Sunday Drive - Daejeon

Sunday Drive with no destination...
but we ended up in Daejeon.

They just put these little weird things everywhere. Oh Korea :) 

So a friend, who has a car, decided to come down to Cheongju and from there we would take a little drive. I was happy to be in a car and happy to be out and about exploring the country side of Korea. So, we did just that. Scott drove, I pointed which way to go and well we ended up in Daejeon - about 30 minutes from Cheongju. I guess Daejeon is a lot bigger than Cheongju, but I didn't see that. It almost looked smaller, so I guess there was more out of site!

It was a lovely afternoon. We hung out on a bridge, under the bridge, and by the river. We didn't get far into the city, but I didn't even mind. Where we were was quite (except for the multiple trains and the cars) and beautiful!

How cool are these old men? Just hanging out by the river.

As we were wondering around by the river (me taking a million photos) a Korean man approached us and handed us each a 4-leaf clover. Ok, so you guys probably don't know but I am seriously the 4-leaf clover finding queen. I mean not to brag but I'm pretty good. I guess maybe it's because as a kid I would sit outside in a patch of clovers just looking for hours and hours. However, my dad would come out and try to find them with me, and would fail. I would even give him a 3 inch circle of where one was and he still couldn't find it! I didn't get it from my dad, that's for sure.

The man in the red is the one who gave us the clovers!

I also found one while hanging upside down on a swing set and one at camp while I was walking to get lunch -- seriously now that's talent! I had found one 5-leaf clover and found a 4-leaf in South Africa! It's just kind of my thing and I literally have a Tupperware at home full of them (probably like 100 -- no joke!) So, there was no way I was going to let this Korean man show me up.. it was ONNNN!! I found a patch, and the search began. It wasn't long till I had found 1, 2... oh shoot too easy. So, then my goal was to find one with water droplets still on it so I could photograph it. I seriously didn't even pick them, I had found too many and wanted to leave some for other people. :)

The Korean man walks back over to us, holds out another clover and says 'pie-bu' (translation from Konglish to English -- five). Whattttt? Man, this guy was too good. Shoot, again there was no way he could show me (the master) up. So, the search was on for a 5-er. And what did I find.... yup, a 5-leaf clover and not just 1, or 2, but 3! And I picked all 3 of those and pressed them (You don't leave 5-ers for other people!) So, take that Korean man! boom. winner, me. I also got several pictures of 4-leaf and 5-leaf clovers so it was just a super win!

On the way back to Cheongju, we made a little stop over at some rice fields. I just had to get some pictures!! I felt pretty at home amongst the fields. But rice fields are so different and I'm very intrigued by them. So, here's what I have gathered about them from observation (in between sleeping) on a bus out to my school each day! They till the field, flood it and then they use a machine/tractor like thing to plant the rice shoots. So the shoots are already about 6 inches tall (maybe) and they are stacked neatly onto the planter. Then they drive it up and down the flooded field and plant the shoots. Why is the field flooded? No clue -- but I just googled it and I guess it's to keep the weeds down and to discourage rodents and other animals. Hmmm interesting. I had no idea!

So, yes having a car is nice. You can stop where you want, go where you want and not worry about how to get there/getting lost and taking the wrong bus. However, would I (personally) drive in this country? - ummm I don't think so. I am not aggressive enough. You've kind of got to be a jerk to drive in Korea. Honking, cutting people off, breaking rules, and being selfish. However, I'm thankful for friends with cars and thankful for this photographic, clover hunting adventure!