Castle Yonder

Wed, 12 Jun 2013
1 min read
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“I can’t tell you how to get to the Castle Yonder because I don’t know where it is. But if you ever come this way, look for me”.

— Maurice Sendak, Higglety Pigglety Pop! or There Must Be More To Life.

Sweet sorrow

Sat, 1 Jun 2013
2 min read
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Parting is such sweet sorrow.

The board in the dining hall at Toji Cultural Centre where we indicate when and which meals we're having for the week so the cook knows how much food to prepare.
The board in the dining hall at Toji Cultural Centre where we indicate when and which meals we’re having for the week so the cook knows how much food to prepare.

While on my way to Incheon Airport from Wonju yesterday, “The Long and Winding Road” by The Beatles started playing on the radio the moment the journey began.

I was amused at the aptness of the song, but doubly amused at the fact that when I took the express bus from Incheon to Wonju, the song that started off my journey was “Drive” by The Cars.

Who decides these coincidental things?

A juryeonggu: http://gyeongjulove.blogspot.kr/2011/06/casting-14-sided-juryeonggu-anapji.html
A juryeonggu: http://gyeongjulove.blogspot.kr/2011/06/casting-14-sided-juryeonggu-anapji.html

Things I will miss:

The people

The walks

The weather

All bundled up.
All bundled up.

The flora

Cherry blossoms in spring.
Cherry blossoms in spring.

The fauna

My two favourite dogs which we see from time to time when we take our post-meal walks.
My two favourite dogs which we see from time to time when we take our post-meal walks.

The food

Korean fried rice with assorted dishes.
Korean fried rice with assorted dishes.

The alcohol

Two of my favourite Korean alcoholic drinks – bokbunjaju (복분자주) and baeksaeju (백세주).
Two of my favourite Korean alcoholic drinks – bokbunjaju (복분자주) and baeksaeju (백세주).

The history

The culture

Memorial service for Park Kyung Ni, author of Toji and founder of the Toji Cultural Centre.
Memorial service for Park Kyung Ni, author of Toji and founder of the Toji Cultural Centre.

The parties

노래방 (noraebang) or karaoke/KTV in Korea.
노래방 (noraebang) or karaoke/KTV in Korea.

The language

A lingerie shop in Hongdae.
A lingerie shop in Hongdae.

And many, many more things too numerous to name.

Thank you, Toji Cultural Centre, Korea and the friends I’ve made for making this experience one of the defining moments of my life.

Till we meet again.

Highlights of the Korea Bromance Tour 2013

Fri, 10 May 2013
2 min read
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Juxtaposition between a pig/cow and a stone statue.

So Prem Vadiveloo and I took a little bromantic trip around Korea together last weekend.

Well, not around Korea per se; we only managed Seoul and Gyeongju.

Anyway, these are the highlights of our tour:

  1. In Seoul: Calling hotel reception to ask for a kettle, only to be told emphatically, “Kettle is NO!”

  2. In Gyeongju: Asking where to buy shampoo, only to be directed to… a dildo shop. Did they sell shampoo? No.

  3. In Gyeongju: Walking down the road from the dildo shop, chancing upon a place that potentially offers sex services and popping our heads in to take a look, only to be immediately told, “No!” (complete with Ultraman sign).

  4. In Gyeongju: Ordering bibimbap and specifically saying “채식주의자 (chaesigjuuija; vegetarian)” and “No 고기 (gogi; meat)”, only to be given bibimbap with surprise beef – raw and grilled – hiding under the egg. Repeating “chaesigjuuija” while pointing at myself and having the server remove the raw beef and dump it in Prem’s bowl. Attempting to also transfer grilled beef to Prem’s bowl, only for server to insist that I eat the grilled beef… ergo, vegetarian is No?

To clarify, the shampoo was for Prem – not me.

But all in all, a good learning experience in terms of imbibing Korean culture, Korean history, Korean beef and Korean rejection.