"Noodlicious"

My contract is officially over and I've decided to take some vacation time. I decided on a short weekend in Osaka for visa purposes. It turned out to be the cheapest deal. I recommend looking into Jeju Air if you're going from Incheon to Osaka. You can find some cheap tickets in comparison since it's a low-cost carrier.

The hotel I booked last year turned out to be booked, and I was forced to try something new. I went with a traditional ryokan (旅館) hotel on my first night. Ryokan's have tatami-matted rooms and communal baths, but for a little extra you can get your own bathroom (which I did). I stayed at the Yamatoya Honten in Nipponbashi, not far from Namba and Shinsaibashi in central Osaka. In the end, it was cheaper than the hotel I was in last year, was twice the size, more quiet, and more comfortable. The staff was excellent and very friendly as well. I highly recommend it for a comfortable, quiet, and relaxing night. It's not far from the main shopping areas and right near the river.

You can see some cool nightlife: (click the photo for a large version)

Riverfront at night (HDR) 

I also did a little sight seeing and a lot of walking around. I visited Osaka Castle again, but it wasn't as nice as the first time I went last year. It was hot, and with the trees in full bloom there wasn't as much opportunity for nice photos without trees in the way of the structure.

The highlight of my trip this time around was visiting the Momofuku Ando Instant Ramen Museum. If you like to see how things are made and the history surrounding them - this is the place for you. It's a small musuem, but free - and mostly in Japanese. However, there are audio guides available for a low fee. I made a video of my tour and what to expect. I hope you enjoy it:

Chuncheon

Last week we took a afternoon trip to the city of Chuncheon. The city is located east of Seoul and is the capital of Gangwon province. It is easily accessible by train and bus, about 1.5-2 hours from Seoul.

Thankfully our friend Binah has a friend who was willing to drive us instead. Assah!

We had planned to visit Lake Soyang which was created by daming the Soyang River. It is a huge dam that reminded me of the Hoover Dam (but probably half the size).

We were also in the mood for Chuncheon's most famous dishes. Chuncheon Dalk-galbi (a chicken dish that is either served grilled, or stir-fried with cabbage, rice cake (tteok) and other vegetables). It's one of my favorite dishes in Korea, and I had high expectations. Unfortunately, the restaurant we chose served us basically grilled chicken that we wrapped in lettuce leaf. Not what I'm used to, and not as delicious in my opinion.

The other dish Chuncheon is known for is makguksu. This is a cold soup of buckwheat noodles, similar to naengmyeon. I've had this in Gunpo as well, and I wasn't a huge fan of the noodles. I found them difficult to swallow and was suffering the begining of the flu when I was forced to eat them with teachers. This time around, I actually enjoyed them a little more. I found that the noodles were lighter and easier to swallow this time around. It's still not something I would crave for like dalkgalbi, but it was decent.


After lunch we visited Lake Soyang. You have to ferry across the lake to reach the mountain hiking area popular with tourists. It isn't too far of a hike to the buddhist temple that most people frequent.

The mountainous views are splendid, there are plenty of small restaurants along the way to grab some pajeon (scallion pancake) and makkoli (rice wine) as well. Along the way up, you will pass a beautiful waterfall, and can enjoy the clean mountain air.  If you plan on visiting make sure you note the time the last ferry departs, as the line can get really long. It departs early as well. The last ferry out was listed as 5:30pm, which is realtively early in my opinion. But hey, this isn't Seoul...


We planned on visiting the Jade Garden and forest near the city, but ran out of time as they are not open too late....maybe next time (but there are just too many places to see still). Instead we kicked back with some more makguksu and pajeon for dinner along with a couple bottles of makkoli. All in all, a pretty good day.



Here are some photos I took:

"Lonely - I'm soo lonely"

Today I saw this headline in the Joongang Daily:

"Taxi Drivers are Becoming Lonely"

I figured it was perhaps about single taxi drivers looking for love. Nope. It's about the rising cost of gas and having fewer customers who opt for public transportation instead. From the report:

 “In recent weeks, the volume of Seoul’s traffic has decreased significantly and the roads are much less crowded wherever I go,” said a taxi driver, who said he has had fewer passengers as people cut expenditures across the board to cope with rising oil prices. “This has led to a decrease in customers. I see more crowded bus stops, with fewer people waving down taxis.”

Yep, gas prices are hurting everyone around the world - I'm very thankful I don't have a car to fill up! I love being able to walk to work as well. Short distance + daily exercise + free = happiness!

