The kindergarten students earn points by behaving in class and reading books. Once every 6 weeks or so, they can cash in their points at the Reading Town Market Place. It's a popular place to be.

Here's Mike dealing some snacks:

And Cassie working the books. That guy picked up a lot of loot.

Yoseph had the most points. He scored a crayon set, juice, snacks and stickers.

Little Stella got some stickers and Home Run Balls (chocolate snacks). She was making a deposit to use her points next time.

Socks Socks Socks

Korea has great socks! Since most places make you take your shoes off to enter (including my school) people can't get away with wearing holey socks! So there is a sock vendor on ever corner of the subway system. Most socks cost only about $1, so I am in sock heaven.
Here are a few I picked up yesterday
I really like monster socks...but they have so many! I'll keep you posted because summertime is some serious socktime!

Seoul National Museum

We went to check out the National Museum of Seoul yesterday. It is a monster of a place, palatial in size and scope. They trace the history of Korea back to the stone ages.

We spend two and a half hours checking out one third of the place. Plan a full 6 hours to see everything. You can see everything more comfortably in two days.





The museum is at Ichon station (line 1 or 4) exit 2. Admission is free.

More information: http://www.museum.go.kr/main/index/index002.jsp

Eating raw octopus with fresh wasabi:

Walking through a cemetery toward Kyomizu-dera:

At Kyomizu-dera:



After a quick bus ride, we went to Nanzen-ji:

Monk's living quarters and zen rock garden at Nanzen-ji:




Octopus on a stick at the Nishiki market:


Austin being sucked into a black hole at the Fushimi Inari Shinto Shrine:


The shrine is famous for its' 10,000 red gates. They're dedicated to the god of rice and business, Inari.




At Kinkaku-ji, the world famous golden temple:


Prayer and wish cards:


Eating rail-road style sushi. About $1.30 a plate and free green tea.


Pour your own beer machine at the sushi restaurant.


Eel over odong noodles:

More photos are at the link in the next post if anyone is interested.