On Plants, Pets and Soju
~
2003.10.16 00:33 KST (EST + 13 hrs): Suwon, Republic of Korea
Hey everyone, Esstar here, keeping my head up and my powder dry, still in Suwon, South Korea. First, let me say that I truly appreciate that many of you are reading these posts to, I hope, some enjoyment. The following are, again, topics of common response and interest. (I've been meaning to collect, compose and post these paragraphs for some time now). Please, enjoy at your leisure.
iv. Air Quality and Plants:
The greater Seoul area (I live in the suburb of Suwon which, via a short taxi ride and a long metro ride, can be reached between 90 and 120 minutes) has rather poor air quality. Although not as numerous as Western films and news reports would have us believe, many Koreans do -- in fact -- wear mouth masks while strolling about, riding the metro, bicycling or as they scoot to and fro on their mopeds.
Naturally -- coming from my apartment in Ottawa, containing no less than a dozen plants -- it took some time to adjust. Nonetheless, I have an air conditioner that serves as a means to cool and freshen my apartment's environment. If I don't leave it on perpetually, the air seems to stale immediately. After a long day at work, it proves to be a rather unpleasant welcome. As such, I quickly began the hunt for nice, affordable plants.
Oddly for a country whose vegetation is abundant and lush, plants are sold as very dainty affairs: they're potted in considerably extravagant containers (beautiful ceramics, finsihed wood and, of course, terra cotta -- thus driving up prices). The latest count totals me at five: I've bought and re-potted two small ivy; a cluster of miniature bamboo shoots; and two others that I can't name, but which I assure do the trick. Needless to say, I really notice the increased air purity and oxygen levels. As I also left my Norfolk Pine and fig tree in Ottawa, I am currently in the market for a small tree of sorts. Mind you, most of the ones I'm casing are upwards of 30,000 Won. A problem? Yes. An insurmountable one? No.
v. Food, Prices and Soju: Korean Fire Water
As far as food costs I'm finding the oddest price differences here: some fruit and vegetables are extremely cheap while others are practically inaccessible. Canned goods vary quite a bit in price, but most of them have to be cleared of the dust before use -- Koreans prefer their eats as fresh as possible. Fresh cuts of meat including beef, chicken and pork are sensibly priced, but the incredible variety of seafood has to be witnessed to be believed.
Of course, I feel like such a fuddy-duddied tourist when I turn my nose at the range of exotic seafood scents. Unfortunately for me, I've come to the wrong end of the planet to avoid foods of the "soft, squishy and mysterious" variety. Of late, I have been -- albeit slowly -- trying new treats from the sea. Last Friday night, a group of foreigners were treated to a heap of fresh squirming shrimp, steamed live over a gas range -- the latter propped up as the centerpiece of our dining experience. Once cooked and relieved of their heads, legs, innards and tails we devoured them like it was our job. A royal banquet!
Our hosts, noticing our delight, insisted that we be served a heaping pail (yes, a pail) of assorted clams, mussels, snails and cockles to name what I could recognize. At first thought, I was curious why I was being handed a single white glove ... as it turns out, since the shellfish were shucked then left to cook, meat up, in their own juices over a grate of coals, they would naturally be hot. Naturally, I felt to be again, the tourist. At any rate, if you have yet to try freshly grilled shellfish, please regale your senses. Instructions: buy any form of grill and a net then make a beeline for the nearest coast. Catch, grill, chomp. Black ties and chopsticks are optional. Oh, and as for the white gloves, use tongs to place the piping hot treats in your palm, shell side down, pluck out the goods, smile, and toss the empty carcass over your shoulder. Nothing says "sucks to be a mollusc" quite like it.
At the end of the day most consumer goods I've purchased have been similarly priced to Canadian goods. On the other hand, any rice product or common vegetalbe/root/herb is dirt-cheap (hot chillies, which permeate so many Korean dishes, for example).
Of note is also how some services are incredibly low-priced. A haircut ran me 8,000 Won which translates to somewhere slightly under $9 -- a third of what I'd expect to pay at home.
Although I can speculate to a degree, I am unfornately not too good at macroeconomy; as such, I suspect others might be more aptly versed to fill us all in on why these difference price structures exist. For the time being, I'll do my best to hunt down what deals I can. Unfortunately, I have to report that, any way you cut it, beer is still the same price here. Luckily, "soju" is ludicrously cheap. Vile, but cheap.
Ah, soju, how I love thee, but where to begin? I'll write about what I know, because what I remember isn't much. Soju is described by its aficionados (and their number is ample) as "Korean Wine." It is sometimes fruit flavoured and pleasantly decieving, but is most often clear and thus strong smelling. Bottles of soju can be purchased in a variety of sizes but is most commonly found in 500 mL format. What's more, to illustrate how some cultures are far more advanced than us, soju can even be purchased in handy, lunchbox-sized ... wait for it ... tetra packs! Recess never tasted so good.
