Bored to Tears

There has been absolutely nothing going on here in the land of the morning calm. I take that back, Geoff is in the middle of a two week simulated exercise, where they are pretending to fight the North Korea. He says it's just like X-Box, but with thousands of people playing at once. He is working nights, so my schedule is all messed up too. I stay up super late, and sleep super late, and I can't stand it. I have started a new work out at the gym, lifting weights. Today was my first day, and those 8lb weights, kicked my butt. We have ultimately decided that we will not move into the apartment that we rented. We made this decision, simple because Geoff's work is not even 100 yards away. Plus, I really don't feel like furnishing the place. I have been knitting up a storm, and I am making very good progress on my socks.
I decided that I would try to understand a little more of the Korean language, so I bought these two books to help. I asked the Korean man at the book store if they were good, and he just looked at me and laughed. I know how to say 2 things in Korean, Good Morning, and thank you.
There version of good morning is good for good afternoon, and good evening also.

Good morning = An-nyong ha-say-yo
thank you = Kam-sa-ham-ni-da

I look at some of these words in the dictionary, and think to myself "why bother?". Plus I am sure the Koreans love to hear a southern drawl added to the pronunciation of ther language.
Until next time!

Chili's Anyone?

This is the recent view of the sidewalks in town lately. I guess it is pepper harvesting season, and they have to dry them out? Everywhere you turn there are peppers, and zucchini laying on tarps on the sidewalks. I guess the Koreans are not as fanatical about germs, as us Americans. I did find out that there is a Wal-Mart in Seoul somewhere. The book that I read about it in says that it is just like Wal-Mart in America, but geared towards the Koreans. So I guess instead of walking down an aisle and finding peocessed meat and tv dinners, you will find dried squid and processed octopus. They might even have an abundance of rice steamers. I have noticed that in little food marts all over that sell alot of SPAM. I guess that what they use all those peppers on. The weather has changed and it is absolutely fabulous. The past two days have been warm, but with a constant breeze. In the mornings and evenings it cool. Not cold, but just enough chill to make being outside feel refreshing. If feels like it did when the weather started to turn in New York. That is one thing Geoff and I have missed the most about Ft. Drum. Fall up north is 10 times better than the heat and humidity in Alabama. I have to say that Fall and Spring are my favorite seasons. I am just waiting for the leaves to start changing.
On a crafting note, this is the beginnig of my next pair of socks. I bought this yarn before I moved over here, and have been itching to use it. It is called Party, and as you knit it, it makes stripes. It is part wool and feels heavenly. One thing I am excited about is when we move to our apartment, I will be able to craft at full force. I will have a room for a sewing machine, and I just discovered that Dongdaemun Market has a building that is 5 floors of nothing but fabric and crafting notions. I can't wait. I am going to have to work even harder on my time management skills. Geoff is working nights for the next two weeks, so don't expect to many exciting adventures. Maybe I will be able to get this pair of socks finished faster. Until next time!

