Nothing says Merry Christmas like a hippo in an ugly jumper

This weekend was Christmas.  On Friday night I went to see the new Sherlock Holmes movie (really good).  Went to the cinema in 율하 which honestly seemed to be the only thing there.  Grabbed supper before the movie, a drunken old Korean guy tried talking to us, grabbed Elliot1's nose (he was saying that us white folk have good strong noses).  Apparently this was a first for Elliot1 and he didn't seem to pleased by it.


Saturday I had my last 한국어 lesson of the year.  Got a shiny certificate and everything at the pizza party/drum show/awards meeting.  See the video of the traditional drumming.  I've checked out the courses for next year - going to finish the current book myself and then start the intensive course in May - I won't miss so many lessons if they're on Tuesday and Friday mornings.  Especially as I'll only be in 대구 one weekend in January.  


After that I had lunch with Elliot2 - Buy the Book downtown did a proper turkey dinner which went well with spiced orange tea.   Yum yum yum.  Perfect Christmas eve lunch.  That evening we went to Jinny's apartment for supper/drinks, hung out with Jinny, Sophie, Julian, his bf, Mark, Harry and Charlie.  Jinny cooked this delicious spicy chicken stew and then followed not one but two cakes.  Went downtown after that, saw in midnight with a bunch of people at MF bar including Shelly.  Got back about 2am and was up before 8 to Skype the UK.


Christmas Day was spent at an orphanage near 버머사 in 부산.  It was quick and easy to get the bus from 동대구 to 노포 so will have to remember that for when my parents come out to visit.  When we got there Jessica and bought a pile of presents with donations from the Wolfhound Bar (해운대) so we had 20 min of frantic present wrapping.  There were about 40 kids and about 20 volunteers, some of them put on a play, the rest of us organized activities afterwards - our group played Christmas Bingo.  Then the kids got presents, second hand clothes and fun socks.  The youngest girl had so many presents she kept on dropping them.  So sweet.  Another girl kept on sneaking up and bonking people on the head with this toy hammer.  I don't know how they had left over presents at an orphanage on Christmas!  Maybe they'd go to another orphanage.  


Christmas lunch consisted of Shabushabu (vietnamese) in the PNU area.  Not very Christmassy but enjoyable.  Then we had a pint in a bar and helped (kinda) to build Jessica's Christmas skeleton.  I even simulated a stress fracture on his left collarbone (read:I broke it).  I'm really pleased with my presents this year - got pinkcatheart pj bottoms, an electric kettle (how did I live without it?!), a funny book from my parents as well as Rooibos and bathroom slippers (kinda essential for wetrooms in the winter).

I've got "winter vacation" this week (Friday off).  Looking forward to a nice 4 day week.  The other foreigner teacher at my 학원 is leaving Wednesday night so we'll have a meal and drinks in 동대구 to see him off.  Gonna head through to 울산 Thursday after work too - 3 day weekend!!  The plan is 부산 for Saturday (New Years).  

Ulsan / Busan Club / Cow intestine

 Went to 울산 Friday after work. Ate before I left and met Vincent and Mark there.  The city is about half the size of 대구 but without 4 army bases there seem to be a lot fewer foreighners.

Headed through to 부산 on Saturday. Watched the boys play rugby in the freezing cold for a few hours. Befriended two fun Americans there which ended with us forming a human centipede for warmth (apparently the sequel is out? ).

As we now had icicles on our testicles we headed through to 광안리 beach. Had a few hours defrosting in a nice 찜질방. It had a glass wall looking out onto the sea and the bridge where the fireworks were. Will maybe take the parents there in April. After that met up with all the rugby people again at a bar nearby. I still drool a little thinking about the batter on the fish and chips. 마싰었어! Beer and a little Baskin Robbins icecream followed. After that we went to a club in one of the uni areas. It was very western style for a Korean club. The Korean DJ was really good, but the English guy (James or something) in the middle was rubbish. Nobody was dancing.  It was much better when the Korean DJ came back, not only because they had large (2 foot) foam glowstick things.  Got a picture of Mark using it to prop up his Santa hat.

Sunday I was quite hungover, headed to Costco with Jessica and Mark.  Ate a delicious Calzone.  It reminded me never to eat them from Di Fiores in Galashiels.   Had cow intestine for supper that night, which was actually very good.  Once its really well done on both sides (read:slightly burnt) it is still chewy in the middle.  It's been compared to crackling.  I bought more socks and stuff to send back to the UK on Monday.  As Sherlock Holmes came out today I'm going to see that tomorrow, Friday is a bad sweater party, Saturday is my last Korean lesson (gonna sign up for more I think but a weekday morning this time) and Christmas eve dinner at a korean friends.  I'm volunteering at an orphanage on Christmas day so that should be fun.  Busy weekend again!

Santacon

So I've been really bad about updating the last couple weekends. Santacon was amazing. Took over a subway train (see videos). Was out in 홍대 both Sat and Sunday. Met somebody allergic to semen. Ate in 이태원 Sat at a South African place. Food took ages and was expensive. On the bright side I had boerewors and bought Milo! Vincent came out for a couple hours, at one point there were Santas on all 3 floors at this bar. Saw a live band for a bit in the square. Some photos are on the fb group wall. Its been FREEZING. My flat takes so long to warm up before and after work. I often see my breath in the mornings and evenings before the heating kicks in. Don't want to think how bad my heating bills going to be. I've broken out my big winter coat, gloves and hat. Weather report keeps threatening -6C but it's usually above freezing. Thank god for that electric blanket! Sunday I went to 넘댜문 market, bought a pile of socks to send back as Christmas presents to the UK.

How many 아주마's does it take to wallpaper?

One. One old lady is currently putting new wallpaper over the old mouldy stuff. A guy came round just after 8am to look, then I was told they'd do it whilst I was at work this evening. But this little old lady with a mullet turned up about 11, told me she was going to eat and disappeared. Just as I was planning "solo" before work she returned, walking straight into my flat and waving through the window. Good thing she wasn't 5 min later. I guess 8 min later would have been fine tho. I requested my bedroom be done in pink but that's looking unlikely.
This weekend the gays had a night out on Saturday. Turned one of the city centre clubs into a gaybar just by turning up en masse.

Sunday Mark and I saw a new iphone 4S. And decided to ask Siri some questions. Having read about the Siri/abortion clinic thing we tried that a handful of times. Assuming that nobody in the crowded store would hear. She refused my marriage proposal, would not comment on Steve Jobs, and her reaction to "who's your daddy?" was "You are. Now can we get back to work?"  She helpfully looked up the calorie content of 2 slices of pizza but was unable to do so for semen. Although I didn't specify a volume. One of Wolfram Alpha's shortcummings (sorry).
Anyway, our fun was cut short when a guy with his young daughter said to us "how is Siri responding to you? What did it say when you asked.." he paused "about Steve Jobs?" Oops. Guess he'd been listening the whole time.

Update: after a whole 2 mouldfree days its back :-(