We appeased the jealous God by borrowing winter coats, and eventually, the sun came out. A bit late for the cherries, but good enough for a trip to Sokcho, a harbor town not far from the border. In the North, the trees were smarter, they waited out the cold and were now in full bloom. I dipped my feet in the sea, and with full appetite, set to work on the town's famous dish. It's hard to beat sashimi caught just hours before, especially when taken with copious amount of ice-cold soju. BTW, the water was much colder than the California coast.
Jealousy
This year, on the first of April, as in every year in folk memory, Spring came to Seoul. The cherry trees were the first to notice, and transformed the city from winter grey to sparkling pink. However, within a week, the freezing cold returned. I suspect that the Weather-God noticed our arrival at the airport and decided to show us a real winter. The dismayed cherries laid a faded white carpet on the wet sidewalks.
We appeased the jealous God by borrowing winter coats, and eventually, the sun came out. A bit late for the cherries, but good enough for a trip to Sokcho, a harbor town not far from the border. In the North, the trees were smarter, they waited out the cold and were now in full bloom. I dipped my feet in the sea, and with full appetite, set to work on the town's famous dish. It's hard to beat sashimi caught just hours before, especially when taken with copious amount of ice-cold soju. BTW, the water was much colder than the California coast.
We appeased the jealous God by borrowing winter coats, and eventually, the sun came out. A bit late for the cherries, but good enough for a trip to Sokcho, a harbor town not far from the border. In the North, the trees were smarter, they waited out the cold and were now in full bloom. I dipped my feet in the sea, and with full appetite, set to work on the town's famous dish. It's hard to beat sashimi caught just hours before, especially when taken with copious amount of ice-cold soju. BTW, the water was much colder than the California coast.
Hans
My dear friend Hans, has gone.
Hans was a free spirit, an adventurer. He was my role model. He did not set out to be an example, he just did his best, and he did it well. He was a good athlete, a good sailor, a good musician, and a good aviator. I followed his footsteps in several of these endeavours, but never managed to catch up. I was not jealous, I viewed him as an older brother. Over the years, we shared many adventures, and he loved to chide me for the dangers my recklessness has put him through, yet that did not deter him from embarking on our next adventure. However, sometimes it felt like he was the younger, impetuous sibling. He took chances that would make me cringe, and always came out ok.
Most people are either afraid of death, or try to ignore it. Hans did not philosophize, but his actions demonstrated his feelings. Fear was not in his vocabulary, nor did he ignore death. He challenged, and often mocked it. Rather than contemplate potential disasters, he focused on extracting fun from life. Not always was it easy, but he managed to do so, and always with a smile. Hans remained my role model till the end. His smile, even on his last day, said, "I am not afraid"
I miss him.
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