The Lunar Holiday

The Lunar holiday is a big deal in Korea as well as China. I have a book on Korean culture, and Korea is the only nation in the world where approximately 70% of its population travels domestically, by car, on one holiday. That holiday happens to be, drum roll please.... The Lunar Holiday. Naturally, we're driving. Actually, we're going to hop on a bus that will drive us to Phoenix Park. We're going to brave the crazy crowds*, and the crowded highways to go skiing.

*In heavily congested areas of the highway, the Korean government has put in Johnny on the Spots to accommodate the traffic jams. Can you imagine going to a Johnny on the side of a highway? The traffic must be horrendous...

We signed up with the group called Adventure Korea again, because we had such a good experience two weeks ago. This is going to be a 4 day trip. We will really get up into the mountains on day three and four and will "be overwhelmed with natural beauty" according to their website. I'll be sure and take pictures.

On days 1 and 2, we'll be hitting the slopes. I can't wait to test my ski legs again. It's been a while. This should be a jammed pack weekend of great times, and I'm very excited.


This Tuesday represented a unique opportunity that very few people back home had, because I was in foreign soil. At 2:00 in the morning, in a little place I frequent often, called Seoul Pub, Barack Obama was getting inaugurated back in Washington DC and a whole lot of excitement was in the air at this bar. Seoul Pub just so happens to be in the foreign district of Seoul, so there were people from all over the world rooting and cheering for our new prez. Say what you want about his politics, but Obama is a star and has gotten people excited both domestically and abroad. Two 6 foot 6 Frenchman were chanting, "Yes We Can" and I thought they hated* us. The excitement in that bar was hard to believe, and even harder to describe. It was closer to a sporting event than a political one; we couldn't hear his speech it was so loud with chants and other banter. Yet, it made for one hell of a boring sporting event since my team lost in the first round, (Ron Paul) and there was not a whole lot of action, so, in the midst of all this excitement and Pro-American behavior, I left early**.

* I have never seen Zach look like a small guy, but with these two giants towering over him; Zach looked small. Eventually one leaned down and kissed Zach on the cheek (or the top of the head I forgot), and I don't know if Zach was flattered or pissed. He could of been flattered because that's just what those crazy Europeans do, in particular the French, or was he pissed because a DUDE just kissed him. I dunno and I certainly have no idea why he kissed him...

** You know to beat the traffic...