We were on our layover between Amsterdam and Spain when we spent a single afternoon in Paris. For anyone who’s been to this city before, you know that beautiful, well constructed 19th century buildings line the streets, and are still in impeccable condition for their age. The coffee is over-priced, and the tourists stand out like sore thumbs. Locals walking about and minding their business generally look very good, and that their lifestyle is potentially (probably) healthy. Fresh produce markets can be found conveniently except in tourist destinations. And most cafes have cute little chalkboards placed perfectly outside their entrances, with daily specials written immaculately.
No detail is overlooked in Paris. Those who have previously visited know this.
I’ve been there at least one day in each of the last three summers, which of course at this point makes me a foregone expert. And truth be told, if I only had one day next summer to go out and spend in one of the most well known cities in the world, it sure as hell wouldn’t be Paris.
It’s not the Paris of old like in the movies. In my personal experience, the idea that Paris is the epicenter of romance and French kissing is far more exotic than what one can reasonably expect to see when visiting. Residents there, as most people throughout the world, are simply trying to ‘live their lives’, or just ‘get ahead’ with hard work. You know, make a decent living.
There is really nothing that special about Paris, other than the feeling I got that living there seems way cooler than visiting. The French fries are recognizable, seeing the iconic images in person provides only a momentary rush, and photo-ops are in full supply. Other than that, prepare to shell out a mint for dinner for two.
But what do I know, maybe I’ve overlooked something. If you’re an American who has never been to Europe, you’ll probably love the place. Or hate it.
Keep the faith.
Friday, September 9, 2011
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
Rome is Burning
I don’t think I’ve ever been to Rome when it wasn’t sunny and blazing hot out. Our most recent experience was no exception.
We woke up this morning to our last day in Italy. Our flight to Copenhagen was scheduled to leave in the evening, and therefore the morning and afternoon were mine to carouse Rome any way I chose. I needed to claim as much b-footage for Marco’s piece as I could possibly film by 4pm. My solution: rent a scooter. There’s really nothing ground-breaking about this decision, except that I hadn’t given it any thought at all until shortly before walking toward the rental place.
By late morning Steph was on the back of a 100cc automatic rented scooter, and feeling every bump of the cobblestone streets just like I was.
Every time I’ve ever visited Thailand, I’ve rented scooters. I’ve done it so many times at this point that I’ve ended up in some sort of (dare I say minor) accident each trip. I hate telling the public that sort of thing, that I had a motorized bike accident. Makes me feel embarrassed, like I’ve really done something wrong. But since not many of you are reading, I'm going out on a limb for once.
I keep these facts clear as a summer day in Rome day every time now when I step onto a motorized 2 wheel vehicle and hit the streets. However, I’ve never experienced anything like today. A quick synapsis of our afternoon on the scooter looked like this:
Ride the scooter to an area near the Colosseum. Finding parking. Park, and heave the kick stand into position. Sweat balls. Grab the camera and tripod. Find a location to film. Set up the equipment. Film a few shots. Watch Steph snap still photos with the DSLR. Watch tourists with (mostly) little cameras attempt to snap perfect photos of their vacation. Break everything down quickly and head back to the scooter. Apply more sun screen. Finally get back on, start it (was having trouble starting it b/c it was so hot) and then head to a new location, like the Pantheon.
I’ve been to Rome 4 times now. From a scooter, it’s never looked prettier.
Keep the faith.
We woke up this morning to our last day in Italy. Our flight to Copenhagen was scheduled to leave in the evening, and therefore the morning and afternoon were mine to carouse Rome any way I chose. I needed to claim as much b-footage for Marco’s piece as I could possibly film by 4pm. My solution: rent a scooter. There’s really nothing ground-breaking about this decision, except that I hadn’t given it any thought at all until shortly before walking toward the rental place.
By late morning Steph was on the back of a 100cc automatic rented scooter, and feeling every bump of the cobblestone streets just like I was.
Every time I’ve ever visited Thailand, I’ve rented scooters. I’ve done it so many times at this point that I’ve ended up in some sort of (dare I say minor) accident each trip. I hate telling the public that sort of thing, that I had a motorized bike accident. Makes me feel embarrassed, like I’ve really done something wrong. But since not many of you are reading, I'm going out on a limb for once.
I keep these facts clear as a summer day in Rome day every time now when I step onto a motorized 2 wheel vehicle and hit the streets. However, I’ve never experienced anything like today. A quick synapsis of our afternoon on the scooter looked like this:
Ride the scooter to an area near the Colosseum. Finding parking. Park, and heave the kick stand into position. Sweat balls. Grab the camera and tripod. Find a location to film. Set up the equipment. Film a few shots. Watch Steph snap still photos with the DSLR. Watch tourists with (mostly) little cameras attempt to snap perfect photos of their vacation. Break everything down quickly and head back to the scooter. Apply more sun screen. Finally get back on, start it (was having trouble starting it b/c it was so hot) and then head to a new location, like the Pantheon.
