Sunday, May 18, 2008
Konglish
Our adult English classes introduced us to a word that, after being here for a month, makes a whole-lotta-sense. Konglish, a mix between English and Korean can happen in any order - sentence structure or words themselves. Some signs that have caught our eye, and made us giggle... if you don't think these are good examples of konglish, feel free to call us on our hand-phones, because we may not be at the apart, but out eye-shopping.
Buddha's Birthday Bash I
Buddha gets his own public holiday, and ma-hassive parade around insadong. The photos are pretty ace.
Food and Markets
The food is great. Both of us are lucky that we enjoy spice. Korean bbq, kimchee and other dishes have been filling our tummies with delight. Kimchee is spicy cabbage, Leah is a fan, Tim had no idea people could be so obsessed with cabbage.
Eating out is an experience here, with dinners eaten over long periods instead of an 'eat and run' approach.
Markets are often filled to the brim with hundreds of things you want, and millions of things you don't. It's rare to only find one shop with the thing you want, there will often be 50. Street markets are bustling, with diff types of food and people yelling prices or sales or products. Sometimes the food is questionable, but who are we to judge? (photos attached, judge for yourself). We went to the electronics market yesterday, its inside and is MASSIVE. Three floors of only laptops in one building. Cross the road to another building you find three floors of gaming, cross the road to another building three floors of (insert what you want, they've got it). Crazy!
Eating out is an experience here, with dinners eaten over long periods instead of an 'eat and run' approach.
Markets are often filled to the brim with hundreds of things you want, and millions of things you don't. It's rare to only find one shop with the thing you want, there will often be 50. Street markets are bustling, with diff types of food and people yelling prices or sales or products. Sometimes the food is questionable, but who are we to judge? (photos attached, judge for yourself). We went to the electronics market yesterday, its inside and is MASSIVE. Three floors of only laptops in one building. Cross the road to another building you find three floors of gaming, cross the road to another building three floors of (insert what you want, they've got it). Crazy!
Rats on steroids
Like dogs weren't cute enough, those crazy Koreans mutated them to look like giant rats... not that giant rats are cute, but they might be if you then crossed them with dogs...
anyway... Genetically modified dogs, dogs bred with small dogs, bred with smaller dogs, bred with smaller ones. Until, well...the outcome is sometimes cute, sometimes...something else. About 65% of them wear clothes. And some even carry bags (no shit), we presume with MP3 players. Unfortunately, they only live for 5 years, pretty sad, huh?
Tim mentions that it's like that great movie with Robin Williams where he has a growth disorder and only lives for 12 years or something... yeah, like the star that burns the brightest burns the shortest. Except Robin Williams wasn't short, he was real tall for a ten year-old. And actually he isn't like a miniaturised poodle at all.
anyway... Genetically modified dogs, dogs bred with small dogs, bred with smaller dogs, bred with smaller ones. Until, well...the outcome is sometimes cute, sometimes...something else. About 65% of them wear clothes. And some even carry bags (no shit), we presume with MP3 players. Unfortunately, they only live for 5 years, pretty sad, huh?
Tim mentions that it's like that great movie with Robin Williams where he has a growth disorder and only lives for 12 years or something... yeah, like the star that burns the brightest burns the shortest. Except Robin Williams wasn't short, he was real tall for a ten year-old. And actually he isn't like a miniaturised poodle at all.
Seoul's Temples and Palaces
We forgot to bring the lonely planet, so aren't going to put the names of them in here (because we will def get them wrong, and potentially offend anyone who is the wiser). But, we went to a beautiful Temple in ____, called _____. And did a afternoon meditation session and heard a Dharma talk about identity. A short version goes something like "If I ask you where the cow is and who you are..... you are sitting on top of the cow....are you the cow?....you must acknowledge the cow.... and bring the cow to me".
It was interesting, but both of left more confused than converted.
Buddhism here is obviously important, and central to South Korea, but it seems like Christianity is taking it's place. Giant red crosses and churches are everywhere, it's kinda daunting.
We went to a couple of Palaces around the place, saw stunning architecture, paintings and landscaping. Seoul has many Palaces and Temples, but many were also destroyed by the Japanese during their occupation of Korea. Some of the active ones we've visited have been restored to their previous glory.
It was interesting, but both of left more confused than converted.
Buddhism here is obviously important, and central to South Korea, but it seems like Christianity is taking it's place. Giant red crosses and churches are everywhere, it's kinda daunting.
We went to a couple of Palaces around the place, saw stunning architecture, paintings and landscaping. Seoul has many Palaces and Temples, but many were also destroyed by the Japanese during their occupation of Korea. Some of the active ones we've visited have been restored to their previous glory.
Insadong
Our first month in South Korea found us living in a traditional area, a street lined with ceramic shops, cobble stones, traditional tea houses and yummy restaurants. We were living in a youth hostel for the month (and paying out the nose... ewwww) which got us both fairly frustrated - (shared kitchen, bathroom and a bedroom which could comfortably fit a bed and nothing else). But the area made up for that fast.
Tim went out a couple of times early in the morning to take photos, some of which we have attached. At the bottom of the main street was a cool area filled with neon lights, dodgy restaurants and dodgier pubs (which we love). Its a really nice area, and its where Buddha's bday bash was held.
We also learnt that although we all agree that people talking Russian often sound angry when discussing flowers, they also sound angry when they're really angry at you. Tim decides that communal living sucks, and the day he lives in a commune, will have to the day they supply him with meds.
Tim went out a couple of times early in the morning to take photos, some of which we have attached. At the bottom of the main street was a cool area filled with neon lights, dodgy restaurants and dodgier pubs (which we love). Its a really nice area, and its where Buddha's bday bash was held.
We also learnt that although we all agree that people talking Russian often sound angry when discussing flowers, they also sound angry when they're really angry at you. Tim decides that communal living sucks, and the day he lives in a commune, will have to the day they supply him with meds.
pre-Korea/ leaving the home-land:
Our leaving part-ay/ Tim Sissons bday part-eee was pretty ace. Sweeto if you weren't able to make it, wellington sure put on its shittest weather for us leaving (wellington must have been sad). But is was nice to be able to have once last dance/ get noise control called once last time...
Saturday, May 17, 2008
Bye Bye Coco :(
The month before leaving was fairly stressful. But we managed to get one stunning/ emotional 'roady' in there before we left. Taking Coco (cabana) to her new home at her cousin's house in Oamaru. The drive down was stunning and we managed to take heaps of scenic photos with her before saying goodbye. It was also a good opportunity to see the landscape in its finest before we left.
Tim intends to create a facebook page for Coco, so we can all be updated on the goings on of her new, luxurious, farm-life. We will keep you updated :)
Tim intends to create a facebook page for Coco, so we can all be updated on the goings on of her new, luxurious, farm-life. We will keep you updated :)
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)