Escapism

Stropping Around Korea - Namwon

2009-05-11T19:26:00.002+09:00

With the heat of the sun already proving itself a nuisance we headed off toward the center of love. Chungyang Theme Park is entirely based around the love story of the daughter of a local pub owner and the son of local gentry. The son was on the track for wealth and fame through hard study. He sat the exam for entrance into government life and took first place but returned in disguise to discover the newly placed magistrate had taken a shine to his misses who was in fact a Kaesong and because she had not returned his favour had landed in jail and was due to be killed. He of course saved the day and the girl and the day and they both lived happily ever after.

At first I didn’t think much of the theme park and was hoping for a refund on the 3,000 won I’d paid to get in but as we explored I found some places of interest despite not getting into the Folk Museum. The dioramas proved interesting.

From there we left our bags at the Information Center and headed off to Gwanghanloo and it’s ponds and gardens. It was in the midst of a schoolgirl infestation so the going was tough but walking the grounds was relaxing and the highlight was taking a brief respite within the central structure.

We slowly walked back to the Information Center and picked up our bags and walked the heavy steps back to the bus terminal. From there we headed to Jeongeup, a nice little town that we did little more than pass through. We noted the fire that had gutted a building on the entrance to the main traditional markets and I spied a lovely little path winding its way through the main shopping district on our way out of town. We caught the 171 bus to our current location, Naejangsan.

We had eats in a restaurant close to the motel of pajeon or spring onion pancake and served as one of the side dishes was pickled persimmon. The tastiest for me was the Pakimchi, or spring onion kimchi.

We’ve retired to our room to drink a few bottles of the local Dongdongju and eat a little more. We’ve made plans to head out at around 8am tomorrow morning for the long trek ahead of us up the nearby mountain range.

Stropping Around Korea - Jeonju

2009-05-11T19:17:00.006+09:00

It was close to midday when we finally got on the road. We stayed in Jeonju overnight and with our backpacks loaded we headed to Hanok Village for a wonder. It was Children’s Day so there were plenty of kids around. We walked from our hotel with the hope of checking out the closest Tourist information center but arrived during its lunch break which fit well with us arrived at it’s glass window the night before minutes after it had closed. Sukhee had already taken note of the bus we needed to take so we waited at the bus stop across the road.

While we were there a local lady answered several questions and was able to fill in a few of our blanks. It took a while for the bus to arrive and with my time I watched a bongo truck work its way along the street with it’s two occupants using scythes attached to the end of long bamboo poles to hack away at the bindings holding the lanterns used to celebrate the recent birthday of Buddha.

We weren’t able to get a seat on the bus but it wasn’t a long way to go to the center of town. From the stop we could clearly see the direction to take as there was a sea of people heading the same way. A festival celebrating the locally made paper was in full swing with stalls set up selling secondhand goods and a special section for children’s stalls selling their old clothes and toys.

We headed into the grounds of where a series of portraits are held showing the regal faces of a number of Kings of the Chosen dynasty. The grounds were filled with excited children and their parents were inclined to give them a little more leeway today, running on the other side of roped off areas and over the top of stone memorials.

After exiting the walled off section we went deeper into Hanok Village and marveled at the many beautiful private homes built in the old style. With an eye always on our finances we didn’t dally in front of the many craft stalls selling locally made products such as turned wood and clay goods. It was close to two in the afternoon when our bellies were starting to call louder then the local kids.

We decided to find a place to eat and at first look around the grounds of a one hundred year old church to see if anything took our fancy. There was a large food hall of sorts set up but the prices were not good for the wilted lettuce and small portions. I went into the church for a closer look while Sukhee waited close to a few restaurants.

We didn’t take long to settle on a nearby restaurant and had a filling meal of the local specialty, Bibbimbop. After lunch and right before hoping on another bus we went around the only remaining gate in Jeonju of the once complete fortifications. Surprising we were able to walk right up and through the gates themselves to the small enclosed area on the other side.

From there we caught a bus, number 79 that would take us on to the grounds of a nearby temple, Geumsansa. The temple was a lot different from others we’d seen as the buildings were very spread out and didn’t seem to be in any formation. As we walked I called Mark and we talked for a good while. The central attraction of this temple is the three story high building housing extremely large cast Buddha’s. We’d left our bags in the Tourist Center at the entrance to the temple and had to hurry back before they closed at 6pm. The Vietnamese woman working there was extremely helpful and her English was close to native.

We took the bus all the way back to the Intercity bus terminal to wait the few minutes for a bus to Namwon. In Namwon, a relatively small town was a festival celebrating love or rather a very old love story between a few locals. In the guide book it proclaimed the festival to be in full swing for another few days so after getting a room and having dinner in a nearby restaurant we didn’t feel inclined to wander towards the festivities.

Stropping Around Korea - Daegu / Gatbawi

2009-04-29T20:46:00.005+09:00

Daegu is a major city of around two and a half million people in the province of Gyeongsangbuk on the eastern coast of South Korea. Because of the population and the availability of funds they have established a convenient system to aid the tourist industry. Right outside the central train station there is an information office with English speaking staff that will happily assist any newcomers with checking out the sites and even pointing you in the direction of a place to stay.

A general wave of the arm was all that was needed when we stropped up to the counter and asked where we might lay our heads. To the young lady's left were motels at around 30,000 won and to her right were more expensive motels at around 50,000 won. We opted for the cheaper and after checking out the times of the various tours that were available headed off. Sure enough there were a large cluster of places to stay, all with colourful names and just as colourful signage. We picked a place called Guam at random and checked in.

The next morning we were at the information office once again right in time for the morning departure of Daegu City Tour bus. There are six departure times each day and with a hop on hop off system you are not rushed at any of the ten sites they stop at. The mixture of places caters for young and old with a farm visit, a theme park and the more traditional temples and ancient Confucian schools.

Our first choice was a placed called Gatbawi, a statue of Buddha carved in the Unified Silla period bu a Monk heartbroken over the death of his mother. I knew beforehand that the statue was at the top of a hill but the climb was grueling and there came plenty of times when i wanted to turn around a limp back down. With a method of one step at a time and small goals of the next twist in the staircase i managed to finally crest the mountain.

The last few steps were the hardest as the nearer we got to the top the clearer the sound of a Monks chanting could be heard along of the rhythmic beats of stick on wood which was a lot faster then my current pace and seemed to stir everybody around me on. but manage it i did and satisfied i was.

When i finally reached the flat space directly in front of the statue it was hard to move with the large number of tightly packed bodies bowing or sitting in reverence and even harder to see the statue itself as the view was blocked with the framework of coloured lanterns that have been set up in anticipation of Buddha's 2553 birthday on May the 2nd. Once i had recovered my breath and sampled the view of the mountains surrounding us I made my way forward to admire the skill of an ancient artisan.

When it came time to head back down we naturally followed the path that continued on beyond the statue. That was our mistake. It was a lot easier getting down and we were quickly at the base of the hill thinking if we'd come up this way our legs wouldn't be feeling like they wanted to drop off. Our thinking also included the idea that if we followed this way we'd eventually arrive back at the bus stop we were dropped off at. But how wrong we were. It was at the bottom of the fourth car park that we came to the depressing conclusion we were on the wrong side of the mountain and had now idea how to get to where we needed to be. My friend flagged down a passing car and the driver quickly confirmed our dilemma but he also just as quickly offered us a solution, he offered to drive us around to the correct place. We very thankfully jumped in and ogled the fate he had saved us from as we headed back out onto the highway and eventually to our recognizable starting point.

Part of the aim of this trip was to restore my faith in the locals, it's working!

Stropping Around Korea - Sokcho / Gangneung

2009-04-13T13:50:00.007+09:00

Making an earlier start, we headed up to Yanggu on highway 46 for no other reason to have a bit of a look. As it turns out, there wasn't a lot to look at apart from farming equipment and a rather quaint looking town. We are a month early for the tea festival so not a lot was going on. We did a quick circle through the town and headed out the way we came.

Our first stop was just north of Chuncheon at the temple of Cheongpyeon. The drive to the temple was along narrow, winding roads but the walk up to the temple was gentle and relatively short. Set amidst the mountains and decked out for the coming birthday celebrations on the 2nd of May, the simple effort in getting here was greatly rewarded. Once we got back down to the restaurants beside the car park, we got out the gas cooker and made ourselves noodles for lunch on a covered table attached to one of the restaurants. The grandmother was generous in letting us make our own food while sitting at their tables.

On our way to the coast we drove through Seoraksan National Park which is truly breath taking. Wild rocky peaks covered in sparse vegetation surround us, occasional bursts of white from a tree covered in blossoms or the beginnings of spring leaves do little to obscure the harshness of the mountains. Running beside the highway is a river that has been completely remade, sculpted embankments and channeled waterfalls that nature would be ashamed of and in fact had stayed away from as the river bed way practically dry.

We stopped at the mid way point with a commanding view of the path we were yet to take. For a coin you could briefly hire a pair of mounted binoculars to take a closer look or should you wish to spend more there were gifts galore available. You could even had a meal at a restaurant with large windows giving you a spectacular view as you ate. It was enough for me to buy a cup of coffee and use the loo before getting back on the road.

Once we got to the coast we headed north to the township of Sokcho where there is a lively fish market right next to the wharf. You could dine on all manner of sea creatures fresh from the ocean while staring out at the boats that caught them. The people are all friendly and call out as you walk by, attempting to entice you inside. One guy even proclaimed his love for me. We decided against having a meal here but bought a few rice cakes to tide us over.

Heading back down south, our target was the town of Gangneung. Just before reaching the town, we stopped at the Ojukheon Municipal Museum which is based around the originally dwellings of the mother of Korea, Shin Saim-dang who will be soon appearing on the new 50,000 won note. There are several museums on the grounds showing replicas of some of her paintings as well as selling the expensive take home kind but i was thoroughly impressed with the condition and design of the whole complex as well as the small entrance fee.

Rather than stay in the actual township of Gangneung, we decided to look for a place closer to the beach in Gyeonpodae and were pleasantly surprised to find a place within a roads breadth from the white sands for the very reasonable price of 25,000 won. Because of the price we have decided to stay two nights giving me time to do a little writing and to soak up a little relaxation. As i write this in a small Internet cafe attached to a coffee shop the owner sits a few computers down from me with his head leaned back and snoring contentedly.

Last night was sushi night. At the restaurant downstairs from where we are staying we ate a large if not a little expensive meal of raw fish, so much raw fish that we couldn't finish it all but we did finish three bottles of soju, another reason perhaps for the extra time in this idyllic location. I am officially no longer a vegetarian!

Stropping Around Korea - Namiseom / Chuncheon

2009-04-13T12:37:00.008+09:00

On Friday night i headed up to Uijeongbu via the subway. The following day, Saturday the 11th of April was to be the first day of my exploration. To begin my trip i was taking it easy. It doesn't get any easier than sitting in the front seat of a car and pointing at a place on the map and getting there. Travelling by car means that everything is done in your own time, no schedules, timetables or connections to make. So it's no wonder that come Saturday we were off to a slow start.

After the car was packed, the memory cards downloaded, final purchases made and the car given a once over we were off. It wasn't until around 11am that we actually hit the road and it wasn't for a short while that that we actually found the right road to hit. That's the other thing about travelling by car, sometimes you don't know the way so end up making a few wrong turns. I guess that is all part of it.

At a little after 2pm we arrived at our first destination, Nami Seom. Nami Seom is an island in the middle of a river but once it happened to be a not so big mountain until a dam was built. That was back in the forties. These days it's a major tourist attraction. A few years ago a producer from a TV company decided to use it as a set for romantic drama, Winter Sonata. The drama became very popular, not only in Korea but also in other Asian countries. So of course the location started to draw crowds.

In 2006 a gentlemen decided to capitalize on the influx of tourists and created The Naminaru Republic. It takes a visa to enter, basically a fee of 8,000 won and a ticket and a short ferry ride to get there. The island boarders the provinces of Gyeonggi and Gangwon. It's accessed from Gyeonggi but administered by Gangwon. Given this unique location it has declared semi Independence and gone on to become a thriving economy. It's popularity has benefited not only the owners but the whole community. Hotels have sprung up and restaurants expanded. The Republic employs countless staff both on the island and off it. There are ferries running back and forth continuously and long ques, even in the off season.

On the island there are gift shops, restaurants, galleries and zoo animals. The two ostriches we saw didn't look like they were enjoying their time much but the squirrels were pretty chipper. You can hire all manner of transportation, from bicycles of two or four wheels to a sky train that seats two. There are even batches to rent but they run a little pricey.

