An Update on Christian

Christian is currently in the process of wrapping up his adventure in South Korea.  I look forward to him returning home and sharing all of his adventures with me.  In the meantime I enjoy the updates I receive via email.  Let me share some of those updates with you.

1.  Me (and Chelsea) at what Herb calls a "Beef and Leaf" for my birthday.  He insisted upon a picture for your benefit.  Anyhow, you order meat and then cook it at the table.  When its done you grab it or put it in a lettuce leaf and eat it.  There are also things you can add, such as kimchi.

 2.  These are found in the subways.  I dunno if its normal subway equipment (they do show people wearing them in case of fires) but it seems to be a precaution in the event the North attacked the subway lines.

3.  This is a "Pine Bud" flavored drink.  The cans are small but they only cost 1,000 won (about 89 cents currently).  I tried it because it's certainly not something you see stateside.  It did taste like pine, but it was delicious and quite refreshing.

4.  This is a (rather terrible) picture of me actually standing in North Korea.  The South Korean soldier next to me held that pose the entire time we were there, as did all the other South Korean soldiers (with the exception of two guys who were either officers or MPs).  It's their "power pose" that is supposed to present an emotionless front to North.  You cannot walk behind this guy or he will grab you (no one here tried)

 5.  This is a picture of Spring Flower Festival.  It lasts for about 10 days so we were lucky to be here while it was on.  The festival takes place on a street that runs around the sides and rear of the National Assembly building (their national legislative building).  We came at night so we could see it all lit up.  The colors under the trees changed, and it was quite cool.  There were no other Westerners there and it wasn't geared at all for foreigners (nothing was in English, prices were not always posted up front at stalls) so it was unique in that you were really in Korea and not in "Korea-the-international-

           country".

 

And I know that this is just a sampling of all that he has seen and done.

I can't wait for the full report!