Oh boy, more guns!

What the hell's wrong with this country and with the Supreme Court? Do we really need more guns in the arms of an untrained populace? We shoot each other and lock each other up more than any country on earth and the Supreme Court strikes down laws limiting hand guns? That's f*ing ridiculous! When are we going to get over this Daniel Boone/John Wayne fantasy of ours?!

The New York Times said it well yesterday: "Once again, the court’s conservative majority imposed its selective reading of American history, citing the country’s violent separation from Britain and the battles over slavery as proof that the authors of the Constitution and its later amendments considered gun ownership a fundamental right. The court’s members ignored the present-day reality of Chicago, where 258 public school students were shot last school year — 32 fatally."

If ever this country needed a benevolent dictator, it's now! If anyone's asking, yes, I'm available.

On other matters, let's talk about cash. Can we please just get rid of cash?! I wasted 30 or 45 minutes Saturday night on the drive to Kennedy because a few hundred stupid motorists refuse to get an EZ Pass, thus clogging the Hutchinson Parkway as it feeds into the Whitestone Bridge. The EZ Pass lanes were a breeze, but I couldn't get to them because of all the cars backed up waiting to pay cash. What's wrong with you people? EZ Pass is free. EZ Pass saves you money. EZ Pass saves you time. Get with the program, idiots!

It's hot here. Can you tell?

Delta Airlines giveth, Delta Airlines taketh away

Delta Airlines is dead to me. They switched equipment on our return flight, so we spent 12 hours in an old plane with few of the niceties of the plane we flew over on. No flat seat, no widescreen monitor, no countless selections of video entertainment -- even the food was not as good. And worst of all, we were moved from row 3 to row 13, the last row in Business Elite. And what was in the first row of coach? You guessed it, a screaming baby. And I mean SCREAMING! This kid hollered a good 50% of the time. And I mean HOLLERED.

So let me be clear: babies should NOT be allowed on planes. At least not in the passenger cabin. Leave them home, give them away, ship then via FedEx, I don't care; just don't let them on planes.

For the record, it's not the baby's fault; it's the unfit-to-be parents. My folks did not have screaming babies. They knew how to be parents.

Then we got to Atlanta. 90 minutes to go through immigration, baggage claim and customs! Compare that to 15-20 minutes in Tokyo, Seoul and Jeju. On to the Delta Sky Club: no showers or buffet filled with good food as in Tokyo -- only pretzels, cookies and bad coffee.

And finally, why is it that in America, the supposed "melting pot," the only language seen on signs is English? We just got off a flight from Japan that was chock-full of Asians, all of whom have to go through US Immigration and there was not a single sign in any language other than English. Throughout Korea signs were in Korean and English; in Tokyo they were in Japanese, Korean, Chinese and English. In every international airport I have ever been to there have been signs in the native language and in at least English and likely one more.

But not here. "Screw you, world" is our attitude.

Damn, when's the next flight to Seoul?

Final thoughts

- Kudos to the Seoul Opera Center for the video display on each level, showing the seating chart for that level; made it very easy to see where I belonged.

- I like the call buttons at elevator banks that indicate which car will arrive next and then flash as it approaches; eliminates dashing to the far elevator.

- Traffic is so bad that vendors sit in highway median strips to sell food, knowing cars will be going slow enough.

- The J W Marriott executive suite free breakfast: eggs, sausage, bacon, smoked salmon, bagels and pastries, kimchi, fresh fruit, espresso, miso soup, rice, salad - yum!

- Bowing -- what a lovely custom.

- Tip-ping is NOT a city in China . . . nor in Korea apparently. The hotel bellman steadfastly refused a tip for schlepping our five bags into the car.

- The main Seoul airport, Incheon, is GORGEOUS and incredibly efficient. We do have new, modern airports in the US, but not like this!

- The entire two week experience has been filled with gentle, kind people, both friends and strangers, who have made me feel totally welcome in their beautiful country. I wish the traffic weren't so bad, but that's probably the only thing I would change. Even the roller coaster at Everland was superior -- my new favorite wooden roller coaster!

- Special thanks to Cholong Kang and her father and mother, and to Seung Hoon Lee for all their kindnesses and their bounteous generosity. And to my husband for insisting the 14 hour flight would be worth it. Oh yes!

