Back in Seoul after an uneventful final night in the village of Anjeong-ri. And I’m pretty certain it was indeed the final time I’ll have a reason to venture out to Pyeongtaek. There’s really nothing there for me now. I wish I had appreciated the good things I had when I was living there but perhaps coming to understand and accept what was, and finding peace with that, made this trip worthwhile. It’s all in the past now and I come away knowing that my life in Barretto is where I belong. At least for now.
Two nights and a day left on this trip here in Seoul. I’ll be with the nephew and a couple of friends tonight for dinner and some drinking. Tomorrow I’ll be meeting up with Kevin Kim, the famous Incheon to Busan walker, for a “pleasant” five to six-hour hike to Bundang, wherever the hell that is. I’m a bit nervous because that’s about twice as far as I normally walk in a day, and my walks are broken up into morning and afternoon segments. Should be interesting to see how my body responds. Especially in this cold weather. Kevin is also planning a home-prepared meal for after the hike, assuming I survive.
I’m trying to keep my focus on all that I have to be thankful for in life, not the things that I’ve lost and miss. It’s still a struggle at times, but thus far I’m doing much better at avoiding being sucked into the memory hole this trip.
Last night I had a pleasant pork galbi dinner with my former Deputy. She doesn’t drink, so we parted company after we finished our meal. I met up with an old dart buddy and his wife afterward and we caught up over some beers. We said our goodnights at a bar I used to frequent named Arirang. I was sweet on one of the bartenders there back in the day, but alas, she was not at work, she was playing a pool league match.
Next, I ventured over to another of my old haunts, Horse and Cow. I was greeted warmly by the owner, a woman I know only as “mama”.
That’s me saying my goodbye to Mama on my last night before moving to Korea.
Horse and Cow has some history for me. It was where I was the night Loraine sent me her devastating breakup text message. It was also where I met and very briefly dated a Filipina bartender named Joy. Oh man, did that end badly! It was my fault and she was unforgiving. So I was very surprised to see her working last night (she had quit the bar right around the time of our breakup). She didn’t seem all that happy to see me again, but at least she responded to my greeting. She hadn’t spoken to me since the night I called her a f’n bitch (yelled it actually) on the street. Long story that I’m not going to retell now. Anyway, I decided to move on to another bar.
Crystal Bar was another regular stop on my circuit back in the day. And once again I was given a hearty welcome from an old friend working the bar, Seonnyeo.
That’s her on the right…
And wouldn’t you know it? Hana, the girl from Arirang, was playing her pool league match at Crystal. She came over and greeted me as well.
I really liked this one, but sadly it was not a mutual attraction. Then or now.
Anyway, I bought Seonnyo a lady drink, finished my beer and headed out. A few minutes later I received this message from her:
Handsome John! Thanks for you stop by crystal tonight! you’re not forgot here I’m so glad to see u again tonight. It was ssooo surprised me!
Ain’t that sweet?
I popped into the bar next door, one I had kind of scratched off my list of places I’d visit when I still lived here. I was somewhat taken aback to be greeted by name by a woman I didn’t recognize. She told me that another woman I briefly dated, Mi Young, and her had gotten into a fight about me. The explanation was a bit fuzzy or I was a bit drunk, or both, but I had no recollection of anything like that happening. Strange. Anyway, she’s a Filipina and a new Facebook friend:
Nice to meet you (again?) Bon Ivy!
Prudence prevailed and I headed back to my hotel shortly thereafter.
Met up with my old team today for a non-traditional Thanksgiving feast. And when I’m in Korea, that means grilled meats.
Fire it up!Chowin’down!
I was a bit melancholy when after a coffee shop waffle dessert I said my goodbyes. Likely for the last time. It was a good run, but time moves forward, not back.
I walked to the hotel from the coffee shop, a path I often walked when this is where I lived. And then I passed a small store with some hiking pants on display outside. I went inside not hopeful they’d have my size, but after trying on two pairs, one of them actually fit! So for only W12,000 my upcoming massive hike on Saturday will at least be somewhat more comfortable from the waist down.
Some Mexican food and another bar crawl are on tap for tonight.
Greetings from Korea! Just a quick post to update my faithful followers on the journey thus far.
No issues getting here which is always a plus.
I flew out of the Philippines on Korean Air and enjoyed this nice large business class seat. Yeah, I paid a premium for the privilege.
Another nice perk is being one of the first off the plane. I got through immigration in five minutes or so, and my bag with “priority” handling was one of the first off the plane. Exchanged some dollars for Won then I scooted out to the AREX and caught the express train to Seoul Station with barely a wait.
If I had any trouble on the trip at all it was with the cab I caught to take me to my lodging. I took the first taxi in the queue and said “Crown hotel Itaewon please”. The driver looked at me and either he didn’t understand or didn’t know where the hotel was. So, I repeated again with the same response. Finally, a little frustrated, I just said “Itaewon, near Noksapyeong Station.” He seemed to understand that and off we went. Now, the route he took had me shaking my head, certainly never the way I’ve gone from Seoul Station before. We wound up going through the Namsan tunnel but the roundabout way got us there. Truthfully, it probably didn’t add much if anything to the fare. The fare was around W8,000 and all I had on me was 50,000 notes. He looked at me like I was crazy and said “pay with card!” I guess he meant the T-money card, but I don’t have one. So I told him to wait while I go inside to get change. He did, I did, I paid, tipped, and he left. In retrospect, I honestly think he didn’t know where the hotel was located.
So, after checking in and dropping off my bags I hurried out to Shenanigans to meet my friends Wan Jun and Becky. They were waiting when I arrived. We enjoyed a couple of beers and some chat and then called it a night. I drank the local OB draft beer (W3500) because I just couldn’t bear to pay W7000 for a San Miguel beer I can buy for a buck back home.
I was up earlier than normal this morning, mostly due to the fact that Korea time is an hour later than my body says it is. Showered, dressed and caught a cab (without incident) to Yongsan Station.
Rode this ITX train to Pyeontaek station and it took less than an hour. A nice ride. Korea definitely has first world infrastructure!
Another cab ride from Pyeontaek to my hotel in Anjeong-ri. Too early to check-in, so dropped my bags and had a look around town. Not much has changed since my last visit, although I noted a couple of new bars have opened and some business I didn’t think would make it remain open. I had another hour to kill before my lunchtime engagement so naturally, I took a walk.
I did the river walk and I could definitely feel the chill in the air. Well, technically, I felt it in my lungs. Cold air and COPD is apparently not a good combination. Hopefully, I’ll get acclimated to it before my big hike on Saturday.
I crashed joined the party as my former staff honored the retirement of Mr. So after 49 years of service with USFK.
