Visit to Korea | Food | Architecture PART 2

I'm awake at 3am for the second morning in a row trying to recover from my severe jet-lag. I figure now is as good a time as any to write something about my recent trip. I've opted to use my new Android phone to take most of my pictures and jot notes for this travel log.

This trip to Seoul started almost before I left. The taxi that picked us up from the office was nothing more than a Korean man with a minivan. There was no light on top or meter running in the front seat. I'm not sure why we needed some back-alley driver to take us, but my Korean boss had arranged it, so I didn't fret to argue. The cost is pretty much the same as hiring a Chicago cab. Maybe we do this for reliability or maybe he's just supporting the local Koreans. In any event, I was riding to O'Hare with two Koreans; already a minority before we took off. I was traveling with a large black case full of Styrofoam models. And I do mean large; too big to fit in any trunk. I can only imagine what some people at the airport might have thought was inside.

Business Class ASIANA

As this is just my third trip to Asia, I realized as soon as I boarded the plane how spoiled I had become already. Suddenly this business class seat was just 'okay.' The huge seat that went almost completely horizontal. The obligatory 19" flat-screen in front of me. Yet, here I am, perturbed by my physical proximity to the bathroom. The scent of cleaner in the air. The thought it if being continually recycled through the fuselage as we sail through the air stings and dries out my nostrils. Wah! I know. Only one hour into the fifteen hour flight.

Champagne on Flight

Please excuse my english as I make shifts in tense. Some of this is reflected, and some of this is directly from notes. Think of it as flashbacks.

As I type these notes into my phone, the Social Network plays in front of me as part of the in-flight entertainment. Ironic because these notes will find their way onto Facebook and a blog in the coming days. So, to those soured over Zuckerbergs win over Assange in Time, stick a sock in it. And just for my own record of memory, Charlie St. Cloud is also playing and I refuse to watch it. I'd rather watch the ridiculously unbelievable Salt again than that. At least the lovely Ms. Jolie is in that.

We will be touching down in just one hour. I've done my best to sleep through much of the flight. We will be landing at 6am and it is sure to be a long couple of days.

When I wrote the sentence above, I didn't realize just how long it would be. Turns out, we would work all that day. Get to the hotel around 3am the following night and then have our meeting at 8am.

At the meeting I quickly became an easy game of Where's Waldo. Sitting at a long table of well dressed Koreans; the power players of Doosan Heavy Industry and ANU architecture firm. There are only two white people in this conference room. Maybe on the entire floor of this building. It is a strange feeling. I'm segregated even further as I am surely the only man of these 25 with any facial hair at all. I've inquired about this conundrum before. The answer I've gotten regarding facial hair such as a beard is that it is reserved for the elders. The wise. The old Korean men who have earned such a right through acquired wisdom. Maybe that's part of the reason I'm not shaving it off. I don't mind being followed by the stigma of wisdom.

Bulgogi

Bulgogi

The meeting on the whole went well. The clients chose the massing scheme that we had hoped. There will be a lot of work in the coming days to rework the facade/elevation. After the meeting we went to lunch with the president of ANU (the local architect). Mr. Choi. We went for Bulgogi at a place near our hotel. Delicious. The idea is to take thinly sliced meat and cook it in front of you. There are many fixings to go with the fresh meat as is Korean custom. We also ordered some celebratory shots or bombs as we like to call them in the states. Soju mixed with beer. About 5 ounces worth. I wasn't sure as the 'cheer's came if I was supposed to throw back the entire shot. I did. Several others did as well. However, I quickly came to learn that drinking the whole thing in one-go means, translated loosely, 'get your drink on.' If you finish the whole shot, you are immediately poured another. Leaving lunch with a buzz and being done for the day meant. Well, I didn't know what it meant, but I was ready for another drink. I went to the casino. I had another beer and promptly lost fifty bucks. This is when it's a bummer to be 'alone' in an exotic place.

