15/April/2009Find the cost of freedom Buried in the ground Mother earth will swallow you Lay your body down –Stephen Stills That’s from an old CS&N anti-war ditty. For some reason it came to mind this morning after reading this story. The story reminded me of what’s at stake if we lack the will to defend Western values. A chilling vision of what life will be like under the thumb of our Islamic overlords:
Does anyone truly believe that we can co-exist in a world dominated by Islam? Already former bulwarks of freedom and liberty like Great Britain and Canada are cowtowing to their Islamic minorities, including considering allowing imposition of sharia law withn the muslim communities. Make no mistake, Islamic domination of the world is the stated goal of our adversaries. They have made no secret of this. The hate us for our so-called decadence, but what they mean is that they despise our freedom. We say that we are engaged in a Global War on Terror (or used to pre-Obama). But this is really a clash of civilizations. The question is do we still have the will to defend the values we hold most dear? Truer words were never spoken and we forget them at our peril: It is in vain, sir, to extenuate the matter. Gentlemen may cry, Peace, Peace– but there is no peace. The war is actually begun! The next gale that sweeps from the north will bring to our ears the clash of resounding arms! Our brethren are already in the field! Why stand we here idle? What is it that gentlemen wish? What would they have? Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death! –Patrick Henry
Hat Tip: Althouse 14/April/2009It’s not news that I spend a fair amount of my time hanging around in Itaewon. Although lately, it is just a couple of my bar hangouts and favorite restaurants. Things are changing pretty fast, with upscale restuarants moving in and sleazy juicy bars shutting down. That’s a change for the better in my opinion. Anyway, I was cleaning up some of my photo files and found some pictures I took last year when I was out and about in daylight (which is unusual for me). Quality is poor (I can tell a big difference with my new Samsung camera). So far better or worse, here they are: There are several dress store selling bizarre fashions like these. Who the hell buys them? I have never seen anyone actually wearing anything similiar. One of those great unsolved mysteries I suppose. Shoes galore. I’ve actually never bought shoes on the economy as the PX has served my purposes just fine. I’ve been considering getting a pair of custom shoes made however. Next time I’m out in the daytime hours perhaps. A particularly crappy photo, even by my low standards. Manila Bar is a place I visit on a semi-regular basis. As the name suggests, it is owned by a very nice Filipino couple, Teddy and Jovie. Teddy plays guitar and piano and is a fine singer as well. They also do Karaoke and it is in this bar that I became (in)famous for my rendition of the Marty Robbins classic “El Paso”. A bag lady’s paradise for sure. This is the alley that leads from Dolce Vita Pub/Bless U Pub to the aforementioned Manila Bar. It’s more foreboding at night, but really there is no danger. One of the most amazing things about Seoul is the low rate of crime and street violence. This is also one of the 3 alleys from which 3 Alley Pub draws its name. I don’t get out to 3 Alley Pub that much, and when I do it is generally for the food. Their German goulash is outstanding and they have about the best wings I’ve found in Korea. Well, Western-style wings anyway. Continental Custom Tailor is where I get my suits made. Don’t pay the quoted price, you have to bargain with the guy. He’ll usually come down W50,000 or so, but I imagine I’m still paying a waeguk premium. They opened a Hard Rock Cafe a year or so ago. I’ve never been in the restaurant though. For the past few weeks its been closed due to “electrical problems”. I suspect it is probably an economic problem though. The gift shop is still open for those wishing to purchase overpriced souvieneers. You can also find many shops selling tourist trinkets like these. More funky dresses. These stores are everywhere, so they must have a market. One of the newer restuarants in town. Nice to sit outside when the weather is nice and people gaze. Foods not bad either. What can I say? One of the more interesting names for a woman’s fashion outlet I’ve seen. Street scene taken in front of the Cheil Building. This is right up the street from my house. The Seoul Tower and Hyatt Hotel are nice landmarks to find your way back home. When I drive in Seoul I try to stay within sight of the tower so I don’t get lost. Korea is renowned for being “wired”. Somehow I don’t think this is what they mean. Taken in the alley behind my apartment. Finally, this is the little store near my residence. It’s where I buy my smokes and late night snacks. The ajumma who runs the place is very kind and even helps me with my Korean. Well, she taught me to say “dulgae Ultra chuseyo” anyway. Beats holding up two fingers and pointing, right? Ok, well I hoped you enjoyed this virtual tour of Itaewon. I know, I know. You wanted to see the famous prostitution bars, transgender clubs, and gay hill, right? Hmmm, if I ever get the courage maybe I’ll take some for you. Probably not though. Maybe I’ll do the dart league venues instead. Fair enough? 13/April/2009Well, Guzzlers from Geckos took us down tonight 21-16. I guess you’d call that a spanking. I managed a 7-5 showing, but it coulda, shoulda been 10-2. Well, that’s the way the dart flies sometimes. Let me introduce you to the Blue Bulls from Bless U PUb: L to R: Scott, Seung Youb, Koichi, Yours Truly, and Ali. We win, we lose, we have fun. That’s what it’s all about. Man, oh man. This is like watching a train wreck in slow motion. I keep thinking it can’t get worse. Someone, anyone, please tell me it doesn’t get worse. 