Good luck to you and enjoy your1 well-earned retirement
Got dropped off at the hotel after lunch and took a much-needed nap. Tonight I’m having dinner with my former Deputy to get caught up on all the happenings. She’ll be leaving for a new job in the States next month and part of the motivation for this trip was to give her a proper goodbye.
After dinner, I plan to visit some of my old haunts (yeah, I mean the bars). So far at least I’m keeping the past in the past and just trying to enjoy myself. I guess my insight is that I didn’t let myself enjoy my one year living here because I was too busy swimming in self-pity. Ah well, that was then, this is now.
Greetings from Clark International Airport in less than lovely Angeles City. I’m currently ensconced in the Korean Air lounge with an hour to kill before boarding my flight to Incheon. So I’m going to kill it with you.
How long is the trip between summer and winter? Well, today it’s gonna be a four-hour journey. Since winter does not exist in the Philippines I do not possess much in the way of cold weather garments. I did rummage through the guest room closet to see what I might have stashed in there after the move.
Turns out I do have a jacket. Now, that’s not a winter coat by a long shot but it’s a start… And I have my old 8th Army sweater that I can wear underneath the jacket…And if things get really cold I can wear this sweatshirt under the sweater.
I guess that’s as prepared as it’s gonna get for me. Wish me luck! (I have no idea why those last two photos are coming up sideways, I didn’t save them that way. Sorry!)
Had an okay Hash yesterday, the Hare, Almoranus, gave us a steep climb up the big mountain. But once up top, his trail took us on a gentle downward trajectory to the beach and we walked the beach most of the way back to our on-home at Midnight Rambler. Here are some photos from the journey:
The short version of the trail was about 7.5K…Offloading from the Hashmobile…And after crossing the highway we immediately began our ascent.This bridge wasn’t really so bad compared to some I’ve crossed…Looking back down at the bay as we climb…A mountain home.So, whenever I start bitching about how tough it is on the trail it seems I see something that humbles me…Looking down on Olongapo City from our mountaintop vantage point.Back down on the beach…It was high tide so that meant climbing over some big rocks or wading in the water. I climbed, Pubic Head waded.Safely back “on-home” in time to enjoy a sunset on the bay.
Alrighty then. Time to say so long to the Philippines for now. Korea here I come!
Making final preparations for my trip to Korea tomorrow. In some ways revisiting my old haunts feels almost like traveling back in time. Except I know what the future holds. On my last trip, I wound up getting overwhelmed by memories and got depressed enough that I cut the visit short. I’m playing it safe this time by limiting myself to five days in country. Yeah, I’m pathetic I know.
Speaking of time travel, I came across this YouTube clip that is actually quite funny. I sometimes fantasize about having a time machine but I think the video makes a valid point about the physics involved, albeit in a humorous fashion. It’s only five minutes long, give it a watch:
Of course, Facebook takes me back in time on a regular basis through its memories feature.
That’s me seven years ago…
And this is the crowd I used to hang with. The bar, Bull and Barrel, is long gone as are most of the people. One dead, one in jail, a couple deported, others went home. Me? I got divorced and moved to the Philippines. Everything changes.
What else? Well, how about this article about the evolution of a dog’s love. I don’t know about the science involved, but you should hear my two go nuts when I come home after a night on the town. You’d think I’d been gone for years. Buddy stands on his hind legs and actually gives me hugs. It’s pretty damn sweet, that’s for sure.
“Play dead, Lucky!” Heh, I wish I could train him that good. That’s just the way he sleeps. He’s actually quite stupid, but he’s a good boy…
I went ahead a purchased the premium plan for my Spotify music app. It works so much better than YouTube for hiking entertainment, especially given the spotty data network in these parts. Plus there are no commercials and I’m able to build playlists so I like every song I hear. I’ve made two lists so far–“Walk and Roll” and “Walkaholic”. Good stuff!
I did a pleasant 8K valley hike yesterday. I’m scheduled to be the Hare on December 16, so I might just piss off the masochists with a nice flat trail. We’ll see.
Alright, time to finish packing and get ready for today’s Hash. I saw part of the trail on this morning’s walk, so I reckon the Hare’s are taking us up the big mountain again. Bastards!
Be it ever so humble, I’m back home to reality. I’ll take it as a good sign that I’m happy to be here.
My last night in Vietnam was spent at an Aussie bar named Blue Gecko, playing darts with my old friends Alex and John, along with my new dart league teammates who made me feel welcome. I was pleased to play well enough to win all the games in which I participated, and that contributed to an upset of one of the top ranked teams in the league. A team consisting of Filipinos, which I thought was a little ironic.
Speaking of John, he was involved in a motor scooter accident after our dinner gathering on Saturday night. I felt especially bad because during dinner I had asked him about how dangerous it looks to ride in this city and whether he had ever experienced a crash. He hadn’t. Until I jinxed him I guess. Check out attorneys for an auto accidents, here!
He was lucky coming out of it with just a cut above the eye, a shiner, a gash on his knee, and some whiplash. He wasn’t up to playing darts so I was happy to fill in on his behalf.
Got home from the bar late (for me) and had a 5:30 a.m. alarm, ahead of my 6:30 ride to the airport for my flight’s 9:30 departure. All were accomplished on time, no thanks to the Vietnamese immigration departure queue. Longest damn line I ever did see, but I made it through with 30 minutes to spare. But while driving after drinking, we need to remember that a majority of the accidents happen due to the negligence of the driver or due to drunk driving. You can click here if you are wondering What Does a DUI Cost in Orlando and Central Florida? We need to understand that such accidents that are caused due by negligence or carelessness can destroy many people’s lives and cannot be compensated with money.
The fact that I was flying on the anniversary of 9/11 didn’t escape my thoughts. I couldn’t help but notice the Muslim gentleman sitting on the aisle across from me (as evidenced by his beard and taqiyah), but I figured the odds were good that he was a peaceful follower of the faith. Still, when the flight attendant serving lunch reached our row and announced they were out of chicken and only had a pork dish remaining, I surreptitiously watched for his reaction. It was just a shrug and he went without. Mine was up to the standards you’d expect from a third world airline. We landed safely, avoiding damaging any buildings along the way.
My regular driver, Donny, was ill but he sent someone to pick me up as scheduled. We got stuck in Manila’s notorious traffic (crawling along bumper-to-bumper for over two hours). I guess the distance we traveled in that time to be maybe ten kilometers. I know I can walk faster than we were moving. Anyway, once we reached the expressway things went better, but it was still over 5 hours of driving all told. I hate Manila and try to avoid flying out of there, but there were no direct flights to Saigon from my preferred airport in Angeles City. Oh well, it’s done.
My dogs were ecstatic to see me, and it’s always good to feel that kind of pure love. The first thing my domestic helper said to me was “you’ve gained some weight”. Nice to see you too! She’s right though, I threw my semi-good eating habits out the window, reasoning that I was on vacation so why not? I also got in fewer steps than normal, and it shows. I’ve not gotten on the scale yet, but I’ve set a new reduction goal–down to 190 pounds.
