It was a lot of fun, but the weather was a little hazy, unfortunately. Also, the guide spoke Korean 95% of the time while occasionally playing an English pre-recorded soundtrack. I really felt my sister's pain from her time touring with me in Japan: when you don't understand the language, you really would prefer silence. Cue headachy frustration - especially when they kept going on about bloody hot springs!
I also hit up the local aquarium. I love aquariums as I find them really peaceful.
I also proved that you do learn by visiting such attractions. When I came back to Japan I was able to answer one of those impossible questions on the Stephen Fry quiz program 'QI': I knew that an octopus is a highly intelligent animal and can be taught to solve puzzles and even open jars and bottles.
On a holiday, though, the things which turn out to be the most fun are regularly the things that you don't plan at all. For me, this was ending up boogieing the night away at a beach dance party. I hadn't been dancing in years before this. While the sun was up the DJ played crowd-pleasing K-Pop (Korean Pop) music. It was funny how everyone at the beach totally got into the spirit. Lots of families with kids and older people were giving it welly. Worryingly, even some of the lifeguards (hopefully off-duty ones) came running up when a famous boy band made a special appearance.
Then, once the sun went down, it turned into a more adult crowd.
I think the DJ, DJ Koo, must have been about the same age as me because he played lots of classics from my uni days and early twenties when I would have been a regular at clubs. I loved it, though my stamina is not what it was. The great thing about being on a beach is that you just have to go down to the water and you have a natural chill-out room at your feet. Again, not speaking the language it seemed like this thing was some completely spontaneous event - "it's not a rave, it's a happening!" - which seemed to make it very special to me . However, there were probably posters for it up all over the place and I just didn't know.
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