The Good, the Bad and the Amazing

After all the touring and struggling with English over the last ten days I was worn out and decided I needed a day off, so I told Ransom and our hosts that I wanted to see no one and just do what I wished on Friday. And that was a lot of hanging out and then Verdi's Aida at the Seoul Arts Center. It was remarkably easy to do and was a very enjoyable respite from socializing and conversation. Remember, I'm a cynic and a curmudgeon, so I need my alone time.

The good? The performance. Not great, but good. And good Verdi is better than most things, so I thoroughly enjoyed myself.

Saturday my host picked me up and brought his nephew with him to interpret. Ryan is 32, speaks quite good English and was thoroughly charming. The three of us had a great time together visiting the Korean Folk Village and then taking a Han River boat ride.

The bad? The traffic.  오 마이 갓!  (OMG!) I heard a traffic report on the radio and when it was over I turned to Ryan and said "why didn't the announcer simply say 'traffic is terrible all over Seoul; take the subway!'?"

The amazing? Two things: first, on my way to the opera on Friday I stopped at the entrance to the subway to consult my map; within seconds a young man, maybe 17, stopped to ask "may I help you?" I told him what line I was looking for and he pointed the way. Then, when moments later I was struggling to remember the station I was going to -- you buy a ticket based on your stop -- another young man, this one only 12 maybe, asked if he could help me. Amazing. Can you imagine that happening in New York? Well yes, it does happen .  . . as the helper's accomplice lifts your wallet.

And second, at some point Friday night I lost my glasses -- you remember, the new ones I just purchased last week here in Seoul? Today I was being fitted for a new suit and so I asked the tailor if he would be willing to phone the opera house for me and ask where I might go to see if they had turned up. He was glad to help, but the woman he spoke to said she would have to call him back. My new tailor friend grilled me on where else I might have lost them and decided to call the subway office as well; he had to leave and said he would do that later. The measurement was at 10 this morning. By 2pm he called to say there would be a fitting back at the hotel at 8pm! When he showed up he had my glasses with him. He had to go to the subway's lost and found -- at the end of the line I rode! And this is a man I just met! Amazing. Absolutely amazing.

This country, these people -- I am awestruck. Korea does not feel alien or intimidating at all. It feels warm, friendly and welcoming. I hereby retract my statement of June 9 when I said I couldn't imagine finding my way alone. I've done it; it was easy and the people are clearly willing to help. I love this country!

I'll use my friend Ryan here to represent all the smiling,

warm and friendly people I've met.

Packing it in

Our last day on Jeju was a busy one, starting at 11:15am when the always-prompt Mr. Kang drove up. The first stop wasn't reached for 90 minutes: the Gimnyeong maze. I felt like a little kid discovering a new toy; I had never done a maze before, and I LOVED it. Ransom and I separated and he reached the exit 10 minutes ahead of me. Twice I came upon him but couldn't get to him -- "you can't get there from here," to quote an old Firesign Theatre line.

Next we stopped at the Manjanggul Cave (lava tube). Fascinating, cold and dark -- but very cleverly and just-sufficiently lit. I enjoyed it, but I must say, once you've walked 100 meters of a lava tube is there really any need to do the remaining 900?

Back in the sunshine we ate lunch at the cave's entrance and it was, as it has been every single time in Korea, excellent! Dim sum, Korean pork and vegetables, kimchi and side dishes galore.  After a quick stop at a disappointing folk mart we were back in the car for a trip to Dragon Head Rock. It's called that, honest it is, though I'm not sure why (see picture).

The highlight of the day was Loveland, a mostly-outdoor exhibit of erotic sculptures. As comic as they were erotic; check out my MobileMe gallery if you want to see it all (email me for the location). We then stopped at Mysterious Road where the car seemed to roll uphill with the engine off; I say "seemed to" only because I can't truly believe it, but I do think that's what happened.

Finally back to the hotel after seven hours, too much of it in the car. But we saw a lot, did a lot and came away with a deeper appreciation of Korean culture, both the silly and the beautiful.

And as I post this I am back in Seoul. Korea has just scored as the first half of their match with Argentina ended. Gonna be a nail-biter maybe.

