Skindleshanks' Cafe

Glad this didn't happen at our wedding . . .

2008-01-16T21:54:00.000+09:00

Wait until the 43 second point.

Christmas Season is Here!

2007-12-03T01:10:00.000+09:00

Well, it is now December, my absolute favorite month of the year. November is my wife's least favorite--since we were married she as been hospitalized three times in November, this last time with severe pneumonia.

To celebrate the Christmas season, I present to you one of the world's premier handwhistlers, Ben Brenner:

Someday I hope to be able to do this. Ben has been whistling for many years, as you can see in this early David Letterman clip from nearly thirty years ago:

While we're on the topic of whistling, I would be remiss not to mention another famed whistler, the one and only Roger Whittaker. When we were young, my parents had one LP of Roger Whittaker's greatest hits, and it was one of my favorite records. Not only is he an excellent singer, but a great whistler, too. I'll leave you here today with two videos: one of Roger whistling, and one of his classics, "I don't believe in if anymore:

2007-11-06T01:27:00.000+09:00

I was browsing Wikipedia recently and happened to follow a link to the article for the current US president. I skimmed the article and found an interesting bit of trivia (George W has enjoyed both the the highest recorded level of public support (90%), as well as the lowest since Nixon (24%).) Then I glanced back at the beginning of the article, and the first sentence gave me the best laugh I've had in a while:

George W. Bush · Politics

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

• Learn more about using Wikipedia for research •

Jump to: navigation, search

George Walker Bush

43^rd President of the United States

Incumbent

Assumed office
January 20, 2001

Vice President(s) Dick Cheney

Preceded by Bill Clinton

Succeeded by Incumbent

46^th Governor of Texas

In office
January 17, 1995 – December 21, 2000

Lieutenant(s) Bob Bullock (1995–1999)
Rick Perry (1999–2000)

Preceded by Ann Richards

Succeeded by Rick Perry

Born July 6, 1946 (1946-07-06) (age 61)
New Haven, Connecticut

Political party Republican

Spouse Laura Bush

Residence Crawford, Texas

Alma mater Yale University
Harvard Business School

Occupation Businessman (oil, baseball)

Religion United Methodist^[1]^[2]

Signature

George W. Bush is a monkey. George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is the forty-third & current President of the United States of America, originally inaugurated on January 20, 2001. Bush was first elected in the 2000 presidential election, and reelected for a second term in the 2004 presidential election. He previously served as the forty-sixth Governor of Texas from 1995 to 2000, and is the eldest son of former United States President George Herbert Walker Bush.

All that goes to show that you can't believe everything you read on Wikipedia, although I can't say I completely disagree with the definition.

George Walker Bush

43^rd President of the United States
Incumbent
Assumed office January 20, 2001
Vice President(s)	Dick Cheney
Preceded by	Bill Clinton
Succeeded by	Incumbent
46^th Governor of Texas
In office January 17, 1995 – December 21, 2000
Lieutenant(s)	Bob Bullock (1995–1999) Rick Perry (1999–2000)
Preceded by	Ann Richards
Succeeded by	Rick Perry

Born	July 6, 1946 (1946-07-06) (age 61) New Haven, Connecticut
Political party	Republican
Spouse	Laura Bush
Residence	Crawford, Texas
Alma mater	Yale University Harvard Business School
Occupation	Businessman (oil, baseball)
Religion	United Methodist^[1]^[2]
Signature

Death to Mosquitoes

2007-10-21T17:27:00.000+09:00

I, for one, am thankful that mosquito season is over-- we had our first frost of the season yesterday (rather early for Korea, actually). It went out with a bang, though--the last mosquitoes of the season seemed to be much more aggressive and larger than those during the summer. I caught a few which I would say were larger than the average Canadian mosquito.
More than the mosquitoes, I'm glad to be rid of the foggers. In our area, they aren't too bad, and living on the tenth floor it's easy to get the windows shut before the fog wafts up to our apartment. When we were on the first floor next to the road it was a lot harder. It seems that they fog every day in the town where my in-laws live. When I hear the truck coming, I jump to close the windows, but am met with protests. "It's too hot." "Just grit and bear it--it won't last long." "It can't be ad for kids, otherwise they wouldn't be allowed to spray in town." Even the meat hanging in the shop out front is left there, with the door wide open.
My wife says when she was a kid, they used to chase th truck up and down the streets, dancing in the fog. Apparently things haven't changed much:

Something to go to sleep by . . .

2007-09-03T23:56:00.000+09:00

One of the wonderful things about having preschoolers is that you can enjoy the quality entertainment you loved when you were a kid all over again. Here's a classic Sesame Street lullaby:

If I wanted your opinion, I' I'd give it to you.

2007-08-31T00:13:00.000+09:00

Life is busy--I'm just starting studies by distance ed at Athabasca University--but I've been increasingly compelled to write down what I really think about certain issues. Someone has said that any real biography ends at the age of 30, meaning that what one does with the first 30 years generally decides the course of the next 40. I'm not sure I completely agree with that, but it got me thinking.
Up to now, one of my general philosophies has been that it's better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to argue with one and be inducted into the club. However, as I approach the end of my third decade, I'm realizing that the choices of no consequence, when taken together, direct the path of one's life.
So, over the next few months, I hope to put down in html, my position on certain rather inconsequential social issues, politics, theology, and so on. I expect a lot of people may be surprised at what I think, and even more will disagree with me, but it needs to be done.

A disclaimer: These opinions of mine, while presented somewhat dogmatically, do not mean that they are not open to revision. There is a great deal of flawed thinking in my mind, and I am always open to new perspectives presented in a constructive way.

Deer+Beer+Feet=?

2007-06-18T23:21:00.000+09:00

This was an interesting choice of topics in one of our beginner-level phonics books.

Very Cool "Airplane" with only one wing

2007-06-17T23:43:00.000+09:00

This is a flying boomerang that can be used for aerial surveillance. Check out the website for more videos.

Earthquake!

2007-01-20T21:12:00.000+09:00

About 5 minutes ago, at about 9:05 pm Korean Time, there was a fairly sudden and noticeable earthquake along the East Coast here. We felt it quite sudden and strong in our house on the tenth floor for about 2 seconds. My parents-in law who live in Geojin, bout 40km up the coast from Sokcho, also felt it there.
This is my first earthquake--it felt as if a train had gone by 10 meters from our door.

Christmas in Sokcho

2006-12-29T03:35:00.000+09:00

We had a good Christmas together here in Sokcho. Friday we hosted a Christmas party for all our home school students--nearly forty crammed into our apartment! Eunnie's sister and her family came out from Yongin for the weekend, so we went to the sauna together on Saturday and took the boys sliding on Sunday before a big Christmas dinner on Sunday. Christmas Day I helped the boys make Christmas cookies..
We really needed another day to recover, and Eunnie found herself quite sick on Tuesday. I miss Boxing Day!

Here are a few pictures--if you click the flicker box on the sidebar, you can see all the photos I've uploaded.

Hope you had a good Christmas wherever you are.

Christmas Story Poster Contest

2006-12-13T23:54:00.000+09:00

Well after the success of my Chuseok Poster Contest, I brought out another contest for my Grade 6 students at Sokcho Elementary School. The assignment was to create a poster depicting some story about Christmas. The point was that wanted them to tell something through their poster beyond, "Merry Christmas." Response was good, and here I present the top 12 posters. I think that although the number of posters I received this time was smaller, the quality was generally higher.

I will be awarding prizes to the top three posters (they will all receive the same prize), so please put your top three choices in the comments section. Thanks in advance for your help.

Can it be done?

2006-12-10T21:09:00.000+09:00

DSCN7674
Originally uploaded by skindleshanks.

This is the photo of the taxi company with which I had a recent run-in (fender bender). They recently put up a sign, which my wife loosely translated, "Let's try to go for 100 days without any accidents." I guess that's supposed to instill confidence in their service. Can you imagine if Korean Air had a sign like this in front of their check-in counter?

My advice to anyone living in Korea--if at all possible, do not have an accident with a taxi. They are the mobsters of the roads, and tend to view accidents as an opportunity for extortion. I guess that lately, this company has found themselves at fault more often that they'd like. What this sign really means is, "Let's be more careful about HOW we have our accidents."

Two Good Reasons to Learn English

2006-10-22T03:48:00.000+09:00

Winner

2006-10-09T01:44:00.000+09:00

Congratulations to Arlen, who won the Chuseok Poster contest. It actually came down to a tiebreaker poll of teachers at school, but the prize (Jenga Extreme) went to a worthy winner.

I have a question for any blogger users out there: What do I need to do to change my Archive and Recent Post lists to display titles rather than dates. I wish there was an easy way of organizing my food and other entries on here. I've thought also about migrating to another service--how would I go about taking my past entries with me. I'm quite busy and don't have hours and hours to spend on my blog.

Any help is greatly appreciated. come back soon to see what I ate in Jeju last week!

