25th Birthday Hapkido and Hike - Aug 7-8

I was actually in Thailand for my birthday, so I met up with people the week after. I didn't have as exciting a party as last year, I just met with some friends in Hapkido at a bar on Friday and did a casual hike thing on Saturday.


Hapkido guys are always fun to hang out with. It's not always the easiest because of the very strong language barrier, but everyone tries and we have a good time. We just went to the bar below the Dojang, the Albatross. Traditionally, the birthday girl pays for her own party in Korea. It was ok, all the other times we went out I wasn't paying because I wasn't the oldest. Actually the first time I heard about the birthday paying obligation, it kind of reminded me of hobbits' birthdays to. :P

Anyways, I wasn't sure if this included getting a cake as well, so I did. It turns out my teacher also got the same cake! Then, we had too much cake to eat, so we did another traditional Korean thing and offered  some cake to the rest of the people in the bar. For a birthday present, they gave me a ninja star! Wow cool! They joked with me about how since I was learning throwing chopsticks I'd be able to use the star now too. Aaron had fun. Everyone at Hapkido thinks he's like Robin Williams and just as funny. Heehee.

Then on Saturday I met up with people to go "hiking" in Namsan Park. Actually I had to do something, which I now forget what it was, and I was waiting at the subway station near Itaewon super earlier than when people were coming. I was so tired that I actually took a nap on the REAL GRASS just outside the subway exit.

The first person to arrive was Alex. Aaron came a bit after. I didn't know who all was coming because I'd made an open invite. Yonghwa said she was coming, but would be late. It was like noon and I needed some grub. We also met up with Jordan, and we did a fair amount of walking back and forth before everyone was arranged for lunch. We ate at a decent Iranian place, Ali Baba's I think.

By the time we were done eating, Jordan had to take off and we went to pick up Yonghwa. Ready to head off to Namsan Park, which is just under Seoul Tower, Alex says that it isn't far and we don't need to take the bus to get there. For awhile afterwards, we are walking in the hilly and steep residential part of Namsan/Itaewon area and I'm skeptical that I will ever get my birthday hike.

Finally, at like 3 maybe, we find the little piece of nature. After all the effort, I was actually ready to sit down for awhile. We trekked around and were little ants on a hill in nature. I was happier having chosen a more "casual" setting. A real hike might have proven too much for my chill vibe. It was fun just to walk around in trees and see green around me more than grey all the time.

We decided not to finish climbing the hill to Seoul Tower, and just head to Dongdaemun to meet up with people for Indian food. Yum Indian :P After the larger group of us went to Myeongdong to relax in a sports bar. We saw some odd things there too :P

I enjoyed the smaller festivities, more my style these days. Happy Birthday to me :P