I’ve been to Rome 4 times now. From a scooter, it’s never looked prettier.
Keep the faith.
Monday, September 5, 2011
Filming Marco
For anyone reading this who is not familiar with Marco Ienna, he is a Italian living in Korea who has dedicated himself to training in Taekwondo. And to be fair in my explanation of him, he’s made himself into the most recognizable foreigner studying the sport in Korea. He’s been on Korean national TV regularly by now, and he speaks perfectly in Korean language. And he’s handsome with recognizable authentic Italian swagger.
I finally met Marco at GSN, the film studio on campus where I work and he studies when he came to fill out an application for the reality show I used to work on a little over a year ago. The reality show gig never panned out for Marco, and I decided to take his piece, which has now turned into a very large one, into my own hands. I’ve been working on it for almost a full year now and it's still not finished. As documentary films go, I suppose this is not unusual.
The latest chapter of Marco’s piece took place in Rome where he’s from. I was invited by his parents into their home to film and interview them, and to interview friends of his family as well. Seems simple enough right? It would have been if I spoke Italian fluently. Thank goodness I do speak Spanish and have at least limited ability with that language to communicate with Italians.
Being invited into anyone’s home is a special event, and this invitation was no exception. Particular consideration went into our one night stay with them, because I was coming all the way from Korea, and did not speak Italian. Questions for them, for instance, needed to be written in advance, and translated.
Boy did that Spanish come in handy. We were able to communicate efficiently over the course of two meals, and I think I learned more Italian language in a single 24 hour period than any language I’ve ever learned in the same amount of time. I can exclusively thank Mario his father for that, as he is one of the friendliest in the business.
Did I mention his mother makes a super-delicious carbonara. I felt as if I couldn’t have been treated better if they tried.
Keep the faith.
I finally met Marco at GSN, the film studio on campus where I work and he studies when he came to fill out an application for the reality show I used to work on a little over a year ago. The reality show gig never panned out for Marco, and I decided to take his piece, which has now turned into a very large one, into my own hands. I’ve been working on it for almost a full year now and it's still not finished. As documentary films go, I suppose this is not unusual.
The latest chapter of Marco’s piece took place in Rome where he’s from. I was invited by his parents into their home to film and interview them, and to interview friends of his family as well. Seems simple enough right? It would have been if I spoke Italian fluently. Thank goodness I do speak Spanish and have at least limited ability with that language to communicate with Italians.
Being invited into anyone’s home is a special event, and this invitation was no exception. Particular consideration went into our one night stay with them, because I was coming all the way from Korea, and did not speak Italian. Questions for them, for instance, needed to be written in advance, and translated.
Boy did that Spanish come in handy. We were able to communicate efficiently over the course of two meals, and I think I learned more Italian language in a single 24 hour period than any language I’ve ever learned in the same amount of time. I can exclusively thank Mario his father for that, as he is one of the friendliest in the business.
Did I mention his mother makes a super-delicious carbonara. I felt as if I couldn’t have been treated better if they tried.
Keep the faith.
Saturday, September 3, 2011
'You See These ROKs' Response
The following was filmed yesterday, Sat. Sept 3rd, 2011:
Four days ago I posted a video in my blog of an American behaving poorly a public bus in Korea.
This video rocked many of us who work and live in Korea. While many of us agree that residing in Korea is not without its challenges, an incidence like this hinders any attempt by the Expat community to demonstrate we belong here. While I understand there are those Koreans who see us as individuals, there are still many Koreans out there who believe that, for example, all black people behave this way. Such a belief is ludicrous indeed.
The backlash of this incident is simmering down, but still has not disappeared by any stretch. So with the assistance of my good friends Albert Escobedo, a local American comedian, and Elliott Ashby, an American radio DJ in Seoul, we decided to create a response to set the record straight. I believe these two do an excellent job of pointing out the particulars of living here as foreigners, and as Americans. I highly recommend you check out the video if you're at all interested in what it's like to live in Korea as an American, or as a person from a western country.
Keep the faith.
Four days ago I posted a video in my blog of an American behaving poorly a public bus in Korea.
This video rocked many of us who work and live in Korea. While many of us agree that residing in Korea is not without its challenges, an incidence like this hinders any attempt by the Expat community to demonstrate we belong here. While I understand there are those Koreans who see us as individuals, there are still many Koreans out there who believe that, for example, all black people behave this way. Such a belief is ludicrous indeed.