2006-10-01T02:06:00.000+09:00

Chuseok Poster Contest

Next week is the Chuseok holiday in Korea. Combined with Foundation Day on October 1st and a judicious use of holiday time, the holiday stretches to one week, so our family has taken advantage of the time off and will be heading out on our first trip to Jeju island. We're very excited that we were able to get the last 3 seats on the plane, takng advantage of the fact that Chuseok morning everyone will be occupied with their family rites, leaving room on the plane for us!

As a special Chuseok Event, I asked my students to prepare posters explaining what Chuseok is all about, what they do at Chuseok, etc. The winner will receive a very big prize of a JengaExtreme game. The kids are pretty excited about this.

So, rather than explain everything myself, I'll let them do the explaining. Here are the top 26 entries.

I'd like to ask my reader(s) to help me objectively judge the posters by leaving a comment in the comment section. Ranking the top 3 in order would be helpful.

Sorry there aren't any numbers to match the pictures - I tried three times, but Blogger kept deleting the pictures every time I tried to add text. You'll have to count down from the top, I guess.

Thank you very much for taking the time to vote - have a Happy Chuseok!

2006-09-30T13:31:00.000+09:00

2006-09-26T20:35:00.000+09:00

This may be a total waste of time, but I came across this clip of some people indulging in a common Korean beach pastime: burying people alive. If the victim is cooperative, the next step is to sculpture something on top.

Notice that while at an indoor pool or waterpark you may see the skimpiest bathing suits imaginable (on women and men!), at the beach the dress code is generally shoulders-to-knees.

2006-09-26T19:00:00.000+09:00

Interesting Stuff:

I found a bit of mold growing on my old backpack the other day, so I washed it well, and then hung it out to dry from our verandah rail for a couple days. Once it was dry, I took it in ad left it next to the window for another day or so. When I finally got around to putting it away, I found this little critter sleeping in among the folds of the bag. Fortunately he was sleepy enough so as to not start flying all over the house. I took him outside and let him loose. Despite their ugly appearance, I love bats, mainly because they are excellent eaters of those pesky mosquitoes.

Next up is a page out of a song book my son was given. There is also an accompanying CD, in both English and Korean.

Here in Korea, passing gas and pooping is not really considered as rude as it might be in Canada, and for kids, it's an endless source of fun and cuteness. In fact, there is a very popular kids show character whose name could be translated, "Little Farter." My son loves that show!

Anyway, here's the lyrics to the song, if you can't make them out:

Daddy's bottom sings like an elephant.
Mommy's bottom sings like a deer.
My bottom sings . . . bong bong bong bong bong bong bong bong!

Here is a bonus that we got when we ordered Fried Chicken from DHA. I believe it was to celebrate the raising of prices from 11,000 won to 12,000.

I wasn't sure what this little critter would eat, but the answer turned out to be . . . just about anything! He eats spinach the best, and can chew through almos 2 big leaves a day!

Finally, we have a Coin-operated Helium Balloon Dispenser - put your money in, and try to catch the balloon before it gets away. I found this in the basement of the Geumgangsan Resort Hotel near Taejin.

2006-08-12T02:18:00.000+09:00

Fried Chicken Review: Kyocheon Chicken

Objects in picture are smaller than they appear.

Just read pakalakamino's blog about fried chicken, and it reminded me of a story.
Kyocheon chicken is one of the many fried chicken chains doing reasonably well in Korea. Their "hook" is that they have a thin, slightly sweet batter that is supposed to stay crunchy and good even after the chicken has gome cold. I was quite impressed.

Kyochon's good, but overpriced for non-city folks. when an outlet opened in Kojin (my wife's hometown), we ordered some, and for fourteen thousand won, each one of us got about two bites of the delicious cornish hen that they had fried up for us. My it was tasty. Then we called the local place, and they sent us a rooster at least 4 times as big, half just fried, and half with a nice sweet/sticky sauce and rolled in peanuts. A bit different, but just as good as Kyocheon. That cost us 10,000 won. We weren't suprised when the place went bankrupt in two months.
Two words for the poor owners : MARKET RESEARCH

Just because it tastes good doesn't mean it will sell at any price.

In Sokcho, I've found that Edison DHA chicken is about as good as it gets (although you can get a real "whole fried chicken" in Joongang Market somewhere--they start with a live chicken when you order, and hand you a feast for five or six fifteen minutes later). DHA chicken doesn't have anything special (they don't fry in olive oil, they don't put curry in the batter, and they don't use old oil that smells like french fries ala Hallim), but they claim that the chickens are raised to contain DHA which supposedly makes you smart. One of my students back when I taught adults had parents who ran the local DHA shop, and we had fun with her in class. She said that their chickens were "smart chickens," and I pointed out that they weren't smart enough to avoid the fryer. Anyway, my wife likes fried chicken, and we've ordered from them about 15 times in the last two years (we save the bonus coupons). It always arrives hot and fresh, and is just enough for the three of us to eat our fill without feeling too bad for all those calories.

On a completely unrelated note, I have a new oven in my new house, and I'm absolutely loving it! When we were newlywed and poor, we bought the cheapest oven available (most Koreans don't have ovens), and I fought with it for 3+ years to get reasonable results. Now I have a very nice oven--a bit smaller, but it had a supplementary electric element on top and a fan that circulates the air a bit, AND a light AND a timer!!! I made cookies today, and they turned out great! We'll take some own to our neighbours below in order to apologize in advance for our son's noisy jumping and dancing about. Hopefully Dad's Favorite Cookies will appease them for a while.

Here's a video of a kyochon commercial, starring one of my wife's favorite heartthrobs, Bi. - Note that there are over $50 worth of chicken in the final shot.

2006-08-04T03:24:00.000+09:00

Found on the web:

cdnuolt blveiee taht I cluod aulaclty uesdnatnrd waht I was rdgnieg

THE PAOMNNEHAL PWEOR OF THE HMUAN MNID
Aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it deosn't mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoatnt tihng is that the frist and lsat ltteer be in the rghit pclae. The rset can be a taotl mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe. Amzanig huh?

The wierd thing is that I actually scanned the paragraph before I realized that every word was misspelled.

2006-08-02T01:45:00.000+09:00

Ramyun

It's been several years now since I swore off ramyun, or instant noodles. After tasting "real" noodles, which can be had quite cheaply anywhere in the country, I can't imagine why so many Koreans are addicted to the instant, dehydrated, cholesterol-enriched fake stuff. However, my wife eats a bowl of ramyun every other day or so, and in fact prefers it to most of the western dishes I make. There are many varieties, too--hot, cold, made with rice starch, potato starch, green tea, whole wheat, spicy, super spicy, and heartburn-for-a-week spicy.

Anyway, if you're feeling like jazzing up a bowl of ramyun for a special occasion, check out this Korean blog for some serving ideas.

On anunrelated note, I found a 250g roll of Hungarian Salami at E-mart yesterday for 6,900 won. I bought it,and made a sandwich with it today. It tasted a little strange--is Hungarian salami meant to be cooked before eating? Serving suggestions would be welcome.

Beyond Preppy

2006-07-13T02:17:00.000+09:00

Beyond Preppy
Originally uploaded by skindleshanks.

Now there's a fashion statement!

2006-07-12T02:19:00.000+09:00

Here's one for my brother-in-law, a great guy, a new father for the second time, and one of Bush's biggest Canadian fans.
Hat tip to About Joel.

2006-07-06T22:19:00.000+09:00

This may be a fairly long hiatus from posting. My hard dive melted--fortunately just after I backed up all the priceless baby pictures! I'm in the process of getting everything set up again. That combined with having to make tests and report cards and reports that I lost, mark the tests, and turn in the results just before we move . . . it will be a while till I have time to blog again. See you then . . .

Birth

2006-06-20T23:08:00.000+09:00

DSCN6307
Originally uploaded by skindleshanks.

This is the baby picture you don't normally show people first--but birth is not really a pretty process until it's all over. Most miracles aren't.

Arin Lindelle

2006-06-20T22:55:00.000+09:00

DSCN6384
Originally uploaded by skindleshanks.

2006-06-06T02:57:00.000+09:00

닭갈비 - Chicken Casserole

Yummy--Spicy chicken, ddeok, cabbage and other vegetables, with octopus, all cooked at your table.

Even better is the cold seaweed soup that comes with it.

The name is rather interesting--dalk kalbi (닭갈비) - sounds like "chicken ribs" in Korean.

There are two excellent restaurants across from each other in Sokcho's Kyo-dong Food District (교동목고리) that offer this dish.

2006-06-05T20:51:00.000+09:00

Last Friday night I went to a performance at the Sokcho Cultural Center of some traditional, and some modern/traditional performances of music and dance. It was an excellent performance, and although the crowd (mostly high school girls on a homework assignment) was a bit noisy, they compensated by cranking the volume up. The final farmer's dance left my ears ringing.

I had been hoping to see a pansori performance--my wife said she thought there would be some, but the high school student next to me told me that there are so few pansori masters (it requires years of painful vocal training) that towns like ours almost never have such performances. It's a shame that I have spent over four years here and still have yet to see a live pansori performance.

Anyway, without further ado, here are some excerpts from the evening. My digital camera battery was about to die, hence none of the clips are complete, but should give the uninitiated an idea of these genres of Korean traditional performing arts.

