Saturday, Sunday, Day 23-23: Alpensia

From Pyeongtaek and Camp Humphreys we travelled to Pyeongchang, site of the 2018 Olympics. This is already a popular ski area with lots of resorts. We are at Alpensia, a collection of Holiday Inn Hotels with a pedestrian mall down the middle that reminds Dan and Erika of Whilster, BC. I say “pedestrian”, but one did need to look out for young motorists cruising the plaza on Saturday night. Simeon loved it.

The lighted in tower in the background is the top of a ski jump, we presume built for 2018.
Simeon is one of the last drivers steering madly around the plaza.

Sunday morning we rode the alpine coaster we could see from our hotel room window. We rode up the chair lift. This was a challenge with nothing but a thin bar beneath their feet for Erika and Steve who suffer from fear of heights, but Simeon loved it. Even I felt my knees going weak as he leaned forward and squealed with delight.

Grandpa feigns terror at the height of the chair.

 Down was via a small car on a twisting, turning track. You can control the speed with a break. Needed a go-cam on the front to get any pictures because there was no way I was going to let go of the brake to get out my camera. Simeon and Daddy went last. Simeon had no desire for Daddy to use the brake. “Go fast, Daddy! Go fast!”

Steve arrives at the bottom of the Alpine Coaster.

 If it weren't so expensive, it would be worth going again. By the bottom Erika and I were ready to take it on with a bit more speed. 

Simeon rode the train at the tiny amusement park because a four-year-old can never pass up a miniature train. Erika was glad she had let him do the one ride in the morning because she had intended to let him ride more in the evening, but everything was closed up and the place had become a ghost town by the time we got back from our hike. (See next blog.)  Koreans don’t have Memorial Day Monday off.