Why I ate dog

So on Wednesday night I joined our Korean coworker Edward, Charlie, and his friend Sean for a truly Korean experience of eating dog. First, I must immediately dispel some ridiculous rumors about Koreans and their canine eating habits. First, less that 5% of ALL Koreans have EVER eaten dog. Second, they aren't eating Lassie or Old Yeller. These are special dogs that are bred and raised on farms just like any other livestock. They don't bark, they're hairless and pretty disgusting to look at. People seem to have this idea of Golden Retrievers and Labs getting killed for meat which is totally off base. I should also mention that Koreans originally ate dogs as a last resort. During long periods of occupation by other imperial Asian countries the Koreans were literally starved for protein and dog is a great source of this essential part of the human diet.

Now that I said all of that, I want to try to explain why I ate dog. First, I ate dog because it was an experience that will certainly stay with me for the rest of my life. Inevitably when people here about my time in Korean the topic of eating dogs will come up--now I can give a solid, experienced answer. I can safely say that dog is served in some restaurants. It is also pretty delicious.

But that isn't the real reason I ate dog, just as I assume it isn't the reason Charlie or Sean decided to partake either. We all share a general open mindedness about cultural differences and we're genuinely interested in stepping well outside of our comfort area to dive head first into everything Korea has to offer. Edward graciously offered to take us to his brother's restaurant for a rare opportunity to experience a piece of Korea's history and I felt a self obligation to take him up on his offer. I wasn't excited about the prospect of eating dog, but I was excited about the prospect of broadening my worldview and deepening my understanding of Korea. Certain opportunities only arise once in a lifetime and you'd be a fool to knowing let one slip by, regardless of your personal prejudices about eating particular animals.

I've recently done a lot of thinking about my experience in Korea and how it is perceived by other people. I have come to the conclusion that it is difficult to explain or express anything about Korea to someone who has no frame of reference for what I'm trying to express. I'm not at all implying that I don't want to talk about Korea, but rather I find it difficult to express how I truly feel to people who have never been. People strive to ask questions but without any basis for understanding they can't really ever ask the questions that will prompt responses about how Korea really is and what I've really learned here.

I will try to use an extreme example to outline my point. When Neil Armstrong returned from the moon what kind of questions do you think his friends and family asked him? I would guess some popular ones would be:

"What was it like to be weightless?"

"What did the moon's surface feel like?"

"When did you come up with the 'One small step...' quote?"

"How was the space food?"

But none of those questions even scratch the surface of Mr. Armstrong's real experience. I'm sure floating around in the ship was awesome, hitting the golf ball was fun, and the food was awful, but do any of those elements contribute in the slightest to the awe-inspiring experience of being the first man on the moon? If he wasn't so witty and hadn't uttered those now famous words, would his experience be diminished? Had they served Fillet Mignon, would he look back on the trip more fondly? I think the experience itself, as a whole, is what Neil probably remembers. But when people probe him they can't ask, "What's it like to have a life changing and history altering experience 230,000 miles from Earth?" because they have no frame of reference to even pose the question. You don't knowingly ask questions when you know you won't understand the answer. Instead, they struggle to find things they can relate to and ask about them. But when all the former Apollo astronauts get together I doubt they talk about Lunar 4-irons or freeze-dried ice cream. They are able to discuss and understand their mutual experience on a much deeper level that outsiders cannot begin to understand. Charlie, Ben and I have a similar group dialogue about Korea, obviously on a much smaller and less historic scale.

I think of my Korean experience as if I am looking at a painting from across the room. The details are fuzzy or dull. Rather than focusing on brushstrokes or shadows I'm able to appreciate the entirety of the picture. I'm able to reflect on the sum rather than the components. That is why I think it is hard for me to relate my experience to friends and family back home. They see and hear the details but they can't see the whole picture. For every meal of dog or night out in Seoul there are 20 days spent living in Hwaseo-dong, riding the bus, finding new meals, meeting new people, and experiencing life as a foreigner. None of it is noteworthy or interesting to you all, but to me it is what will define my experience here. It is what I'll remember 20 years from now. It is what I hope to take with me when I leave here.

Take it easy but take it.