"The average price of gasoline at Seoul’s gas stations last week was 2,009 won per liter ($6.80 per gallon), exceeding the 2,000 won mark for the first time in 34 months, according to the Korea National Oil Corporation"

Yes - $6.80 a gallon! And you were complaining about your $3.50 prices in the U.S....

Although, this has the domino effect. Higher gas prices = higher costs for just about everything. Thankfully, local restaurant prices haven't risen that much because most of it is domestic. Good prices in the grocery stores have because a lot of it shipped in from other countries.

Japan's recent earthquake has had some effect on the economy as well, especially computer components for Samsung and LG which are made in Japan. I hope you weren't planning on purchasing a new TV anytime soon!

"Culture of the Sea"

This past weekend I got a chance to do some things in Seoul that I have been meaning to do for a while now.

First up: The National Museum of Korea

Where: Yongsan: Line 1

The National Museum offers free admission to its main galleries, so Hwayoung, (remembering that I had wanted to visit there), brought me. (She doesn't enjoy history as much as I do and was easily bored).

The exhibits were nice, and we were brought around by a volunteer tour guide that explained some of the exhibits in more detail. More of which you can read about here and here.

Here are some photos:

Ten-story Pagoda from Gyeongcheonsa Temple, Goryeo: 1348

Amitabha Buddha from Gamsansa Temple

Ritual Ewer (Kundika)




 

Secondly: We also visited the Noryangjin Fish Market (노량진수산시장) 
Where: Noryangjin-dong in Dongjak-gu:
Line 1 

The market is a massive farmers market where you can purchase and haggle for all sorts of seafood from clams, oysters, shrimp, and tuna - to king crab, sea cucumbers, lobster, and red snapper.

Our friend Melissa joined us to peruse the aisles and we settled on some shrimp and a rather large king crab. It wasn't exactly cheap - but it was fresh and delicious.



This is only about 1/10th of the market.


Picking our our King Crab


After you select your food, you can have it cooked for a small fee in the restaurants located above the market.

Our shrimp


Our King Crab

a

She had many eggs on her.
It's nasty looking if you ask me...or Melissa..

"Macho Massaman"

After visiting Thailand, I discovered some new dishes that I'd like to share (maybe you've had them, maybe not) - either way - they were delicious. 

Here is one of my favorites:

Massaman Curry

I found a recipe online, and decided to give it a whirl.

Chicken Massaman Curry

Rated: Submitted By: pct2 Photo By: Jenn Horton Prep Time: 20 Minutes Cook Time: 35 Minutes Ready In: 55 Minutes Servings: 4

"This curry, flavored with tamarind and coconut milk, is ready in under an hour. Serve over plain white rice."

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons vegetable oil 3 tablespoons curry paste 1 (3/4 inch thick) slice ginger, minced 1 1/4 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast meat - cubed 3 tablespoons brown sugar

3 tablespoons fish sauce 3 tablespoons tamarind paste 1/3 cup peanut butter 3 cups peeled, cubed potatoes 1 (13.5 ounce) can coconut milk 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice

Directions:

1.	Heat vegetable oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Stir in curry paste and minced ginger; cook and stir for 2 minutes. Stir in the cubed chicken, and cook until the pieces turn white on the outside, about 3 minutes.
2.	Stir in brown sugar, fish sauce, tamarind paste, peanut butter, potatoes, and coconut milk. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the potatoes are tender and the chicken pieces are no longer pink in the center, about 20 minutes. Add the lime juice and cook for an additional 5 minutes before serving.

For those in Korea, it may be difficult to find some ingredients. (especially tamarind and curry paste). I picked up some of them at the Foreign Market in Itaewon. For those I couldn't find while searching this weekend, I used some ingenuity and replaced them. I substituted tamarind with sesame paste (tahini), and forgot to pick up ginger (I stealthy used a honey ginger jelly tea as my ginger).

You can also substitute chicken with beef, pork or even tofu (reminder - it's a Muslim dish so pork isn't exactly authentic). I also recommend cutting back on the potatoes, using slightly less peanut butter, and using only 1 lb of meat and then serve with a fluffy white rice and cucumbers. Also, adding carrots, or playing around with cinnamon, nutmeg, bay leaves, almonds or cashews would be nice as well.

Try it, you won't be disappointed. (and for you anti-seafood folks don't worry about the fish sauce, you don't taste any fish - it just adds a little spice.)

"Work It Out Now"

Ever since I first arrived in Korea (almost a year and a half ago) I began to eat healthier.

This can mostly been contributed to eating smaller portions and just plain better quality foods. I regularly eat spicy dishes, less carbs other than rice, a ton more fruit and vegetables, more soups, and smaller quantities but better quality meats.

