seoul: seodaemun prison

Abit overdue but here's some of the pics I took in Seoul. I start with the 3rd day lar cuz the first 2 days were mostly spent in-processing [very very long stories].


Here's me in my nice plushy new set of winter wear. Despite having been to the States during winter and considering myself a seasoned traveller, I think I must have been undone by my too low body fat composition; longjohn + tshirt + sweater + jacket + scarf failed to repel the Seoul cold and threatened to undermine my holiday. Never skim on the winter clothings folks. So I bought:
$80: fleece
$300: 2 in 1 jacket with fleece and a windbreaker
$30: nice gloves
Which really worked wonders. [digression: i used the super uber 2-in-1 jacket in singapore and i now face meetings in air-conditioned government offices and classrooms with confidence.]

We went to the Seodaemun prison after my winter shopping spree.

This is the hospital opposite the prison the moment we got out of the train station. SGH. Seoul General Hospital. Seriously speaking the other day I went to our SGH to visit a client. it's like you have to get past the chasm of never ending cars, and walk miles along the road to get to where you want to go. Bad hospital.

Park before the prison.



History lesson: Seodaemun Prison was built by the Japanese last time. So the Japanese and the Chinese were fighting over Korea which resulted in the Sino-Jap war of 1895 which the Japanese won. Apparently unlike the Chinese they were not just satisfied with regular tribute; they made many Koreans unhappy who started rebelling and so the Japanese had to built prisons like these all over the country to house these rebels which they caught. I think there's about 300 such prisons all over the country, most not in use liao, a couple still functions as a prison, and a couple more turned into tourist attractions like these [not really touristy though since local visitors outnumbered foreigners like 100:1].

Anywayz. So the place consists of wax figures re-enacting the torture scenes.

One of the many prison buildings. They all look the same though so take one take all liao. The Japanese built them though and you will note the functional simplicity of the design. Very interestingly hor. Dunnoe how the Japanese design the buildings: inside is way colder than outside. I think that's the most efficient torture ever. 30 minutes and I will confess to whatever you want me to confess liao.

aces go places

There's a letter in today's ST forum by an Ace Kindred Cheong scolding
this guy for locking up the national library from the inside. Besides
being wrong, he was wrong because what if the library caught fire?

Ace Kindred is a prolific forum writer. I first came across him when
he admonised Steven Spielberg for mixing politics in pulling out of
the Beijing Olympics video. I'm sure wherever corner of LA he is in,
Spielberg must have seen this letter and felt awful.

I googled 'Ace Kindred' and also this letter condemning a local
footballer dude for kicking his opponent, saying he should be in muay
thai instead. I think Ace misses a point: Local footballer was
unsporting and I can't think of any sport that condones that.

Before I left for Seoul I came across this letter scolding the guy who
burned the palace down. I didn't even have to read it to know who
wrote it. The next person who wants to burn the Merlion down better
think twice or else Ace will scold you.

With such a moral compass like Ace vigorously pointing the way, I can
sleep better at night. Even if Mas Selamat is still on the run. I know
I can trust Ace to scold him for toying with the feelings of his
captors and for willfully evading the efforts of Singapore's finests.

Ace is clearly against people who are unsporting, mixes politics with
everything, and who anyhow destroys things. That sounds alot like our
ministers. Go Ace go!

When I googled 'Ace Kindred' I was curious whether it was some sort of
honorific like Fuhrer or if it was some sort of rank in some
organization. I'm still not sure today.

saycheesecake

Lovely dinner at


Laksa Chowder. Easily the best dish I had in a long time, and the best dish the place offers.


Royal Lobster Bisque. Finally, lobster bisque in Singapore that's better than the one I used to have almost daily at HK MacDonald's, which was really good.



The main course! Classic palle or something like that. Basically italian short grain [riso] with seafood and chicken. This was the dish that attracted our attention in the first place, and I think expectations were too high: it was quite a disappointment. The rice was too dry for riso, there were not enough peppers, and the tastes were not subtle enough.


Desert! Green Apple Crumple. Well the place is called cheesecake so you know the cheesecake has to be good. And it is.