Tree Planting, Traditional Dinners, Discos N BLAR!
Trip Start
Dec 01, 1999
1
71
103
Trip End
Aug 31, 2000
Mokpo, Korea Rep.
Wednesday, March 22, 2000
Hey Hey and a Big G'Day toya,
Wow, what an amazing time I've had here in the port city of Mokpo!
I somehow woke feeling great after last nights Kimchee & Rice Wine adventure and ventured out into the glorious sunshine to begin the most amazing day I've had in along time. After a seafood noodle soup 'without kimchee or rice wine' I began my usual city walk. After walking for a few hours I headed back down along the water front and came to a park that had pathways leading up into the hills.
I thought why not, what a great opportunity for photos and made my way up.
On my little adventure I came across not only great views but about one hundred elderly people all spending the afternoon planting trees on the hill sides. After many hellos and giggles I was offered a shovel and spent a while digging holes and planting trees along side them. Soon it was lunch time and many of them had stopped work and were digging into their kimchee and assorted side dishes like meat, rice and some vegetables!
Shouldn't it be the other way around!
Ha ha! Along with the food were many bottles of rice wine and a few bottles of beer.
Oh no! I thought, here we go again.
And away again we went!
About an hour later we all stumbled from our place on the ground and I waved my good bye and continued on my way along the path with finally wound its way back down the mountain to the foreshore.
I then slowly made my way to the ferry terminal to see what time the ferry to Cheju-do left the following morning. Here I met a Korean guy named Mr Yoon who informed me that the ferries the following morning had been cancelled due to do expected storm warnings later this evening and tomorrow morning.
Bugger!
He then invited me home for lunch. I tried to say no as I was full from my sea-food noodle soup and assorted pickings on the mountain top. Being an Asian man he wouldn't accept the answer 'NO' and soon we were in his car and on his way to his mother-in-laws house. When we arrived and entered I heard people yelling and running all around the place.
He then informed me that his mother-in-law had never met a foreigner, nor had she ever seen a real life foreigner nor understandably had she ever had a foreigner in her home.
Now things became all traditional.
We sat in one room whilst his wife and mother-in-law cooked us 'men' lunch in another. Whilst they cooked we drank beer and rice wine. They then served us 'men' food and they 'women' ate in a separate room. They then cleared our dishes and brought us more alcohol after which we soon left.
HHHHmmmm!
Ok?
I may have been the first foreigner she had met but the poor lady never really got to spend much time with the first foreigner who had entered her house. Mr Yoon and I then went to play pool for a few hours where I even though I believe I'm a really bad pool player, in the beginning I stormed it in and luckily my hazy mind told me to allow him to win as he was my elder and it seemed that would be the respectful thing to do.
It seemed I was right as his 'growing quieter' mood lifted and he was soon full of jolly laughter!
As the afternoon was soon snookered and potted, we shook hands and said a happy good bye and I began my night's adventure in Mokpo city.
I do believe I had been walking for no more than then minutes when a guy in a sea-man's uniform stopped me and began asking the usual questions. He then invited me for a beer at his sister-in-laws restaurant (it seems the in-laws are just as popular as being a business man here in Korea). Several of their friends joined us and here I found out he was a Sea Captain on a freight vessel that docks here in Mokpo. I'm unsure how to write his name but it was something like 'llho'?
Once we were all fed it was time to introduce me to a Korean Disco.
We spent an unknown amount of hour's boogying the night away and getting totally hammered. After my huge day I'm sure I turned out the worse but I do remember one other person throwing up out the cab window on the way back to my hotel. I then spent an unknown amount of hours on the toilet floor throwing up myself and most probably all over myself!
Argh, all in all it was a wonderful day.
I drank and planted trees with Korean elders, I was the first foreigner in a person home, I remembered to respect my elders, I met a sea captain, I went to my first Korean Disco and then drove the porcelain bus all the way to bed!
Did I like the disco?
I really have no idea!
All I can say about Mokpo is even though bugger all foreigners come to this beautiful place due to its location it really is one hell of a town where normal people will open their hearts, restaurants, bottles, discos and toilet lids to you!
One day I will return!
Beers N Cheers toya.....shane
Accommodation:
No idea of the name.
A little Hotel across from the station.
Two doors down from the florist
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The soundtrack to this entry was Faith No More
The album I was 'King For A Day'
The greatest voice in the entire world!
