A Hawaiian Party At the End of Summer

 Though summer was almost over, there still was time for a luau ....without a lechon!

And one weekend, on the last days of summer, one birthday girl in Seoul named Ruth, gathered some of her closest friends (and friends who were available to join her that night, and including one who came all the way from Gyeonggi Province starving! Ha-ha-ha!) at her home to celebrate a milestone.

It was her 40th birthday! And we, as her extended family of sorts in Seoul, were there to celebrate with her!

                     (Maria G. with her fabulous chicken curry!)


And as the birthday girl wished for a hawaiian-themed party, everyone was game to arrive in their beach-y get-up; from Ruth's grass skirt, to garlands, to flowery shirts, sandals and   of course, tanned skin! Ha-ha-ha! 

And since it was a Saturday night, there was no curfew for anyone, but lots of food, fun and games!

                                    (Maria C. standing next to her 
                            irresistible meat lasagna)

                                                         (Adobo, anyone?)

                 (Maria's meat lasagna before it disappeared)


Although we didn't have a kalua pig, friends brought adobo, chicken currey, sweet and sour pork, meat lasagna, pancit and what else? I can't recall. Burp!

                       (Playing beach games indoors)


And who can forget that huge Moet et Chandon champagne bottle?

                                     (Ruth et JK....et Moet et Chandon)

Thanks to Ruth for sharing her birthday celebration with us. 

                        (A night full of food and fun!)


At the end of the hawaiian party night, the birthday girl was a year older and wiser, and her friends a few pounds heavier. 


Sa uulitin... next year! Ha-ha-ha!

And The Sweetest Banana Is From.....

.....the Philippines!


And I was right!

The moment I saw those bananas lying under the autumn sun and on a mobile store parked at the intersection of Hannam-dong, I had an inkling as to where they came from.


So, I walked towards the van and asked for a bunch of bananas. And comparing to those sold at groceries and supermarkets, this bunch wasn't that expensive! Only W3,000!


And I peeled, had a bite and voila! This kind is very sweet! Not your ordinary variety!


So, I looked closer at the tag: "Product of the Philippines" (correctly spelled! Ha-ha-ha!).

This inexpensive bunch is the sweetest I have tasted in Korea!  I better watch out for the vendor's van again. I need to help both the local economy and the banana industry.

Going bananas...

A Blog Of A Book: Jovito Salonga's 'Presidential Plunder'

Today is September 21, the anniversary of the declaration of Martial Law in the Philippines.

Interestingly, I  am in the middle of reading Jovito Salonga's book, Presidential Plunder, where he narrates the inside stories of his quest to recover the billions Marcos and his cohorts plundered from the country. Salonga was imprisoned during the Martial Law.

While reading it, I thought this book looks like his daily blog of the back-stories, legal cases, incidents and his insights into the politics and legalities of his work as the chairman of the commission tasked to get back for the Filipino people the stolen wealth. Very interesting!

And during my lunch breaks, my bus and subway rides, or even while walking through subway train transfers, I eagerly continue reading, wanting to finish at least a chapter between Point A...and Point B!

I have been wanting to get a copy of this book years ago, but it was always sold out. But thanks to a good friend who flew in from Manila with a copy (and some goodies!), I am now learning how the dictator and his cronies shamelessly stole, abused and left the Philippine treasury empty.

And while flipping pages during a shaky train ride, I also shake my head in disbelief as to the shamelessness, the impudence, the greed and the lack of conscience of those corrupt and abusive people in power and with positions.

And while I continue my reading, I just wish that people in government keep it clean. I wish. 


I hope it's not too much to ask.

Good-Bye, Mosquitoes!

The sound of their machines is like a Harley Davidson bike roaming around my neighborhood early in the morning. So noisy!


But I guess I have to be thankful for these guys carrying the anti-mosquito fogging machines early in the morning just so we can all have a sound sleep at night without hearing the buzzes around our ears and without being bitten by these small vampires.

But their most important purpose is actually to stamp out these mosquitoes which may carry diseases that can interrupt our summer vacations!


So the next time I get awakened by a Harley Davidson bike early in the morning, I need not complain. Just be thankful, and get back to sleep. Zzzzz.....

The Autumn Tennis Begins!

I had to wake up soooooo early today to make it to the Jangchung Tennis Courts. My tennis club reserved the courts from 6AM to 9AM. I arrived at 8. Ha-ha-ha! Early daw, o. 

It was a fun morning to run around court, although I wasn't  too happy as I didn't find it too sunny. I could have lost more weight and got myself a nice tan in the process. Ha-ha-ha! I guess it's really autumn then!