Phuket - Day 5

Day 5

We slept in quite late today and rolled around around 1 p.m. We headed towards Patong and make a quick stop downtown for a late lunch. After that we headed further north to try and find some of more isolated beaches on the north-west side of the island. We successfully navigated to two of the northern beaches and they were basically exactly like every other beach on this amazing island, except they had even fewer people. Maybe a three mile beach with a total of 8 people? Phuket is just so empty this time of year. It makes me happy to know that I'll probably be returning around this same time next year so I'll enjoy the conditions.

After the two beaches we decided to try and find another waterfall. This time we were actually successful and found this marvelous jungle waterfall at the end of a very rural road. Despite our lack of climbing clothes (swim shorts and flip flops don't exactly fit the bill) we were able to climb up through the jungle and see some incredible sights. Again, we were the only two people at the entire waterfall. The humidity must have been at least 200% and I was very close to taking a proper dip to cool myself. This waterfall was just as cool and awe inspiring as the other we saw earlier in the week. One minute you're on the world's most fantastic beach, an hour of motorbiking cruising later and you're at the top of a jungle waterfall.

After the waterfall we cruised in dusk/dark back along the western coast on our way to Kata. We resolved to finally get a Thai massage. Now, I would bet every dollar I have that Phuket has as many massage parlors as it does restaurants. You cannot go more than 100 yards in any direction without running into a massage pal or. Our major concern was getting a proper massage without any "funny" business. We walked around trying to find a highly populated parlor and finally settled on one that looked the least shady. The point out two beds and start pulling the curtain closed and Ben summed up both our feelings with, "Really? A curtain?" Luckily no funny business occured and we got pretty decent massages for about $8 for an hour. Obviously when half the island's female population is in the massage business they can't all be certified professionals but they did a fine job, especially considering the price.

After that we hit up a steak house in Kata, enjoyed dinner, and also enjoyed the site of the baby elephant across the street. Some dude had his baby elephant out so you could buy peanuts to feed it or take pictures. Ridiculous.

Take it easy, but take it.

Phuket - Day 4

Day 4

Today started just like every other, with a stop in Karon for breakfast followed by a few hours spent lounging on the southern tip of Patong Beach reading, splashing in the waves and soaking in the sun. After that we decided to check out Phuket Town on the other side of the island so we mounted up and rolled up and through the mountains. We found Phuket Town quite easily and then drove around randomly trying to find somewhere to eat. I was leading the way and just following the main flow of traffic. I'm notoriously bad at making decisions and I'm sure we passed up plenty of good places before I was running on E and had to stop for gas. Ben then took the lead and we again began racing around Phuket. After a while we finally found an outdoor sea food place, had a nice meal, and mounted up to head back towards Karon. We stopped along the way at Phuket Bay and several other breathtaking places. On the east side of the island the bays are all perfectly calm and fisherman could be seen several hundred yards out in the water and only calf-deep in water. I've commented several times that if you can't find happiness, peace, and serenity here, you won't find it anywhere. This place is the most beautiful, peaceful, awe-inspiring place I can imagine. I can't wait to call it home for a few months this time next year.

On the way home the road signs again proved to be problematic and we had to back-track a bit to eventually find our way home. Riding in the dark is always slightly more of an adventure and it can make spotting the few road signs more difficult. We arrived back in Karon and decided to head back to Patong to dip our feet in the water and get something to eat. The ride between Karon and Patong, probably 10 minutes, is one of the most scenic stretches on the island and it also is one of the most fun rides on the bikes with lots of tight turns and big hills. We enjoyed the water/sand for awhile and then had a meal at an upscale place along the shore. We were probably the only two people on a 5 mile long beach, and although it was after dark, I'm still amazed how empty this place seems in the summer. I had the "Taste of Thailand" which was a sampling of 5 different Thai dishes and it was very tasty. We're now back in the hotel taking showers, watching CNN, blogging, and getting ready for tomorrow's adventures.

Take it easy, but take it.

