Hermit Life: Another Happy Birthday, Buddha

Sometimes I envision that when I'm older I'll live in a small backwater town, far removed from my old life. I'll earn a modest living working a job I take pride in, and though I won't be famous I'll be known to the townspeople as the friendly but elusive hermit who comes down from his mountain home once in awhile for food and beer. It will be a perfectly normal, perfectly peaceful life.

Sound familiar?

It's funny how things work out. I wasn't planning on pursuing a "hermit in the woods" lifestyle until I was up in age, and yet here I am exactly where I pictured myself in my twilight years. I'm actually not trying to give the impression that I'm a borderline recluse; I just prefer having a generous amount of space around me, to be able to pursue my hobbies and passions in relatively undisturbed tranquility. That said I do like being part of a community, even if I keep to myself on the fringe, and I enjoy my little interactions with the local townsfolk.

I'm fortunate in that I have some wonderful neighbors, but then it doesn't take a lot to endear me to someone. It's the small acts of generosity I appreciate the most, like when I bump into my landlord just as I'm returning home and he invites me to have a few drinks with him on his newly built balcony. Or when I'm walking through town and one of my students will see me and wave excitedly, and almost immediately a parent will say, "Be respectful, that's your teacher!" and make the child bow. Then there was the time it started raining while I was shopping in my town's mart and the lady who owns the store noticed I had no umbrella and gave me one for free. On a different day the grandpa who runs the dry cleaner was sitting outside eating some ice cream, and when he saw me go by he waved me over and insisted on buying a cone for me. There's also the pharmacist who remembers that whenever I visit I like to buy the Korean equivalent of Pepto-Bismol (actually that example is a little embarrassing). And just last week, I befriended the local monk who lives in the temple overlooking the town.

It's been a little while since I last visited the Buddhist temple on the mountain behind my house. Recently however the weather has been fantastic, and with Buddha's birthday just around the corner I knew there would be decorations adorning the temple. I went one afternoon after work; lining the road to the temple were colorful paper lanterns all strung up in Buddha's honor, and following them led me to a lovely display of lanterns set up in the temple's courtyard. Although the quantity of lanterns was modest compared to what I saw in Bongeunsa the previous year, they were still quite pretty to look at. It was while I was exploring and taking pictures that I was approached by a grandma who lives and works at the temple. At first I thought maybe I had overstepped some boundary I was unaware of, but she waved me over and asked if I was hungry (in Korean, of course). I was intrigued, so I followed her into the temple's kitchen where I was greeted by a monk and another grandma. They invited me to join them in their simple meal of Korean noodle soup and kimchi: the soup had no meat, as Buddhist monks are vegetarians, but the ingredients were fresh and the meal was hearty. Though I felt a bit shy at first I had a pleasant time chatting with the monk, doing my best to string together sentences in broken Korean. As we talked the monk served us tea, and he informed me it was a special brew that contained a bit of alcohol (another surprise: I wasn't aware that Buddhist monks could drink!). That's when I noticed that hanging from the ceiling was a very modern flat screen TV displaying feeds from several security cameras. Now I knew how the first grandma had managed to find and approach me so quickly! I watched as the monk observed a woman enter the temple to say her prayers, and it amused me when I realized he had most likely been watching me only moments ago. It was soon time for me to go, and the monk suggested I come back at night to take photos of the lanterns after they were lit. He also said that I was welcome to come again and drink tea with him. I was flattered, and told him I would.

Country life can be a bit lonely. However, I feel tremendously grateful that I have such warm and welcoming people to share a town with. I realize I can't live here in peace and quiet forever and that eventually I'll have to step back into the outside world to pursue my ambitions, but some days I wonder if I really need more than what this simple hermit life has to offer me.

Kuala Lumpur Part 3: Monkeying Around

After a couple of full nonstop days walking around and exploring Kuala Lumpur, my girlfriend and I were understandably tired. Now it was the final day of our trip and, feeling exhuasted, we couldn't resist spending a good portion of the morning lounging around our accommodations. Even though we had traveled to a foreign land to sight-see and experience a new culture we were still technically on a vacation, so I don't think taking some time to enjoy a little relaxation was out of the question.