I've been working for about two days now in the hotel. I really kind of like this setup. There are almost no distractions and I am able to be super productive. I'm preparing some ideas I have regarding the exterior wall to present on Friday.

Meeting: I have been sitting in a meeting today (Friday) for almost thirty minutes now. It's been just over 18 minutes since a single word of English has been uttered. I am now taking notes about the trip into my phone to kill time. Through the frosted glass in this conference room I can see a myriad of people, assuredly Korean, going on with their business as usual. We are not allowed to go in that room. It is very high security. The reason for this is because my firm (DeStefano+Partners) might be working on the same competition but be partnered with a different local architect. Thusly, ANU does not want us to see their 'top secret' design. An interesting tid-bit is that it's not actually ANU. The company is A&U. The American "&" must not translate too well. D plus P is often referred to in Korea as DNP. So, there has been a big push here to just call it DP. No AND, no PLUS, no nothing. JUST DP.

I have made several appearances at the gym in the hotel. But, it's not just a gym as we think of it. Like with many things Korean; there is an order to things. To get to the gym you must enter through the locker room. But, it's not just a locker rom. It's like a men's club. To enter the wood floored, polished, locker lounge you must first take off your shoes. Next you will see plenty of naked Korean man ass (hairless I might add). Again, not fitting in quite seamlessly.

The hotel is super nice. I was given two discount passes to the breakfast buffet. I've used both of them already. Today I was not going to go because it is quite expensive and I was out of coupons. Then I decided that there was an irony that I should not ignore. The coupons of which I was out of were for 30% off breakfast. And so I went.

Last time I was there I commented about really disliking the octopus that was still moving on the table.  Every time we sat for dinner my Korean boss would make jokes about my experience with the eight legged sea monster.  All I could make out as he was telling everyone we met was, ... Joshy.... octo ...  Joshy, and then they'd all have a big laugh. should really watch what I say or write about the food or culture; but I'm not going to. 

Cocoons

Rice Wine

I still don't care for Kimchi; sue me.

And, honestly, I've lost all track of what day it is. After we left the office I was told we were going out for dinner. That's all I knew. Next thing I know we are in the basement of a rather ... dark ... restaurant. This is where much of Korean architecture business takes place. There are now 4-5 Korean men at our table. Reasonably heavy drinking ensues. Soon everyone is well on their way to drunk, and I am eating butterfly's. No, I'm eating caterpillars. No, no. I'm eating cocoons. By the spoonful. A very traditional dish. You might think they are a delicacy. Not the case. They are very cheap and very popular treat; especially among young children. I have to admit; they taste... I just can't say: I don't think they taste bad, but the mental block is tough. The fact that I'm fairly drunk is likely the only thing that allows me to get a second helping. That's enough.  I'll continue drinking my rice wine.  Which I really like; this batch has some carbonation and is quite delicious. Though, I must admit that I feel that given the distinct color and serving dish, I did kind of feel like a cat.

Street Food Vendor

Street Tent

The highlight of this trip though, came on Friday night when we took the Seoul public transportation and headed,With my boss, I.C., to the old heart of Seoul.  This is where you really get a feel for the city.  This is when you leave much of the westernization behind and go experience the authentic street food and markets.  The atmosphere is palpable.  You can hear the drunks stammering and shouting.  The steam rolls off of grills throughout the streets that are littered with food tents that can sit just 5-6 people. Here we drink Soju and eat intestines.  They are chewy but the flavors are fantastic.  I catch a buzz quickly and we are bouncing from watering-hole to watering-hole.  But it's not like here.  They are not bars in this area of Seoul.  In fact, there aren't 'bars'; like the kind you stand at.  We are going to small dives where we order a small amount of food and then enjoy a drink.

Tea House

Then perhaps to an old tea house for some Ginger tea.  Delicious.  Then back out into the cold to find the next hole to see what it has to offer.  We wander from places to place for the better part of 5 hours passing the DP Seoul Post Office tower situated on an impressive intersection.