In that regard, I’m re-instituting a strict(er) low carb diet regimen (didn’t even buy ice cream at the grocery store today!) and will get back into my 20,000+ steps per day habit. I’m planning on doing that intermittent fasting thing too–a hearty low-carb breakfast and not much else until a light evening meal. I will of course continue drinking beers, but at least I’m back on those low calorie San Miguel Zero’s.
And there you have it, one day back and already my blog is boring again. Normal ain’t so bad!
I fly out in the morning, so here’s a photo essay of my final hours in Saigon.
Monday night on Walking Street, the bar area in the “backpacker” district. Walking street is a bit of a misnomer, given that there was still plenty of motorbike traffic to avoid…This sign gave me a chuckle, although it was not enough to lure me in…I reckon I’ll miss Saigon some, but probably not the Miss Saigon…Truth be told, I didn’t really like the Walking street experience at all. It seemed like every bar was trying to out blast their neighbor’s bullshit music. Just give me that ole time rock-n-roll! Pretty busy for a Monday evening and it was obvious that the bars were going for a younger crowd. I don’t fit that demographic anymore nor do I want to…Hmm, what should I eat?Ah, this will do! Yeah, I had a burger and fries in Vietnam. Man does not live by Pho alone!So much to learn, so little time…An oyster bar snack, then bedtime…Up early this morning and after the hotel buffet, I headed out for my walk. Wound up down by the Saigon river.This is a tough city to walk in. Most streets have sidewalks but they serve mostly as motorcycle parking areas. It was a nice break to have an unobstructed path to walk and no need to dodge traffic…Enjoying the Saigon River views…Some type of government building. The red star Vietnamese flag and the omnipresent hammer and cycle are testaments to the communist heritage of the united Vietnam…And yet, free enterprise abounds as evidenced by the Ho Chi Minh stock exchange…And religion is openly practiced as well, at least the nuns I saw weren’t shy about parading about in their habits…Remnants of the war to expel the imperialist invaders and reunite the people of Vietnam, as seen at the Ho Chi Minh museum.The worst part of Saigon? Well, 7 million motorbikes make walking around a hazardous undertaking…The best part of Saigon? Well, I’ve got to say that the beauty of the Vietnamese women certainly rivals that of the Korean females I’ve so dearly loved…And after much exploration and trial and error, I can declare the In Sai Gong rooftop bar as my favorite watering hole. Although I never did have a water there…Here’s a job I could never do. Gave me the willies just watching them swing around up there like Spiderman…After all that walking, I was ready for some lunch. Chose this Vietnamese place around the corner from my hotel. Most expensive place I’ve eaten at this trip, but why not splurge and live a little? I am on vacation after all.Started with some honey garlic pork ribs that were quite delicious…Then I had half a roasted chicken that was possibly cooked (there were scorch marks on the bottom) and obviously served in this bamboo tube. Never seen that before. However it was prepared, it came out tasting most excellent.And when you order half a chicken, you get half a chicken. Including this foot. None for me, thanks!
Still a few nighttime hours to fill. Plan is to see Alex and the boys play darts then say my goodbyes. Probably head over to In Sai Gong for a final cold beer as well. Then it’s off to the airport at 0630 for my 0930 flight to Manila.
I’m glad I finally made it to Saigon. And even more glad it wasn’t as a soldier.
UPDATE: Well, turns out I was also “wrapping it up” back in November, 2015. I also had no idea that Jee Yeun would be wrapping up the marriage just a month later. Still hurts.
Winding it down on my penultimate day in Vietnam. I’m still enjoying walking about and exploring my little part of the city during the day, and of course, the bars at night.
Speaking of walking, I intended to Hash yesterday with the local Saigon kennel. Walked over to the meeting place and arrived early. Then it started pouring down rain. Well, I had been on the fence about participating to begin with. I wasn’t comfortable being bused out of town and getting lost or something, then missing the ride back. Yeah, I’m a wimp. The rain gave me a good excuse to bail and I took it.
Here’s some random pictures from my journey I haven’t posted yet:
Met up with a couple of friends last night at a bar with a happy hour special that couldn’t be beat. All the Tiger draft you could drink between 3-7 p.m. for 145,000 dong ($7). I didn’t start until 4:30 and still got my money’s worth…The bar also featured live music from a Filipino band. Wish they had a sexy Pinay singing though…Yesterday I went to a restaurant for lunch run by a guy from South Africa. I had some beef stew and it was actually awesome…As I mentioned in yesterday’s “foodie” post, I sometimes just snack at the bar instead of having a proper meal. These mussels were a tasty treat…And I ordered a side of kimchi to go with them and it was also quite tasty.Quaffed a few brews in here the other night. Barkeep didn’t speak any English, but we had some fun with Google translate.One of my walks took me to Walking Street, which is where all the backpackers seem to congregate. Lots of hostels and small hotels. And plenty of bars like this one. I do enjoy sitting outside and watching the world pass by when I’m having a cold alcoholic beverage. My favorite bar so far though is the Sai Gone rooftop bar. And this cutie is the sweetest bargirl I’ve met this trip…
I’m going to say right up front that I’m no “foodie”. In fact, I’m not all that adventurous when it comes to exploring local cuisine in general and street food in particular. So, why am I doing a post about the food I’ve eaten thus far during my Vietnam adventure?
Kevin Kim that is. One of my faithful readers and commenters truly is a foodie and has expressed interest in how I like the food here.
Let’s eat!
This morning’s breakfast. My hotel has a free buffet and it’s not bad. They have an egg station where you can eat more traditionally, but where’s the fun in that? That’s a nice clam and corn soup in the bowl. Curried chicken and spiced fish, bacon, watermelon and a tasty roll. I didn’t like the fish, the only “traditional” Vietnamese dish on my plate. It was too hot for my taste.They also have a juice station, but I’ll be damned if I’m going to drink this! Yeah, yeah, I’ve licked my share over the years, but you’ve got to draw the line somewhere…
Last night, my pal Alex invited me out to his favorite restaurant for some leg of lamb.
I guess one of the last vestiges of the French colonial days is the abundance of tasty baked breads.The meal also featured a tasty Greek salad.About the only time I eat lamb is in a kebab, so I’m no expert. But this had a unique flavor which I assume was a Vietnamese twist to spicing. It was really good.No one had a bone to pick about the meal……right Alex?
The best meal I’ve had so far though was the lunch served during the Mekong river tour I took on Friday. It was also probably the most traditional Vietnamese fare I’ve had on this trip.
