Last Weekend: Part I - Daegu

This past weekend I headed down south to see some friends and watch some movies. After a week where every student actively participated (a.k.a: a week where I only had elementary kids--middle school students were off for exams), I hopped on the KTX train (with a top speed of 350 km/hr) and headed to Daegu. The train ride was a welcome change from the buses I've been taking to get around. If you don't get there early you'd better like standing.

Anyway, much to my half-surprise (I had been told earlier by someone from my school) I was never checked in any way for a ticket. Once in the 'Gu I joined my friends Praley (the engaged Preston and Caley) and some of their co-workers, who also had co-workers and friends that joined the increasingly behemoth and rather intimidating group (mainly due to my usually frightening countenance). Caley's brother Chris (a former opponent from Warrior Run's XC team and fellow FBLA states competitor) and his friend Tom also joined the group. Basically, we took in the nightlife for the beginning of the night and then it swallowed us in return. Shenanigans included, but were not limited to: dancing (hopefully) briefly in the street with Preston, dancing a little longer in a club with the worst male to female ratio (the Korean girls were easily scared away by my moves), and debating the everpresent merits of Pennsylvania versus that bland landscape that is Ohio, with an American from Michigan. Possibly the best part of the night involved the intake of galbi, otherwise known as Korean barbeque. Since my blog is called "Pictures of Food," I suppose I should acquiesce to the name and give you gastronauts some insight on galbi. Though I certainly don't claim expert status (I'll leave that to Koreans) it's basically very tender beef, pork, or chicken brought raw to your table. That's right folks, it's brought raw to your table (and you thought they only ate raw fish)! No, no, no, they don't eat raw chicken--the next step is to prepare the meat yourself on a grill that is built into the middle of your table. Like always, side dishes abound and some are also put on the grill: friend kimchi is quite scrumptious. Once the galbi is adequately cooked it's then eaten straight, with sauce, or placed inside some very green lettuce, sprinkled with garlic salt and eaten.

After some food, we headed back to our "love motel," as it was so aptly described by many. One of the oddest moments occurred earlier in the night when the woman running the place thought it appropriate to hand out razors because some of the guys were a bit beardy (Koreans aren't a big fan of facial hair--point for me!). Upon entering the hall where our rooms were, I suddenly thought I was in CSI: Dublin, as the hall was tinted emerald green. Though the place seemed a bit seedy (we were greeted by some rather suspect cards on the steps of the hotel), it seemed pretty sweet at the same time. The 30,000 won room came with a bathrobe, a huge tv and even a mat on the floor for me to sleep on. And sleep I did.