KOREA Week XXV

Tuesday, October 20, 2009 at 6:59pm

Following last week's trip to Costco, I have made several fantastic meals in my apartment. Some of the more memorable dishes include delicious bulgogi sandwiches served on toasted bagel using onion and sharp cheddar cheese, in addition to various omelets stuffed with cheddar cheese, diced onion, garlic, and peppers. This week, I am planning a bowtie pasta dish served with pesto sauce, pine nuts, and feta cheese. Yum! In addition to these fine culinary demonstrations, pumpkin pie, courtesy of Costco, was featured multiple nights for dessert. It should be noted, however, that a can of Redi-Whip can cost almost 12,000 Won at E-Mart, so the cheaper alternative is to purchase a small container of freshly whipped cream from the local Paris Baguette for a mere 1,500 Won.

Some of these culinary experimentation's have carried over to my classes, and I have brought leftovers in as a kind of offering to some students and an introduction to/discussion of western foods. I would also like to make chili, in honor of the fall temperatures, and I am even considering using the delicious E-Mart bulgogi I reference so much, in place of the more traditional ground beef. Peppers, onions, garlic are plentiful and can be found almost anywhere. Kidney beans and tomato paste are available at E-Mart, though they are maybe a little more expensive than in the U.S. Regardless, many people are anxious to try the chili, as this is something that most have never seen nor heard of.

On Tuesday, I was treated to a traditional Korean tea ceremony at a quaint lakeside tea house with students from my 9am class. The scenery was beautiful and the plum-flavored tea was delicious, though expensive. It actually is an art studio that also features traditional Korean style teas and desserts. The location was Daeyami, a tiny neighboring community to Sanbon, located approximately two subway stations away and on the other side of Suri Mountain. Afterwards, the students and I shared lunch at a famous duck restaurant, also located in Daeyami. The duck, which was absolutely delicious, was served smoked and sliced into thin strips, to make table-side grilling easier. Perhaps this is one of the best meals I have eaten in Korea. Cost, however, was slightly expensive at 36,000 Won for the full duck, which worked out to be 12,000 Won per person, but worth the expense and generous portion.

I actually enjoyed the duck restaurant so much, I returned there Saturday night with my friend Gemma to share this experience with her. It was her first time visiting the restaurant, and together we learned that two people cannot finish an entire duck. Tough lesson, but that's okay, because it makes for great leftovers. In fact, my plan this week is to make a fettuccine dish in a light cream sauce with mushrooms and onions, and, of course, the leftover duck.

On Sunday, Gemma and I visited SeonyuDo, a magnificent garden island located in the Han River and in the middle of Seoul. It was a beautiful fall afternoon, with sunny skies, a light breeze and temperatures in the low 70's. SeonyuDo is actually the former site of a water treatment plant, Korea's first recycled ecological park, converted in 2001, and connected to the mainland via a narrow pedestrian bridge. Included on the island are many botanical gardens, a birch tree forest, water museum, and numerous foot paths. Admission is free and the views of the Han River, along with 360 degree views of Seoul, are priceless. It's truly one of the best places I have visited in Seoul, and I would suggest spending at least a few hours exploring the numerous gardens and enjoying the views. When finished, I would also suggest a stroll along one of the many riverside paths to fully appreciate the wonder of this destination and the Han River.

Following our SeonyuDo experience, Gemma and I traveled to Shinchon Station (downtown Seoul) for Mexican dinner at On The Border, an American chain with three locations in the metro area. I have read many reviews suggesting this is, perhaps, the best Mexican food in Seoul, and as disappointing as it may be to award this title to yet another chain restaurant, I'm afraid it may be true. The margaritas weren't bad (it was Gemma's first margarita), the burrito combination dinner we shared was decent, and this was my first experience with guacamole in Korea. Avocados are a food item I miss terribly, and when available at a speciality grocery store, or even Costco, they are incredibly expensive; maybe 15,000 Won for 6. Because of this, paying 6,000 Won for a side dish of guacamole is by all means reasonable.

What was most special about On The Border was introducing my good friend to the new foods and frozen alcoholic beverages. She especially enjoyed the guacamole, or "guatemala" as she later called it. Dinner for two cost 45,000 Won, which included a 10% service charge, and is expensive for Korean dining. I suppose it's comparable to the U.S. and not bad for two people sharing one large entree, side order of guacamole, two margaritas, and a beer, but still far more expensive than most Korean meals I have enjoyed, even with alcohol service. The best part of the meal, however, was when leaving, many of the staff told us, "adios kamsahamnida" or adios thank you!

Other recent happenings:

Sleep continues to be a struggle for me and for many reasons. Mostly, this is due to the notorious split shifts associated with teaching Adults at a hagwon, though an active social life can also interfere with this. Every day I awake at 530am, my classes begin at 630am and continue until to roughly noon, followed by evening classes; usually 6pm to 10pm. As a result, I usually average 3-4 hours sleep at night, and, if I'm lucky, a 2-3 hour nap during the afternoon. This, obviously, is not a healthy balance. Tuesday night, for example, I awoke at 330am and actually showered before I realized the time and my error. Sleep deprivation will do that to you, I guess.

I revisited a Korean fortune teller with my good friend B.H. While this was mostly for entertainment purposes, I will admit I do enjoy the abstract guidance, as well. I was told many things over the course of an hour, all of which were translated through B.H., and cost a mere 20,000 Won. The most noteworthy piece of information I was provided, suggested life continues to look good for me and I should continue my international travels, though I should pay special attention to my health over the next three months and use caution when traveling this year. In addition, I was told when I die, on my deathbed, I will receive total consciousness. So I got that going for me, which is nice.

I have now completed the paek p'al bae, or 108 bows before the Buddha, a total of three times at SuriSan Mountain Temple (SuriSa). The walk to temple from Sanbon takes roughly one hour, and in addition to the pleasant afternoon hike, I can honestly say I feel mentally refreshed immediately following the experience. I remain impressed with what little I know of the Buddhist teachings and I truly hope to further my Buddhist "education" and experience the Buddhist Temple Stay sometime soon.

To continue with this health theme, I attended a Thursday yoga class with one of my students. The class was filled with all women, maybe ages 25-60, and I, of course, was the only foreigner. But, seeing as I did not do anything too awkward, I was invited back. The women seemed to enjoy my presence in the class, and, I must admit, were somewhat impressed with my flexibility.

The weather has become increasingly fall-like, with temperatures ranging between upper 40's at night and low 70's during most days. Leaves on the trees continue to turn colors and fall. It's a beautiful time of year, though one can sense the cold winter on it's way. I am, of course, not looking forward to this, even though snowboard season is not far away.

Adios Kamsahamnida!