Korea.....Part Deux

TroyD

Well, I'm here at Osan.....again. Some of you know that I was here ten years ago. It's kind of interesting to see how things have changed and how some is the same. I swear, it's like walking around in deja vu. There was a little hole in the wall restaurant that I used to go to all the time back then. A Chinese family owned it, they still do. Same place, same tables, same damn menu. I used to order #87 (spicy chicken w/garlic and peppers)...and it's still #87 (they have put new stickers over the prices to raise them). So, that's pretty cool.

I went to Seoul this afternoon and wandered around a bit. It's pretty much as I remembered...they've added a couple new subway lines but same same.

I DID go to the Seoul flea market (that's new). Wanna guess where all the AR speakers are?? There. I'll bet I saw a hundred pair of AR speakers....to include 2 pair of LST's and one pair of AR9's. NONE of which I could REMOTELY afford. Ton of wierd **** tube gear. I saw the BIGGEST pair of tube mono blocks I've ever seen. No idea what the price was or if they even worked...the guy didn't know a WORD of english. All that gear is 220v anyway. I did find a guy who sold vinyl, picked up a few PRISTINE import classical pressings. Nice-ey Nice-ey!! I'll be back up there in a couple of weeks to lighten his load in earnest.

Anyhow, let's see....3 down and 362 to go. Ted/George...I can't remember who pays the utilities and who does the chores but the trash gets picked up Tuesday morning, don't forget.

BDT

obieone

I'm sorry you had to land there at all, but I'm glad you landed safely.

George Grand

I got Ted on household chores, so don't sweat it.

Any chance you could snag a pair of LST's and convert them to 110 for me? It'll give you something to do.

I was at your Osan place there around 1998 for a few days. Interesting, but I wouldn't spend money to go back. Be interesting if you were there the time I went. I could look up the exact dates in my logbook.

hoosier21

so have you looked up your old girl friend, she would what...22-23 now?

ND13

hoosier21 wrote: »

so have you looked up your old girl friend, she would what...22-23 now?

WAAAAAAAAA!!!!

And now, probably actually looks like a girl, too.

George Grand

hoosier21 wrote: »

so have you looked up your old girl friend, she would what...22-23 now?

Absolutely priceless. I wish you COULD buy stuff like that.

dorokusai

Korea stinks.....hurry back.

janmike

George Grand wrote: »

Absolutely priceless. I wish you COULD buy stuff like that.

Over there I am sure you can.
Be safe over there Troy.

Jstas

dorokusai wrote: »

Korea stinks....

It's all the kim chi.

mrbigbluelight

Jstas wrote: »

It's all the kim chi.

Never made it there but, from what I understand, it's all the coo chi.

...smells like garlic.

shadowofnight

hoosier21 wrote: »

so have you looked up your old girl friend, she would what...22-23 now?

That was the funniest damn thing I have ever read on here, unless the old lady can get out these coffee stains...you owe me a shirt

cfrizz

Take care & try to have some fun til you get back Troy!

Jstas

mrbigbluelight wrote: »

Never made it there but, from what I understand, it's all the coo chi.

...smells like garlic.

I realize you are just being silly but kimchi is fermented cabbage. Smells like rotten oranges and farts. For real.

It can be made from other vegetables too as I understand it but it's usually made with baechu. Wikipedia says it also called Napa cabbage. It's got alot of vitamin C and citric acid in it which explains the citrus oder. But cabbage has a bunch of sugars in it that give off that stinky smell that boiled cabbage has when it is cooking. But those sugars are what make it so good for fermenting.

Kimchi stinks but it's honestly pretty good.

cfrizz

Yuck! If it can't pass the nose test, it sure as hell isn't going anywhere near my mouth!

danger boy

Troy how long are you there this time?

? for ya.. why does most of the rest of the world operate on 220v electricity and here in the US we operate on 110v? Why is that?

Face

TroyD wrote: »

Anyhow, let's see....3 down and 362 to go.

danger boy wrote: »

Troy how long are you there this time?

I'm glad I don't have to live there, I'd live on plain rice for a year. Best of luck over there.

brettw22

TroyD wrote: »

Ted/George...I can't remember who pays the utilities and who does the chores but the trash gets picked up Tuesday morning, don't forget.

Have either of those two been groped by TLW? If not, I'm ahead of them............

