This week

Monday: Except being at work I do not recall anything else.
Tuesday: Have been on a test drive of KIA Motors’ new SUV – Mohave. Great experience.








The feature I was most impressed is every time the car is put into a reverse a small screen appears in left down corner of a rear mirror showing what’s in the back. Fantastic for parking!
For some more Korean winter landscape photos click:
http://picasaweb.google.com/gordie26/Dec18th07?authkey=HQD4WBLrAQI

The same evening had a farewell for Jay first at Buddhas Belly and than at JJ's. Jay leaves for KL on Sunday. She is leaving suddenly and this was kind of ad hoc farewell. But we had a fun night.


Wednesday was election day. I did some housework. Went to the office for few hours (it was holiday) but had to go to finish few things. Before going to the sauna wanted to eat as after 6 pm I was to fast due to medical check up next day. Went with Aicha to new Sortinos. It was around 5 pm. They had "open" signed I entered with a friend and asked if we could eat. The Korean waitress took us to the table. I sat and that she told us we cannot eat as the kitchen is closed. I asked her so why she took us to the table. Her answer was " you can have bread and water". I am supposed to fast but for bread and water I would go to a restaurant.
Aicha and me ended with delicious falafels at Ali Baba. The sauna with a scrub was great. I felt so relaxed and my skin felt smooth.
Thursday: Went to SNUH at Gangam Finance Center to have check up. I was quite impressed by staff there. Altogether I am healthy but have to lose some weight. Had lunch with Karen and Diana. Really nice and relaxing lunch. Karen was leaving in the evening for UK. Diana stays here as her family comes over holidays. Got presents from both but I really thought will have only lunch so – as I true peasant - I even did not bring a card. Got a very nice Christmas present from Karen – a lovely stylish bag from Cambodia.
In the evening had a birthday party for Dessy and Raffaele.
Friday: Spoke with Faye who was at Incheon on her way to NZ. She will visit me and stay with me on Jan 12th. Spent afternoon with Dr. Choi at ye Clinic. Not going into details.
Lazy Saturday – sorting out the wardrobe, watching TV and skyping with friends.

2007 Card

Make a photobook - it's easy!

Sunday

Ylona took Eleni and girls for skating at Hyatt Ice Rink. The cafe there serves hot chocolate with marshmallows in huge soup bowls. That's enough for me to join.
We watched girls skating.
Had hot chocolate as a starter and french fries with mayo for a main course. It was beautiful sunny day and girls skated for about three hours. Enough for Ylona and me to go over all this week events.
Later I went to Sortinos. Met Sonia and had a nice chat over a nice limoncello.

"Opegwon"

Some of you know I wanted to use some Korean photos as cards which would have my contact details once I move to Kiev.
With your help I selected few and decided to go to few printing shops in Chungmungro to order cards. After a great start this morning my spirits were bright and strong. I was ready for adventure. I did not expect going to print shops will be easy but I was determined to have cards ordered.
I accomplished nothing. I wasted three hours of my time and got frustrated. Went to about 15 shops including Kinko's. Not one person spoke a word of English!!! During the process I even called a Korean colleague to help with translation. This was also waste of time. So I decided that making cards was a stupid idea and that spending three hours of my time is enough waste of my resources.
After print shops and cards debacle - in an attempt to salvage going to the town - I went to Insadong to buy hanji paper. Hanji paper is one of things I like in Korea. I went to the shop I usually go and given holiday season choose a lots of paper. Once the lady shop owner calculated what I should pay the bill came to KRW 52,000 (about USD56). I asked for a discount and she looked at me and said “Discount?” Mumbled something in Korean and than I recognized “opegwon” word. "Opegwon" is KRW 500(USD 0.53). I repeated “Opegwon”? Then the lady took a calculator and indeed typed “500”. I do not expect 10% discount (although this would be nice) but she could round it up to KRW 50,000. Obviously she did not want to sell to me and considered me a stupid foreigner. I left the shop and kept KRW 52,000 in my pocket. I'll manage without hanji paper.
On a day like this time until Jan 30th passes to slow.

December update

I am already one week in back in Seoul. Two weeks of Europe seem like a distant dream.
I liked Kiev and I am looking forward to go there Feb 1st. People in the office are young and driven. My department exists on org chart only. That means I have a luxury of creating my own team. So far I always “inherited” department and in the beginning there was always a period of adjustments on both side.

I did not have any time for sightseeing in Kiev but I saw a church almost every hundred meters. Never saw a city with so many churches.
From Kiev I flew to Amsterdam. I had three hours of sunshine in one entire week.
I enjoyed strolling canals. It's so nice to be in a city with a history. It's such a treat to walk along 16th century houses.

There were lots of Russian tourist in the city. Ten years ago one could hear mostly English and Spanish.


This time second most heard language on the street was russian. Well - Peter the Great liked A'dam too. The story goes lovely A'dam inspired Peter the Great to build St. Petersburg.

I saw apartment I bought in August for a first time. It’s good I like it. It looked bright and light even on a sad rainy day - and these prevail in the Netherlands. Cees - the painter did marvelous job painting. With Uri and Ana Maria I made some small plans about flat arrangements.

At HO spent four days in meetings. Still managed to see some friends which was great.
Back in Seoul started moving arrangements. In the office except for lots of work I had some things with the office restroom. On Monday I had "ajuma" accident. I pushed slightly opened doors and there was a cleaning ajuma sitting with her pants down holding a phone in the hand. I turned but the woman went after me. I have no idea if she was fast enough to put pants up. I run back to my office. Closed my office door. Urge to go to the restroom disappeared for some time.
Than on Wednesday in the restroom I found a Korean magazine. There was an article on beauty with "10 reason's I am beautiful". I could not resist so I took a page from the magazine and scanned it.
It reflects Korean state of mind. I had friends for dinner and we just laughed as we have no chance being beautiful if we are not Korean.



Had Year end party on Friday evening. It was my first and last year end party in Korea. Everyone told me it's the best one. So I choose well.


You can also see a funny Season's sculpture which is in front of my office building. I have no idea what the sculpture is about. Perhaps in land of Samsung robots bring presents. At least the sculpture is different from usual Xmas trees, deer’s, etc...

The major event last week was the oil spill. How a barge got loose and hit the tanker still puzzles me. On some Korean blogs they are pointing out a Samsung conspiracy theory which is that Samsung caused intentionally this oil spill in order to divert attention from a scandal about bribing prosecutors. Sounds unbelievable but this is what Koreans write on their blogs. For photos how the spill is cleaned check
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/gallery/2007/dec/10/oilspills.wildlife?picture=331510224