This first clip is of a drum performance.

The next one is by the group 고구려예슬단

Korean Exorcism Dance
살풀이 - 안무 - 이현정 신천무용단

These last ones are of the Farmer's Dance, which is perfaromed at many festivals in Korea. If you're going to pick just one clip, the last one is the most spectacular.

2006-06-04T13:32:00.000+09:00

Spring Flowers

Apart fom a bit of yellow dust, this spring has been a good one- fairly cool, and with lots of beautiful flowers. Here are some of the flowers we were blessed with this year.Young Maple Leaves
Azaleas

"Grandmother Flower" in Korean--some kind of crocus.

Pine Buds
Daisy

Plum Blossoms
I don't know what thse flowers are called, but they are very, very tiny.
Poppy
Violet
More Azaleas

2006-06-04T03:35:00.000+09:00

Friends and family looking for family pics, news and videos can go to our family site (where we posted our Christmas letter) . If you don't know where that is, send me an email or comment, and I'll direct you to it.

Chapchae

2006-05-31T22:33:00.000+09:00

Chapchae
Originally uploaded by skindleshanks.

This was a hit with the folks back in Canada, too.

BTW, I've opened the comments so you don't have to register. We'll see how it goes--if I start getting comment spam again, I'll start requiring registration.

Comment away!

Good Bread

2006-05-31T17:10:00.000+09:00

DSCN5400
Originally uploaded by skindleshanks.

The brand-new bakery on the first floor of this building in Kyo-Dong has a few treasures in addition to the normal bakery fare. My favorite, though, is the whole wheat and rye sub buns. They don't make them every day, but you can phone ahead and check if they have them.

I use them to make monster sub sandwiches like this. Who needs Subway?

2006-05-31T16:31:00.000+09:00

Mission Accomplished

Well, chalk up another one to new experiences--I voted at the local voting station with no problems. My name was on the list (albeit on a seperate sheet, marked,"foreigner"), and I signed it after showing my ID and voter registration sheet, and proceded to vote.

There were six ballots, and the only major surprise was that two ofthe ballots were for "proportional representation," one at the municipal level and another at the provincial level. I'm not sure what that means exactly, but on those ballots, we were required to vote for a party rather than an individual.

One of my friends said that there may be some deviation in practice from the published wording of the eligibility regulations. Apparently all foreigners with an F-5 visa were given voting information and voter's registration numbers. Perhaps the three year requirement is applied to total residency, or to the residency in Korea after receiving the F-2 visa.

I'd like to encourage all other permanent residents to get out there and vote, if only to affirm that you value the privilege.

If voting rights aren't enough for you, check out my fellow Sokcho blogger Gangwon Brian's interview with two people who have decided to become Korean citizens. Interviews are here and here.

2006-05-31T13:51:00.000+09:00

Off to Vote

Well, I'm going to go see if they'll let me vote--the station's only twenty metres from my door, so it can't hurt to try.

The problem, though, is who to vote for. My wife and I perused the pamphlets that came to our door on Monday, and weren't really impressed by any of them. Most of them said they would work hard, they would solve all sorts of local problems, but offered very few details on how they plan to cure all our ills. One candidate from a major party (election laws restrain me from naming the candidate or the party ) wrote several pages about how terrible the current provincial governor is, but only a few short lines about what he would do different.

Only one candidate for mayor took the time to put any real detail to his platform. I don't agree with everything he plans to do, but I'll probably vote for him, if for no other reason than that he seems intent on actually doing his job rather than wasting his (and our) resources politicking.

Another problem is that we have to choose 6 different representative, but there is information available for only a few of them, so we have no idea about half of the candidates. I can't blame the local voter apathy--there are too many choices, and too little information.

My inlaws have told us repeatedly to "pick number 2" on all ballots, the party of their choice. I'm fed up with party politics in Korea, so I'll probably vote for candidates who aren't aligned with any party. I think the "Jesse Ventura" types, whether we like them or not, are more likely to have read the job description that goes with the title.

I'll update when I get back!

2006-05-30T00:30:00.000+09:00

Voting in Korea

My brother-in-law, who is completing his mandatory service in a public records office, mentioned to me the other day that foreigners such asmyself would be able to participate in upcoming elections. This came to me as quite a surprise, and I had all sorts of questions about this, whether this meant I could vote in the national elections, run for office, or what.

The Korea Times has an article about the changes to Korean election laws. It says:

Foreigners with permanent residency here will cast ballots in the upcoming local elections in May, exercising their voting rights for the first time to elect governors, mayors and council members.
According to the National Election Commission (NEC), foreigners who have lived here for three years or longer since they obtained permanent residency, will be allowed to vote in the local elections on May 31 if they are 19 years or older.
South Korea revised the election law last August to allow foreigners voting rights.
The law enables 6,579 foreigners, including 6,511 with Taiwanese roots, to participate in voting to elect mayors, governors and council members.
They also include 51 Japanese, eight Americans, five Chinese and two Germans.
They need to register themselves on the list of foreign residents kept by local governments before the elections.

Since I'm registered as a Canadian (although I have dual citizenship), I assumed wasn't on the list.

However, a few days later a package arrived in the mail addressed to myself with a booklet in English and Korean giving instructions on the election process. I double checked the eligibility requirements for voting and read the following exerpt (bold/italics mine):

2. Right to Vote

0 Voting age : 19 years of age and above as of the election day

(born before June 1, 1987)

Eligibility

Foreigners with following qualifications are entitled to vote;

- Pursuant to the Immigration Control Act, acquired and have maintained permanent residential status(F-5 visa) for over three years,

- and have been enrolled in the Register of Foreign Residents of the local jurisdiction.

^ Foreigners whose age are 19 or more and have F-5 visa are eligible to vote.

The one line states correctly, that one must possess the F-5 visa for over three years; however, the last line confuses things by saying that the requirements for voting are simply being over 19 and having an F-5 visa. The Korean version is equally confusing.

I recently received my F-5 visa, which is basically a permanent residence visa allowing me a degree of economic freedom. (It is granted to, among others, spouses who have maintained an F-2 visa status for at least two years. For me, one of the main advantages is not having to reapply for a visa extension every year (and paying the related fees). I can also seek any legal employment without having to get permission from immigration.)

My wife called the local office, and they confirmed that I was not eligible to vote if I had just received the F-5 visa.

However, this morning I received a package with informational pamphlets from all the candidates, an instructional sheet in both English and Chinese, and a paper that has my name listed as a voter (선거인성명-----) along with what seems to be a voter registration number (선거인명부등 재 번호) It seems that, eligible or not, I am on the list of eligible voters.

Here’s another excerpt from the Voter’s Guide that describes how the voters’ list is drawn up:

3. Voters' List

Whenever an election is held, the heads of the Gu/Si/Eup/Myeon shall prepare and organize voters' list by voting districts based on the Register of Foreign Residents.

On the Gu/Si/Gun internet home pages and at the places designated by the heads of the Gu/Si/Eup/Myeon, the voters' list is offered to voters for public inspection from May 17 through May 19, 2006(for 3 days). In case of perusal via the internet, personal information is accessible only after self-identification process is completed.

Claims for correction of the list may be layed to the heads of Gu/Si/Eup/Myeon in case of listing of any disqualified persons, ommission of any qualified persons, or incorrect information are found. A person not satisfied with a decision on the claim above may appeal against it. If a person considers that he/she has been left out of the list without justification, he/she can demand Gu/Si/Gun ECs to add him/her to the list by submitting relevant documents to prove his/her eligibility.

Until today, I assumed that I was not on the list and was only mailed the guide in error, but it seems that I have also been placed on the voter’s list and have my own voter's number. Our voting office is only 20 meters from our apartment, so it’s tempting to show up and see whether or not I am in fact allowed to vote.

I think it’s a bit unusual to allow foreign residents to participate in elections, and Korea is the first country in Asia to extend this privilege. In Canada this is one of the few important distinctions between rights of Canadian citizen and a permanent resident. My father spent over half his life as a permanent resident in Canada before applying for citizenship, and he taught Canadian Civics to high school classes for years before he was first able to cast a vote himself.

The rationale in Korea is that permanent residents, if they are to be contributing members of their local society, should be able to participate in selecting the representatives who will have a significant impact on local business and living conditions. This makes sense, especially in those rural counties where foreign spouses make up up to 20% of the local population.

I welcome the opportunity to vote in Korea—it makes me feel that I can become a little less of an “outsider.” It seems that the system has a few wrinkles to be ironed out, however.

Comments are welcome, and here are a few links to articles on the subject:

Hankook Ilbo

Science Daily

Hankyoreh Editorial

Chosun Ilbo - A Lifelong Chinese Resident Votes for the First Time

Korea Times - Similar Story

Korea Herald

PostScript A somewhat unrelated and mildly humorous story:

Shortly after I first came to Korea, there was an election in Canada and my parents and brother went together to vote. I was listed under my parents’ address. The election officer consulted the voter’s list and asked about me. My brother, who has a tendency to say things without considering how they might be construed (he truthfully declared to a US customs officer that he was radioactive as a result of his thyroid treatments and was as a result subjected to a Geiger counter scan before being allowed to pass) said “Oh, he’s not around anymore.” The officer said “OK,” and crossed my name off the list, writing DECEASED next to my name. It was fortunate that my mom spotted the error, or I could have some trouble proving my identity when I return to Canada. Just goes to show that even a well-oiled system can be prone to human error!

