A Korean youngster contemplates the dearth of garbage receptacles in Seoul, and the culture of disposability he will soon inherit - and hangs his head.

Christmas in Korea

Happy Holidays to everyone, everywhere!

Here's how you celebrate when you are far and away from family, turkey and a well-established VHS home library!

New friends, climbing at Kanhyon, dried fish, snowboard lessons under fireworks..... what better way to feel the Spirit of the Season?! In case you noticed the ski poles, Kim-Lee and I figured we might as well enjoy the snow at Oak Valley :) With a quick switch at the rental shop we were once again on the better side of the bell curve.

"Yeah there was dancing, And singing, And moving to the grooving, And just when it hit me, Somebody turned around and shouted - Play that funky music white boy..... Play that funky music right! Play that funky music white boy ..... Lay down the boogie and play that funky music til you die." - The Hardest Working Man in Showbusiness

Winter comes at last!















So it turns out that snow does fall in Seoul, though I had to be reminded not to eat it. I guess the roadway mayhem following the season's first fall goes beyond Canada, buses headed out of the city were shut down - so it was off to Olympic park instead. Good news: after 25 years Les finally learns stopping on skates without smashing into the boards! It actually came naturally since this rink had no chairs for me to skate with and rely on.

The city takes on a novel and entirely new element with 3 inches of snow hanging off its branches. It could almost be the Christmas around here!

"These things I remember, theres things I forget. I miss you - guess that I should. Three thousand five hundred miles away.... But what would you change if you could?"

Gimbap - Korean picnic food of the Gods

(W)raptured in seaweed

chamchee remembers it well

the icy East sea

Encased together

with rice - that's bap if you'll please

happy compromise

so far from water

keeps its last promise, a gift

my appetite filled.

a les timmermans original haiku

Seoul, the Han river, and the World Cup soccer stadium, from the top of the best-landscaped landfill site I'd ever visited. We'd headed out to track down the Korean Ultimate Frisbee crew last Sunday. It'd have been pretty cool to have played in the stadium, but it was all booked up that afternoon.

Justin, heavily influenced by korean photo-philia, makes the cut yet again! (When he gets like this, its best just to ignore him.)

After playing frisbee we headed for galbi and drinks in Sinchon, then we played more frisbee. I got schooled in "spinny disc." Looks like fun doesnt it? World record holder kept a disc spinning on a soapy table for something like 53 seconds. Thats HUGE.

I've yet to achieve this sort of infamy on the Seoul Metro system. My inability to set this picture the right way, I believe, only adds to its incredulousness. Another good night out in the big smoke - for me, but not so much for this tuckered-out-hardcore-hiker agishee. Koreans accomplish things 100 percent, looks like there's no wussing out of anything. How's he going to explain this one to the family?!

This is your brain on Soju....

Actually its pa-jeon, or green onion pancake, which we created last week at my place. Anything dipped in enough soya sauce could not possibly be harmful. Its a blast attempting to cook for yourself the foods you love most, although in Korea for the price of ingredients you might as well go out to the streets and pick up your own pa-jeon for about 2 dollars. Home-style mandu really didn't turn out too well. I wonder what pa-banana-jeon might taste like.....