When we finally felt up to it we walked to the Petronas Towers and reserved evening tickets to visit the observation deck on the 86th floor of Tower 2. We then stopped by a supermarket to do some shopping; I wanted to pick up souvenirs for friends back in Korea as well as some exotic seasonings for my kitchen. I've grown a little tired of cooking and eating the same Korean dishes so I thought I could learn to cook with a few Southeast Asian flavors to spice up (literally) my diet. My girl and I also bought durian pastry puffs at a small bakery. Durians are famous for being a delicious but extremely smelly fruit local to Malaysia; though I had yet to try a durian, I'd often seen signs while traveling through other cities in Southeast Asia prohibiting the handling and consumption of the odorous fruit. We figured eating a durian pastry would be a good way to get an idea of the fruit's taste without jumping straight into the deep end.

Several hours later, after eating and drinking anything I could get my hands on, I still couldn't get the smell and taste of durian out of my mouth. It wasn't bad, it was just... memorable.

In the afternoon we summoned up the remainder of our strength to make one last expedition to the outskirts of the city so we could see the Batu Caves. We hired a taxi; the drive was about half an hour and relatively inexpensive, and along the way our friendly taxi driver told us of the cultural and religious significance of the caves, explaining they're a pilgrimage site for Hindus. The driver, a Hindu himself, said that these days the caves are more or less a tourist attraction but that they were still host to major religious festivals throughout the year. My girl and I toured the caves and marveled at their size (I had never been in caves so large before) and we watched as Hindu holy men performed their prayers and threw rocks at monkeys who came too close. The monkeys were a sight all on their own: they gathered trash and pestered tourists, and one monkey laid himself out on the steps while he was groomed by his friend. He looked so still I thought for sure he was dead until he looked up to see if anyone was watching him.

In the evening we went to an upper scale Chinese restaurant for dinner and afterwards headed back to the Petronas Towers just in time for our reservations to visit the observation deck. Of course the view was fantastic, and looking out over the city from the top of one of its tallest buildings was truly the best way to spend our last night in KL. We reluctantly came back down to the ground and returned to our hotel to prepare for the flight home.

About a month before our vacation I had suggested to my girlfriend that we go to Kuala Lumpur simply out of convenience: tickets to KL were some of the cheapest online at the time, and while we hadn't heard as much praise for KL as other major Southeast Asian cities we assumed it would be fun for at least a few days. However after visiting, I'm completely satisfied with our choice to go. Kuala Lumpur is a marvelous city, full of some of the friendliest people and most delicious food I've encountered during my travels. I hope someday in the future I'll have a chance to go again, and when that time comes I'm looking forward to exploring more of what Malaysia has to offer.

Gundam Base, Hongdae

How much Gundam is too much? I have yet to reach that point so I wouldn't know, and from the looks of it neither has Korea. Just when I thought I was living in Gundam heaven Bandai went and built a 4th Gundam Base right here in Seoul: that makes two Bases north of the Han river and two south of it. Why one city needs so many Gundam Bases is not clear to me, but you can bet I'm not complaining (that same bet does not apply to my girlfriend).

It was on the official Korean Gundam homepage where I saw the announcement for the 4th Base's May 23rd grand opening in Seoul's Hongdae neighborhood. Hongdae is far from my home and making it in time to be there when the store doors first swung open meant I'd have to set my alarm early. Only a few things can deter me from Gunpla however, and a 7am wake-up call on a Saturday is not one of them. I made the journey to Hongdae without a problem and when I arrived at the new Gundam Base I was a little surprised to see that there was a long queue of people waiting outside get in to the store. Almost every demographic was present: there were young children waiting alone and with parents, older male teens hanging out and joking around, couples and singles, and a few grandparents on missions for grandchildren. All were Korean, and even if I stood out as the only foreigner waiting to get in I didn't feel like I stood out. We were all there for Gundam. One little Korean boy even tried practicing his English on me by asking me which Gundam is my favorite! After standing in line for about an hour (and having a quick photo op with Char Aznable) I was allowed into the store.

Inside, the Gundam Base was as busy as the queue outside suggested. Shoppers were filling baskets with the latest models and a long checkout line snaked around the entirety of the store from front to back and back to front. The shelves were fully stocked with Gunpla of all grades and sizes, and along one wall was a fine selection of paints, markers and other accessories. I actually saw a couple of decal sheets I wanted to buy but I had already spent enough time in lines for one day so I opted to just look around the store and take photos. The Hongdae Gundam Base had several impressive display pieces and aisle after of aisle of Gunpla to peruse so there was plenty for me to look at before I decided I had had my fill of ogling Gundams and made my departure.