2006-05-28T01:56:00.000+09:00

We are Cool guy!

2006-05-14T14:52:00.000+09:00

DSCN5756
Originally uploaded by skindleshanks.

We are cool guy! Proceed Proudly! Fight!

Petci Soldier

Child Assembly Room

2006-05-09T00:20:00.000+09:00

DSCN4863
Originally uploaded by skindleshanks.

This is the room in our school where children are assembled.

The National Clothing of the USA

2006-05-09T00:18:00.000+09:00

dressup USA
Originally uploaded by skindleshanks.

I told my students to dress up in the traditional clothes of different countries and prepare a short interview to present to the class. This is what they came up with for the USA.

2006-05-08T13:34:00.000+09:00

Roll Kuchen

This recipe goes back to my Mennonite Roots. This is a slightly salty, fried bread that is usually served with watermelon. It's a great combination, because the saltiness makes one crave more watermelon. An alternative way of serving it is to dip it in corn syrup (like Roger's Golden Syrup.)

I made a batch of these yeasterday, and I tried sprinkling icing sugar on top. The last time I made these my wife's uncle took one bite and spit it out, because he thought "donuts" should always be sweet. I think he wouldn't mind these.

Ingredients:

3 cups flour
2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1/3 cup melted butter or oil
2 eggs
milk

DIRECTIONS:

Sift the dry ingredients together.
Beat the eggs and add milk to make 1 cup.
Add oil and mix well.
Add the liquid to the dry ingredients, roll out fairly thin (1/4 inch).
Cut into long rectangles with a pizza cutter, and cut a slit in the middle of each piece.
Slip the top of the rectangle through the slit to make a twist in each side.
Deep fry in hot oil until light brown. Serve hot with watermelon or Roger's Golden Syrup.
Other variations on this recipe include cutting the butter into the dry ingredients with a fork to make it flaky, or substituting cream or sour cream for part of the milk.

2006-05-03T23:13:00.000+09:00

Sokcho Sashimi

Okay, Here's another video, this time food-related and Sokcho related. I searched Google Video for Sokcho, and found this clip that someone uploaded of their meal of 회, or sashimi, including one delicacy I have yet to try, Sea Urchin. (Not the April 1st Land variety described on Gangwon Notes)

Sokcho is famous for raw fish, and although it's not a lot cheaper than in Seoul, it is definitely fresher. My wife says the reason East Coast fish taste so good raw is because the water is much cooler, and the fish grow very slowly.

The video's pretty shaky, and not that great, but enjoy it, anyway.

2006-05-03T22:56:00.000+09:00

This really has nothing to do with anything I normally post about, except that I've long had an interest in Central Asia (actually, pretty much all of Asia), and I came across this video by the Kazakh group "Xahrizada" at the excellent Opposite End of China blog. I have no idea what they're singing about, but the tune's been stuck in my head for days. Enjoy!

2006-04-23T18:24:00.000+09:00

#1 Sokcho Ripoff: Seorak Waterpia

If you come to Sokcho, there are a lot of things you can and should do, but there are also more than a few tourist traps to avoid. At the top of the list is Seorak Waterpia.

Unless you can get huge discounts with your phone club card or credit card, Waterpia is really overpriced and way too crowded. (35,000 entry plus 6,000 for a lifejacket if you want to get into the little wave pool.) If you sit in the couples tubs, people will come and ask you to let them use it, and the place is so crowded, we never got more than 2 minutes uninterrupted. Not only do all the Korean tourists come here, but several busses arrive each day with Chinese tourists from Shanghai and Hong Kong. There is a major expansion underway, but you'll have to wait a few years for that. The two waterslides are Asian-sized only, not allowing anyone over 80 kg. A variety of fast-food is available, but it comes in miniscule portions at high prices.

2006-04-09T21:43:00.000+09:00

Due to a variety of reasons, I have taken a one month hiatus from posting here, due mainly to the resumption of a hectic schedule, and other personal responsibilities. I apologize for any inconvenience that may have been caused to the 4 people who regularly visit this site. I hope to resume posting soon, albeit at a slower pace, perhaps once or twice a week. I have taken up learning to play the ukulele, though, so that may further disrupt my blogging efforts.

Please take the time to look back over my previous blogs--there are some good ones from back when I had spare time.

Booby

2006-03-13T23:12:00.000+09:00

Booby
Originally uploaded by skindleshanks.

I thought my son had been weaned months ago, then my wife brings home a spoon and chopstick set. I definitely consider this a step in the wrong direction.

Sugar Bong II

2006-03-08T23:24:00.000+09:00

Sugar Bong III
Originally uploaded by skindleshanks.

English teachers in Korea are advised to stay away from this sort of thing. Even if it is from the students.

Strawberry Kiwi Smoothie with Apple Jelly Cubes

2006-03-08T23:18:00.000+09:00

Strawberry Kiwi Smoothie with Apple Jelly Cubes
Originally uploaded by skindleshanks.

It tasted better than it looks--I really have to work on my presentation.

The apple jelly was made from scratch with tiny Korean crabapples. I chopped and soaked them in boiling water overnight, then reheated it and added a sheet of gelatin. A lot of work, but it tastes so much better if you make it yourself! (No matter how it looks!)

OurQSports

2006-03-08T23:08:00.000+09:00

OurQSports
Originally uploaded by skindleshanks.

It's a pleasant experience.

Steamed buns

2006-03-04T10:49:00.000+09:00

Steamed buns
Originally uploaded by skindleshanks.

Humanistic and Humorous

2006-03-04T10:47:00.000+09:00

Humanistic and Humorous
Originally uploaded by skindleshanks.

2006-03-02T00:57:00.000+09:00

Japanese-Korean Street Food

5092 is a new chain of Japanese-themed hof corners in town—I counted at least seven that have appeared almost simultaneously around town here, and I’m sure there are more in the parts of town I don’t usually frequent. Seems like some overcharged franchising to me—one near the Buyeong Apartments has already either gone out of business or relocated within a matter of weeks.

The numbers 5092 in Korean sound like the words for “odaeng,” a sort of “seafood weiner” made from fish paste in a variety of shapes and boiled on skewers in a broth, and gu-ui (gooey), or barbequed meat. They are pleasant little shops offering imported Japanese beers and rice wines, and menus with Japanese pricing (i.e, very expensive).

Odaeng and chicken skewers are usually the fare of street vendors (포장마차) and usually range from 300-500won/stick for odaeng and 1,000-1,500 won/stick for chicken skewers. At 5092 you can buy 3 skimpy sticks of chicken for 8,000 won, or four sticks of Odaeng for 10,000 won. The atmosphere is cozy and peaceful, although the locations are far from classy.

I have to say, I’m rather disappointed by the pricy versions of the chicken (닭꼬치). They aren’t all that big and don’t taste any better than the street vendors’.

SO far, the best skewered chicken (닭꼬치) to be had in Korea was from a man with a small truck about a block south of Ajou University in Suwon. He marinated the meat in a spicy –sweet sauce with soju, and roasted them on an open grill armed with a spray bottle to keep the flames under control, unlike most vendors who cook the skewers on aluminum foil- lined trays. He sold the full, meaty sticks for 1,000 won apiece,

Unfortunately, they built a big new shopping and sauna complex next to his spot, and told him to stop grilling because of the smoke. He and his wife now sell flower-bread and Chinese hoddok—very good, but we’ve yet to find anyone who can match his chicken.

The best odaeng, however, can be found at Changbawi Odaeng, a small street cart set up next to the 300 block of Buyong Apartments, kitty-corner from the famed People of Bread Village Bakery. They offer not only the normal odaeng, but also a spicy version. Their secret, however, is that they put real red crabs in the soup for flavour. They also offer take-away bowls so that you can enjoy it at home, but odaeng always tastes better when standing on a cold street in the winter.

2006-03-02T00:35:00.000+09:00

It's been a momentous week for us here:

1. I got my F-5 visa.
2. We got a house (new apartment).
3. My son got pneumonia.

Your prayers are appreciated for the last two. (Friends and family are welcome to see pictures of our new place on our "New Year's Letter" site.)

Now that I have a permanent residence visa (F-5), my wife says I can do anything a Korean citizen can do. I heard the Blue house will be taking applications for the next presidential election. If Noh Mu-Hyun can be president, why can't I? We have at least one thing in common: we waste time writing for our blogs when we should be working. (see his blog at Naver, one at Daum, and one at Paran.) Maybe Korea can get a visible minority into the presidency before the US does. That'll be the day . . .

