Ahh...My Instrument of Connection

Where to begin...? I went MIA there for a while - I assure you I've not defected, although I can't entirely promise you that I had nothing to do with North Korea's inaction in shutting down nuclear reactors as of late :) Foreigners seem to be quite disliked up yonder...

This will be an update, pure and simple. My feeling is that if I try to express all of my wandering thoughts at once this will be nothing but a jumbled mess, and fail to meet your needs as a humble public. So here it is, simplicity a la Adam:

The last few weekends have been nothing short of outstanding. I spent my first deposited amongst an unfathomable sea of technology in what is aptly named Techno-Mart. Jasmine and another fellow teacher, Trena, were both in need of cell-phones, so we were kindly shown the nuts and bolts of the mecca to artificial intelligence through a native friend, Duskim. Techno-Mart is a monument to a ridiculous side of consumerism, containing nine floors of anything technologically related you can think of. (Each floor is the size of a small shopping-mall...) "Overwhelmed" doesn't do justice. That same Saturday afternoon we ventured to a place called the "63 Building," the hub of commerce in Seoul. There we took in an IMAX film (The Mystery of the Nile was excellent...), visited an underground bi-level aquarium (which managed only to depress me because of the atrocity of the occupants living environs...so very small, heartbreaking really), and also took a gander at the city-scape on the 63rd floor. To top it off, we gorged ourselves with Papa John's pizza, a seemingly large delicacy on that particular day.



The weekend after that I was finally able to experience Bukhansan National Park. Mike (another co-teacher) and I made our way up Paekundae Peak, encountering many hermitages and remembrances of ancient Korean heritage along the way. It was exactly what I needed, as I had been thoroughly missing the out-of-doors. Paekundae is a treacherous climb - definitely not for the faint of heart - but the amazing thing was that there were 70-year-old men and women, girls in high-heels (maybe even men for all I know...), and children as young as five ascending these heights! Koreans are mysteriously extraordinary sometimes... I offer you a smattering of video links, if ever you have the time:

Paekundae Peak (ha-na)
Paekundae Peak (tul)
Paekundae Peak (set)
Paekundae Peak (net)
Paekundae Peak (ta-sot)

There may be more demanding and exciting summits to reach in Korea but I couldn't have been more impressed. With the air lazy and mild and the trees fetchingly speckled with sunlight and birdsong, I was again at peace. Even though the subway spat me out onto the cement welcome mat of a bar in Hongdae later that evening, such is the contrast of timber and civilization :)





...and on to the contemporary my dear Watson. I felt very, as Rob put it, "pampered" this weekend. A newly discovered friend of mine, Heatherann, will be leaving country on Thursday in order to pursue officer's training. She's a journalist in the army, and is beautiful people I tell you - beautiful people. She has an intoxicating spirit that won't quit, and thus it was that her friends threw her a going away party. Lucky for us, one of Heatherann's good friends is the assistant secretary to the Ambassador of Ireland to South Korea. They have an "agreeable" place overlooking the Han River and much of Seoul. We spent the night drinking wine and playing charades!


The next evening a friend, who I was fortunate enough to have met through Pete Colclasure (back when I lived in Madison), was staying in Seoul for the weekend because of a medical conference hosted at the W Hotel. Supposedly the W is the best of the best, according to a friend, and I wouldn't say that's too far off. Jasmine and I met with and enjoyed dinner with Rob at one of the various restaurants within. Let's just say it was the best meal I've had since I arrived in Korea. Thank you again Rob, you're very gracious.

Well! Other than that, I've not much to tell... That's a bold-faced lie, however, I haven't the time nor strength to continue thinking. "We are such stuff as dreams are made on and our little life is rounded with asleep."

If I think of anything while snoozing, say...philosophers, spiritual masters, gurus, shamans, gypsy circus girls, or wild-talking tramps in the street that I've encountered during my travels...I'll be sure to wake up stat.

Nightfall

Post-Script (for you sister :) I've started Hangul (Korean) classes. I can currently handle myself in any restaurant/bar (a must...), and know the consonants and vowels fairly well. If I can pick this up...man!!