Did I mention that it packs a 22% punch? And the fact that it's mainly consumed in shooter format? To boot, it is in fact rude to refuse a shot of soju if offered by your host; especially if the latter is female, older, a co-worker or, well, Korean. I hope everyone's getting the picture. Nightly, businessmen can be seen stumbling along Korean streets, hand in hand with their officemates, dragging their sorry briefcases and slurring asses behind them. An interesting, but pitiful sight. Stories abound of fights, vomitting and persons passed out in the middle of the street, helpless, holding up traffic for all to bear.
That's the darker side of the stuff, but in moderation (or a tad more...), fun times are promised. Luckily for me, I prefer beer to wash it all down, so I'll do just fine. Let me end the soju stories at that, but I can somehow foretell they'll rear up their ugly head sometime in the very near future.
vi: Pets
Some of the oddest things become uber-luxury items in other cultures: a fine example of social dyslexia is how dogs are considered gods. They're pampered to a fault and kept almost as babies. Consequentially, animal items (food, toys, garments) are very highly priced. Comparatively, plants aren't the only ones made pretty. Marlene Copeland could easily develop a cult following in a few short days, if she ever broadcasted her terrible pet show over here. Dogs (and specifically dogs) are dyed, babied, and kept at a miniature stature. Big dogs are largely unpopular and, to date, I've only seen one in total. People strut around, carrying their pups, dressing them up with little shirts, booties and even hats. Fucked up. Once I get a digital camera, you'll all flip your lid.
On the subject of cats, they are, for the most part -- left to get dirty, ratty, thin and all-around unkempt. Mind you, watching kittens wrestle and tackle each other will always strike a soft chord in my heart, wherever I travel. I actually sat for twenty minutes to watch two of them do that "stalk n' tackle" thing kittens do and it was priceless. Some people like to watch plastic bags fight the breeze, but I dig cats.
O.k., amigos, amigas, strangers and neighbours, I have run out of quasi-informative things to say, except that I wish you all well in whatever you're up to these days. I don't know about Canada, but the nights are getting chilly in Korea so bundle up, find someone to love and hold on tight.
With hugs, headnods, handshakes and high-fives from here to there, I miss you all.
S*
Fave current track(s): "Anthems for a Seventeen Year-Old Girl" - Broken Social Scene
Current read(s) in progress: "Korea" - Lonely Planet, "The New Yorker" magazine
2003.10.16 00:33 KST (EST + 13 hrs): Suwon, Republic of Korea
Hey everyone, Esstar here, keeping my head up and my powder dry, still in Suwon, South Korea. First, let me say that I truly appreciate that many of you are reading these posts to, I hope, some enjoyment. The following are, again, topics of common response and interest. (I've been meaning to collect, compose and post these paragraphs for some time now). Please, enjoy at your leisure.
iv. Air Quality and Plants:
The greater Seoul area (I live in the suburb of Suwon which, via a short taxi ride and a long metro ride, can be reached between 90 and 120 minutes) has rather poor air quality. Although not as numerous as Western films and news reports would have us believe, many Koreans do -- in fact -- wear mouth masks while strolling about, riding the metro, bicycling or as they scoot to and fro on their mopeds.
Naturally -- coming from my apartment in Ottawa, containing no less than a dozen plants -- it took some time to adjust. Nonetheless, I have an air conditioner that serves as a means to cool and freshen my apartment's environment. If I don't leave it on perpetually, the air seems to stale immediately. After a long day at work, it proves to be a rather unpleasant welcome. As such, I quickly began the hunt for nice, affordable plants.
Oddly for a country whose vegetation is abundant and lush, plants are sold as very dainty affairs: they're potted in considerably extravagant containers (beautiful ceramics, finsihed wood and, of course, terra cotta -- thus driving up prices). The latest count totals me at five: I've bought and re-potted two small ivy; a cluster of miniature bamboo shoots; and two others that I can't name, but which I assure do the trick. Needless to say, I really notice the increased air purity and oxygen levels. As I also left my Norfolk Pine and fig tree in Ottawa, I am currently in the market for a small tree of sorts. Mind you, most of the ones I'm casing are upwards of 30,000 Won. A problem? Yes. An insurmountable one? No.
v. Food, Prices and Soju: Korean Fire Water
As far as food costs I'm finding the oddest price differences here: some fruit and vegetables are extremely cheap while others are practically inaccessible. Canned goods vary quite a bit in price, but most of them have to be cleared of the dust before use -- Koreans prefer their eats as fresh as possible. Fresh cuts of meat including beef, chicken and pork are sensibly priced, but the incredible variety of seafood has to be witnessed to be believed.
