The Busan Four and the Fireworks Galore Happy Special Hour

This weekend saw rain and an increasingly sick blog author. The highlight, however, was the Busan Fireworks Festival. On Saturday evening, I took the KTX down to Busan with three in company to see what would turn out to be the greatest fireworks display I'd ever seen.

First, however, we had to navigate the crowds. The subway was increasingly packed as we approached Kwangan-lee Beach. There were crowd control guys who would help pack people into the train. It was difficult to get lost or move, as all you had to and could do was follow the million (yes, literally there was a million people) others who were on their way to the beach. There was a point when I physically could not move from being packed into the crowd so tight. Eventually, we eyed an alleyway that led to an air conditioning unit, that led to a ladder, that led to the roof of a motel. We ended up getting some really great seats for the last 45 minutes of the show. Without further ado, here are a few mediocre pictures of fireworks taken with a mediocre camera with a nighttime picture phobia:
And to prove that I was indeed there:
It was really spectacular in person. The set up is what really made it. This marvel of a suspension bridge spanning the bay and boats exploding with fire all while pieces like "Ride of the Valkyries" played and a million people roaring at the highlights. Not to mention the panoply of lights around like a watered down Hong Kong.

Here's a picture of the most people I've ever seen at one time:And that's just one side. The other side was the same, in front of us was the same, not to mention all the people in the alleys and arteries of streets trickling back away from the beach. It was absurd how many people were there, and that goes to show that Korea can operate logically to make public urination legal in instances like this.

I also have video, but with a combination of the real name verification law for YouTube and Blogger's ineffective video upload process, I cannot show you. I think it actually may be my mediocre camera's fault. I don't know how to change the recording format (which is also why I can't seem to figure out how to make my videos compatible with Movie Maker) to be anything resembling an easy, compact file. Such is life, I suppose.

In other news, we spent the rest of the night wandering around in the rain, unsuccessfully trying to find a love motel to stay in (remember those million people I talked about? Yeah, apparently they all needed a place to sleep as well...and they plan ahead). As a result, I think I am getting sick (as I previously mentioned. Remember? Geez, you must be getting old). I can only hope that the pinnacle of this illness is not too bad and I can carry on with my life with minimal interruptions from the green sickness goblin.

It's Sunday night and I'm eagerly looking forward to Monday, wherein I can go to school and teach children who don't much care about English for five days straight before what may or may not be a crazy Halloween weekend. I will, as always (or at least sometimes, right?), keep you posted.

PACECISTS Unite!

My weekend was not worth mentioning besides the fact that I spent it with friends and they did a wonderful job of keeping my hopes high and the future looking bright. Instead of talking about that (sorry, guys and gals), I am going to mention the little things that pop up in my head from time to time. The little things that matter more than whatever I was doing at 9:43 PM on Friday.

Having a shower that gives me the freedom to do all my bathroom rituals simultaneously, my thought process has turned from lazy to absurd. I now wish there was a way that I could dry myself and get dressed for work while still in the shower. On these chilly October mornings, the shower feels so good when the temperature is slightly too hot. I make excuses to stay in there for longer. "Oh, I missed washing my left inner ankle, I better rewash my entire body for five more minutes."

Stray cats are a blessing in disguise. They are an indicator of coming weather patterns, they can show you to free food, and they are a great source of entertainment. As I walked home last night, I saw three stray cats playfully batting at each other. Someone turned on the proverbial waterworks. Oh, life is so precious, isn't it? I think life needs more stray cats. I'm going to start a coalition of some sort. Persons Against Confining or Euthanizing Cats Instead of Setting Them Stray. PACECISTS. I like it. You can donate through the Paypal link below:

Paypal - Donate Now!

Doing my laundry is kind of like the war on drugs. It's dirty, messy, nobody is ever going to win and I'm pretty sure there are backroom deals being made to keep it going forever. Having to hang dry my clothes limits the number of loads of laundry I can do a week. I can get two in if I'm really industrious and the weather allows (I just listen to the stray cats). Now think about it. Between completing loads, I am wearing clothes. Sometimes multiple items (sometimes just underwear [sorry for the mental image]). These items get dirty, and for every week I spend doing laundry, another load gets added to the list. That's just clothes. What about washing my sheets, my towels, my place mats? As you can see, this method of washing just doesn't seem to be compatible with my lifestyle. And don't even get me started on how poorly my washing machine completes its job.


