The World Around Us....Of Recent

Since arriving in S. Korea, we've been staying at the Dragon Hill Lodge located at Yongsan Army Base. If you're currently or formerly military, think Shades of Green in Florida. This place is off the hook. The rooms are nice, clean and spacious. The lobby has shops, restaurants (at least 5 sit down and a few fast food), a full-service spa/salon, a business center, a flower shop, a tailor/alterations shop, a bank, ATM's with your choice of USD or KRW, laundry rooms on every floor with FREE machines and an AAFES shoppette. The hotel has by far, the best gym facility I've ever seen in a hotel to include a lap pool, state-of-the-art treadmills, weight room, racquetball court, saunas, a jacuzzi and even offers fitness classes! At least one of the restaurants has an all-you-can-eat buffet at any given time and kids under 10 eat for free. We haven't had a bad meal yet.  Room rates are based on rank with lower enlisted paying as little as $59/night. It's no wonder we've heard from friends stationed here that they make/made a trip to DHL once a month.

Now when you step outside the lodge you are on post and it looks like most posts. But you walk through the gate and you are right in the hustle and bustle of Seoul. Someone told me there are 14 million people living in Seoul and whew, does it feel like it.

Here's the view from our hotel window. I wish I had taken one our first day here when it was sunny. It's been overcast and/or rainy everyday since. That awesome playground area is part of the hotel as well.

The National Museum of Korea is so close we made it our first excursion. It is massive. We didn't even come close to seeing the entire thing. I could spend a few days in there (without the boys) reading about and looking at all the interesting and really, really old artifacts they have. Some of the items we saw are from the 6th century.

Just down the street from our hotel is a Popeye's Chicken and Burger King. We ate at the former a couple nights ago just to get out of the hotel. Last night we ate at the food court which is located next to the main PX. It has many of the same eateries as you find on any Army installation. I don't know for sure but I imagine we'll have some of the same once we get to Camp Humphrey's.

If we can get some nicer weather over the weekend, I'll take some pics of the hotel grounds. They are absolutely beautiful. I won't even try to describe it here. Just breathtaking.

Abe's got a few more classes/briefings to attend on Monday. That evening his sponser from his new unit will be coming to pick us up and take us down to Camp Humphrey's. We'll be staying in temporary lodging there while we search for an apartment to rent. That's what I'm most looking forward to these days...finding our own place, FINALLY!