Bleh. The first thing I did this morning was somehow pull a muscle in my back, which has been agonizing me all day. Add to that the hours spent in Seoul traffic... and what should have been an easy day of work, is suddenly not so much. And now I have to catch up on the work that I missed back home, so it's shaping up to be a very full day.
With no time to spare to go out to a restaurant, I instead walk across to the 7-11 to buy a junk-food dinner. One of my favorite things about international travel is discovering new and exotic snacks, and Korea does not disappoint. I've got two new favorites...
The first is Sun Chips Spicy Hot!, which are just like the Sun Chips back home... except they have delicious sweet-hot pepper flavoring sprinkled on them. I've eaten four bags since I've gotten here, and am seriously considering the purchase of a new suitcase for the sole purpose (Seoul purpose?) of taking fifty bags back home with me. They are wicked-good, and I have no idea why they are not made available in the USA. The second are Potato Fries Crips which are very popular, as they are available in numerous brands and varieties. I've been eating the brand with the "happy potato" on the front, simply because he looks like the cheerful kind of potato I'd like to hang with (though I am more of an "angry potato" myself). These are quite good because they are not oily and not loaded with salt (as they would be back home)... just yummy potato flavor in fun "french fry" shapes.
Work was completed today so, as of tomorrow, I am on "semi-vacation" in that I will still be working in my hotel room each night, but my days are free for fun and excitement. My flight to Hong Kong is fairly late, so I am thinking of making time for the Seoul Museum of Contemporary Art, the Insa-Dong market, and lunch at the Hard Rock (assuming they're open this time).
One thing I've always wanted to do in Seoul, but haven't yet, is visit the DisneyLand rip-off called "Lotte World" (even their "Sleeping Beauty Castle" logo is a total copy!). Last year when I was here, they were advertising a new "Atlantis Adventure" ride for 2005 that appears to be a combination roller coaster and flume ride. But my favorite thing about Lotte World is their advertising slogan, which appears on billboards, print ads, and such...
If you can't read it, here's the joyous English text that's so compelling...
How could you not want to visit Lotte World after reading that? I mean, I thought I knew what "The Pleasure" was... but apparently I've got it all wrong. It would seem that the REAL pleasure I've been looking for all my life is awaiting me at Lotte World. Even more surprising... it doesn't seem to involve my penis. Ordinarily, this would cast some doubt on Lotte World's claim, but one never knows. The cost to get in is $30, which certainly makes it cheaper than many of the finer penis-related activities available, so all I can do is hope.
Unfortunately, the "Atlantis Adventure" ride isn't open until October, so I won't be experiencing "The Pleasure" this trip... maybe next time.
Of course, the real pleasure of my day was finding out that New Orleans is battered, but not totally destroyed like predictions were calling for. Hopefully the remaining levies and pumps will hold so that more people are not underwater as those in the Eastern part of the city are right now. With 80% of the city flooded, there's a lot of work to be done, but at least "The Big Easy" wasn't completely taken out... this time. I wonder if the new Hard Rock Hotel & Casino being built in Biloxi was as lucky?
Ah, New Orleans! Now I am craving beignets and a cup of hot chocolate from Cafe du Monde!
I love comments! However, all comments are moderated, and won't appear until approved. Are you an abusive troll with nothing to contribute? Don't bother. Selling something? Don't bother. Spam linking? Don't bother.
PLEASE NOTE: My comment-spam protection requires JavaScript... if you have it turned off or are using a mobile device without JavaScript, commenting won't work. Sorry.
Atom Entries Feed Comments Feed
Unfortunately, from what I’ve read in German media, the new Biloxi cafe/casino will have to be rebuilt from scratch.
They haven’t given specifics about the damage nor who said that it was damaged beyond repair, but I think that the statement is based on the time needed for concrete to become robust enough to withstand this kind of drowning.
The building was shown in TV footage with obvious flooding way before Katrina hit the shore.
Just an FYI, I was watching the WGN Morning News today before work and, twice, I saw B-roll footage of the hurricane’s aftermath in New Orleans that showed the HRC. Everything around it was pretty much trashed and the streets were flooded. But I don’t think it’s anything that they cannot recover from relatively easily.
I think NO got pretty lucky overall. At least insofar as the history of Cat-5 hurricanes in the US goes. Anyone else remember Andrew?
I have a box of beignet mix at the house! If you fly through Detroit during you’re travels I’ll mix up a batch!
Dave2, Bret says if you DO find some pleasure at Lotte World that exceeds penls*-related activities, be sure to take notes, because he wants to hear all about it. In extreme detail.
Cafe du Monde. Midmorning on a sultry June day. A scent in the air — baking pastry, muddy water, lushly-blooming greenery and steaming earth — that can only be found at this exact corner of the world. An utterly charming waiter who took smiling delight in teaching me the correct pronunciation of beignet. My first taste of the powdered-sugar-dusted culinary orgasm that is a perfect beignet. The bitter, shudder-inducing flow of chicory coffee over my tongue. My sister’s lovely, laughing face across the table as she watched my reaction. Mémoire très douce.
*Your spamguard wouldn’t let me use the real word!
First reports on the Hard Rock Cafe is that the building took a 50% hit with damage. But the guitar outside survived.
So far most of the news that is being reported about the hurricane is, unfortunately, what I expected to hear.
Go here http://www.wlox.com/ and click on the video “Aerial Shots of Hurricane Katrina’s destruction in Biloxi Area” It has a shot of the big guitar outside the Hard Rock Cafe but I can’t really tell about the rest of the building.
I still think your a secret-agent really, Dave.
🙂
Mmm…foreign snacks.
One of my favorite Norwegian ones, which I will miss, is called “Smash” and it’s basically chocolate covered Bugles. Yeah, chocolate covered potato chips. AWESOME.
It looks like N.O. is actually getting worse, now, with the looting and all. I think they should go under martial law and just start shooting. It’s one thing to take food (though it’s only been a few days), but another to take jewelry and clothes. That’s just not on.
I’m pretty sure the house my grandparents built (twice, once destroyed by Camille) is gone. IT was right in the path of the storm, right in the worst bit. Ugh.
I take back my earlier comment as I see more and more news coverage. Levees breaking, looting, etc.
Not pretty.
My prayers are with you, Gulf Coasters.
I saw a picture of the new Hard Rock in Biloxi in my paper today and it didn’t survive. When I saw the picture, I actually thought of you and this site.