After my first year I had easily dropped 30lbs without really exercising. My lifestyle has changed dramatically due to the fact that I walk everywhere the subways don't go (unless it's really far that I need a bus or taxi), and that I get out more often and do more things. - I used to be pretty lazy and a homebody.

I started to plateau towards the beginning of summer, and actually gained around 5-10 lbs simply by being on vacation for a month in the States! I blame the plethora of parties and the frequent visits to restaurants with family and friends.

My new plan has been to start exercising. This is one thing I HATE doing. I am NOT a runner, I have had bad knees for years. I was never really into team sports besides baseball when I was younger. I do enjoy playing badminton with my girlfriend, and enjoy walking. I never liked gyms, but I do like the accessibility and ease of being able to get a workout while watching TV instead of running around in the snow and rain.


Walking around Gunpo is pretty relaxing actually. I like exploring side streets and noticing new small restaurants that don't get the attention of the downtown Sanbon crowd. I've even made it a plan to walk in different directions on different days so I don't get bored.

 

A pavilion over looking some apartments on top of a quiet hill.

The one thing that I really like is that there are outdoor "gyms" almost everywhere -- and they are FREE.

Click on people's faces in the photo to tag them.

Although these "gyms" aren't really well maintained a lot of the time, or protected from mother nature, they do have their appeal of being readily available to almost anyone at any time (granted when they aren't being used by the elderly -- which is ALL THE TIME except around dinner time). I have found a couple secluded spots where I can lift weights, stretch, and do other sorts of exercises in peace. You'll even find these "gyms" half-way up mountain tops (and usually occupied by 80 year old men and women vigorously working out!).

Some of the equipment I do not use as I don't see the point.

 Does twisting your body slightly from side to side like this REALLY give you a work out? 

Apparently all this walking and light lifting has been helping out. I'm getting closer and closer to my goal. Hopefully by next year I will have a slimmer and trimmer look!

"Make Me Smile"

Phrase of the day: [I don't speak (much) Korean] "cho-nun han-googo (chal) mawt-ham-needa"

I figured I might as well use this, since people try talking to me and I look like a moron trying to explain I can't understand them. It's a good thing I trained for Korea by playing charade-style games with my family and friends back home, and a little bit of sign language from my cousin David helps too.

In other news, I am supposedly going to meet my other co-teacher (English name Sarah) on Wednesday. She's going to bring me to the hospital for a physical (aka check the dirty American for H1N1), and then I can go to the bank and open an account and buy a cell phone (but who will call me?). If all is done by the end of the day, Sarah says I could possibly go to the school and meet the principal - that is if the H1N1 lab tests come back negative.

I ventured out on my own again this afternoon, thinking I could probably open my own bank account. According to Jordan, I should be able to. He recommended Woori Bank which he said was near my building. I couldn't find it, but I found one near Outback (near E-Mart). I don't think it was a bank however - more of a commodities and trading company. I looked completely confused, and just left.

By the way this is Woori Bank's logo:

look at all familiar??

I then stopped by the E-Mart. We have a bittersweet relationship. It has what I need, but I don't care for large monopolizing companies - especially ones that have floor plans that confuse the hell outta me.

I picked up some actual food this time. Spaghetti, pasta sauce, some pork to fry up, more oranges, yogurt, canola oil, honey mustard, and some amazing dumplings filled with pork, rice, scallions and onions. I actually had my first real homemade meal that wasn't toast, grilled cheese, or ramen. I had to take a picture it was soooo good it made me smile!



I also felt I needed to point out an interesting aspect of Korean grocery stores that we don't get to experience. Korean's don't really believe in having things "on sale". Well, they do -- but instead of lowering the price of something (in this case my strawberry yogurt) they instead give you more food for the same price as it usually is. How do they do this? Well, they just tape or staple an extra couple pieces of the product to the original (see below). It's an interesting marketing idea, - albeit, time consuming to open the products and tape them to other ones instead of printing out a different sign with a lower price and entering it into a computer. (insert another "such a deal!" for Dad here.)

I went out to dinner with Brittany tonight, we got Bibimbap, a rice dish that is served in a hot iron pot topped with vegetables (in my case also kimchi pork), and you add chili pepper paste to it. (I added too much and my mouth was on fire for a little while).

After dinner, Brittany showed me some local places where I can buy fruit cheaper and stuff for the apartment at a discounted rate (take that E-Mart!).

Before heading home, I walked around and took some pictures of the city at night, and some views from the balcony on my floor (not in my apartment).

Anyonghaseyo!