Phuket - Day 3

Day 3

Day three in Phuket started with breakfast in downtown Karon and a drive to check out Kamala Beach. This turned out to be more difficult that you'd assume. See, Thailand is a third world country and Phuket has dozens of beaches. Those two factors combine to create a situation where road signs are infrequent, inaccurate, and, sometimes, just totally lacking. Essentially what you need to do is get a general idea where the beach should be and then just head that direction. We ended up roaming some really narrow, residential streets in Kalama before finally stumbling upon the beach.

At this point I'm going to skip describing the random beaches and just say this: they are ALL incredible. I've seen beaches in the Greek Islands, Mexico, Florida, etc etc and none of them could even be mentioned in the same breath as the beaches of Phuket. The water is crystal clear and totally free of debris or seaweed or anything. The waves range from still water in some bays to nice, rolling breakers on others. The sand is super fine grain and, like the water, is absolutely spotless. For about $2 you can get a chair with an umbrella and basically enjoy life.

After a quick swim and some time lounging on the beach I commented that it looked like it might rain. About 2 minutes later it was a downpour. We managed to find a beach restaurant just in time and watched the rain roll in from the comfort of a covered patio. It rained for about 45 minutes then it let up to a fine mist. We decided it was time to make a break for it and rolled out in search of more waterfalls in the center of the island.

Notice I didn't say it had stopped raining. It was misting, which when you're riding along mountain hills at 50mph is enough to get you pretty soaked. I feel silly admitting this, but at one point, I was actually cold. I didn't think cold was possible in Thailand. After about 20 minutes of riding the rain completely stopped, the sun returned, and all was well with the world.

Finding the waterfalls proved to be impossible. We kept checking maps, following road signs, and coming to dead ends. All was not lost as we got to see some pretty nice countryside and any time spent riding the motorbikes around is fun anyway. After a few hours of searching we headed back to the hotel for a shower to prepare for the nights festivities: Muai Thai Boxing.

We decided to take a "tuk tuk" taxi to the boxing stadium because we were under the impression that it was in Phuket Town and we had no idea how to find it. Tuk tuks almost warrant a entire blog but I'll sum them up as best I can. In Bangkok they have three wheeled taxis where the front on a motorcycle and the customers ride in the back in a crudely fashioned cab. The name "tuk tuk" refers to the fact that they have 3 wheels. Well, in Phuket they keep the name but change design. Here they basically have mini Safari buses. It is like a tiny conversion van where the back is open air. I'll include a picture so you know what I am trying to describe.

Tuk tuks, along with massage parlors and suit tailors, are the most annoying thing in Phuket. Everywhere you go in Patong these jerks constantly come up going, "Tuk tuk?" over and over. You can't go 10 feet without seeing a tuk tuk yet they feel the need to constantly ask if you're searching for one. Despite their annoyance they are pretty cool looking and I thought it would be fun to ride in one so we hiked downtown and went to where they usually hang out in Karon.

We somehow got screwed royally and ended up in a normal van. Also, the boxing stadium is in Patong, not Phuket City, and seeing how we go to Patong twice or three times a day we easily could have ridden there ourselves, especially if we weren't going to get an authentic tuk tuk ride. We arrived at Bangla Boxing Stadium, bought "VIP" tickets in the 2nd row for about $50, and we to have some dinner before the action started. We settled on an Irish pub, ate a nice meal, played a game of darts, and headed back.

Funny side story. I'm not a watch wearer and I don't carry my Korean cell phone around with me so Ben's watch is our only source of telling time. Today, on the 5th day, we realized that his watch has been an hour early this whole time. It just shows how relaxed our vacation has been that we've been living an hour a head of time without ever encountering a scenario where it mattered.

So we arrived at the stadium at what we thought was 9 p.m., which is when the fights were supposed to start. Of course, knowing what you now know, we were an hour early. We sat listening to the propaganda message that was playing over the loud speakers outside over and over and over. It swear to God it was like torture. They should try that at Guatanamo.

The actual Thai boxing was awesome. The first fight was a bit awkward though. It was two kids, who were maybe 8 or 9, weighing 60 lbs, kicking and punching each other. The lady behind me said it best when she commented, "I just want to give him a hug." We were sitting next to a really friendly Aussie who just before the fight commented "100 on red?" and I insta-accepted. 100 Thai baht is about $3 but enough to keep it fun. We alternated picking fighters throughout the night and I ended up winning 100B after losing 300B on the main event.

