THE REFORMAT

An hour or so hence, I shall reformat my computer. I like to think of this as a new beginning - a squeakier, cleaner beginning.

I might not have the internet on this one for a while. Sure, I can go across the hall and use the homestay family computer. Or I could use the one in my office - or my classroom! Or go to the PC cafe right up the street. But - owning your own computer is like owning your own puppy. Sure, you can love someone else's puppy, but when you know those little yips and yaps and beeps and bytes are really for YOU, and and you alone, there's something special in that knowledge. You know that you don't really own the puppy-computer, it owns YOU. Your soul, I mean, and the attention of your every waking moment. I digress.

In the meantime, I took these pictures yesterday in Jeju City, there is literally no end to chuckle-able Korean signage.





The rest of the pictures from Thailand and Cambodia are also (finally!) up. They're not in sets yet, and the rotation thingy in Flickr has been slow lately, so you might have to muddle through them a bit. Enjoy!

SHAMANISM!

Today I woke up at 6:30 (AM, yes.) and took the bus into Jeju City. My destination was Soohyup fish market. Tucked away in a warehouse next to a large industrial ice machine and behind tanks and tanks of fish bigger than me ... I witnessed a sacred event. Today marks the arrival of the gods to Jeju - apparently the gods are still low-level employees and don't have that many vacation days, so they return to where-ever they came from during a similar ceremony on March 13th. Below you can see the ajjumas setting up the scene and the shaman in the corner getting dressed, apparently the colored bits of art are to attract the gods - like god flypaper?



The first male shaman then read the names of all the fishing ships and of the haenyo (fisherwoman divers ... they catch all kinds of mollusks and shells for the restaurants), to put them in good favor with the gods.



Of course, the gods are only appeased with a good stick raise,



and a stick twirl.



Another shaman gives a rousing talk in Korean, with the most excellent hat I've ever seen.



The "Legitimate Businessmen's Club" of Jeju City (actually, the Fisheries Bank senior staff) get the gods' fishy blessings for a new year.



Members of a shaman dancing troupe onstage for a traditional dance.



A female shaman (wearing brown) lets out a delighted bellow as the dance goes on.



The ritual ended with a free-for-all of bowing, dancing, and even a belligerent drunken fisherman who staggered on-stage, arms outstretched. Who knows, perhaps the gods come in strange forms?

These pictures seem a bit whimsical, but seriously ... they don't really capture the scene. I have some great video clips and when I get a clips site up and running (hopefully soon) I'll be linking to it ... the crescendoes with the traditional drumming got both the shaman and the crowd's hearts pounding, like the climax of a good techno song. I caught myself gasping a few times. There was something sacred happening today -- even if it did smell like fish. ;)

PARTNERS IN CRIME

So my homestay brother Kyeong-Hwan comes into my room today with a big grin on his face and his finger to his lips. "Shhh" he says. "My mother wants me to study. I hide here?" Who am I to stand in the way of mischief?? My host sister pokes her head in my room a few minutes later and seeing no brother, goes away - and lucky for the little bugger, doesn't hear him snickering under my desk, hidden by my chair and big coat. Classic. I don't think he did any homework that night. ;)

I realize I haven't posted in quite a while. It's one of those things - there's so much to post about that I'm worried I couldn't possibly cover it all, and so I don't post at all. So here we go - after Chiang Mai I hopped to Bangkok and then Siem Reap and spent about 5 days in the ruins Angkor Wat, an amazingly well-preserved Hindu and Buddhist temple complex that had been hidden in the jungle for centuries. Pictures to come. For now, I'm settling back into my homestay in Jeju, teaching a small winter break class of advanced students. I've developed an almost unholy urge to make fruit smoothies after having them for breakfast every day in Southeast Asia ... I believe I've cleaned the blender maybe 5 times in the last two days? Current favorite: too-yoo (soy milk), protein powder, and fresh strawberries. Still on target with the book goals: just finished Peter Matthiessen's The Snow Leopard and I'm starting In Search of Duende by Lorca at the recommendation of Miss Ariana Balayan (I'm entranced). :) More on those ... maybe I'll start a book review section of this site? In this creepy post-college world, yes - giving myself homework sends oh-goody shivers down my spine.

CHIANG MAI, THAILAND

Let me say right off - I can't tell you how much I love this city. Chiang Mai is in the north of Thailand, near the Lao / Burma border (the "Golden Triangle") and is surrounded by jungles, hill tribes, and no doubt all kinds of adventure. Tomorrow Jennifer and I are heading out on a trekking tour - ours includes hiking and visiting 2 different hill tribe villages (the "long necks" and the "big ears" - political correctness not being a big priority with our travel agency, I guess), riding elephants, and ... white water rafting!

For farang (foreigners) Chiang Mai is something of a hippie, outdoorsy enclave. A lot of expats here own bars, restaurants, hostels and travel companies and the city has become a mecca for Thai massage lessons, cooking classes, yoga, vegetarianism, eco tourism, jewelry making, alternative bookstores on every corner, and of course the purchasing of elephant print handbags in all shapes and colors. For those of you from MA, it's like someone airlifted Northampton and plopped it in the middle of Thailand and let it sit for a few years to soak up a distinctive Thai flavor. Jennifer and I actually took a cooking class our first night here with disastrous results. The food was amazing - tom yum soup, pad thai, stir fry, and banana spring rolls ... mmmmm. But about an hour later, I started to feel a little queasy and we headed back to the hostel. I puked every single hour all night, for about 10 hours straight. Have you ever puked out of your nose? I have! :) So we're taking it easy for a couple of days. And later this week we're signed up for massage classes! I think Jennifer's out on the city getting a massage right now ...

So good news, people. Right before we left Bangkok, I found a place that read Sony cards and got my pictures on CD! The Flickr web upload is super slow but here's a sneak preview of what I've been up to lately (with big and I think understandable focus on da beach) ;)


Gorgeous bridge to the Andong Folk Village ... yes. This is what all of Asia looks like. We also have flying swordmasters. ;)


Jennifer tries a forbidden door ...


Me, on a Buddha in Gyeongju. We actually ate lunch up there, on Buddha's head. :)


A man sketches a cliffside Buddha image, across the valley from the peak we're ascending.


Me on the beach in Koh Chang. I usually find it quite hard to do a genuine smile for the camera -- not that day. :)


My hammock on the beach, at sunset. I fell asleep in the late afternoon and woke up with this ...


Our bungalows on Koh Chang. Beyond the trees, monkeys. Turn around to see the sea. :D

I realize this post is painfully out of date. Well, it's now Thursday the 8th of February, and I'll be beginning my flights home tomorrow - and in Jeju by mid-afternoon on Sunday. Much more on my travels next week, I have so much to write about! :) Can't wait to share it ... missing you all !