More Seoul
We pick up with me getting into the subway, still on December 11. By this time it was late afternoon. The next thing I wanted to check out was called something like "Hanok Village." It looked from the literature like it might be a sort of Colonial Williamsburg deal, with reenactors, and it also looked like it might be closed in December, but I was willing to give it a try. So, I took the train to the appropriate stop, took the appropriate exit from the subway station, and looked around. All I saw was a gas station and no sign, so I looked at the map to try to figure out where it would be from where I was and set off walking in, as it turned out, completely the wrong direction. The intersection I'd just departed from was a Y and at the first alley, I glanced right and saw a traditional- looking roof, and figured that was it, so I darted through the alley. It wasn't it. It was something called "Korea House," which was in a similar vein maybe. Traditional meal and some cultural programme. And it looked like you could also stay there. Anyway, it was for the big fish, not for me. So I doubled back. It looked to me, from the map, like the Craft Village (or whatever it was called ) ought to be roughly behind Korea House ( or whatever it was called ) so after scanning quickly to see whether there was a way through (it didn't seem inconceivable that they'd be affiliated) I tried to find a way around. It took me far too long, walking on a narrow sidestreet through a neighborhood that seemed to be a mixture of working class dwellings and printshops to admit that this plan was not working and turn back. Maybe 10 steps past the subway station in the direction I had not previously tried, I could see that there was a gate with tour busses coming out of it. But I wasn't back at the subway station to see that for maybe 40 minutes.
So, by the time I found the place the sun was, if not already below the mountains, getting pretty close, and my camera was assuring me that I needed a flash on every picture. Frustrating when one is taking pictures of buildings and ponds and the sort of things that a flash will be no help with. I wandered around a bit but there were no reenactors. Possibly gone for the day. Possibly not there in December. Possibly there aren't any. What there was was a place to eat so I figured "why not." I figured since I hadn't eaten all day I ought to have a big meal, and ordered a bibimbab and one of these omeletty things. They call them "Korean pizza." Maybe that means the part I think is egg is really a kind of cheese. But anyway, I still think they are more reminiscent of omelettes. They're flat, and made mostly of green onions and egg, or maybe it's cheese, which a bit of this or that (onions, mushrooms, tentacles, god-knows-what) here and there. I first had one in Pohang with the lads, at which time J assured me that these omelette things (which he called "Korean Pizza". He being part of the "they" above) were good with Dongdongju. This would be the traditional rice wine which I had not tried in Pohang, but had tried a couple nights before with SH. I think this occasion in Seoul may have been the second time I had one, but I think actually there was one more time in Pohang. Ah yes, shortly before I left Pohang I went out to dinner with the lads and Prof C and we had one. On that occasion Korea was playing Japan at soccer on the TV in the next room and SH kept jumping up to go check the score.
I have digressed. To pick up the thread, I ordered an omelette thing in addition to my bibimbab, and then said "what the hey" and ordered the "traditional wine" which I reckoned might be makkoli, which I had assured SH I would try.
Did I mention that? Well, the internet will tell you that dongdongju and makkoli are basically the same thing. And so will I. But there was a distinction which was important to SH which he put roughly thus: "In old times, when a man wanted to drink something he would go get dongdongju or makkoli. Rich people would get dongdongju and not-rich people would get makkoli." And then, like I said, he wanted me to assure him I would try makkoli as well. So, I guess it was a populist thing. But, yeah, to be honest I don't think I could tell the difference. And therefore, could not tell you what the thing that I had on the evening of the 11th was.
Ok. Now, about this restaurant: it was in a tent, and, in keeping with the "traditional" theme instead of chairs it just had sections of log. About the time I had ordered two dishes and some wine I began to realize that I was cold and my back hurt, and that I was not really hungry, but actually a little bit sick to my stomach. So, that was not good. The waitress came and offered to give me only half a serving of the wine, because I was only one person, but I think I did not effectively convey that that was what I wanted. Either that or I'd hate to see the size of a full serving. Although, it should be pointed out that part of the issue here is that in Korea you always drink in groups, generally of at least four by my observation, so the point is that there was not a serving intended for one person. Being aware of this, but still interested in trying something new, I'd resolved to waste most of it at the outset, and was glad when offered the opportunity to only waste about half as much, but, like I said, I don't think she understood me.
It was also pretty clear I was going to have to waste some of that food, which I was a bit less happy about. So I choked down absolutely as much as I could manage which is a terrible thing to do to oneself or the food, which was supposed to be getting enjoyed.
Then I went home. It was still pretty early. My back hurt fairly badly. So I threw the ice pack in the fridge and lay down on the couch. There was a basketball game on. Korean basketball is pretty fun to watch. It's a bit madcap. That is, the style of play is very aggressive (in the sense of pushing the pace and trying wild shots, not particularly physical) and a bit sloppy. Each team has about two foreign ringers, and plays one at a time through the first three quarters and then both together down the stretch.
Anyway, once I'd iced and rested my back, and done a few of the exercises I'd been neglecting, puttered around a little, planned the next day, what have you, I felt like having another go at the eat and drink thing. And the neighborhood just beyond the KIAS back gate seems like a reasonable one for that so I headed out and found a place I liked the look of and sat down. I ordered a beer this time, and after flipping around a little bit picked something that looked like one of those omeletty things again and picked that. It had only been a few hours since I'd found the other one so unappetizing, but I tend to always pick the thing I'm familiar with, even if I don't like it. Anyway, I wasn't sure what I had ordered, but learned a few seconds later that apparently something I had said meant, "I want you to bring a fajita plate and two raw eggs and fry the eggs on the fajita plate on the table right in front of me."
