11/28/2009

Byahl Me Shik Dang














This is the Byahl Me Shik Dang in Jangandong, my neighborhood in Seoul. I've eaten here a few times with my friend Hyung Shik. The first time I didn't really care for sam bab, meat (in this case pork bellies) wrapped in various leaves, but like most Korean food, I now crave it occasionally. Aside from the meat, this meal would be a vegan's dream.
(Most Korean restaurants offer traditional floor seating. I find it's more comfortable to take your shoes off and sit on the floor.)

11/24/2009

Won Bang At Gan on Sunday
























Every Sunday I drink makgoli (rice wine) with my friends. Many times we end up at Won Bang At Gan, a tofu place in Achesan. The place makes dobu (tofu) and soondobu (soft tofu) fresh everyday. They keep kong (soy beans) in a refrigerator next to the Jang Su makgoli. My Korean brother Hyung (which means brother in Korean, but his real name is Yu Jay Gin) likes to hang out in places that haven't changed much since the 1970s. Which is awesome, it's like traveling through time, plus the prices haven't changed much. A thousand won is about 85 cents.

11/19/2009

11/18/2009

Another Day and Night





This is day and night out my window at Hyundai Venture Ville in Dongdaemun, Seoul, South Korea. It's not a bad view. In the summer it's a little noisy if I leave the windows open. Perfectly directed though, the sun shines in, in the morning.
p.s. Obama just flew into Seoul

11/17/2009

11/11/2009

Dae Ueng Jun Temple











After hiking on Sunday I went to visit a temple at the base of the mountain.

Veterans Day


Happy Veterans Day! This is a picture of some children on the outskirts of Kandahar in early 2002. We used to throw them our rations, and candy if we had it, on patrols though the villages of Kandahar.

11/10/2009

234th Marine Corps Birthday


Happy 234th Marine Corps birthday! This is a picture I took in Kandahar, Afghanistan, in late 2001. It seems like forever ago, and like yesterday.

11/04/2009

Day and Night


This dude has the second best hat in Seoul, after my Steelers cap.



A picture of me in the mirror at the Chinese place next to my apartment. I sometimes eat jajung for breakfast -- noodles with black bean sauce.



Everyone at Tom n Toms before Kevin catches the bus back to the San Francisco. We may never see him again! (And he spoke decent Korean!)



After work, HeiSaun seems happy talking on the phone outside She's Bar in Hyundai Venture Ville (where I live).



One of the best meals on earth is sundubu chigae at GooMaGoon.



HyungSu is possibly the best cook in Seoul. She makes the chigae, along with my other favorite, godenga yahng nyam gui.



Not long ago, KunHyungNim was the #1 Bantam Weight boxer in Asia, and #3 in the world. Now he owns the supermarket behind Venture Ville and takes us to the norabang (karaoke).



KunHyungNim likes to sing, the first time I met him we ended up at the norabang. Tonight he is trying to get the girls to go, too.



"No, we're going to sleep," say the girls. But we'll sing here.



But, we end up at the norabang, anyway.



My favorite thing to do is sing songs I don't know, including back up for Korean songs.



Later, at She's Bar, it appears HeiSaun is no longer happy.

11/02/2009

Halloween in Seoul


Before going out on Halloween.



A confused panda in the subway station.



A group photo of English teachers after a nice Mexican dinner in Korea.



We lost half of the group on the crowded streets on the way to the next spot!



After we rejoin, Edward Scissor HAND is able to get a light.



Drunken panda, an ongoing theme throughout the night.



Kevin and ... I forget his name, pose for a picture at a club I forget the name of also ... I love Halloween!



The girls pose for a picture. Lucky for me someone helped me out with a flash. I could only find 200 ISO film.



Before I caught a cab (because I ran out of film) from Hongdae back to Jangandong, I stopped to buy some film. The girl behind the counter wanted to try on my costume. JJang!!