The name of the island comes from a General who some believe to be buried on the island, well it would have been a mountain when he was laid to rest. There is a stone baring a poem of his carved into its surface. by all accounts he was a remarkable man who passed his Military entrance exam at 17 and died discredited aged 27. Hundreds of years later the charges were dropped and he was reinstated to hero status. A movie was even made of his life back in the 60's.

Getting off the island proved more difficult than getting on as the ques were even longer but shortly thereafter we were back on the road. We decided to head to Chuncheon, the Gangwon provincial capital and find a place to stay. When we got to the city it took some time to find a place to stay close to a place to eat and before getting there we were diverted by the final day of the cherry blossom festival. In Chuncheon there is a walkway running between a park and narrow river. Because it is near the end of the season for the blossoms they weren't at their best with more petals littering the ground like snow rather than on the trees but still it was a nice introduction to the city.

Chuncheon is known for Dukgalbi, a fairly simple chicken dish cooked at your table. Even though the frying tray takes up most of the small circular table you are sitting around and well within reach, the waiter does most of the cooking, regularly coming to check on it's progress and adding extra ingredients when needed. Dukgalbi is best accompanied by Suju, the locals version of Vodka.

The hotel we found was a place called Hanmon which was a little more expensive than i had anticipated at 60,000 won a night, and pretty much run of the mill. But the room comes with computer, table and chairs, a large bed and a packet of condoms. The woman who ran the place was friendly and happy to give up directions but at that price we weren't sticking around. Come the morning we were on the highway headed east.

Beijing

2009-04-13T12:34:00.003+09:00

On my second day in Beijing, I was generously bestowed a great piece of information. My taxi driver told me that in and around Beijing there are five places all visitors must see. Countable on one hand and deceptively simple to achieve and had I not already spent the better part of a day venturing to just one of those sights then I would have cheerily set off in the vain attempt of achieving the set.

With so much room to move it is understandable why the Chinese build on such a grand scale. Without limits placed upon land and man power they have assembled a remarkable collection of dominating, if not foot weary, landmarks.

For me it was the grounds, buildings and people of the Temple of Heaven that stood well above the rest. It is easily accessible, which was a huge plus, a subway station drops you off right at the eastern entrance. Before reaching the main attractions however, such as the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvest and the Imperial Vault of Heaven, I found myself diverted by the scores of locals whittling away their time in the pursuit of happiness via all manner of activities.

What I initially took to be firecrackers turned out to be the cracks of chain whips and by the looks of it, should you have desired, lessons could obtained. Elsewhere there were a mass of line dancers, salsa dancers or more spectacle friendly traditional dancers. Intimate games of Chinese chess, cards or dominos were being played on the fringes of a long covered walkway and large groups of women were knitting elephants, in-soles or flask holders for the ever present flasks of tea that no respectable Chinese citizen would leave home without. Sitting and soaking up the life of Beijingers will become one of my most cherished memories.

Until the Number Four subway line opens in 2010, The Summer Palace proved to be a little more difficult to get to. It is on the western outskirts of Beijing and comes down to knowing which bus heads out there depending on where you are in the city. From the Beijing Zoo and its collection of camera shy Pandas, I took the 732 to the end of the line. For serene beauty the Summer Palace is by far the place to go. Built on the shores of a dredged though impeccably picturesque lake reside over 3,000 structures, the most dominating of which is the Tower of Buddhist Incense. It was the middle of the afternoon when I finally arrived and officially the grounds close at 5PM but it was well after six as the sun was setting when I was quietly ushered out.

Of the five places on the list provided by my friendly taxi driver, the only one I didn’t get to was the Great wall. How can you go to China and not see the wall? For me it was a matter of time. From Beijing there are three places from which to visit the wall, each of which chew through a day. From the splendor of the Forbidden City and the historical significance of Tiananmen Square, from the narrow alleys of the fading Hutongs to the liveliness of the night market, I saw a lot, did a lot and am thoroughly satisfied with my Beijing experience.

Yousuf Karsh

2009-03-09T13:24:00.004+09:00

Celebrating one hundred years since his birth, an exhibition of photos from the very gifted Yousuf Karsh is currently basking in the Korean spotlight. I was lucky enough to stand nose to nose with some very famous people for several hours on Sunday afternoon. Being able to look Hemingway in the eye took some courage even though he was looking beyond me but could I expect anything less from someone so gifted. I even wilted slightly under Churchill’s glare. Having his cigar removed moments before the shot had put him in a very foul mood.

The exhibition was housed at the Seoul Arts Center, a grand complex with many galleries, cafes, and an extremely well priced restaurant. Outside the entrance way to the Karsh exhibition one is able to buy all manner of nik-naks to remind yourself of how close you stood to these pieces of history. The only let down being, there was nothing in English apart from an expensive book of the Life and works of Yousuf Karsh. Mind you, if your buying a name emblazoned pencil, a pocket sized kaleidoscope or postcard there’s little need for language.

The Exhibition runs until the 8th of May and can be reached via a short walk from Nambu Terminal Station.

http://karshkorea.com/

http://www.karsh.org/

A view of a small slice of the Seoul Arts Center. There's a hell of a lot going on here at any one time.

Stropping Around Korea - Namhansanseong

2009-02-15T21:37:00.007+09:00

Namhan Mountain Fortress is about 24 km southeast of Seoul and mostly consists of a wall running for just over 8km around Namhan Mountain. The wall has four gates and within its bounds are several temples and a brace of restaurants.

After the pleasures of travelling derived from last weekend i planned another outing, this time to Namhansan. What i didn't plan on however was the overnight snow that made walking both dangerous and a tad frigid. I ended up on my arse several times.

To be honest I hadn't intended on walking so much. I thought I would head in the general direction of something interesting, get a few snaps and get back to someplace warm but the mood took me and i found myself looking down over a city far below, shivering uncontrollably and quietly proud of myself for taking that extra step.

Stropping Around Korea - Jipyeong / Gudun

2009-02-08T21:37:00.007+09:00

After a busy Saturday i decided to head out of the city for a breath of fresh air. I'd read an interesting review of recent trip taken by another blogger so decided to follow in his wake and check out Jipyeong and Gudun, tiny blips on the Korean landscape.

There are three trains running each day in the direction i wanted to go and because of prior commitments i was just in time to catch the final run of the day, the 7pm. Having little idea of what to expect in the way of places to stay i was feeling a little nervous. I formulated a plan while we were getting outside the boundaries of the city; once i got close to my first destination i would start looking for the bright lights of a Motel and jump off.

It sounded good but not knowing how close i was until i actually got there proved to be a slight hic-cup. We passed a place that had welcoming bright lights close to the station but i decided to stay on and see how many more stations it would be until mine. It turned out to be two. Now i would have to wait until the next chance came. Five stations later i made my break in a place called Wonju. A tall building in the distance promised the comforts of sleep.

In the morning, feeling well rested and a lot more relaxed i got back on the train and headed back the way i came. My first target was a place called Jipyeong, in which the largest building turned out to be the train station. The town itself was small but not so small that it made it any easier to find the brewery i had come to see. After repeatedly having to stop and ask i walked up to a fairly run-down old building with little in the way of proclamations of it's long and respected history.

Makgeolli is or rather was an integral part of the Korean daily life. An alcoholic drink made from rice, it's popularity has come and gone. But for me, who is more used to the delights of cheap vodka, it has become a pleasant if not welcomed way to spend an evening. So because of my fondness, it seemed only right i should delve a little into it's history, meaning checking out an 80 year old brewery and buying a few bottles to take home.

From there i boarded the train once more and headed to Gudun, a 70 or there abouts old train station built during Japanese rule. It's point of being will soon be taken away when the train line is straightened out and the station by-passed. what better time to pay a visit when it's still in use.

North Korea Vs South Korea

2008-06-28T10:32:00.004+09:00

On Sunday the 22ND a group of us toddled along to Olympic Stadium to watch the two Korea's battle in out in a game of Soccer. As both teams are already though this game didn't count for much but at the very least we were hoping for a goal fest as neither team has the best defence. As it turned out, neither team had the best attack as well and the game finished on a nil all draw.

Cricket in Korea

2008-06-28T10:08:00.004+09:00

Here are two shots from a game of cricket i was lucky enough to be a part of a few weeks back. I played for a combined Australian and New Zealand team against a team comprised of members from Sri Lanka. It was played on University grounds in Suwon, a city south of Seoul.

Unfortunately we got our asses kicked. It was a Twenty twenty format game and after going into bat first, Sri Lanka scored an impressive 187 runs. We however were all out for 105.

Harsh Goodbyes

2008-04-22T18:15:00.001+09:00

Yearn deprived and sluggish
I gaze into the darkness
To where silence has reign
A sovereign state it claims
Beyond the walls of its dominion
Into the hollows where I slumber
A turned back on old embraces
A burnt look on my soiled face.

Bitter words that hurt erupted
Have grown hard and more corrupted
Every rivulet and subtle nuance
Long eroded by tides want
Void of lips on which to tremble
An equine perch without its luster
A nub that once a lance had thrusted
A brace to once a throng had clustered.

I read in books the tired calling
From where the voices last were falling
Lyrics thought o’ granite strong
Now remains of nothing gone
Memories cast in seas dilution
Settled deep beyond absolution
In darkness where the silence sighs
Lamenting on its harsh goodbyes.

Sacrifice

2008-04-22T18:14:00.000+09:00

Lead me with your hidden blade
Into the depths of sacred stone
To where our ancestors bones are laid
Beside the weeping walls.
Do not tell me of the plans you’ve made
To offer up my bleeding heart
Tell me we’ve come to bow our heads
And give thanks to timeless souls.

As I kneel before the battered skulls
Remove your blade in silence
Let me not hear the sharp intake of breath
Or the beating of your quickened heart.
As your foot falls beside my bare calves
Let me think you’ve come to kneel
Beside me as a friend, in unison as kin
Let expectation linger of your voice raised with mine

Let your hand not tremble and the blade be swift
Give my eyes no time to see
The look of hunger that coats you flesh
Or the twisted sneer that burns your lips.
And as my body falters and the blood runs free
May knowledge come with winged rejoice
Of glories and of rich rewards
And of evil that from hearth now flees.

My first Baseball Game: Bears Vs Twins

2008-04-12T23:28:00.008+09:00

I've never been one to enthuse over baseball. Never had the urge to buy season tickets even after my several season stint at playing softball. But here i was sitting in the relatively empty stands screaming my guts out in support of the Bears on a cool Saturday afternoon. It turned out to be a pretty exciting game with the Bears taking a five nil lead until the top of the sixth when the Twins came back and scored 6 runs. It was down to the bottom of the nineth and a slide into home that could have saved the game when my voice started to give out. I was chuffed with my free ticket and my time well spent.

Theo van Gogh

2008-04-08T12:48:00.003+09:00

After recently watching the film Interview, Directed by Steve Buscemi and becoming enraptured with its simple structure and enthralling character study I wanted to find out more about its origins. It’s origins being a Dutch film made a few years earlier by Theo van Gogh. I haven’t seen the film as yet so will be eagerly tracking down a copy.

Rather than warble on and get the facts wrong surrounding the life and death of Theo van Gogh I’ve set up a Feature section in the Links for those who wish it, to go on a little journey into van Gogh’s life.

Finally Lubitel

2008-03-27T13:05:00.007+09:00

These are the first images taken on my Lubitel 166 Universal. I went for a wander up behind my place and found some nice neglected streets and narrow alleyways.

Lomography Store in Hongdae, Seoul

2008-03-18T16:23:00.005+09:00

With my first look inside the store i was happy to discover a few of my images adorning the walls.

This is Wolfgang Stranzinger sitting in the newly opened Lomography store in Hongdae. The store was officialy opened two days prior, on the 5th of March, 2008.

Maroon 5 Live in Seoul

2008-03-14T14:25:00.005+09:00

Wow has it been a week already. A week from a most enjoyable evening that still trembles beneath my skin. And before you get out of control speeding along a path i have no intention of going down, i will explain.

I was given, by an oh so generous student, two tickets to Maroon 5 live in Seoul. They played on the evening of Friday the 7th at Olympic Park Stadium. Normally I'd be kicking a lost opportunity right at this minute because i work evenings so seldom get to attend such events. But as for this one, i was able to convince my boss to swap my shift with a morning one freeing me up for a gig.

As with most gigs here, the crowd comes in late. Despite saying on the ticket that the doors would be closed at 8.30pm and late comers would not be allowed admittance, folk were still filing in 30 minutes later as the band were due to be kicking off. My companion urged me to stowed it however and get into the sounds. And that i did. Waving my little glow stick until it broke, i boogied until the end.