I have absolutely never seen fish served in this fashion. When I first set down at the table I thought it was just a decoration. It was quite tasty.Some of the other dishes served, including meat on a stick, spring rolls, and those yellow fish-eye looking things.
Now one Vietnamese diet staple is the bahn mi sandwich. I think I saw them featured on an old Anthony Bourdain episode and I’ve wanted to try one since I arrived. Oddly enough, when I asked hotel staff for a good bahn mi restaurant, I was told the best ones were from the street vendors. Go figure. Anyway, after my morning walk yesterday, I brought one home:
Decisions, decisions. I went with the pork… Oh, if you are curious, the dollar buys 23,000 dong at current exchange rates. So these sandwiches are relatively inexpensive. It felt good cashing in those Ben Franklin’s and walking out of the bank with some big dong! *ahem*My bahn mi chef hard at work…
It was quite tasty, although I would have liked more meat. At Subway I always ordered double meat, an option I was unable to request given the language barrier…
Dining out has kind of been hit or miss. Usually drink until hungry, then either eat at the bar or pop into a nearby restaurant. Sometimes I’m not even sure what’s on offer. Stopped into this place the other night with some mates, and it was almost like being back in Korea, but without kimchi.
Yep, grilled meats! And this seafood stew was quite good as well…
And about the only other Vietnamese delicacy I’ve had thus far is a soup called Pho.
Looks like this and is also quite tasty. Although the one I had was chicken and there were more noodles than meat. Especially good after some hard beer drinking.
Did an all day tour yesterday, featuring the Cu Chi tunnels and the Mekong river delta area, both of which are about an hour and a half from Saigon. I do enjoy travel and seeing new places and things, but I don’t like being a tourist. Or to be more precise, I don’t enjoy guided tours much. Yesterday was a prime example of why.
Got picked up at the hotel as scheduled at 7:30, then drove a ways across town in heavy traffic to pick up more tourists. When everyone was on board a bit after 8:00 we headed south. Our tour guide was a 20-something Vietnamese man who said his name was “Laughing”. His English was almost understandable. He seemed very proud of his country and there is nothing wrong with that of course. But my first red flag of the day was when we pulled into a small factory where traditional Vietnam paintings made from eggshells and seashells were manufactured. Laughing told the government built the factory to enable area residents who had suffered birth defects after American use of poison gas during the war. I assumed he meant Agent Orange. Throughout the day, Laughing never missed an opportunity to regurgitate the anti-American propaganda he’d been fed his whole life.
Anyway, the factory was NOT part of the tour package and it was only mildly interesting to see the process used by the workers in creating their art. And surprise, surprise the guide led us into a large showroom full of completed objects available for our purchase. For the first of many times I muttered “this is bullshit”.
In due course we made on way onward to the Cu Chi tunnels that had been instrumental in the North’s attacks on the South throughout the war. It was a pretty impressive engineering fete, no question about it. Laughing’s commentary about the means and methods used to kill the American invaders got old pretty fast though. I found myself biting my tongue to avoid asking what about the South Vietnamese Army troops, who far outnumbered the Yanks, were as fun to kill as well. Anyway, you get the idea. And I acknowledge that the victor gets to write the history of the war in the manner of his choosing. Hell, I was a vocal opponent of the war back then, but something about Laughing’s gleeful stories about how the wise Viet Cong lured the foolish Americans into their gruesome traps was off-putting. I was glad to finally depart for the Mekong portion of the tour.
We stopped for lunch along the way and I’ll have to give credit where it is due, it was a damn fine meal. I’m going to do a “foodie” post tomorrow, so I’ll save that story and photos until then.
The Mekong was disappointing as well, or to be fair, not what I expected. I was envisioning a river cruise, instead we boarded a derelict river boat and went to the other side. Upon arrival, we were served a honey tea and some banana chips. Both were quite good. Then Laughing came around with a beehive and talked about how the honey was used in several “miracle” products to improve health and skin. And wouldn’t you know it? Those products just happened to be available for purchase. I thought now that is real B.S. (bee shit). I did buy some overpriced banana chips which were quite tasty.
Next we walked a bit up the river to a place where we were treated to some traditional Vietnamese music. I’m sorry, the Vietnamese spoken language is even more grating on the ears than Chinese. At least to me. And when sung it sounds like high pitched screeching. The instruments were twangy but not unpleasant however. Tip boxes were conveniently brought around to our tables and of course I contributed. After all, the did stop singing and that was a behavior worth rewarding!
We then walked some more, boarded golf carts for a bit, then walked through some yards (felt like Hashing almost), and then boarded some canoe like things for a ride down a canal and back to the riverside. We were encouraged to tip the boat rowers, and hell, they deserved it managing to move our fat asses downstream.
Once back on the river shore we were given a demonstration of how coconut candy was made. Didn’t much care about that, although the sample was tasty enough. And of course, they had some for sale. No thanks!
Back on the boat at last and we were provided some coconut juice (still in the shell) to enjoy. Then we boarded the van for the two hour ride back to Saigon, where we arrived at 6:00 p.m. It was a long day of touring and it took several hours of beer drinking last night to wash the taste out of my mouth. Here’s the photos:
A tunnel. I went into one but didn’t stay long. It required crawling around on my hands and knees to get through. No thanks!One of the booby traps used to kill or maim American soldiers. No mention of the South Vietnam troops though.Laughing took great pleasure in describing the way these traps caused painful injuries made worse by trying to escape. More traditional killing machines were also on display…By the end of the tour I was ready to kick some Viet Cong ass, not withstanding my opposition to the war…An hour and a half later we stopped at this rest area for lunch. Nicest rest area I’ve ever seen and the food was quite good.We finally arrived at the Mekong river…And boarded this piece of shit for a river ride.That’s Laughing describing how clean and wonderful the Mekong waters are, despite the brown color.If you say so…The bees that shit to make the honey that makes the miracle cures that just happened to be on sale…Then it was time for a pain in the ears. Not saying they weren’t talented, just not to my liking.Down this creek we were destined to travel…Thankfully, we had two locals to do the paddling…That would be me back aboard our river yacht enjoying some coconut juice.And then a two hour ride back to Saigon. I’m told there are 7 million motorbikes in the city and I believe it…I’m not sure what it is about a Vietnamese gal on a bike that trips my triggers. Oh wait, maybe she’s right!Finished the night with beers and music from a Filipino band. Much easier on my old man ears, that’s for sure.
Alright, dinner plans tonight and hopefully something worthwhile to add to my foodie post tomorrow. Stay tuned!
So far, so good. Still feeling my way around Saigon/HCMC, but I rather like it. In fact, Vietnam is now ahead of Cambodia as a “Plan B” option should life in the Philippines not work out. Saigon (I prefer that name and will use it henceforth) is comparatively clean (isn’t everywhere compared to the PI?), modern, and bustling. I have never in my life seen so many damn motor scooters! I’m pressed for time this afternoon, so let’s let the photos do the talking.