Trains and boats and planes

My buddy and fellow blogger Don suggested we write about the benefits of travel. I thought it was a good idea, so here's my take. 

Travel has brought me up close and personal to a few of the "must sees" in the world: the Louvre and the Mona Lisa, the Musée d'Orsay and its spectacular collection of impressionist art, the Coliseum in Rome, Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament, a Tori gate at the start of the climb up Mt. Fuji, the Panama Canal, the Art Institute of Chicago, the Golden Gate Bridge, the Grand Canyon, the Vienna State Opera House, the Paris Opera, the French Riviera, Michelangelo's "David," Jan Palach's grave in Prague -- the list goes on. Plenty of folks know more about these places than I do, but I've been there, and only travel gets you that.

And then there's food. I grew up in a very conservative household as far as culinary matters go. It was meat, usually with potatoes, every night except Friday, with the occasional spaghetti -- never "pasta" -- with red meat sauce -- never meatballs, sausages or any other variety. Mom was an excellent cook, but had it not been for Japanese and Chinese dinners in Tokyo at age six I wouldn't have known the world had such variety. Then when I started to travel as an adult my eyes were truly opened: maybe the world's best pizza in Nice, France; poki in Hawaii; fresh sardines in Paris; amazing Indian in Cambridge; bulgogi and bibimbap here in Korea; this list goes on too.

I also thank traveling for a certain set of memories that are among my favorites. Things that might have happened anywhere, but the location, the event and the players combine to form an experience that is forever special: asking the hostess at a Chinese restaurant if she was still serving only to realize we were in fact in a Japanese massage parlor (!); arriving at a Czech train station and not having a clue how to deal with the language and the subway ticket machines; seeing a young Frenchman reading Oscar Wilde aloud while leaning against his tombstone at Père Lachaise; Don ordering a Drambuie in a Prague restaurant and getting a chocolate sundae instead; walking across the fens in Salisbury and having a staring contest with a fox; sitting in the choir in a closed-to-the-public Westminster Abbey for a glorious Evensong; being yelled at by an Austrian father because I was walking against the light in a near-deserted Salzburg at 8am. This list too could go on and on.

And the greatest benefit of seeing the world is that it has opened my mind to the idea that the way I do things, the perspectives I have, the things I eat, the very core of who I am is all dependent on the family I was born into and the experiences I've had. Meeting people of other cultures who have had vastly different experiences taught me that my way is just that: my way. Not the only way, and certainly not the right way. Just one way among many.

I think Americans tend to be more jingoistic than many cultures and I think that is related to the fact that we tend to visit other cultures far less than, say, Europeans. The "love it or leave it" attitude that extreme patriots display exists in far more liberal folks as well, just more subtly. Most Americans are convinced that ours is the greatest country on earth and would be aghast to hear me suggest it may not be. Traveling has opened my eyes to the way others see the world, see us, see our place in the world and see their own society and its place. We do NOT have all the answers. Traveling, and more specifically, meeting and sharing with strangers, is so very important to our own well-being and the well-being of the planet that I think it is the most important thing we can do with our leisure time.

Korea 2, Greece 0 !

Jeju World Cup Soccer Stadium

I've watched some soccer on TV but, truth be told, never an entire match -- until last night. It was really exciting to watch my host country win in the first round of the World Cup.The Korean commentary didn't enhance my understanding of the game much, but if course the action was easy to follow. I look forward to more.

Watching the match was the end of an interesting day. After breakfast we had to repack our bags since we were being moved from our small single room to a spectacular suite (see pictures below). Then we went shopping at the local e-Mart. Quite an experience. While there were of course many things I could identify, there were shelves upon shelves of things that had me puzzled. Our driver understands some English but speaks less. There were times when we wondered just where our "conversation" had left us. But we managed, and then stopped for lunch before coming back to the hotel.

The sun is finally peeking through the clouds and it looks like we might have good weather to do a little exploring. My thoughts so far:

- Jeju Island is beautiful; Hawaii-like in terrain though not as tropical so not quite as dense with foliage

- Koreans strike me as a very generous and relaxed people. Nowhere is this more evident than in their driving.

