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Week 46 (Jan 8th to Jan 14th) |
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Sunday Jan 8th, In Itaewon, there's a Canadian place called the Rocky
Mountain Tavern. I had heard that they had a good Western style breakfast there, so after I checked out of the motel, I headed over to check it out. They did have good breakfast . . . I had an omelette with mushrooms and cheese . . . and real hashbrowns! It was delicious! Being in Rocky Mountain is kind of like not being in Korea at all. It's kind of a trippy feeling. Once again, I was intending not to talk to anyone, just to eat and read. But once again, some soldier guy named James ended up talking my ear off all morning. I think I must look vulnerable or something, maybe that's why nobody ever just leaves me alone here. Maybe it's time to get over the polite
thing . . . After I got James to shut up long enough for me to pay and leave, I headed over to Gyeonbokgung, which is the site of one of the most historical palaces in Korea. This palace is where the Joseon dynasty ruled and where Queen Min was assasinated by the Japanese. It
has been said that Gyeonbokgung would rival the splendour of the Forbidden City in Beijing if most of it hadn't been destroyed by the Japanese, and in the Korean War. Only some of the site has been rebuilt, but it is still pretty incredible to see. The detail on the ceilings and the roofs are amazing-- multi-coloured, hand-painted perfection. The rooms themselves are rather bare, but that is the Asian tradition-- sparse furnishings. There is also a pavilion that is surrounded by a pond, and is raised by thick poles about one story off the ground. The mountains frame the whole site in the background.
Again, just like Insadong, I was wonderfully anonymous as I wandered around taking pictures. Very few people approached me, and it was very peaceful. After my self-guided palace tour, I decided that I better head back to Daegu. It was getting late, and I was really really cold. So I got on the KTX and reluctantly left Seoul. I can't wait to go back. I really love the city, and there's so much more that I
want to see there. I'm so excited that I'm going to be living in Seoul for at least one year!
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Tuesday Jan 10th, I've started to dread the junk food birthday party
lunches we have at school every two months. It seems like every time we have one, I get sick off of the food. This was an especially scary and strange allergic reaction. As per usual, we had the typical
chicken and pizza. I know enough by now to stay far away from the chicken, but never ever in my life have I ever had a problem with pizza. Until today . . . I don't know why it gave me a reaction. Perhaps the pizza was cooked in peanut oil, or perhaps it was cut
with the same knife as the chicken. I knew I was sick as soon as I ate it, but I was kind of okay for the afternoon. When I got home from work, I started to throw up. I guess when the mystery peanut product touched my lips again, it triggered a much stronger reaction than on
the way down. Everything started to swell up until I couldn't breath, talk or open my eyes. It was kind of like being trapped inside my head . . . The breathing got better with the help of my inhaler, but the swelling took most of the next day to come down. I was especially bitter that I had to miss a rehearsal with the funk band, and was stuck at home recovering for the whole night.
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Friday Jan 13th, Tonight Daegu Tones had a gig at a new bar called (yes, really) Hooter's Terrace. Honestly, who comes up with these names and concepts? They deserve to be taken down! Inside, the bar is actually really posh-looking and well-decorated (there's a couch in the girls' bathroom!). But here's the Hooter's (or lack-there-of) part: the bartenders are all girls, and they all have the same little midriff top and mini skirt ensemble that they have to wear! Korean bars are so funny! The best part about these girls was a) how spaced-out and flaky they were (none of them had ever worked as a bartender before) and b) how horribly uncomfortable they were with showing so much skin. The band had an okay gig, despite the fact that we are all exhausted. I suspect that there will be some shaking up with the band pretty soon. Everyone is kind of at an impasse right now, and none of us seem
particularly happy in the band. Phil is going home for 2 weeks in February, so we certainly won't be doing any gigs for that period.
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