The backlash of this incident is simmering down, but still has not disappeared by any stretch. So with the assistance of my good friends Albert Escobedo, a local American comedian, and Elliott Ashby, an American radio DJ in Seoul, we decided to create a response to set the record straight. I believe these two do an excellent job of pointing out the particulars of living here as foreigners, and as Americans. I highly recommend you check out the video if you're at all interested in what it's like to live in Korea as an American, or as a person from a western country.
Keep the faith.
Thursday, September 1, 2011
Small Town Europe
While visiting Trury in northern Italy, I just couldn’t help but notice the human kindness I endured. It may be nothing different than what a visitor from Europe may very well experience in small town America, but none the less it charmed my pants off.
We had driven to the center of Castiglione Olona with Trury and Masi (her husband) to film and capture the essence of Trury. The town was so small I didn’t even know we were in the center of it when we parked. I hadn’t much battery left in my camera due to my own shortcomings, so we filmed a little and decided to hit up the only local pub/restaurant in the vicinity to have a cold drink and charge the camera. After all, we weren’t finished shooting, the battery was practically dead, and it was hot as the devil that day.
Though the camera was purchased in the U.S., I have all the necessary equipment to charge it anywhere in the world..... except (apparently) in Italy. Anyone familiar with how Italy’s plugs are mildly different from the rest of Europe’s can feel my frustration. In certain hotels, however, they may have both Italian and European plugs for travelers. In Italy, the outlet holes are the same space apart, but are ever so slightly smaller. This throws everything off.
We ordered beers, and I tried to plug my camera into the only socket available according to the bar owner. When I told my friends it wouldn’t fit, they instantly knew why. They mentioned this to the owner, and he disappeared into the back room. Minutes later he reappeared with a brand new power strip for all European plugs straight out of the package. All this while he was serving the rest of the restaurant.
When I approached to pay the bill afterwards, he undercharged me. I know so because the till was much more than the amount he accepted. In other words, he saved the day and saved me money. Now that’s what I’m talking about.
Keep the faith.
We had driven to the center of Castiglione Olona with Trury and Masi (her husband) to film and capture the essence of Trury. The town was so small I didn’t even know we were in the center of it when we parked. I hadn’t much battery left in my camera due to my own shortcomings, so we filmed a little and decided to hit up the only local pub/restaurant in the vicinity to have a cold drink and charge the camera. After all, we weren’t finished shooting, the battery was practically dead, and it was hot as the devil that day.
Though the camera was purchased in the U.S., I have all the necessary equipment to charge it anywhere in the world..... except (apparently) in Italy. Anyone familiar with how Italy’s plugs are mildly different from the rest of Europe’s can feel my frustration. In certain hotels, however, they may have both Italian and European plugs for travelers. In Italy, the outlet holes are the same space apart, but are ever so slightly smaller. This throws everything off.
We ordered beers, and I tried to plug my camera into the only socket available according to the bar owner. When I told my friends it wouldn’t fit, they instantly knew why. They mentioned this to the owner, and he disappeared into the back room. Minutes later he reappeared with a brand new power strip for all European plugs straight out of the package. All this while he was serving the rest of the restaurant.
When I approached to pay the bill afterwards, he undercharged me. I know so because the till was much more than the amount he accepted. In other words, he saved the day and saved me money. Now that’s what I’m talking about.
Keep the faith.
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Appalled
I watched this video yesterday and was appalled.
Behavior like this has no place in this world. It certainly has no place in Korea if you're American. I don't need to explain how someone acting like this sours the reputation of all of us Expatriate Americans residing in Korea. He should be arrested, and removed from the country. I'm sure that if he thought he was being videotaped that he would have acted differently. Doesn't this schmuck understand that we are all being watched in this country?
After a second viewing and further private deliberation, you know what this reminded me of? Rodney King. We all remember the Rodney King incident, don't we?
Rodney King was a black man who was caught on tape being severely beaten in 1992 by LAPD in what was supposed to be a routine traffic stop for speeding. What was shocking about the Rodney King incident was not that it happened, because black people have been suffering this kind of treatment since the dawn of age in America. No. What was truly shocking was that is was caught on tape. Caught on film before the age of the internet. In 1992, catching an incident like this on video was a rarity. In fact, nothing like the Rodney King beating had ever been videotaped. Mr. King was later awarded 1 million dollars per strike by the police batons.
The officers who participated in the beatings were tried in a court of law. The decision to acquit all four officers sparked the LA Riots of April, 1992. The Los Angeles Riots eventually spread across the nation. Had the Rodney King incident not been videotaped, it would have most likely been swept under the rug. Good thing that didn't happen.
