¡Corran sus apuestas!

Adivina adivinador, ¿cual de los dos es el mejor? Así es gente, les venimos trayendo lo último en temas de adivinanza, un juego novedoso y peligroso, ahí de ti donde te equivoques.

Muy sencillo y fácil de jugar: Adivina cual de estas dos hermanitas botellas es el aceite y cual el vinagre. A verda, no esta tan fácil cuando todas las letras de la botella están en coreano. Píensele, píensele y… que corran las apuestas.

... y aqui vamos de nuevo!

Pues llegue con bien, sin prisas y con muchas pausas, en un viaje de 29 horas que fueron más o menos así como 3 días, literales; saliendo el 22 de México, el 23 de Los Ángeles y llegando el 24 a Busan, mi nueva casa.

Para toda mi gente (acento de puertorriqueño) que quiera saber más de la vida por acá en el lejano oriente de esta pareja de muchachos guapetones y carismáticos conformada por infame La Dirty Enchilada (un servidor), y nuestra corresponsal experta en letras gabachas Bethany Ann (necesitamos encontrarle un mejor nombre artístico), no duden en darse una vuelta por este su humilde, y para algunos, ya conocido blog de aventuras, donde con estas pocas pero sustanciosas letras, estaremos informando de lo ultimo en la vida de estos dos no famosos.

¡Bienvenidos pues sean una vez mas y muchas gracias por todo el apoyo y el cariño!

Happy Chuseok!

Chuseok is one of the three major holidays in Korea. Some may argue it is the most important holiday. As it was explained to me, Chuseok is like U.S. Thanksgiving for Koreans. It started as time when Koreans came together to thank their ancestors for the year’s harvest and shared their abundance with family and friends back when there were no dates like September 22.

Although the exact origin of Chuseok is unclear, the tradition can be traced back to ancient religious practices that centered around the significance of the moon. The sun’s presence was considered routine, but the full moon that came once a month, brightening the dark night, was considered a special and meaningful event. Therefore, festivities took place on the day of the largest full moon. On the lunar calender it is August 15th, which is why Chuseok is also known as Hangawi, which means the ides of August

I had the very unique experience of sharing that with a Korean family today. There were foods of all different kinds that I wouldn't even have the first clue how to explain...but I have some pictures!

It was very fun to try to eat with chopsticks and not get food all over myself (which I was successful...except for with the chicken) They had fish, octopus, chicken, pork, and beef, and yes, I ate them all. They also have soup, which is very similar to a miso style soup with bamboo and tofu, and well as a delicious rice filled with bean sprouts, green onion, mushroom, tofu and who knows what else. I was encouraged to try all the different vegetables on the table, which I did and liked. I unfortunately could not tell you what they were, and I dare say they were not vegetables at all but different types of seaweed (but I could be very wrong). There was a different dipping sauce to everything and as always, there was plenty of Gimchi (a national favorite) to compliment any part of the meal you desire. In the small glass there was a drink called Baek ju. It is like a popular rice liquor that is drunk especially in this holiday (again, so I am told).

I was given the vote of approval by the family because not only did I eat, I ate a lot. There for I was an ok Migu (it is the Korean name for a person from the states, because we have one in every country...I hope I "spelled" it correctly)

After this serious spread I enjoyed a "dessert" of a frozen plum tea made special for me followed pieces of apples, pears and another fruit I can not remember the name of (and also have never had before) alongside soaked peanuts with cup of coffee. All this while I watched the end of The Incredibles dubbed in Korean on the absolute largest television I have ever seen. Could one consider it the perfect blend of traditional meet technological, Old Korea and New Korea? Left to be decided...

Thank you Costco for helping me make my little world right..

So I hope to not bore you with blog posts such as "I'm at the cafe now" or "went to Costco!" on the blog ever again...so indulge me just this once..."I went to Costco!"

To preface this story, I must tell you I have yet to find cheese here. I can however find cheese like substances filled with some sort of shrimp or lobster flavoring, which I would rather not get into...but my kinda cheese...nada. This is a problem I decided to share via facebook, and learned that last year, a Costco opened in Busan, South Korea. It is far from where I am (come to find out) but it has all the food I know and love and more. So I am in. for. one. adventure...

I after work I decide I am going where I have literally never gone before, which in Busan is basically...everywhere. (Pathetic!) I was told I can take a particular street from my school and in mere minutes end up at the subway. Name of the street? I still have no idea. I figured it couldn't be that hard to find a subway station...I mean seriously...