After the initial set and the standard wave goodbye, i was a little unimpressed with the crowd when they couldn't even muster a solid encore chant but after a while the band none the less returned to the stage for three more songs. It was here things got tasty. The band got together up front and bowed a last good bye and left the stage but the audience refused to budge and in fact started stamping their feet and cheering like no tomorrow. The band gave in and returned for one last song. After a brief discussion they played Prince's Purple Rain, which without hesitation i say with utter conviction, WENT OFF!!

The Lomo Adventure Continues

2008-03-10T12:22:00.005+09:00

The agony and joy of a Lomographer in Korea continues. It's taken some training but i finally have a developing studio near my house able to process films how i want them. When i first went in i was refused as they had never cross processed films before and thought they would be unable to do it. I was even called after the negative was developed to inform me the colour wasn't normal and to apologise for any mistake. But now all i get is a quick, "Are you sure?" before the roll is handed over and the job begun.

Lomo is a Way of Life 2

2008-03-05T13:21:00.003+09:00

Lomo is a Way of Life 1

2008-02-27T20:25:00.004+09:00

More Snow From My Neighbourhood

2008-02-27T12:58:00.006+09:00

These first two photos are from a little park in Yeoido. Here the snow actually managed to stick around longer than puff or air.

These next two are the view from near my apartment. It had snowed the day before and the houses in the distance are still dressed in their virginal best.

Uijeongbu Station at Night

2008-02-16T15:48:00.004+09:00

Jozua's Farewell

2008-02-16T10:19:00.008+09:00

Estelle and James show another use for a fork.

The most interesting cake that was purchased to feed the teeming masses, moments after the candle was blown out and the speaches made.

Diane looking relaxed in front of the camera.

Jozua with glass of wine in hand wondering how long it would be before he could make a run for the exit.

Grace and Lindsay scrunching up to get into frame.

Snow in Seoul In Feb

2008-02-15T21:53:00.005+09:00

Diary of a Would-be Filmmaker Part 2

2007-12-02T16:45:00.001+09:00

PC-Bangs are glorious places when the smell of smoke isn’t getting to you and the noise from the million little clicks on keyboards aren’t pounding in to your hangover or even the constant pow-pow, bang-bang from what ever computer game is currently fashionable is quickly driving you insane. None the less, PC-Bangs are glorious places when you want to get out of your tiny apartment and there’s no place better to go.

So here is it I find myself on a dwindling Sunday afternoon, feeling sufficiently rested and a tad restless. I have that slightly chuffed feeling. I’m chuffed with myself because I finally finished the first draft of my short film. Now, in the book is when they tell you to step back from it, let it marinate then return to it in a few months and see what you really think. Stuff that, I can’t wait that long.

At the moment my script stands at 18 pages. You might not think that sounds like much, especially when you look at it and see the well spaced dialogue that chews up the pages. When you are sitting on the other side of it however, looking at the task ahead, it seems like Everest.

When I started I was going great guns. I worked through all the development stages and reined myself back from attacking the guts of the script before I had a better understanding of what I wanted to say. When I figured I was ready, I started working through it scene by scene and before I knew it there were twelve pages I was pretty happy with. That was when I hit a wall. There was one scene I was afraid of doing, one scene that seemed too hard to shape. The notebook remained closed and the fear of not finishing grew.

Days past and little progress was made. I’d pick up the pen and read through what I’d written, make a change here or there but still not have it in me to attempt the climatic scene. I’d almost resigned my idea to the large scrap heap of ideas littering other notebooks and cobwebbed corners.

On Monday of this week I changed tack. I told myself I didn’t need to do it all in one hit, I could hack away at it a little at a time. I started typing in into the computer, cleaning it up as I went, trimming scenes and dialogue until I got to that final scene. On Tuesday I wrote a few lines, on Wednesday I wrote a few more. On Thursday I scribbled out a few and trimmed the fat. On Friday I panicked and left it alone. On Saturday I worked on it during the course of the day, my excitement grew and the final line came closer. Then there it was, 18 pages of a short film. From a simple idea I worked it through until I had produced my first draft. On Sunday I gloated.

Diary of a Would-be Filmmaker Part 1

2007-10-19T12:46:00.001+09:00

As I sit here eating Dok-pukki from a street-side vendor and doodling away in one of my many notebooks, I thought I'd share with you the journey I have recently undertaken. Not the one where I moved countries and came to live in South Korea and teach English but the one where I hope to find that long sort after dream, to become a filmmaker.

I had an idea and as ideas go this one seemed to to have more legs than others. They come in all shapes and sizes and sometimes it is so hard to tell which ones I should latch on to. The fact that I'm still currently a would-be filmmaker and not an actualized filmmaker should tell me pretty clearly I’ve been latching on to the wrong ideas or going about developing the idea in the wrong way.

So anyway, I had this idea and jumped ahead and wrote five or so pages of dialogue. I called it dialogue back then, (several days ago) back when I thought a screenplay centered around the stuff. Now I'm of a different mind. You see, for the past few years my creative endeavors have revolved around theatre where dialogue sings and is the stuff you hang everything on. Not so in film. After learning this fact from a handy dandy little book, you'd think film school might have gotten the idea across, I took a few steps back and started to flesh out my idea.

I wrote a step outline, I got in touch with my main characters, identifying the protagonist is not as easy as it sounds, nor is formulating an antagonist. In the past I've told myself that I don't need to comply to age old structure, that is as readable as dirt, you play in dirt you get dirty, but there is something to be said for using that structure to take an idea, a faint half notion of a glimmer of an image, and turn it into something more.

Right now I have a much clearer idea of what I want to say, of how I'm going to say it and who is going to do the talking for me. The character interviews have been conducted, the step outline has been followed by a scene outline and several pages of new dialogue have been written, not in order, but because I have a clear structure I can now work my way through the scenes as I see fit. First draft, here I come!

Strange Fruit Falls From the Orange Tree

2007-10-07T14:59:00.001+09:00

On Tuesday the second of October I took a chance and headed down to Orange Tree to partake of a little comedy from a few of Korea’s transient residents. Orange Tree is doing wonders for us Expats with performances coming at you from all angles and in all guises.

This evening it was a recently formed Improv troupe called ‘Seoul City Improv.‘ that swamped the small, red stage with their numbers, when to begin the night each participant was introduced to an attentive crowd. That alone gave a warm impression of the enthusiasm of the team to not only entertain us but also to ensure their time spent was just as enjoyable.

The chance I took turned into an opportunity when after the slow start, the games and the wit became genuinely entertaining. I’m pretty familiar with the rules of Improv so switched off during A.J.’s explanations but as my companion commented, who is herself well versed in many aspects of theatre, he could have afforded to go into a little more detail or perhaps it was clarity that was called for.

‘Freeze’ was a difficult choice first up as it requires the actor’s brains to be well in gear as they jump into and reinterpret the scene being played. A few worked overtime to compensate of other’s more sluggish starts.

Asking for volunteers in these situations is always a difficult undertaking so acquaintances were called on by name which can result in the alienating of those who popped along, not to support a friend but to have a good night out. So to have the second scene of the night demand audience participation was perhaps demanding a bit much too early.

Prior to things getting underway, little slips of paper were passed about the milling crowd asking them to contribute a random snatch of dialogue. These appeared in the first installment of ‘Pocket Scene’ with pleasing results. The actors had to work to find ways to produce slips of paper from their pocket. It was here that I felt the possibility of things to come. And when it was followed by a scene constructed under the limitations of having the first word of each line beginning with consecutive letters of the alphabet, things seemed to be gaining both momentum and laughs.

The next two scenes however put the brakes on. ‘Superheroes’ turned more into a farce than something that produced genuine giggles. Earwax and toe jam seemed a little cheap and the cringe factor shot through the roof. In ‘Countdown’ when the same minute long scene had to be replayed in increasingly less time, an in-joke took centre stage. The laughter and applause of the troupe outdid that of the audience.

The first act ended on a high however with Matt coming to the fore and showing great skills in thinking on his feet and a calm clear projection that alluded to confidence. Qualities that are appealing in any stage performance and as a result the laughter rose and the applause before intermission was enthusiastic.

After a short break, a few more volunteers and another slow start, gusto was found by a repeat of ‘ABC’s’ set in the Seoul Subway. This was followed up by another ‘Pocket Scene’ where Thomas channeled a poor soul, sacked from Scientology. He was supported well in his exploration of a legitimate character and the entire evening began to find its feet.

There were moments of extremely witty and highly engaging performances and the show ended with the entire team getting on stage to participate in ‘World’s worst things to say…’. This was another of the games that required the audience to make offers of locations or situations. Matt had clearly shown himself as one of the gems of SCI but I found myself willing him to take advantage of the following he had garnered when in this final game he was attempting too much. Three times he stepped to the front and three times he stepped back waving away the line that had fallen flat, each time the audience laughed a little more. Not at the line but at his genuine-ness and willingness to try. All he had to do was step to the front once more and without saying a word, wave his hand and turn his back and he would have treated to a fervent response from an appreciative crowd.

This was Seoul City Improv’s fifth outing and I dare say at this early stage they are in a healthy position to bring cackles and guffaws to a grateful Seoul audience. They will be performing twice each month, the first Tuesday will be at Orange Tree in Haebangchon and the third Sunday will at The Electric Cat in Itaewon. Their next performance will be on the 21st of October at 8:30pm. At this stage performances are free. SCI can be contacted at seoulimprov@gmail.com

Post 105 090507 Live Earth

2007-05-09T18:03:00.001+09:00

check out the web site for Live Earth. A series of concerts around the globe to bring even more awareness to global warming. A look who's headlining in Sydney! A reformed Crowded House. Out-friggin-standing!!

http://www.liveearth.org/

Post 104: 070507 An Audition

2007-05-07T09:48:00.002+09:00

On Saturday morning i made my way south of the River Han to the Express Bus Terminal Station and left via Exit 5 to walk along a busy street to find my eventual destination. The third story office off of MK Pictures. The reason for my trip, an audition for an up-coming picture.

My audition was scheduled for midday, the first of around twenty people they would be seeing. I arrived a little before 11.30am just as one of the crew was arriving to open up. The office itself is a high-ceilinged maze of smaller offices that had long since seen better days. Stacks of cannisters were piled against walls beside boxes of unknown contents. Wires ran this way and that along the floors, over stains and gound in dirt. There was little to adorn the walls save a poster in a back office proclaiming a past success. I was shown into a small space and left to learn the dialogue i had been given the day before.

I knew little about the production apart from it being a sports movie. After about 20 minutes i was ushered into a larger room where a young bloke who spoke english with a distinctive American accent greeted me.There was a single chair sitting in the center of the room and along the far wall ran a desk, behind which sat said speaker followed by the Korean who showed me in. He took up the camera and i was asked to proceed.

We began with me introducing myself, acting background as well as sports background. We then ran though a couple of short segments until it was discovered not all the dialogue was sent to the prospective actors to learn. I then moved onto a larger monologue taken from a Kurt Russell movie. I finished with monologue from The Tempest that has been sitting in my head for a couple of years. My hand was shaken, i was asked if i could be available for a weeks shooting at the beginning of July and bid farewell. Audition over. I now hungrily await their call.

Post 103: 020507 Dialogue Snippit

2007-05-02T10:00:00.001+09:00

Violet: I do this to keep away from my husband.

Thomas: (Sniggering) I do this cause I'm just out of surgery.

Violet: Just kidding.

Jane: I've had 20 operations, I can relate.

Thomas: I can't relate.

Violet: Damn!

Jane: I've two bad accidents this season.

Thomas: I had a mole removed.

Jane: I take a lickin' but I keep on tickin'.

Post 102: 160407 Katya

2007-04-16T08:41:00.001+09:00

Being gone from New Zealand for so long, the biggest regret comes in not seeing your family change, grow, evolve over time. It's the events in ones life that make a person who they are. My niece is growing up so quickly and changing every day. It's these important steps that i have missed that make being away the hardest.

Post 101: Fukuoka

2007-04-15T14:05:00.001+09:00

Well i've gone and done it. After the shit ride i've had since November I have nipped over to Japan for another working Visa so i can put myself through another year of this place. What am i thinking? To top it of i just discovered that next Thursday there is a scheduled meeting with the director of an upcoming film for casting and not as i had originally thought, a simple callback. The shit part comes because the only time the director is available for the whole week is three hours on a Thursday night when i am at work with no hope of changing either schedule. Bugger.

But anyway, i managed to see a few temples and the inside of a bar called Happy Cock, not to mention the bottom of a few glasses. It was a nice trip and certainly illustrated the difference in the two cultures. Japanese have manners!!

