The temple + Hongdae + the Lantern Festival

So yesterday we took another train into Seoul because we heard the Spring Lantern Festival was going on this weekend and we wanted to see the temple. Once in Seoul we had to take two subways to Sinchon where the temple is. The subways were SO packed because of the festival, it was insane. 

Waiting for the subway.

 

Once we actually got to sit down this man warmed right up to Eisley and starting showing her pictures of his grandkids on his phone. It's kind of crazy how many people want to touch, talk to, take pictures of and hold Eisley. Some ladies will just pull her up from my lap to hold her or take her out of my arms to help me get on the bus or subway. It's taken some getting used to. 

Once we got off the subway we started heading in the direction we thought the temple was in. We were walking for about ten minutes when my phone told us to turn right. It was this tiny and busy alley way up this steep hill with cars driving up and down. It seemed odd but we started the trek up the hill. It was hot and I was tired and as I looked up to complain to Kasey that I thought we were going the wrong way I saw a glint of gold in the sky. It was Moroni! It was so different to see him resting in between a bunch of buildings in the middle of this busy town. 

We took a nice break from walking and played in the lawn of the temple.

Overlooking Seoul from the temple.

Then Kasey wanted to show me Hongdae, a part of town he spent time in while he was here last year that he really liked. It was full of people, shops, restaurants, street performers, street vendors and more people. It was so fun. We watched magicians, musicians and dance groups. (AKA Korean teenagers who wear matching outfits and dance on the street to K-pop but it was pretty entertaining.) 

Sleepy girl and her scowl watching a performance.

One of her favorite games is hiding in clothes.

After we shopped and ate in Hongdae we took another subway (I think we took a total of 6 yesterday!) to Insadong, where the festival was. It's in the heart of the Seoul and this charming little part of town with traditional shops and restaurants. 

This is outside Jogyesa, the Buddhist temple in Insadong that was decorated in lanterns.

Inside Jogyesa. This temple was beautiful, inside and out. I wish pictures could do the architecture and colors justice.

We found a parade!

She loved the floats!

Getting pretty excited...

getting really excited...

BIRDS!

Whoaaaa

Eisley's favorite animal right now is birds. She was so excited to see them in the parade.

We had a late dinner and headed back to Seoul station to catch a train. It was 8 pm when we got to there and found out the next train didn't leave for Pyeongtaek until 10:20! So we Kasey had to keep an exhausted 1 year old busy for over an hour. You go Glen Coco. Eisley stayed up (on like her 12th wind of the day) for the train ride but crashed on the way home. She stayed asleep through a diaper change and everything and slept until I had to wake her up at 8:30 for church this morning.

We REALLY enjoy our ward here. Well it's actually a branch, it's pretty small. Relief society had 8 women in it today. But I loved it. Eisley is a week away from going to nursery and like five years away from enjoying it and wanting to stay :/ we're working on it! She did ok for the first hour today. Anyway, I'm going with a friend to an appointment in Yongsan tomorrow and with a couple of friends to Ikea in Gwangmyeong on Tuesday. Wish me luck! Oh yeah, and Kasey was promoted to Specialist last week! Woohoo! BYE!