Houstonian checks off bucket list item while visiting PyeongChang for Olympics

PYEONGCHANG, South Korea – The North Korea cheerleading squad was one of the stranger things Angela Hernandez had ever seen.

They showed up to a speedskating gold medal event, the final Olympic event on the schedule for the very cold Hernandez.

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"As a Houstonian, I did not even own a puffer jacket," she said. "I’m also such a rookie that I did not know I should be wearing two socks and even have these hand warmers so I am learning learning by fire, or I should say by snowstorm up here."

The beaches of PyeongChang are much more comfortable. The Gangneung Art Festival has been a popular stop along with the iconic Olympic rings.

Hernandez said meeting Hoda Kotb was unforgettable, and so was watching ski jumping and the halfpipe ski finals.

But there was one event and one person Hernandez looked forward to seeing most.

"Honestly, seeing Lindsey Vonn come down the hill and take home the bronze medal. I’ve been watching Lindsey ski for years and she was, you know, my bucket list was to come and watch her," she said. "She’s a fighter and she keeps coming back and so to see her ski was, like, the highlight of my trip."

It was a bucket list dream come to life and Hernandez said it was worth every freezing second.

"It’s amazing. I mean, I feel really blessed to have the opportunity to travel around the world," she said.