Why does it seem like there's always a catch when it comes to my school lunches? Are you looking forward to those fried fish filets? Well watch out, because they have bones all up in them! That soup looks mildly attractive, doesn't it? Too bad it's SPICY AS HELL. You want some drinking yogurt? How about two? Put it back! You can only have one! But have as much rice as you want. That fruit looks like it is tasty. Oh, we put it in the garbage for a week before serving it to you. Those lunch ladies have a vendetta against me for some reason.

I guess life is full of surprises. Life, always chucking surprises at me. Well, I'm gonna start chucking something resembling an overflowing toilet that many Mexican construction workers have used recently back at life. See how life likes that.

Steve-topia?

Let's discuss what would make the perfect country, in my experience. I've been wanting to do this post for quite a long time, but I haven't found the time or place. Now that it's the lull before the weekend, I guess now is the perfect time and place. Nevermind that none of you will read this.

Not counting the Vatican (who would do such a thing!?), I have been to nine different countries on three different continents. That's definitely on the lower end of the travel spectrum compared to my expat friends, so don't consider it boasting. It's more like a meek confession. In my experiences, I have noticed things about a country that are better than in my homeland. Yes, believe it or not, not everything in the United States of America is best. Many things are--don't get me wrong--but you will get no blind patriotism here.

As such, I wanted to compile a list of things that are important to me in the made-up, perfect "most amazing awesometastic land in all the land" country contest. Keep in mind that the following message may reveal a bit about my personality. Here goes:

1. Let's not jump to any rash conclusions based on the fact that I thought of this first, but Public Drinking. This is legal in the French Quarter of New Orleans, a part of Las Vegas, and I think one street in Austin, Texas on certain dates. It is legal anywhere, everywhere, and at any time in Korea, Japan, and the Philippines. There's nothing like walking down the street, past a cop, drinking a tall boy. Asia -1, North America -0, Europe -0.

2. This is another Asia booster. No Tipping. Now, before all you servers and hairstylists and taxi drivers get upset at me, hear me out. Do you know why you rely on tips in the U.S.? Because you get paid crap. Blame capitalism and the individualistic attitude Western society has. Your boss is too stingy to pay you decently and you're not concerned with the well-being of the establishment you work at unless you're given incentive to do so. In Asia, they think collectively. What's good for the establishment is good for the employee. Hands down. They get paid decently so they don't need to rely on tips. Providing service is what they're paid to do. I'll give a half point to Europe because not everywhere I've been on that continent relies on tipping. Asia -2, North America -0, Europe -1/2.

3. This next one is extremely important. Nature. Yes, Mama Nature has to be thriving and well in my perfect country. Smog? Hell no. Birds? Hell yes. Give me some trees and some mountians! Although the parts of Korea that I've seen are somewhat lacking in breathtaking vistas, I still have to give Asia a half a point for Japan and the Philippines. North America definitely gets a point, and Europe gets a point for Switzerland alone. Asia -2 1/2, North America -1, Europe -1 1/2.

4. Also important for preserving #3 and keeping out that nasty smog. Bomb Diggity Public Transportation. I don't want to have to rely on a car to get where I'm going. Hell, even if a bus won't take me there, at least make taxis affordable. Ah, sorry again, America. Asia gets a point for most genius modes of cheap transport. Asia -3 1/2, North America -1, Europe -1 1/2.

5. It seems like everything I can think of is just to spite North America. Government Run Public Healthcare. Let's not even get into the situation in America. They get half a point for the half that has working healthcare (the Canadian half). All I know is that I call roll up into any joint and get any basic healthcare need for less than 10 bucks in Korea. Within reason, of course. And we all know Europe is full of communists, so their healthcare works. Asia -4 1/2, North America -1 1/2, Europe -2 1/2.

6. Ok, let's get more specific. My perfect country needs to have a Vibrant, Young, Attractive Population. Damn it, America, get your act together. You're on life support here. Sorry but if you come to Korea, you'll realize that Asia is where it's at. Everyone is thin here. And not for lack of food. There must be something in the kimchi here that keeps these girls attractive. Asia -5 1/2, North America -1 1/2, Europe -2 1/2.

7. I'm gonna cheat a little. It's the American way. This one's worth two points: Family and Friends. One for family, one for friends. Now, to all you Korean expat friends, don't be hasty. You are all from somewhere Western. Mostly the U.S. You will be going back there some day. Probably in the near future. So get off my back when I give both points to North America. Come on, what's a perfect country worth if it's full of strangers? Asia -5 1/2, North America 3 1/2, Europe -2 1/2.

