May Day

Chris, Rosa, Lindsey and I embarked on my second mountain climb with blue skies and penetrating heat as our nemesis. It must have been in the upper-eighties with some annoying humidity- a small dose of what I've been warned will torture me soon. This mountain was much smaller than my last; good thing, because, in this heat, I don't think we wouldn't survived an eight hour hike. The path to the foothills left us all exhausted and a little weary of the actual climb. I was soaked in sweat, in need of a shower before we even began the hike. The way up was bearable once the path was shaded by the trees. I stopped to look down on my city a few times but the air was exceptionally cloudy, making the landscape fuzzy, dream-like, indecipherable. On the way up, I would say hello to the passerbys. Rosa told me this was unusual; Koreans are far more timid than us, but she also said the people were responding to my greetings favorably. They said I was handsome and kind. Handsome ('moshisayo') is thrown around a lot here and it's usually men saying it to me. That's a gender difference; they are not so macho that they cannot compliment the appearance of another member of their gender. It took a little over an hour to get to the top. The view was nice because this mountain is located directly outside of my city and I could see all of Deajon. It's amazing, when looking down from a mountain-top, how small, yet developed these Korean cities are. We ate a picnic lunch (gimbop- a favorite here, the equivalent of sandwiches back home). Gimbop is rice with cucumber, onion, ham, radish, and other vegetables rolled up in a green leaf (kim) and cut into circle portions. Really good. I'm determined to find out exactly how to make it. The mountain had a pagoda atop with fine Korean designs. This architecture is common here but my appreciation has yet to decrease in the slightest. After a cold shower, a replay of the White Sox game and an afternoon beer (make-ju), Chris and I went downtown to the market. I bought a couple nice, short-sleeved work shirts for 5,000 a piece. We went to a recently discovered bar, "Cool Bar," paid 10,000W and watched live music while drinking unlimited beer. The music was just what I needed- it's hard to find live music here and should be appreciated any time it appears. Most the bars just play the newest rap/Jlo/top 10 hits over and over again. They had a Korean band (complete with drummer, guitarist, bassist and a trumpet) and they were jamming. I was thoroughly impressed. Then, a Korean women who couldn't speak a word of English joined the band onstage and sang a moving rendition of "Killing Me Softly." After that band finished, a foreigner band took the stage and played some Sublime and classic rock favorites. They weren't as good as the Korean band, but they played the music I love, so I was in my element. Chris and I went to about 8 other bars before I went home at 3am. The plan was to stay awake so I could read the Bulls' game live at 4AM. Insane, I know. I made it until around halftime (5AMish) until I passed out. Just as well, the Bullies gave the Wiz a little confidence before they take it back next game. Well, I'm exhausted after a long weekend of mountain climbing and Bull chasing. I hope you are all prospering and greeting the Spring with the fervor of a child. Peace from the East.