Korea

There are a few things that will come to mind when I think about Korea in the future.  They are probably far from being representative.  There were a lot of flowers in bloom & the air carries an aroma of a waste treatment plant.  The shore at Incheon is an orderly bank of rocks, not sand.  Pine trees line the coastline and there were several people walking for exercise on the Saturday morning I was out and about.

I had the closest thing to a 'western' meal in several months at a small 'European restaurant, close to my hotel.  It wasn't crowded, so I was unsure if they seemed glad to see me solely for business purposes or because I was from the west.  I had a steak, salad, fries and fruit.  I will not complain about the steak, but the juice was the best part of it.  The salad was good, a cabbage salad that I had not seen before.  The roll was fresh, though commercially manufactured.  There was a bowl of sliced pickles, which I think are a Korean signature.  The menu had 'Assorted Fries' and when I asked about them, the lady with limited English told me they were assorted'.  Indeed they were, as the plate had a few of each: straight fries, crinkled fries, tater tots & steak fries.   At the end of the meal the lady brought a surprise plate of fresh sliced orange, grapes & sliced/peeled apple. It was good, even at 30 USD.  And so, mystery solved.  That was the reason why she was glad to see me. 

By contrast, in China, at least in the small towns like Changyi, restaurants are very glad to see westerners come in.  They will bring people over from next door, or out of the kitchen, to show you off. They will make phone calls and take pictures.  It adds prestige if a westerner eats (or shops) at their establishment.

Another point that sticks in my mind was the 60's & 70's music was like they are in a time warp.  Lennon and Elvis and some old favorites of mine from Seals & Croft on a warm spring night.  That will likely be my point of memory.

Tonight while the lights are shinin' and the microphone is on, I'll play for you.

So many will be the blessings and so short will the time, I'll stay with you.
But I'll play for you, I love you yes I do. You can say that I'm your friend,
You can see my life begin and end. I'll always play for you.

Hear the band, hear the band. Won't you let the music take you, hear the band.
And let this night go on forever, and don't you ever stop the music. Let your spirit set you free.
Hear the band, hear the band. You can sing and stomp you feet and clap your hands.
And these few moments we'll share together, and I'll play for you.

I've practiced many years and I have come a long, long way just to play for you.
My life is but a song that I have written in many ways, just to say to you.
To say, I love you, yes I do. And I'd like for you to be
Whatever you would like to be. You'll always be special to me

And a Happy Mother's Day to Ma'am and all the other mama-folks.