8. What about peace, love, and understanding? A Second Official Language. I don't care if the first language is Hopi and the second is Punjabi. A bilingual population is an educated population. Now, I know that every continent I'm comparing has at least one country with a second official language, but I'm going to go with majority based on countries I've visited. So, in actuality, none of the three get points. Asia -5 1/2, North America -3 1/2, Europe -2 1/2.

9. This is an important cultural aspect. Diversity. This could go hand in hand with the previous point, but they are not one in the same. One thing I can't stand about Korea is the lack of diversity. It's all about homogeny in Asia. Let's just take food for example. My choices are usually Korean, Italian-Korean, Mexican-Korean, Japanese-Korean, or American-Korean. Yeah, fusion food is nice and all, but give me some diversity and some authenticity. Sorry Asia and Europe, nobody's got diversity covered like the melting pot of the world: North America. Asia -5 1/2, North America -4 1/2, Europe -2 1/2.

10. Ten's a nice, round number, right? Top ten blardy blars or top ten skindamarinks. Ok, fine. How's this for ten? Thriving Artistic Expression. I can't rightfully give Asia a full point. There is a thriving art scene in Seoul and in Japan, but where I live? Not a chance. Unless you count the fact that every Korean has a $3,000 camera, I can't swing more than half a point. We all know the other two contestants have an art scene worth boasting about.

Final tally: Asia -6, North America -5 1/2, Europe -3 1/2. Looks like my perfect utopia is more Asian than anything else. Perhaps a hint of that European feel, a dash of interesting history and culture, and that great North American diversity. What a place to live. Now, let's work on making it real.

The Just Slightly Bizarre Weekend

Friday night consisted of tequila and noraebang...the interesting thing is that spell check wants me to change "noraebang" to "noradrenaline," which I guess could also be applicable. Noradrenaline would probably be more fun if artificially induced, but I do not condone the use of drugs in any way. Erm, well...the illegal drugs anyway.

Saturday turned out to be a lovely day, despite the foreboding weather forecast of rain. The joke was on them. I got to see two Korean universities face off in a match of American football. Yeah, that's right. American football. Here's a picture to prove it:
Notice the sell out crowd. Honestly, I think we were five of maybe twenty spectators who were not affiliated with one of the teams somehow. This was the regional championship, too. Kyungpook University vs. Keimyung University. I guess the winner gets to go to state finals? It was ultimately an entertaining match, with Keimyung winning 26-14. You may wonder how well they played. That's a reasonable thing to assume, don't you think? Well, it's your turn to make an assumption based on this: the jokes were coming pretty loudly from our section of the stands (luckily in English). There was no passing game, not the best running game, or use of strategy, or kicking ability. What's left? Um...the uniforms looked nice? Honestly, I understand that American football is next to unheard of in Korea. It makes sense that the players would have the ability of junior varsity high school players. I think we were subconsciously bitter because none of us could feasibly watch real American football due to the time difference. Also, they completely forgot the fact that football requires sexy cheerleaders to be fully entertaining. I'm going to write Lee Myung-bak a letter.


Now, the crux of this post: the Korean wedding. I was invited last week to my principal's son's wedding. No, I have never met my principal's son. I still can't tell you his name. Having now experienced it, I now know why I was invited. Koreans will probably tell you some traditional reason for it that includes male co-worker camaraderie or Confucian style elderly deference. The real reason is right here on World Class Flaneur. Money. It is customary for each guest to give money as a wedding gift. Therefore, when a Korean gets married, he or she makes it a point to invite as many people as he or she possibly can. The normal acceptable amount is 30,000 won (about $25) for acquaintances (or in this case, complete strangers) and 50,000 won for closer friends. The gift giving certainly seemed a little impersonal, but then, so did the entire wedding. You'd logically think, "Hey, the more people they invite, the more expensive the wedding will be, right?" Wrong.

In America, weddings are usually in a church, winery, historic site, country club, beach, back yard, etc. In Korea, a vast majority of weddings take place in a wedding hall. This particular one was called the Wedding Castle, and, as I understood it, there were going to be seven or eight weddings that day. There were three going on as ours was. Since it takes place in a public wedding hall (with a buffet lunch), it's OK to pack as many people as possible in. You rent the room regardless of amount of people.

