Asian X-Games

Well, this weekend started off very relaxing. Friday night I stayed home and posted about five blogs...I have been so busy as of late that I have been finding it very hard to make the time to sit down and post my thoughts every week. (Even as I write this, it is actually June 16th, but fortunately Blogspot.com allows me to give my blogs previous dates.) Anyway, it was a much-needed and welcomed night of rest and taking care of things around the flat.

Bike Stunts 

Saturday morning I awoke feeling quite sprighty and well-rested. I had plans to meet up with Seb (previously mentioned as my new climbing partner) for a day trip to Jamsil to see Korea's first hosting of the Asian X-Games. Unfortunately, his phone was not working, so I decided to head down there around noon anyway.


Moto-X Demonstration 

I have only seen the X-Games on television, and it was amazing to attend in-person. I watched a Moto-Cross bike demonstration and competitions in bike stunts and skateboarding and other extreme sports what-not before Seb finally showed up around 4:00 pm (along with Kelly, who I called because I was extremely bored by myself!). After they arrived, we watched a second Moto-X demo, some skateboarding on a huge half-pipe ramp, and scored a nice peek of the men practicing sports climbing...I could not believe how strong those guys were.


Skateboarding like superstars 

Saturday night was, of course, the big sending-off bash for a few people in my area. We started the evening at the Pirate Bar before heading to a nearby lounge called "The Rok," where my buddies' band had their final, final performance. We all danced and sang along and had a merry time, and I pretty much had to sneak out of there before too late.

Today we got to the soccer pitch for our game and discovered we were short five key players due to holidays and illnesses. Guess what that meant....little Miss Tiffany got to play! And not just a wee bit, but for the entire first half! Woo-Hoo! Okay, so I am a very honest person; therefore, I will not waste my time embellishing my skills today. As a fellow on my team put it, I didn't play terribly, but I wasn't very exceptional, either. Hey, sure beats saying I suck! I'll take it!

May 23 - May 27: Lazy Days

Saturday will be my 7-month anniversary of living in Korea, and only in the past week did I discover that there is a rock climbing gym mere blocks from my apartment (okay, so maybe I wasn't exactly burning the pavement in search of one). Seb and I walked over Monday night to check it out, and it is a terrific place. Besides my frustration over this crazy Korean woman who basically climbed on top of me on a few occasions, I am probably going to join the climbing gym and cancel my regular gym membership.

I just can not enjoy this spring weather enough! It is enough to make me start to forget about how brutal the winter can get in Korea! Two days this week I strode over to the nearest park for some mid-afternoon relaxation during my break. The Koreans must think I am crazy for exposing my body to the sun. It's rare to be out on a sunny day and see a Korean female NOT carrying an umbrella or at least blocking the sun from hitting her precious milky-white face with her hands or a book. Like most westerners, I feel sickly when I do not have a bit of color on my body, so on a beautiful day, in the sun you shall find me!

Sadly, this is the last week in Korea for some of my friends. My teammate Ronan and his girlfriend, as well as a great new English girl named Ellie, who I have only recently met, are all leaving on Sunday. A fellow teammate of mine cooked a fabulous meal at his apartment in honor of Ellie Wednesday night, and Thursday night we took her out for a galbi dinner.

The leaving-due festivities will come to an end Saturday night at a huge bash in the Pirate Bar in Sanbon for all those leaving. I am sad to see them go, but we will definitely make sure to see them off in style!

Dongdaemun and BBQ

Another busy, busy weekend....however am I surviving this place?

Friday night was the final performance of a band partly composed of two players from my team. The bassist, Ronan, is leaving Korea for good next week, so they played their last gig at a small joint in Itaewon. Of course, I had to be there for moral support! When they were finished, we all headed to another nearby bar, and I soon after called it a night and headed home.

Saturday afternoon I went into town with my friend Seb to check out Dongdaemun, Seoul's massive outdoor shopping area known for great deals and cheap knock-offs. The Mission: buy climbing shoes. We wandered through the pandemonium before entering the first outdoors shop we saw. I immediately fell in love with a little black pair of snug-fitting shoes, made my purchase, and then we were off for lunch. Seb and I then parted ways, and I headed back down to my neck of the woods to attend a housewarming Bar-B-Que hosted by a player on my team at he and his wife's new digs.