12/April/2009Ventured out to Insa-dong last night to visit a nice little restaurant I discovered last year. The Youngbin Garden is tucked away down the first alley on the right as you enter Insa-dong from Jong-no. Pretty much standard fare for a Korean restuarant. I had the pork galbi. What makes the place different is the set up. They have a nice garden patio surrounded by private dining rooms. But with the weather as nice as it is, it is much more pleasant to eat under the stars on the patio, like these waeguks at the next table. Of course, dinner is served with all the traditional side dishes I have come to know and love. And as a special treat, a nice big bowl of dongdongju (rice wine). Ah, meat’s on the fire. Can’t you almost taste how good it’s gonna be? Just about ready for the shears, wrapping in lettuce leaves, and filling that empty place in the gut. Alas, no more photos as I was too busy consuming that Korean goodness. Next time you are in Insa-dong, give Youngbin Garden a try. It has the LTG seal of approval. Another night, another Korean movie. This time it was Please Teach Me English. This film was as sweet as cottoncandy, and just about as nourishing. I tried really hard to like this movie, and it did have it’s moments. But at the end I was disappointed. I just didn’t care about any of the characters. It was hollow, empty, and devoid of charm. About the only thing I found mildly of interest was the Korean take on the whole “I gotta learn English” thing. Everyone in the class had their own reason for being there, but given the choice none of them would have been. I also thought the waeguks (foriegners) were portrayed with all the typical stereotypes on overdrive, which means unsympathetically. Again, I wanted this movie to be better and it could have been as the concept was a good one. Ah well, I will reward its potential by giving it a 3 out of 5. I also watched Renee Zellweger in New in Town. Bleah. Totally predicatable Hollywood fluff. It failed to even entertain, which to my reckoning is a pretty significant failure in a movie. Cornball to the extreme and a total waste of time. It sucked and was a total waste of time. A solid 1. 11/April/2009
Read the whole thing… If I’m not mistaken, that’s Jeun Jee Hyun in this commerical: Duh, the YouTube link identifies her so I am not mistaken. Good to see you again cutie! Hat Tip: Dokdo is Ours I’m back from my short but sweet trip to the beautiful east coast of Korea! I don’t tend to drive much in Korea, because frankly you don’t need to. Subways, cabs, and sometimes busses get you anywhere you need to go in the city. And the KTX has taken me just about everywhere else I wanted to go. Consequently, my last real road trip was when I went to the USA in 2007 and did a San Francisco-Las Vegas-San Francisco driving tour. I define “road trip” as having an ultimate destination, but the real joy is the journey in getting there. This trip did not disappoint in that regard, as I saw some amazing countryside along the way. There really are two Koreas (yeah, well I’m not talkin’ North and South here): the city and the rural. Although I guess that sounds obvious, I’ve been so Seoul-centric that I had forgotten that a wild and wonderful world existed right outside the city limits. And driving that two-lane blacktop is really the only way to really see it. Let’s go! This was the circuituous route I took, outbound through Yangpyeon-Hongcheon-Seoraksan-Naksan, returning through Sokcho-Chuncheon-Seoul. If you like driving through mountains as much as I do (a lot!) you will love this trip. It wasn’t quite the Rockies, but still quite nice and a helluva lot closer. Lots of twists and turns, but my old right hand drive Nissan BlueBird handled the road quite well. I’ll say this for Korean highway engineers–they are tunnel building fools. I couldn’t help but think of Gimli the Dwarf from Lord of the Rings as I drove underneath the mountains. Some of these were quite long, including the Misiryeong tunnel at over 3500 meters. I took a hwajangsil (toilet) break just outside Yangpyeong. No, I’m not going to get into that level of detail about what I did, so relax. They don’t have traditional rest stops like you see along U.S. highways, but they have service areas (gas station, restuarant, bathrooms) at frequent intervals along the way. Just look for the big yellow sign. Anyway, this particular service area had a little domestic zoo like thing going around back. Rabbits, chickens, dogs, etc. The were very friendly and happy to be showed some attention. I felt kinda sorry for them though. Hope they weren’t slated to be on the menu. I chose not to eat there just to be on the safe side. Typical highway scene. As you can tell, I’m not much of a photographer. Unfortunately, the skies were pretty hazy which is somewhat typical this time of year I suppose. I’m sure with a blue sky for contrast it would have looked much nicer. Plus, spring has not really sprung at elevation, but lower down the cherry blossoms added some nice color to things. I’m not sure if we are having a drought or if this is typical for the season, but all the creeks were low to the point of being almost dry. And the red fire hazard flags were also in abundance. Smokey’s Korean cousin (if he has a name, I don’t know it) was spreading the word that only you can prevent forest fires! Well, techincally, he is saying be careful, but I’m used to the message I grew up with. From the summit on the Seoraksan highway. Again, I wish it had been clearer. But it was still quite beautiful. My photography fails to capture how nice it was. I don’t want to come off as some kind of geek, but I couldn’t help but be impressed at the time and effort the Koreans put into simple