As you come in, you get your meal ticket and you give your gift to someone who mans the gift table as though it were a soup kitchen. Give 'em your cash, get yer meal. Then, you sit in the back of the seating area (or stand) because you are not family or close friends. It's OK to talk and carry on a conversation during the entire wedding because it'll only last 20 minutes anyway and you probably don't know either party involved. The bride and groom come in together, in fairly cheesy fashion, in a cage that hovers over the crowd and moves mechanically from one end of the room to the other:
Then the bride stands in the back while the groom goes to the front alone. In case you can't see really well, they provide disco lights every twenty feet on the ceiling to help you. These will be flaring up throughout the entire ceremony. The bride is given away, much like America, but only after the mothers bow to each other in their traditional hanbok dress (which I guess bowing to each other is their way of dancing to the top 20 K-pop being played while they do so). I didn't understand much of what happened afterward simply because it was in Korean, but there was clapping and yelling and, wait for it...noraebang. The groom sang a karaoke song to his new bride. In the middle of the ceremony, they brought out the cake and cut it as though they were being shuffled through renewing their driver's license at the DMV. "Fill out this form. Put your eyes in here and read this chart. Fingerprints. Do you want to be a blood donor? Cut this cake. What's your mother's maiden name? Look at the camera. Don't smile." Also, I have no idea what happened to the cake they cut. Where the hell did it go? They just carted it off and distracted everybody with a nice piano piece while the minister and his cronies snarfed it down in the back.

Instead of kissing at the end to signify that they were now husband and wife in holy matrimony, the groom gave the bride's mother a piggyback ride down the aisle and back. In ancient Korea, this indicated that the groom was ready to bear the weight of his new wife's family, for he would now take care of them when they were too old to do so themselves. This was done immediately before the dowry of three pigs, a goat, and 5,000 won was transacted. I completely just made that up.

This was the end of the ceremony. The bride and groom walked back down the aisle, but instead of leaving, they stood at the end of the aisle in the back and greeted people as they left. Before the wedding pictures got underway, it was understood that the guests were to go downstairs to the mess hall and get some grub. Here, you use your meal ticket to prove that you indeed were attending a wedding and not just getting a free meal, and burst at the seams with buffet style goodness. Eventually, the bride and groom come down in traditional Korean dress and join whoever hasn't already left, which is probably only their parents. Honestly, including lunch (which was buffet, so you know I stuck around for a while to get my money's worth), I was in and out of there in an hour and a half. Shortest wedding ever.

Now don't get me wrong. It sounds like from the rest of this post that I have a negative feeling toward the Korean style wedding. Also, I'm not positive, but I am under the impression that there is a second, more sacred, ceremony involving only children and parents. That speculation aside, there is something to be said for the Korean wedding ceremony. It was certainly more fun than an American ceremony. You could talk, clap, and sing along to the noraebang. You didn't have to observe silence like you were actually attending the funeral of your friend's/family member's bachelorhood. The disco lights helped too.

The reception (what reception?) was certainly lacking. Now, if we could somehow combine the two and have a bomb-ass Korean wedding ceremony with singing and performances and the bride and groom coming out to a theme song raising the roof like they're professional wrestlers with a bomb-ass American style wedding reception with maybe a friar's club style roast...I'm thinking best wedding ever. New goal for my life. Is that...feminine that I just planned out my dream wedding?

Anyway, I closed the weekend with a trip to Costco and the gluttony that inherently goes with it.

The Rocktober 7th Modesty Contest

Let's see...what's important about October 7th? Edgar Allan Poe died on this day. Thom Yorke was born on this day. I think Etch-A-Sketch was introduced on this day. Coincidence? Probably. This isn't nearly as noteworthy as scratching square boobs into some aluminum powder, but it's my birthday on this day, too. Let's have a recap of my day.

I'm not sure whether it is ethical to accept gifts from students, but I have two arguments for it. 1. They are not spending exorbitant amounts of money (a pen, a little notepad, candy, another pen, a card, etc.). I couldn't accept something that cost more than $5 morally speaking. 2. I, in no way, affect their final grade in the class. Grading is up to the Korean teacher, so they can't bribe me. Anyway, some kids gave me gifts. They always wrote cute little notes accompanying them, like:

"Steven teacher. Happy Birthday!
My name is [student] from 4-3 class.
I hope you have best. You are so handsome.
You love [Korean co-teacher].
I think you and [Korean co-teacher] married.
Have beautiful life!"

How did she know I love married women 10 years older than me? There must be something in my eyes that says, "I love cougars."