"Fajita plate" perhaps requires explanation. I call these things that because as far as I know the only place you will see them in the US is in a mexican restaurant under some fajitas. (I don't think I have seen one in India.) What it is is a cast iron plate with a wood backing, which is brought to the table hot enough so that your fajitas keep sizzling for a while after the waitress brings them. Or, if you like, hot enough so that your eggs fry properly. Anyway, they are used for a lot of things in Korea, along with all of the various other means of insuring that your food is hot enough to burn you right up until the second you are ready to eat it.
Later, I got an omeletty thing as well. So it may be that the fried egg trick is this place's answer to the bowl of complimentary chips.
So, by the time I found the place the sun was, if not already below the mountains, getting pretty close, and my camera was assuring me that I needed a flash on every picture. Frustrating when one is taking pictures of buildings and ponds and the sort of things that a flash will be no help with. I wandered around a bit but there were no reenactors. Possibly gone for the day. Possibly not there in December. Possibly there aren't any. What there was was a place to eat so I figured "why not." I figured since I hadn't eaten all day I ought to have a big meal, and ordered a bibimbab and one of these omeletty things. They call them "Korean pizza." Maybe that means the part I think is egg is really a kind of cheese. But anyway, I still think they are more reminiscent of omelettes. They're flat, and made mostly of green onions and egg, or maybe it's cheese, which a bit of this or that (onions, mushrooms, tentacles, god-knows-what) here and there. I first had one in Pohang with the lads, at which time J assured me that these omelette things (which he called "Korean Pizza". He being part of the "they" above) were good with Dongdongju. This would be the traditional rice wine which I had not tried in Pohang, but had tried a couple nights before with SH. I think this occasion in Seoul may have been the second time I had one, but I think actually there was one more time in Pohang. Ah yes, shortly before I left Pohang I went out to dinner with the lads and Prof C and we had one. On that occasion Korea was playing Japan at soccer on the TV in the next room and SH kept jumping up to go check the score.
I have digressed. To pick up the thread, I ordered an omelette thing in addition to my bibimbab, and then said "what the hey" and ordered the "traditional wine" which I reckoned might be makkoli, which I had assured SH I would try.
Did I mention that? Well, the internet will tell you that dongdongju and makkoli are basically the same thing. And so will I. But there was a distinction which was important to SH which he put roughly thus: "In old times, when a man wanted to drink something he would go get dongdongju or makkoli. Rich people would get dongdongju and not-rich people would get makkoli." And then, like I said, he wanted me to assure him I would try makkoli as well. So, I guess it was a populist thing. But, yeah, to be honest I don't think I could tell the difference. And therefore, could not tell you what the thing that I had on the evening of the 11th was.
Ok. Now, about this restaurant: it was in a tent, and, in keeping with the "traditional" theme instead of chairs it just had sections of log. About the time I had ordered two dishes and some wine I began to realize that I was cold and my back hurt, and that I was not really hungry, but actually a little bit sick to my stomach. So, that was not good. The waitress came and offered to give me only half a serving of the wine, because I was only one person, but I think I did not effectively convey that that was what I wanted. Either that or I'd hate to see the size of a full serving. Although, it should be pointed out that part of the issue here is that in Korea you always drink in groups, generally of at least four by my observation, so the point is that there was not a serving intended for one person. Being aware of this, but still interested in trying something new, I'd resolved to waste most of it at the outset, and was glad when offered the opportunity to only waste about half as much, but, like I said, I don't think she understood me.
It was also pretty clear I was going to have to waste some of that food, which I was a bit less happy about. So I choked down absolutely as much as I could manage which is a terrible thing to do to oneself or the food, which was supposed to be getting enjoyed.
Then I went home. It was still pretty early. My back hurt fairly badly. So I threw the ice pack in the fridge and lay down on the couch. There was a basketball game on. Korean basketball is pretty fun to watch. It's a bit madcap. That is, the style of play is very aggressive (in the sense of pushing the pace and trying wild shots, not particularly physical) and a bit sloppy. Each team has about two foreign ringers, and plays one at a time through the first three quarters and then both together down the stretch.
Anyway, once I'd iced and rested my back, and done a few of the exercises I'd been neglecting, puttered around a little, planned the next day, what have you, I felt like having another go at the eat and drink thing. And the neighborhood just beyond the KIAS back gate seems like a reasonable one for that so I headed out and found a place I liked the look of and sat down. I ordered a beer this time, and after flipping around a little bit picked something that looked like one of those omeletty things again and picked that. It had only been a few hours since I'd found the other one so unappetizing, but I tend to always pick the thing I'm familiar with, even if I don't like it. Anyway, I wasn't sure what I had ordered, but learned a few seconds later that apparently something I had said meant, "I want you to bring a fajita plate and two raw eggs and fry the eggs on the fajita plate on the table right in front of me."
"Fajita plate" perhaps requires explanation. I call these things that because as far as I know the only place you will see them in the US is in a mexican restaurant under some fajitas. (I don't think I have seen one in India.) What it is is a cast iron plate with a wood backing, which is brought to the table hot enough so that your fajitas keep sizzling for a while after the waitress brings them. Or, if you like, hot enough so that your eggs fry properly. Anyway, they are used for a lot of things in Korea, along with all of the various other means of insuring that your food is hot enough to burn you right up until the second you are ready to eat it.
Later, I got an omeletty thing as well. So it may be that the fried egg trick is this place's answer to the bowl of complimentary chips.
posted by GB at 1:36 AM
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