the food

Hi again...
There are so many things to tell, so little time. I'll give you a crash course in the food, since I haven't touched on that much yet. Well, what can I say? It's S-P-I-C-Y. Ridiculous, so-spicy-there-is-no-taste-only-heat-spicy. I am reading a book called "Korea Unmasked". It's great--a very informative book about the culture, how it evolved, and how Korea compares to other countries. Evidently Koreans are some of the most extreme people in the world in many ways, and one way is through their food. It is the spiciest food in the world. Indian food is spicy too, but at Indian restaurants you can specify a degree of spiciness. In Korea, red pepper paste is mixed into most dishes, and there is no such thing as "mild". It's all or nothing, and believe me, they are very generous with the paste. According to the book, Koreans like spicy food for the stimulating sensation on their tongue, not just the taste. Because of their affinity for extremely spicy food, Koreans are number one in the WORLD when it comes to stomach illnesses!! ( highest rate of intestinal cancer!)
I've tried many of their spicy dishes. I can stand it, but as I'm eating, my nose is dripping and I am sweating. Rice really cuts the spice, so I use a lot of that. And I drink a lot of water. Most of the restaurants I've been to are different from back home, in that you order one dish for the whole table and everyone shares. Whatever it is comes out in a big dish or plate and everyone just digs in. This makes it very cheap to eat. One dish (feeds at least 5 people) will cost around $20, and you get lots of side dishes with it (free refills on the side dishes). I've never finished a meal with others at a restaurant. They really go overboard with their serving sizes. Even if you eat at a place where you get your own dish. Ridiculous portions. I once ordered a soup with noodles, vegetables, and fish, and the bowl was seriously bigger than the size of a frisbee, and deep. I didn't even make a dent in it (not to mention it was too spicy for me to enjoy).

Another very common type of food is called a galbi. This is barbequed beef or chicken. Each table has a grill on it, placed over a fire. The waitstaff brings out your raw meat and you get to cook it yourself. This is the best, because the meat doesn't have spices on it! :) I love this.

Even if you don't like spice, it's ok. I've had some soup that isn't spicy, as well as Mondoo which are like potstickers or dumplings. They weren't spicy. Also, ducas is great. It's fried pork. Other than Korean food, there are tons of Western restuarants everywhere, including TGI Fridays, Outback Steakhouse, plus all the fast food and pizza places. There are also Italian, Japanese, Chinese, Indian, and Thai restaurants. So I'm not starving by any means.