A Whole Lot of Lanterns: Jinju Lantern Festival

In 1592 the Japanese were invading Korea, as the Japanese tended to do in that period of time.  One of the most epic battles occurred in Jinju, the site of the today's Jinju Lantern Festival.  There's a large fortress on the banks of the Nam river, the river that cuts through the middle of the city.  The Japanese were determined to take the fortress but the Koreans didn't approve of that idea.  The Koreans were outnumbered but had recently acquired a couple hundred arquebuses.  Oh, what's an arquebus?  It might sound like an oriental attack bird but it's actually a muzzle-loaded rifle that was known to pierce steel-plated armor at close range.  So with their new guns the Koreans were able to hold off the Japanese who were trying to scale the walls of the fortress.  I forgot to mention the Koreans also had cannons that shot giant arrows.

Attack our fortress?  Ok, we'll shoot this giant arrow at your face.

The defending Koreans also filled the river with lanterns to prevent the Japanese from wading across the river to the fortress.  All of these defenses proved effective and the Koreans were able to hold off the Japanese and saved their fortress.  However, the next year the Japanese came back, probably pissed off now, and successfully took the fortress after ten bloody days of battle.  The survivors sent lanterns down the river to remember the dead and as a symbol of hope for peace in Korea.  The tradition of sending lanterns down the river continues today.

The tradition has lost any humbleness that once existed and is now a spectacle.  I read that there were over 50,000 lanterns at this year's festival.  They came in all shapes and sizes.  From a small Spongebob to a giant fire breathing dragon that actually breathed real life fire.  We were not the only ones that wanted to view the array of lanterns.  We had to fight the largest crowds I've seen anywhere in Korea along with several power outages.  However, we actually had one brief peaceful moment when we made our own lantern with our respective wishes attached and sent it on its way down a lantern filled river.  

Enjoy some pictures:

Some large lanterns out there.

Pretty Bird

I think this is from some cartoon or something.

From some other cartoon.

Whatcha ya got there Santa?

Dragon!

Reenacting Japan vs. Korea.

Caroline's idea of a chair.

   

Some lanterns were not as classy as others:

Japan is Delicious

They're next door neighbors.

Over Korean Thanksgiving we hopped on a ferry from Busan to Fukuoka, Japan.  We were only there for two and a half days and stayed in the city, so I only experienced a tiny corner of Japan.  From what I can tell in that short trip is that Japan has some of the best food anybody will ever eat!  There isn't anything really special to do in Fukuoka except eat and drink, and we over indulged in both areas.  Actually, besides a large sitting Buddha and a couple hours at the beach, I can only remember eating and drinking.

You think you've eaten ramen.  Back in those days when you were a poor alcoholic in college most of your meals consisted of a 27 cent package of ramen and a can of Natural Light.  Then you graduate from school, earn some money, and never look back at those boxes of ramen that could feed you for a week.  Well it turns out Fukuoka is the ramen capital of the entire freaking world and their ramen costs about nine dollars for a whole meal of it.  If you know how to use a calculator that's over a 3,000% increase in price!  Also, that's about how much better it is.  Don't ask me how they do it, but best ramen I've ever had in life: check.

Caroline slurps her ramen.

Next thing we ate was sushi.  I know you've probably already thought about how the best sushi is in Japan because it originates from there and all that.  So it's not a crazy concept that Japan has the best sushi in the world, but it's hard to imagine just how ridiculously good it is.  It was like the first time I heard the sweet sounds of Led Zeppelin, I couldn't believe something could be that good!  I will never forget the first sushi I ate in Japan.  It was simply a piece of salmon, some wasabi, and a ball of rice that I picked off a conveyer belt.  Sushi will never be the same to me.  From now on I'm that annoying guy that states how the sushi is not as good as the sushi I ate in Japan that one time.  Best sushi ever: check.

There's heaven on that plate.

The last thing we had to try in Fukuoka was to eat at a yatai, or a mobile food stall.  As the sun goes down these food stalls start setting up near the river and in downtown.  It features a cook surrounded by about a dozen stools and a bar that wraps around the grill.  It's kind of like one of those restaurants in America where they cook the food in front of you but it's outside and much smaller.  When we found out the cook did tempura we had him deep fry everything he had.  We actually ate all of his mushrooms.  It was addicting!  It was like someone spiked the oil with crack.  Then the cook put a pot of saki on the grill and served it to us hot.  Let me highly recommend that.  The best food stall I have ever eaten at: check.

