Bucheon, South Korea.

After an overnight trip including a layover in Doha, Qatar [shoutout to Clarissa!], I landed in Seoul, rented a cell phone, and, with many calls to Jake to confirm I was going the right way, navigated public transportation to Bucheon, a suburb/extension of Seoul.

View from Bucheon station.

Note the castle.

Bucheon’s entertainment district.

Someone thought frightening pictures of Angelina Jolie would be a good advertising tactic.

Korean barbecue with Jake’s co-teachers. The meat is laid out on a grill in front of you, and you cook it yourself. Then you put it on a lettuce or other kind of leaf, add some of the side dishes or sauces, wrap up the leaf, and stick the whole thing in your mouth. It’s delicious.

Soju with some of the co-teachers. Soju, South Korea’s national liquor, doesn’t have as strong of a taste as, say, vodka – but that’s what makes it so dangerous. I heard enough stories of bad hangovers from various foreigners that I knew to keep it in check.

The others ordered dessert for me after the barbecue: ice slush water with cold noodles, a piece of watermelon, some meat, and a few other things. Not bad, but I was so full from the meal that I couldn’t eat much.
After dinner, we went to the home of one of the teachers for coffee. I thought maybe she would ask who actually wanted coffee, so I could respectfully decline, but no, a steaming cup was placed in front of me. At that point, I didn’t want to say, “No, take it back!” so I drank the thing. It took me until I was 24 and in South Korea, but I finally had a full cup of coffee. And, just as I suspected, it was not enjoyable.

I just took this picture because I thought the phallic old cartoon man was funny. Then I went to Jeju Island and saw him as a statue everywhere – he protects the island, or something like that.

Miller time!

Another shot of the entertainment district.

Boobi Boobi and almost Duran Duran.