Would you like to take a rest?

I spent last night in Deogyang, a nice suburb outside of Seoul packed with bars and clubs.

Already I have been unfaithful to my promise to update this blog daily, but I feel that the lapse in responsibility may have been justified by my participatory observation of Korean leisure culture with my friend 동환 (Dong-hwan) in a triathalon of eating, drinking, and drinking.

Ready, set, 시작!

First we have some roast duck with a few shots of 소주 (so-ju), took a cab, then move on to raw fish and spicy stew and even more soju. I think the evening is ending, but we stumble over to a Japanese place for some more stew and iced sake. As usual my camera was out of batteries and the fermented rice liquor flowing through my veins prevented me from recording more specific details about the first of I hope many oriental symposiums to come. Already Korea is distinguishing itself from my usual travels. I'm not losing any weight.

In the midst of my revelry I was beset by only a faint apprehension that I am entering into an unspoken but especially well-defined web of social norms that will dictate the harmonious relationship between myself and my fellow human beings for the next year. My friends, 4 years my seniors and my hosts, treated me to an incredible evening before allowing me to crash at their pad, cooking me breakfast and lunch, and giving me a ride across town to my house. What is expected of me I wonder? I would receive a vague answer to asking such a question, but I'm sure that in hindsight of cultural blunders that answers will become painfully obvious.

Tomorrrow is 추석 (chu-seok), the Korean Thanksgiving. It's a day to spend with family both living (with excessive feasting) and deceased (in ancestor memorial services called 차레 (cha-re)). Typical Chuseok presents include boxes (not baskets) of fruits and Spam. I'm contributing two bottles of wine - a Kendall Jackson chardonnay and Bealieu Vineyards merlot.
I'm hoping to spend it with my Korean family, who housed me last time I was here. I haven't written or said hi in about three years, but they're Catholics and it's a Sunday so they have to love me right?

Hanja

酒 water (on the left) being poured into a container
means: 술 (sul), alcohol
pronounced: 주 (ju) as in soju, maekju (beer)