things like culverts. This is pretty typical of the rock work seen along the country highways. Did I mention the road was long and winding? It was. My Hangul reading ability is so slow as to be useless when driving. But as anyone who has ridden with me through the mountains can attest, I do enjoy a challenge. And the thrill of cheating death. Having arrived safely at Naksan Beach, I ventured out to Daepohang, the little fishing port nearby. The traditional Korean dried fish (I think it is called bukho) was in abundance. But of course, the fresh catch of the day is the biggest attraction. My purchase, take 1. My purchase, Take 2. My purchase, Take 3. My purchase, epilog. The way it works next is you carry the freshly prepared fish across the alley where a restuarant will serve it up with the requisite side dishes. My problem is I’m not real big on raw fish. Fortunately, they also let you cook it up in this great soup concoction. Call me culturally insensitve if you will, but that’s the way I like it! Did a little walking around, and caught this tranquil scene at the end of a little jetty. This was the off-off season in Naksan apparently. Hucksters were practically begging me to check into their lodging and eat in the near empty restaurants. I settled for this little condotel (a room with a kitchenette, not that I used it) right on the beach. W40,000 per night (around $35) I was on the top floor, far left. The view from my room. That night, there was a beautiful full moon reflecting off the water. My attempt to photograph it resulted in total failure. Things were so dead I felt like I was in a Ghost Town. I ventured out to a local Hof for some chicken and beer, hit the PC bang to check my blog and email, and visited a dried fish store to get some gifts for the office folks and friends in Seoul. Seaweed and squid make the perfect gift. I hope. The next moring I slept too late to see the famous east coast sunrise (very popular at Lunar New Year and I imagine Easter Sunday). The fishing boats were out and about however. Took a walk on the beach and got a better picture of a fishing boat plying its trade… After checking out of the hotel and before beginning my journey home, I stopped at the nearby Naksan Buddhist Temple. Spectacular grounds and buildings, all sharing a magnificent ocean view. The detail work is quite impressive, don’t you think? This statue (I’m no Buddhist, but I think its called Wuisangdae) is at the highest point of the temple grounds and really dominates the vista. Places of worship always have the idol figure. This one was unique because it had a window arranged so you could view the statue from inside the temple. Again, my camera skills (or lack thereof) don’t quite capture how cool this really was. Not sure what the symbolism of this represents, but I thought it was worthy of a photo. Did I mention the views from the temple grounds were outstanding. They were. Another perspective of the main temple. I’m not sure this does so effectively, but I was trying capture the enormity and dominance of the Wuisangdae statue. This is literally my parting shot–the last photo taken on this trip. So, the drive home was most uneventful. I took a different route, and got a little lost when I first left. I was compensated for the lost time by a backroad drive through tiny farming villages that were really quite charming and peaceful. On the way back I stopped at one of the roadside service areas and had an W5000 all-you-can-eat Korean buffet. Unfortunately, all I could manage was about W1000 worth. Imagine a greasy spoon truck stop and you will have the USA equivalent. Everything went well until I got about 30 kms from Seoul. I had missed the expressway so I was on surface streets in Friday rush hour traffic. Those last 30 clicks took me over 2 hours to complete. I was a little stressed and exhausted when I finally made it home, but it was a great trip. I am resolved to get my lazy ass out of town on a monthly basis. Turns out there is life outside of Itaewon after all. Go figure. 09/April/2009I arrived safe and sound and am posting this update from a local PC bang. Another first time experience in Korea. It pretty much sucks as this computer is slower than molasses. Ah well, it ain’t chillin’ my buzz. Got a nice ocean view room for W40,000 at a local condotel. Very comfortable. Witnessed a beautiful full moon over the water tonight which was more than worth the price of admission. Drove the long and winding road over Seraksan which was also a visual treat. Traversed the fish market in Daepohang which was a bit different. Got reminded after a late lunch that raw fish and me are not on good terms. This is the off season here and the town is QUIET, QUIET, QUIET! No worries, I’m just going to relax and enjoy the beach. Purchased a nice new digital camera for the trip so upon my return I will post photos and commentary on my adventure. Cheers! It is springtime in Korea. The best time of the year (although autumn is a close second). I admit to having a developed a rather strong case of Spring Fever. And the best cure is to hit the road and see something new. So this morning I’m off to the east coast. Of Korea, that is. From the photos I’ve seen it’s relatively rural, scenic, and most importantly for me, someplace I’ve never been. New is good. My specific destination is Gangwon-do, Yangyang-gun, Naksan Beach. Here’s a link from the Tourism Office if you want to know exactly as much as I do at this point. I’m driving. Which is something I almost never do in Korea (except within my comfort zone–a 10km radius of Itaewon). So, wish me luck with that. If I’m not back in a couple of days, send out a posse! Although I won’t be posting during my travels, I hope to have something blog-worthy to write about the trip upon my return. Stay tuned!
