After spending the first half of the day in Pohang I caught a bus to Gyeongju and went to the tourist info office to plan the rest of the day. I was planning to goto Golgulsa Temple and then come back to a jimjillbang to spend the night there.

The tourist info office explained there were three jimjilbangs in different parts of town. One was next to the Teddy Bear Museum which I was unsure whether I should go this weekend or to leave if for another trip. Since they were next door I decided to go this evening rather than wake up early tomorrow and wait for it to open, and move Golgulsa Temple to the next day when I'd have more time.

I took the bus to the Gyeongju Expo after which I had to walk the rest of the way. I stopped a chinese restaurant for some food and found their english menu choices a bit strange. I ordered a seafood jjambbong which ended up being quite heavy

Walking towards the Spa Hotel where the jimjilbang was I passed by a giant waterwheel in a roadside park

The Teddy Bear Museum was right next door to the jimjilbang located in the hotel so it was easy to visit then crash for the night in the jimjilbang. Since this was an unplanned visit I hadnt really looked at their website to see the different things available.

There was a Magic Show, Trick Art Museum and Crocodile show, as well as the Teddy Bear Museum. A combo ticket was 12,000w ($10.50) or 9000w ($8) just for the Teddy Bear Museum. When he said it was a live show with real crocodiles I decided to go for the combo ticket

He told me to first goto the 4th floor with the Magic Show had already started but that would be followed by the Crocodile Show. The Magic Show was more for kids so I didnt miss anything too spectacular. Next followed the Crocodile Show.

There were two men from Thailand, I'm not sure if father and son. There were two sleeping crocodiles waiting in the shallow water.

At first I thought they were artificial when he started poking them with a long stick as he stood merely inches away. I thought they were built fake to replicate movement when prodded.

Then the tried to pull them out the water and I realized they were real as the crocodiles tried to resist and get back into the water.

There were two crocodiles each with names and they pulled one out of the water. It was starting to feel rather cruel as the crocodile didnt seem to want to be pulled out and was fighting back.

On dry land they began to beat the crocodiles head and face with a smaller stick, pried their jaws open with their bare hands, and prop it up with a stick.

The abuse continued to go on as they kept hitting the animals face with sticks, and even went as far as lying on his back to replicate swimming on a crocodile. I'm not a great animal rights activist but it did seem as though the crocodile wasnt enjoying this, and has to endure this hourly with daily shows.

Then they each took turns putting their hand in the crocodiles open jaw. The younger person opened the crocodiles throat and put his hand all the way down to his elbow inside the crocodiles throat deeper in that just the crocodiles jaw.

I dont see how that was possible and why the crocodiles would take this amount of abuse and constant beating on the face and head in each hourly show. I felt the only way possible is that they had to have been heavily drugged, even if they were raised from birth in captivity.

I tried to ask the guy at the end if they were in fact drugged but I'm not sure if he understood and he said no. I thought they would allow children to stand with them and take pics as was shown in the display pictures but fortunately they didnt and no sane parent should be sending small infants in there no matter how docile the crocodiles seem.

I left the show quite disturbed by the whole experience and went up to the 5th floor Trick Art Museum. There are many of these all over Korea and even go on travelling exhibitions so is something I've seen before.

The place was empty as it was now early evening so not many people around.