Growing up in Illinois in the MidWest I have always had a fondness for trains. The old train I'm riding in now used to be called the Mugungwha. That means the Rose of sharon. It was named after the national flower of Korea. Maybe they thought the name was too old fashion so they changed it but the train is the same except some paint on the outside and new curtains.
Today this train is given a much longer name:
전통시장 관광열차
Jun-Tong Shi-jang
Gwan-gwang Yul-cha
It means the "Traditional Market Tour Train". I'm on this train simply because I couldn't find a seat on any other train going to my wife's hometown.
It's not easy to get train tickets these days in Korea. Only the window seats are for sale. A space in the aisle must be kept between passengers and no standing passengers allowed. This makes tickets even more difficult to come by.
This is the week train tickets are in high demand as people visit their family and hometowns for a holiday. This holiday is called Chuseok. It is a day to remember the ancestors who worked hard to make the way for them to survive. It is supposed to be a day of Thansgiving and rememberance.
At first my mother-in-law told us not to visit because the corona cases in the hometown were going up. But after one day of the holiday past she was bored and lonely and wanted us to come.
We are all vaccinated and keep social distancing so I think we should visit. She really wants to see me and the family and I shouldn't deprive her of the family that makes her so happy.
I don't know how my wife got the train tickets in such a short notice. Usually I have someone get them flr us a month in advance, but somehow when we logged into the computer this time somebody had just cancelled on the traditional market train to Masan city. This is kind of a hillbilly train but her hometown was on the line so she picked up the tickets right away.
The kids are super excited to see their grandparents... although we cannot see the whole extended family yet.
I guess the first think we can be thankful for is the seats on this train and the safe trip to the hometown. And of course my wife's parents who are like angels and welcome me and our family with joy and tons or Korean food, kimchi and everything. I will get some pictures and share some of the sensations. Meanwhile it's time for me to love these beautiful people.
Happy Chuseok
