A Strange World

I remember reading visceral novels, in which the protagonist is swept away into a magical world, where everything is a quirky evolution of something usual, thus making everything unusual.  In such books, he or she traverses mountains and great plains and vast wastelands to uncover some hidden secret that all has forgotten except a select few.  Well, of course, that protagonist is me…and indeed I have traveled far.

While gazing out of the window which for 20 intermittent hours was my link to reality…I witnessed landscapes as distant and foreign as an astronaut gazing out of a spaceship unto uncharted planets.  Mountain peaks souring into the sky topped with snowy caps, and city scrapers reaching higher and higher into the heavens, only to shrink away amidst the roar of powerful turbine engines.  Geomoetric patterns and blurry lights testified to mans creative ability, nevertheless, in comparison to nature’s majestic glory such creativity without doubt was eclipsed.  Arriving in DC, I fortunately met up with a friend of mine, who gave me a gift for a friend… without time unforutnately this was our encounter unless I was to miss my flight.  Yet, the very small encounters in life seem to have some meaning and importance, as I am constantly reminded and ponder the greater scheme in such situations.  The most beautiful sights, which tragicially I could not catch on camera, were the clouds pompous and radiant in the wailing sun’s light, capturing a different hue and majesty rarely have I seen from things above.  I wonder what our great thinkers in history, such as Newton or DiVinci would have considered if offered such spectacular views in such a godly unnatural way.  Everything about being on an airplane absolutely protests against what is dutiful in the laws of nature, and inwardly I cringe how man struts in his glory until inevitably his greatest creations undoubtedly will crumble and fail…

Arriving in Seoul was beautiful.  Movie-esque, the snow was softly falling and a plane full of Korean people in their glory seemed to sigh a breath of relief as they returned to their homeland.  Me, being somewhat a foreigner, having not remembered anything about Korea from days past, felt intrigued and curious to what new wonders the top rated airport in the world would present to me. . . Similar to Japan, I sensed a genuine pride and difference in the Incheon airport, almost like being present in someones home.  Most striking to me was the cleanliness, and efficient/aesthetic layout of the airport without annoying odors that nag the senses.  Being surrounded by Asian people and not at all uncomfortable, I soaked in the surroundings and the fluid languages spoken rapidly and sometimes hushed.  Arriving in Korea is a chapter in my life that will not soon be forgotten.  Meeting up with my friend with his mother, we drove in his somewhat expensive car to a Soon Doo boo Chi Geh restaurant that offered more varieties of the dish than condoments on a hot dog.  Yet, the drive in Korea, with foreign signs and strange flashing colors made me feel alive again, immersing myself in a culture to learn more about myself.  I will put up a few pictures that should compliment this narrative..including the flight over and my arrival.  It is now 2:13 AM and I am exhausted…as I should be in my first day in Korea… yet I have so much to do tomorrow and my journey has just begun. 

Nae Epoun Sae..I miss you a lot.  .  .  .

Goodnight.