This is posted because I was disgusted at what I saw, and I wouldn't have seen it if someone wasn't quick with their cell phone video camera. Get this scumbag out of Korea. An incident like this deserves reprehension.
Keep the faith.
Behavior like this has no place in this world. It certainly has no place in Korea if you're American. I don't need to explain how someone acting like this sours the reputation of all of us Expatriate Americans residing in Korea. He should be arrested, and removed from the country. I'm sure that if he thought he was being videotaped that he would have acted differently. Doesn't this schmuck understand that we are all being watched in this country?
After a second viewing and further private deliberation, you know what this reminded me of? Rodney King. We all remember the Rodney King incident, don't we?
Rodney King was a black man who was caught on tape being severely beaten in 1992 by LAPD in what was supposed to be a routine traffic stop for speeding. What was shocking about the Rodney King incident was not that it happened, because black people have been suffering this kind of treatment since the dawn of age in America. No. What was truly shocking was that is was caught on tape. Caught on film before the age of the internet. In 1992, catching an incident like this on video was a rarity. In fact, nothing like the Rodney King beating had ever been videotaped. Mr. King was later awarded 1 million dollars per strike by the police batons.
The officers who participated in the beatings were tried in a court of law. The decision to acquit all four officers sparked the LA Riots of April, 1992. The Los Angeles Riots eventually spread across the nation. Had the Rodney King incident not been videotaped, it would have most likely been swept under the rug. Good thing that didn't happen.
This is posted because I was disgusted at what I saw, and I wouldn't have seen it if someone wasn't quick with their cell phone video camera. Get this scumbag out of Korea. An incident like this deserves reprehension.
Keep the faith.
Monday, August 29, 2011
A Balanced Diet
It wouldn’t be poignant of me to write a blog bragging about all the good things that go with a week away from the grind. Or a month.
My goal of this trip (tho not from the outset) has become this: gorge myself into oblivion, and hope I somehow come out better on the other side. One never wants to deprive themselves of the delicious options available only while they travel distant lands. If we don’t ‘carpe diem’ and investigate the local cuisine, we may not otherwise fully understand what magical knowledge the locals really possess.
Who can resist several pieces of that fresh bread on the table before the meal comes in a place like Spain? You know, the bread with the hard crust and the soft middle, maybe with that oil and vinegar from the region to dip it in. They do this at Italian restaurants back home, but with places offering bottomless pasta bowls like at Olive Garden, why would you take up valuable stomach space for bread?
Don’t mention this to anyone, because it’s hardly worth saying how much weight I’ve gained from all these European goodies. And you thought the Tiramasu at Starbucks was good.
Oddly, I was running 5-6 kilometers daily to get in shape for the beach prior to take off in the end of July. I was pumping out sets of crunches and leg lifts to target sizing down my stomach. I even sweated a few times. Now, I feel like I’m dedicated to drinking every last drop of European beer because Korean swill is so bad in comparison.
Of course, beer isn’t the only beverage making me happy in Europe. If you’re doing it right, and especially with the locals, it’s wine with every meal including lunch. Red if you’re lucky, in Italy anyway. It’s nothing like that crap some of us normally drink back home. Trust me.
Now I better finish this beer before it gets warm.
Keep the faith.
My goal of this trip (tho not from the outset) has become this: gorge myself into oblivion, and hope I somehow come out better on the other side. One never wants to deprive themselves of the delicious options available only while they travel distant lands. If we don’t ‘carpe diem’ and investigate the local cuisine, we may not otherwise fully understand what magical knowledge the locals really possess.
Who can resist several pieces of that fresh bread on the table before the meal comes in a place like Spain? You know, the bread with the hard crust and the soft middle, maybe with that oil and vinegar from the region to dip it in. They do this at Italian restaurants back home, but with places offering bottomless pasta bowls like at Olive Garden, why would you take up valuable stomach space for bread?
Don’t mention this to anyone, because it’s hardly worth saying how much weight I’ve gained from all these European goodies. And you thought the Tiramasu at Starbucks was good.
Oddly, I was running 5-6 kilometers daily to get in shape for the beach prior to take off in the end of July. I was pumping out sets of crunches and leg lifts to target sizing down my stomach. I even sweated a few times. Now, I feel like I’m dedicated to drinking every last drop of European beer because Korean swill is so bad in comparison.
Of course, beer isn’t the only beverage making me happy in Europe. If you’re doing it right, and especially with the locals, it’s wine with every meal including lunch. Red if you’re lucky, in Italy anyway. It’s nothing like that crap some of us normally drink back home. Trust me.
Now I better finish this beer before it gets warm.
Keep the faith.
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