Pork and Beans

Today Geoff was told that we had to get an apartment off post. So we asked the KATUSA soldier to go (so he could translate for us), and we were off. We found an apartment but I don't have pictures because I haven't actually seen it. We went in one just like it, and someone was already living there. I thought it might be rude to just start snapping pictures of a strangers house. When we move in I will give ya'll the entire scoop. After wheeling and dealing with a real estate agent, we took private Jang out to lunch, and he got to pick where we ate. I don't know the name of the place, it was all in Korean. All I know is there was a little pig on the sign. Of course my pictures are out of order again. He ordered regular pork for Geoff. That is it cooking on top, with some kinchi on the bottom. It was really good. The man cooked it at our table. After the pork was cooked he cut it up with some scissors, and we would take a piece, put it on a lettuce leaf with some kimchi, a piece of garlic, and eat it. Geoff, of course would only eat the meat and cooked garlic. His breathe stunck the rest of the day. Just so you know kimchi tastes like sauerkraut with some hot pepper on it.
Jang ordered carbi for us. Of course we shared all the food. This is it above. It was pork, seasoned in something, and was really good. I was pretty full by the time we started to eat it.
This is how they bring the food out to you. They just lay before you as raw as can be. I really worry about cross contamination. I thought we were going to have to cook it like we did at that buffet, but the guy who worked there cooked it. Jang helped a little, when some of the meat started to get to done. You see those skinny metal chopsticks on the table, those are the worst to eat with. I can use wooden chopsticks pretty well, but I had a time with those little metal ones. Jang says that the more you use chopsticks, the smarter you become due to cordination. Maybe if I start using chopsticks on a regular basis I won't be so clumsy.
This is private Jang. He is 24, but looks like he 12. He is a school teacher, and wants to go to Columbia University in New York to get his masters in education. Every man in Korea has to serve as a soldier for 2 years. They can serve in the ROK Army (Republic of Korea), or as a KATUSA, a Korean soldier serving with the US Army. Evidently it is better to serve as a KATUSA, because you get treated better. The KATUSA soldiers only make $50 dollars a month, and for every stripe they get (when they move up in rank) they get $20 more. To add to that they eat and live for free.
These are the side dishes that came with our carbi. The red stuff is kimchi of course. The yellow and white things next to the kimchi were bean sprouts. They were so good. I did not try the geen stuff, and Jang couldn't really tell me what it was, and the little white things in the corner was garlic. We also had this bean soup that was really hot, and rice. I really enjoyed our meal today, because I knew what I was eating. I would really like to go back to that restaurant, but I don't think the man would know what we wanted to order. We would order, and he would prbably just smile at us and nod his head. I think I am going to look into getting a english to korean dictionary or something. Until next time!

Clippers

Today, two friends and I ventured down to Yongsan for Haircuts and peticures at the Clippers Salon. It is located at the Dragon Hill Inn where Geoff and I stayed. The girl who cut my hair was Korean and she did a very good job, but she does not compare to Robyn at Rococos. While I got my hair cut they turned my chair around and started on my pedicure right there. It was absolutely fabulous, and fungus free. It was also extremly cheap. A pedicure is only $11. The only thing that I wish they did do is put some products in my hair. For all of those who know me personally, you know that I am good for nothing with out some product in my hair. My motto is the bigger the better, because as soon as I step outside, it is going flat. Overall, it was a good experience, and I will return to get my haircut. I have also decided that since I am living in this hole that I will return to Clippers every other week to get a manicure and pedicure. Until next time!

My 1st Pair

I finally finished my first pair of socks. All hand made. Since it was my first pair, one is just a smidge bigger than the other. I can't believe I actually finished them. This weekend I decided to stash my needles and yarn in my purse and work while traveling. This really bothered Geoff, he kept thinking we were going to get to our stop and everything would be a mess. I did have some old Korean ladies sit and stare at me (the white girl) while I was kintting. One even reached out to look and feel of the sock I was working on. She said something to me, and all I could do was smile and nod. I wanted to have Geoff take a picture of me standing in them, but he was already asleep. So this was the best way to take a picture of my own feet. They are both kind of streched out from trying them on so much.
Before I made this blessed trip to the land of the morning calm, I stocked up on sock yarn and books on how to knit socks. So I am off to start my next pair. I still haven't found out how to manage my time any better, so it might be another month before you see my next finished pair.
I know I will be doing alot of knitting on my future travels around town. Until next time!

Apgujeong-dong

Today Geoff and I continued our adventures to Apgujeong-dong. If you are wondering how we find out about these places, well there are these little books all over post that has places you can visit in Korea. The book also has maps of the Seoul subway system, so it is really easy to get around. The funny thing about the subway is you never know what is going to happen. There is always someone trying to sell you something, or you might see a couple of blind people walking around with little radios trying to collect money. I always think of how unsafe it is for a blind person to walk next to the subway tracks. Today's sales person was pretty funny. He was selling this slicer thing that slices vegetables really thin. He kept slicing cucumbers and putting them on his cheeks and forehead. Then he would slice more and put them on peoples arms so they could see how thinly sliced they were. I kept wondering what these people did with these cucumbers? They were getting off the subway with them stuck to there arms. That is exactly what I want is to walk through a hot city with sliced vegetables stuck to me. I came really close to buying one of those slicers, and next time I will.

