once more and they're oiling each other up for a session of sunbathing. TWEET! and they're giving rides to all the girls on the beach on their melon smashers. I don't know why the others let Mr. Whistles boss them around, but I also don't know why THIS guy wears a speedo.
It is a cute print though. Here's a close up so you can see for yourself.
It was a beautiful beach day though, which was extra lucky because it is now monsoon season in Busan. This means the hot muggy weather is being staved off a bit longer, but it also means that the hole in my galoshas is becoming a nuisance.
Saturday night we went to Dongnae near David and Duck's apartment to that of other friends for a rooftop party.
This did eventually get monsooned into an indoor party, but it is notable because one of the girls who came was hosting a couch surfer. The couch surfer was Charlotte, a 19 year old German who has been traveling round the world for about a year now. How is this possible you wonder? Well, her grandparents are helping her out, but traveling does not have to be as expensive as you might think as long as you're willing to sacrifice a little cush and have an adventure or two. Here's a link I filched from a friend that has some good information if you're a first time budget traveler, and if you're seasoned, it's got some great links to lesser known work stay and budget travel sites. http://www.iwillteachyoutoberich.com/blog/cheap-travel/ Check it out and get moving.
Sunday we watched the Cave of the Yellow Dog with Ryan and Shannon to convince them to come to Mongolia with us this summer, but the results are still processing. We've honed in on our travel plans now and it looks like we'll be flying into Beijing for 2.5 days, then taking the Mongolian leg of the Trans-Siberian Railway up to Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia's capital. From there we will hopefully find some travel partners (even if Ryan and Shannon come) to make it cheap, and then we'll do a 14 day jeep and camel or horse trek through central and southern Mongolia, including the Gobi. In fact, if you are a potential travel partner reading this blog, we will be ready for the trek August 13th but could postpone until the 15th at the latest. Just comment your details on this post.