The Marmot’s Hole links to this story in Time magazine about the top 10 things to do/see in Seoul. In 4+ years I have managed to accomplish only 7 of them. In my defense, I’ve spent some quality time doing an in-depth study of the nooks and crannies of #5 on Time’s list (Itaewon of course). 08/April/2009Ok, as previously noted I like most Korean movies. Attack the Gas Station! was definitely a disappointment however, even moreso because it had come recommended as a “must see”. Well, there’s no accounting for taste I suppose. The whole film seemed rather pointless, psuedo-violence and sight gags repeated repetitively. For a film that I imagine was intended as a comedy (ok, Wiki says “satire”), the laughs were few and far between. The Netflix cover indicated it was a commetary on the “social turmoil in contemporary South Korea” (it was filmed in 1999). I must have missed that part. It took me two nights to get through it, as I fell asleep half way through. Here’s what Wikipedia had to say. If you appreciate what passes for comedy on Korean TV, perhaps you’ll like this film. As for me, I’ll give it a 1 rating, because I thought it sucked. The other film I watched (again courtesy of Netflix) was Ditto. I knew what to expect from this one, as I had watched the American remake The Lake House. There were some pretty significant plot changes between the two, and I found the American version more satisfying. Anyway, the story is about a young Korean woman attending university in 1979 who is able to communicate with another student in the year 2000 via HAM radio, through some Twilight Zone type magic. What I found most interesting were the references to events in Korea during the late 70s of which I was vaguely familiar. Seeing them dramatized was pretty fascinating. I really didn’t like the ambiguous ending, but had I seen this version first, perhaps I wouldn’t have expected more. Anyway, other than being even a tad more melodramatic than the Korean norm, it was not a bad watch. Solid 3 from me on this one. With this post I’ve innaugarated a new post category I believe is aptly named “movies”. Up next: Please Teach Me English. Bet you can’t wait! Perhaps a new feature for the LTG faithful. Not that I’m qualified to answer, but I have gotten a couple of informal inquiries, so I will take a crack at responding. The first wasn’t exactly posed to me directly, but rather as a Google search of “how to overcome doubts when facing the final game in darts” which led the requester to one of my dart posts. I don’t think that particular post was responsive to the question however. So, here goes: In my view, darts is one part mechanics, one part strategy, and one part mental. I wouldn’t go so far as to say they are equal parts, but they are equally important in that your game will suffer significantly if you are weak in any one of them. This question on overcoming doubts relates to the mental portion of the game, which coincidentally may be the weakest aspect of my play. Which means I’ve thought about it a lot, but just have not found any completely satisfactory solutions. This is what I strive for: 1. Play the board, not your opponent. In league or tournament play you will inevitably encounter a player who is statistically superior. They can be beat of course, but you have to be on your game. Ultimately, it doesn’t matter who you are playing because it comes down to you and the board. Simply stated, while you can’t control your opponents throws, you can control your darts. It’s you against the board, so play your game, your way. 2. Stay focused. So what if your opponent comes out with a 7-mark or high ton to start the game, there’s a long way to go and a lot of numbers left to work with. If you get shook, or strive for perfection on every throw, you increase the odds of failure. Steady beats flashy, at least most of the time. 3. Think positive. Easier said than done to be sure. But it is my observation that when you go to oche you should be thinking “I’m going to hit this” rather than “I can’t miss this”. Visualize success, not the consequences of failure. And don’t let the bad dart you just threw impact the darts in hand. Too often one miss turns into three because that first dart gets in your head and starts the self-fulfilling negative thought processes. 