September 4th 2009, one of those days that defies a reality reference. I started the morning in Chicago, downtown with a view of the sun rising over lake Michigan. Eating breakfast at 6:30 on hte 24th floor of the hotel and looking out at the fog. and the marina.. I prepared for the day. A few moments later I was on hte street, walking to hte Subway.. Jackson Street to ride the blue line to O'Hare. an hour after leaving my hotel, I was in O'Hare, and into a part of the airport I had never seen before. as hard as that was even for me to believe. After a 3hour and 30 minute ahead of schedule flight, I was in Seattle. Quick drive home, where my wife and I drove to Boeing field, and prepared for a flight to Medford Oregon in our older Mooney (vintage 1956). Arriving after a rainy but nice flight we picked up our renatl car , and on to the last part of the days journey, over the coastal range with a destination of Borrkings Oregon on the coast. The drive was one of those coastal roads that in some of the turns it seems as though you can spot your own tail lights in front of you. After a 2 plus hour drive we would down through the giatn redwood trees, and ended as the day began looking into the fog, of the same sun, that had just set.
What a world..
Saturday, September 5, 2009
Tuesday, January 8, 2008
Korea, The Last supper and beyond!!
The weather finally caught up with me, awoke to what I thought was a hazy sky, silly me, if the rain is falling hard enough, then the air is hazy.
The Drum and Gong band continued on schedule, and I was able to adjust my internal clock to wake up and enjoy the whole show.
The last supper, what a cool time. The restraint was a “Mongolian Chinese restraint, that loosely translated was called “Best Pot”. There were four of us for the farewell dinner, and for those familiar wit the “Mongolian” restraints in the US and believe you know what I am going to say… well…. Ppptttthhhhht!... you would be wrongo….
Start with a big hole in the table, with a burner on the bottom, and placed on it, you got it, a Big Pot, and in the pot, almost full with water and on the bottom, a few sheets of sea weed. Sea weed is a food that is the spice of life, it is in a very many Korean dishes, including a soup that is really mostly water and Sea Weed. Now back to Best Pot… First while water was heating.. we were served appetizers. There were little beef slices and my favorite….. Corn Pancakes, and a dish with meat, carrots, onions, Lettuce, Olives and a salsa they said was pumpkin… basically the best Tacos I have ever had anywhere… honest, they had no idea that People in Mexico have the same dish.. (as a note Corona banners are very visible in Korea… hmmmmm)
Now for some Pot… so server throws in Veggies,, don’t ask what kind,, they are veggies.. you know , white ones green ones,.. and then toss them into your little bowl, then throw in Paper thin sliced beef, boil a few minutes toss into bowl, You have brown dipping sauce on your tray,, other brown dipping sauce on your tray and dark brown dipping sauce on your tray, how can you go wrong…. You keep eating this mixture along with little plates of pickles and , dare I say it, lest I forget, Kim Chi. Note: Unless you are very hungry do not finish your Kim Chi in hopes of being done with it, they WILL refill it, obviously you like it. If you do like it ,, then enjoy your spice… Repeat the Veggie and Beef until you are done and then.. they add Noodles to the broth, make soup, and walla, you are ready for desert.. A Sweet Bean thing, with a walnut (about consistency of inside of a Jelly bean, I thin it’s a walnut) an mystery bright Yellow Cube sweet veggie or fruit mystery, and a sweet drink in a bowl. The sweet drink is a tea of ginger, Persimmon, and Cinnamon, with Honey and a few pine nuts floating in it. No I do not know why the pine nuts are there.. but it is good.
I had a great last nights sleep, went to the window looking for excitement, and was not let down, for at 4:10 AM, the music began. Hours Later I was able to fly home, after a one hour bus ride where I found there are a ton of parks bordering on the River that Bisects town. Parks with Bike trails , Soccer fields, Picnic areas, play grounds, and all in pretty good use..
The flight home was uneventful, I got home at 11:45 AM, and at 12:10 AM I found my self looking East.. waiting , for in Korea.. the Drumming had started..
The Drum and Gong band continued on schedule, and I was able to adjust my internal clock to wake up and enjoy the whole show.
The last supper, what a cool time. The restraint was a “Mongolian Chinese restraint, that loosely translated was called “Best Pot”. There were four of us for the farewell dinner, and for those familiar wit the “Mongolian” restraints in the US and believe you know what I am going to say… well…. Ppptttthhhhht!... you would be wrongo….