A couple of notes about the Hongdae Gundam Base: it's probably the furthest from a metro station of all the Seoul Bases. Whereas the Gangnam, Yongsan and Coex Bases are within short walking distance of their respective stations, getting to the Hongdae Base requires leaving Hongdae Station via Exit 9 and walking up the hill towards Hongik University. The Base itself is on the second floor of a small office building that's next to a Starbucks; this gives it a pretty unique location, as it's the only Seoul Base that's connected directly to the outside. It even has a decent-sized open air balcony with tables and chairs (for customers who like to build their Gunpla outdoors?) and a nice view of the street below. I really like that aspect of the Hongdae Base: the large windows and balcony let a generous amount of fresh air and sunlight into the store, something the other more enclosed Bases don't offer.

All that said, I don't have any reason to start making regular trips to the Hongdae Base. It doesn't offer anything the other Bases already do, and its distance from my home makes it a much less practical choice when I have the more conveniently located Gangnam Base available to me. Furthermore, the Gunpla and modeling supplies for sale at the Hongdae store are pretty standard, so when it comes to one-stop shopping I still recommend the Yongsan Base; not only does it remain the largest and best stocked of the Seoul Bases, it has the added benefit of being next to the excellent Tamiya and Style X hobby supply shops.

The Hongdae Base is nonetheless an awesome addition to the Gundam Base family in Seoul, and for Gundam fanatics who live in or near the Hongdae area it's a great place to go to get their Gunpla. As for me, if I'm ever drinking beer with friends in Hongdae on a Friday night and I suddenly decide I need a Gunpla fix (highly possible) it's nice to know the Hongdae Gundam Base is there for me!

Kuala Lumpur Part 2: Adventures in a Muslim Country

The third day in Kuala Lumpur was even better than the previous two. Granted, it was a lot hotter, and this caused my girlfriend to tire out pretty quickly, but I don't blame her. When we left Korea it was still cool enough outside to wear a jacket. Now we were in sweltering heat that demanded minimum clothing, but to tell the truth I was loving it. It was so nice to feel the sun on my skin again, as hot as it was.

To balance out our experiences from the first half of our trip, in which we explored the glitz and glamour of the Golden Triangle (or what I had begun referring to as "New Town" for sake of convenience) on this day we ventured forth into Old Town, the western chunk of the city containing the majority of KL's historical landmarks, old neighborhoods and big portions of its cultural heritage. While wandering around Old Town it was not unusual to find ourselves surrounded by buildings of Moorish architecture and Muslims in hijabs going to prayer only to cross a street and suddenly be swallowed up by Chinese markets selling foods that definitely were not halal.

We started the morning at old Kuala Lumpur Station and from there walked to the nearby National Mosque. We had to borrow robes to enter, but mine was fairly comfortable and not as hot as I had expected (I can't speak for my girlfriend; while it was acceptable for me to wear only a robe, she had to wear a robe and a hijab). Once inside the mosque we were greeted by an atmosphere of calm and serenity. Some Muslims were busy praying, others were laying down on the cool tiles and taking naps. A kindly Muslim woman approached my girlfriend and I and offered to answer any questions we may have had about the Islam faith, and didn't even make any strong overtures to convert us. It was a refreshing change from the aggressive Christian missionaries I run into in Korea.

Next we went to Merdeka Square, the site where the British flag was lowered for the final time and the flag of Malaysia hoisted. We toured a museum celebrating the history of Malaysia, saw some unique miniatures of the city and the man who makes them, then walked around the square itself before heading north to an Indian neighborhood. It was around this time that the heat was getting too much for us, so after walking through a bazaar my girl and I found a tiny neighborhood diner that looked clean enough and popped in for some food.

The restaurant itself was a mini-adventure; it was buffet style, but you still had to tell the staff what exactly you wanted. It wasn't until after you had sat down with your plate of food that a different staff member would walk by, see what you were eating, write it down on a notepad and hand you a bill that you would take to the front to pay when you were finished. My girlfriend went to get her food first while I sat with our bags, but when she returned she was so flustered from having such a difficult time ordering that she insisted I have the same experience as her and refused to give me any tips before sending me in blind. I actually didn't encounter any of the trouble she did, as the man standing behind me in line was friendly enough to translate to the lady spooning out food what I wanted. In the end our meals were delicious (I had a plate of curry and tandoori chicken) and after eating and walking through an Indian fabrics store (out of curiosity) we walked back south, passed by an Indian mosque, and journeyed into Chinatown (stopping for some more Indian food and coffee along the way).