Of course, I feel like such a fuddy-duddied tourist when I turn my nose at the range of exotic seafood scents. Unfortunately for me, I've come to the wrong end of the planet to avoid foods of the "soft, squishy and mysterious" variety. Of late, I have been -- albeit slowly -- trying new treats from the sea. Last Friday night, a group of foreigners were treated to a heap of fresh squirming shrimp, steamed live over a gas range -- the latter propped up as the centerpiece of our dining experience. Once cooked and relieved of their heads, legs, innards and tails we devoured them like it was our job. A royal banquet!
Our hosts, noticing our delight, insisted that we be served a heaping pail (yes, a pail) of assorted clams, mussels, snails and cockles to name what I could recognize. At first thought, I was curious why I was being handed a single white glove ... as it turns out, since the shellfish were shucked then left to cook, meat up, in their own juices over a grate of coals, they would naturally be hot. Naturally, I felt to be again, the tourist. At any rate, if you have yet to try freshly grilled shellfish, please regale your senses. Instructions: buy any form of grill and a net then make a beeline for the nearest coast. Catch, grill, chomp. Black ties and chopsticks are optional. Oh, and as for the white gloves, use tongs to place the piping hot treats in your palm, shell side down, pluck out the goods, smile, and toss the empty carcass over your shoulder. Nothing says "sucks to be a mollusc" quite like it.
At the end of the day most consumer goods I've purchased have been similarly priced to Canadian goods. On the other hand, any rice product or common vegetalbe/root/herb is dirt-cheap (hot chillies, which permeate so many Korean dishes, for example).
Of note is also how some services are incredibly low-priced. A haircut ran me 8,000 Won which translates to somewhere slightly under $9 -- a third of what I'd expect to pay at home.
Although I can speculate to a degree, I am unfornately not too good at macroeconomy; as such, I suspect others might be more aptly versed to fill us all in on why these difference price structures exist. For the time being, I'll do my best to hunt down what deals I can. Unfortunately, I have to report that, any way you cut it, beer is still the same price here. Luckily, "soju" is ludicrously cheap. Vile, but cheap.
Ah, soju, how I love thee, but where to begin? I'll write about what I know, because what I remember isn't much. Soju is described by its aficionados (and their number is ample) as "Korean Wine." It is sometimes fruit flavoured and pleasantly decieving, but is most often clear and thus strong smelling. Bottles of soju can be purchased in a variety of sizes but is most commonly found in 500 mL format. What's more, to illustrate how some cultures are far more advanced than us, soju can even be purchased in handy, lunchbox-sized ... wait for it ... tetra packs! Recess never tasted so good.
Did I mention that it packs a 22% punch? And the fact that it's mainly consumed in shooter format? To boot, it is in fact rude to refuse a shot of soju if offered by your host; especially if the latter is female, older, a co-worker or, well, Korean. I hope everyone's getting the picture. Nightly, businessmen can be seen stumbling along Korean streets, hand in hand with their officemates, dragging their sorry briefcases and slurring asses behind them. An interesting, but pitiful sight. Stories abound of fights, vomitting and persons passed out in the middle of the street, helpless, holding up traffic for all to bear.
That's the darker side of the stuff, but in moderation (or a tad more...), fun times are promised. Luckily for me, I prefer beer to wash it all down, so I'll do just fine. Let me end the soju stories at that, but I can somehow foretell they'll rear up their ugly head sometime in the very near future.
vi: Pets
Some of the oddest things become uber-luxury items in other cultures: a fine example of social dyslexia is how dogs are considered gods. They're pampered to a fault and kept almost as babies. Consequentially, animal items (food, toys, garments) are very highly priced. Comparatively, plants aren't the only ones made pretty. Marlene Copeland could easily develop a cult following in a few short days, if she ever broadcasted her terrible pet show over here. Dogs (and specifically dogs) are dyed, babied, and kept at a miniature stature. Big dogs are largely unpopular and, to date, I've only seen one in total. People strut around, carrying their pups, dressing them up with little shirts, booties and even hats. Fucked up. Once I get a digital camera, you'll all flip your lid.
On the subject of cats, they are, for the most part -- left to get dirty, ratty, thin and all-around unkempt. Mind you, watching kittens wrestle and tackle each other will always strike a soft chord in my heart, wherever I travel. I actually sat for twenty minutes to watch two of them do that "stalk n' tackle" thing kittens do and it was priceless. Some people like to watch plastic bags fight the breeze, but I dig cats.
O.k., amigos, amigas, strangers and neighbours, I have run out of quasi-informative things to say, except that I wish you all well in whatever you're up to these days. I don't know about Canada, but the nights are getting chilly in Korea so bundle up, find someone to love and hold on tight.
With hugs, headnods, handshakes and high-fives from here to there, I miss you all.
S*
Fave current track(s): "Anthems for a Seventeen Year-Old Girl" - Broken Social Scene
Current read(s) in progress: "Korea" - Lonely Planet, "The New Yorker" magazine
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