Of course, most of the team was there, and we gorged ourselves on fantastic grilled burgers atop his massive rooftop patio. After we had stuffed ourselves silly, we lumbered downstairs to watch the Man-U vs Arsenal soccer match (in which I can honestly say I have no interest, but I am a trooper and therefore pretended to be interested). Once the game was over, a few of us headed to a nearby establishment unexplicably named "The Pirate Bar." It's your run-of-the-mill Korean hof, except for one thing...drinks are served in ice mugs, and once you finish your beverage, you toss your leftover ice at a target in the hopes of winning a prize! It's a fabulous idea, but unfortunately my aim was a wee bit off that evening. It was not an overall exciting evening at the Pirate place; therefore, I will not divulge what time we walked out of there. Let's just say the sun was up as I was climbing into my taxi...

Sunday I awoke to a miserably rainy day...perfect soccer-playing weather! Fortunately, by kick-off time, the rains had subsided and the field was a lovely, muddy disaster. Our team slid around the pitch (a bit too slowly, thanks to the preceding evening's festivities), and sadly we lost 5-1. I did get to play for a good five minutes, though, so I was happy!

After the match we went to a restaurant for my introduction to jjimdak, a fantastic meal of sweet and spicy chicken, noodles, and vegetables served on a massive plate to be shared by all. After dinner we headed to a bar in Anyang to dwell over our loss, and I smartly was home in bed by midnight.

May 16 - May 20: Trip to the Zoo

Well, this is the end to another beautiful week in Korea. Except for a bit of rainy weather on Tuesday, I have yet to be disappointed by springtime in Korea. And what better way to spend a gorgeous day than at the zoo?


Ready for an action-packed day at the zoo. 

Thursday was our monthly field trip day at Swaton, and we loaded the kids onto the buses and departed for Seoul Grand Park's Zoo. Unfortunately, we only had less than three hours to explore the place, so we basically herded the poor babies around like cattle the whole time. The thing that surprised me the most is that the kids were like, "Hey, wow, tigers, all right". But let me tell you, as soon as they saw the goats, I thought I would have to come up with some paper bags to ease the kids' hyperventilation. I would put my bets on it being a Korean thing, because when I was a kid, goats and ponies were the epitome of boringness!


Rush past the giraffes... 

At any rate, we did get to see some pretty cool animals; albeit, I was quite disappointed in not getting to see the polar bears. The entrance fee was only a couple bucks, so I guess I can always go back.

Nothing like a good field trip every now and again to keep things from getting too monotonous at work!

Buddha's Birthday

Lanterns and a Pagoda. 

Well, this weekend was officially Buddha's birthday, and I wish I could say I visited a nearby temple, but last weekend's Lotus Lantern festivities were enough celebrating for this "wei-guk" (foreigner).

Friday night was my buddy Matt's farewell party in Hongdae (even though he's coming back in a month, there's nothing wrong with an excuse to go out!). I first went with my new rock-climbing partner Seb to a fantastic Thai restaurant before meeting up with a large group of people at Tinpan, a little bar in the area. Once we had our fill of the dive, we headed to a club for some dancing. I was extremely tired, and headed home around 2:00 am.

Saturday morning I awoke to a beautiful day and felt I should spend it inside a shopping mall. I decided to check out the COEX, one of the largest malls in Seoul, mainly because it is located next to a large temple that I planned to visit for Buddha's birthday. Unfortunately, I found myself so swept away with shopping that I was too tired to venture over to the temple. I did have my first run-in with a Korean celebrity, though...as I was sipping a tea on a bench in the mall, I was bombarded by a massive group of squealing teenage girls snapping away with their camera phones at a fashionable young fellow in the middle. I was told by a by-stander that he was a "famous Korean comedian"...whoopee.


Can't get enough lanterns... 

Of all the millions of people in Seoul, I happened to run into an aquantaince in the subway station who invited me to dinner with some of his mates at a restaurant in Gangnam, and after a bit of coaxing, I agreed. We ate at a fabulous all-you-can-eat-and-drink-for-11,000-Won (about $11 US) establishment for some good western grub.

Today we played Itaewon's soccer team at our home pitch in Anyang...and won! The team went out for our usual post-game meal, and I finally dragged ragged self home.

May 9 - May 13: Indoor Rock Climbing

Well, it looks like I have discovered my newest passion here in Korea: Rock Climbing. Of course I've had a few experiences on a mountain in the past, but my rock climbing trip back in April further intensified my deep-down desire to call it my newest hobby. However, it is a sport that can be quite difficult to get into without having a friend to show you the ropes (no pun intended!).

Fortunately for me, I met a South African fellow Friday night, and after a few minutes of chatting with him, I discovered that he is an avid climber who only moved to Korea just a week ago. I jumped at the opportunity and immediately gave him my e-mail address.