When I ended up at the highway...I figured I did something wrong...so I did the most logical thing...I just kept walking...and turning...and walking...I completely thought I was going in the right direction and would eventually turn myself around...and an hour (or longer) later when I ended up at the Dongnae subway stop rather than the Sajik station, I realized I may have been a little off. (see map...Sajik:red line, dongnae: orange)





Luckily this station is a MASSIVE yellow building that says very clearly DONGNAE SUBWAY STATION in English...for those of us who also need the arrows to point the way when driving in a circle...


I take the subway, just fine thanks to the city's willingness to make all signs in English, and end up at my stop. mind you, this is as far as I planned in "operation cheese". I look around...and find that this is not just any subway exit...there are 10 or so exits to different parts of the streets above...and an underground mall...

eny.miny.miney.moe...catch a tiger...

out of the subway I found a taxi and said "COST-TA-CO!" I was told this was the way to say it here...whoever told me that was wrong. The taxi driver looked and me and thought for a long moment before beginning to list all of the words pronounced with C in Korean...there were many...so I tried again...I my good 'ol American (and slightly sad/defeated because I now realize I am not going to get cheese tonight) accent..."Costco?" As if I were asking permission...and that lil taxi driver looked and me and just started laughing like "why didn't you say so! Costco we go!"

I took out my handy little book of Korean phrases and frantically started to look for the pronunciation for "thank you!" As soon as I find it, I start practicing it, and realize that we are at Costco, and I have no idea how we got there...but I know how to say thank you...he kindly says "you're welcome!" (I think) and speeds away, and I realize it doesn't matter. Big cheesy smile spreads across my face...

I try to walk in, and I have no card...obviously...but I also have no Korean. So I try to sneak by...doesn't work...I just repeat "buy? buy? me buy?" until someone lets me in. After a depressing game of charades followed by me convincing the only English speaker there to fill out the form for me...I was in!

And...so was the rest of Busan. If at any point in time you don't believe that there really are 3.6 million people in this city, just go to Costco. I never thought a Costco could feel small until I came here...It was a madhouse...but hooo...a few minutes and thoughtless body checks later I was in a cheese mecca...and 2 pounds of creamy tillamook cobly-jack cheese were mine...I could barely contain myself...

So I didn't...I decided to sit right outside the store and open up my cheese...So I sat on a cement slab near the entrance, and pryed the vaccumn-packed seal off with my teeth...taking in chunk after little chunck of cheese while I contemplated 1. Where I am, and 2. How I get back to where I know where I am...Then I realize that I am looking pretty ridiculous...and there are little Korean men behind me laughing (at me?). Now really, it's time to stop being so blatantly foreign...and down-right weird and start getting home.

I get in a taxi and hope that "Subway" is as easy as "Costco". not so much...nor is this Taxi man as happy...So then I try metro. Why I still don't know, because 1. I am obviously not in Mexico anymore and 2. this clearly confuses the man even more. So I go back to my handly little book of korean phrases and frantically findt the "transportation" section...there is no word for subway...great...I have bus, train, plane, bike, car, taxi, and no freaking subway...well...some charades...and pictures later, this wonderful, and very patient Taxi driver and I have communicated...

I am no sooner on the subway (and feeling very, very proud of my first "successful" adventure in South Korea) when the cutest little Korean girl comes on the subway...picks the seat right next to me and with ALL confidence in the world looks me in the eye and says "hello!" with a big smile. I get this big cheesy grin on my face as well and feel like everything is right in my world...and not just because I have cheese...


(*please note: This may seem like a small feat to many of you...but to me it was a pretty big deal...to those who made it all the way to the end...thanks for reading!)

Ahn-young-ha-seh-yo!

Ahn-young-ha-seh-yo!
Hello!

We are about to embark on another adventure in the "Que Pasta?" world of the Dirty Enchilada and lil 'ol Bethany Ann. It's another year passed and another 3,000+ miles further for this daring duo.
There is a crucial step to this adventure that is approaching quickly. So far it has started smoothly. I, Bethany, have arrived safely and comfortably in Busan (Pusan), South Korea. The jet lag was a force I never thought so fierce to reckon with...but am feeling the victory in this very moment while I celebrate my first evening awake past 8pm. It is a staggering 9:32 currently as I embark on our blogging journey once again.

In case any of you who care to read this blog have forgotten, a very similar situation occured only a short 18 months ago. I was in a new country, eagerly awaiting the arrival of a certain gentleman and...well see below for the specific details. I am again in this very situation, and again hoping dearly that the governmental powers that bind will this time be swooned by our Dirty Enchilada so we can give this blog a happy ending unlike with those darned peruvians...

Adventure set to begin...9.24.2010