KL's Chinatown reminded me of Hong Kong's, though on a smaller scale. It wasn't nearly as crowded or vast, but we still received plenty of attention from hawkers attempting to sell us bootleg goods. It was fun to browse, and I ended up buying a cheap pair of sunglasses. For dinner we got Chinese street food: BBQ pork and duck with a side of rice. This part of town was one of the very few I saw openly selling pig meat, and reminders that Malaysia is a Muslim country were everywhere in the forms of signs and posters warning which products were not halal.

Feeling satisfied with our long day, we grabbed a taxi back to our accommodations. The rest of the evening was spent relaxing by the pool and eating our non-halal Chinese pork jerky and drinking our non-halal, overpriced beers.

Kuala Lumpur Part 1: Travel Makes Me Happy

"Isn't travel scary?"

I can't count how many times I've been asked this question, or a variation of it. When I consider the implications (how can you leave everything you know behind, go to a land you've never been to before and assume everything will be all right?) then sure, I can understand why somebody would think travel might be terrifying. Leaving one's comfort zone can be a frightening, disorienting experience, and in some ways I'm a little envious of the people who are content to stay in the same place they were born for their entire lives. But honestly, of all the emotions I associate with travel, fear is not one of them.

I get restless if I stay still for too long. The ceaseless cycle of going to work, going home, doing the same tasks everyday with no end in sight devalues life for me. When I travel, I feel refreshed. I feel inspired. I love to go to new lands and watch people going about their routines. It may seem hypocritical to say I can't stand my own daily grind yet enjoy watching others do the same, but truly it's wonderful to me. Not because I view the world outside of my little corner as a massive zoo full of exotica to observe, but because I love to see that people everywhere are at their core no different from me. I find that travel is always an eye-opening experience, no matter which country I visit; the food might be different from what I'm used to, the religions and customs will be foreign to me, and of course I won't understand any of the local language, and yet wherever I go people are still people, and they all have a place to call home. Seeing that reminds me to be grateful that I do as well, and to appreciate all that I have.

Last week I had a five day weekend, thanks to the Children's Day holiday. It wasn't much time, but I definitely wasn't going to sit around my apartment for five days picking my nose. I wanted to go somewhere new, and Southeast Asia still has a lot to offer, so I scoured the usual ticket booking sites (I strongly recommend Kayak) before finding a relatively good deal for a plane flight to Kuala Lumpur, the capital of Malaysia.

I didn't know much about Malaysia before I made my bookings, and I knew not a lot more when I boarded the plane to Kuala Lumpur (KL to the locals). Regardless I was excited to go: not only was I finally getting a chance to travel again, but I was going to be doing so with my girlfriend. We arrived in KL on Saturday afternoon and easily navigated public transportation to our accommodations in the Golden Triangle, an affluent area of KL full of the city's largest shopping malls, most glamorous hotels, and of course, the world famous twin Petronas Towers.

After we settled in there wasn't much time left in the day, so we walked ten minutes to the Petronas Towers, got some dinner in the massive Suria shopping complex located at the tower's base, and walked around a bit before calling it a night. For our second day, we explored the Golden Triangle in earnest, visiting almost every mall and touring a few parks along the way. We stopped by Pavilion, a new mall dealing in high-end luxury goods; Low Yat Plaza, KL's place to go for IT and electronics; and the behemoth Berjaya Times Square. Berjaya is an older mall and from the outside it doesn't look especially large, but inside the size is mind-boggling: there's enough room for a completely indoor theme park with a very decent roller coaster (which we rode twice).

Eventually, feeling drained from all of our walking and shopping, my girl and I went to find dinner in nearby Jalan Alor, a street famous in KL for serving some of the city's best street food. Though the aggressive nature of the food hawkers and the never-ending stream of beggars was a little off-putting, we succeeded in getting an excellent meal. We rounded out the evening with dirt cheap foot massages, just as a massive thunder storm dropped a torrent of rain on the city. We were going to have to get used to these sudden storms; it would not be the last time we'd get caught in the rain during our trip!

Gunpla Stores in Korea

I've made a lot of scattered posts about Gundams and Gunpla on my blog, but I think it might be helpful to make one giant list of all the Gundam-related shops, cafes and other various points of interest that I've come across during my time in South Korea. It's my hope that this post will become a useful resource for Gundam fans visiting Korea or who are already here. It will remain a work in progress, as I'll come back and update it as I find more to add.