DAY 1: Nice airport, only hold up was the visa process took about 30 minutes, but sailed through immigration/customs. Hotel transportation was there waiting and whisked us to the Lotus Central hotel.
It is a clean and functional 8 story hotel and I’m very comfortable here so far. Around 50 bucks a night.Room is smallish, bed is comfortable, wifi works well.Seeing this put a smile on my face. I do miss my bidet days…Up on the roof is this lovely swimming pool which I’ve not used and probably won’t. In fact, I haven’t seen anyone else using it either…The rooftop also affords beautiful views of the city like this one. This is similar to the view from my room, only 2 floors down. Another shot of the Saigon skyline…My first meal in Vietnam was this chicken dish for lunch. Big bag of fries came with it. It was in this back alley cafe near my hotel where I enjoyed street side dining… And my first Vietnamese beer.
I did a quick walk around the neighborhood, then had to get ready for a meetup with some old friends from my Seoul days who live here now. I had an address and a Grab driver dropped me off at said address. But there was no bar to be seen there. So I walked over to the bar district and started asking other bar patrons where Shooters bar might be. Most didn’t know or gave me wrong directions. Finally, an American in a bar was able to give me specific detailed guidance on reaching my destination. Which took me right back to where the Grab car had left me. What the hell? About that time my friend Alex arrived.
He apologized for the confusion and pointed up to the 3rd floor. I still didn’t see it as the bar has absolutely no signage. We walked into what looked like an office lobby and took an elevator upstairs.
It’s a tiny place, even smaller than Alley Cats, my local darts venue in the PI. Very narrow, but has 4 dart boards with computerized scoring. Actually very nicely done.
I got drafted to play with Alex’s team in a league match against the top rated team in Saigon. We got our asses kicked, but I did manage to win a best of 5 singles match 3-1. So, I can add Vietnam to the countries in which I’ve played competitive darts (USA, Korea, Japan, Thailand, Cambodia, Philippines).
And it was of course really great catching up with my old mates John (on the left) and Alex.After darts I walked back to the hotel. A little drunk but not hungry enough to eat here (yet).Settled for nice bowl of chicken pho at a place near the hotel. Sorry the pic is so shitty. Maybe I was drunker than I remember.
Day 2: Took a good long walk in the city to see what I could see. Saw the Ho Chi Minh museum with some captured American tanks and planes out front and thought about having a looksee, but changed my mind thinking I’d find the actual war museum I’d heard about. I didn’t though.
There was this cool tree though…
I guess snapping that photo tagged me as a tourist because the vendors descended upon me. One guy actually started “repairing” my shoes with glue. I’m like WTF, no thanks! But he kept right on. Then he untied my shoe and that was enough, I just walked away.
A Saigon street. Those cycle and hammer banners are everywhere…A monument to some past hero I suppose. Crossing streets here is insane for a pedestrian. I read somewhere that you are suppose to just keep your stride and pace as you cross and the motorbikes and cares will avoid you. I tried that and I guess it worked, or at least I wasn’t hit. Later I crossed with some locals and I noticed that they did in fact slow down to let cars and bikes go past. Geez, it’s a mystery how anyone lives to tell the tale of crossing some of these busy highways. Heh, I guess I just did though, didn’t I?Made it to the banks of the Saigon river. I’m still considering taking one of these “water buses” while I’m here, but haven’t yet. Tomorrow I’m doing an all day tour to the Mekong river delta…Needed some liquid refreshment and spied this rooftop bar name Sai Gone. Cold beer and hot waitresses! I was the only customer for awhile…Enjoyed “Cheap Charlies” like views, although the street action featured many young Vietnamese women instead of the old men of Barretto….
Met an American couple from California enjoying their honeymoon and shared some beers with them. I’m now Facebook friends with the wife! It started raining hard about the time I was planning to leave, so what could I do? Stay for more beer of course! Hey, I’m on vacation!
It was back to Sai Gon that night where I expected to meet some Hashers. I didn’t see any. Later as one guy was leaving he saw my Hash attire and said I could join them for a run on Sunday. Meet up at the Caravelle hotel. Let’s see if I can find it.
Very drunk end to the day, but once again I successfully found my way back home to the hotel. Day 3 report will have to wait as I have plans for more explorations in the bar district tonight and need to prepare.
Arrived safely and without incident. Got checked into my hotel room, which is quite nice for the price. Now I’m going to hit the mean streets of Saigon and do some exploring.
First impressions: It’s a comparatively clean city. I haven’t seen anything like the poverty that is rampant back home in the Philippines. Traffic is crazy but somehow it works, like a mad dance or something. Oh, and the women are quite gorgeous. They appear sweet and innocent, at least from a distance. Of course, I’ll need to investigate further.
I heard about the great food choices here in Vietnam. And they were right! Right outside baggage claim I find this:
Kevin Kim asked for lots of food pictures…here’s the first!
Just kidding, I’m holding out for some real food. Okay, time to get out there and have a look see.
Busy as a bee getting it all together for my next adventure. Completed my paperwork for the visa on arrival processing, did my Philippines Air check-in and printed out my boarding pass, and of course packed my suitcase.
I have a 6:55 a.m. flight to catch in Manila and my driver suggests we leave Barretto at 0100. Between now and then I’ve got a Hash to participate in and then hopefully a few hours sleep before hitting the road.
Forty-six years ago the last place I wanted to be on Earth is where I now happily choose to visit and explore. I guess the difference is that I have the choice. Back in 1973 you might say I won the lottery–a lottery to determine who would be called to serve (drafted) in Uncle Sam’s military endeavors. And also in 1973 the draft was ended (one month before I turned 18). At the time you might say it felt like I had dodged a bullet. I actually came to regret not volunteering for military service, but that’s another story for another day.
And now at long last Vietnam is indeed my immediate destiny. I’m looking forward to seeing what I missed, without all the gunfire, rockets, and bombing of course. As close as I’ll get to that violence is a planned excursion to the war museum.
And of course I’ll be sharing all the excitement from the trip right here on LTG. Stay tuned!
We met as soul mates On Parris Island We left as inmates From an asylum And we were sharp As sharp as knives And we were so gung ho To lay down our lives
We came in spastic Like tameless horses We left in plastic As numbered corpses And we learned fast To travel light Our arms were heavy But our bellies were tight
We had no home front We had no soft soap They sent us Playboy They gave us Bob Hope We dug in deep And shot on sight And prayed to Jesus Christ With all of our might
We had no cameras To shoot the landscape We passed the hash pipe And played our Doors tapes And it was dark So dark at night And we held on to each other Like brother to brother We promised our mothers we’d write
And we would all go down together We said we’d all go down together Yes we would all go down together
Remember Charlie Remember Baker They left their childhood On every acre And who was wrong? And who was right? It didn’t matter in the thick of the fight
We held the day In the palm Of our hand They ruled the night And the night Seemed to last as long as six weeks On Parris Island
We held the coastline They held the highlands And they were sharp As sharp as knives They heard the hum of our motors They counted the rotors And waited for us to arrive
And we would all go down together We said we’d all go down together Yes we would all go down together
And just like that it was over. The vacation I mean. Now I’m in the purgatory that is Incheon airport killing the long hours before my flight at 9:55 p.m.
