October 2011
2 posts
Closed For Good
Feel free to browse the archive. If you’re coming to teach and want to find your school, here’s a directory.
All the best.
3 tags
Things You Can Do in Pyeongtaek: Volunteer to Help
Regarding an older post on Migrant Labour in Pyeongtaek a reader wrote in: “Filipino club workers are not alllowed to attend church. They are only allowed to go out with paying club customers. This is unfair to humans. Also, here in Anjong Ri they are treated like slaves. Please help these helpless people.”
Interested in helping in any way, please refer to this post, the...
5 tags
Things To Do: Osan Air Show, Oct 9-10
From the website (HT to Blake Pascoe):
Team Osan will host the Republic of Korea Air Force Black Eagles who perform precision aerial maneuvers demonstrating the capabilities of the high performance aircraft. There will also be a wide variety of Korean and American high performance aerial demonstrations, unique ground performances, military equipment static displays, a children’s play area...
September 2010
1 post
1 tag
Things To Do Nearby: Baudeogi Festival in Anseong,...
Make an evening of it - have your fill of food as you take in all the acrobatics, plate spinning, plays, and traditional Korean music that Anseong can muster.
source: click for more photos.
Here’s info on Namsadang culture and Baudeogi, for whom the event is named.
Here’s the main website and location.
HT to Sue-Maree
August 2010
6 posts
3 tags
Now Open: Caffè Benne
source
I recently sat down at a new Caffe Bene with a friend, really chic inside. I think it’s my new favorite, primarily because of the post-bop jazz (think Junko Onishi) and the cream cheese gelato. It’s also rare to find a place that plays non-stop jazz, apart from one sake bar downtown. And, completely irrelevant, it has a copy of Murakami’s latest novel, 1Q84, on the...
4 tags
Things To Do: Go Bowling
source
I’ve been here a few times, and felt very under-dressed. Most people don uniforms and gloves (sometimes with metal contraptions). You might do little better than grabbing a few people and downing a few drinks before you go. In my experience, this spices things up, and remedies your (at least my) inadequacy next to the serious game-play going on next to you. There’s also a...
3 tags
Local News: Call To Obey City's Trash Laws →
Here’s something that applies to all residents. If you’re unaware about how to deal with your trash look in the ‘Official City Guide’ (the link in the left column) for a primer on Pyeongtaek’s trash laws.
2 tags
Things To Do: Rock Climb @ Pyeongtaek Climbing...
Open: 3-11 pm (Mon-Fri) / Click here for information.
source
2 tags
Things To Do: Acupuncture
source
It’s cheap (5000 won, around 15,000 for your first consultation). Glass cupping feels great, loosening up tightened muscles, but you need to ask for it. Something to avoid may be the cupping/massage machines they use these days (do ask for the glass). The machine’s stress me out, making me feel like I’m in a vat from the matrix with mechanical tentacles leeching off...
1 tag
Local Treats: Cold Soba
This has to be the best soba I’ve had in a long time. Olive Sushi, next to Pizza School (the one by Pyeong-il Elementary), 5,000 won cold soba. And the least fusion-looking sushi I’ve seen in Pyeongtaek. So good!
February 2010
27 posts
1 tag
3 tags
Things To Do: Pyeongtaek Mud Festival
source
A mud bath festival on the Anseong River. Here’s a video and a map. This now happens every year around July 31 to August 2, the one pictured was a first for Pyeongtaek. Looks like a great time for the kids.
3 tags
Things To Do Nearby: Seoil Farm, Anseong
Relax near the water at Seoil Farm, well known for it’s pots.
Here’s a website / directions (click photos for image sources)
2 tags
City of Push
The city as we imagine it, the soft city of illusion, myth, aspiration, and nightmare, is as real, maybe more real, than the hard city one can locate on maps, in statistics, in monographs on urban sociology and demography and architecture.
- Jonathan Raban
Sometimes the guest will have to leave the host in order to remain a guest.
- Fanny Howe, The Lyrics
I have an inkling that the...