The fights were incredibly action packed. After the kids were done the next fight ended in a first round KO. Actually, most of the fights ended in knockouts. There were some really brutal fights, including one where a white guy got a huge cut above his eye. People at the scorer's table were shielding themselves with paper to avoid getting splattered. In the aftermath we found a drop of blood on our program so, rest assured, our VIP seats put us in the middle of the action. The best fight of the night was a title fight for some obscure belt. This old asshole was in the ring doing all this showboating and showmanship before the fight. I'm all for doing the traditional Thai rituals before the fight but this guy was actually taunting his opponent and playing to the crowd. He also did a cartwheel during the fight, totally for show. He reminded me of Apollo Creed in Rocky 3 when he knew he couldn't win but he was more concerned with putting on a show. Well, this guy ended about the same way Apollo did. Late in the first round his opponent landed a vicious left hand and he went down like a sack of potatoes. I went apeshit. "Apollo" was really out of it and he couldn't walk out of the ring under his own power. He was just stumbling around like he was blackout drunk with this "What the hell just happened?" look on his face. Justice was served.

Take it easy, but take it.

Phuket - Day 2

Phuket, Thailad -- Day Two

After another restful night Ben and I departed the hotel around 11 for another day of exploring and enjoying everything Phuket has to offer. We stopped downtown for a quick breakfast and unknowingly parked our scooters on the wrong side of the road. They have an "even days" side and an "odd days" side and we made the mistake of taking the even side on the 27th. We come back from breakfast to find our bikes ticketed and locked together. Oh boy.

So we hike back to the hotel in the searing sun and sheepishly explain our mistake to the ladies at the front desk. They laugh and eventually give us a free lift to the police station to pay our fine (about $15 each). Several comical things happened at the police station. First, when we gave the guy our money he just put it in his pocket. I understand this is basically extortion from tourists but I'd like to see them try to hide it a bit. Second he asked for our names and then just scribbled something in Thai. I didn't explain how to spell my name, I didn't show ID, nothing. I then signed three pieces of paper and got on his walkie-talkie, presumably to get our "hogs" unlocked. We ride back to the hotel and walk back down to where we left our bikes. First, and hopefully last, encounter with Thai police went about as well as we could have possibly hoped.

We got back down by the beach and they were still locked together so we decided to get a drink across the street and keep an eye out for the officer to come so we could move them to the proper side immediately to avoid being ticketed again. Just as we sat down he showed up and we moved them across the street and went back to finish our beer/Sprite. One of the annoying suit salesman that pestered us the first night spotted us and joined our table to once again try to force his wears on us. We slammed the drinks and walked back around the corner. The bikes were gone.

Luckily someone had just moved them to the other side of the small parking lot but my heart sure sank when I noticed my "black beauty" wasn't where I left her. After all that excitement we rolled out towards Kata Beach after a quick stop for fuel. They have a handful of proper gas stations here but 90% are just roadside stands where they have glass bottles full of gas that they sell for a set price. You roll up, open the gas tank and tell them how many bottles you want. Pretty nice and convenient.

So after a quick swim at Kata Beach to cool off we decided to go check out "The Big Buddha of Phuket." In our adventures we had repeatedly seen a monstrous white Buddha statue on the top of one of the mountains. We rolled towards Chalong and again got stopped by a police check point where they glanced at our licenses and waved us through. We then took a side street and began zig-zagging up a mountain road towards the Buddha. It is so surreal to be riding a moped up a jungle, mountain road. There were elephants and jungle as far as the eye can see. At the top there was a 45 meter tall Buddha and some fantastic views of the island. I forgot my camera today but I'm sure Ben will be kind enough to share his photos with me so I'll add them in due time.

After the Buddha we rode back to Patong to grab a bite to eat. After downing some personal pan pizzas we set off towards Kathu Waterfall. So just so you're following, so far today we've swam at a beautiful beach, saw an amazing religious monument, and now we're off towards a jungle waterfall. This all in the span of about 3 hours. It should be clear why I'm falling more in love with this place by the hour.