Start with a big hole in the table, with a burner on the bottom, and placed on it, you got it, a Big Pot, and in the pot, almost full with water and on the bottom, a few sheets of sea weed. Sea weed is a food that is the spice of life, it is in a very many Korean dishes, including a soup that is really mostly water and Sea Weed. Now back to Best Pot… First while water was heating.. we were served appetizers. There were little beef slices and my favorite….. Corn Pancakes, and a dish with meat, carrots, onions, Lettuce, Olives and a salsa they said was pumpkin… basically the best Tacos I have ever had anywhere… honest, they had no idea that People in Mexico have the same dish.. (as a note Corona banners are very visible in Korea… hmmmmm)
Now for some Pot… so server throws in Veggies,, don’t ask what kind,, they are veggies.. you know , white ones green ones,.. and then toss them into your little bowl, then throw in Paper thin sliced beef, boil a few minutes toss into bowl, You have brown dipping sauce on your tray,, other brown dipping sauce on your tray and dark brown dipping sauce on your tray, how can you go wrong…. You keep eating this mixture along with little plates of pickles and , dare I say it, lest I forget, Kim Chi. Note: Unless you are very hungry do not finish your Kim Chi in hopes of being done with it, they WILL refill it, obviously you like it. If you do like it ,, then enjoy your spice… Repeat the Veggie and Beef until you are done and then.. they add Noodles to the broth, make soup, and walla, you are ready for desert.. A Sweet Bean thing, with a walnut (about consistency of inside of a Jelly bean, I thin it’s a walnut) an mystery bright Yellow Cube sweet veggie or fruit mystery, and a sweet drink in a bowl. The sweet drink is a tea of ginger, Persimmon, and Cinnamon, with Honey and a few pine nuts floating in it. No I do not know why the pine nuts are there.. but it is good.
I had a great last nights sleep, went to the window looking for excitement, and was not let down, for at 4:10 AM, the music began. Hours Later I was able to fly home, after a one hour bus ride where I found there are a ton of parks bordering on the River that Bisects town. Parks with Bike trails , Soccer fields, Picnic areas, play grounds, and all in pretty good use..
The flight home was uneventful, I got home at 11:45 AM, and at 12:10 AM I found my self looking East.. waiting , for in Korea.. the Drumming had started..
Friday, January 4, 2008
Korea Day 4
Korea day.. blurred, mind focused.. and what is this…
RAIN.. WIND.. how in the world has the Seattle gray scourge managed to find me in Seoul.
I have found that there is direct evidence the food I have been eating is Korean… the monks, remember the monks, of course you do. I have adapted, I now awaken within 5 minutes of their morning ritual,, so yesterday, lie there awake listening, 10 minutes of drumming, followed by 10 minutes of the gong show, followed by, 10 minutes of gurgle gurgle slosh as what I had had for dinner marched back and forth to the rhythm of the drums and gongs. After ten minutes all was well, and sleep returned..
This morning, after having tried the take two beers before bed method, I awakened, and though well, I did it I slept in and missed the…… bang… bang… bang…. A gong.. nope I ad missed nothing.
Took a walk last night into the little side streets in my neighborhood, there is a German Beer hall, an Outback Steakhouse, and a whole lot of options… Looking in on the German Beer hall, looks great, should be interesting trying to order Dunkle.. it says they have it on the building… but honestly did not see it on the menu. Of course I am illiterate, and can not read write or speak Korean,,, which has some advantages….
Listening to radio talk shows, radio Sports news and radio new flashes, are not so bad if you have no idea what they are saying.
Lunch yesterday, was at the food court, I elected the Chinese chicken with Rice, and that was what I got along with unknown starchy veggie (perhaps potato or yam), in a dark brown sauce, and raw onion chunks (Must have been my vegetables), and bright yellow, (Like Jello Yellow) cubes, that were likely a veggie, but what it was I have no idea.. both were accompanied by a thin dark brown paste dipping dish, that may have been bean paste, and for my own well being that is what I choose to believe! Basic rule I have established,,, don’t ask, you don’t want to know, it will be lost in translation, and Since you are in Korea, it may be another form of Kim Chi, or have KamChi in it. In the case of lunch just plain old garden variety Kim chi is included in the Chinese chicken with rice meal.
RAIN.. WIND.. how in the world has the Seattle gray scourge managed to find me in Seoul.
I have found that there is direct evidence the food I have been eating is Korean… the monks, remember the monks, of course you do. I have adapted, I now awaken within 5 minutes of their morning ritual,, so yesterday, lie there awake listening, 10 minutes of drumming, followed by 10 minutes of the gong show, followed by, 10 minutes of gurgle gurgle slosh as what I had had for dinner marched back and forth to the rhythm of the drums and gongs. After ten minutes all was well, and sleep returned..
This morning, after having tried the take two beers before bed method, I awakened, and though well, I did it I slept in and missed the…… bang… bang… bang…. A gong.. nope I ad missed nothing.
