Less than two months to go..
Sadly, less than two weeks later, the premature nature of the "false spring" proved true with return to more winter-like temperatures and a light snowfall March 8th. Damn!
Recent holidays:
Apparently, in Korea, along with Taiwan and Japan, they celebrate Valentine's Day on February 14, and something called White Day one month later on March 14. I guess the idea behind this is Valentines Day is for the men to indulge themselves with gifts and attention from women, and women, in turn, indulge themselves with gifts from men on White Day. Go figure.
March 3rd was Samgyeopsal Day, an informal Korean holiday. Because "Sam" means three in Korea, the date is obvious. Samgyeopsal is "3 layer pork". I was completely oblivious to this, but once I learned of the holiday, I celebrated with a scrumptious lunch of my favorite Korean food. Besides, who doesn't love delicious pork grilled table side with all the traditional accompaniments? Lunch or dinner, it's all good with me!
March 1st was Korean Independence Movement Day. This date marks a significant event in Korean history, when 33 nationalists marched against Japanese occupation in 1919. The nationalists were later arrested, tortured, and this event sparked an outrage amongst the Korean people. To the Koreans, it's just one more incident in a long history of hatred against Japanese atrocities.
The March 1st holiday meant another 3 day weekend for Ethan, so I returned to the Taean Peninsula, only this time with a car. Last time I visited the area was in August (Week XVI) with my former friend Alvin, prior to his expulsion from the country. Because we only had public transit at that time, we were limited to our campground at Mongsanpo Beach and we could not thoroughly explore the area. It was especially uncomfortable on the ride home, when Alvin and I had to stand for over three hours on the bus. Following this bus ride from hell, I vowed to return one day under more comfortable circumstances.
Following a three hour car ride with moderate traffic and light rain, Gemma and I arrived in Mallipo late Saturday afternoon, just in time to select accommodations prior to the sun setting. After about an hour of comparing various beachfront pensions, we finally selected the Pinocchio Pension. It was a near perfect setting, and my travel partner was somehow able to convince the owner to provide us with a 20% discount for two nights stay. Hooray!
Mallipo is a beachfront community located approximately 175 kilometers Southwest of Seoul, at the Northern tip of the Taean Peninsula. The entire peninsula features some 530 kilometers of coastline and contains some 120 islands. A large part of the area consists of the Taean Coast National Marine Park, which boasts 230 kilometers of shoreline and 72 islands of its own. The topography is composed of low pine-filled mountains, large sandy beaches, and rocky cliffs overlooking the ocean. It's really beautiful, and as I previously noted, reminds me a lot of Northern Michigan.
Numerous fishing villages dot the area and serve as both a tourist attraction and a great place for seafood lunch. Squid is popular, as is hameltang, a shellfish noodle dish served in a hot broth. Batter dipped and fried prawns are also a treat, and can be purchased from a variety of street vendors. I chose to avoid most dried fish, including the scary alien-looking fish and the ever-popular Korean favorite, dried squid.
The Chollipo Arboretum is another well-known attraction, located only a few kilometers from Mallipo. I first learned about this in a Wall Street Journal travel article back in May 2009, and since then, I have always wanted to visit. The article titled Seoul: One Man's Dream of a World Class Arboretum is worth the time to read it, and actually, that's what originally introduced me to the Taean area. Sadly, the weather was uncooperative the day we intended to visit there, though I did strongly evaluate this decision in the parking lot, and I took a brochure from the park prior to leaving.
Total cost of the weekend adventure was around 300,000 Won, which included gas (60,000 Won), two nights lodging (160,000 Won with discount), groceries at E-Mart and meals. Not bad for a euphoric weekend and some quality time with the lovely Gemma. The highlight of all this was spotting the semi-naked elderly couple in the backseat of an SUV parked at Mongsanpo Beach. That was a true surprise.
Other news:
I reunited again with former student and good friend, B.H. for BBQ dinner and good conversation. After dinner, he invited me to his home for coffee, which is a beautiful luxury apartment in the town of Suji. I also was fortunate to meet his wife for the first time. Sadly, I fear it will only be possible for B.H. and I to gather again one or two times before I depart for the U.S.
On a recent trip to COEX Mall, I noticed that Crazy Heart was showing at the theater and decided to watch it. This was only my fifth experience at the Korean cinema. Previous films included last year's Star Trek, Avatar (in 3-D), 2012 (I regret watching this), and the Korean film Take Off.
Lately I have been suffering an extreme longing for Western food. Please don't mistake my words, I very much love Korean food, it's just I'm tired of the same old restaurants in Sanbon. This has led me to several new restaurants in Seoul.
Mad For Garlic is pretty much what the name suggests; garlic everything! It's a Korean chain with 11 locations and an impressive wine list, for Korean standards. For an appetizer, we ordered a large caesar salad, pretty much traditional with a creamy garlic dressing, and crunchy croutons. Most delicious, and we agreed it was the best part of the meal. A thin crust cheese with pizza gorgonzola and a pasta dish loaded with garlic and Mexican spices were shared for the main course. The pizza was good, but the pasta was overwhelmingly spicy. Total cost of the food was around 45,000 Won plus tax. A bit on the expensive side, but unfortunately, that's the price you pay for Western food in Korea.
Chili King Korea is located in Itaewon, the infamous foreigner neighborhood of Seoul. I first read about it in an article published in The Korea Herald, which can be a great way to learn about different restaurants throughout Seoul. Sadly, both Gemma and I were a little disappointed in The Chili King. The burger was not as delicious as my local favorite, Krazy Burger, and the chili cheese fries were a poor attempt with crinkle cut fries, a tiny portion of chili, and "cheese" from a squeeze bottle. The restaurant is a tiny shoebox located off an alley, and the owner enjoys singing to an assorted sampling of classic 80's music while preparing your food. All this has a cost of around 30,000 Won. Not a good investment and a poor attempt at satisfying a grown man's craving for some chili.
Sorrento Pizza and Pasta is the surprise hit of the season. I have now sampled both their margherita pizza and their gorgonzola pizzas. Each are an excellent creation, loaded with cheese and priced around 14,000 Won. The gorgonzola is also topped with salty potato chips, which gives it a little crunch and some added flavor. Honestly speaking, this pizza is better tasting than the similarly-priced version at Mad For Garlic.
That's about it. Next weekend is another three day holiday from school, and I am planning a reunion with my friends in Busan. Following this, I'm sure there will be lots to report.
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