Post 100: 120307 Early Morning Walk

2007-03-12T02:28:00.001+09:00

It's about to turn one thirty and I’ve just returned from what was to be a brief night out at The Wolfhound in Iteawon. The Wolfhound is an Irish bar hidden on one of the back roads and down a slight hill. It's the place i find myself most regularly when out drinking. It has recently been converted from a single story pub to a double, with pool table, darts board and plenty of cheap beer. The menu is very western and their Cheese Delights are to die for.

Roisin and I went there this evening to join in on Trivia Night. We arrived to late however, the bottom level was full meaning if we wanted to play it would be standing. Not thinking that was a good idea we headed upstairs to find Stephen, an ex work mate and his parents enjoying the last night of his parents holiday in this welcoming country. We found ourselves a few seats and joined them.

Since Trivia was not to be, Roisin and I played darts while we waited for the football to start. Though when it did start we paid little attention. Roisin has taken quite a shine to the darts. After Stephen and his family had left we settled in to watch the Rugby, England were playing France. We were joined by Kevin, a Texan whom Roisin became acquainted with the previous weekend.

Darts were picked up again while frequent glances were made to the projected screen. Roisin found herself cheers for England for the first time in her life. If they won then Ireland still had a chance of winning the six nations championship. As I walked past Phillies, a bar closer to where I live I managed to see the score from their big screen. England had taken the lead at 16 – 15.

It was just after the resumption of the second half that I made my exit and walked my merry and decidedly sober way home. I found myself wanting to take up a camera and document and commentate the walk from pub to doorstep. Not an exciting event I know but hopefully an insightful one for the folks back home. I desired for them to know the small details of my life in Korea. Simple things that occur every day.

I don’t have a camera so that didn’t happen but the commentary grew in my head and as I passed each object of note or place I’ve entered the experience was related. Then it occurred to me that all these small journey’s could be recreated. Much like a small project I did while at Tech of the bus journey’s I made to Tauranga to meet Louise. These small moments of time fascinate me. Boring I know to most but insightful because it is in these moments where we all live.

Anyways, now I find myself sitting on the floor of my bedroom logging on to the net via a wireless connection of a neightbours to impart the thoughts of a late night walk home.

Oh it is here I should mention that this weekend saw me attend an interview for a job I later turned down via phone as Roisin and I walked in to Iteawon and an audition for a film to begin shooting in May. The audition went well and ended with the first AD saying he would definitely be seeing me again. Hopefully that will be the case.

Post 99: 140207 Links to Articles

2007-02-14T18:33:00.001+09:00

Due to popular demand, namely one young kiwi lass. Here are links to the articles so you might actually be able to read them.

The Review in the Korean Herald

The Review in the Korean Times

The Original Article in the Korean Times

Give me your feed back, tell me what you reckon, please.

Post 98: 130207 A Play in Progress

2007-02-13T20:50:00.001+09:00

Two weeks of the show are behind us and the final week is about to begin. Today we had our second review published, this time in the Korean Herald. The reviews are sound if not a tad on the positive side but still i am less than satisfied. We haven't had the houses i had hoped for. Perhaps you could blame the weather, it is winter after all, or perhaps the location but it's only 15 minutes from western central. I can't fault the actors nor the staging itself, the actors have performed amazingly despite the month break we had in rehearsals and the venue is large and comfortable. There is the usual hassles we come across when putting on a play here, that being a lack of attention to details on the locals side of proceedings. The wiring in the theatre has let us down a few times when suddenly the projector shuts off in the middle of a clip or the channel changes without a button being pressed but these are minor things and detract little from the end result. A great performance of a solid play performed in a good theatre in a city of 10 million people. But still we can't fill a house. What is the first reason that springs to mind? I'll let you ponder that.

Check out the reviews;

Post 97: 300107 A Play on the Brink

2007-01-30T19:02:00.001+09:00

A new play is about to erupt onto the stage at Hanyang University. The Play is called 'Hitchcock Blonde' and little ol' me is the director. Here's a few pics of the cast.

Post 96: A World Awy

2006-12-24T08:38:00.001+09:00

Well look at me. Here i am back in New Zealand for a few weeks for my first kiwi xmas in four years.

It's been a crazy ol' time in recent months. Me given the shaft from the job i'd worked at for 14 months. Me calling the cops on them to mediate a few disputes. A few part time gigs to line my pockets with a little extra cash. Me fleeing the country, heading to Thailand to watch scary snake shows and even scarier shows involving razorblades. In somewhere in there a play was born and opens on the 1st of Feb 2007.

There's a bit of work to do admittedly but i think there will be a play of substance beginning its run in a theatre on the grounds of the Hanyang University. It is set for a three week run and hopefully plenty of folk will turn out to be treated to a little slice of western drama in the murky darkness of a Korean winter.

We'll see.

Post 95: A Weekend Behind Us

2006-10-30T23:44:00.001+09:00

It’s a Monday night and I sit on the eve of midnight with aching limbs and a nasty cough that gives the impression a lung might come out at any moment. But along with that there is a glow of self-satisfaction. I steal these minutes to recall the weekend. Rehearsals, I dare say, began proper. The actors were split because of the nature of the play and I worked with two at a time, I’ve scheduled an hour overlap as I want all those involved to be well aware of the others, to be acquainted with those whom they will be sharing the stage. I want it to look like a cohesive performance. There is problems with this as the time I give to each pair goes very quickly and I’m sure the actors feel like they are not getting enough but I hope they can find the time outside of the hours I’m with them to rehearse together.

Apart from rehearsals I spent Saturday evening in Seoul in the company of friends both from work and the play. It was the unofficial Halloween night as the official night falls mid week and a little hard to party on. There were parties to be hard on every corner in Iteawon but we stuck to an Irish bar called ‘Wolfhound’ which we find perfect especially after they played ‘Rocky Horror Picture Show’ to which some of the girls danced in their fetching costumes and ‘Psycho’ on the big screen as music bleared from every corner. The beer is fairly cheap and the vodka goes down a treat. I found a cheap hotel to stay in and went to rehearsal the next morning in the same clothes as the day before. Stinky was I and without Ren in sight. By the time I got back to the apartment I was considerably knackered. It was a good weekend and will happily be stored away for future remembrance.

I did take photos of the rehearsals but for now these shots make the blog. Amanda and Krista in costume prior to leaping up on the stage and dancing the 'Time Warp'

Post 94: 251006 After the Weekend

2006-10-25T00:41:00.001+09:00

I do hope this is not a trend that continues throughout the rehearsal process. After arriving at the Uni a half hour early on Saturday morning and discovering one of my actors already waiting with coffee in hand I thought stupidly enough that we were up for a good weekend. That was not exactly to be.

Upon getting to the room we discovered that it was over-booked for a weekend of exams. So finding a place in the shade on a cool day we began out adventures. It wasn't long before we were chased off by the biggest cloud of gnats I've ever seen. Saturday little progress was made.

On Sunday with no room, we were forced to rehearse outside on a dismal day that quickly got worse when it started to rain. We found shelter under an outdoor stage that we were forced to share with two other groups, one with guitars and the other with highly strung voices. I felt we did actually make some head-way but it was slight compared to what we could have done.

Here's a quick little snap of the team from Sunday as we were finishing for the day. Note the unusual extra. We are hoping for sponsorship.

Post 93: 191006 The Theatre Booked

2006-10-19T22:41:00.001+09:00

After a night on the terps with two of my co-workers, a polished off bottle of Absolute and three hours sleep, I and a miraculously conscious co-worker made our way into Seoul to see about the theatre.

After being told that it was booked by someone else I was expecting a bit of a fight to resolve the issue and being in the state I was in knew I didn’t have the fight in me. We got there half an hour late which was amazingly well done and met Tory and his wife outside the station. We then headed to the office of the administrators of the theatre. It quickly became apparent that there was no booking and after a brief moment of confusion the dates were set and the price was given. We have a booked theatre. This is a great relief.

Our season begins on Thursday the 1st of February and runs for three weeks. For the first week we perform six times and the following two weeks we perform seven times ending on the 18th. We bump in a week before to run techs and dress rehearsals, hopefully giving us enough time to sort out any problems that will no doubt arise.

As each day passes it gets more real. Soon enough I actually believe it’s happening.

Post 92: 181006 The Trepidations

2006-10-18T19:37:00.001+09:00

Wouldn’t it be great if things were easy? If I could set a day for rehearsal and all would come. If I could book a theatre and that would be it, no need to worry about where we are going to perform and just get on with the joys of rehearsing. If I could find the money and not have to fret over paying for posters, the theatre, the props.

Nothing is easy, I’ll have to except that at some point but it seems that it is even harder in this country than most. We had showed interest in a theatre and told the price to which we glowed. We were given a yes which we thought was a done deal but that was not to be. The theatre we wanted has now been booked on the weekends of the month we want to perform, this despite a yes and an awareness of our interest or perhaps because of our interest.

I have made the schedule for the next four months running up until the end of our performance but despite getting a confirmation that all actors would be able to give all time required it now seems I have to redo the schedule to accommodate altered desires. Not a biggy but it adds to a day that was already seeing compromises.

As for the first weekend: As of 10am on Saturday morning I had three of the five actors present. The other two had legit reasons that obviously can’t be altered so I don’t begrudge anything. I’m just hoping that this doesn’t bode for the rest of the rehearsal time. I shortened the needs of the day and three of us ended up going into Itaewon for a meal at Buddha’s Belly. This after a read through that took over two hours. It was out in the light of day, beside the smells of a bakery and occasionally swamped by the loud chatter of folk at neighbouring tables but it wasn’t all bad.

Sunday was a bust, expecting more of the same and without a full cast I decided to send the cast off on their own recognizance. A five o’clock meeting was held by the committee to make a few decisions and push things forward. Then we were in a good place, with two theatres to choose from and an enthusiasm for the task at hand. It was agreed that advertising was to take a different approach and as we’d decided on the University theatre I would see about getting a teaser poster up in the next week or so. The mock up is sitting on my computer but whether it will adorn the billboards of the Uni is a matter yet to be decided. I’m heading there tomorrow morning to see if the situation can’t be resolved. After some initial trepidation on my part to have the show performed on campus, I took a liking to the idea and now hope to remedy the booking of the theatre. Ah the joys.

Post 91: 131006 The Cast

2006-10-13T08:04:00.001+09:00

The play is cast. After much deliberation and fretting over the rights and wrongs of each decision I came to my final cast list. I was told by some to suck it up and just do it but that's a simple thing and i'm a wimp when it comes to telling people 'No'. But now it's done and as of tomorrow morning we begin our rehearsals.

There are seven characters in total in this play but two of them appear only in film and do not tread the boards as such. I will most likely cast that in New Zealand as I have easier access to the equipment I need to make it.

The five who will be jumping through hoops and busting their hump over the next few months with be-

Matt as Hitch
Amanda as The Blonde
Thomas as Husband
Krista as Jennifer
Gef as Alex

During rehearsals I will bring a camera and will take notes on each days progress so you, like our own little soap opera, you will get to know these characters.

Post 89: 111006 Photos from Sokcho & Seoraksan

2006-10-12T09:44:00.001+09:00

Post 90: 111006 Sokcho & Seoraksan

2006-10-11T11:26:00.001+09:00

Last week in South Korea was Chusok. I don’t know a lot about Chusok apart from that it’s a national holiday and we get plenty of days off work. They call it the Korean thanksgiving, taking place at harvest time and involves dancing, games and giving thanks to the ancestors.

For me it was a time to get away from the apartment and head to the coast, climb a mountain and check out some distant temples. I went to a town called Sokcho, a kind of beach resort town on the east coast. We were fortunate to be given a room in a swanky hotel with commanding views of the nearby mountains and the ripe yellow rice fields surrounding us.

I’m not overly impressed with Koreans attention to details, like when we get into our room we find food on the balcony from the previous tenants, an air conditioning unit that doesn’t work and no mini bar. Okay so the mini bar I can do without but the details are what make a place, something the local tourist trade is yet to master. Oh and it s good idea to stay away from the taxi’s. They say their prices are Seoul prices after midnight but paying extortionate prices for a ten minute taxi ride in the middle of a weekday afternoon put me in a sour mood.

Sokcho itself boasted an expo a few years back, the site of which can still be visited and a central tower scaled and a great view of the harbor enjoyed. Right next to that is the IMAX theatre which they seldom use apart from the odd booking so a group can watch a DVD. If there’s only a few interested in watching a film then they wont open it so I’m guessing the locals have lost interest.

Right in downtown there is a very impressive market, larger than the one in my current hometown. As you’d imagine for a seaside town, there is plenty of fish in every shape and size and many other sea dwelling edible stuffs lining stalls and flopping in dirty tanks.