Wednesday night I took the bus about forty-five minutes away to where he's staying in Jamsil to try out the local climbing gym with him. I was instantly hooked! Of course, indoor climbing does not even compare with the great outdoors, but it is excellent training for the real thing, not to mention a kick-butt workout! I am going to go out and buy myself some proper climbing shoes as soon as I can.

Lotus Lantern Festival

Lanterns Galore! 

What a fantastic, glorious day full of culture! This is what Korea is all about! In celebration of Buddha's umpteenth birthday, South Korea holds a grand shindig every year in downtown Seoul called the Lotus Lantern Festival.


Korean Revelers. 

Around 3:00 pm this afternoon, I headed down to Insadong with my girlfriends Lindsay and Kelly for the street festival. We wandered aimlessly down the main street, checking out the various vendors and booths along the way. We were amazed at all the services the booths provided...just about every country with a Buddhist following was represented at the festival. Everything from foot massages to crafts to strange Chinese Medicinal therapies were to be had along the way. We opted for some face painting (mine was a total disaster that was quickly washed off in the nearest bathroom!) and skin stamps, and a random Korean man came up to me and mashed a bindi onto my unsuspecting forehead.


What was I thinking? 

We watched numerous traditional dancing performances and ceremonies while inhaling some amazing Pad Thai. We eventually made our way to the festival's piece de resistance: Jogeysa Temple. The temple yard was adorned with thousands upon thousands of brightly-colored paper lanterns dangling from the rafters and trees. It was amazing, and words or pictures could never do it justice. I took loads of pictures before realizing that there was no film in my camera...I'll blame it on my lack of sleep as of late! I loaded my camera, and away I shot like a madwoman for the second time!


Lanterns hanging from the trees. 

After we had enjoyed the beauty of the temple long enough, we stopped in at a Lantern-making tent and created our very own Lotus Lanterns out of paper cups and tissue paper (mine was so incredible that someone stole it later...or else used it as an ashtray). After completing our works of are, we began to make our way to the main street for the evening's grand finale: the great Lantern Parade.


Ladies with Lanterns. 


A Gigantic Elephant Lantern. 

The parade started around 7:00 pm, just as the sun was setting, and a glorious sight it was! Thousands of people holding glowing lanterns above their heads marched along the parade route for as far as the eye could see. Massive glowing elephants, sitting Buddhas, and even fire-breathing dragons rolled by as well. By 9:00 pm, there was still no end in sight, and we decided to put away our cameras and tuck into a restaurant for some soup.


Happy Birthday Buddha 

After we had finished our dinner (the parade had finally ended sometime during our meal!), we made our way back to the temple for the post-parade bash. A loud band was playing happily hypnotic music on the main stage, and literally tons and tons of bright pink squares of confetti were flying through the air. We danced around, picked up some leftover lanterns, and by the time we were knee-deep in the pink snow, we decided it was time to drag our weary bodies home.


The After-Party! 

This was definitely one of the best days I have ever had in Korea!

More Sleepless Nights

Oh, I wonder if my body will ever forgive me for the deprivation of good sleep, healthy food, and overall fair treatment I have been placing on her lately!

Friday was an exhausting day at work, and I could feel my body shutting down around 3:00 pm. I was definitely looking forward to a nice, quiet evening at home with a nice movie and dinner; however, after cup of coffee number 2, I began to get a second wind, and by 7:30 pm, a lazy night in was the last thing on my mind! If I had only known what the night had in store for me....!

I went with Amanda, Ryan, and his girfriend to Bar #10 in Beomgye to meet some of their other coworkers. Amanda and I left about an hour later and headed over to Rockssin to meet up with a couple of my teammates. We then went to Techno Bar around 2:00 am (where does the time always go??) and danced (and how do I still have the energy to maintain my dancing diva status?) until the wee hours. Eventually, one of Amanda's coworkers had the brilliant idea of hitting a noribong (karaoke room). It was the best thing I had heard all night! We sang our throats scratchy until...ahem...7:00 am! We then had a nice Korean breakfast, and I finally dragged myself into bed at 8:00 am. Whew!

Saturday afternoon was spent in a park in Hongdae with three pals, listening to some Korean punk bands perform, followed by a pleasant Galbi dinner. At the end of our dinner, we were approached by an older Korean man who introduced us as a University Professor who was at the restaurant with all his students. He asked us to join his table, and we gleefully obliged. Within an hour, we had made ourselves a nice group of new Korean friends!


Our newfound friends... 

