Day 436: Biker Babes

Today was a great spring day!

Michael made an awesome brunch for Addie and I (Scotty's Rules Of Life #217: "Always Have Friends Who Enjoy Cooking") and then I went into the city to meet up with Pauline and Tim for an afternoon in the sun. It was a beautiful, warm, gorgeous sunny day so we thought it was the perfect day to rent bikes and go for a ride along the Han.

I've been wanting to rent bikes here in Seoul ever since I arrived last year, but just never got around to it. Comfortable weather in Korea is a rare treat here in Korea. There really are only about four months a year - tops - where it's actually pleasant to be active outdoors. Those months would be April and May, and October and November. Anything before or after that, and it's just too cold or WAY TOO HOT to be running around outside. That sure leaves a narrow window open for being outdoorsy here! This year I'm aiming to maximize that skinny time frame and get in as much as I can before it gets so hot that all you can do is hide indoors where there's airconditioning, or lie on a beach on an island or on the south coast.

Bike rental was cheap (just 3000 won an hour, or about $3.50 Cdn) and soon we were cruising along on the bike paths that follow the shores of the Han River. Seoul's got a massive network of bike trails running continuously along its river, a pretty amazing feat for an Asian megacity. We ended up having a truly splendid afternoon, soaring along the smooth flat path, over creeks and under freeways, next to soccer games and croppings of wildflowers, sun on our skin, wind in our hair... A truly great way to spend an afternoon with friends! Before we knew it we had biked nearly 20 km. away from where we started on Yeouido Island, and it was time to head back. Unfortunately by then the wind had picked up a bit, and we had to bike back in the wind the whole way there. Quite the workout indeed!

We were exhausted by the time we rolled back into the bike rental place, and after a 40 km. ride hey we we should be tired! All three of us were *starving* so I suggested we go and have dinner at the Mexican restaurant I know of on Yeouido. It's called La Salsa Loca and Michael and I ate there a few months ago. We had a scrumptious dinner (which we all wolfed down being the ravenous beasts that we are) and then I left to head back to Ilsan. I met up with Addie at LaFesta and we took in a flick, - 'The Interpreter'. Not a bad movie, kinda slow in places but it made you think a lot about politics and I enjoyed that.

Talk about a great weekend! Here's to spring, baby!