Now THAT'S gotta hurt........:D:D

TroyD

Ooooooooh, that's going to leave a mark.

hoosier, you are thinking of Sean. I'm not down with the pre-teen Asians.

G, no need to convert the LST's on voltage but if you got 2.8 million won hanging around (about 2,600 US) we might be in business. If you were here in 1998, I was probably here. I got here in Feb of 98, though I was on leave in September. So odds are pretty good. Jayzuz, that's a long ride in a KC-135 though.

Actually, I like the food here and John is right, kimchi is more than cabbage, radishes and cucumbers are my faves. The bad part about Korea is when you don't notice the smell anymore.

BDT

hoosier21

danger boy wrote: »

? for ya.. why does most of the rest of the world operate on 220v electricity and here in the US we operate on 110v? Why is that?

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Why_does_the_US_run_at_120V_when_some_of_the_world_runs_at_240V

Jstas

TroyD wrote: »

Actually, I like the food here and John is right, kimchi is more than cabbage, radishes and cucumbers are my faves. The bad part about Korea is when you don't notice the smell anymore.

BDT

I like the radishes too. They end up being quite sweet. The cucumbers I've had have been on the bitter side. Not sure why. I also had carrots and a turnip like root they have in Korea. I'm not sure what it's called.

Koreans have some weird stuff in their diet but it's probably my most favorite stuff out of all the Asian cuisines. Followed closely by Japan. The funny thing is though, for all the animosity between Korea and Japan, they have similar cuisines although Japan has gotten much more American in their diet. It's getting harder to find a Japanese place that isn't a "fusion" cuisine or something equally bastardize.

I know it's not called a BBQ but I imagine finding a Korean BBQ place in Korea is pretty easy. They also have a deal with a big wok kinda like what you would find in a "Mongolian buffet" here in the states but they use all kinda of stuff. Korea is good eatin' for sure! I was never there but there is a big Korean population in Hawaii and a bunch of Korean U.S. sailors took me to a bunch of good places out there run by old Korean couples.

schwarcw

Good luck Troy! I hope that your stay goes well.

Kim chi, well once you've got by the smell you've got it licked.

Remember to put the #4 on your cap, badge, whatever. The Koreans are very superstitious.

toddco

dont forget the beef bigolgi, O and the do eat alot of DOG:eek:

TroyD

You aren't going to get slipped dog over here. They do have it in some places but it's more expensive than beef or chicken. Anyone in the last 20 years that says that they were served dog, unless they asked specifically (and in most cases you won't get it anyway) is full of ****.

BDT

toddco

Not saying your going to get it slipped to you. I work with 90% Korean Expats and we have a korean menu every day. I know most Koreans like dog meat becaus it dijests well. Personaly i would starve to death then eat my dog. It is a cultural thing i know. Now if my kids where starving it turnes in to a diffrent storey. Funny how the human brain works..

TroyD

I know they dig it, but they pay through the nose for it. The also raise them for it too. If you didn't know what it was I suppose, but not me either.

BDT

George Grand

In 1977 I was living off-base by myself in a small house. I went up to the base and on the way home picked up two ROK army guys who were hitch-hiking. They were in our country for training. They started asking me weird questions like, "Do you have a house", and "Does your house have a kitchen?" Well, by the end of the day, I had 13 ROK soldiers in my backyard and kitchen, whipping up some of their own dishes. These guys were just sick and tired of eating cheeseburgers and hot dogs at the chow hall. I ate some of the kimchi stuff. It wasn't bad but I wouldn't do it again unless I had to. Those guys were alright in my book, and I'm glad I stopped to pick them up.

The voltage conversion was a joke Troy.

jflail2

Have a good time over there Troy. Are the Black Cats still there (U-2 squadron dad was in in the late 80's)?

hearingimpared

Troy the Korean bulgogi dish is awesome. It usually comes with your choice of either tongue, pork or beef. The tongue is the best of the three. . . and no jokes about,"I ain't eatin notin that can taste me back."

This stuff really is awesome but is usually hotter than hell which makes no difference to me.

Jstas

In my experience, Thai food has the spicy heat down pat. Not even the Mexicans can compete with the heat in some of the Thai dishes.

cfrizz

Cool story George!

petrym

jflail2 wrote: »

Have a good time over there Troy. Are the Black Cats still there (U-2 squadron dad was in in the late 80's)?

The Black Cat Loungee rulz! The Korean lady that cooked there was temperamental as all-get-out, but man could she cook.