Took a walk last night into the little side streets in my neighborhood, there is a German Beer hall, an Outback Steakhouse, and a whole lot of options… Looking in on the German Beer hall, looks great, should be interesting trying to order Dunkle.. it says they have it on the building… but honestly did not see it on the menu. Of course I am illiterate, and can not read write or speak Korean,,, which has some advantages….
Listening to radio talk shows, radio Sports news and radio new flashes, are not so bad if you have no idea what they are saying.
Lunch yesterday, was at the food court, I elected the Chinese chicken with Rice, and that was what I got along with unknown starchy veggie (perhaps potato or yam), in a dark brown sauce, and raw onion chunks (Must have been my vegetables), and bright yellow, (Like Jello Yellow) cubes, that were likely a veggie, but what it was I have no idea.. both were accompanied by a thin dark brown paste dipping dish, that may have been bean paste, and for my own well being that is what I choose to believe! Basic rule I have established,,, don’t ask, you don’t want to know, it will be lost in translation, and Since you are in Korea, it may be another form of Kim Chi, or have KamChi in it. In the case of lunch just plain old garden variety Kim chi is included in the Chinese chicken with rice meal.
Thursday, January 3, 2008
Korea Day 3
The continuing adventures of Billivers Travels day 3.4 Mean Sideral time.
You are what you eat.. to the end I have no idea what I am.. Nearby my Hotel is a Kimchi Museum.. until this week I did not know Kim chi was so diverse.. not uncommon to have 3 different types in one meal. Lunch yesterday was Boiled beef soup with a clear soy broth.. very tasty.. several other items with meal Kim chi of course..
Dinner with the customer was a beef place.. with beef cooked over coal fire at table as well as a beef(Raw) Niguri dish, and the one that looked hot.. and was.. was no problem until I had no idea to do with the crunchy part.. well, the crab shell was quickly disposed with…
Lunch today was at a “sushi house” not to worry there was a complete mystery of dishes.. my favorite was a rice dish with Roe and yep you guessed it a Kim Chi used as a spice.
Not to worry there are always veggies,, often spiced with little shiny pieces of tiny fish.. ( think of it as BIG salt with eyes)
Today was also a travel and customer day.. we took a high speed train to Puson about 300 miles south of Seoul.. putting it differently, Seoul is North West corner of South Korea, and Puson is a port city on the South East corner of the country. It is Koreas second largest city, about 5 Million People. It is a VERY active port town, a LOT of container and freight shipping all around.
So am I going to mention the monks bang and gong… Yep.. drums started at 4:10.. and at 4:15 Gong. until 4:20… I fooled them I was up and prepared.. watched parking lot fill, and in this instance could see them in the open sided temple.. I have to wonder do Monks use alarm clocks?
You are what you eat.. to the end I have no idea what I am.. Nearby my Hotel is a Kimchi Museum.. until this week I did not know Kim chi was so diverse.. not uncommon to have 3 different types in one meal. Lunch yesterday was Boiled beef soup with a clear soy broth.. very tasty.. several other items with meal Kim chi of course..
Dinner with the customer was a beef place.. with beef cooked over coal fire at table as well as a beef(Raw) Niguri dish, and the one that looked hot.. and was.. was no problem until I had no idea to do with the crunchy part.. well, the crab shell was quickly disposed with…
Lunch today was at a “sushi house” not to worry there was a complete mystery of dishes.. my favorite was a rice dish with Roe and yep you guessed it a Kim Chi used as a spice.
Not to worry there are always veggies,, often spiced with little shiny pieces of tiny fish.. ( think of it as BIG salt with eyes)
Today was also a travel and customer day.. we took a high speed train to Puson about 300 miles south of Seoul.. putting it differently, Seoul is North West corner of South Korea, and Puson is a port city on the South East corner of the country. It is Koreas second largest city, about 5 Million People. It is a VERY active port town, a LOT of container and freight shipping all around.
So am I going to mention the monks bang and gong… Yep.. drums started at 4:10.. and at 4:15 Gong. until 4:20… I fooled them I was up and prepared.. watched parking lot fill, and in this instance could see them in the open sided temple.. I have to wonder do Monks use alarm clocks?
Wednesday, January 2, 2008
Korea Day 1.893
Very Very clean place.. Flowers are everywhere and they are experiencing (likely not their word) a great Indian summer. Weather here is a definite 4 seasons including snow and Typhoons..
Every person I have met is friendly and polite,, even when I scared the life out of a few.. I was last in the elevator, and so was standing at the door blocking the sun when the doors opened, there I was , the hulking tower of fear blocking exit and entrance... I hardly even notice people staring up and their jaws going slack saying what ever the Korean work is for BIG...
