No Dampened Spirits Here!

Every year in the quaint little beachside town of Boryeong, a mass group of people, Korean and foreign alike, invade the town to prance and galavant in the mud.

Mudfest is Spring Break in mud. But with Korean families and babies everywhere, too. Many foreigners come because it's pretty much an excuse to get dirty, it's socially acceptable and encouraged to roll around in the mud. Koreans come because of the benefits of the Boryeong mud, it's good for your skin!


So this year I went with Vanessa and Stephanie along with about 800 other expats in an organized mud group. Here's a quick snapshot of our weekend. *Note, the "muddy" shots are on the way as Stephanie wised up and bought a disposable, so we gotta wait for those pics to develop old school style.

Friday- 10:00 pm --We decided to go on the "early" bus that left on Friday night. Our bus was scheduled to take off by 10:00 pm. We left at around midnight. After arriving at Daechon Beach around 2:30 we waited to get our hotel assignments and walked into the "luxurious and opulent" Renaissance hotel. Waited in the "lobby" as there weren't enough rooms for everyone who had booked. We end up in a room for 6 with 3 other girls, felt like I was in a hostel. Minus bunk beds. Instead we get a yo, a pillow, and a blanket. Whoever said that sleeping on the floor is good for your back must have forgotten about the pain in your neck when you wake up the next morning. Don't fall asleep until about 4:30.


Saturday- 10:00 am -- Put on our suits and head to the Buy the Way (convenience store) situated conveniently on the first floor next to the motel. Eat the breakfast of champions, yogurt, bread, water, coffee. We eat outside with the other patrons. The cicadas were on full force and one came over to say hello. Stephanie had no interest in their mudfest welcome while Vanessa marveled at their humming. She never realized the loud high pitched drone were cicadas. After finishing, we put our mud faces on and headed to the beach.



Saturday-- 7:00: For dinner we headed to one of the few restaurants that had more than just seafood and had "galbi-tang" which was nom nom nom!! I found my new signature dish for now. While we're eating the slight sprinkle that was starting as we entered the restaurant picked up. So much so that afterwards we stop by another convenience store to pick up some white ponchos. We warily sported our ku klux klan-like raingear as we walked around the beach... as we walk around I wonder where everyone else bought their cheery yellow or sporty blue ponchos...


The rain doesn't pick up too much but we decide it's better to get out of the rain and wait until it gets darker. So we had some options, hang out at a coffee shop and drink coffee. Go to a PC Bang and maybe check out email and various facebook updates. Or... go to a noraebang. Well the answer was obvious so we headed downstairs and got a room for an hour. This proved to be the best way to spend 15,000 won as we were able to hone our skills and try out new songs that may or may not stick in our repertoire.



Have added the following to my Noraebang Hits: 1) I Do Not Hook Up - Kelly Clarkson 2) I'll Be There - Jackson 5 3) She's Got the Look- Roxette 4) Girlfriend - Avril Lavigne.

Will no longer attempt: 1) So Far Away - Carol King (because I only know the famous part) 2) Save Room - John Legend (I'm too pitchy)

Saturday-- 10:00 : Watch another amazing fireworks display. Synchronized fireworks to Regina Spektor and Queen? Hells yes. The rain is coming down full force, however the Soju/Pineapple Fanta cocktails and the exploding bursts of colors shooting off from a barge in the distance makes me forget the inclimate weather and fully, FULLY, appreciate life and the roads that lead you to those moments that make you so wonderful to be alive. After feeling zen for about 10 minutes move back up to the square and get reaccquainted with all the mud revelers!

Sunday-- 10-4:00 : Scramble to beat everyone else heading out of town back to Seoul because of cancellations due to the weather. Grab a bus and head back to Seoul watching Harry Potter on OCN on the bus (yes satellite tv!!). Pull into Goseuk Bus Terminal and treat ourselves to McDonald's and Krispy Kreme. Hello we were in a bikini for the weekend so NOW it's time to fully indulge!

Well the two times I've been to Mudfest it rained but it never stopped me from having a wonderful time. Can rain really put a damper on an event centered around mud? nah.