Anyway, I had a great dinner at an Indian place, had some pleasant surprises, and had a good time with friends. I kept a pretty low profile this year, latching myself on to two other peoples' party and having it in Seoul. My impromptu "party" in Daegu consisted of four people, including myself. I didn't want to interrupt my friends' weekly movie night. So modest, aren't I? Or does my modesty get canceled out (modestly canceled out) because I mentioned my modesty? We need to consult some monk or something. Where's the nearest temple on the top of a mountain?

This post is rather short (modestly sized, I'd say), especially after waiting for so long for me to update. Fear not, for tomorrow I have a post scheduled and it will be much more entertaining. Prepare FOR!!!!! ... ... ... my first Korean wedding.

A Seoul-ful Birthday? Too Cliché?

Ah, who cares. I'm full of cliche. I got enough cliche to curb Rosie O'Donnell's apetite. Is she even relevant anymore? I haven't heard anything about her in years, but she's the only acceptable fat lady I can think of. My material is starting to feel dated. Maybe I should watch more Jersey Shore.

Anyway, I had a triple birthday party in Seoul this weekend. So, four of us got a family pack (which equates to a four person table seat for almost half the price of four regular tickets) on the KTX and made the two hour trek from Daegu to Seoul Station. We headed out to Guri, a Seoul suburb, to meet some friends.

I want to pause here for a second to explain to you that I am using the word "suburb" pretty loosely, yet more directly here. Literally, from the Latin "close to a city," my use of suburb is just that: Guri is close to Seoul. When you think of suburbs, you think of sleepy neighborhoods with large houses and big lawns and maybe people walking dogs and lots of SUVs and clowns at birthday parties and a magical Disney-like atmosphere where everyone goes to college and gets married with the 2.5 kids. Well, that may be the way you guys do it in America, but suburbs in Korea are just a little different. Imagine Times Square. Now imagine that none of the buildings in Times Square are taller than 5 or 6 stories and there are food stands everywhere...and everyone is speaking Korean. At 11 PM you still see kids in school uniforms laughing in the street, playing Girl Fighter. You probably see a drunk businessman somewhere neglecting his family for a bottle of soju. You see poorly made shacks, remnants of the pre-1980s boom that made Korea the electronics powerhouse that it is today, sprinkled among the neon lights. That's a Korean suburb. Honestly, I'm exaggerating in some aspects because there are suburbs that more closely resemble the former American description, but the one we were in (and most others I can think of) more closely resembled Times Square. Maybe more like an alley offshoot of Times Square. Maybe I'm desensitized to flashing lights and I don't even notice how prominent they are or aren't anymore. I remember there was a McDonald's at least.

So. Saturday. The big day. The big day for the party. The party that was supposed to be held in a park with a barbeque and lots of people. Well, thanks to George Burns, it rained that day. We went to the World Cup Stadium anyway (as that is where the park was) to chiggidy check the situation. What we found was a stadium with a mall in it and a clearance tent with unbeatable prices!!!!!!!!

What caught our eye was a rack of suits for 49,000원. That's like $42. For a suit that was originally about $250. We couldn't pass it up. Check these two P.I.M.P.s out:
Even matching umbrellas (ella, ella, eh, eh, eh, under my umbrell--*gunshot*). They're pretty shiny suits, aren't they? I like that, for some unknown reason. Anyway, we did no park barbequeing due to the rain, but by the time the party rolled around, we were dressed to impress. Everything happens for a reason, right?

The party itself was wholly a success. A friend had managed to reserve a whole bar for us to throw down, and throw down we did. We filled that place up.
The preceding picture is from when the owner got "iced." For those of you over 30, "icing" is an international marketing phenomenon pulled off pretty brilliantly by Smirnoff Ice, designed to appeal to the "bro" crowd. Basically, your bro pulls up in your line of sight with a Smirnoff Ice. Being completely taken by surprise at your friend's taste in girly beers, you must take the Smirnoff Ice, drop to one knee, and consume the entire contents of the bottle, thus redeeming his manhood and showcasing yours. What a world when something this silly reaches even Korea.

Speaking of silly things reaching Korea, I received my first package from a friend today. It was either from Kristen Adams or someone brilliantly posing as her. Her thoughtfulness will not be forgotten and it really warmed my heart that I still have friends back home who care enough about me to send a package 9,000 miles away--through the warm, inviting international waters of the Pacific, through the frozen tundra of Russian Siberia, through the posed AK-47s of Pakistani Taliban checkpoints, through a chief's blessing from the cannibalistic tribes of New Guinea, through the gap in David Letterman's teeth, through Somalian pirates, through a wicker cradle wafting down the Nile being pursued diligently by ravenous wildebeasts, through the alleyways of aggressive Indian beggars, through an endless desert of broken glass in the Australian outback, through a volcano in Iceland that houses carniverous dinosaurs and is yet still very active and erupting, and through at least an hour of Kathy Griffin's stand-up. From the bottom of my heart to the bottom of yours: thank you. This Bud's for you.