No, I'm not cut out to be president, but it might be nice to open a nice street food stand. I have all sorts of ideas for them, but the main problem is that if you do very well, there will be half a dozen others who will copy your idea, and then everyone goes bankrupt. Case in point: there used to be one stall selling 1,000 won mini pizzas in town. Now there are at least 5, three within sight of each other, and they are simply splitting the business. Some have had to diversify into other items to make ends meet, and others have hiked the price to 1,500 to counter falling sales volume. The end result is that at any of these places now, business is slow, and the pizzas are most likely to be cold from sitting out too long. It's a real shame--I liked those mini-pizzas.

Vitakato

2006-03-02T00:30:00.000+09:00

Vitakato
Originally uploaded by skindleshanks.

It's the name of colorful power!

Vitakato

2006-03-02T00:28:00.000+09:00

Vitakato
Originally uploaded by skindleshanks.

It's the freshness in yourself.

Geojin 명태축제

2006-02-27T02:59:00.000+09:00

gojin
Originally uploaded by skindleshanks.

This weekend was the Myoungtae (Alaskan Pollack) Festival in Goseong. The main event is held at Geojin Harbour. One of the highlights for me last year was the tour of a Coast Guard Ship. You can also eat all kinds of seafood, from whale meat to shellfish barbeques.

Unfortunately, Korean Pollack stocks have been all but decimated, so any pollack you see is probably imported. Most of the fishermen in Geojin now make their living from squid and crabs.

For some beautiful views of the coastline (such as where this photo was taken), take the stairs up the cliff at the north end of town. There is nice little hiking trail, exercise area, and beautiful views. It's usually deserted, so it's a good place to find some solitude, too.

Tea

2006-02-27T02:29:00.000+09:00

Tea
Originally uploaded by skindleshanks.

Look for these teas by Dongwon Beverages in your local supermarket. Except for the blck tea, which is slightly sweetened and tinged with lemon, they're sugar and calorie-free, made with only pure tea and mineral water. I've heard some say that they are brewed a little strong, but in my opinion, they're perfect. You can get black, green, jasmine and chrysanthemum teas.

They're North-American priced at 1600 won, but a whole lot healthier than a Pepsi.

I'd Rather Eat Meat

2006-02-27T01:54:00.001+09:00

I'd Rather Eat Meat
Originally uploaded by skindleshanks.

It sure beats eating a lure, doesn't it?

Humanistic and Humorous

2006-02-27T01:54:00.000+09:00

Humanistic and Humorous
Originally uploaded by skindleshanks.

"Puck" phone

2006-02-25T21:01:00.000+09:00

"puck" phone
Originally uploaded by skindleshanks.

Cel phones come in all shapes and sizes here. This is one my student has. It's made especially for playing video games on the go. It could also double as a hockey puck someday.

On a side note, I now know the Canadian equivalent of Korea's World Cup Fever. It's Olympic Hockey. Unfortunately, this year Canada's hockey team didn't even get as far as Korea did in the last World Cup.

If Korea gets the 2014 Winter Games (I think they have a 50-50 shot), it will be ineresting to see how their hockey team will fare against the NHLers. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think the host countryautomatically qualifies for the tournament, is that right?

My Borscht

2006-02-25T20:50:00.000+09:00

My Borscht
Originally uploaded by skindleshanks.

I was inspired to make borscht this week. there were no beets to be found, but the soup turned out real good.
I boiled the bones until they were very soft, and the ended up with a rich soup base to work from.
That's fresh parsley on the top. I forgot to take a picture of my homemade sour cream.

Feel that Funky Faver

2006-02-25T18:41:00.000+09:00

DSCN4635
Originally uploaded by skindleshanks.

Cheju Pigs

2006-02-25T18:38:00.000+09:00

DSCN4812
Originally uploaded by skindleshanks.

I've never tried this dish, but if you go to Cheju Island, you'll find this delicacy: black haired pigs that are fed almost exclusively on human feces (so I've been told). It doesn't sound healthy for the pigs, but it is believed that this pork is especially good for human consumption. I guess it creates a closer symbiotic relationship between man and pig.

Black haired pigs command premium prices in North-East Asia, but not all consumers are getting what they think they're getting. When I worked in a pig slaughterhouse in Winnipeg, I found out that pigs with even the faintest black hair were stamped with a special mark, since black-haired pork can be sold for several times the price of normal pork. Once the hair is burnt off in the butchering process, though, they look no different than the other pigs going through the plant, and bear very little resemblance to these pigs, which are less than half the size of slaughter-ready hogs in North America. I smell a scam ... Maybe if Canadian farmers would change their nutritional inputs, they could make even more on Asian exports!

2006-02-19T20:52:00.000+09:00

Borscht in Busan
My friend and I took a trip to Busan last month to visit the aquarium and try out the new bullet train (KTX) to Seoul.

One thing that struck me as we walked around Busan station was the abundance of Russian signage, and I set out to find some good Russian food. Walking along Shanghai Street across from Busan Station, we saw more Russian shops than Chinese, and one, called USSURI turned out to be the treasure trove we were searching for.

It’s a cozy restaurant/coffee shop/bar, but seems to have a regular clientele among the Central Asian expats. They sell pastries on the street in front of the shop, as well as a dense, dry, rye bread, perfect for sopping soup.

Prices are moderate, and the menu, in Korean, Russian, and English, offers soups, steak, salad, dumplings, and dessert, with prices ranging from 4,000 to 10,000 won. A plate of buttered dumplings (meat, potato, or vegetable) costs 4,000 won, as does a bowl of borscht with bread and a couple of garnishes.

Borscht is a slightly sour-sweet soup usually made with pork stock and vegetables, seasoned heavily with dill and bay leaves. It is usually served with a dollop of sour cream in the bowl. I know of at least three varieties of borscht.

My mother makes it Mennonite style with canned tomatoes, cabbage and good pork stock. There is also a Mennonite “Summer Borscht” which uses beet or sorrel greens. The Ukrainian version, especially common around my hometown in Manitoba uses the actual beet root, and is a dark red. According to Wikipedia, there are other varieties from across Russia, Eastern Europe, and even a Hong-Kong style borscht, which resembles the Mennonite version of my ancestors,

For recipes, see Maggie’s excellent Mennonite recipe site, or for the Ukrainian version, look here.

It is possible to find beets occasionally in Emart, but they are so prohibitively priced (3,000 won for half a bulb) that they are only used as salad garnish in restaurants such as Sannae(산네) in Sokcho.

To make a good broth, buy some bones from your local butcher. Beef bones are prohibitively expensive in Korea, so go with pork. You can point to the animal diagram to show which part of the animal you’d like. Korean Potato soup (Kamja tang 감자탕 /hae jeong guk 해정국) is usually made from the spine, but for borscht, it’s better to use leg bones and the like. You should be able to get enough for a good soup for about 5,000 won.

The bones need to be soaked overnight in cold water to let a lot of the blood out. The next morning, cover the bones with water, and then bring slowly to a boil. There will be a lot of coagulated blood in that broth, too, so dump it out and rinse the bones again. Now you’re ready to make some good soup. Boil slowly on the smallest burner at the lowest setting all day, and then set it in a cool place overnight. The next morning skim off all the fat, take the meat off the bones, and then go ahead with making your soup.

Real borscht is just a bit sour and a bit sweet. You can use all sorts of things to get the flavour right—lemon juice, any variety of vinegar, pickle juice, etc. For sweeteners, sugar is fine, but you could try a bit of honey or Korean cooking syrup. Finally, if you can’t find the sour cream (it’s available at Hannam Mart in Seoul in a big 1l tub, which you can use as starter to make your own), use some plain unsweetened yogurt (You can make your own by mixing one bottle of drinking yogurt with 1 liter plus 1 small “bonus” 185 ml carton of milk, and then placing in a yogurt maker, an oven with the internal light on, or on a really warm ondol floor overnight).

For the best commercially available (beet) borscht you’ll still have to head over to G’News in Oakbank, Manitoba, Canada or my mom’s place. In Korea, though, head over to Shanghai Street and indulge yourself!

New Contest—Find the Russian Restaurant!!!
Show me a restaurant in Sokcho that serves Russian food, including Borscht, I will treat you to it!

2006-02-19T20:46:00.000+09:00

Another Reason to Study English

Check out this hilarious video on the Lost Nomad's site. (apologies to the German Coast Guard)

Getting down to Business in Style

2006-02-18T00:31:00.000+09:00

DSCN4589
Originally uploaded by skindleshanks.

Acording to the Lonely Planet, you have to travel to the Potala Palace in Tibet to experience the best view one can have while one is doing one's business. (see link here) I've been there, and though the experience there is both unique and breathtaking, I think this lavatory, near the Taejong Observatory in Busan, is at least equally worthy. Rather than staring at witty scrawlings on the wall (The future of the human race is in your hands, etc. . .), guys can stare out through the pines and over the Korean Strait, perhaps on a clear day seeing Japan's Daemado on the horizon.

Korea has it's share of awful bathrooms, but there are some pretty nice ones, too. Most of the rest stops along Korea's toll highways are clean and modern, with a choice of Western (sit down) and Asian (no contact) style toilets and a few of them actually have hot running water. En route to Sokcho from Seoul, the Pyongchang Rest Stop is one of my favorites.