The actual waterfall was at the end of another long, winding road. As far as I could tell we were the other two people there. We hiked up through the thick jungle to find a beautiful, crystal clear waterfall cascading down the side of this mountain. It might have been no Niagra in terms of size but this was just as beautiful and surreal. It was approximately 156 degrees with 111% humidity so I was sweating quite heavily after hundreds upon hundreds of stairs. I jumped in the cool water and splashed around a bit to bring my core body temperature down to reasonable levels. I had one of those "Wow, I'm so incredibly lucky to be here" moments as Ben and I stood ankle deep in a mountain waterfall pool without another human for probably a mile. It is somewhat like Phuket is our own private playground thanks to the scooters. We just cruise for mile upon mile in whatever direction we feel like. After the waterfall we took a really nice, hour long ride through the center of the island just enjoying the scooters and enjoying the view.

Just before sunset we pulled into Surin Beach and watched the waves breaking as the sunset. I again cannot do the beauty and awesomeness of this moment justice. This is technically the "low" seasons in terms of tourism so everywhere you go you basically have the place to yourself. There were maybe 2 dozen other people on a several mile long beach. The sunset was incredible and after that we spent maybe an hour just walking the length of the beach, soaking it all in. I made friends with one of the countless stray dogs who joined up making us a trio. The stray dogs in Phuket are pretty cool. They're all reasonably clean, they're all well fed, and best of all, they're friendly but not annoying. They'll gladly let you pet them but they don't pester you for food.

After that we enjoyed a meal right on the beach in a tiki hut. This is the type of meal that you dream of having. I'm sitting here eating a delicious meal, drinking a cold beer, enjoying great company, all the while being no more than 10 feet from the beach and 50 feet from the waves breaking. After that we jumped on our bikes and headed back home. Getting really comfortable on the bikes by now and they're probably my second favorite part of Phuket behind only the beaches. It is so fun to just be able to cruise freely with a nice cool breeze on your face. It is really like we can go anywhere and do anything thanks to the bikes.

We're back in the room now recording our thoughts from the day, taking showers, and getting ready for bed. Tomorrow we're going to check out Phuket Town and probably spend some quality time on a beach. Tomorrow night we're going to go to the big Muai Thai boxing match which promises to be a good time.

Take it easy, but take it.

Phuket - Day 1

Well, we've been in Thailand about 24 hours and I'd rate them as 24 of the best hours of my entire life. I cannot begin to express the beauty and wonderment that is the fine island of Phuket, Thailand. When my contract is up in Korea I planned on heading home for awhile and then traveling abroad. I would say I'm 99% certain that I will make Thailand my destination. This place is as close to heaven on Earth as I can imagine.

Last night we landed just as the sunset in Phuket. I would like to mention that we had three international flights on three different Asian airlines and every single one was either on time or early. I was dreading all the possibly nightmares of a double layover trip but Asia effeciency did not disappoint and we arrived exactly when Orbitz said we would. We exchanged our cash and caught a cab to our hotel. Initial reactions: it is hot. I'm talking 95 degrees with 100% humidity, even at 10 at night. They drive on the wrong side of the road and the steering wheel is on the right side of the car. Everyone was on scooters, motorbikes, and mopeds (more on this later). So we zig-zagged for about an hour before we arrived at our hotel, Karon Living Room Hotel, which is on the south-east corner of the island, about 2 minutes from Karon Beach, 5 minutes from Kata Beach, and 10 minutes from Patong Beach. We wandered around a bit on foot, saw Karon Beach in the dark, and ate our first meal which brings me to the first thing I love about Thailand.

Things are stupidly cheap. At dinner I had a Thai noodle/chicken dish and giant beer for about $3. Three dollars. I tipped 25% just because I felt guilty eating so cheaply. I should mention our hotel cost a total of $98 for a week for 2 people. It is completely adequate in every way for $49 each. Silly. You do have to deal with Thai currency, the Baht, which has a strange conversion rate. $1 = 33 baht so you constantly have to do somewhat difficult division in your head to figure how much you're spending. The money also all looks the same so it takes me 5 seconds to figure out how much each bill is worth. They're just different shades of red and they all have a picture of the King of Thailand to make things ever more confusing.