But I hope you don't think for a second I waited the two days for my birthday before opening it. It's already open and the contents halfway consumed. Sorry for partying.

Dynamic Busan, Part Three

The trip back to Korea last Friday was in jeopardy throughout the entire trip. The waves were three meters tall, which meant choppy seas and not desirable travel conditions when skating along the water in a hydrofoil. Two of our group got seasick and ralphed in the small airplane toilet. I thought it was a blast. At one point we were airborne for a second. I said, "whee, whee, whee," all the way home. The captain had to swerve much more than on the trip in and a couple of times I thought he was throwing in the towel and turning back to Fukuoka. It was nice to see Busan again because I was ready to get back to Korea and was completely out of the money I allotted for myself.

We met up with some Chinese friends at Haeundae Beach and jammed there for the remainder of the evening. I had been to that area before but until this time, I had never stepped foot onto the famous beach. Haeundae Beach is famous, damn it. Any Korean will tell you that. Actually, I have heard it is the most crowded beach in the world, but that's only in the designated "summer season" that Koreans collectively and arbitrarily make up every year. We missed that window by a few weeks, I think.

We even stayed in the same love motel I stayed in last time. The reason I chose it again is because the old woman at the desk is clearly on drugs. Every time I have seen her, she is barely conscious and definitely incoherent. Nevermind that she speaks only Korean. I can conduct a business transaction in my host country's language just fine, but with her it's definitely a chore. Last time, she randomly went into our rooms and once came out wearing one of our party's shoes. This time, she seemed too drugged to move much. Surprisingly, she still managed to take our money and give us a key. Maybe the meth hadn't taken full effect yet.

What set this trip apart is that I got to hit my first Korean casino. Yes, there are casinos in Korea, and a couple of them are smack dab in Haeundae. I even got a card for this one because I plan on going back. What are some differences between American and Korean casinos? To be honest, not much. Only two things that I can think of:

1) War. Yes, that's right. You can play war. For money. The ultimate game of chance. I watched a man lose more than I spent on my entire trip to Japan on one war hand.

2) In Korea, Steve Holcomb is up $50 in gambling. Yeah, I played war. I won $50 from war. So what? Paid for my subsequent night out. I think I like the simple games most. The poor man's roulette in America and war in Korea. Hmm, those last three words don't sound right together.

Not much else to say. I suppose this wraps up my Chuseok trip. Back to the grind with nonsensical posts about random crap that not even I care about. Tomorrow's post: Musings on the Coffee Maker at Work.

Tragic and Thoughtful Thursday: Japan, Day 3

It's a good day when you wake up in time for McDonald's breakfast. Yes, yes, it's terrible for me, but it sure is good in the morning...in Japan. We got on a fairly early bus bound for Nagasaki. Ah, the title reveal came early this time, didn't it? Well sometimes you gotta give the plot away because it's less important than the message...or something.

The bus ride was about two and a half hours and as time went by, the scenery became increasingly beautiful and dramatic. When we reached Nagasaki I knew immediately that I liked it. On three sides it is surrounded by mountains; the fourth is a beautiful natural port leading into the sea. With a population of about 400,000, it is not too large. It is complimented by a cable car system and copious green parks. There is also that dark fact that nothing there is beyond 65 years old.

Our first stop had to be, after walking throughout town, the atomic bomb museum. Let's be honest--that's the whole reason we came. The fact that Nagasaki was a really pleasant city was secondary. The museum was, as you could already guess, a sad, somber place to be. I can't say it was any more horrific than visiting the Holocaust Museum in D.C., but it was probably pretty equal. It was definitely not a place where you'd crack a smile or a joke. The hardest part was probably watching case studies of the victims. They videotaped survivors' stories and have them playing toward the end of the museum course, like the Holocaust Museum, with equally dramatic effect. By this point on the tour, you know the history of Nagasaki, it's people, the war leading up to the bomb being dropped, etc. But it still hits you every time when you see an old woman talk about her childhood being bed ridden for ten years and confined to a wheelchair for the rest of her life, or a little girl who was trapped under a fallen, burning building whose gnarled, charcoaled mother found the strength to lift up that solid steel beam to free her before collapsing dead.

