a pinch of old friendship

last year, when i told a work friend that i'd be resigning and moving to south korea, she immediately said that she'd make a plan to come via sk on her way to japan.  at the time i thought she was spicing (she does make one hell of a biriyani, afterall).  it turns out, she was entirely serious, and true to her word she popped in to see us last week.

the day she arrived, it snowed (obviously) and then pee'd down with rain for the next few days - but good ol' sabiha didn't let this get her down. 

we were working during the week so i recommended that she go visit gyeongju (you'll remember this post with the night ponds and tombs and temples?).   she spent a couple of days there, which she really enjoyed ... so i was rather relieved that i'd managed to point her in a worthwhile direction!

once she was back in the city, we managed to meet up with her in itaewon.

unfortunately for her, this was the weekend of  st. paddy's celebrations ... and you know that Fathead and i hate to party in irish pubs.     so, with the rain threatening to wash out the st.paddy parade, we dragged her to the smoke-filled wolfhound pub ... where she had to endure a full day of drunkard irishmen wrapped in their flags, painted face and green beer a-flowing.

despite the fact that sab's was surrounded by booze and no-halaal pub meals, she was her usual trooper self.  it was just like old times, back in the G2 bar after work ... ciggies and tipsy tales, wobbly old men and loud sing along tunes ...

the next day the sun made a guest appearance, and to repay sabs for her patience and tolerance of the irish debauchery she witnessed the night before, we took her for a daytime tour of our neck of the woods.

we started at snet with a tour of our palatial abode and the surrounding school.   she even got to ring the "forbidden bell" (apparently installed for purely ornamental reasons and to collect yellow dust) ...

then we went for a peaceful sunday stroll around yuldong park.  along with the sun, came a korean families in their hoards - with two wheelers, three wheelers, baby strollers, walking canes and traditional kites in tow.

look at me with my widdle fwuffy ears ... could i be any cuter?

...and then, of course ended up in the "city centre" where we dragged her ass into another pub - to join our team, the social livers for our weekly sunday quiz night at dublins.

it was a brief time with an old friend ...  and it felt as if we were saying goodbye to her as quickly as she had arrived.  still, it is amazing how someone's presence (albeit fleeting) can bring with it, a sense of home.