Cherry Blossom Festival

Just in case you were wondering why I haven't posted anything in a few weeks, I was studying for five midterm exams. I finished the last one a few hours ago, and now get to enjoy a four day weekend!  

A while back, I went with some people from the SKKU Global Switching Program to the Cherry Blossom Festival. There are many such flower festivals around Korea, but we went to the one in Yeouido in Seoul, near the National Assembly building and right next to the Han River. I actually ended up going twice since the trees weren't in full bloom the first time I went. The trees were still beautiful, however, and there were many street performances going on. Since it was the opening night, there was also a fireworks show.

Prepping the fireworks.

One of the first cherry trees to bloom.

We rented two tandem bikes and raced along the river. There were tons of people out and about enjoying the weather and exercising.

My new friends from the Global Switching Program

Korean style swing.

A sports kite.

Several men were flying sports kites. We stopped to watch one, and he asked our Korean friends if Samantha and I wanted to try it for free (usually the fee is 10,000 Won). He kept on mentioning his son, and told us that his son needed a wife who could fly a kite. That pretty much ruled me out, since I ended up crashing his kite. I was mortified, but he thankfully wasn't angry, and the kite seemed to be undamaged. He even gave us his business card.

This guy was the kite instructor for Shinee (a kpop boy band)

Fireworks!

We got within 500 feet where they were setting them off

Cherry blossoms by night

The street performances included a high school orchestra (whose flutes were out of tune). They played a Star Wars medley, which elicited a squee from yours truly, and then accompanied Kim SoHyeon, a famous musical actress. She sang Think Of Me from Phantom of the Opera(not the best rendition I've heard), and then a Korean Soccer anthem (which was exponentially better than the first song she sang).

Kim SoHyeon

Random parade of people with weird masks

A drummer. They also had bells and squeaky noisemakers.

I went back the next weekend for even more cherry blossoms. This time, all the trees were covered in beautiful white flowers. There were also way more people. : /

PINK!

I've got a lovely bunch of coconuts...

Bought this rice bread for 3,000 Won

Ain't it gorgeous?

Aw, one of thousands of couples at the festival

The crowds were out in full force

So... Many... Flowers...

A rice cake with a chestnut center from a street vendor

Surprisingly delicious ice cream from a cart

We sat down next to the Han River to study for midterms

This bird was almost shooed away before I could get a picture

A police? dog

 Back in Suwon, we ate a coconut and climbed one of the cherry blossom trees on campus. This was the biggest one I'd seen here, and being up in the branches, surrounded by white flowers, was incredibly calming. I got a small shock though, as a small branch upon which I had been bracing myself broke. Thankfully I hadn't put a lot of weight on it and easily regained my balance.

In the tree

It was getting dark before we climbed back down.

And a random picture of a stream in Suwon

Bye.