But I’m killing those hours in style. For the first time ever I’ve booked myself a room at a transit hotel.
It’s actually similar in size to some regular hotels I’ve stayed in. This one reminds me of the Spartan, but functional, Red Planet hotel.And I’ve never had a room with this kind of view, that’s for sure. $60 buks for six hours.
Had a Taco Bell lunch and I reckon I’ll kill some time with a nice nap before my 8:30 check-out time.
My last night in Seoul was reminiscent of many nights I’ve enjoyed over the years. As is my custom I started out at Shenanigans where I was joined by my nephew Justin and my friend Becky. We sat at the window and enjoyed the people watching on the street below while quaffing our brews. Later on Justin and I wandered over to Scrooge Pub so I could say a final goodbye to the owner there, a sexy Korean lass.
Had a little incident there though. Some guy (sounded Aussie) a couple of chairs down the bar from me told me not to smoke in the bar. I gave my standard response of “I’m not smoking, I’m vaping”. He said “I don’t care, it smells like shit, take it outside”. So, I’d been drinking but I managed to maintain my self control and simply responded “You don’t tell me what to do, if the owner wants me to go outside she can tell me”. He got the owner’s attention and she told him “e-cigarette is okay here”. So that was that. But I really hate assholes like that. If he had been polite about it bothering him I likely would have moved to the other side of the bar. But fuck him.
After Scrooge, we went to another bar (JJ’s) where I said some more goodbyes. And then I ended the night at the oldest bar in Itaewon, the Grand Ole Opry. The bar has been featured here at LTG several times over the years, including the story about my first visit in April 2005. It was funny re-reading that post just now, especially the comments from ex-wife #3 and one from my now deceased father.
In another example of the bar’s timelessness, last night’s waitress was the same woman who was working there when I first visited all those years ago. Back then there were lots of folks (including Koreans) who would be out on the dance floor doing some good ol’ country dancing. I was drunk and had the urge to get my two steppin’ on so I asked the waitress if she’d dance with me in exchange for a drink. She responded ok, but just one dance. And so we did and it was fun (at least for me). Afterwards I mentioned all the good times I had over the years and she surprised me with “yeah, but you were always bringing other girls to dance with”. Well, damn.
Anyway, stumbled back to the hotel shortly thereafter, slept late (for me), did a McDonald’s breakfast, read Kevin’s post about our lunch, then packed up and caught the Airport Limo out to Incheon. And here I sit reminiscing over the life I’m finally putting behind me.
It’s been quite a ride, wouldn’t have missed it for the world.
The life ahead of me includes my two loving dogs. And I’ll be home in time to make tomorrow’s Hash. I’m ready.
I reckon I’m probably above average in both categories.
Our paths may never cross again Maybe my heart will never mend But I’m glad for all the good times Cause you’ve brought me so much sunshine And love was the best it’s ever been
I wouldn’t have missed it for the world Wouldn’t have missed loving you girl You’ve made my whole life worth while, with your smile I wouldn’t trade one memory Cause you mean too much to me Even though I lost you girl I wouldn’t have missed it for the world
They say that all good things must end Loves comes and goes just like the wind You’ve got your dreams to follow But if I had the chance tomorrow You know I’d do it all again
I wouldn’t have missed it for the world Wouldn’t have missed loving you girl You’ve made my whole life worth while, with your smile I wouldn’t trade one memory Cause you mean too much to me Even though I lost you girl I wouldn’t have missed it for the world
Oh I wouldn’t trade one memory Cause you mean too much to me Even though I lost you girl I wouldn’t have missed it for the world
I wouldn’t have missed it for the world Wouldn’t have missed loving you girl You’ve made my whole life worth while, with your smile I wouldn’t trade one memory Cause you mean too much to me Even though I lost you girl I wouldn’t have missed it for the world
At a reader’s request here I am this morning in front of my former home and castle, Star Palace.
Today I left Anjeong-ri, most likely for the final time. I think I’ve made my peace with the past now and it is time to move on to whatever the future may hold.
As last days go, yesterday was a good one. Or good enough at least. A former employee of mine took off work early to spend the afternoon with me. I will admit upfront that I’ve been crushing on this woman for a long time, but as a subordinate she was strictly off limits. That’s not the case now so I was excited to see what she had in mind. I know the fantasies I concocted ran the gamut from an innocent lunch to a pornographic sexual encounter. The reality turned out to be fully clothed yet oddly satisfying.
We went to a park outside Pyeongtaek city. A very nice park actually. One I’d never heard of or seen.
It was a riverside park and featured many water-centered attractions like these un- gilded lilies.And this stony old fisherman waiting an eternity for a bite.
So we walked and we talked, we shared some laughs. And little by little we began to open up to each other about our feelings.
Be careful what you wish for…
We sat on a bench, held hands, and spoke about what was in our hearts. I told her this moment was what I had been missing the most–some genuine shared intimacy. It felt so good and right and natural. And then she said those words. “I love you…like a brother.” And you know, I’m okay with that. We do not share the same destiny but I’m glad she was a part of my life here. She will always have a special place in my heart and I will not forget how I felt as sat beside her in the park. A good reminder of what I hope to find for my own someday.
After the park we shared dinner with a couple other co-workers, hugged, and said our goodbyes.
I went back to my hotel and shortly thereafter received a message from Mi Young (the woman who had stood me up the night before) asking where I was. Seems she thought we had agreed to reschedule our date. Ah well, why not? So we met at a Mexican place she likes. I told I had just eaten, but we shared some appetizers. Mi Young has been involved in an animal rescue shelter here for the past few years. Pretty much to the exclusion of everything else, including me. I did provide some assistance in spreading the word on social media which resulted in quite a few volunteers joining the effort and providing her some much needed assistance. My tentative efforts to woo her romantically were rebuffed however. I think last night was her effort to express her regrets. Anyway, I will always admire her and hope she will find some balance in her life. She’s a good woman.
And after that I did the rounds and said my goodbyes to my barfriends at Crystal, Ariang, Hot Top, and Horse and Cow. Then I stumbled on home.
Up early to catch the train to Seoul. Met up with the nephew, Won Jun and Beckie at JJ’s bar where they were watching basketball. Then me and Justin were joined by the esteemed Kevin Kim for a Brazilian steak house lunch at Tabom Brazil.