But last week, at the finals of the the exciting 2011 US Open, when Australia's Sam Stosur won the women's singles title, I  was very happy for her and for my Aussie friends. She certainly deserved it! And as always, Serena Williams didn't surprise anyone with her lack of sportswomanship. Insulting a chair umpire? At the finals of a grand slam?!  And that's the second time she did it. In 2009, she threatened to kill a linesperson for foot-faulting her. 

This kind of tennis players with no breeding, un-cultured and un-educated should never be allowed to be called 'professionals'. Serena should take it from my Korean tennis player friends who 'bow' and greet their opponents 'anyeong-haseyo' when it's their first time to serve in a match. How respectful! (Although they foot-fault all the time. Ha-ha-ha!)

And speaking of Aussie friends, some of them are coming to join the 2011 Hansol Open next week at the Olympic Park! I was there last year to watch Dinara Safina, Ana Ivanovic and the other big girls, and even got to chat with Jarmila Groth and Klara Zakopalova, after Klara won over Julia Goerges, who was stunningly gorgeous!

So, after next Saturday's tennis, I may head to the Olympic Park for the semi-finals, and the next day again for the finals. I look forward to watching and (maybe) meeting the legendary Japanese player, Komiko Date-Krumm, who, at 40-something, still guns it out against the current top players. She is incredibly fit!

The Olympic Park has no good restaurants. So I better stuff myself with the tennis breakfast before getting on the subway.

I am looking forward to watch these top players again. And perhaps, learn a thing or two...

The Seoul Station

Hosting the KTX lines and the the Korail Airport Railroad, the Seoul Station is always the busiest station in the city during the Chuseok exodus.

Chuseok, or the Korean thanksgiving holidays, is one of the two holidays where Koreans travel to the countryside to visit family and relatives. The other one is the lunar new year. 

And unless you're actually travelling, I'd rather you stay away from the highways or the Seoul Station. How I wanted to pass by Seoul Station during the chuseok, but I figured it must have been crowded. I just wanted to take photos of the travelers departing, arriving or waiting for their trains. And I was glad I didn't.

So I went on the second day, late in the afternoon, and as expected, there were fewer crowds and less luggage being trolleyed around.

The first and only time I rode a train at Seoul Station for an out-of-town trip was for the hallyu train ride. And this time, since I wasn't going anywhere, I just stayed on the platform and watched travelers hurry down and excitedly get into their train.

(Saying good-bye...)

And I thought I would see somebody wearing hanbok on his or her way to his to her hometown.

                                                       (The main area)

                                     (Waiting...)

And like most trains, I didn't stay long at the station. But unlike them, I didn't have a schedule to keep. Ha-ha-ha! Those trains leave on time! 

                                             (A very tired traveler...)

                        (A musical entertainment at the Station)

In case you have to catch a train at Seoul Station during the holidays, make sure you get there on time. Otherwise, you may have to take the next fastest transport...

                              (Which one is faster?)

Ang Costco Ko!

 There's only one huge supermarket in my neighborhood, but there are lots of grocery and convenient stores. Although they have what I usually need, none of them can compare to the biggest one of all! Costco!

                              (Hannam Station)


Costco is on a league of its own. Why? Aside from all the consumables sold at cheaper prices, it bakes this huge (and very cheap!) pepperoni pizza and chicken bake!  Ha-ha-ha! Yes, I am only after the baked goodies!

               (Navigating using my Samsung Galaxy SII,  
                       as if I needed to. Ha-ha-ha!)


I remember, years ago, on my third night in Korea, I took the subway and smartly navigated my way to Sangbong Station from Itaewon, trying to  locate the house of a kababayan. I got to Sangbong Station all right, but could not locate the residence from Exit 2. I thought the Geumran Church was just a walking distance away.  I didn't yet have a Korean cellphone at that time, so I did what a helpless, lost stranger would:  ask for help!  At the Costco counter!

                                            (Outside Mang-u Station)

                             (My membership card)
I asked the Costco clerk if I could make a phone call from her telephone, and she let me! How helpful! And my kababayan fetched me from there.

                                 (Oatmeal, choco chip  
                                   and raisin cookies!)


And now, seven years since, I still go back to Costco in Sangbong, which is conveniently accessible through Line No. 1 from my Hannam Station to the new Mang-u Station.

And when I do visit, I always get myself at least three chicken bakes along with my staple breakfast cereals, and a few yummy things to enjoy.

                                                        (My Costco loot!)

And today, I got myself the most essential of groceries:  Quaker's Granola, cookies, chicken bakes and calzone!

(Grocery carts outside Costco)

And yes, you do need to be a member to get the groceries. But for the baked goodies, you need not be one. You can just bypass the supermarket through the elevator down to the food court, which is always full!

                                   (Mang-u Station)
And don't forget your own shopping bag....for the cookies and baked goodies!