1 Inch of Snow

*** New Photos are up in "South Korea II" and "Korea III" ***

Tantalizing times abound in the Far East and the absent-minded author broke a pledge to have photos up for you— whoops. Every day, 17 hours ahead of his friends and family he wakes up, and sets forth to find and explore something new, not unlike a modern Marco Polo—you know, like if Marco Polo taught English to little kids and spent a lot of time avoiding his beloved blog. But like summer, he has come back to shed more light upon you (summer will come back right?). So having no noodles to share as Mr. Polo did, the rambling writer has instead tales so incredible, unbelievable and downright unimaginable he shall not even attempt nor endeavor to communicate them through this clumsy and awkward medium known as the written word. Instead he shall tell you stories of a lesser quality, so ready yourself for a few stories instead so credible, believable and downright imaginable; prepare yourself to be bored out of your mind but at least this former part-time model has updated within a week’s time!

A few weeks ago I was invited to go to a temple with my friends David and Abby (who spent Christmas in Paris—lucky them). I invited my buddy Alex, a name which all too many of my friends have had, and we set off to meet them at Jogyesa Temple in the Insadong/Jongno area which is the main Buddhist temple located within the confines of Seoul. I hear that it’s quite the scene on Buddha’s birthday. Well we found our way there but David and Abby who had arrived before us were eating and we decided to explore a bit on our own. We found a whole lot of people all gathered in the main courtyard with bags of kimchi that they then started loading onto the trucks. I found out later from David and Abby that the people had been making the kimchi right there in the cold—and kicked myself for not getting there earlier to witness the making of one of my favorite foods that this wonderland has to offer me—at every meal.

 I was eventually approached by a tour guide (in training), who had spectacular English, located Alex and we began a tour of the temple grounds. We were soon joined by David and Abby and saw and learned a bundle about Buddhism that we would not have known otherwise, except Abby who apparently took a class on it and is totally an expert. Our guide explained the paintings on the outside of the temple with great detail and while I knew that there were many similarities between Buddhism and Christianity, I was stunned to realize how many there were. Both the Buddha and Christ were tempted by demons, preformed miracles, their fathers were gods, they both were teachers, and both had large followings of disciples. All things I suppose I knew already but it was still so vivid to see it all within the context of the murals at a temple with a guide explaining it to us who I think had little knowledge of Christianity himself. Another interesting tidbit was an explanation of the drums and giant bells which are used to start and end every day—which went back to see and were not disappointed. One is for all the land animals, one for the sea creatures, one for the birds and flying creatures and one for all the human souls stuck in hell. I wasn’t aware that Buddhism had a hell, good to know. Anyway, there should be video of the drumming and I would advise you to check it out.

Christmas was good; my mother sent me medicine (thank you!) and anyone else who wishes to send gifts may do so… ha. I spent Christmas Eve working (bah humbug!) and then went to my friend Dan’s house (of Seoul Eats fame) and had turkey and all the fixins’ all prepared by the army base here in Seoul. There are some advantages to having a large American presence here—even if it does come with lots of tanks, jets, and guns. The weirdest part is where the MPs come into the bars at about 1pm and round up any soldiers who are breaking curfew. I swear all the MPs are the biggest soldiers we have; I wouldn’t wanna cross ‘em.

Next day went and attempted to go ice skating down town, which feels like a massive valley made of buildings straight out of Blade Runner. Turns out my Korean coworker friends didn’t realize that you needed reservations to go ice skating downtown.  So we gave up and wandered around looking for food, ate at the Outback Steakhouse (the Korean teachers’ request) and then rode off into the sunset…

This weekend I’m off to Pyeongchang for ice fishing, snow, sledding, ATVs, and fresh air! So expect slightly more interesting stories worth the five minutes it takes you to read all of this.

PS It’s really flippin’ cold here right now.

5 Stories to Make Your Stomach Jealous

The author would like to again bring you up to speed while his life has finally slowed down. This downtime is a precariously tense truce at best between the enjoyment of life and its many decadent pleasures, not excluding any species of squid, and a real need to rest the writer’s weary bones so that he might feel the desire to resurrect his celebrity here on the internet. The last entry was one of catch-up and this might include that as well. And without further adieu the author will shed the third-person that are his clothes and bare all with the raw honesty that is the body:

So several weeks ago in a country far, far away (from you) I was checking out a food blog I like called www.seouleats.com and noticed that they were having a “meet-up” at a Canadian pub in Sinchon. I emailed the author of the blog and I now had Friday plans that were with people other than coworkers or my college friends. Finally after 3 months my social circle would finally grow! I went to Korean class that Friday and afterwards made my way to Sinchon to find the Seoul Eaters and see what was what and if they had any nachos left because I was famished. Indeed there were nachos left (with jalapeños!) and the owners of the bar are all from Vancouver, so I was like told them I was from Bellingham, scoring me some points: West Coast Best Coast.