- Though English is far less common here than it was in Seoul, we are coping.

- I love the food but I know I'll be hankering for a burger or some pasta before long.

- Koreans fly better than we do; boarding was far more orderly and fast than on any American flight ever.

- I love Korean breakfast: hot, spicy soup, kimchi and a bowl of rice builds strong bodies 12 ways.

Oh, and the answer to my question last time: if you look at the picture of the commode you'll see a panel with controls on the left. They work the butt-washer -- our name for it; I'm sure Asians have a more polite name, though the "on" button carries a line drawing of a butt. Ransom got us one in Japan several years back and I love it. A bm anywhere other than my bathroom is not the same. So I was happy to see one in Seoul; alas, not here on Jeju.

Another day in Seoul

I still feel more alien here than I do in Europe, but less so than I did 48 hours ago. Managing the subway yesterday was actually quite simple: 40 minutes to our destination, including a change of trains from one line to another at a distant station. As long as we paid attention, consulted the map and followed the signs, it was remarkably easy. No false starts, no mistakes. (Note: like Paris, Prague, London and Washington, DC -- to name a few -- the Seoul metro is clean, well-signed, well-ventilated and people-friendly. New York, are you listening?)


Our destination was a neighborhood where eyeglasses can be gotten far cheaper than in the US (see picture at left.) As the picture below shows, we were successful. We also wandered the densely crowded streets a bit and went into what appeared to be a restaurant supply store: room after room of dishes, teapots, serving vessels, espresso sets -- much of it very beautiful, some of it everyday and ordinary. We were oft tempted, but of course we need none of it, so we resisted.

We also ate an excellent lunch at one of the dozens of tiny places we passed and bought an ice cream cone on our way back. My point is, all of this was remarkably easy even though we speak no Korean and many of the people we dealt with spoke no, or little, English. Even buying prescription glasses was not difficult, and the salesmen we dealt with knew only some English. 


My friend Don asked for more specifics about Korean food, so let me try. The most ubiquitous Korean dish is KimChi (kimchee, kim chee) and comes in hundreds of varieties, but is most commonly Napa cabbage, radish, turnip or another vegetable, highly seasoned and fermented. It is served as a side dish with an entree or is the basis for a soup, stew or other preparation. We always have a jar at home and one of our favorites uses is to accompany eggs in the morning. To the uninitiated it might be hot (spicy); we are so used to it that we rarely find it so.


My favorite two dishes are listed below -- thank you, Wikipedia. For more info, Google kimchi or Korean food. (Another great dish is Korean barbecue: thinly sliced meats cooked tableside and wrapped inside lettuce leaves with varying accompaniments. Noodles and rice are prominent in Korean food as well; Ransom had a bowl of noodles yesterday while I had bibimbap).


Bulgogi (불고기): thinly sliced or shredded beef marinated in soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic, sugar, green onions and black pepper, cooked on a grill (sometimes at the table). Bulgogi literally means "fire meat". Variations include pork (Dweji bulgogi), chicken (Dak bulgogi), or squid (Ojingeo bulgogi).


Bibimbap (비빔밥, "mixed rice"): rice topped with seasoned vegetables such as spinach, mushrooms, sea tangle, carrots, bean sprouts, and served with a dollop of gochujang (red pepper paste), and variations often include beef and/or egg. Everything (seasonings, rice and vegetables) is stirred together in one large bowl and eaten with a spoon. One popular variation of this dish, dolsot bibimbap (돌솥 비빔밥), is served in a heated stone bowl, which permits the dish to continue cooking after it is served, and in which a raw egg is cooked against the sides of the bowl. Yukhoe bibimbap(육회비빔밥) is another variant of bibimbap, comprising raw beef strips with raw egg and a mixture of soy sauce with Asian pear and gochujang. Hoedeopbap (회덮밥) is another variation of bibimbap using a variety of cubed raw fish.

This picture, and the discussion above are NOT related. Anyone want to guess why this picture is here? Answer next time.

Seoul: first impressions

Ransom and Cholong and our favorite-named refreshment

Big city. Really big city! We slept till almost noon local time; after being up for almost 30 hours straight, that's not surprising. Had an incredible buffet meal in the hotel (JW Marriott) and then were picked up by Cholong, soon to be one of Ransom's students, for a trip to the N Seoul Tower atop Namsam Mountain in central Seoul. From the observation deck one begins to understand just how large this city is.