The description in our book of Apgujeong-dong says that it boasts designer boutiques, and chic department stores. It also says that it is considered to be Korea's most fashionable district. For those of you who know me, you know I hate to shop, so this was the most exciting thing ever. When we finally got there we were starving, and after being scared away from a couple of restaurants by there scary menus, we found the golden arches literally. Well we were scared away from there too, because there menu did not look the same, and it would be to hard to try to describe a plain chicken sandwich. We found a place called Paris Croissant. You get a tray and some tongs and pick the croissants and pastries that you want, pay for them, then they take them and put them on a nicer tray and hand it back to you. If was very good and very filling.

Across the street was the Hyun dai Department Store. We walked in on the very bottom level, and I was amazed at all the high end fashion. Once again I am a very simple person when it comes to fashion, so when I saw Roberto Cavvali, and Dolce and Gabbana I knew we came to the wrong place. There was of course the real Louis Vuitton, Valentino, and all that other stuff that the stars wear. Trust me this was not "Knock Off Alley". All the really big named stuff was on the bottom two floors, so I thought if we got to the top, they might sell something that was under $100. By the end of the day I really just wanted to find the Gap clearance rack. I did have a good time. Any time I get to spend with Geoff is alway fun and exciting.

I did continue to feel the constant stares of people today. I think it was because my shirt was a little low cut, and they are very conservative here. I have started to think of myself as "the white girl". The little kids are fascinated with us. It is nice to be able to talk and know that nobody understands you. When you get on the subway it is always a mad dash to try to get a seat. The older people expect you to give up there seats. Today, Geoff and I were too tired. These two older ladies hovered over us and we knew they were talking about us by there looks. We talked about them too, and they had know clue what we were saying. It is a two way street. The language barrier is pretty complicated when you are trying to ask if you can try something on and they don't know what you are talking about.

Sorry there are no pictures, but if you have seen one shopping district, you have seen them all. Until next time.

Deoksugung Palace

Here are the pictures I said I would post of the palace.I think this may be a statue of Buddha. I'm not really sure.

This was the entrance to the Palace. It was in the middle of the city.
These are the hand made ceramic tea cups, and coffee mugs that I got. All of them have some kind of flowers on them. The salt and pepper shakers have little birds on them. They look really good against our dirty floor.
There is more commentary on the post below.

Deoksugung Palace, and Osan

Sorry there are no pictures. I tried but I am having technical difficulties. I will have to get in here and figure out what's going on. Friday night Geoff and I had a serious talk and decided to return Henry to the pet store. Yes we loved him, but there is just to much that we want to do, and you can't take a screaming puppy with you everywhere. It was a very good decision.

Saturday we went to Deoksugung Palace. It was built in the 1400's, and there wasn't that much to it. It was a museum, a couple of buildings, and some pavillions. There is alot of history to it, but it was to hot to read it all. The buildings and pavillions had the pointy roofs, and were very colorfull. When I figure what's going on with my computer, I will post some pictures. I thought that the most interesting part of it was the fact that it was in the middle of downtown Seoul.

Sunday we went to Osan. Osan is a small town, with a huge air force base. If you have ever heard that the air force has everything better than the army, well it is true. While I am sitting in my condemned building, the folks down at Osan air force base are eating at Chilie's, and living in pretty new buildings. While our PX mainly carries clothing to fit the juicy population here around Camp Casey, there BX is like 5 times the size of ours. I did go to there little village and found a great ceramics shop. I bought some tea cups and salt and pepper shakers. Once again I will post pictures when I can. Sorry for taking so long between post, I have had a really busy schedule of going to the gym in the morning and laying out by the pool in the afternoon. Until next time.