Yatai!

The Master

Happy Customers

Good stuff right there.

Japan was a great visit but its only downfall is that it's damn expensive.  You could easily blow hundreds of dollars in a weekend without doing anything very extravagant.  I will be back so I can at least taste that sushi one more time, but it's best to visit Japan in small doses.  Unless you look in your bathroom and your toilet is made of gold, just visit Japan for a few days at a time.  However, arguably the best food I've eaten in Asia: check.

More pictures from Fukuoka to feast your eyes on:

Difficult Decisions for an Expat

So I'm back in America for a few weeks and I'm really happy to be here.  Before landing in Kansas City I got the privilege of stopping in two of America's best cities, San Francisco and Denver.  South Korea's cities are decidedly ugly.  The rest of South Korea is beautiful but the cities look like someone glued Legos to a landscape painting.  It's just row after row of white 18 story apartment blocks.  I understand South Korea has a high population density and needs to build upwards, but the rectangular communist uniformity of the building architecture is unimaginative and boring.  So it was a relief to see the wonderful architecture of San Francisco and the wide open spaces with the Rocky Mountains in the background in Denver.  Furthermore, it's great to eat Western food again, understand what people are saying, think logically, and reunite with friends and family.

Hooray Gwangju!  Because it's all the same type!

Anyway, this is not a love letter to America but about the decisions to leave it.  So after a few weeks visit home, I'm moving back to South Korea to teach for another year.  The hardest part about the life of an expat is not learning a new language or realizing that the new currency isn't monopoly money, but the hardest part is saying goodbye to your homeland.  The thing is that teaching abroad is a commitment.  Most good teaching jobs require a year long contract.  So that means you'll miss weddings, reunions, connections with friends, tailgating, and anything else that happens in a year.  So after two years abroad, why am I insane enough to put myself through saying goodbye again?

1.  Escape - A friend of mine once said that most expats are running from something, looking for something, or a combination of the both.  I've made a nice little scale to help you get the idea of what I mean.

Reasons most people become an expat.

Most people are somewhere in the middle of the scale, but there are those who are at either extreme.  (You know who you are creepies.)  When I decided to move to China in 2009 I was more on the "running away" side of the scale.  After I graduated college I had a full time job with benefits, an apartment, a truck, and a girlfriend.  I suddenly realized I was in the beginning stages of settling down.  Life was becoming too routine and I was too young.  I clearly wasn't ready for it and that's when I had what many people call a quarter life crisis.  The best cure was to travel.  After a year in China I hopped over to the "looking for something" side of the scale.  I didn't feel like I got all I wanted from China because I lived in a crappy area and China had it's problems that led to stress.  (Overpopulation, pollution, low quality of life, bad internet, low pay, babies pooping on the street.)  I stilled seriously enjoyed my time there but I needed to look for something that would be an upgrade in living conditions.  Answer: South Korea.  I love living in South Korea and found all I was looking for.  So why renew for another year?

2.) Travel - So I know living abroad seems like traveling, but it's really only traveling for a little bit at the beginning.  Then you get settled, start working regularly, and it becomes a home away from home.  However, I discovered another way to travel while living abroad: backpacking.  Backpacking involves putting everything into a large backpack, traveling all over by bus and train, and staying in cheap accommodation like hostels.  In my opinion it's the cheapest and most fun way to travel.  I've done the backpacking thing over winter breaks, but only for a few weeks each time.  So while I was in Malaysia last winter I spent a night talking to some guys who were in the middle of a year long backpacking journey.  The next day I was flying back to South Korea when it hit me like a predator drone: I want to go backpacking for an extended vacation!  I don't have the money now, but this next year in South Korea all of my focus is on traveling after my contract ends in August 2012.  I'm going to try to stretch my savings for at least 300 days.  So far I'm planning on going to Nepal, India, Vietnam, Laos, and Thailand.  The good thing about backpacking is that I don't have to plan too far ahead!

Put it on your back!