The main reason to go to this particular town however is its proximity to the Soraksan National Park. Inside which are a network of walkways, temples, a gigantic Buddha statue, restaurants at every altitude, mountains in their rugged beauty and the mass of sumptuous trees that cover them. Not to mention the squirrels at every turn.

We spent several hours exploring the slightly less than congested walkways and made our goal a temple cave where outside sits a several ton boulder that the locals delight in wobbling with constant shoving. We’d hoped to take a cable car up to another mountain but by the time we went to get out tickets there was a several hour queue and the day was already getting too long.

As a signifier to the pleasure found in our time in Sokcho, I enjoyed the drive back to Uijeongbu just as much as my time there. It was an enjoyable drive.

Post 88: 091006 Final Auditions

2006-10-09T00:22:00.001+09:00

The auditions are done. The callbacks are finished. Now comes the hardest part of this process, the decision. Buy tomorrow it must be made.

Post 87: 081006 Auditions Continued

2006-10-08T13:45:00.001+09:00

Auditions are never an easy thing for all parties involved.

For the actors there are the nerves, the butterflies, the fear, the desire to succeed.

For the director there is the worry about making the right decisions, for this is where a performance in made. If I choose the wrong configuration then it won’t work from the get go. If there is unbalance, it won’t look right, if there is too much ego or too much rivalry then I have problems from the outset.

Last weekend saw the final day of what turned out to be the first round. All those where showed interest in being in the play had a chance to show me their talents.

Yesterday were the callbacks that ended up including a few late comers. I was hoping to have things decided today so we could begin in earnest next Saturday. That was not to be when I found out one actor whom I was keen to see was in Japan for a few days.

We postponed a few of the readings until today and hopefully by this time tomorrow I will have a clear idea of who the final cast will be.

The worry does not stop there. Being where we are in the world and westerners being of a certain transformed nature I expect the unexpected. I don’t want drop outs but it may happen. I guess I will not stop worrying until the first night is behind us and everything has gone as planned.

Post 86: 250906 Auditions Part 1

2006-09-25T10:27:00.001+09:00

The journey from script to stage finds momentum.

This weekend gone was the first of our audition weekends. Saturday saw six people try out for roles and Sunday saw five. To be honest I’ll be happy when this part of the theatre experience is over. I have never found great joy in telling people that there is not a place for them among the cast.

The experience of being is a play is wonderful. There is a sense of camaraderie found in the theatre that is, in my experience, found little elsewhere. Seeing others on such a regular basis and doing things that hastily breaks down the barriers ensures a level of friendship is quickly found. Combine that with regular bouts of drinking and we have the making of life long friends.

My struggle comes when I have to choose between good actors to play limited roles. I realize this is not a bad turn of events but I don’t have the strength to say no. Take the fact of when I first wrote and directed a play. I couldn’t say no to this particular actress so wrote her a role in the play. I’m far too weak. But I understand decisions must be made and made for the right reasons. For now I can put the hard decisions off until after next weekend.

Post 85: 210906 A New Beginning

2006-09-21T01:55:00.002+09:00

Since coming to Korean some three and a half years ago I have been involved in several theatre productions a year. Mostly with The Seoul Players. I happen to consider it one of the best moves I’ve made in sending a blind email in the hope of being part of the show.

Earlier this year we staged two short plays, both of which were acted superbly by all. We had limited houses however, despite being in the centre of what is the Seoul theatre district. After what must have been somewhat disappointing result we were all feeling a bit gun shy when looking to the next production.

Krista and I were talking some weeks back and I proposed a play idea that was brought to me by our theatre companies previous producer. From this conversation came the enthusiasm we were both looking for and a meeting was called.

Last Sunday old and new faces gathered in a café in Iteawon to discuss the possibilities of a new show. It’s amazing what happens when like minded individuals come together. As a result jobs were divided, dates were discussed, plans were made. Auditions begin this coming Saturday and end the following Sunday. We hope to begin our run on the 1st of February 2007. The play is called ‘Hitchcock Blonde’ by English write Terry Johnson and I will be the director.

Post 84: 060906 Tantrix Champs Con't

2006-09-06T14:14:00.000+09:00

After the first heavy defeat 3 - 1 from my first opponent i am looking to make a better showing against my second opponent. 'shawntstao' is from Taiwan and the day before yesterday we had our first game. I thought I was on the end of a winner but despite my opponents attempts at making a line, managed to make a loop on another part of the board while both of us weren't looking. The final score was 20 - 21, a loss to me by one point.

Today however I took revenge for the loss and won our second game 44 - 16. I managed a fine 22 tile loop with 3 tiles to spare, thankfully my opponent had just the final tile i needed to complete it. A much more flattering score line. Tomorrow will be game three.

Post 83: 040907 Korea Vs Iran

2006-09-04T18:27:00.001+09:00

On Saturday afternoon i meet up with a work mate and his partner and headed into Seoul. I'd been excitedly waiting for this day for some time. After watching at a distance the beginning of the 2006-07 Premier League i was filled with the thrills of football fever. So arranging a week back to buy tickets on the internet the three of us were off to watch Korea play Iran.

I'd been to a few games here before but this was my first fully fledged international. And with almost the first string Korean team flying in, i knew it was going to be exciting for everyone concerned.

We turned up a few hours early with the intention of getting a couple of beers in before the game. That was a mission in itself, we ran in circles before finally finding a place that had to turn on the lights for us as they were just opening. It was nearly 6pm by this time. They are late starters in this part of the world.

So we had our beers and went to the ground. With good intentions we pushed our way into the extremely large and extremely overcrowded supermarket under the stadium to buy a few more beers and some snacks. Beers that were, a few moments later, taken from us as we weren't allowed to bring cans in. But our spirits were not dampened.

We qued and finally found our seats with great views of the ptich and settled in to watch a decent game of footy. Hoping for a goalfest we were instead treated to a tight match with the first goal not coming until the end of the first half. Korea went into the break grasping their lead. The second half was a repeat and after ninety minutes thought the game was done when a freak goal from Iran lobbing the keeper saw them level the score and come away with a disappointing draw. The hype we'd seen from the grown throughout the game was blown like last christmas's balloon and all made their slow way home with downward cast eyes and deflated spirits. The draw however did not detract from our own pleasures of seeing a live game of international football and to be a part of the enthusiastic experience.

Post 82: 310806 9th World Tantrix Championships

2006-08-31T19:54:00.001+09:00

The 9th World Tantrix Championships is underway and last night I had my first games. This year’s 200 competitors have been divided into groups of four or five for Phase 1. I’m in Group 1 with 3 others and before the 12th of September we must play four games against each other.

My first opponent was ‘Sanabas’ from Australia. We played all four games in one hit. Things started badly and did not improve. In our second game I took some small satisfaction after falling into a trap in the opening tiles, of being able to defend a slender lead of 14. I took the win by 1 point. As for the other three games I lost them all by narrow margins. I have to perform well against the other two if I want to progress to Phase 2.

Follow the link to the summary of Phase 1

Post 81: 300806 Sports

2006-08-30T10:19:00.001+09:00

As an avid escapist I try to spend a good deal of time in front of the telly watching sports games. Being where I am it's hard, in fact nearly impossible, to get televised Rugby, so I have to make do with football without English commentators, K-1 and other fight style bouts, occasional tennis tournaments and perhaps gold if I find the patience. There’s always the badminton, table tennis, American basketball, baseball and now beach volleyball but I have never found a passion for watching those games.

My best connection with teams and games from back home is of course the internet but those live play by play snippets really don’t satisfy my enthusiasm. In saying that, I have now added a sports section to the links where you will find teams and players I try to follow.

Post 80: 250806 Solar System Update

2006-08-25T20:07:00.001+09:00

Just in case you were worried about the status of our Solar System i have an update for you. It's now official, we only have 8 planets. Pluto no longer qualifies but has been re-termed a 'dwarf planet' along with Ceres and 2003UB 213.

Post 79: 220806 Poetry Contests

2006-08-22T22:33:00.001+09:00

Over the past eight months I have made a concerted effort to push my poetry to the next level. The first stage was to enter poetry contests, something I had never done before. With each result posted however I become somewhat deflated in my expectations and skeptical over my own abilities.

For the past 6 weeks I have been awaiting on the results of three competitions, one from New Zealand, one from America and one online. For some reason all results were delayed beyond their stated announcement dates. My waiting ended today when this evening after killing time playing games I realized I hadn't made my usual rounds of the results pages.

As for the New Zealand and American competitions my name was no where in sight but the online competition delivered a surprise. There I was up on top in first place. I have won my first competition. I am the winner of txt2nite.com’s SMS Poetry Contest 8. It may not be as prestigious as bigger comps but I am well chuffed with the result. Not to mention stoked that the first prize of an iPod Shuffle will be winging its way to me.

Check out the results page.

Post 78: 170806 Our Solar System

2006-08-17T13:59:00.001+09:00

Without much in the way of personal goings on over the last few days I’ve been looking further a field for something to report on. Being an avid space enthusiast it’s no surprise that my attention was drawn to the current conference of leading and not so leading scientists discussing and refining the nature of our universe.

Yesterday if you had innocently asked how many planets were in our solar system then you would have been given the nonchalant reply of ‘Nine’. Today however, that answer has changed.

It all began with the defining of Pluto, is she qualified to be a planet. If she is then several other bodies floating out there of a larger mass also qualify to be called planets. Well, the answer was ‘Yes!’ Pluto is a planet which then gives us three more of the little suckers to call our own. Not that we didn’t claim them before but now we can puff our chests a little larger and say there are twelve planets in our swinging solar system dancing on the outer arm, looking in on a densely populated spiral galaxy.

Get this, one was given the dubious name ‘Xena’ after the New Zealand grown television show. What this means is that all books and posters proclaiming accurate knowledge of our Solar System are now out of date. A further problem arises when we learn that there are more bodies drifting by out there that are larger than Pluto but for the time being we can’t get a good enough handle on them to define them. More reprints no doubt to ensure school children know just what our neighborhood looks like. But for now here is what our Solar system currently looks like and check out http://www.iau2006.org/ for the facts.

Post 77: 070806 Photos from the picnic

2006-08-07T10:06:00.001+09:00

Post 76: 070806 Picnic in the shade

2006-08-07T09:00:00.001+09:00

Yesterday was the last day of my holiday. Nine days with the absence of work. How quickly the time went. My intention was to spend it in the most slovenly way, sitting on the couch or in a darkened cinema, staying out of the heat and trying not to move too much. That was not to be as Sukhee and I were invited to join the staff of the local watering hole on a picnic.

My idea of a picnic and the Korean notion of one differ greatly. I imagine the cliché of a broad green field, a checkered blanket and a basket weighted down with sandwiches and perhaps a bottle of bubbly.

Damn, just thinking about it, I am riddled with clichés. Doesn’t that make you just a little pissed off knowing that your thoughts come from someone else’s notion of what is ideal. Gives you a little insight on how a population can be controlled. May sound like a leap but when you control the media and stuff it full of notions of your own sense of right and wrong then doesn’t it follow that the population watching said media will pick up on those notions and slowly loose the ability to discern for themselves.

Anyways, the Korean idea of a picnic turns out to be, and this is just one example, going into the foothills of Sarak mountain and sitting at small tables on polystyrene platforms wedged between sheets of metal and plonked on metal frames. These platforms are an extension of small restaurants that in their infinite wisdom have set them up not only beside small creeks but on top of them as well.

Then to keep us out of the harsh summer sun, as if the shade from the trees wasn’t enough, the whole scene is covered in tarpaulins strung in spaghetti like web-works to those bruised and battered trees.

A pool was made nearby which teamed with artificial life, blow-up buoyancy rings, five foot sharks and beach balls. It seemed everyone and their dog, yes there were plenty of pet dogs lulling about, had traversed narrow roads and clotted small car parks to enjoy a summer’s picnic beneath the tarp.

So that was how the last day of my holiday was spent. I didn’t go for a swim like most others from our group but played Go-Stop as we waited for the food we ordered that never arrived and drank the beer we’d brought with us.

Post 75: 060807 Orange Tree Exhibition

2006-08-06T08:31:00.001+09:00

Last night was the opening of the Orange Tree exhibition. I didn't have a lot of info to go on for this one but i was happy none the less to be involved. Who wouldn't be when it gives a chance for you work to be seen in public.

The Orange Tree is actually a bar which was converted into a gallery for the night of the opening, which included pop up books on the pool table and multiple format art works adorning pillars and walls as well as shelves and small tables. I was impressed with the level of work and the amount. It seemed that after the first pass you miss most of the details and need to make the rounds again if not more.