9 tags
10 Ideas To Make Pyeongtaek a Better Place
1. CLEANER PUBLIC TRANSIT
2. ONE BIG CITY PARK - Plant lots of native grasses, flowers and trees. No more concrete, please.
OK, so I know it’s hard to plant lots of grass, and landlords don’t want it since land prices are too high. But the city is throwing loads of money at a new park, why not make it at least 50 % green. It’ll create jobs.
3. A DANCE HALL / JAZZ CLUB-...
4 tags
Emerging Places: Jinwi Riverside Recreation Park
The 8.5 billion won project should be complete by the end of the year, if not by the summer. The pools are heated, so are swimmable all year round, with one for babies, children and adults. There’s also a basketball court, bike track, ponds and gardens, a campground, an eco-learning centre, and an outdoor performing arts facility. They’re also flood safe, during the summer monsoon...
5 tags
Pyeongtaek Hideaways: Be Art Centre
Be Art is a quiet place to bring a sandwich and a book to enjoy in an enclosed back porch of sorts, or have a coffee upstairs in the cafe and outer deck. Every now and then there is a show, like this one I missed a while back.
Here’s a map. Inquires: (031) 654-4642, one of the employees speaks English fluently.
4 tags
ZE:A Performing in front of Pyeongtaek Station →
5 tags
Reader Review: Soda Star Rated Best Drinks Menu in...
You voted, well three of you, 2 for Soda Star (maybe next time Starbucks). I’m sure others out there would say Ti’amo for gelato, the place next to it for bubble tea, the wine bar by Be Art, and maybe XO Bar for it’s tequila. Mine is a sake place that plays jazz just down from our winner.
Soda Star is a comfy, chic cafe offering at least fifty kinds of drinks....
5 tags
Local History: Osan Air Base and Songtan →
This is one of the best English websites I’ve come across for recent local history, mostly centred around the American military. Though the site is a bit of an eyesore and takes time to load, it’s text and photos are well worth it.
Also very worthwhile are these photos c/o the USAG Camp Humphrey’s.
5 tags
Things To Do Nearby: Thanks Nature Herb Village
Thanks Nature is a nice little secret next door in Anseong. It features the Soleado Restaurant with a well-rounded menu, a pension and wading pool, a not-too-corporate looking wedding hall in case you’re looking to get hitched, a herb greenhouse, an aroma therapy spa, a fragrance lab, handcraft and pottery studio where you are free to let loose and be creative (wax art, candles, jewellery,...
5 tags
Local History Album: What the Pyeongtaek Area... →
4 tags
Picture of the Day: Pyeongtaek Area, Circa 1952
Around Osan - then Hill 180 - in Pyeongtaek during the Korean War. (source)
4 tags
In Korea: Watch the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Opening... →
I loved the orcas, the voice of Donald Sutherland quoting from our history, and so much more. ‘We are an experiment going right for a change!’ says the slam poet.
4 tags
Things To Do: Watch Vancouver 2010 Olympics
Happy New Year everyone! All the best to all the athletes, to Korea and the rest.
GO CANADA!
4 tags
Picture of the Day: Seoul, 1955
source
This looks like a beautiful book of photography. Here’s one that I recently posted. Reminds me a bit of Shirin Neshat’s work.
3 tags
Locals: Much Like Baemi, Pyeongtaek
source
There are many strays in my area. It’s like a gangland for cats. To see the rest click here.
2 tags
Emerging Places: Pyeongtaek Logistics Park
source
The 8000 sq meter logistics park, set to be complete in 2012, is to harbour facilities for cargo monitoring, environmental management, crime prevention, disaster prevention, etc. It is said that the project will employ 29,000 people, whether those are construction workers, facility employees or both, I am uncertain. The project will bring in 1.3 Trillion won for the region.
...
5 tags
Things To Do: Volunteer @ Duraebang
If you are living in the Pyeongtaek area, or are willing to travel from elsewhere nearby, Duraebang, an NGO that helps women get out of the sex industry around US military bases, could use some help! We are working with their shelter that specifically assists Filipina victims of sex trafficking.
For more information on this, you can read a recent Hankyoreh article by clicking this link:...
5 tags
Picture of the Day: 1957 Pyeongtaek
‘On their way back home’, 1957 (source)
5 tags
Local Voices: Migrant Workers in Pyeongtaek
Source: Amnesty International’s October 2009 report
It seems juicy bars are the only English language news coming out of Pyeongtaek this month. Four are now off-limits to USFK personnel.