The food was good, but not as good as the conversation. Thanks, Kev!
After lunch we said our goodbyes and I did a little pasalubong shopping. In the Philippines it is a tradition that you bring some gifts for your friends back home after traveling. Well, they are cheap ass souvenir trinkets, but I reckon they’ll do.
And now I’m just about done. One more Saturday night in Itaewon. Time to get started.
Those times I waited for you seem so long ago I wanted you far too much to ever let you go You know I never got by, “I feel it too” And I guess I never could stand to lose It’s such a pity to say Goodbye to you Goodbye to you
It’s a damn good thing that I’m not in Alabama because I’ve decided to abort the last few days of my vacation. I’ll be leaving Sunday as opposed to Thursday now.
I’ve alluded to how things just aren’t working out for me on this trip in earlier posts. I mean, it’s been great seeing some old friends and all but I’m also having to deal with the old baggage I thought I’d left behind me. Instead it seems I’ve just ripped the scab off a still festering wound. Yeah, I know. I’m a fucking pussy. I’ve been berating myself during my long ass walks to no avail. I’m just not happy and really don’t want to prolong the suffering.
A good metaphor for my life here–alone in an empty bar.
Anyway, I’m meeting some friends tonight for dinner. Will take my former team members out for lunch tomorrow and maybe hook up with a few others before I depart Anjeong-ri on Saturday morning. Otherwise there is nothing for me here and it is good to be reminded why I was in such a hurry to get out of Dodge. The better question is why the hell did I come back. No answer for that!
Honestly though, I never gave it a real chance for the year I lived here. I always had one foot in the future (the Philippines) and one foot in the past (my broken life in Seoul). I regret not just embracing the experience and trying to enjoy each day for what it was. But what these past few days, both here and in Seoul, have brought home loud and clear–I no longer have a life in Korea. Time has moved on and it is past time that I did so as well.
In the meantime I continue to retrace old steps. Today I did a four hour walk circumnavigating the perimeter of Camp Humphreys.
I’ll never do that again!
I’m used to breaking up my walks into morning/afternoon sessions. Doing four hours in one stretch kicked my ass pretty good.
The river section of the hike. Nice, flat, and easy! I’m also enjoying the moderate temperatures here.I have no idea why it’s there, but this setup seems to capture for me the essence of life in Anjeong-ri…By the time I was back in the civilized world I’d worked up an appetite. Didn’t want to find out what Sam’s dog tastes like though. Instead I took a rest at the GS25 store and enjoyed a Coke Zero and some Oreo cookies.Facebook tells me that I took a similar hike two years ago. I was being facetious in my recitation of the Green Acres theme song. Yeah, stick a fork in me. I’m done.
Yesterday I took a smooth 50 minute ride on the Korail ITX down to Pyeongtaek Station, then cabbed to my hotel in Anjeong-ri.
I lived here for exactly one year (left on the day my lease expired) and have been gone for just over one year. Still know a few folks here and hope I’ll be able to meet up with some of them between now and Thursday.
Yesterday I had lunch with my former Deputy and a old team member at the new golf course clubhouse on Camp Humphreys. It was nice catching up with her and getting the news about what’s been going on at work since I departed. I don’t miss it much!
I’ve really been amazed at how much things have changed in the little burg of Anjeong-ri in only a year. Tons of new construction–high rise apartments, restaurants, and of course bars.
Speaking of bars I visited a few of my old haunts last night. I was a little surprised and touched that the staff in most of them remembered me and gave me a warm welcome back. Which is good because I didn’t see anyone else I knew out and about. I was astounded at being charged W8,000 (more than $7.00) for a San Miguel Light. I pay around a buck fifty for that same beer back home. At those prices I’m not sure I could afford to retire here! Not that I’d want to.
That’s me at my old darts haunt, IDK. The bartender even remembered my drink, Miller Lite (they never carried SML). When I said beer please, she responded “we don’t have Miller Lite now, we carry Coors Light”. Wow, I was surprised. Coors Light was my beer back when I was a young man but it’s been a long time since I’ve had one. Practically a steal at only $7.00.
And speaking of IDK (I asked what that stood for but everyone says “I don’t know” so I still have no idea) Facebook reminded me this morning it was exactly two years ago that I won my first dart tournament down here.
I wasn’t quite as brown in those days.
Anyway, I got up this morning and had breakfast at a restaurant called “Me and You”. It’s where I had my first breakfast when I moved here. New location, but the food was the same (average). I was the only customer and the ajumma was delighted to have me, so that was nice.
After breakfast I caught a cab to Good Morning hospital in Pyeongtaek city to see about scheduling my physical examination. I had it done there last year and figured they’d have all that history to compare with this year’s result. Except they told me I wouldn’t get the results/consult with the doctor for two weeks! Well, that ain’t gonna work. So I won’t be getting an exam after all. Which was one of the primary reasons for making this trip. What a fiasco. And yes, I should have done my due diligence prior to traveling.
I walked home from the hospital which took close to two hours. This afternoon I did some of my park loops from the good ol’ days (which really weren’t all that good). I’m planning the long ass river walk that circumnavigates the perimeter of the Army base (outside the fence of course) in the morning.
Tonight? Well, I reckon I’ll visit the bars I missed last night. One guy wants to get together for darts so we’ll see about that as well.
And oh yeah, here’s a serious religious question I stumbled upon while perusing the internets today: Did Jesus shit? I report, you decide.
A drunken Saturday night in Itaewon. Felt like old times. But prior to the alcohol fueled activities commencing I had some walking to do. The goal: My old nemesis Namsan and the Seoul Tower.
The target.About as close as I got to hitting the target.
Yeah, I wimped out and didn’t actually climb to the top. Instead I walked around the mountain rather than over it. I got a lot more distance in that way without all the exertion required to reach the peak. Anyway, I deem the effort “good enough”.
Back to the hotel for a nap and a shower then made my way out to Shenanigans. Nephew Justin came out to join me and later on some friends from way back in the day dropped by.
That would be Jim on the right (owner of Dolce Vita), JP, and old dart buddy who retired to Thailand but is now in Arizona, Brian a long time expat and former darter, and Kyong Mi, wife of my buddy Jesse. It was really great to see them and getting caught up with the latest happenings.
And of course by the end of the night I was pretty much a worthless drunk.
Yeah, I woke up feeling like shit today too. Personally, I only ever drink on two occasions–when I’m alone or when I am with somebody. Well, truthfully, I also drink on days that end in a “y”…
Blog buddy Kevin Kim was originally intending to join me for the Namsan hike but after ingesting some spoiled soup his gurgling stomach convinced him to not risk having a shitty experience on trail. Later in the afternoon he was feeling better and he did take a walk, only to encounter some rude dog owners. So when I saw this meme I immediately though of him:
It could work…
I took the train down to Pyeongtaek today and it feels like I’ll be strolling with the demons from memory lane here as well. I know, I know. I just need to man up and get over myself. Easier said than done though. For me at least.
