Here, There and Everywhere

The fame of the Name has spread to Thailand

The shop, my Daughter, Amanda is standing in front of, has not sought permission from me, to use my name.

Amanda, her partner Jaimie, and son Ari were in Thailand in early October, and snapped this picture.

Until Next Time

Korea - Reflections

Always before a meal, a glass of water is given, and at restaurants, is regularly topped up, no matter what else you are drinking.

Also, a hot small refresher towel is given for wiping hands, and some people use it to wipe their face. Supposed to freshen you up for the meal ahead.

Chopsticks and toothpicks are now more environmentally friendly.

Chopsticks used to be made from wood and discarded after one use, now they are made from plastic, so they can be washed and re-used.

Toothpicks are made from degradable edible plastic, so they don't have to be separated from food leftovers, which, in restaurants, are trashed for pig farmers.

A Korean restaurant banquet meal has so many dishes, that just when you think the banquet has finished, they still bring out more dishes, and keep on bringing them out.

When they bring out the fruit however, then you know that is the end of the banquet.

Koreans at home, finish their meal, and after half an hour or so, bring out the fruit for "dessert."

Until Next Time

Korea Update 22nd October

Arrived back in Canberra near midday today, Sunday.

2 hours travel by car to Incheon airport.
10 hours travel by Korean Air airbus 330-300 to Sydney.
1 hour travel from Sydney to Canberra.

1/2 hour travel from Canberra airport to Duffy.

Doesn't seem like it is very tiring, but we are both tired out and very dopey at the moment.
Hard to keep the eyes open, since the 10 hours part was at night, and with the roar of the engines, and constant movements by other passengers, it was hard to catch 40 winks between dinner and Breakfast.

Until Next Time.

(More updates, once all the travel brochures have been sorted out.)

Korea Update 10th October

In Daegu having travelled by train yesterday. We were met by my wife's ex worker's parents and taken to lunch and Dinner. Lunch at a chineses retaurant and Dinner at a Korean BBQ house where food is cooked at the table over hot coals. Also were taken to Haensi Temple some two hours by car away , and saw the historic wood carved KoreanTripitaka which took some 17 years to carve, and after it was all destroyed took another 16 years to carve the current version, of over 1000 wood blocks.We travel by bus today to the south eats port city of Pusan (Busan).

We arrived in Pusan at the Bus terminal and took a taxi to the inner city, some 1 hour away, booked into a hotel and had lunch there, then went on a city tour by bus, get on and off as you like, all day.

Ended up at the huge fish market, and were going to have dinner at an eatery there, but decided instead to eat at one of the back lane eatery places near the hotel.

We return to Seoul tomorrow, Wed 11th, since I have an appoinyment with the doctor on Thursday morning, after which we visit another market, supposed to carry all kind of sporting gear.

Until Next Time

Korea Continued into Week 2

Sunday 1st October.

We travelled to the Armistice Observation post at the most northernmost point of south Korea.
We saw the South Korean current military observation buildings, and the area where bus trip visitors check in before proceeding to North Korea.
The bus trip costs something like $800 US and there are options for one day, one night, two nights trips.

We also visited previous holiday areas of Kim Il Sung, and President Syngman Rhee.

Then it was off to Sorak National Park, and a ride on the Cable car to its observation deck and great views of the valleys and mountain peaks.

It actually rained for about 15 minutes, not especially heavy, but welcome nevertheless.
Rivers and creek beds are almost dry here, even though there was severe flooding some two months previously.

Then to a restaurant which is renowned for it's tofu speciallity.
Actually, it's on;y menu item.

And of course, the acconmpanying collection of additional dishes including dry fish, cucumber, beans and KIMCHI

UNTIL NEXT TIME