Hiking Korean Style and a bowling update

I was finally able to enjoy my first weekend off since New Years Eve. With my new found free time, I decided it was time to go hiking in Korea. After a hastened cost benefit analysis (e.g. it was about a forty-five minute walk to the trailhead from post along a busy road vs. risking my life once again with a Korean cabbie) I opted for the cab. It was a non-scary ride and I made it to the trailhead unscathed.

Once again my WTF meter was on high. Koreans do their hiking up right. For them, there is no such thing as "roughing" it. Instead of a sparsely populated trailhead, marked by some crappy brown Forest Service sign, there are paved roads, vendors and pubs that line the bottom part of the trailhead. They sell anything from kids balloons, (like the ones you would buy at a parade or a state fair) to some unidenfiable mystery meat on a stick. There is also an abundence of Soju sold by the vendors (Korean vodka). It was also obvious that the Koreans like soju and hiking based on the many side parties that occurred along the trail. They should name this Soju Mountain instead of Soyosan Mountain. Anyway, the paved road went up about a mile and half. The paved road lead into paved sidewalk with railings. Fortunately the paved sidewalk ended. The railings, however actually continued along the trail up a pretty steep summit to the top of the mountain. I should also mention that the trail head was packed. Once again I felt like Godzilla because I am like ten feet taller than every one else. Once I got going it was a pleasant hike. There was a lot of vertical and I could literally see my house from the top. Much like the rest of the Korean pennsulia, Soyosan Mountain and the surrounding hills are rugged and steep in many places. The biting breeze knifed its way through the leafless trees and reminded me it was still winter. Packed ice, and worn down rocks made for an intresting descent. Once I completed the ridge I followed another trail. This other trail led to a Budhist Temple complex. I milled about and snapped a few pictures, which I have included with this post. I am sure I will return to this hike when it is a little warmer and greener.

As for bowling, we are fourth from the bottom, but that is okay. We will duke it out with the other three teams below us. Most importantly the no jukebox policy was tested and Jake sprung into action, quickly dashing any hopes of a music filled night of bowling. Our shirts will be ready soon. Once this happens nothing can stop us.

Camping Army Style and Bowling JAG Style

After getting an outside taste of the Korean winter I am now back after my first real Army "camping trip." I just returned from my first field exercise. Despite a frozen canteen, the heater going out in my tent on the first night and our Brigade Chaplain complaining that he could not take a "spounge bath" because our heater went out, the next morning, I survived just fine. I must say the Army sleep system (e.g. military speak for a high speed sleeping bag) is awesome. With its three layers of snaps and zippers, it keeps heat in and cold out. It actually took me about ten minutes to figure out how to assemble it. It is a good thing the Chaplain was there. I had several choice words and an urge to throw the thing outside the tent, but then thought better. Divine intervention perhaps. Once I got past the first night, it was actually pretty cool to be out in the field. For the first time in my military career I actually felt like a real soldier. The backdrop of the star filled night sky against the tree lined hills and small mountains was very peaceful. I kept thinking to myself, what a place to fight a war. The hills are steep with no room to manuever, not to mention the brutal elements. Extreme hot and Kim che stink in the summer and frozen ground and air in the winter. I also saw real life cows near our training site. I am sure it is no Kobe beef but it was another WTF moment. Needless to say, I think camping will be on the bottom of my list for a while unless of course I am paid for it and I get to take my Army sleep system with me.
On a lighter note, I have decided to join the JAG bowling team. Our team name is Thanks and Hooah!. We haven't had our first bowling game/match etc. and it has already been pretty funny. One of our fellow JAGs and team captain attended the mandatory pre league meeting. Among the rules is that the jukebox will be turned off during league play. Jake (his real name and nothing like the fun loving Kramer type Jake that I met in Iraq) is the organizer and he explained that "He takes his bowling pretty seriously," which means no juke box during league play. There is also another guy who also takes his bowling seriously. Apparently he is the manager of the bowling. I am not sure what his name is but let's call him Wayne. According to our captain, Wayne, made it very clear that while he is there on league night he is a bowler and not the manager, so he can't be bothered with bowling alley business that a manger is supposed to handle. I would have thrown a fit if the Poopy Pants (Wayne and Jake) Bowling League czars would have banned beer during league play. In honor of Jake I am trying to talk our captain into putting the following quote on the back of our bowling shirts that says "I take my bowling pretty seriously" along with a jukebox inside a circle with a line through it.