Let's get something straight though. Let's get deep. Even after seeing a museum pretty fully document the tragedy that took place on August 9th, 1945, I think it was the right decision to drop the bomb. The museum subtly stresses the point that the U.S. dropped the bomb to save lives over the long run, not end them in the short run. The museum in the city where the bomb was dropped made this point, albeit subtly. This is not pro-American patriotism. The reason is this: the Japanese were in the process of murdering millions of civilians during World War II. In the Philippines, in Korea, in China, in Southeast Asia. As the war pushed on in the Pacific, it was clear that the Japanese would not surrender easily, if ever, without drastic action. The fact that they were willing to kill themselves without provocation for their Emperor was a perfect example of this. Gaining ground island by island and invading Japan toward Tokyo would kill countless Americans and Japanese. Many more than those who died in the two atomic bombings. The decision to drop the bomb was, of course, a very difficult one to make, taking months. If you want to talk about pointless bombings and destruction of entire cities, let's talk about Dresden or other parts of Germany that were bombed by the Allies unnecessarily. But I digress.

Ultimately, this museum ends in a time line, depicting the buildup and disarmament of nuclear weapons over the short history they've been available. It stresses that we should strive for a world without nuclear weapons, which I completely agree with. The effects of nuclear bombing are wholly evil and, even now, not fully understood. I would agree that the U.S. dropped the bomb without completely knowing what it would do. Either way it's too late now.

We walked to the hypo center (about 200 ft. away from the museum) and stood for a while at the monument. Although it was in the middle of the city, it was really quiet and peaceful. It was dedicated as a park for prayer and meditation. A remaining pillar of the cathedral that was destroyed (the largest in East Asia at the time) is displayed by the monument for a little more effect. The nearby Peace Park just seemed like an extension of the hypo center with a real rainbow in the fountain and a dramatic sculpture centerpiece. It contained the ruins of the war prison that was destroyed.

Eventually we had enough sorrow for one day and decided to go to the top of Mt. Inasa for an overview of the city. I think it was worth the $14 round trip. What do you think?

We got back to Fukuoka fairly late and had a quick dinner that I forgot the name of. It was a tasty treat, as was the beer that we washed it down with. We stayed mainly on the streets in Tenjin, ending the night with a nice street ramyun and a much needed sleep. Tomorrow would be...Busan.

Weepingly Wet Wednesday: Japan, Day 2

The seed that was planted the day prior by Mike the bartender came to full fruition on Wednesday. Weepingly Wet Wednesday. Sidenote: I decided that the titles of my Japan posts should contain alliteration. Sorry for partying.

Anyway, blah blah blah...came to full fruition...and we woke up bright and early at a pathetic 10 AM to get on our way. Our ultimate goal today was Yanagawa, a fairly sleepy town 45 minutes south of Fukuoka. Yanagawa would probably be pretty worthless as a tourist attraction if it didn't have one thing: 470 km of canals. Even after this little tidbit, I'd argue that Yanagawa is not that exciting of a destination. They cart you in and give you funny Raiden hats and you sit on a boat for 70 minutes drinking beer and listening to the gondolier sing you down a peaceful canal with a few old buildings on it and then you're done. I can say it was still pretty neat, though. Our trip was (get ready for the title reference) made all the more exciting when the sky opened up and we got absolutely pissed on by rain. There is no cover in a small boat, so we and our funny hats took it like men and enjoyed it anyway. There was a long period of time when pictures were unable to be taken because of this common weather phenomenon so my documentation of this experience is minimal (or just photographically tragic).

While our trip out to Yanagawa was mired with a broken train and copious waiting, our trip back was painless and on time. We were ripe to try sushi in Japan, so we found an authentic place near Hakata Station and went for it, trying almost everything offered. Probably the second best sushi I've ever had (the first still being in Las Vegas of all places [happy now, Kristen?]). We hung out at the hostel for a bit and met a Dutch chick who, since growing up going to an international school, sounded remarkably American. We headed down to an island in the middle of town which is commonly known as the red-light district. Our new Dutch friend had a different idea of what a red-light district is. What we were met with was a panoply of bars, a bustling nightlife, and hundreds, if not thousands, of Japanese businessmen escorting decked out women all over the place. It was a pretty unique experience.We headed down the street a few blocks and found the riverside food stall street, where we stopped to get some really great ramyun and figure out our plan for the rest of the evening. It was peaceful looking at that dirty, filthy river and the lights all around among the hustle and bustle of the small food stands. We ended up back to the red light district to be met with another pretty unique experience. We found a bar that surely must have been a front for something. There we were in this lounge club with only us and this seven piece oldies band just going to town, nobody to listen. We would clap, and they'd pretend they were playing to a sold out crowd and we'd pretend we were part of a sold out crowd by making more noise than necessary. I think the lead singer got noticably sour when one of us mentioned that he probably touches little boys based on his appearance.