I have three photos in the show along with another photographer from the last show. Ours sat together on a red wall beside a standing lamp and close to the buffet table. A good place actually as it was close to wher most people were hanging out. I think the images remain in place for the next five days.

Post 74: 040806 More photos from Gyeong-ju

2006-08-04T10:46:00.001+09:00

Post 73: 030806 Photos from Gyeong-ju

2006-08-04T00:58:00.001+09:00

Post 72: 020806 Orange Tree article

2006-08-02T17:27:00.001+09:00

As i drift along on a sun bleached journey an e-mail arrives telling me of an article in the Korean Times proclaiming the virtues of our up-coming exhibition. It begins on the 5th of August in Orange Tree bar and resturant which will be converted for the opening into a fully fledged gallery. And once the opening has closed it will revert back to its natural state where patrons can enjoy our vistas while they dine on wonderful Italian meals.

I look foward to being there on Saturday night to share in the warmth of excited faces and hopefully the glow my face is currently basking in will have dimmed and I can go out in puiblic without looking like an advertising neon for the red light district. Yep, it was hot today and due to our being outside for the most part I have turned a rather charming shade of red.

So click on Orange Tree and read the brief article and wait with patience for the photos of amazing temples and hidden grottos.

Post 71: 010806 Gyeong-ju

2006-08-01T22:34:00.001+09:00

Here i am in the home of the Shilla Kingdom. The place that many local poets look upon as the height of Korean society, the utmost expression of self, a time when Koreans lived as Koreans and acted as Koreans would when not under the yoke.

Sukhee and I took a nice 5 hour long bus ride to get here. Arriving just before four in the afternoon we were greeted by a kindly man in his air-conditioned car. We'd pre-arranged a driver for a day while here, to show us the sites and let us in on the local secrets. Money well spent if you ask me. He picked us up at the bus station, took us to a hotel to get checked in then drove us around to a few places of most spectacular beauty. We ended in a German styled pub that housed it's own micro brewery and a group of singers from the Philipines, three girls and a guy who sang a mix of pop songs (western fare) and local hits. The beer went down a treat, it's hot out there.

We are now back at the hotel, polished and ready for a good nights kip before the kindly gent in his air-conditioned car picks us up at 9am for a full day of site-seeing. I've already tired the battery on my camera and it too is currently recouperating. Photos of course will follow as soon as i can upload them. This computer in our room has lost the means with which to plug in.

Post 70: 260706 9th World Tantrix Champs

2006-07-26T11:26:00.001+09:00

Check out the list of current entrants in the 9th World Tantrix Championships. It kicks off next month and despite winning the Asian Champs i have little confidence of progressing far. There are alot of very serious players out there.

This year they are hoping for over 200 entrants from at least 30 different countries. Not bad for a little game that started in New Zealand.

Post 69: 250706 The Photo at last

2006-07-26T11:10:00.001+09:00

What is up with this site, when sometimes it won't let me upload photos. Anyways here is the crappy photo of a few of the guys i played football with on Monday night. I must have been at least ten years older than them but i still wasn't the oldest out there.

There will hopefully be five of us heading down tonight. We might even make our own team. Ah i've missed this for far too long.

Post 68: 250706 Indoor at last

2006-07-25T00:11:00.001+09:00

I came to South Korea in April of 2003 I think it was. Not long before I left I played a game of indoor football with a team I had been with for some years. When I got here I was hoping to find, start, play indoor football with little or no break. As simple as moving from one field to the next. I’ve been waiting and hoping that long. Well tonight my waiting came to an end.

Last week as my girlfriend and I were walking along the back roads of the town around us I stumbled upon not one but two indoor football stadiums. How excited was I? I waited over three years to play football here, to pass a ball, to save a goal, to cheer and dare I say it, even to yell. Tonight I got to do all that. Not so much of the yelling I suppose, there was no ref to yell at nor was there my brother to fight with as we played.

The field itself is smaller with goals about as wide but coming up to around the chest. There’s no height limit on the ball but it doesn’t do much good with the goals so low. You can’t score from outside the half and you can only kick with the inside of the foot, so no taking the opponents head off. But it’s just as fast and as with everywhere, there those one or two players who can run rings around you and score from anywhere.

There were three of us who went down, Steve, Trevor and myself. As of Wednesday there will be five. At first we weren’t sure how it would work, us not having a team and all. As long as you pay your 6 bucks you can play the whole night should you still be standing. Games are an hour long with a single half time, no quarters. Basically if you’re there and keen to play, you jump on a team and start messing around.

I certainly felt the year since my last game, if truth be told I was feeling it after the second minute. That didn’t stop me from tearing up the field in search of the ball occasionally. I was admittedly slower but after spending a bit of time in the goal got the feel for it again and managed to make a few decent saves and when out in the mix of it, managed to send up a few decent through balls for others to score. I didn’t find the back of the net myself, mind you I rarely found it when I was playing every week.

I have no idea what the score was as it wasn’t kept but that didn’t matter in the slightest. Not having a ref meant there were few stops, just a constant peppering of the goals, a constant hunt for the ball and a constant sweet. I loved every minute of it.

Post 67: 170607 Photos from the Opening

2006-07-17T17:09:00.001+09:00

A view of seven of the eight photos. The eighth stood apart on a central pillar.

The reason I put my photos in rooms of white walls, so folks can have a look at 'em.

To give you some idea of prevailing factors. At the top of the stairs before you enter the first gallery a pile of umbrellas greeted newcomers and waved at those who have supped their full.

Part of the plethora of entertainment the evening contained as well as a fractioned view of the artwork covering the walls.

Post 66: 160706 Opening Night

2006-07-16T16:22:00.001+09:00

As the rain continues to pour from weary skies I sit at my computer with the fond memories of last nights slow dancing in my weary mind. I did not go as early as planned but it seemed that everyone else was of the same mind. All the artists came in drips and drabs and I did not get to meet them all like I had hoped. But brief conversations were pleasantly shared with the few I did meet.

There is a thrill in having eyes move along the walls and stop at something of your own creation, have them linger and joined by voices raised to express a point of view. I was amply pleased with how my images appeared. Due to the constraints of wall space I originally thought that I would have to have them arranged in two rows but a single row adorned half of the longest wall on the first floor.

The evening itself was filled with the sound of excited conversations that were soon engulfed or perhaps answered by a four string violin bass strained though several peddles so the sound produced was more like a single dialogue from a distant giant rather than the happy strumming of a mop haired Beatle. His solo voice was soon joined by bongos and a small pink idiophone and the tempo picked up. Other voices came in the form of expressionist dance and angst rap that drew applauding ears despite the drawback of not having a mic due to uncontrollable feedback. All this was just on the first floor, up on the second a keyboard and lyric ladened songs were proffered then as the tone changed an acoustic guitar was folded into the mix.

It was easy to be entertained with the diversity of musicians, of audience and the staggering diversity of images that adorned the walls. A good sized audience came to share in our night and orange cheesecake. For me a pleasant surprise came when I was able to add a small red dot to the corner of one of my photos. My very first.

I found I had to ask myself a question, do I create for the sake of it or do I put too much hope in the sale at the other end? The answer is, the sale is fluffy icing I can delight in but do without. If my cake remains un-iced I still take pleasure in its consumption.

Without a doubt it was a successful opening to which a lot of effort was put in by Chen Lie, our curator and all those she found to help her. As I slunk away into the slight drizzle of a warm summers night I found myself quietly glowing from the pleasure of being involved and the growing expectation of ‘Next’ time.

Post 65: 140706 Poetry and Orange Trees

2006-07-14T20:32:00.001+09:00

I left for work a little after one this afternoon. As I walked I wrote a little poem.

“What is more hideous than a toad?” the toad asked.
“A slug.” replied the slug.
“How is a slug more hideous than a toad?” the toad inquired.
“Just look at me.” the slug replied in an off hand manner.
“I am.” licked the toad. ”and you look delicious.”

Oh and some good news. Of the back of the current exhibition in Insdaong I have been asked to contribute to another joint exhibition that begins on the 5th of August. This time at the Orange Tree gallery.

The fear I had about the short life of my photos has been eased. As yet I have few details but when they come to hand to will happily report on proceeding. This will be my third exhibition. Does that make me an artist? Or is it when you sell your first piece?

Post 64: 140706 Why i'm a Veggie

2006-07-14T14:06:00.001+09:00

One wonders why anyone would actually eat meat when you read stuff like this. It was taken from The Humane Farming Association website. I hope they don't mind.

http://www.hfa.org/about/index.html

Animal Suffering

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Agricultural Statistics Service, each year about 10 percent, or 900 million, of the animals raised for food never reach the slaughterhouse. They die on the farm due to stress, injury, and disease. The on-farm death rate ranges from a low of 4 percent for cows and calves to 12 percent for turkeys, 14 percent for hogs, and 28 percent for some types of chickens.

Agribusiness corporations claim that animals in factory farms are “as well cared for as their own pet dog or cat.” Nothing could be further from the truth. The life of an animal in a factory farm is characterized by acute deprivation, stress, and disease. Industrialized agriculture has made the determination that it is more “cost effective” to accept some loss in inventory than to spend money on treating animals humanely.

Farm animals, by the millions, are forced to live in cages or crates just barely larger than their own bodies. While some species, like hogs and veal calves, may be caged alone without any social contact, others, like egg-laying hens and chickens, may be crowded so tightly together that they fall prey to stress-induced cannibalism. Unable to groom, stretch their legs, or even turn around, the victims of factory farms exist in a constant state of distress.

If a private citizen confined a dog or cat in a manner common in factory farms, or subjected an animal to surgical procedures without anesthesia, the individual could be charged with cruelty to animals. Farming is an area, however, that federal and state laws protecting animals barely touch. The powerful agribusiness and pharmaceutical lobbies have seen to it that farm animals are specifically excluded from welfare laws.

There are virtually no federal laws that protect farm animals from even the most harsh and brutal treatment as long as it takes place in the name of production and profit. The federal Animal Welfare Act, which regulates the treatment of animals for commercial purposes, does not apply to farm animals unless they are being used in research or for exhibition. Moreover, a majority of states have specifically exempted some aspect of the treatment of animals in agriculture from their cruelty laws.* It is left entirely to the preference of the individual company how many egg-laying hens are stuffed into each little wire cage, or whether an artificially inseminated sow must spend her entire pregnancy chained to the floor of a cement-bottomed cage.

Post 63: 130706 Article in the Times

2006-07-13T10:03:00.001+09:00

Here's a grab from the Korean Times yesterday where an article on our show appeared. As of yesterday the doors opened and by all reports the show looks "fab". The team that spent the night hanging the photos are fantastic and regarded as saints. Many thanks. I can't wait to see it.

Follow the link under Current Escapes to the right to read the full article.

Post 62: 120706 Seven years

2006-07-12T14:09:00.001+09:00

Seven years they say. Who are they? In this case it is a bunch of scientists backed by Tony Blair. Those pesky scientists and their crack-pot ideas. Why can’t they keep their traps shut. Isn’t that what most people think?

If I walked into the nearly full office of teachers in the next room and announced that the world would be beyond redemption within the next seven years, they would give me blank looks, put what I said quickly from their minds and return to their conversations of what to do tonight or all this rain we are currently having.

On Wednesday the 14th of June top scientists urged The G8 not to ignore climate change during their July summit and to follow through on commitments made at last years summit in Scotland. Yet already it is being reported the topic has all but slid from view in the upcoming Russian summit. What takes over as the leading topic is Energy Consumption.

Seven years they say before we can’t turn back the clock. Excuse me for getting a little shocked at people’s stupidity but surely it stands to reason that once momentum it gathered on a downward slope then doesn’t it follow that momentum increases. This thought drums through my mind when I hear that they are now saying that the degradation of the environment is escalating. Well duh!!

I watched an interview with Hunter Lovin on New Zealand television and got all riled up. Most of all because the interviewer was a right wally and claimed he was "Sitting on the fence" about the environment. How is this possible? The only reason i can see for someone claiming such an act was that they stood to loose a great deal of money with a move to Cleaner Greener consumption. As an interviewer on an early morning television show i fail to see how he would loose that much. Unless of couse he has millions invested in Oil. Not to mention, he pissed me off when he interupted her answers with his inane questions.

Post 61: 100706 Italia

2006-07-10T14:46:00.001+09:00

Just so there's no confusion. How happy am i right now? Perhaps not as happy as the Italians but pretty damn happy. They hold on for their forth World Cup title.

