Sat, July 11, 2009 at 2:10am
This week went by very fast.
Monica and I traveled to Beomgye for lunch and shopping on Tuesday. I had, what turned out to be a pretty good hamburger at a small second floor restaurant featuring a classic combination of burgers and pasta. Other than a bad experience at the Korean fast food chain Lotteria and one visit to McDonald's, this was the first hamburger I have eaten in Korea, and I will most likely return again soon. In preparation for next weekend's camping trip, I have been searching for a tent, and Monica humored my boyish enthusiasm as we searched the sporting good sections of the town's department stores. So far, I have located three tents that are fit for backpacking and range in price between 65,000 - 300,000 Won. Unless I find something else, I will most likely be returning to purchase the 65,000 Won tent.
It is monsoon season here in Korea, and Thursday brought pouring rain and high winds to the Seoul area. Earlier this week, Busan (port city at the Southeastern tip of the Korean peninsula) suffered torrential rains and mass flooding. I was told by students that Thursday was record rainfall in Seoul, which made my trip to the Sanbon Library most unpleasant. Since I now have an umbrella (gift from student Geon-Woo), I was actually dry when I boarded the number 3-1 bus. Five minutes later when I got off the bus, the rain had intensified and the wind had increased significantly. It was so ferocious that it was raining sideways and my pants were completely soaked within the first 30 seconds after the bus. Not much fun with wet pants and only four children in attendance. Apparently, Korean children are smarter than I and stay home when it rains like this. After a quick thirty minutes with the children, I met Korean friend Gemma on the second floor of the library for coffee and some Hangul tutoring. Pardon the pun, but this was, perhaps, some added sunshine to an otherwise cloudy day.
Friday afternoon was my second visit to the Sanbon jimjaebang, only this time I spent an additional 30,000 Won for the exfoliation scrub and Chinese massage. Since Koreans are always bragging about the exfoliation scrub, I figured I should give it a try. Both the massage and exfoliation scrub are performed by a Chinese man named Tony, wearing nothing but a tight fitting leopard print bathing suit. No joke and most awkward! First of all, as you may remember from my first visit to jimjaebang, you are completely nude in the spa and when laying on the massage table. The exfoliation scrub was a little uncomfortable, to say the least, as I lay flat on the table and Tony peeled away my epidermal layer of skin using a coarse sponge. He is careful, however, to avoid the genitals. Immediately following the removal of my top layer of skin, he applied a lotion and began the deep tissue massage. Translation: he beat the living piss out of me for almost an hour, driving his fists and elbows into my back, and slapping me repeatedly. It was painful, it was not at all relaxing, and I am uncertain why I paid money for this.
Time for some much needed sleep. Have a nice weekend and Think MUD!!
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1 comment:
it's amazing that you would pay for this abuse -when you, mr. tech guy, won't even pay for a better internet service in your "apt."
but i am SO impressed w/ your volunteering to read to kids - way to go, ethan! your grandfather Strater would be VERY proud of you, for continuing his tradition of service to others.
mom
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