Machang Bridge and the Army Base

We ate eel again, but I decided that I don't like it. It's just got this strange flavor and mixed with the unordinary amount of fat, and roasting eel stomaches dangling from the bloody curly tubes which are the eel, my stomach didn't want to take it down and instead forces me to gag. Not too pleasant. Kinda like what some people ahve with lamb I suppose. Plus, its overly expensive, so all around it's just not worth it. I think it's just one of those things you like or you don't.

Mong, Hwayon, Jongwon (mong's friend) and I also went to the movies yesterday (saw the new will smith movie, Hancock, which had a cheesy storyline but it was done well and funny) and then went and drove over the brand new bridge in Masan. It's called the Machang bridge because it links MAsan and CHANGwon so it saves people considerable time and mileage from the regular route. It's a relly cool bridge, I posted a pic of it earlier that I took from the window balcony. AND it's pretty famous beacuse it is now the tallest bridge in the world, measuring 68 meters from sea level to the deck. There are two massive towers and they are 164 meters tall. The most intriguing thing is the lighting though. Instead of just having yellow or which lights on it, the lights are a bluish purple. When we went last night, it was a little foggy, but was blowing fast and the moment I looked up, I just said, "Oh my goodness it looks like the doors to Heaven." It really does---completely cosmic, just makes you think you'll sprout angel wings and fly away, aside from the bumper the bumper traffic and the camera flashes here and there. Anyway, it was really cool. Hereis some information: http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?p=22231438

Then today Mong and I went with his cousin to Busan. Mong's cousins little brother (obviously also mong's cousin) is stationed in the army in the base right next to Busan. People are allowed to visit on weekends and everyone brings in pizza and chicken for their beloved soldier (boyfriend, son, brother, friend.....) We just hung out there in the grassy area on a big wooder round thing (i forgot what those are called) and ate pizza, mandarins and bananas. His brother gave him a bunch of crackers and snacks and juice and fruit and then before we left, he fetched some newbies and they carried it all up to his barracks like little servants. I suppose the green bands on his shoulders signalling he's a captain means something (although mong said almost all soldiers become captains their second year, and they are the captain of 10 first year soldiers). He only has 3 or 4 weeks left though, then the 2 year service is up. He and his brother and mong all look a lot a like, all tall and dark with stong cheek and jaw bones. The girl cousin from the buffet dinner pictures is their sister, who also matches that identity, only female--exceot she's not dark because korean girls are obsessed with perfect white skin. I was also informed the difference in serving an army service on the DMZ, like Mong, and serving in thesouth next to the second largest city. They don't get to pick where they go, but mong said usually thetaller and stronger end up clser to north korea. Not always, but I did notice a lot of the guys at the base here were smaller and skinnier. Weekends here they get free time, get to sleep in, can wear their green or orange tshirt and camo shorts rather than the camo shirt, pants, and boots. Althogh many wear that attire anyway, as I noticed today. At the DMZ, they get up everyday at 5 and run for 2 hours, including weekends. Here, mong said only some have to run Mon-Fri, but if they have a specific job, like his cousin gets to drive around the high-level colonels and seargents and such, they dont have to run at 5. Also, they are never really at any threat of being shot when they patrol or stand guard, because no one can shoot them. Mong informed me that he usually had to patrol the DMZ fence from 12am to 5am a few nights a week, and if that was the case he didnt have to run, but if he patrolled the daytime, he still had to run. They alternated. And, there is always the possibility of being shot at, as they could see the North Koreans patrolling their side. Actually, Mong told me a while back that he had befriended a North Koeran. Technically, they weren't supposed to talk, but he said they both patrolled at the same time often, so they would walk back and forth on either side of the fence telling each other about their lives, family, exchanged north and south korean snacks. The South Koreans cannot shoot unless the North shoots first, but he does have little scars on his arms and back and legs from tiny bullets jetting by (from grenades mostly) and skimming skin.

Anyway, enough of the history lesson and depressing information. It was cool to see, but I am much more excited to see the DMZ---I hope we are going, but I don't know for sure. We were going to go on a road trip with Mong's friends but they don't want to go, so we have to use the trains and busses, which is fine, but to take a bus up to the DMZ it requires a special tour pass thing which is kinda expensive. Oh well, well see. It's worth it I'm sure.

Well, that's all for now, and, I posted pictures.