Post 60: 090706 The Gallery

2006-07-09T00:47:00.002+09:00

I went and checked out the gallery today. I was hoping to pick up some posters for the show but that wasn't to be the case. I did pick up some snazzy postcards however. The gallery is situated at the end of a long paved street which is plonked smack dab in the middle of tourist central. From the street not a lot can be seen as the gallery itself is on the second and third floor. I have this sinking feeling about the space, there are 12 of us and the rooms aren’t big. Sacrifices must be made. I plan on mapping out how I want my photos set up as I won’t be able to be there to do the setting up.

I will return on Tuesday morning with my photos and then it’s up to fate to see how things pan out. Anyways, here is an image from outside so you get the idea.

Post 59: 070706 Arrival Day

2006-07-07T07:57:00.001+09:00

Today is arrival day. For the last four days I have been excitedly awaiting this morning. In just under a few hours Sukhee and I will be driving out to the shop where I dropped my photos off to pick up them up in their sparkly new frames. After stalled attempts at getting them printed (nothing is ever easy it seems in this country) the end result comes today.

The exhibition begins on the 12th of July and the photos need to be in the gallery and hung by the 11th. Unfortunately I will not be able to do the hanging as the time allocated for that is from 2pm, I have this annoying thing called work to be getting back to. When will the time come when all these other things I do take over from the mundane task of earning money?

Post 58: 020706 The dream I covet

2006-07-02T22:18:00.001+09:00

The following images were taken in 2003. They are of a building I have come to covet and the land it sits on. The dream has grown in me of possibilities for this place. If money were water then a theatre I would build. A center for arts I would conjure and space I would forge where all those creatively inclined could come together and do what it is we do in a like-minded atmosphere.

Post 57: 020706 The chapter closes

2006-07-02T21:40:00.001+09:00

And thus ends another chapter. Last night was the cast party for ‘Never Swim Alone’ and ‘This is a Play’. We began at an Italian restaurant, enjoying good wine and great pizza and of course fine company. That was followed by a stop at a bar called ‘Hollywood’s’ which was in fact where a few of us began, being the early sorts and wanting to get the evening off to the right start.

We stayed there until just after midnight playing darts and continuing our drinking. The fist world cup game of the night kicked off at that point and the darts were overhauled by cheering English supporters. That was when we went in search of a more accommodating location. It was found in the form of a cocktail bar up a flight of stairs in the back alleys of Iteawon. A place where you had to not only remove your shoes as is tradition but your socks as well because the floor around the seats was covered in sand.

Our numbers had dwindled somewhat by then, from the 12 or so we began with to about six. We stayed there long enough to down a couple of quick cocktails and the time was ripe for dancing. Up ‘Hooker Hill’ we went and found room in a pub slash night club with a video DJ playing a mix of old classics like the ’Proclaimers’ and newer rap artists. By this time I had no choice but to stay on as the subways were closed and there was no way back to Uijeongbu.

Unfortunately the numbers dwindled yet again and I was left watching Steph and Mac being picked up on the dance floor. Time rolled on and 5.15 am meant the subway would be opening soon and my ride home would avail itself. Of the three of us went into the light of a new day and we said our goodbyes. The cast party was at an end and the chapter was closed.

Here’s a couple of picks from the night, both taken in the cocktail bar. The first of Krista sifting the sand and the second of the empty chairs further back in the bar. Note the beach embracing the chair legs.

Post 56: 300606 The Articles

2006-06-30T11:20:00.001+09:00

Just so there's no doubt our show was put in print. Here are images from two of the three articles that were done on us. I missed evening seeing a third printed article as i had no idea which day it was being published. I found out a day later and by then it was impossible to get hold of.

Sometime today an interview that was conducted with the cast and crew will be put online. It was conducted by KBS, a local television station but as yet i don't have the address. As soon as it becomes available i'll post that as well.

Post 55: 290606 A thought fizzles

2006-06-29T14:11:00.001+09:00

Upon ringing the organizing committee of the Chuncheon International Theatre Festival i was given a number. After being hung up on several times i finally spoke to a woman who informed me that there were indeed places available and could i please send an email detailing our performance.

After the excitement grew i fired off an email including links to the recent articles our play had recieved and to our own website and proceeded to wait. The 10 minutes passed after which time she said she would call back and i continued to wait. In the evening of the same day, not wanting to be pushy, i sent off a second email asking if the first email had been read. Checking my inbox several more times that evening and finding nothing i went to bed determined to ring the next morning.

The morning crawled in though the vertical blinds and i sat at the computer to check a final time before ringing. There it was: "You must be confused." She informed me. We are the puppet festival. Your live theatre style wouldn't work in our program.

Damn it, i said to myself. I was given the wrong number and got all excited for nothing. I later reviewed an initial email i'd recieved from the Theatre Festival, one i'd ignored as i'd actually spoken to someone whom i thought was part of the same festival, telling me that their festival program was full but we would like to invite you next year.

I guess we have to wait a year.

Post 54: 270606 Tantrix Final

2006-06-28T02:46:00.001+09:00

Tonight, somehow, don't ask me, i was crowned Tantrix Asian Champion for 2006. I played 'joky' in the final whom i'd met in the opening rounds. The first game was a draw then i won the next two and if i'd won the forth it would have been a forgone conclusion. He won it however and i had to wait until the 5th to put it beyond doubt. We completed our sixth game for the sake of it, which i won as well. So as of this evening i can say i've won a title.

"What does it mean! What does it mean!"

Post 53: 270606 There is this thought..

2006-06-27T19:24:00.001+09:00

There is this thought, this hope, this notion that I’d like to come into being.

Whenever a season finishes i am always found lamenting the fact it was so short and how i would like to retain the sensations of being in amongst it. Well the opportunity has presented itself for at least one of the plays to see more life.

It just so happens that the timing of the next Chuncheon International Theatre Festival has placed it directly in our path and it would be a shame not to take full advantage. It takes place at the end of July, right when those involved in The Seoul Players will be starting to feel that itch again.

I have spoken to one of the organisers and was informed that there have been withdrawals of other acts leaving gaps in the program. The cast of 'Never Swim Alone' will all be available at this time but those of 'This is a Play' will not as Emily is leaving our shores in the not to distant future. Disappointment for one and excitement for the other.

I was involved in a play, ‘Rapunzel’ that was taken to this festival a few years back. It’s an exciting event to be involved in. We were put up in dorms with theatre companies from other parts of the world, Italian, Chinese, Israeli, etc etc. I remember one member of the Italian troop, Luca I think his name was, who spent one evening in the dorms balancing everything he could find on his nose, chairs, bottles and alike. To have the chance to be there again is one worth taking.

Initially they held the festival every three years but as I read from the website, the intention is to now have it every year. We are definitely on the books for next year but I’m the impatient sort in some regards and would like it to happen in four weeks time.

Check out the website:

http://www.citf.or.kr/

Post 52: 260606 "As the lights fade..."

2006-06-26T01:29:00.001+09:00

And so the show closes and wonderfully we finished on a high. The theatre is not big and in fact appears smaller than its 105 seat capacity. With two houses today of just under thirty each it looked full. The actors went out with a bang. Giving more energy and projecting to a greater degree than previously seen.

I left the theatre in the pouring rain feelings a mix of satisfaction and disappointment. Nothing to do with performances or houses or the fact I missed the chance for a curtain call because we returned moments to late to the theatre. I found the rain refreshing and alleviated my mood enabling me to carry with me the world we had built for ourselves over the last few months.

As I sat on the bus I was startled by a young Korean woman wearing a t-shirt in the center of which was a maple leaf and surrounding it in bold lettering read the words, ”Pure Fuckin Canadian”. I new this Canadian world, not the country you understand but the bubble we crafted though time and exchange, would last longer than anticipated.

I take great pleasure in meeting and working with like minded individuals who can handle my eccentricities. In fact they are almost embraced as part and parcel of theatre. I was able to walk the stage and scream from my lungs and sing off key and spout the few quotes I remember from past plays and these moments were not looked on with distain but accepted. For that this experience will be highly valued.

But that is just a small fraction as to why I will value my time on these shows. Always the most valuable aspect to performance is the people you meet and share time with. Emily, with the cloak she shrouds herself in before each show and her amazing strength that shines though. Mackenzie, with her pure skills and ability to step out on stage and create something utterly memorable. Steven, with his forthright mind and unclouded view and the physicality that molded air into solid objects. Krista, with her vision and demand for a type of theatre that others dare not aspire to and the kind nature she keeps sheltered inside.

It’s 3am and I’ve just played the last four games of the Tantrix Asian Championships Semi-final. I’ll finish off my little rant tomorrow. Oh and I won the 3 out of 4 of the games and am in the final. To be played before July 4th.

Post 51: 250606 The beginning of the last day

2006-06-25T11:30:00.001+09:00

Well here it is, the last day. Two more shows and the time spent will be left to gather dust in the recesses of our age inflicted addled minds.

The two shows yesterday went well, performance wise. There was the odd mistake but due to the depth to which the plays are now known they are easily moved beyond. A little spot of inadvertent laugher due to falling off the stage can be seamlessly incorporated.

The first house was light. Sitting in an inadequately air conditioned theatre at 4pm on a hot day is not everybody’s idea of entertainment. The evening session was much better however with nearly fifty people filing in to take their places. The noise they generated with laughter and the three times they broke out into applause seemed to convey a certain level of enjoyment.

Prior to the first show I went out onto the main street to put up posters. In a place that is practically wallpapered in performance posters, finding space was difficult. But our poster is a slightly smaller format so can fit in where others can not. Feeling a little better for having the knowledge of our play out there I returned sweaty to the theatre. After the break between shows I went to take a look to see if the posters had retained their posies. To my chagrin the majority had already been covered up. It’s a dog eat dog world in the poster hanging business.

Here's a cuple more photos. The first is of the silent extra in ‘This is a Play. The second is from the warm-up. Krista bought three sets of a game made up of a ball covered in suckers which lights up on impact and round discs to catch it with. The actors stood about on the stage throwing these flicering balls at one another. A damn good idea. Hot, sweaty and focused.

Post 50: 240606 Dressing room

2006-06-24T12:27:00.001+09:00

It's the final weekend of our show. Four more performances before we wrap what has been months of work. I always get the feeling that these two week seasons are too short. Three weeks would be better, expecially for advertising. From the articles we had in The Korean Herald and The Korean Times we garners an interview on KBS Online and a second article in The Korean Herald for their magazine. These things will only come out after we have wrapped. A third week would be smoking.

Here's a couple of shots from last night in the dressing rooms after the show. Mackenzie and Emily. The show went well, all be it to a less than half full theatre. Just one sell out is all we ask.

Post 49: 230606 SHOT Exhibition

2006-06-23T14:26:00.001+09:00

Time is rushing foward at an ever alarming rate and i'm staggered to discover the exhibition i thought was ages away is now just a matter of weeks away.

I better get on it.

We have to be in the Gallery on the 11th with our work. July the 15th is the official opening with a party in the evening, live music and nibbles.

I'm stoked to be showing in this area, it's a lively place with plenty of folk around who have an interest in art. So hopefully lots of eyes scanning our show.

Check out:

http://shot-exhibition.blogspot.com/

Post 48: 210606 Tantrix Tournament Con't

2006-06-21T14:43:00.001+09:00

Well I made it through the first round by the skin of my teeth as they say. Six wins from twelve games. As so began the Quarter finals. The knockout phase comprising of six games. But if you are within 5 TP’s after those games then you have up to three more games for one player to get clear.

My opponent was ‘Highrange’ from Papua New Guinea. I thought I was doing pretty well as after four games I had won three. That was when he made his comeback with two successive wins, the first of which was sizable enough to propel him into the lead. After our regulation six games he was a few points ahead, requiring at least one more.

In the seventh and what become the final game I won 17 to 9. Giving me a big enough lead to go through to the Semi-finals. My opponent will be ‘kina’ from South Africa.

Post 47: 190606 The show goes on

2006-06-19T10:46:00.001+09:00

Six shows are now behind us. It has been a mixed bag. The highlight coming on Saturday night when the plays were performed before an audience of about fifty people. The low point was last night when we almost canceled due to no one sitting in the theatre come 8.30pm. But standing outside was a couple waiting for two more friends to arrive, friends who had become lost. By 8.40pm the four of them were seated and along with four crew the show went on. To be honest the performance the actors gave was one of the best. They were able to relax and feel out the characters a little more. It helps when you are able to take a breather on stage and get your bearings.

Here are two photos from the theatre. The first shows actors on the stage waiting for the audience to arrive before last nights show. The second is the dressing room which doubles as the place to store props.

Post 46: 160606 Post Opening night

2006-06-16T14:36:00.001+09:00

Opening night has come and gone and I have to admit it felt a little deflating. After giving so much of my time on this one and having neither the thrill of being on stage nor the credit of being a director is saddening. This is selfish I know and for a long time I have been content to play second fiddle but that contentedness has worn thin.

