For those of you who do not know (and there cannot be many), I have a new girlfriend. Her name is Robin Fox. She's from Ohio originally but has been living in the Chicago area for the last couple of years. She is actually quite an amazing person and I have to admit that I am completely smitten. This past weekend, she and I joined the choir at the Anglican English Mission in Seoul. She is a lovely singer and with her charm (and I must say its significant), she was able to convince me to join as well. If you don't know, that's quite an accomplishment. My voice is mediocre at best and I can't really read music. I have a vague idea of how to follow along with the notes once a song has been started up but other than that I'm pretty illiterate. So this past Sunday, after Mass, we both went to breakfast with the choir on the US military base at Yongsan. The breakfast was incredible and was totally Anglo-American in character. It was definitely the first time I have seen bacon, eggs, and proper breakfast sausage in Korea. And let me tell you, it was was delicious. They even had a proper cup of coffee. There was none of that sugury, heated-up coffee milk stuff in sight. It was actually brewed. After that, we all went to Craig's house, which is on base. He is a US diplomat and his home is incredible. Robin and I decided that he's actually some kind of spy. But anyway, his wife is sort of the de facto music director for the Mission so we all gathered around her piano and practiced for the Lessons and Carols service which will be next Sunday evening. My only salvation was that I was familiar with all the hymns. Robin is a really talented musician but coming from pentecostal background, she's pretty unfamiliar with all the old English hymns. She more than made up for that unfamiliarity, with her shear musical talent. I have to say, she sings like an angel. I have never heard a voice that touches me so.
The evening before, last Saturday, she observed my birthday and made an unbelievable supper, steak smothered in a mushroom sauce with real mash potatoes. She is a very good cook and insists on making me dinner every time I come over. Everything she makes, including just her french fries, is like it was hand crafted by angels. It is ma-sit-sey-o, as the Koreans would say. After dinner, she brought out a birthday cake which she picked up at the local bakery. Like most Korean (supposedly western style ones), It was covered with random bits of fruit (kiwis, strawberries, and bananas). It was delicious. After the cake, she gave me my birthday present, which I have to say, was as wonderful as presents get. She got me a coffee pot. Yes, a real coffee pot. I have never seen one in Korea and was under the impression that you couldn't get them at all. But she managed to find one, knowing how much I object to Korean style coffee. She also got me some coffee grounds and told me where I could find them in Seoul. That present made me so happy. Now I can have a decent cup of coffee in the morning.
The weekend before last, Robin, myself, and Paul went up to Paju to the DMZ. It was an absolutely fascinating experience. Before entering we went to this monutment park, adjacent to the DMZ itself. It is the closest that South Koreans can get to the North. They are not ordinarily allowed in the DMZ. The most interesting part of the memorial were the old military relics from the Korean War. They had a small collection of old Jeeps, Sherman tanks, and even a Saber built for the R.O.K. by the US. I have some brilliant photos of that. Also at this park, was the Freedom Bridge, actually the furthest point north in South Korea. It is where North and South Korean forces exchanged prisoners at the close of the Korean conflict in 1953. At that place, mounted in the barbed wire fence is impromptu shrine set up South Koreans in remembrance of family members still in the North. It is a very emotional place and reminds one of how bitter and tragic the human experience can be.
After seeing the Freedom Bridge, we moved in the DMZ itself. We took a tour bus in and had to show out passports to the Joint Security personnel. Once we were in the DMZ itself, we toured a number of interesting locations. The first place we went to was the Third Tunnel, which was built by the North Koreans in an attempt to infiltrate the South. It was extremely deep in the earth and was a pretty decent hike in and out. It is extremely terrifying to think of the consequences if the tunnel was a success. The tunnel is only 30 miles from downtown Seoul. after the tunnel, we went to the Dora observatory but it was an extremely cloudy day so we could not see much. If it had been clearer, we would have been able to see some of the North Korean military operations and the propaganda village set up in the North. That would have been really cool. After this, out last stop was the Dorasan train station, which was very odd. It is a train station that goes no where. It was built in anticipation for the reunification of Korea. There are even custom agents there who do nothing. The most eerie part of the whole station was the electronic timetable with no arivals or departures scheduled. They even have the platform labelled "Pyeongyang" (the North Korean capitol). Well, I'm running out of time so I will end my post here. I promise to update really soon.
The evening before, last Saturday, she observed my birthday and made an unbelievable supper, steak smothered in a mushroom sauce with real mash potatoes. She is a very good cook and insists on making me dinner every time I come over. Everything she makes, including just her french fries, is like it was hand crafted by angels. It is ma-sit-sey-o, as the Koreans would say. After dinner, she brought out a birthday cake which she picked up at the local bakery. Like most Korean (supposedly western style ones), It was covered with random bits of fruit (kiwis, strawberries, and bananas). It was delicious. After the cake, she gave me my birthday present, which I have to say, was as wonderful as presents get. She got me a coffee pot. Yes, a real coffee pot. I have never seen one in Korea and was under the impression that you couldn't get them at all. But she managed to find one, knowing how much I object to Korean style coffee. She also got me some coffee grounds and told me where I could find them in Seoul. That present made me so happy. Now I can have a decent cup of coffee in the morning.
The weekend before last, Robin, myself, and Paul went up to Paju to the DMZ. It was an absolutely fascinating experience. Before entering we went to this monutment park, adjacent to the DMZ itself. It is the closest that South Koreans can get to the North. They are not ordinarily allowed in the DMZ. The most interesting part of the memorial were the old military relics from the Korean War. They had a small collection of old Jeeps, Sherman tanks, and even a Saber built for the R.O.K. by the US. I have some brilliant photos of that. Also at this park, was the Freedom Bridge, actually the furthest point north in South Korea. It is where North and South Korean forces exchanged prisoners at the close of the Korean conflict in 1953. At that place, mounted in the barbed wire fence is impromptu shrine set up South Koreans in remembrance of family members still in the North. It is a very emotional place and reminds one of how bitter and tragic the human experience can be.
After seeing the Freedom Bridge, we moved in the DMZ itself. We took a tour bus in and had to show out passports to the Joint Security personnel. Once we were in the DMZ itself, we toured a number of interesting locations. The first place we went to was the Third Tunnel, which was built by the North Koreans in an attempt to infiltrate the South. It was extremely deep in the earth and was a pretty decent hike in and out. It is extremely terrifying to think of the consequences if the tunnel was a success. The tunnel is only 30 miles from downtown Seoul. after the tunnel, we went to the Dora observatory but it was an extremely cloudy day so we could not see much. If it had been clearer, we would have been able to see some of the North Korean military operations and the propaganda village set up in the North. That would have been really cool. After this, out last stop was the Dorasan train station, which was very odd. It is a train station that goes no where. It was built in anticipation for the reunification of Korea. There are even custom agents there who do nothing. The most eerie part of the whole station was the electronic timetable with no arivals or departures scheduled. They even have the platform labelled "Pyeongyang" (the North Korean capitol). Well, I'm running out of time so I will end my post here. I promise to update really soon.
3 comments:
Last time I remember you singing in a choir you were in elementry school and you had a monkey costume on and singing in the jungle. Sounds like you and Robin are enjoying yourselves. HAPPY BIRTHDAY
Hey Dave, Good for you! It sounds like your very happy! Glad to hear your having a good time. I was patiently waiting for you to make a another post, so thank you. Happy Birthday, and have a nice Thanksgiving.
I think you are a bit crazy if you thought those french fries were heavenly! :) Obviously, you're a smart kid, knowing your girlfriend reads your blog... haha.
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