4. Don’t let up. I find I tend to play better from behind. It seems when I have a lead I relax or deviate from playing solid fundamentals. Keep the killer instinct from the first dart to the out. 5. Relax. At least in Pub play, it’s important to have fun. When you are having fun, you tend to be relaxed. I frequently throw my best darts in practice or pick-up games. In league play, I put pressure on myself (e.g. don’t let the team down) which tends to make me tense and tight which affects accuracy. Take some deep breaths at the oche, block out distractions (internal and external) and let the dart fly. Hit or miss, that’s the best you can do. And there’s always another game and redemption on the horizon. The second question comes from commenter Dentoku, who asks: How much does beer drinking during a tournament affect your play? The short answer is “as much as I let it”. I have touched on this briefly, but I will elaborate a bit more here. Darts is a sport of hand/eye coordination. So, anything that adversely affects your motor skills is going to adversely affect your game. However, many darters subscribe to the theory that drinking actually enhances their game. So, what’s the explanation? I think it comes down to throwing relaxed. Especially for experienced darters, your throwing rhythm and release point can be attributed to muscle memory (meaning lower brain functioning). When you overlay cognitive thinking you tend to “aim” and force the darts, instead of “seeing” the target and throwing to it naturally. So for me, 2-3 beers and I’m relaxed and in the zone. 5-6 and I’m getting uncoordinated and generally worthless. Your mileage may vary. Thanks for participating in this edition of Ask a Darter. The Little Prince and the Fox. Hat Tip: Althouse. Also: From the comments: From Tales of Saphhrion by Saint-Arthas: A frog that lives in Alaska will freeze solid like a rock. There are no snakes in Alaska to eat the frog because they would freeze also. The frog who lives in Alaska is safe yet frozen. 07/April/2009It was good to see a comment from my old bud and longtime reader Neil (Thirsty). Surprised to see he is in Jakarta these days. One of the things I dislike most about life in Korea is the transient nature of the relationships with people you meet. Friends come and go with a regular frequency that takes some getting used to. One purpose of this blog has been to stay connected with these folks who all too often scatter like the leaves from a Maple. That was probably the most frustrating part of losing my domain name, because I (well, LTG) suddenly just disappeared and I had no means to get the word out on where I might be found. Anyway, well met Neil. Never had the chance to say a proper goodbye, but on your next visit to Korea we’ll raise a pint in Cheers! Actually, I suspect it will be in Dolce Vita, but you get my meaning… So sayeth Nicolas Cage. Coincidentally, after darts Saturday I had my usual Korean dinner. Given my state of inebriation (exacerbating my mediocre chopstick skills) I could honestly have said ”kimchi is in my stomach and on my shirt”. The movie trailer looks pretty cool though. Hat Tip to Brian in Jeollanam-do 06/April/2009Last night I watched two more street DVDs. And also enjoyed a nice American ribeye cooked just right on the grill. And the weather is fine for grillin’ these days. Let’s get on with the show…. Taking Chance. Starring Kevin Bacon as LT COL Michael Strobl (hope I abbrievated the rank right. Army uses LTC, Air Force does it Lt. Col., not sure what the Marines do). This true story tells of Strobl escorting the body of a young Marine PFC, Chance Phelps, after his death in Iraq from the mortuary at Dover AFB to his home in Wyoming. A heartfelt and moving story that makes you really feel the power and impact of the ultimate sacrafice these young men and women make in service to their country. You can read what Wikipedia had to say here. I’m not ashamed to admit it really choked me up. And made me proud to be an American. I give it a 4+. The Accidental Husband. Starring Uma Thurmond, Colin Firth and Jeffrey Dean Morgan. Well, I like Uma Thurmond. A lot. But even she couldn’t save this trite farce. I don’t know, movies like this just don’t resonate with me. Maybe it was a chick flick that I just didn’t get. More likely, it was just typical Hollywood crap. Watch it if you’ve got a couple hours of your life to waste. A low 2, and I’m being generous. On the horizon: This week’s Netflix movies have arrived. Three Korean films are on tap–Please Teach Me English, Ditto, and Attack the Gas Station!. Check back later in the week for the lowdown. Cheers! The Blue Bulls took down Beer B4 Bulls from Blue Frog tonight 22-15. I was a disappointing 6-6, but hit my share of marks, including a 5 bull, two 3BCs, and a 7 mark. So, we should still be clinging to first place, pending our make up game Thursday with Eberhardt. Stay tuned. |
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