That smell, that foreigner smell ...

I spent the better part of my waking hours Sat. and Sun. with rival blogger Literary Hero, and all I can say is "The foreigner smell is disgusting."

That comment is gratis Andy, who overheard one adjumma say it to another on a street corner in Itaewon early Sunday afternoon, when I met up with him for some hair-of-the-dog at Gecko's Terrace. Itaewon is a commercial district densely populated with US military and other foreigners. Now, I pictured we'd eat breakfast, have a few beers, and call it a day. Instead, we were each lucky to make the last train home.

We started at Gecko's, which is a pretty nice polished-wood kind of place with comfortable chairs and low tables, where we had the big platter for 12,500 W (about USD 9.15) and a couple of beers. Then to 3 Alley, which I've mentioned a few times before. Then on to Nashville Pub, and finally we played darts for cigarettes at Seoul Pub. Each move was accompanied by a drop in atmosphere and half a pack of cigarettes.

And this was a follow-up to a repeat of lamb skewers and makkuli in Bongchon on Saturday night, the idea being a little get-together before I head to Tanner's Beijing for a week's vacation. I was really jonesin' for some more of that lamb, and it did not disappoint. Below is a pic of makkuli bar owner-dude writing a calligraphy sign that reads, according to Andy, "Closed for special rest time." We had, as they say, a good ol' time.


Not a very productive time, however. So today, I had numerous things to do, the last of which--but certainly not least, dear reader--was updating the blog. So here I am, after working out, mailing off my US bills, converting a couple thousand yuan (which they pronounce rien in Korean), and cleaning the flat. After all, who wants to come home from vacation to find a big mess? Not I--I want a special rest time.