Happy New Year

I must say I had one of my more interesting New Years Eve celebrations yesterday and last night. For those of you who have seen that movie, Lost in Translation with Bill Murray, that is my life here in Korea. Yesterday was no different. Here are a few more observations/stories from yesterday's latest adventure to Seoul.

After two attempts last week to see Casino Royale on the IMAX in Seoul, we finally succeeded, although it was a close call. The theater is set up like the DMV. You go and pull a number out of a machine and there is a counter with flashing numbers that ding when numbers are called. Although here, there are no signs posted to remind you that it is a felony to strike or curse at a public employee. The employees are very nice, eventhough they do not speak a lick of English and I don't speak Hongul (the Korean language) other than hello, thank you and goodbye. Next to the movie picture and title is the number of seats left for the showtime. Of course we drew a ridiculously high number and were well on our way to accepting defeat for a third time. Being gregarious Americans, my friend and I attempted to approach the ticket counter to find out if there is something jacked up with the number system, seeing that everyone else drew numbers fairly close to the ones being called and we had a number that was like 100 numbers off. As we approach the counter, the ticket girl, who had previously had the ever so lovely and permanent smile, is now panic strickened. As we attempt to ask if there is a problem, she says "Hold on I get English!" and then disappears. Out pops another ticket girl, who also had a previously lovely and permanent smile, who was as equally terrified. They both look at us kind of smile and then proceed to assist the customers behind us. As we are we are standing there, our number finally gets called and we finally buy our ticket. I joked to my friend, that we may have bought tickets for Happy Feet instead of Casino Royale. To which he replied, "If this movie ain't Casino Royale, I will throw a chair through the !@#$%^screen!" I must say, James Bond and action scenes on a fifteen story screen is awesome!!!!

It's funny how much South Korea has adopted many American/U.S. ways of life. One such import is mechanical bull riding. Once I get the picture from my friend, it will be posted. As we wade our way through a sea of Koreans, I look out of the corner of my eye and sure enough there is a mechnaical bull and the Koreans are loving it. The ever famous three letters W-T-F pop into my mind at this point. I guess you could win a prize or something because there was a table of wrapped goods etc nearby the bull. The announcer also had a stop watch in hand. What makes it an even bigger WTF is a closer look revealed it wasn't even a mechanical bull. It was a cow like figure with a dreadlock wig on. Once the picture goes up you will see what I am talking about.

In addition to the mechanical bull, the subway system is also great example of how U.S. customs and cultures have been exported to Korea. Just like America there is a great representative cross section of the community that utilizes public transportation in Seoul. In the first week or so that I have ridden the subway, I have been cursed at, preached to and belched on. Yesterday was no different. On our way home from the movie, there was a very normal looking gentleman who probably had a lot of Soju and was very talkative, toward my friend and I. I guess I should have taken a que from the other Koreans on the train with me. When they saw this guy coming they did their best Moses impression and parted like the Dead Sea. I did not see him because I watched these two other old drunk Koreans sprawled out on the seat next to where I was standing and was thinking of a way to quickly get out of the way in the event one or both would happen lose their New Years Kimche and or soju (Korean vodka). The next thing I know the drunk is shaking my hand then starts shouting in Hongul. My friend and I look at each other and kind of laugh. I guess he did not like that too much. I would like to think of him as greeting me and welcoming me to Korea but somehow I doubt that. Last week I had another very crazy lady try to sell me gum and sing Jingle Bells in Hongul out of tune. For those wanting to know what to send in a care package, hand sanitizer/water free soap is now high on my list. I wish each and everyone of you a very Happy New Year.