P.S. - a big THANK YOU to Uncle Gerard for hooking me up with access to his SlingBox. Now I can watch live American TV. (primetime in the mornings before work and mid-morning shows before bed -- but it's all good because NESN replays the Red Sox games at weird hours).

"Welcome to the World"

An-yeong-haseyo (Good Morning) for Gunpo!

Well, it's been an exhausting trip, but I'm finally here! The flight was uneventful (and very filling, as the gorgeous flight attendants were shoving food at me every hour).

Korean Air does a wonderful job of keeping you comfortable, there were plenty of amenities - hot towel, handi-wipes, snacks, and my favorite -- in flight movies! I watched such movies as Marley & Me, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (which I fell asleep during), Valkyrie (which I turned off because I couldn't hear Tom Cruise speaking over the engine), Paul Blart - Mall Cop (stupidly funny), and some others that I can't really remember as the trip seems all one big blur at the moment.

The flight traveled non-stop over Montreal, and close to the magnetic North Pole (I waved to the endangered polar bears). We made our approach in from Siberia, and China, and avoided North Korean airspace (which makes the trip a little longer), and approached from the west into Inchon Airport. Here's a map:


View Korean Air Flight in a larger map

I also took some photos of the flight which can be found here

When I arrived, I met with a taxi driver who was brining me to the school. He got a little lost and didn't speak ANY English, but we managed to find it! I met with a couple of co-teachers (Miss Kimberly, and another teacher who I think told me her name was Consul (not sure about that though). They took me to the apartment which is sweet

After dropping my things off, they wanted to treat me to dinner (I wasn't very hungry, but didn't want to offend them). We found a nice local Korean BBQ place where you sit on the floor (my legs were hurting from sitting the entire 15 hour flight. (the people I needed to climb over were always sleeping!). The food was good though, the beef was amazingly delicious, and the sides were very nice as well. I even tried jelly fish! (I was told this is the jelly fish that you eat - not the other kind --- because I totally chomp into jelly fish when I find them on the beach.) Either way, I think I got back at them for all those years of stinging people beachside. (Take that!)

I got back to the apartment and called some family and friends via Skype. Thank you to my neighbors with unsecured wireless routers. Just call me the "Bandwidth Bandit".

Even though I'd been up for almost 30 hours straight with a 30 min nap on the plane, I tried to watch some Korean TV - that was boring as it was all news, so I tried getting onto Hulu.com and other sites that stream tv, but apparently it doesn't work when in a different country due to copyright laws and such based on your IP address. I'm trying to find a way to bypass it, but am not having much luck with sites such as HotShield.

Ok, well I haven't had any breakfast yet, and really need to buy some supplies (the apartment has nothing in it - not even toilet paper, trashbins, hangers, or cleaning supplies). I'm going to make a trip to the local Dunkin Donuts (don't laugh) and stop by E-Mart. I'll try and take some photos of downtown on the way!

*****12:30pm*****

I'm back from a little trip downtown (sorry, I didn't take any photos, but there is plenty of time for that). I had breakfast a DD's as I said I would. It took some time and effort, but I got my point across. The DD's girl was sweet and was trying hard to understand me. Here's some vocab for you all. Coffee (Kop-ee), Ice (orum), Sugar (soltang) Vanilla (yeah, she didn't understand that, but when I looked at the Hangul writing and asked her to read it she said (Pah-nil-ah) which to me sounds the same...I don't get her confusion. Maybe it's because the word means something entirely different when it's spelled out to echo the English version? Either way, the coffee wasn't as good as home, but I think that's due to Korea's water and the cream she used.

I then took a little jaunt across the street to E-Mart (that was interesting). It was very crowded, but the downstairs grocery was set up similar to Whole Foods or Stop & Shop. There was a large section for produce, meat and seafood just like home - but the boxed/canned stuff was actually a lot harder to find than at home. There were only a few aisles. It could be upstairs or something, I didn't check it out. I stuck with buying the basics. Bananas, oranges, pineapple juice, peanut butter, bread, and toilet paper. Prices were about the same as home. The TP was probably the most expensive at 8,000W ($6) but I got a 24 pack. then I spent about $10 for all the rest. I figure I can at least save money on breakfast now that I can make toast with peanut butter and bananas for the next week. Too bad I didn't buy utensils - God made our fingers an excellent tool!

When in line to pay for my goods, an older Korean woman pointed to my peanut butter and began talking away. I gave her the "Lady, I have no idea what you're saying" look, and the gentleman next to me talked to her. (I think she wanted to know where I found it.)

By the way - I love paying about 60 cents for about a liter of pineapple juice. Such a deal! [insert rolling my eyes at my dad here].