After we bid adieu to our new mates, the three of us headed to Itaewon to see a Ska Band perform. While I have always enjoyed listening to Ska music, I realized that the "Ska Scene" is not really my scene...as soon as I saw that the coast was clear, I made a mad dash for the door! I eventually got into a taxi and called it an early night in at 3:00 am. After so many crazy nights out recently, it felt very good to come home and just sleep!

May 2 - May 6: Children's Day

After such a long and tiresome weekend, I was excited about this week's four days of work! In Korea, Children's Day is celebrated on May 5, soon followed by Parent's Day on May 8. Children's Day is actually a national holiday, so all schools and many businesses are closed. Now, why didn't our American forefathers think of that one...or at least Hallmark?


Yours truly with the birthday boy, Tom. 

The first couple days seemed to drag by, but finally 6:00 pm on Wednesday arrived! It was my team captain Tom's birthday, so I met up with the team at a Hof (a beer/soju pub that serves light meals....they are as ubiquitous in Korea as coffee shops in Seattle) in Sillim to celebrate. We had a great time, but I had to head out to meet some friends in Itaewon. In Itaewon, we bounced around several establishments before finding ourselves at the Limelight (AKA "Slimelight"), an underground dance club well known for its foray of sleazy military and Russian lasses. We had a fabulous time dancing, and when we'd had our share of dance-offs and interpretive dancing, ascended the grimy stairs and out into daylight...6:00 am. We collapsed into taxis and headed home.


The early-morning cab ride...and a view of Seoul's tallest building! 

I slept soundly until about 1:00 pm; however, I couldn't waste my afternoon being lazy! The day was Children's Day, yes, but even better, it was Cinco de Mayo! My buddy Ben from my soccer team was hosting a Mexican Fiesta/Housewarming shindig at his new apartment, so I rounded up Kelly and together we made our way to his place. We chowed down on enchiladas and guacamole as a light spring rain began to tap on the patio. By 8:00 pm, I was ready to get a move on, so we skipped over to Itaewon (I'm just realizing what a regular I have become in that area!) for Ladies Night. We ran into a few friends, shared some laughs, and got soaked in the now torrential downpour. I finally headed home at a fairly reasonable hour, seeing as I had to work Friday.

Oh, how I wish every work week was a four-day walk in the park!

Dancing in the Streets

Friday night was a very mellow evening. I got off work at 6:00 pm for the first time in ages, so I immediately set out to Itaewon to browse the foreign market. I left the place weighted down with my usual can't-find-anywhere-else-necessities: pita bread, spray butter, natural peanut butter, and Gardenburgers. I then had my very first wax appointment; this is a topic I will not broach any further!

Saturday morning was Part II of self-pampering. I went back to my pricey stylist for a bit of a hair change in time for summer...fortunately, this appointment only set me back 200 bucks. Hey, it's much better than $400! I then met up my friend Lindsey in Gangnam where we enjoyed smoothies before heading up to Apgujeong, AKA the Beverly Hills of Korea. Supposedly, there is a street quite similar to Rodeo Drive, but after walking a few hours, we still hadn't spotted a storefront sporting Hermes scarves or Prada shoes. We finally gave up and headed to Hongdae.


Mr. Chow's newly-opened Seoul location in Apgujeong. 

A swell couple we met on the rock climbing trip are leaving Wednesday, so a huge group of about seventeen met at an Italian restaurant in Hongdae for dinner. The food was brilliant, but an insalata caprice, half a sea bass, garlic bread, and $40 later, I was still hungry! You just can't find the western portions you are so accustomed to having, even in Western restaurants! After leaving the restaurant, we picked up some refreshments at the store and plopped ourselves down in a park to enjoy the fine spring weather.


Myeongdong Street Party 

Around 11:00 pm we headed into Myeongdong for the Seoul HI-FEST Kick-off party known as "Dance Mania." The streets that wound through this downtown shopping district were closed off to make way for a huge stage loaded with DJs, massive video screens, lights, and speakers. When we got there, the whole block was thumping with the excitement of hundreds of Koreans and foreigners alike enjoying the music. We jumped right into the mix, and I danced until sweat was dripping from the ends of my hair! It was definitely a downright sticky, sweaty, smelly hoe-down, and I loved every minute of it!


Sweaty and smelly...but having fun! 

Sunday afternoon my soccer team played in Ichon, and the pitch was located right next to the Han River. Unfortunately, we had four subs on the sidelines, and considering we were playing a competitive team, little Miss "Token Female" Tiffany didn't see any game time. I acted like I was a bit angry, but honestly I kind of enjoyed sitting by the river with the breeze in my hair, watching the boys play their hearts out. After the game we went to Itaewon for some amazing curry and beverages. I finally arrived home, exhausted, around 11:30 pm.