...to the Beach, ok.

It has been a long while since either of us has been to the beach. We have not done so sense coming to Korea so it has been over a year. I am pretty sure the last time we were at the beach was with my family at Panama City Beach right before we dropped them off at the airport there the day after our wedding reception. We were thinking of going to a beach in Pusan for our Memorial Day weekend but we had not thought much else of it and the weekend was fast approaching. Fortunately for us our best friends called us and invited us, not to Pusan, but to a beach on the east coast. For a few days our being able to go together was on and off several times but we finally worked things so that we could enjoy the weekend, and our camping, together. In the process of our canceling and rescheduling several times we also found other friend who cared to join the four of us on our adventure.

So Sunday night we all piled in the Jeep and headed to a beach that Randy and Brandi had visited before along the east coast near Yangyang. It was a nice quiet spot and we had the beach mostly to ourselves. It was a popular surf spot and there were many surfers that would occasionally stroll back and forth between the waves and the surf shop that was across the street, but they did not disturb us.

What a wonderfully relaxing time we had on the beach! It was great to spend time lying there in my hammock listening to the waves roll in and out, or wandering the beach searching for seashells, or climbing the rocks at the south end of the beach exploring the tide pools, or sitting around a warm campfire with wonderful friends.

It was overcast the whole time we where there and we contemplated when the sky would just open up and pour buckets on our campsite and on our wonderful time but it never did. It did pour in Seoul though and to the south so it was great that we went east. With the clouds and the breeze the cold water we decided against surfing, or swimming and instead limited our water exposure to walking in the waves, and in Bee's case- catching a wave while wandering on the rocks.

Tuesday morning, after enjoying Lucky Charms for breakfast, we packed up camp and made our way back home. We all had a wonderful time camping on the beach and will definitely be doing it again. I have been on a lot of camp-outs but I think this was my first one actually camping on the beach. I have camped very close to several beaches but I don't think any of them were actually on the sand on the beach. I think my favorite part, besides the relaxing, was being there with such good friends, and being there with Bee.

I love memorial day's weekend! It always seems to be a great weekend to spend time together with family or friends. I remember many a Memorial Day's weekend spent camping with family while I was young; and now that I think about it most of those occasions have been to the beach (just not on the beach). Now that I have a family of my own I think it would be fun to continue that tradition. Let's just not forget the reason for Memorial Day and let us remember those who have fallen in defense of our freedoms and of those privileges that are our right. Many have died to defend our privilege to choose our traditions, to choose our religion, and to choose our government. We all have different traditions and it is because of fallen sons and daughters, fathers and mothers, that we have that right. I hope you have taken time to remember our debt to them and their families for the sacrifices they have made which we now benefit from.