3.) Anxiety - So I've explained how I jumped over to the "looking for something" side of the scale, but I'm still doing a little running away.  Truth is that I'm in no hurry to move back to America.  I'm afraid of looking for a job in America.  The economy and job market sucks.  I'm afraid of not finding something for a long time and I'm afraid of getting a job that I will hate.  So instead I'm going to delay my inevitable return for almost two more years.  I'm going to save money doing something I like and then use those savings to accomplish a dream.  It's a difficult decision, but I can't think of another time in my life I'll be able to do something like this.

Amazing Sand Art in Busan

Last month we went on an extended weekend to South Korea's second largest city Busan.  The main attraction in Busan is Haeundae Beach.  It's a long strip of sand that separates the city from the ocean.  At any time there are thousands of people testing the limits of personal space on the beach.  There was a plethora of activity when we were there, but luckily it wasn't as bad as the picture below.  Yeah, that's what happens when it's peak beach season in Korea.  

The Sea of Humanity

When we went some of the activities included a sand volleyball tournament, parades with robots, an unexpected air show, sand surfing, and most importantly, meals that featured Mexican food.  However, the main attraction was the Haeundae Sand Festival.  Slogans included "Experience Sand", "Feel Sand", and "Enjoy Sand."  I made sure to do all three those things and I also checked out the amazing sand art.  So I thought I would post some pictures of the sand art that I found most impressive.

Our theme for the festival: Fairy tales.

Sand Castles: A Classic

The Sword in the Stone

Rapunzel

An artist at work.

 

 

 

Look at the attention to detail on the b-b-b....back fins.  I mean back fins.

Dragon!

Represent Kansas!

Also, this picture of a child swimming in a bow tie and a pirate ship.

And my first experience in sand boarding!  Kowabunga!

Head Butts and Licking: Korean Bullfighting

There are no men in sparkling tight pants and pointy hats here.  There's no dance of the man versus the beast.  In Korea it's just hardcore bull on bull action.  Every Saturday in the medium sized city of Jinju, South Korea, bulls go at it in the Jinju Bullfighting Stadium.  Last month we decided to see what this Korean bullfighting was all about.

The first thing that I want to say is that a bull is a large animal.  In my experience I have only seen bulls on TV or from a car window while cruising past farms on the interstate.  When we arrived at the bullfighting stadium there were dozens of bulls hanging out in their respective pens on the side of the parking lot.  We decided to size up the competition and took a stroll down the line of bulls.  The first thing I noticed is that a bull is the size of a small truck.  I mean this literally because there were small trucks parked next to the pens and the bulls were the same size.  The bulls are also exploding with muscles.  The entire cast of the first Predator movie can fit all their muscles in to one bull.  A bull's head is the size of a keg of Pabst Blue Ribbon.  Then somebody (Jesus? Satan?) decided to stick sharp horns on top of all that strength and power.  I decided that a bull is a frightening animal, especially when you see one foaming at the mouth.  Then we pet one.

"Good bull.  Gooood bull."

The stadium is a pretty good size with a ring of dirt in the middle.  There was one section of about a hundred 50-60 year old men who were obviously throwing down money on their favorites.  We sat and waited until two men walked in to the ring pulling bulls by ropes wrapped around the ring in the bull's nose.  We didn't really know what to expect at this point except that bulls weren't probably going to hug.  The handlers pulled the bulls heads close to each other and the bulls immediately bumped skulls.  Then the handlers let the ropes go to let the bulls go at it.  What ensues is a lot of pushing and bashing heads between the two bulls.  The first round went on for a while and the match didn't end until one of the bulls threw in the towel, turned, and ran away. 

Place your bets.

 After watching several matches we pretty much understood how the operation worked.  First is that the whole thing is pleasantly humane.  As far as Korea goes these animals are well fed and well treated.  It's not a death match because it ends when one of the bulls decides enough is enough.  The handlers want them to fight but they don't force it.  There were several times when the handlers pulled the bulls' heads close to each other and the bulls weren't having any of it.  Once one of the bulls lovingly started licking the other bull on the face.  In these cases the match is called without a winner.  However, some of the bulls knew exactly what to do and went at it like a couple of gladiators.  So I would say that compared to their Spanish counterparts, the bulls that die a very stabby death, the Korean bulls have a pretty cushy life.  Go bulls!

The Lineup

Bring in the contestants.

Let them go!

Get it on!

Commence the head butting.