Suwon, home to one of the 2002 World Cup Stadiums, invested $4 million in creating a new public bathroom experience for visitors, with impressive views, specially commissioned art, and more importantly, cleaning staff. They even had a tour bus running through town offering the "Suwon Beautiful Restroom Tour." Last time I visited, the tour bus wasn't running, and the toilets weren't quite as clean as they were in 2002, but they were still much more pleasant than any public outhouse I have been to in Canada.

Bunbuster

2006-02-12T16:03:00.000+09:00

DSCN4535
Originally uploaded by skindleshanks.

Public Executions in South Korea

2006-02-12T15:47:00.000+09:00

I took this picture at the Korean folk Village in Yongin. There's a target just out of the picture, but it looks like they're shooting a human target. Kim Jong Il would be proud.

The riders there put on quite a show. One thing that we noticed was that the horses rode almost silently around the ring, as if they were shoeless. Perhaps a horse expert could shed some light on this.

2006-02-09T21:59:00.000+09:00

For Sale!!

Jenga Extreme is a great gift for your Korean friends or colleagues.
It costs around 40,000 won here if you can find it, and $29+tax in Canada (superstore and walmart) last time I was there. It's basically like Jenga, except you can build the tower at different angles.

I also have several Scrabble games--wooden tile edition, still in shrink-wrap. I've only ever seen the plastic ones in the stores here.

My wife wants me to get them out of the house, so I'm offering these games for 20,000 plus shipping (4,000won). I could probably sell them for a lot more on auction, but my wife is too busy. You can combine the shipping if you want multiples. I think the shipping will be the same for 2 or 3.

Oysters

2006-02-09T17:59:00.000+09:00

DSCN4640
Originally uploaded by skindleshanks.

Fresh, raw oysters are quite a delicacy in Korea, and definitely an aquired taste, one that I am (slowly) warming up to. Koreans generally dip them in 고추장, red pepper paste, before eating them, although they are fine by themselves.

A better use for fresh oysters, in my opinion, is in Haemul pajeon (해물파전), a thick pancake full of green onions and various seafood.

Busan's Dongrae Halmae Pajeon is the place to go for this delicious dish. It is an institution in Busan, and was a favorite spot for the late South Korean dictator, Park Chung Hee.

If you do go there, you might have a bowl of eel soup (Chu-eo tang 추어탕) as well, it is delicious and distinct from other provinces' versions.

The address in Korean is
부산광역시 동래구 복천동 367-2 367-2

It's not particularly easy to find, so it's probably best to take a taxi.

Yutnori

2006-02-09T17:33:00.000+09:00

Yutnori
Originally uploaded by johl.

January 29th was Korean New Year’s and we had a very nice time with a good turnout from my wife’s family. Usually families must travel to the senior household on the husband’s side to perform the ancestral rites and spend the holiday together. It’s a little strange that with four girls in her family, they all managed to spend a good portion of the holiday together.

We took advantage of the larger gathering to play a game of yut-nori, a game of chance and strategy using four rounded sticks as a sort of "dice." New Year's is really the only time when we play this game--among the older generation card cames such as "go-stop" are preferred, but the complicated rules have so far eluded me.

Our game pitted the Song family against the in-laws, and I'm proud to say that we men asserted ourselves strongly, winning in straight sets.

It's hard to find a good set of rules in English for this game, but the best by far is on Wikipedia, which can be found here. Check out the "special rules"--they can make the game more exciting, too. It's really a very simple game, and one I would highly recommend to families hosting Korean exchange students.

I forgot to take a picture of our family playing yut-nori together, so I borrowed this one from flickr (Credit to johl).

2006-02-08T00:25:00.000+09:00

From the Chosun Ilbo:

Exports of Korea’s national delicacy kimchi have been in trouble since some Chinese brands were found infested with parasites last year.
Korean kimchi had recorded more than US$9 million in monthly exports, but the parasite scandal nearly halved that figure to $4.6 million in November. In December, exports recovered to $5.6 million but again fell below $5 million in January. The main reason is that the Japanese kimchi market, which takes more than 90 percent of exports, is still reluctant to return to the pickled-cabbage side dish.
“Korean kimchi is losing ground in the Japanese market,” says a staffer at kimchi exporter Dongwon F&B. “Korean-produced kimchi has been suspected of parasite contamination after the scandal surrounding heavy metals and parasites in Chinese-made kimchi broke out and lost much of its popularity as a result.”

It was Korean papers that broke this story, and the fear of foreign kimchi was happily fanned into a fury by local producers, who felt threatened by Chinese imports. Now the shoe is on the other foot.

As my father used to tell me, "When you throw mud, you lose ground."

All the more reason to make your own kimchi at home!

2006-02-07T23:55:00.000+09:00

I've taken a bit of a break from blogging over the (Korean) New Year's break while my good friend from Canada came to visit. For those of you who've never been to a country technically still at war, it must come as a shock to find that we live less than 100km from the ememy lines. While my friend was here, we took him up to the DMZ to see a bit of the action.

We tried our best to keep him out of trouble, but it wasn't easy . . .
(apologies to his mom)

Everything is so much smaller here in Korea!Jonathan wants everyone to know how "special" he is.

Jonathan takes advantage of his "down time" to review his photos.

Striking a meditative pose. (I'm feeling a warm breeze from the North . . .)

Thanks for coming out, Jonathan!

2006-01-18T23:23:00.000+09:00

Where can you go to get a good sandwich in Sokcho?(photo credit to natural gas)

Well, you’re welcome anytime at my place, but the state of the sandwich in this part of the country is dire, to say the least.

There used to be a small sandwich shop, Greenwich, just up the street from Annam Plaza in Kyo-dong, with an impressive array of healthy and reasonably priced lunch choices, from sandwiches to subs to bagels to salads. They even had a clever marketing scheme where one could schedule a regular delivery of sandwiches to the home or office. Unfortunately, Greewich has fallen on hard times, or perhaps on it’s own butter knife. During our first summer vacation here, we ran some morning classes at our little school, and hoping to simplify our lunch hour, we ordered home delivery for the entire month, with a different sandwich every day of the week. The first week was fine, but it got old pretty fast, and began to get annoying when we started receiving the wrong order, usually substitutions of sandwiches we didn’t particularly care for, or the same sandwich several days in a row. The last straw was the Wednesday sandwich, the BLT, the most expensive on the menu. I was looking forward to the smoked taste of bacon after two days of Korean ham. What I bit down on was not ham, though. It was cold samgyupsal – meat from the same part of the pig, but thickly sliced, chewy, and without that ever-important smoked taste.

The fast-food scene isn’t much better.

The other night I went down to E-mart to get a chicken burger from Popeye’s for my pregnant wife.** I placed my order and waited 17 minutes for the sandwich. In that time, there was only one other customer, and he was waiting when I left. I didn’t see any of the four employees doing any managerial duties, and none of them seemed to be busy at all.

I have had similar experiences at the MacDonald’s in Gangneung, and haven’t had the heart to press them on the “five minutes or free” rule. They’re a bit busier, but equally disorganized. At least they’re nice enough to offer a complementary mini drink if you’ve waited over ten minutes. They seem to go through a lot of them. I wonder if any of the trainers from Seoul have been out to check why the sales don’t match the traffic.

Korea is famous for it’s bballi-bballi (hurry up!) culture, but out here on the East Coast, fast food is for those who like a slower pace.

(A note to you who may find yourself faced with a pregnant wife with cravings: Do all within your power to grant that wish, even if it means special-ordering a $20 bowl of imported strawberries out of season. Your wife won't forget!)

This Morning's Breakfast

2006-01-16T03:24:00.000+09:00

Oatmeal
Originally uploaded by skindleshanks.

I grew up on oatmeal 2-4 times a week--thanks, Mom--and decided to have it again, for old time's sake.

we never ate it like this, though. Oatmeal cooked with milk, raisins, and maple syrup, topped with butterscotch and chocolate chips. I think even my sister would have liked this stuff.

Oatmeal is expensive and hard to find in Korea--the last time I found some, it was 5,000 won (about $5) for 500 grams. This was imported from Canada, where it is about ten times cheaper.

Sokcho Snow

2006-01-16T03:21:00.000+09:00

Sokcho Snow
Originally uploaded by skindleshanks.

Sorry It's a bit late. The snow's gone by now, but it was fun while it lasted.

The snow was very good for Gangwon forests, which were at a high risk for forest fires due to the unusually dry weather. My brother in law was out last week serving his country by putting out a small forest fire.

Farmers as well will appreciate any moisture come spring.

2006-01-13T01:46:00.000+09:00

SNOW!!!

You read it here first--the first real snow of the season hits Sokcho . . . finally.

While the rest of the country has been inundated with up to 1.5 meters in one day (Gochang, see picture from Dong-A Ilbo), Sokcho, known for skiing and other winter activities, has been left bald and dry.
We did get a dusting on New Year's eve, but it disappeared before I could snap a picture. Tonight, though, it is falling in chunks. I'm glad I got one of the last underground parking spots this evening!

Pictures to follow tomorrow.

2006-01-13T01:17:00.000+09:00

Canada Election

I won't be voting in this election either, but it seems that we're headed towards another minority government. Perhaps that's a good thing.

