Hwacheon Sancheoneo Ice Festival

    
     Today I expeirenced, for the first time...ice fishing!  I traveled about three hours to the Hwacheon Sancheoneo Ice Festival in Hwacheon County, Gangwon-do.  It is one of the largest seasonal festivals in Korea and was chosen one of the 7 wonders of winter in Lonely Planet.  After going to the festival, I now understand why it was chosen.
     The morning was a rocky start.  I was debating whether to go.  Due to my previous afternoon, I awoke in the night with pain, where my teeth had been pulled.  I didn't sleep a wink, but I thought, either be at home with a little pain, or have fun.  I obviously chose the latter.
     The festival had ATV's, snowmobiles, go-carts all on the ice.  I had my friends push me on the bobsled cart on the ice.  It was hard to push off the ice, but once you got going, it was really fun!  Like much of Korea, it was very crowded.  We almost ran into a few people.  After we walked around the festival, I stopped for a Korean pancake and headed over to the swimming hole.

      This was not just any ordinary swimming hole.  This had ice cold mountain water, filled with mountain trout.  Anyone who registered was given a shirt and shorts, to wade in the water.  When the gong sounded, everyone jumped in to catch as many trout as you could.  People were going to the sides, to corner the fish.  Others were stuffing the fish down their shirts.  It was a sight to see.  I was late to register, otherwise I would have been participating as well.

      Next stop: ice fishing.  There was a designated spot for foreigners only.  I thought that this was funny, because I could not fish with the rest of the population.  This, however, had its benefits.  For $12.00 you were able to spend as much time as you wanted fishing, received a fishing pole (with lure), and an English speaking expert.  There was plenty of people that would help to show you how to fish and get the fish off of the hook.  The technique involved quick jerking movements.  It was all in your wrist.  After about thirty minutes, I caught the first fish.  I was so excited.  Soon after, Julie and Jim caught theirs.  After about one and a half hours, we totaled 6 fish.  Kerry: one, Julie: three, Jim: 2.  *Check out my fly swatter fishing pole!

     Near the fishing holes, was the cooking station.  For $1.00, you turned your fish in to get sliced and rubbed with seasoning.  It was then wrapped in tin foil and given a grill.  We decided to cook five fish on the grill.  It was divine.  This was the first time that I had fresh mountain trout and it was great!  For fun, I dared Julie to eat the cooked eye ball.  To my surprise she did! 
    

     The night ended with sushimi.  We took our last fish to get cut up and we ate it raw.  I only had a tiny bit.  Not a fan.  Everyone else enjoyed.  We took a walk to see the lights in the street and headed home. 

mmmm....eyeball

                                                     Take a ride with me on a bobsled