Rick Steves would be disappointed
Posted in Uncategorized on 10/03/2009 09:57 pm by AmyTonight I failed my ultimate adventurous-travel-eating challenge. We were on our way back to hostel and looking to get some food from street vendors. We walked past some older Korean men who were eating what I at first thought was live squid..they caught me staring and invited me over for a closer look. Next thing I knew, one of these “squid” pinched in chopsticks was being waved in my face and they really wanted me to give it a try…turned out to be some kind of worm/larva thingy! so sick looking! all fat and transluscent, ugh! OK, so if it was live squid, i would’ve at least considered it, but the worm was just not happening. Even in the face of my personal pressures to do and try everything while traveling and the cultural pressure of these adorable Korean men wanting me to just taste the dish, I still backed down. I am ashamed.
Tomorrow morning we are going on a tour of the dimilitarized zone surrounding the North and South Korean border. I still don’t really get what we do..look at North Korea from afar? In any case, I think it will either be really interesting or super lame, so we’ll see!
Anyway, a more comprehensive update of Korea to come, but all in all I can say that I really love this place, like an unexpected amount! Korean people are some of the friendliest, smiliest, sweetest people I have ever encountered in my travels. Yay Korea!
10/04/2009 at 7:20 AM
Slimy yet satisfying… hakunamatata!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LOXEVd-Z7NE how’s the Korean night life? You should try and out do steph by meeting up with a member of a korean boyband like bigbang
10/04/2009 at 6:19 PM
haha cody, please tell me why you know about bigbang!
They have some fantastic pencil cases, calendars, etc. plastered with hilarious pictures of bigbang and the like. by the way, who is your favourite bigbang member?
The korean nightlife is sweet as far as i can tell, but honestly i’ve only been to one bar and one KTV bar but it was good old times for sure.
so when are you sending me the link to your infomercials?
10/05/2009 at 1:31 PM
T.O.P of course… Red Roc is cool too, but I dont think he is from bigbang. Don’t miss out on 2ne1 either… korean girlband action!
10/04/2009 at 1:13 PM
I’m with Amy on the slug thing…if they are anything like the banana slugs we get up here? GAWD.. only geese can eat them and you know what goose poo is like….On the other hand we had a taste of Thanksgiving tonight at a neighborhood potluck . Steve cooked a turkey and made the gravy and everything! Yuuummmmmm Really enjoying your blog Amy. We haven’t had much experience with blogs – the only other one we’ve read was a person who created a blog about their kitchen renovation. You’ve got that one beat hands down! Love, Jude and Steve.
10/04/2009 at 6:35 PM
mmm thanksgiving! I’m trying not to think that much about my lack of turkey this week..I guess I will drown my sorrows in more Chinese dumplings :D A Thanksgiving potluck sounds like a good idea, that must have been a lot of turkey though!
Too bad I never learnt Majong, I think it would definitely win me some elderly Chinese friends….they play it everywhere here Jude, it’s the place for you!
Glad to hear you’re enjoying the blog (and that it beats out one about kitchen renovations:) ) Nice to hear from you and thanks for reading, say hello to Steve for me!
-amy
10/05/2009 at 12:32 AM
Amy! You HAVE to buy me some BIGBANG merchandise! I’m going to get hardcore into them. Guess what! BSB has a new album coming out in 2 days!!! Wahoo!
Peace.
10/12/2009 at 8:23 PM
another album? OK, I’m sorry, it’s official, they really need to stop now.
10/05/2009 at 2:19 AM
Amy! Oh man, thanks for offering the best vicarious traveling experience– I’ve got your blog bookmarked now so whenever the whole UVic experience gets a little too drab I can come hear about your adventures and try not to be jealous! Anyway, hope you’re having fun in Korea! (I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t have eaten the grub thing either). If you go to Shanghaise Oktoberfest (or went already?) drink some beer and eat some pretzels for me.
10/12/2009 at 8:13 PM
Hey Ellie!
Yes, I’m glad to be the one not living vicariously once again..but don’t be jealous, you’re turn will come once again! By the by, I have some German exchange students at UVic I want to hook you guys up with.. they are good friends of my roommate, Sandra, here in Shanghai. Anyway, I thought you guys would be a good choice to get them going on the making-domestic-friends circuit! I’ll get their emails and let you know :D Hope all is well at home, I miss you guys!
10/08/2009 at 12:20 AM
I am so with you on the sluf thing! Ugh! I do commend you on wanting to try everything but there is a limit. I look forward to reading all about your adventures. Have an awesome time.
10/12/2009 at 8:18 PM
Thanks Marna! There is no shortage of “interesting” food choices in Asia and so far adventurous eating is a daily event in Shanghai. so far chicken feet and bullfrog are the best I’ve got, though chicken hearts are still on the list and we’ll see if I make it to dog. Thanks for reading :D
10/08/2009 at 3:21 AM
would it have helped with the slug if you had a friend shouting ever increasing dollar amounts at you? looks like you should have brought me along after all :)
i don’t want to say anything negative about the DMZ but i’ve heard it isn’t worth the $$ also doesn’t it seem a little gross that they offer you tours of it? when i talked to a friend who went to korea i was like ‘did you go on a tour of the DMZ?!?’ as a joke cause thats like the only thing that i know is in korea but she was like ‘no it was too expensive’. i was very surprised…but her brother went and thats how i got my first piece of info. she wasn’t the type who could appreciate a dmz if there’s anything to be appreciated in it though so i still think its cool that you’re going :)
10/12/2009 at 8:22 PM
haha yeah conor, you would have been so handy in that situation. and by handy i mean not helpful at all!
yeah, you were right, in the end the DMZ was not that great (and also a little weird in parts)..but you know, it’s one of those things that you’re just so close you feel like you have to go. almost everything in 20th century history reminds me of Mr. Kidd, how about you?
PS – Maginot Line!
10/15/2009 at 10:17 AM
AMY PHIPPS !!! Don’t you dare eat dog or Taffy will never talk o you again!! Just wait till you get home and save yourself for TURKEY. Nice, wholesome, organic, gobbler!! Altho’ ,as I recall, whenever we served Bert Some Turkey here; he usually fell asleep!! He said it was the “triptophan” in the turkey that put him to sleep, but I suspect it was probably Steve’s slide show. HA!HA! Let’s hope that your slide show is FAR more entertaining than ours….We are really looking forward to hearing and seeing more of your adventures in “real time”. Love ,Jude and Steve.
10/17/2009 at 11:43 PM
Loving the blog Amy! I’m disappointed in you for not eating the translucent slug… I mean how often will that opportunity present itself???
Sounds like a totally amazing time and a very strange experience! I look forward to reading more about it!!!!!
Scott
10/23/2009 at 12:17 AM
Hey Scott!!!
I’m so sorry to have disappointed you, but you know actually I think the slug opportunity could present itself more often than you think, you just have to be creative!
Thanks for reading, hope everything is good at home!
amy
12/02/2009 at 2:33 AM
Yummy Amy, you should have chowed down on that thang!
Miss you chica! Hope you are having an amazing time :P