Date: Saturday February 28Miles: 10:45
Time: 2:13:07
Headed out the back door of the Brownstone, I decided to see how long it would take me to get downtown by way of Yongsan and Seoul Station. This route allowed me to wander down through the south part of Mapo-gu, head up (literally a 2 mile uphill climb) toward the train station, waddle around Sungnyemun Gate, crash into the tourist crowd at the changing of the guard at Deoksugung Palace, trudge my way up towards Gyeongbokgung Palace, saluting Admiral Lee Sun Sin as I went by.
As I rounded the corner (as seen above -- I can't get the angle right) to run smack into 12 buses of military police falling into formation on the sidewalk. No where to run. no place to hide. I decided to barge ahead, sidestepping the body shields, helmets, batons, etc. lying in the path as equipme
nt being unloaded was transferred to the waiting lines of way too young boys ready for Saturday afternoon embassy duty. Three buses into the morass, they became aware of a foreign presence. Six buses down, they started to part the way for me. By the time I passed the tenth bus, the kids--soldiers- were giving me the high five. Finally reaching bus 12 I tried to hit the intersection before the light turned. No luck. I stopped. Catching my breath, I turned around to find twelve busloads of young men all looking my way. Awkward moment. I grinned and gave them the thumbs up. The kid in front of me saluted. They all started laughing and clapping and going back to whatever they were doing.
nt being unloaded was transferred to the waiting lines of way too young boys ready for Saturday afternoon embassy duty. Three buses into the morass, they became aware of a foreign presence. Six buses down, they started to part the way for me. By the time I passed the tenth bus, the kids--soldiers- were giving me the high five. Finally reaching bus 12 I tried to hit the intersection before the light turned. No luck. I stopped. Catching my breath, I turned around to find twelve busloads of young men all looking my way. Awkward moment. I grinned and gave them the thumbs up. The kid in front of me saluted. They all started laughing and clapping and going back to whatever they were doing. I crossed the intersection knowing the run back towards Yonhidong was going to be--yep--just as long as the run toward downtown.
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