Yesterday, Bart drove Ras and I to have an early dinner at a relatively famous restaurant in Gunpo called “Chakhangogi.”  It’s located off a main road, but is deep in the country.  It was originally a cattle farm, eventually opening up a butchery on site, and soon was providing seats for people to grill their newly purchased beef.  It’s not even really a restaurant, but a covered outdoor area with low tables and plastic stools.  Hey, as long as the food’s good, I’m not picky.

Once you get there and order your meat, the butcher cuts it up and will bring it to your table ten minutes later.  It cost 28,000 won for 600g (of some cut I can’t remember).  Of course, the price reflects that it’s  “hanwoo” beef and very fresh.  In the meantime, we had to go to another area to get the lettuce, “saamjaang,” garlic, salt and kimchi.  Once the meat is bought, everything else is sold separately.  Our lunch tray of goodies cost 4500 won each.

This place is simple, delicious, and with no frills.  Since the restaurant doesn’t serve rice or side dishes, customers can bring their own rice if they want.  For that matter, they can bring anything else they want: extra vegetable for grilling, chigae,  or their own alcohol.  You don’t really have to bring the latter, since beers were 2000 won a bottle (but not very cold).

Bart and Ras were loving their rare pieces of beef.  The meat was delicious and we’re definitely coming back.

(Left: The cows near the parking lot.  Right: The view from the parking lot.)

More pictures can be seen here.

I woke up this morning, cleaned the apartment, and wondered what I should do with the rest of my day.  I then remembered that I wanted to check out the swimming pool at the Gunpo Welfare Center.

About a month a go, Ras and I were on a walk and noticed a very new building next to a park and Buddhist temple.  I was curious about the building because I saw a child and mother go through the doors, carrying swimming caps and goggles.  Through our cell phone dictionaries, we found out it was some kind of government office, but couldn’t get an accurate translation.  I had forgotten about it until two weeks ago when I was talking to Peter and he said the building I walked pass was the Welfare Center, and his wife was taking a pilates class there.  I then proceeded to google the Welfare Center and do a little research.

I got pages from the website translated and found that the center was like a community center.  They offered yoga, pilates, swimming, and various adult and children’s educational classes.  I decided to attend one of the drop-in lap swim session, from noon to 3pm today.  One time admission is 4000 won, while a month’s pass is 50,000 won.

I haven’t been regularly exercising for at least six months, so I figured swimming would be a good way to transition to working out.  I made the mistake of hopping in and just going at it.  I was working muscles I hadn’t in a long time and I was starting to feel sore early on.  Still, I persevered and was in the pool for almost an hour and a half.  During my last lap, a cramp set in and it was the sign I needed to stop and go shower.

After the seven minute walk back home, I was so TIRED.  I felt as if I had just run a marathon.  My body was so sore and narcolepsy was setting in fast.  I barely had time to inhale a roll of gimbap before the sofa beckoned me into its arms.  What I thought would be a half hour nap turned into two hours!  Five hours later, I’m still exhausted.  Nonetheless, I’m vowing to wake up early tomorrow and go to the 8am swim session tomorrow.  I’ll try swimming regularly now… especially since I bought new goggles at the center’s swim shop as I was leaving.

Tomorrow’s schedule: swimming, spend the morning at home, then off to City Hall for the Seoul Friendship Fair and lots of good food.

This is a shout-out to J, one of Ras’ classmates. In this post, he mentions dropping by my blog and says “i cant say i dont visit frequently in hope of a new pic of everyones favourite topless dane.” Well, your dreams have come true. It’s not the top half, but hey… skin is skin.

Ras pulled a muscle at the gym a few weeks ago. As a result, he was having some serious back pains. After a week of it not going away, he went to see an oriential medicine doctor. This wasn’t the first time he’d been to one. The first time was in Kunsas about two years ago. Back then, we didn’t have medical insurance (because our shady school refused to pay for it) and it cost about 35,000 won per session. Ras didn’t want to pay the money for numerous visits needed and decided not to go back after the initial visit.

This time, he has insurance, so it was only 4000-6000 won ($4-6) for each one hour session. After four sessions, the pain hasn’t completely gone away, but he feels much better. I’ve never needed to get acupuncture, but it’s something I wouldn’t mind trying out.

I the picture above is electric stimulation for the muscles.  This time, he didn’t get “cupping” done, which has some shocking after effects.

I wasn’t happy with the first panoramic from my apartment.  The picture was very distorted.  This version is closer to what I see when I look out the window.

The larger version can be seen here.

This is the view from my apartment on the 23rd floor.  This apartment isn’t as nice as my previous place, but the view is much better.  The picture is skewed because three photos were merged to make this panorama, but you get the idea.

In the background, you can see Anyang Country Club, which strangely, is located in Gunpo city.  The country club is owned by Samsung and is one of the most expensive country clubs in Gyeonggi-do, with an annual membership of about $30,000 USD.  They don’t take any more membership applications and is invite-only.

Anyang Country Club was founded in 1968 and the mission was to create a wonderful new golf course that would be as good as those in Europe, Japan and North America. Consequently Anyang is widely considered to be the Korean Home of Golf. 

In 1996 the club changed its name to The Anyang Benest Golf Club. The word Benest was derived from the combination of the words best and nest. Why? We’re not entirely sure.  

Robert Trent Jones Jnr was called in to renovate the layout and in 1997 a new more challenging and strategic Anyang was reborn. Amazingly, the course was sown using its own unique grass, named Anyang Jungji, which grows densely and stands bolt upright so the ball sits invitingly on top. 

The Anyang Benest Golf Club is run under the stewardship of Lee Byung-Chull, the founder of the Samsung Group and the objective was to create Korea’s best private golf club and a course that would inspire ordinary players rather one intended for tournament play.  

The course is cut through mature trees, which not only prove a challenge for the crooked driver but also brilliance of seasonal colour. This is a very special tract of land and it’s easy to see why locals call Anyang Benest “Home”.  [source]