From ground level one gets another perspective on just how big this city is as you crawl along the traffic-choked streets. Geez! But I must say, from my very limited, one-day perspective, drivers seem much more courteous than in the Northeast US, and far less likely to lean on their horns.

After a stop at an underground shopping mall to get me a cheap watch -- I had forgotten to bring one -- we came back to the hotel for free appetizers -- dinner really -- and drinks. That was it for the night.

It's too early to confirm this impression, but I think this is not a place I would come to alone. It feels very safe and is very western, but almost all the signs are in Korean only and I can't imagine walking from my hotel a mile or two and finding whatever it is I was looking for -- something I've done in many European countries easily -- and then finding my way back. I am glad to have Korean hosts who will take us anywhere we want to go.

Today we might take in Gyeongbok Palace and perhaps Everland tomorrow, home to the world's steepest wooden coaster, so they say.

Halfway around the world

First impressions of Delta Business Elite: nice, very nice indeed. This is Delta's top class of international service; they do not call it first class, but boy is it. Only four seats across the width of a 777LR! Each seat is a cocoon, angled toward one of the aisles. Aside from being comfortable, there is a built-in footrest opposite, power and USB outlets, ethernet port and of course video system with over-the-ear noise canceling headphones. Most importantly though, as you can see, the seats in this cabin lie totally flat when it's nap time. So maybe, unlike virtually every flight I have ever taken in my life, I will actually sleep on this one. We shall see. One thing's sure, I'll eat well and rest comfortably. 

Three hours later: the "eat well" part was totally true. I opted for the Japanese meal and was presented a tray full of goodies: shrimp, salmon, edamame, pickles, mushrooms and a couple of thing I could not name. All were delicious and just as I was wondering whether I had room for  dessert the attendant shows up and says "your, entree, sir." What? There's more? Chicken, rice and miso soup. All excellent. I mean, not just excellent for an airplane, I mean, excellent. Then the hot fudge sundae and chocolate cheesecake. Damn!

Ate most of that while watching "Crazy Heart" on the individual video screen. There are 19 categories of movies and at least 6-9 in each category. Next I'll try "Wolfman," then maybe "Alice in Wonderland." "Crazy Heart" was excellent and gives me ideas for a future post. Now though, back to flying like a king.

Eleven hours into the flight: just finished breakfast: omelet, sausage, potatoes, yoghurt, fresh fruit, croissant -- and this was two hours after a snack of roasted tenderloin and salad. Did manage to sleep a bit and, yes, the seat does form a flat bed. Amazing and, coupled with the two almost-full size pillows and the quilted blanket, very comfortable.

Is it possible to enjoy a 12-hour flight? In Delta Business Elite I'd say the answer is yes. I am very grateful to our hosts who sprang for these tickets. On our own we'd likely be sardined in the back, or staying home more likely!

Finally, this is being posted from Narita Airport in Tokyo. I haven't been in this country for 47 years. 47! Interestingly, my high school from here, Zama American High School, is having a reunion this summer in DC. I hope to be there.

Need to get my grouch on

I'm suffering from a warped case of writer's block these days. Warped because, while I have a lot I want to say, it's all sweetness and light, like the previous post about Chris. I thought of half a dozen more stories I could tell about him. And I thought of even more I could tell about Ransom. But it's all gooey, touchy-feely stuff. And I'm a cynic, damn it. I've got to find my inner rant and get cracking. Maybe I should turn on the TV; that usually makes me want to scream.

Had a party last Friday night, one of my "rock and soul suppers." I feed people and they have to suffer through whatever music I send their way, usually pretty damn loud. Introduced them to Yvonne Fair's "It Should Have Been Me," sang along to "Tiny Dancer," rocked out to the Gipsy Kings' version of "Hotel California," and argued passionately that "Sugar Sugar" by the Archies is the greatest rock and roll song of all time.

Just kidding about that.

We all know it's "Ina-Gadda-Da-Vida."

No link for those two. I'm a cynic, not a sadist.