We also encountered what will certainly be one of my major complaints about Thailand: people trying to sell you shit you don't want. Two different guys stopped us (first mistake was stopping) to try to sell us "Armani" suits. I'm sweating like a whore in church and this dude is trying to push off some crappy suit on me. They are pros of the "just one minute, no buying, just look" routine which is incredibly irritating. All day today people were hounding us to buy massages, t-shirts, Thai boxing tickets and last, but certainly not least, tickets to "Ping Pong Shows." I know a lot of my family reads this so I'll spare you the details of what a "Ping Pong Show" actually is, but a quick Google search would clear up any ambiguity. Nothing annoys me more than pushy salespeople, especially for something so vulgar. I know this stuff happens everywhere in tourist destinations, but I think the level of desperation and 'pushiness' is probably increased in a third world country. I mean, I recognize that this is a restaurant or a t-shirt stand or a sex show; if I was interested I'd inquire. I don't need personalized advertisements thrown in my face as I walk past. I can't believe anyone would walk by and be like, "Oh, yah, now that you mention it, I am hungry/I do need a t-shirt/I am a pervent." People on vacation may be impulsive but certainly no one is making dinner decisions based on some jerk with a menu stopping him on the sidewalk, right? If anything, I avoid places like that out of spite.

Anyways, we woke up today feeling well rested and we decided to rent scooters to explore the island. What a riot. Here we are, on the wrong side of the road, flying up and down these curvy mountain roads on mopeds all day. The views were so spectacular that no blog, no photo, nothing could do them justice. This is certainly the most beautiful place I've ever been, hands down, no doubt about it. The mopeds cost about $6 a day and we spent about $5 each in gas all day. We didn't need insurance, a license, anything. Just handed them $6 and they gave us keys and a helmet. We spent the rest of the day exploring all corners of the island. By the end of the day I felt like a pro, weaving in and out of traffic and zipping around mountains in the dark without a care in the world. Ben put it best, the mopeds are a "calculated risk" so we're just taking it easy and enjoying the views.

We started at Patong Beach, which is probably my favorite so far. It is literally miles of white sand beach with perfectly clear water and the most beautiful backdrop imaginable. The water is all different shades of blue and is completely free of any trash, debris, anything. The sand is so fine it almost squeaks under your feet. After taking a quick swim. We then cruised up the coast further, seeing many small towns and countless breath-taking views. Again, I'm going to post pictures but they'll in no way do any justice to this place. In total we saw probably 5 of the most stunning beaches I've ever encountered and put a few miles on our "bikes." We spent a few hours jumping in waves and sitting on the beach just repeating, "Wow, this is so awesome." "God damn, this is great." "I can't believe we're here." "This is heaven." etc etc. There are probably straigher, faster routes to get around but we prefer the road that hugs the coastline and at several spots we just pulled over to take pictures of the waves breaking on the rocks below or of the next beach we were about to encounter.

Some other highlights were turning one of the countless hairpin turns coming down a mountain and seeing a man riding and elephant across the road. Oh yeah, elephant crossing, no big deal. At another point a small snake dropped out of a tree on to the road right in front of me. I just missed creating some really unique roadkill with my moped. We ate at a small Thai restaurant for lunch and a Mexican place for dinner. I think I spent about $10 total on food today on meals that would have easily cost twice that plus tip at home. It is sickening how far your money goes in Phuket.

After dinner we wandered the area of Patong a bit. In my Thailand research I learned that Patong is sort of the "shadiest" part of Phuket and I must say the time I spent walking around supported that reputation. Countless bars were full of scantly clad Thai women who will gladly keep you company--for a cost. That and the frickin' Ping Pong Pushers made realize that Patong is probably not the type of place you'd want to take your family after dark. It in no way detracted from the daytime beauty but it did put in perspective that Thailand has some alternative types of "tourism" that aren't exactly wholesome.

It is currently about 10 p.m. on our first full day and I'm spent. I have a solid sunburn despite applying sun screen about 10 times during the day. Probably going to watch some CNN (haven't watched TV in over 4 months, it feels so strange) and pass out. Rinse and repeat tomorrow, with less exploring and more drinking beer on a beach.

Take it easy, but take it.