The next weekend I found my way to another Seoul Eats meet up at an Uzbek hole-in-the-wall where I had amazing mutton meatballs, mutton filled pastries, and mutton shish kebabs. They also had delicious non-mutton options like spicy shredded carrots, amazing beats, and bread—oh lordy the bread, real bread!  All washed down with cheap Russian beers, all Soviet era-named. I liked the dark one, number 8, the best. Number 9 was like soju + beer and just as strong.

Deliciousness continued the following weekend at a place I actually had been before, the Wolfhound, and Irish pub, located in that Mos Eisley of places: Itaewon. We all ordered lots of food and spilt it between us. My favorites were the fish n’ chips and the Irish stew. Yum.

This weekend I treated myself to  more curry in Dongdaemun—if there is a god, I think he eats curry. I also had Paraguayan empanadas in Itaewon. Suffice it to say, this country mouse is okay with the big city. Though I do miss the simplicity of Bellingham once in a while—not to mention real tacos…

Plans for the holidays include ice skating at city hall on Christmas, ice fishing for trout on the east coast for New Years, and anything else I can think of.

Photos will be up soon—by my tomorrow night.

Also my friend David, who I have mentioned before of course, made this video and CNN may show it during their New Year’s programming: http://www.ireport.com/docs/DOC-369408

1 or 2 Things I spent 3 weeks not telling you

What wondrous and envy-inspiring things the author has been up to lately and if you weren't lucky enough to be his skype-enabled parents you would have very little knowledge of any of it. The writer sits here in his office trying to find any amount of time that he isn't tired from adventuring or adventuring while not tired to hammer out a paragraph or two, while you, now are able to sink your teeth into the juicy kimchi that is this, your favorite blog on the internet. The humble writer understands that it is indeed your favorite blog, is it not? For if it is not then he will take another 3 week long vacation from these forthcoming accounts which are to run the gamut from awe to awful, better to benign, and spicy to sweet. He now takes you on a three week run from Thanksgiving to Hanukkah. One of aforementioned holidays he will be teaching about in a few hours to 6 year old Korean children who barely have a concept of Jesus so really, how are they going to know what the festival of lights is all about?

Major Jewish holidays aside, for now we begin our journey into the recent past with Thanksgiving-- turkey, stuffing, and pumpkin pie to boot! My college friends, who many of you may know at least through their presence on my blog, hosted a Thanksgiving celebration at their apartment in the "suburb" of Anyang where an ample number of people (including several of my coworkers) became plump and merry on an American style feast to satiate our kimchi-coated stomachs. I say "suburb" because it's just as giant and high rise feeling as any smaller area of Seoul. I’ve yet to see any rural area of this country. I’m hoping to do that soon enough.

Highlights included a turkey that was cooked in a crock pot and a mega rice cooker since most small apartments like the ones we live in do not have ovens (the rice cooker totally worked). We asked my friend Minha, who had come down for the beginning, to see if that might work, he called a friend and they said go for it, which turned out to be a gamble that paid off. Minha had to leave early due to “ancestor worship” that I don’t quite understand and won’t attempt to act like I do but from what I know he had to leave to remember the day that his grandfather had died.

We also had pumpkin pie from Korean Costco, Stove Top stuffing sent to us by Abby’s mom, I made deviled eggs-- using kimchi powder instead of paprika, and North Korean beer that I picked up at the border (which wasn’t bad) apart from other libations that were on hand. Minha was possibly the most excited to try North Korean beer. He had never seen it before.

On a run down to the convenience store to find more “maekju” I found a young Korean couple (?) and invited them up (using my underdeveloped Korean skills) for an American style Chuseok (Thanksgiving) thinking they wouldn’t come. Proving me wrong they came and consumed copious cups of “maekju” with us and even ran and got some fried chicken for everyone to share. I think they had a good time and will tell the tale of their experience of an American Thanksgiving…

Anyway, I ended up sleeping over and had eggs and American style bacon for breakfast with a slice of pumpkin pie. Not a bad way to spend the day after thanksgiving.

More updates to come… Seriously if I’m not busy I’m tired from being busy. The updates shall come, oh yes, they shall come.

And a side note, I ended up playing the “Hanukkah Song” by Adam Sandler, twice, while my kindergartners colored menorahs. I like this job…