Mireuksan

Saturday we awoke at 6.30AM in order to get a jump start on climbing the tallest mountain in Tongyeong! It's called Mireuksan (san means mountain) and it's about 20 minutes by bus from our apartment. We met one of B's students there, who was nice enough to show us the good trails. It took us about an hour to climb to the top, and it was a vigorous workout, to say the least! The view, of course, was spectacular, as our pictures can prove! It was amazing in that we were able to witness a hawk hovering and swooping in on its prey. It was even a unique experience for Katherine, the native. On our way down the mountain, we stopped to see a small temple. They were having a little worship time and the music was interesting to listen to.
We also ran into 5 fellow foreign teachers on the summit. They are all teaching in Tongyeong, and invited us to hang out with them sometime. The group seems to be very close and interact a lot with one another.
Our plan for tomorrow, Sunday, was to go to Geoje island with two of our friends, but we have just learned that the plans have fallen through. We are becoming accustomed to doing things at the last minute, but that doesn't necessarily mean we enjoy not knowing our plans right away.
The temperature seems to have dropped a few degrees, but today it is quite hot again. After our morning exercise we are pretty tired and will relax around our apartment tonight. We are enjoying the peaceful apartment and are grateful for everything!