Happy New Year. It was wonderful to be in such a lively place as Manila for New Years eve. The city sounded like there was a war going on. Fireworks louder than pipe-bombs are readily available on the street for sale. We rolled from our Hotel to the Malatay area of town on the Manila bay, had dinner and then went to a rooftop restaurant. from which we watched the fireworks display that the city put on. It was an impressive show to rival a "symphony of fire" display. The trip to Malatay was great we took a tricycle taxi. A motorbike with a side car. Three girls in the sidecar, the driver on the gas tank, Adam on the front of the seat sitting sideways, and me sitting backwards off the back holding on for dear life. As we rode along kids were throwing firecrackers into the road in front of us. At one point we drove over an exploding package of M-80s. Kinda like driving a minefield except with a smile. Yesterday afternoon we quickly got up rushed to the airport and flew home. Still wearing my shorts and tan I got to Incheon and dug through my bag for my jeans.
I aimed for mildly scary, and wound up with utterly terrifying. We set up a haunted house and I was able to spend two days scaring the wits out of six year olds. I blame my family for instilling the idea that this is not only ok, but should be encouraged. (see Dutch holidays December 5)
This is the aftermath of spending to much time in the haunted house. I've got some great stories that I hope to write down soon, but they'll have to wait for now.
Adjashi; meaning man, but generally seeming to refer to older men. I spent Saturday afternoon wandering Seoul and found myself in a park in North Central Seoul which I have been to before where the Adjashis gather to play board games. Two games in Particular. One a form of Chinese Checkers and the other somewhere between chess and Mahjong. The place has the worlds highest concentration of old men. I can't prove that except by photo, so here it is. In contrast the man above is sitting in the Palace grounds watching the ducks, far enough away from the maddness that is the Soju'd scene below to be contemplative. The contrast was sublime.
Jeju is an island of the southern coast of South Korea. Because of its position in the yellow sea it picks up warm currents from south east Asia. This makes for an island filled with tropical crushed coral and white sand beaches, palm trees and mandarin orange groves,. The island was formed 450,000 years ago, or so, by massive volcanic eruptions. In fact the whole Island is made up of Lava rock covered in sediment.
This is a small farming and fishing village on the Island of Udo off the east coast of Jeju. We rented scooters and drove around the island; about a one hour trip.
In this photo you can see about six of the many craters that grew out of the ocean when this place erupted . 
I hiked three hours up to the top of Hallasan volcano, and four down. The trip brought me above the clouds as you can see. I had an image of the crater 
This is another sub -crater of the this geologic wonder. I hiked to the top of this crater at night under a full moon with a blanket and hiked through bamboo and brambles to the far side of the crater and slept in on a green shelf ledge with the sea smashing into the crater wall about 150' below me. I didn't bring my camera and so cann't share the beautiful sight that greeted me in the morning. 
Here are some basalt columns similar to the ones in Scotland. Formed from molten Basalt lava pouring into the ocean and cooling fast enough to shock it into a this form . The rock cracks and pulls away from itself in a hexagonal pattern. 
Here is a Palm shrub bloom . How cool is that.
Bodhisattva won't you take me by the hand... Funny story . The ship you can see down in the Harbor is actually on land and is a remake of a dutch sailing ship captained by a guy named Hamel. He shipwrecked on this island in 1468 or 1648 . He and his crew survived and befriended the locals . But the governor of the island decided that they were in violation of the immigration laws, and threw them in jail for 13 years. The memorials that are around this place only mention that Captain Hamel and his crew "stayed" in Korea for 13 years. Nothing changes. 
Yummy mackerel steaks in hot sauce over an ocean front view. 
Back in Seoul .....................a well
One last thing . I took this photo of bottled ginseng yesterday I thought it quite beautiful.
The Monkeys staying right where they should... for about three seconds.
Not your typical Asian street advertisement. Check out the Bobble-headed green haired hippie in the middle. Anyone recognize that chap?
One of the grand Palaces of Seoul. The home a great bronze bell one of the national treasures of Korea. But more excitingly the home of the Seoul National art museum, temporarily housing the Hapsburg Collectors of Vienna's masterpieces. A great afternoon was had, hanging with Rembrandt, Rubens, Denner, And Chiefly my first brush with Velásquez.
A moment of great pride and then curious unease. The Canadian Embassy on a beautiful old street in the palace district a warm welcoming albeit closed building. And then a short trip around the corner to the front gate of the US embassy. (the front Iron serrated gate with the 3"x6" bullet proof viewing window. But then the unease which embassy would I run to if shit really hits the fan. The nice welcoming "we rarely piss em' off eh" one or the "git yer tail behind this before all y'all git blown" one. Anyway considering the circumstance at the moment I sure was proud to see that Canadian coat of arms out on the Street.
The local swimming pool, a tragedy at this time of year.
Since you haven't yet seen my house I figured I better post a shot. Its the building next to the grape vines, bottom floor. It stays pretty dark.
The local mega-church backed by a cumulonimbus.
I forget this scholars name but its a cool sculpture in front of the local high school.
Can anyone Identify this gourd?
