He's singing in KOREAN!!

What else is Korean?

'Twas to be, sir, a country lyfe for us this weekend past. We decided that a restalicious couple of days was deserved, after nearly a month of schooling high schoolers and rushing around Seoul. After being told that we are not to be teaching at the high school no more, though sadly we did not get a proper anyong (baiii) to the kids, we were picked up by awesome ajumma #2 and taken to her house. Her husband is this mad ecological hero of organic farming on this island - the dude is literally the *pimp* of Gangwha. I should have taken a photo; he wears traditional-style clothes and is nonchalent about everything and everyone. Except his wife. She treats him like he's five and basically incompetant. It's fantastic. Anyway, we were fed roasted sweet potato until we were capable only of watching The Host, an awesome Korean monster film by the way, on a laptop in front of a giant fire stove. That night we went to the bath-house again, the same one, which was as nice as ...I was going to put hell there but that doesn't really make sense. It's was just great, okay? There were less people this time, so I at least felt less stared at. We took the laptop with us to finish the movie off, and then we were so tired that we slept there. Seriously, EVERYWHERE needs to have a bath-house that is 24-hour and charges only 5000 won (~$AU 6.50) entry fee. Best Accommodation Ever. The sleep wasn't the greatest, I blame the noisy children running around that, only an hour before, fed me chocolate-filled snacks(Kangcho) while they practised their English on me. Nevertheless, sleeping in sauna = win + intense cleanliness.

After awakening, we got our old-skoool traditional feast for a breakfast on. It was literally in some grandmother's house, and we were served up an incredible array of panchan (side dishes), that were of both tasty and delicious. So much fewd. We then saw the mud flats we saw a couple of weeks ago, although this time the day was clear as we searched through huge binoculars for mud kips...mud skippers and crabs.

We then went to a Buddhist monastery. It was so incredibly peaceful. The grounds had such a stark beauty - particularly that it is getting extraordinarily cold now and those leaves which were once upon a time a canopy many metres above my head, do now crunch satisfyingly beneath my feet - I was almost at once converted. We explored the insanely intricate buildings, gazed in wonder at the millions of candles inside the temples, listened to rumbling of monk prayers that came from within a number of closed off buildings, and drank spring water sent from Buddha's own chalice or, more accurately, from a source deep within or somewhere nearby the mountain we were perched upon. I don't know how water can get so damn good, but it was incredible. So pure!! Nevertheless, we traipsed about the mountainside, stacking a rock, and a wish to go with, on top of many others and their own prayers. Little bits of snow freshly fallen the night before but had not yet melted with the sun's weak rays, gave everything a glisten that charmed the spirits out of me. As we left through a gorgeously big-stoned gate, I found a little dog that was of the utmost cute. So I patted it with glee and smiles.

I then did a very very bad thing. :s I agreed wholeheartedly to eat dog done in the traditional Korean style. Apparently it is only really had in this one dish, called Bosintang. Despite my guilt, however, I enjoyed it immensly. A good nine out of ten paws for me, actually. It is such a gamey meat, like lamb really, and very rich, much like duck. It was so tender, and went well with the delicious soup it came out bubbling in. Don't worry, I still have guilt. I keep reassuring myself, though, that the dogs used are specially bred to be eaten, and are basically 'pig dogs'. The place in which we consumed Bosintang looked to be of the non-dodgy kind, and I trust that the animals were dealt with ethically. I basically have no qualms if this is the case. Also, I still think that my own two dogs are the cutest things out, and I definitely don't think about them now as two delicious pieces of meat on legs. ...Or do I?

Also, I was made to eat soap. Sigh. During my time on this trip I have realised my insane sweet-toothedness. So much so that when the ajumma #1 we are currently staying with gave Mintie two palm-sized circular pieces of soap in a babble of Korean I didn't think to query the apparent label of 'biscuit' he gave them. I think I was pretty desperate for something sweet and, despite the strange smell my nose sensed, my teeth bit down. Laugh Out Loud. Although this action was greeted with a startled "What the hell are you doing?!", I still don't believe that it was unintentional. Also: that was hella amounts of trust right there in my buddy of travel ...now lost. Thanks a lot. Michin Nom (Crazy bastard).

Also: a megabox of photos have been put up. Although the temples and foodstuffs interest me the most, I think you may all be interested in the delightfully pretty photos of Mintie and the bow in his hair. Look out for it!!