Doesn't he look like it? Still, it was a fun night. Our Japan journey would hit a climax with our final day...Tragic and Thoughtful Thursday.

Before I forget, I should talk about another subtle difference about Japan that I failed to mention earlier. You are probably aware of this from The Simpsons or some other American culture staple, but Japan has some complex toilets. When your toilets need instructions and has a separate thermostat, maybe you're taking it too far. On the bright side, the toilet seat was always heated and they're environmentally friendly.

Tornado Tuesday: Japan, Day 1

Japan was a blur of excitement, intrigue, happiness, fun, and sorrow. I may have just thrown a hodgepodge of adjectives into a spiked punchbowl and recited it as my first sentence, but it's kind of true. At least all those adjectives were good except one (which I will equate to tequila). I suppose each day is unique on its own and deserves its own post. Thus, I bring you: Tuesday.

It was a standard trip to Busan and even to the International Ferry Terminal, with a cab driver who was disgruntled because he had to chauffer four Americans (one honorarily so) a few blocks to the terminal for minimum cab fare. The difference between taking a hydrofoil and an airplane is minimal. There is check-in, baggage limits, immigration, and security. Even duty free shops. The only real difference, besides the obvious method of travel, is that you carry your baggage with you and security is a little bit more lax. I guess there's less chance of a hijacked boat crashing into a building than a hijacked plane. Otherwise, there are the lines, the waiting, the seats, the turbulence, the uncomfortable toilets, and the in-cabin movie.

Pretty uneventful early evening landing in Fukuoka. I noticed no difference from Korea except that I couldn't understand anyone. The differences would quickly reveal themselves the further we got from the ferry terminal. I remembered that they drove on the left side of the street (a dwindling trait of only some island nations) which would prove humorously annoying throughout the trip. Japan seemed cleaner, yet a little older. The people were polite (as in waiting for others to exit a subway car before attempting to get on). There weren't people smoking and drinking anywhere and everywhere. The first dinner we had was pretty amazing and I doubt we would have found similar quality from a random Korean restaurant in a random city.

The first night, we went to Tenjin, which is the "downtown" area of Fukuoka. We wandered up and down the streets looking for anything and everything nightlife-ish, but were met with minimal activity. Finally, we decided on a bar advertising Arrogant Bastard Ale, which is a rarity and impossible to find in Korea. Of course, the bar was out of it, so we got a decent pale ale (which turned out to be around $11 with the exchange rate) and talked with the bartender, Mike. He was the only one in the tiny bar. Mike was from New York and had a dirty sense of humor, but planted the idea that would blossom into our plan for the next day.

With the insane prices, we opted to go to another bar which turned out to be closed. Instead, we climbed to the top of the building and sat on the roof for a few hours and grossed ourselves out with our consumption of kit-kats and other various chocolate covered things. I think the next day the cleaners would think a foreigner tornado came sweeping through their rooftop.

Fukuwhatka?

With a lot less money (and maybe energy) than I was hoping for, I am taking off for Fukuoka, Japan tomorrow for a few days. My good fortune seems to be increasing after decreasing for a short period of time, and I hope this isn't like that whole "manic-depression" thing where each swing is bigger than the last and eventually it spirals out of control and you end up in a padded room with no stimulation or friends. Anyway, what I'm trying to say is that I hope my swing of good luck extends into the end of the week and my Japan trip turns out well (and cheaper than expected).


In other news, I woke up this morning just in time to stream the end of the football game wherein the Redskins lose to the Texans. That's one thing I'm really going to miss: having a couple of beers with friends while weatching Sunday football. Here, all the games come on either while I'm sleeping or while I just woke up or while I'm at school in the morning. No chance for getting a couple of beers with friends while I'm sleeping and they're 9,000 miles away. Thanks, God. Thanks for nuthin.

I guess since those are the only two things I have to update you on before my departure to Busan tomorrow that this will be a relatively short post. But, I had to rub it in one last time that I am, in fact, going to Japan tomorrow and simultaneously ruin any good karma I've built up by doing so. Damn it, here comes that padded room...