I woke up hungry so ventured out for some grub. Found myself in line at McDonalds and then changed my mind about eating there . Now what? Well, there is a Pancake House across the street but I wasn’t feeling that either. So I figured I’d just go back to the hotel’s coffee shop and grab a pastry. Stopped at the local GS25 convenience store and picked up some diet Coke and water. Then it turns out the coffee shop only sells coffee, which is crazy.
Dropped my drinks in the room and headed out for a river hike figuring I’d find something to eat along the way. I crossed the Banpo bridge and headed out towards Yeouido. They have some floating buildings on the river and I walked through seeing if I can find any food. A restaurant named Dolce was open but I wasn’t feeling like doing a formal sit down meal so I kept on walking.
I guess you could say I was eating up the scenery…
I had thought about walking all the way to Yeouido but I was already over an hour into my walk so took the preceding bridge.
So that’s as close as I got.
Walked back into Itaewon and it was 12:30 and so I decided to end my fasting. And I was craving some BBQ, Linus style.
Went with the pulled pork sandwich with slaw and beans. At first I thought they could have used more meat, but really it was about right and tasted wonderful. And not a bad deal for W15,000, including drink.
I’m not sure what was up with my Fitness app, but the resulting map of my walk looked like this:
No, I didn’t walk that far nor did I repeatedly cross the river. I surmise the problem was walking underneath the elevated highway made the GPS go haywire. Or something. Anyway, my Fitbit put the walk at just under 20,000 steps and that’s about right for a 2.5 hour walk.
Back to the hotel for an after lunch nap. Later I showered up and headed out to Shenanigans for some beers and a meetup with old friends. We got hungry after a bit and decided to visit my favorite Samgyeopsal place.
Dining with Becky and Wan Jun.Now that’s the way I like my pork belly, thick and juicy…….and grilled to perfection. We washed it down with more beer and a couple of bottles of soju…
Back in my early days in Itaewon Dolce Vita was my home bar. Then a few years ago they changed the concept and became a “music” bar. I think Jim and YJ saw the writing on the wall and went for attracting a younger Korean crowd. They’ve pretty much succeeded at that but I no longer fit the demographic and Shenanigans became my new bar home.
But on the way back to Shenanigans I popped into Dolce for old times sakes. One beer and out though.
Lots of drinking with some people I’ve met over the years of my Korea life. I think I had fun but I was definitely overdoing it. In fact, I got floored.
Anyway, it was a good day overall. And now it’s time to get started on a new one.
Flew business class on Asiana which as usual was comfortable and well-serviced. Enjoyed a bowl of rice porridge and slept most of the trip. We arrived at Incheon right on schedule at 0700.
Since I was upfront, I was first off the plane and first in line at immigration. Sailed through there and headed down to baggage claim. I knew I’d have a wait, so I found a seat in the lavatory and enjoyed my first Korean bidet experience in over a year. After taking care of business I came out just as my bag was arriving on the carousel. Grabbed it and made my way to the airport railroad (AREX).
The express train didn’t leave until 8:10 arriving at Seoul Station forty minutes later. The “all-stops” train left at 7:40 and got me there sooner so I didn’t wait. Maybe should have as the train got crowded and a little uncomfortable. But I enjoyed the scenery along the way anyway. After being gone a little more than a year I was especially impressed with the infrastructure and just the way things “work” here. Pretty much the opposite of how things are in the Philippines.
Once I arrived at Seoul Station I made my way outside to the taxi stand and then decided to just walk to my hotel in Itaewon. It wasn’t even 9:00 a.m. yet and I doubted I’d be able to check-in so early. Walking wasn’t bad except for the dragging my wheeled suitcase behind me like a homeless person. Arm got tired after awhile but I switched out and carried on. The weather here is pleasantly cool and feels downright chilly compared to the hot sticky mess I had just left behind back home.
As I suspected the folks at the Crown hotel informed me that check-in wasn’t until 3:00 p.m. I asked (pleaded really) if I couldn’t get in earlier. The guy told me I could get the room at 1:00 and he wouldn’t charge me extra. I thanked him and checked my bags. Then I headed out to explore the mean streets of Itaewon.
I’m not sure if it’s the town that’s changed or if it is just me but it looked and felt different somehow. Some of the old familiar places were gone and others had moved to new locations. Lots of new shops and business too. It’s definitely an area in transition. Not real surprising given that almost all of the American military forces have moved south now. Still, plenty of foreigners out and about of course, just a different crowd.
And it wasn’t long before I started wrestling with the demons from the past again. I was a little surprised by how powerful those old memories were and how sad they made me. It was a good reminder that my life here has ended and I really am better off in the Philippines. How bad was I haunted? Almost to the point of contacting Asiana to see if I could change to an earlier departure date. Almost.
Anyway, I walked and walked. My former housekeeper Josie messaged me that she was at McDonlds so I met her there and we had a nice chat. Then I moved back out to the street and walked some more. Around 11:00 I was feeling hungry so I started looking for somewhere to eat. Linus’ BBQ wasn’t open yet and Manimals was closed too (permanently perhaps? The sign was somewhat ambiguous). Anyway, I decided to go for Mexican at On the Border.
The food was good compared to the Mexican I’ve found in Barretto. But I experienced my first bout of sticker shock. That plate and a Coke was about 20,000 Won. I’d have paid less than half that for a similar meal back home.
After lunch I was able to check into my room and took a short nap. Then I did a nice walk along the Han riverside that looked like this:
The old familiar places.
Back to the room for a shower then I headed out for some nighttime activities at my favorite hangout–Shenanigans.
Enjoyed the taste of home with some San Miguel Lights. Chatted with the owner a bit and later my nephew Justin came by.
It was sweet when my favorite flower ajumma came in and saw me. She was so surprised and kind–gave me a big hug and told me how happy she was to see me again. I of course bought a bouquet flowers–just like old times.
I pay about $1.50 a beer in the PI. Here there were over $6.00. Ah well, I’m on vacation, but geez. Justin and I popped into Scrooge Pub which was pretty empty. The owner (a nice Korean woman I’m rather fond of) was not happy with her decision to get into the bar business, especially now that almost all her customer base is in Pyeongtaek. She wants to sell, but good luck finding a buyer. I told her we could open a bar together in Barretto but she didn’t seem interested in that idea at all. Ah well.
I was drunk and it was time to go home. A quick stop for a sundae at Dairy Queen and Justin and I said our goodnights. And so ended my first day back home in the Land of the Morning Calm.