According to the maps there is a Mall, the COEX mall next to my hotel.. certainly not visible from the street.. so I took an escalator down from the hotel into a 2 story Duty free store, with stuff I would not buy even if they gave it to me... walked a little down a tunnel and.. was able to find the largest gerbil tunnel mall in the world. Clearly more than 200 stores.. with lots of signage and interesting lighting and architectural changes designed to confuse this mouse as he would his way through the maze in search of a meal. Not from Pizza Hut or one of it's fleet of delivery modeps like I saw this morning. but an Asian meal .. embarrassingly I ended up at a TGI Friday's and had a nice mushroom rice with Brocholi and chicken with red pepper sauce dinner.. ( there may have been a local dark stout involved, but alas I can not remember)
In the mall I found the largest book store I have ever seen. I think they have every book ever written in Korean in there, they have books on, 결혼과 신부, and 요트, as well as all the latest 패션과 할리우드들은 잡담. So really quite an experience.. What.. You can not read what I just said.. well.... all you need to do is look up the word in your handy Korean to English phrase translation book.. best of luck ( Bwa ha ha) The record store had a lot of familiar music but I also discovered that Rap in Korean sounds like Rap in English... the good news is I have yet to see a car with 4,000 Megawatt speakers on the streets here that force my heart rate to be in sync with Ensync..(another nice perk of being here)
After a nice rest, The Monks, remember the monks from yesterday.. well this time I was ready.. so at 4:28 my eyes flung open in anticipation. well good thing they did, else I would have missed the drumming that proceeds the gong.. Drumming that is remnicent of a tennis shoe in the dryer.. Something not to be missed.
Every person I have met is friendly and polite,, even when I scared the life out of a few.. I was last in the elevator, and so was standing at the door blocking the sun when the doors opened, there I was , the hulking tower of fear blocking exit and entrance... I hardly even notice people staring up and their jaws going slack saying what ever the Korean work is for BIG...
According to the maps there is a Mall, the COEX mall next to my hotel.. certainly not visible from the street.. so I took an escalator down from the hotel into a 2 story Duty free store, with stuff I would not buy even if they gave it to me... walked a little down a tunnel and.. was able to find the largest gerbil tunnel mall in the world. Clearly more than 200 stores.. with lots of signage and interesting lighting and architectural changes designed to confuse this mouse as he would his way through the maze in search of a meal. Not from Pizza Hut or one of it's fleet of delivery modeps like I saw this morning. but an Asian meal .. embarrassingly I ended up at a TGI Friday's and had a nice mushroom rice with Brocholi and chicken with red pepper sauce dinner.. ( there may have been a local dark stout involved, but alas I can not remember)
In the mall I found the largest book store I have ever seen. I think they have every book ever written in Korean in there, they have books on, 결혼과 신부, and 요트, as well as all the latest 패션과 할리우드들은 잡담. So really quite an experience.. What.. You can not read what I just said.. well.... all you need to do is look up the word in your handy Korean to English phrase translation book.. best of luck ( Bwa ha ha) The record store had a lot of familiar music but I also discovered that Rap in Korean sounds like Rap in English... the good news is I have yet to see a car with 4,000 Megawatt speakers on the streets here that force my heart rate to be in sync with Ensync..(another nice perk of being here)
After a nice rest, The Monks, remember the monks from yesterday.. well this time I was ready.. so at 4:28 my eyes flung open in anticipation. well good thing they did, else I would have missed the drumming that proceeds the gong.. Drumming that is remnicent of a tennis shoe in the dryer.. Something not to be missed.
Tuesday, January 1, 2008
Korean Adventure Day One
So far so good though.. got in checked into hotel after 90 minutes bus ride..
Had a "knights" sleep.. meaning I clanked around in armor and did not sleep so well
4:30 am awakened by what I assume were Buddhist GONG , fortunately the monks tired after about 10 minutes, allowing me to sleep again, my soul purged by sound..
In a few hours I will begin the work day.. and ..will see how that goes..
The flight here was long and uneventful. We flew over Russia,, which looked desolate cold bleak and Nevada Kind of Hilly.
Korea as we flew across it has lots of step hills and lots of fertile valleys and one BIG river.. at least from my side of the plane. The people here are very nice, and the whole City seems very clean.. Today will find out what that means at a time when it is not Sunday night...
Had a "knights" sleep.. meaning I clanked around in armor and did not sleep so well
4:30 am awakened by what I assume were Buddhist GONG , fortunately the monks tired after about 10 minutes, allowing me to sleep again, my soul purged by sound..
In a few hours I will begin the work day.. and ..will see how that goes..
The flight here was long and uneventful. We flew over Russia,, which looked desolate cold bleak and Nevada Kind of Hilly.
Korea as we flew across it has lots of step hills and lots of fertile valleys and one BIG river.. at least from my side of the plane. The people here are very nice, and the whole City seems very clean.. Today will find out what that means at a time when it is not Sunday night...
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