I do not want this to detract in any way from the show that was put on last night. Both plays were performed well and I’m sure the 12 people who came along appreciated it. The laughter the actors received was encouraging. Both shows are funny in very different ways. ‘This is a Play’ affords the actors the opportunity to show, all be it a fictionalized account, a beneath the skin glimpse of what goes on inside an actor as they perform. I worry about the fact that given the performance requires mistakes, the actors will relax too much and become sloppy. I see their professionalism when they take the stage and the fervor in their eyes as they asked for direction so I know I shouldn’t but worry is part of my make-up.

‘Never Swim Alone’ is slick and clever and made up of rapid dialogue and wit. The actors have created a remarkable rapport that is necessary for them to bounce so quickly off the other. Their fine suits and stiff almost rigid way of walking conveys a no nonsense board room demeanor but yet, just as in the first play, it’s the seething mass of emotions going on beneath that captures our attention and takes the play to the other end of the emotional scale.

I feel like this is a deeply negative thing to say about the theatre but now is the time to get into the routine of performance. My job as Stage Manager for both plays means I have to ensure everything is in its place for the opening volleys and take the stage to make announcements before and during intermission. At intermission I reset the stage, bring the large life-guard chair back into the theatre from where we removed it to and to place all props where necessary. At the close I then reset again for the next day. This means moving amongst the actors in the narrow dressing room that sits directly behind the stage. These can be awkward times, the actors need to be getting into the right head space and my interruptions to get props doesn’t help.

As Assistant Director I want to ensure the actors are properly warmed up both physically and vocally. Last night I felt there wasn’t enough and focus was slightly off but this also comes from a small audience. Tonight I might tread on a few toes as I attempt to get them into a performance gear.

As Lighting Designer I had to reset a few lights that have been moved when bulbs were replaced and tonight I may well do the same as the light was far to uneven for the second show and left me less than satisfied. Tweaking that I would have like finished but time leaves it to during the run.

But somewhere in there a routine will be developed and we will all become accustomed to the movements needed to put the show on 6 times a week. Hidden within this however is the pure pleasure that comes from hearing an audience react to the nuances you’ve attempted to craft and all the time and effort put it that is seldom seen. If it is seen when you don’t want it seen you are not doing your job well enough. After the work is done I will take my place in the audience and gleam from them the satisfaction I sorely miss.

Post 45: 150606 Pre Opening Night

2006-06-15T12:11:00.001+09:00

Here it is. The day has come that so many people have worked towards. At 8:10 tonight the theatre will go live and the audience start filing in. Backstage the cast will be glowing from the warm-up I put them through and getting into costume. I’ll be running around like a mad chook making sure everything is where it should be.

The lights that failed us on Saturday have been restored so tonight will be our first full run as we intended it. We are yet to sort the audio for the composer but an amp and mic have been arranged and will be installed in the theatre somewhere around 7pm. Cutting it fine and giving us little time to play.

Last minute details are being nutted out and I’m sure the actors are feeling that warm little butterfly dance the cha-cha in their bellies. By tonight it will have turned into a stampede of buffalo, especially as the lights come down and the music fades up. In a matter of hours we’ll be away, flying through a season that I hope we pause enough in to enjoy.

Break a leg!!

Post 44: 140606 In the Paper

2006-06-14T14:35:00.001+09:00

As i kick back for a few small minutes listening to 'Fly My Pretties' and playing a game of Settlers of Catan I gloat in the knowledge that today an acticle on our play made it to the papers. Included in the article was a photo taken by yours truely.

Check out the link below to the online version but hopefully later today i will be able to pick a few of the printed version to send them back home.

http://www.koreaherald.co.kr/SITE/data/html_dir/2006/06/14/200606140012.asp

Post 43: 130606 Tantrix Tournament

2006-06-13T20:13:00.001+09:00

After what seemed like a good start I thought I would be reasonably well placed at the end of Phase 1. Today is the deadline for Phase 1 games and I am currently placed second in my group so there is little doubt I will go through to the knock-out phase. I think this is mainly due to two people from our group dropping out and two more not completing their games. They do have a few more hours but at this stage it’s looking unlikely.

So my phase one record stands at 6 wins and 6 losses. The last loss coming when I completed the set of three games yesterday with ‘tzujoe’. A close game throughout but was beaten at the finish despite having the tiles to complete a mammoth loop, he had the turn and took 1 essential piece. Final score 22 to 17.

Knockout phase will follow which I’m not feeling all that confident about. I’ve dropped over 100 points in my ranking over the last few weeks due to an ineptness of play. I’m lacking a necessary component that enables one to see the board further in advance. I was never that good at chess either, opting to play more with instinct rather than strategy.

Post 42: 110606 Final Rehearsals

2006-06-12T00:37:00.001+09:00

That was it, our final rehearsals. Just as I predicted they were fraught with danger. Short tempers and throbbing heads created difficult conditions. But persevere we must and persevere we did. After a late start we didn’t complete the three runs of each as planned but saw out two instead with another run coming later in the week when the casts meet separately.

Tomorrow Amanda, the director of ‘This is a Play’ flies out, She will be back in September but due to the ways things work in this part of the world she must board that plane and miss the run of what is her debut as a director. Farewell Amanda and what a fine play you’ve put together. Never doubt it was you who got it to where it is at. Without the guts and strength that ensured it moved ahead despite cast losses and repeated auditions it would not be where it’s at.

Several months of effort on the part of everyone involved will ensure that opening night, in a mere matter of four days, is a success. They both look good and I can’t wait to see how they evolve through the course of their run.

Post 41: 100606 Rehearsals

2006-06-10T23:50:00.001+09:00

Today was our second to last rehearsal. The space is almost as we want it, apart from the blown bulb and the entire channel of eight lights that mysteriously stopped working. Not to mention the gobo's we had made but proved to be unusable because their 10cm diameter was just too small to produce an image. Ah but these things are sent to try us and if we didn’t have problems how would we improve.

We ran through both plays twice, the second being a full dress and tomorrow we hope to run both three times. Less fluffing with the lights should give us the time we chewed through today.

But how well we do tomorrow may well depend on how much alcohol is consumed this evening. It is Amanda’s birthday so the majority of actors and crew have gone out on the terps to share the day and make sure it’s seen off in an appropriate manner. I have crawled home and these longs days are taking it out on me and I would much rather get a good nights sleep and leave the partying until the season is over. Signs I’m getting old: Number 306.

By the second run I must admit that both plays were looking good. All the actors were bringing more to the party and letting the growing comfort with the space produce a deeper level of expression. They must be congratulated for the work they have been putting in. I’m very pleased with they way both are turning out. I have no doubts it will be a good nights entertainment. But more than that, for the sake of the art, these guys are growing as actors, both in terms of experience and in range and in the heights they can achieve. I don’t have enough compliments for them. It’s just as I wanted it to be when I craved to become involved.

Post 40: 070606 In the Theatre

2006-06-07T12:27:00.001+09:00

Yesterday we spent the whole day in the theatre. Bumping in as they say. As well as rigging the lights and que to que runs. It was a very long, very buggering day. But it's done and now only small tweeking is required. Touch wood.

Post 39: 050606 Photos from Sunday

2006-06-05T08:56:00.001+09:00

Post 38: 056606 Photos from Saturday

2006-06-05T08:50:00.001+09:00

Post 37: 040606 Rehearsals

2006-06-04T21:33:00.001+09:00

With the final climb up that damn hill made, our time at Hanyang Dae has come to a close. As of Tuesday we will be in the theatre and counting down the days until opening night with fervor. And boy what a way to end it.

Yesterday we ran through the play without stops twice and I was not satisfied as to where the actors where at. They needed more, more effort from me to help them get to their characters and more of a sense of what they must demand of themselves, if that makes any sense.

To finish yesterday I attempted to look at the simple things, the walk. In turn I had each actor walk through the space, firstly as themselves, then as the character within the play and lastly and with more difficulty, as the actor they were portraying. Oh, if it were a simple play and they could be a single entity. I felt by the end of the day that progress had been made and they were all closer to the goal. That of hiding themselves, getting to the actor, then hiding the actor sporadically within the guise of another character. Confused yet?

Today began with the goal of performing in front of the cast of the other play, as they had done for us last week. I didn’t want to rush into things however. So with another agenda in mind I had the cast and chief director, Amanda, try a little experimental theatre I had been craving to try for some time. I had them all reduce their capacity for communication down to a single number and placed them all in a remote space in which none of them would be at home and attempt to bounce them off each other with varying intentions and back stories. To see an idea I had been holding onto for some time have its first outing was a pleasure. There is something in it after all.

Once they were loosened up we went for a run through and even though progress had been made over the previous day it was still not where it could have been. Keeping them in character I treated the preparation for the open performance as if it were indeed a fully blown production. The audience sat themselves and I made the introductions, cell phones off and all that.

Without over embellishing my sentiment in the slightest, I could not have been more proud. They rose to the occasion and blasted away the layers to find the well turned characters underneath. Each of them found feet to walk upon, leap from and bound unhindered from. I was overwhelmed with what they produced and all my fears were shredded like useless flotsam. We are in an outstanding place as we move into the theatre and the tech side of things takes over for a while.

I thank our fine actors most sincerely for their effort, patience and finely crafted 24 carat creations. Cheers guys!!

Post 36: 010606 Garden of Morning Calm

2006-06-01T11:52:00.001+09:00

Yesterday was one of those glorious mid week days off. All due to the mayoral elections that swept the country in their trucks bedazzled in billboards and screens that showed highly contrived images of kindly middle-aged men willing to go that extra mile if you only give them a vote and flocks of sash wearing supporters that stood on street corners and waved at passing buses, cars, cyclists, pedestrians and excited pets with their white gloved hands and periodically burst into a song and dance routine that would have made Mick Jagger look like a ballerina.

And what does one do with a glorious mid week day off? One comes up with the glorious idea of fleeing the city in secret and finding an isolated spot amongst nature where you can sit and watch the bees buzzing and listen to the gentle babble of a fresh water stream as it bounces over sand coloured rocks. And proud of yourself for thinking of such an original glorious idea one jumps in the car and heads out onto the motorway only to discover that ten thousand other people were given the same thought. But still clinging to the slimmest of hopes you continue on you way and believe that once you get there you will find peace.

As the journey continues and the roads get narrower, giving way to a dirt track you finally admit to your partner that it doesn’t look like anyone else is going to change their mind and find someplace else. So you end up spending a glorious day in nature surrounded by the buzzing of bees, the babble of a childlike brook and the population of a small city.

Despite this our destination more than made up for the gaggle around us. A man made slice of nature filled with a variety of themed gardens nestled on the edge of a lush mountain range. 300 year old bonsai trees gave way to weeping willows and flowers of every shade including blue. A gnarled Juniper tree stood alone and drew the focus of couples wishing their photo taken beneath its wizened glare. Many areas were set aside in the shade of tall pines to enjoy the picnic we had brought with us but should we have wished we could have dined in the restaurant, café or traditional tea house. In this Garden of Morning Calm we found peace and serenity. Bizzzzzzzzzzz

Post 35: 290506 Rehearsals

2006-05-29T13:02:00.001+09:00

As opening night gets nearer my focus has moved toward ‘This is a Play’. The weekends now consist of only a single rehearsal a day, giving me a little breathing space. Saturday was spent cleaning up moments and attempting to give the actors as much fodder as possible to draw from. Sunday began with 1 on 1’s running monologues with the ladies before Steven arrived after which when ran the play twice.

We have one more weekend of rehearsals then into the theatre on the 6th of June.

Post 34: 290506 Tournament Day 3

2006-05-29T08:16:00.001+09:00

Saturday night and I was fit for a fight or so I thought as I sat on my plush pink pillow before my sleek silver laptop with while Miles wailed in my ears. But the bubble soon burst and left me surly.

I jumping into the Tantrix lobby hoping to see someone I’m yet to play from group A but alas there was none. ‘tzubobo’ invited me to a game and in need of a warm up I obliged but while we were trading turns, ‘kina’ from South Africa jumped into our room to announce her presence. She needed to play both of us and I was the lucky schtick who got to go first.

The first game was close until a late run saw ‘kina’ take it 20 to 16 but I wasn’t overly worried as I still felt like I could win the next to. In the second game I lead early on and needed a single tile to join two lines and take a commanding win but the tile was not to fall and my lead was erased and I lost 23 to 19. In game three saw a repeat of game two but at the very least it thought I could win one and take some much needed points away from our sparring. But again the lead was squashed and a third loss was recorded, 22 to 18.

So now my record stands at 6 wins and 5 losses with four games left to play.