I'd recommend all you undecideds think about voting strategically for the Green Party. They aren't all pot-smoking zombies (that would be the Marijuana Party): basically, they want Canada to take steps to take care of the land that we've been given in a sustainable, practical way. I would think that this should be something on the Christian Right's agenda, too. Careful stewardship of public resources is a conservative idea, is it not? At one time I thought it was.

I don't agree with everything they say, but I'm not ready to swallow any of the platforms whole.

They won't likely win any seats, but I think they at the very least deserve funding as an official party to make their point of view known.

Not a bad way to spend your vote, IMO.

Or, you could just vote for Nobody.

2006-01-11T21:54:00.000+09:00

Gangwon Sights

I've recently come across some very nice pictorial toursof some of the many beautiful places along the east coast of our province.

Ulleung Island is about as remote as you cn get in Korea, since these rocks are stuck all by themselves (along with the infamous Dokdo) in the middle of the East Sea (aka the Sea of Japan to those of you who live in China, Vietnam, or Northern Europe, and to whom the East Sea refers to other bodies of water).

My wife has been there, and does not wish to go back, due to the severe seasickness she suffered on the speedboat. If I go, it will be solo.

The best pictorial I have found is
Lao Ocean Girl's Ulleung-do Album

there's more at
haunting ulleung island

and if you go you'll find a few secret treasures at
Sanchon Hunjang

And a site with so-so visitor photos:
Stefano in Corea

As well, there is a nice park next to Gangneung's Gyungpo Beach--it's especially nice in the spring for seeing the cherry blossoms.
Check it out in the fall at Wild Korea.

Jus a bit of what you might see if you decide to visit our lonely province!

2006-01-08T15:11:00.000+09:00

GRITS

At least once a week, my mother-in law gives us a big box of food, more than enough for a family twice our size. We eat what we can, but sometimes the box has surprises that we’re not sure what to do with. This week my mother-in law gave us grits.

That’s right, my southern friends, GRITS. My understanding of what grits are is hulled starchy corn. I’ve seen these only a handful of times in my life, and never expected to come across it in Korea. My mother-in-law found them at a store that makes and sells rice cake (떡), took them home and steamed them for my wife, who was sick last week.

My wife told me that a long time ago (post-Korean war), when rice was too expensive in Gangwon-do, many people ate corn instead. It’s quite healthful, but not something my wife particularly enjoys, so she told me to do something with it. After a bit of research into the various ways to prepare grits (there are a lot), I came up with my own recipe.

My grandmother was from Missouri, and loved many of the high-cholesterol southern foods. (I have especially fond memories of fried okra.) I’m pretty sure she would have enjoyed this dish, so I’m dedicating this recipe to her.

Fried (fraaah-d) Grits

Calories: about a billion

3 cups Cooked Grits (hulled, whole corn, steamed or boiled—still firm)

5 rashers bacon chopped fine

1 large onion, chopped

bouillon powder

salt

pepper

cream – fresh or sour (as much as your heart can handle)

Chop the onion, and mix together with the grits, adding the cream, salt, pepper, and bouillon powder to taste. Fry the bacon until slightly crispy. Drain the bacon, leaving the grease in the pan, and mix together wit he grits mixture. Fry the mixture in the bacon grease until browned, mixing occasionally (like hashbrowns).

This dish would be especially good served with a generous sprinkling of grated cheddar on top.

2006-01-08T01:19:00.000+09:00

Lasagne!!

When I lived in Canada, I thought that the only good Lasagne could be made with cottage cheese, something not easily procurable here in rural Korea. Even though it is sometimes available through the mail-order companies (shipped along with dry ice), it is usually days from the expiry once it arrives. I was quite happy then, to find a recipe on the back of a box of Montegrappo lasagna noodles (a cheaper and more authentic choice for noodles than the North American brands) at the Hannam Imported food store in Seoul, a recipe which used a type of béchamel sauce in place of the cottage cheese.

To make a béchamel sauce, make a roux of melted butter and flour over moderate heat, an then wisk in some milk until it is the desired consistency. It has a nice flavour, especially with a bit of salt, pepper, and nutmeg for flavouring. This particular sauce also has some parmesan and mozzarella stirred in at the end.

My sister’s lasagna is still the best in the world, but my lasagna is a close second.

2006-01-08T00:31:00.000+09:00

Someone ought to go to jail for this . . .

Goseong county, which is split by the DMZ on the east coast of Korea, has some of the most beautiful stretches of undeveloped beaches in the country. Driving up the coast to my wife’s hometown each weekend, I often envy the soldiers who get to walk up and down the undisturbed sand on the inside of the barbed wire. It’s only a matter of time before some of these beaches are developed for tourism, with high-rise hotels, garish food stalls, and huge paved parking lots.

It’s happening already, and some of the plans are quite unique. In Geojin, there is Ocean Santeville, a high-priced, (300 million for a 30-pyeong furnished apartment) high-rise apartment going up just a few metres from the water’s edge. (Who was it who built his house on the sand?) At Songjiho Lake, they are building an observation tower next to the lake, and what seems to be a huge camping/RV ground next to the beach. And there is talk of a nude beach coming to the county next year. (No doubtedly complete with hundreds of college boys waiting surreptitiously with their cell phone cameras . . . I highly doubt if beachgoers will be shedding their suits in any great numbers.)

Just south of Banam beach is one of these long, untouched beaches, that is, untouched until a few months ago. I noticed one day that one of the rice paddies was being cleared away by digging equipment. Within the past few months what used to be beautiful rice paddies by the deserted beach have become this, three gaping sand pits growing bigger and deeper by the day. Sand mining is a very profitable business these days, and where better to get sand than from under a beach, right?

Any kid who has played with puddles knows what will happen next. With less than 50 metres separating the big blue sea from these huge holes in the ground, it is only a matter of time (2-10 years) before the ocean breaks through, washing away what’s left of that beautiful beach and the adjoining rice paddies. Not only that, there is nothing in place to keep the sea from encroaching further, and eating away the highway, leaving points north (Geojin, Daejin, Hwajinpo Beach, etc.) without a suitable link to the rest of the country. So much for the “the endless golden sand” County governor Ham, Hyeong-gu is bragging about.

There’s a good bit of money being made off of the steady stream of gravel trucks rolling out of there, but it will cost the government trillions of won to clean up the mess, not counting the lost revenue from future tourism possibilities.

Whoever signed the permit to do this sort of thing was either drunk out of his mind or receiving a fat little envelope under the table. I wouldn’t put either past some of the officials in Goseong. Their office has replaced the old timecards with a fingerprint-recognition device outside the doors so that public officials can record their work hours. However, workers have been seen on more than one occasion leaving early to go drinking, then staggering back at a late hour to record their “overtime.” It’s nice to see our tax dollars hard at work.

Heads ought to roll in the Goseong-county office. . .

Potato Straw Cake

2006-01-06T02:08:00.000+09:00

Potato Straw Cake
Originally uploaded by skindleshanks.

One of my favorite saturday morning breakfasts--grated potatoes, salted, with a bit of dill and pepper, fried until crispy in grapeseed oil. Add the optional sauteed onions and cheddar cheese, and voila--a yummy breakfast (Now if I could only find some decent sausages . . . )

Christmas Cookies

2005-12-31T18:28:00.000+09:00

Christmas Cookies
Originally uploaded by skindleshanks.

I made Christmas cookies for all my students--over 300 cookies in all!

Five hours of work gone in about 10 minutes!

Memories of 2005

2005-12-31T18:23:00.000+09:00

King Crab
Originally uploaded by skindleshanks.

I took my wife out for King Crab at Daepo Harbour for our anniversary. It was wonderful!

Memories of 2005 - Peppero Day

2005-12-31T18:22:00.000+09:00

Peppero Day
Originally uploaded by skindleshanks.

Peppero Day - November 11, 2005.

Strange Cafe

2005-12-31T03:17:00.000+09:00

Strange Cafe
Originally uploaded by skindleshanks.

This is one of the more unusual eating places to be found in Sokcho. It looks out over Yong Chon Li Beach in Youngrang-dong (North Sokcho). I haven't been inside, but I'm hoping to have the chance sometime soon.

Memories of 2005, part 2

2005-12-31T03:03:00.000+09:00

Vancouver Aquarium
Originally uploaded by skindleshanks.

Well I didn't get to have any muktuk this year, but I did get to see the belugas up close at the Vancouver Aquarium. How can something so fat be so graceful??

Memories of 2005

2005-12-31T03:00:00.000+09:00

Birthday Cake
Originally uploaded by skindleshanks.

One of my best baking memories of 2005. It took hour to make and minutes to eat.

2005-12-31T02:49:00.000+09:00

Steamed Sweet Potato Bread

For those of you who left your oven at home (or if you have reliability issues with your oven, like me), a good option for some of your favorite recipes is to steam them. When I made pumpkin or banana loaves, they would inevitably burn on the bottom before being cooked through, due to my bottom-only gas heat (and a puny fan).

