Our first Fourth of July overseas has came and went. Originally, we planned to go camping with a few other families, but the weather had another plan for us. After the second downpour on Friday with no break in sight, we called off the camping. Oh well, there was other fun to be had and, in true Korean form, we did it "Not Quite Right" style!
Saturday brought some low clouds and drizzle, so we met up with our friends the McCasek's and headed indoors to the Gwacheon Science Museum. The girls had a lot of fun running around the museum with the boys and showing Ronnie this and that. The weather was holding, so we got to enjoy walking around the gardens. They have several water features, flowers, and a boardwalk around the whole thing. We left right before closing and decided to grab dinner in Itaewon before heading home. We barely got 5 minutes down the road before both girls were passed out.
We woke the girls up when we parked and decided on heading for an Italian place I had went to a few weeks ago. It was a hit - we had a great view of the open kitchen and the girls were enthralled with the hustle and bustle. The girls voted for ice cream for dessert, so we headed out to the streets to explore a bit before filling our bellies more. Well, the exploring yielded a surprise down one of the side allies - a small bakery. They had individual, freshly baked pies that were absolutely delicious. Ronnie chose the toasted coconut cream and I had the dutch chocolate, both a la mode so the girls could have their ice cream. Yeah, we are definitely marking this place so we can go back because it was a real treat. The toasted coconut cream was smooth while the dutch chocolate was decedent. You know I mixed a bite of the two of them and got a gourmet Mounds bar. They were gone way too quickly, and alas, we needed to head on home.
Sunday shaped up to be a lazy morning, as the skies were still cloudy and it was sprinkling on and off. Ronnie went for a run while the girls and I read the Declaration of Independence. Holly thought it was really cool that America has a birthday, and was elated when I told her that we were going to the party. We headed to Liberty Fest at the base to have dinner and play until the fireworks. After getting them to eat a little bit, we made a beeline for all the bouncy castles and inflatables they had set up. They also had arts and crafts, face painting, and a maze set up. The rain didn't keep the girls down, well, at least it didn't until they closed all of the big inflatables they were playing in. We enjoyed the performances, although there was a Korean pop princess act that butchered some classic rock. I have video of them trying to sing "Freebird" - again, just not quite right. But we really enjoyed the national Korean acts Noridan and Nanta. Finally, it was time for the fireworks which were spectacular. They were right on the other side of the runway and we had a great view!
On Monday it looked like we were going to finally get a break in the weather. So, we packed up the girls and headed to Splish 'N Splash, a water park at Camp Humphreys. The weather cleared up nicely and the park wasn't crowded at all. Holly had been to the park with SAP, so she had fun "giving us the tour." It's a really nicely done area - two splash pads for the kids, a small swimming pool (3 ft deep), two big slides, diving boards, and an Olympic size pool. We played for a few hours and then headed back home. Because Ronnie and I had a DATE!
The great thing about being overseas is the MWR and USO machine brings in entertainment for the troops. Hoobastank and Sevendust were playing together at Yongsan Army Garrison in Seoul. A few weeks ago, I found out that Hoobastank was coming and was thinking it would be a great present for Father's Day for Ronnie. Little did I know it was going to be FREE! Our friends, the Haugh's, took the girls for a slumber party with Skylar and off we went for the show. It was awesome! Army MWR delivered a 90-minute set by each band and Mother Nature delivered a beautiful clear and cool night to enjoy it in.
So, Happy Birthday America - we certainly enjoyed our pursuit of happiness this weekend!
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