August

The ride brochure was just too tempting. I had to go to Lotte World, Korea's Disneyland.

It's an indoor and outdoor complex, the indoor section being one of the largest indoor theme parks in the world. They even had (not pictured) a full loop-to-loop roller coaster inside, which I rode. It was the first real roller coaster I've ever been on, and it was fun but also nauseating. They also hold periodic parades and dance shows.

For the second of the three cool things I'd planned for thie month's vacation time, I went with my girlfriend to Jirisan National PArk for a camping/hiking trip. The original plan was for 5 or 6 days, the first two or 3 with my girlfriend, and the remainder on my own hiking across the mountains in the park. The latter got rained out, but we still managed to get in our camping, and I did one good day-hike to the top of the park's eastern peak. When I reached the top, I was surrounded by tourists who came up via a road I didn't really know about. Cheaters, I say. The next day we went back to the same place for my girlfriend's sake, on that road (she's not the hiking type so much). It was a treat to get out in the open air, and do some camping and hiking, as well as see one of Korea's most famous and ancient temples.

The third and longest of my trips was a week in Beijing; I stayed in a nice hostel and did about as much as can be done in that period of time. The weather was consistently over 30 degrees, but still times were great, and I met a number of people along the way.

Karen and Devon, a couple of artistic-type Vancouverites.

Also: you may remember I vowed to lose the weight so that I may buy normal clothes at the department stores in Korea. Done and Done. I've dropped 20 pounds, bought new clothes, and I'm looking to drop 20 more for a lean-ish 180 before the year's end.

I've seen a lot of Engrish in the last year, and Beijing did not disappoint. There was some great stuff, and I only managed to phograph a small portion of it all. Shopkeepers were ready to give the boot to anyone taking pictures of the merchandise (and I did get said boot a couple of times).
The Forbidden City was under renovations. Still a good place to go.

Piper. Another of the Vancouver folk. A spunky, fashionable 18-year-old bent on proving to the world how mature and experienced at life she really is. And ironically, for her age she's not got nothing really to prove. That's yogurt, she's drinking, as well. They sell it in ceramic reusable cups with straws for 50 cents. A healthy way to go as far as street food is concerned, so long as you aren't concerned about people selling yogurt on the street in 30 degree weather.

This is what you get when you throw down 50 bucks on a single cup of tea. I thought, why not, right? It's China, the place to be for tea. In addition, I learned the traditional tea ceremony ritual (surprisingly complicated), and got a free tastle/emblem thingy as a gift from the owner of the place.

As for taste, it was clearly several levels up from the stuff you get at the grocery store. But I was not in the right league, the same way I couldn't appreciate a 50 dollar glass of wine; that sort of thing requires a refined (a.k.a. experienced) palate.

Pancakes. Or so the menu claimed. A good lunch anyway.

Now, I can tell you that Peking Duck is the greatest food on the planet. How can an animal be so delicious? It doesn't make any sense from an evolutionary perspective... you'd think such a tasty creature would never survive as a species on account of just that. The restaurant I went to for this also had the funniest menu I've ever seen in my life. There must have been 25 great Engrish titles, but I could only snap some as the staff weren't pleased with me taking the pictures, and obviously staying for the duck was my priority.

I don't know about "Great"; It was a pretty good wall.

You know what about a hundred people have said to me in Asia? They say I look kind and not threatening. They say I appear trustworthy and positive by nature. They go out of their way to tell me this, men and women alike. It seems that western men on the whole have a reputation in Korea (and China it would seem) for being the opposite of that, and I'm an exception. Frankly I don't know what they're talking about. I scare myself just looking into the bathroom mirror in the morning.

Also, I have a nihilistic, cynical streak that seems to go unnoticed by people other than those who know me well enough.

Not too shabby a summer vacation if I do say so myself. And I've got a week to spare before work starts again. Lately I've felt energetic, inspired, and generally on the upswing. It's time to start preparing some bigger travel plans for January and February!