Last weekend I mixed up my own version of a sweet-potato raisin loaf, and decided to try steaming it instead of baking. I lined a flat-bottomed sieve (easy to find in Korean kitchenware or dollar stores) with a cheesecloth, poured in the dough, and put it in our steaming pot. About 40 minutes later, it was cooked through and ready to eat, piping hot!

I don’t see why this wouldn’t work with any other soda bread (banana, pumpkin, etc)—just cut back a bit on the liquids so it won’t run through the cheesecloth. I’ll report back soon—I have accumulated a fair bit of mashed banana in my freezer that should be used soon.

The only drawback to steaming is that you’ll need to eat it fairly quickly—it’s not so good after a day or two. Not that it will last that long, anyway.

My in-laws usually taste my baking cautiously, pronounce it to be delicious, and then stick it in the corner until it is moldy enough to be thrown away. Not this time.

Success!!

Now here’s the recipe for

Sweet Potato Raisin Nut Bread:

Ingredients:

1 ½ cups flour

1 tsp baking powder

¼ tsp salt

½ tsp ground cinnamon

¼ tsp nutmeg

1/2 lb mashed cooked sweet potatoes (about 1 1/3 cups)

4 tbsp brown sugar

½ cup melted butter, shortening, or oil

2 small eggs

½ cup raisins

walnuts (for decoration)

Sift the dry ingredients (except the sugar) together in a bowl and set aside.

Beat the Mashed potatoes with the brown sugar, butter, and eggs until mixed.
Add the flour mixture, and mix just until moist. Stir in the raisins.
Line a steamer or flat-bottomed sieve with cheesecloth. Pour in the dough, and arrange the walnuts in a decorative pattern on top. Lay the cheesecloth lossely over the top of the dough.
Steam over boiling water for about 30 minutes, or until done. Unwrap and serve immediately.

2005-12-31T00:27:00.000+09:00

Getting to know Sokcho

I've been trying to find some good maps of Sokcho to refer to on this site. There are a variety available on the Naver and Yahoo Korea portals, but they require a bit of Korean knowledge to navigate. So here are a few links to maps of Sokcho.

This map shows Sokcho and the surrounding coast in an ilustrated BeetleMap. You can find paper copies of this map at the Sokcho tourist booths next to the bus terminals. You must be using Internet Explorer to view it.

If you click on this map, an interactive map will pop up in a new window (also Internet Explorer only).

There is some good Tourist information available in English on the Sokcho Tourism site. This is also probably the best place to go for English Hotel Information.
(BTW, there is a big new Best Western hotel going up near Daepo harbour, but I can't find any information about it yet.)

What I would really like to know is where I can generate a good map to show where the resteraunts are that I am reviewing? That's so much easier than trying to follow an address.

Merry Christmas!

2005-12-26T01:57:00.000+09:00

Nativity scene
Originally uploaded by skindleshanks.

Merry Christmas everyone!

May you all find joy, happiness, and peace as you celebrate Christ's birth.

Benign Girl

2005-12-26T01:56:00.000+09:00

benign-girl
Originally uploaded by skindleshanks.

This is what my son is getting for Christmas--is Santa cruel or what?

2005-12-25T19:20:00.000+09:00

Here's a brand new, thought-provoking blog by someone I deeply respect. It's called "Life." Go check it out. (Click on picture.)

2005-12-17T23:39:00.000+09:00

Computer Games Kill People

From the Chosun Ilbo:

The recent deaths of several people directly or indirectly related to excessive playing of computer games have raised fresh concerns about Korea’s flourishing gaming industry. On Dec. 8, a 38-year-old man died suddenly after playing Internet games for 20 straight days at an Internet café, sustaining himself solely on instant noodles. On Nov. 20, a high school student died while playing online games for nine hours at home, adding his name to a bleak statistic that also includes the death on June 14 of a four-month-old infant who suffocated while her parents were out playing computer games.

I remember playing a few computer games when I was a teenager, but this is just one reason why the gaming options will be very limited in my house when I have teenagers (and PC rooms will be off-limits). Of course any parent who lets their teenager play for days on end should be held criminally responsible.

Colds, Flues, and Phlebotophobia

2005-12-17T23:25:00.000+09:00

copaxone
Originally uploaded by bandita.

Update:

The Chosun Ilbo has an English report on the current warning levels out here.

The country’s health authority has issued a nationwide influenza warning. The Korea Center for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) said Friday that they issued the warning as the number of patients reporting flu-like symptoms exceeded the warning level of 7.5 out of every 1,000 people. As of the second week of December, the number stood at 9.63 people.

My wife says that according to the TV, there is nearly double the number of cold and flu cases reported in Korea this year. A visit to the hospital this morning seemed to support that; the waiting room at Sokcho Hospital had standing room only by 9:15am.

We have not been spared; my little boy and I have had back-to-back colds, sore throats, coughs and pneumonia continuously since the end of October, and now that I have just barely recovered, my wife has also come down with a cold, and my son has gotten so bad that he has been coughing to the point of vomiting. The doctor said this morning that this had been quite common among Sokcho kids in the past few weeks. And GangwonBrian’s boy has been fighting his own battle as well.

The Korean government has strongly recommended that all children and seniors be vaccinated, and warn that while a precautionary vaccination might reduce the risk of a more serious cold or flu, it is highly likely that most people will experience at least one case this season. (There’s not much in the English media, except for this page from the US Military’s Stars and Stripes.) Thankfully, there aren’t any bird flu outbreaks in this area, to my knowledge. My wife and son have both had their shots, but it hasn’t proven very effective against the playschool germs.

I myself have avoided having the shot because of the difficulty of explaining my phlebotophobia (fear of needles) and having doctors take it seriously. I have a strong involuntary vasovagal reflex reaction to needles and pricks, including a sudden drop in blood pressure, contracting blood vessels, clammy skin, nausea, and fainting. This is actually a common condition, one which is estimated to affect one in ten people to some degree.

However, when I tried to explain it to my doctor here before receiving an allergy test last month (it required a series of lancet pricks), he wouldn’t believe me until I had nearly blacked out. He kept on telling me that it didn’t hurt much, and I kept on telling him in my limited Korean that it didn’t matter.

I have tried mind control techniques to avoid this sort of reaction, but with little result. One time several years ago I bravely faced a needle being administered by a very attractive nurse, only to pass out two minutes later during the post-injection interview and awake in terror from a terrible dream. How embarrassing. For me it helps somewhat if I am lying down—it is still a very stressful procedure, but if I am in a horizontal position, I can avoid the blackout.

When I was younger, I reacted on several occasions to stories about poisonous snake bites (and yet I have no fear of snakes), and I had to walk out of the film Dead Man Walking (about a prisoner facing lethal injection) and an educational video about heroin use when I worked in a substance rehabilitation facility.

I’m starting to feel a bit queasy already, so I think I’d better stop here. (For those of you who also suffer from this condition, there are at least two excellent sites on the subject, here and here, and you can find a comprehensive medical article which may be helpful in explaining the condition to your English-speaking physician here.)

Enjoy Drift

2005-12-16T19:30:00.000+09:00

Enjoy Drift
Originally uploaded by skindleshanks.

Drift - Just another great reason to play Kartrider! (and to avoid doing your English homework)

Christmas Excitement

2005-12-16T18:51:00.000+09:00

Christmas Excitement
Originally uploaded by scintillates.

We put up our tree and lights a few days ago, a little behind schedule due to all the sickness and busyness that we have been experiencing.
Our little guy is celebrating his second Christmas, and was absolutely thrilled with the lights and music. Once we turned on the lights he began singing and dancing. He also took a moment to pray next to the Christmas tree, and insisted that we join him. I guess in spite of all the lights and excitement he does have an idea about the meaning of Christmas.
We've been looking for some gifts for him, something to do with airplanes, but without batteries and noisemakers. When I was young I had a (Fisher-Price) toy airplane with a handle on the bottom with a finger crank to make the props spin. It was a lot of fun, and I wish I could give him something like that. There's not much in the way of quality toys in E-mart, though. There is a toy shop next to World Mart in Joyang-Dong with a variety of toys (some cheaper than Emart), but they are mostly for older kids, and there isn't much "educational" toyware.

Eentsy-Weentsy

2005-12-11T01:21:00.000+09:00

spiderflower
Originally uploaded by skindleshanks.

It's much too cold to snap pics of spiders these days, but here's a pic of a tiny spider I found a couple months ago while riding my bike.

2005-12-05T00:29:00.000+09:00

I found this picture on the blog A Yank Abroad (a fellow Gangwonite, perhaps?).

2005-12-02T01:27:00.000+09:00

CONTEST!! FIND THE CHICKEN TRUCK!

Okay here’s a contest for all my loyal local readers (You know who you are, Brian!). Somewhere in town, there is a truck set up selling delicious barbequed whole chickens (look here to see what I’m talking about) stuffed with sticky rice and ginseng for about 6-7,000 won each. I’ve seen it twice, once near Expo Park and once across from Annam Plaza, but that was nearly a year ago.

Tell me where their usual spot is these days and you’ll win a set of VIP coupons for 30-50% discounts on lift passes, rentals, sauna, swimming, and food at Yongpyong Resort.

Let the Sokcho Chicken Hunt begin!