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Amelie outside the place we first became a family

There was one important item on Amelie's Korea bucket list and that was to visit the nursery at ESWS, the agency where Amelie Amelie came from. As this is the first Monday of our trip we decided to head to ESWS to introduce our presence in Seoul. Thankfully our post adoption social worker allowed a visit to the nursery so Amelie and Mother had a woderful time watching babies and careers tending to them.

ESWS a has changed much since our first visit to collect our daughter. There is a coffee shop in the foyer that was still under construction during the last visit. One of its aims is to provide opportui ities for single mothers to learn skills that can transfer to work that can support themselves and their children. Profits go to to support ESWS international program's such as in the Philippines so naturally a visit was mandatory..A highlight was meeting a family from Perth, Australia. They were visiting with their adult adopted daughter and grand-daughter who is 5 years old. It was lovely to we swap tales of adoption experiences and other life stories. It was clear that this family had made many visits to Korea and gave us foresight as to our future. Wouldn't it be nice to be there to be with Amelie as she shows her own family her life story.

Please note we have not included photos inside the nursery this time. There are requests that to protect privacy, that pictures are not posted in blogs or on Facebook. We will honour these requests.

 

Namdaemun Gate. This had just been destroyed by fire she we came to collect Amelie

A moment to recover was necessary because I managed to upset both Liz and Amelie just after exiting the lift on the first floor. This is because I pointed out to Amelie the very spot where a emotional scene occurred just over six years ago. This was the very spot where Amelie came into our arms forever. This was the spot where A tearful Mrs Lim, Amelie's foster mum stood crying holding Amelie for the very last time as Dr Kim Senior made a private prayer for a child beginning a new life. It is quite easy to understand how it overwhelmed both mother and daughter. Let alone grandmother and the oft claimed to be heartless father. with such an experience a welcome beverage soothed us all.

Well with that over and done with the next task of the day was to exhaust both the oldest and youngest members of the travelling group. We proceeded,to Namdaemun markets to explore. Of course with money to burn, both Amelie and mother set out to lighten wallets with trinkets for themselves and family members.

Namdaemun was busier than I have ever experienced. It made keeping everyone together quite a task. It also meant it was harder to move about, sot we probably ended up shopping longer than really intended.

For some time lie has been complaining that Amelie's photos aren't in focus and the exposure not quite right. She went through several retraining sessions ensuring Amelie is facing away from the sun, pressing the button correctly to focus before composing frame, keep your fingers clear of the lens so it can...... Hang on can I look ath the camera please Amelie? Yep you guessed it cameras work so much better when there is no crud fixed to the lens. It's amazing how much better the camera is working.

Are we there yet?

With mother beginning to look a little weary, the obvious answer to her enquiry of what next was to point to the top of Seoul Tower and advise a walk to the top. Mum managed to work out that we wouldn't be walking all the way as the cable car could be easily seen. Even so I did not have the heart to tell her that it didn't go all the way to the top, thus some 100 or so stairs still had to be tackled.

Even Liz had some sympathy for mothers aching knees and organised ice creams for all at the base of the tower. As it had been a long afternoon, large ice cream were ordered. Yes it is possible to have too much of a good thing. Imagine the bottom half of a 1 litre drink bottle inverted as a waffle cone and then filled to overflowing with a wonderful creamy iced that of your chosen flavour. We all had the best of intentions, but struggled to eat the lot.

As is often the case, smog interferes with the view from The top of Seoul Tower, so it usually provides the best views at night as the city lights up. We reached the top before dusk so had some time to wait. Amelie took the opportunity to write a card to her classmates at school and post it from the top observation deck. She also spotted a. Other of pearl key ring that she determined a perfect gift for her mum.

Yes we should have been under the Sydney window but a group sitting there would not move

It seems that we are constantly at her to keep up, stay wary, drink enough water and so on. It would be perfectly understandable if she were to be feeling a little jaded at this point of the trip. How wonderful to watch mother and daughter sharing a moment of sheer bonding joy in the form of a long mutual hug.

By now it was dark making the descent of 100 steps to the cable car ore of a challenge for an elderly lady already tested by at least 7 kilometres and more than 6 hours straight on her feet, so the thought of at least another kilometre heading back to a subway station to get home was viewed with more than some trepidation.

Just after posting a card back to school

Thus our master stroke worked perfectly..... A taxi home! Imagine a trip equivalent of a trip from the MCG in Melbourne to St Kilda Beach costing around 5 bucks including flag fall. It brought a weary band home to tread wearily up stairs to their apartment, pausing very briefly to purchase an ice cold beer from the convenience store in the lobby.

It was a great day and I'll be damned if mothers new regime of high exercise does not see her trim a few dress sizes with another 11 days to look forward to..... Well I did warn her she had to be prepared for at least 5 klms a day.... Heh,heh, heh.... I lied!!!!!! Let's make it 10.

 

In case you are wondering. when a 'guy' stands at a urinal at the top of Seoul Tower, this is the view...... No pressure then.

 

View from the base of Seoul Tower at night.... Is that rain?

 

 

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