In light of this, here is an Amnesty International report concerning migrant workers rights, with some quotes referring to Pyeongtaek and Songtan. There is plenty in the document referring to factory...
2 tags
Scribd: Official Pyeongtaek City Guide - Released... →
2 tags
Photo of the Day: K-6 Airfield, Pyeongtaek
Source - Courtesy of JR Boyer and Thomas C. Courson, Marines who served at K-6 during the war.
“Long before it was called Camp Humphreys or later, U.S. Army Garrison Humphreys, K-6 airfield south of Seoul, Korea was home to U.S. Marine Air Group 12 during the Korean War. These photos are courtesy of J.R. Boyer and Thomas C. Courson, Marines who served at K-6 during the war. They...
4 tags
Recent Local History: Documentary Linklets
Pyeongtaek: Korean Farmers’ Struggle for Land and Daechuri
2 tags
Local Goods: Where to Find Ranch Dressing
Homeplus is the only place, besides the base, to find ranch dressing nearby. Rather, it’s Wish-Bone Garlic Ranch, which doesn’t taste as good as Kraft in my opinion, but it’s still tasty. 1 Bottle = around 4,500 won.
Other finds here are:
Teisseire Syrup. I saw Tropical, Lime, Mixed Berries, and Orange. Sooo good! 1 Bottle = 11,000 won/ makes 5-6 litres of juice.
Also...
January 2010
5 posts
8 tags
Food: Fogo Grill - Brazilian Barbecue
For those who love meat, and have a loaded pocketbook, try the Fogo Grill (Songtan). Fogo specializes in all-you-can-eat Brazilian barbecue, with a selection of drinks and deserts to match, including a banana flambé. For more information, including prices, hours and directions, see the Stars and Stripes review.
6 tags
Things To Do: The Best Jjim'jil Bang in Pyeongtaek...
link - take a taxi, but the 2-2/20/50/15 etc. will get you close.
8 tags
Things To Do: Game Night
Bearly Burger Game Night, Every Friday @ 7 pm.
3 tags
Nice Flickr Album of Pyeongtaek & Area →
7 tags
More Local Projects Linklets
1. KTX coming to Pyeongtaek (to be completed in 2014)
2. Korea-China Undersea Tunnel (pending an assessment).
Details: Four proposed tunnel routes to China. Weihai City to Incheon, Pyeongtaek, Hwaseong, Dangjin Ongjin. Cost: Between $64 billion - $109 billion for each route.
Travel time: Seoul - Weihai: 1 hour 57 mins; Seoul to Beijing 4 hrs 26 mins; Seoul to Shanghai 5 hours 31 mins.
November 2009
14 posts
5 tags
UPDATE / Events: Football Tournament Dec. 5
When: Next Saturday. 9pm start.
Cost: 20,000 won per team. 3,000 per person approx.
Getting there - Car: Take the number 45 towards Asan. Turn right at the second road past the overpass. Turn right at the first right. Paengseong Field is on the left hand side about 200m down the road.
Bus: Take the 20 bus until it takes the right off of the 45. It’s only like a 5 minute walk from there.
...
3 tags
Emerging Places: Camp Humphreys Expansion Video →
The base is expanding in preparation for USFK relocation to Pyeongtaek. The begins in 2012 and may be completed by 2016-19 (est). According to JoongAng Daily,
‘The size of the U.S. forces stationed in Korea will be kept at around 28,500. Once the new U.S. forces base is completed in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi, in 2015, the current Eighth Army headquarters and the second infantry division in...
4 tags
Things To Do Nearby: Meet Obama at Osan
source
President Obama arrived late last night at Osan Air Base. But now he’s off to Seoul. Here’s his schedule.
Here’s a photo of his arrival.
3 tags
What Do You Think?
Where’s the best coffee in Pyeongtaek?
4 tags
CNN Reporter Tweets About Pyeongtaek Visit
CNN’s Kristie Lu Stout’s Pyeongtaek:
‘Now in Pyeongtaek, south of Seoul. Um. *Why* is there a cherry red heart-shaped tub in my hotel room?’
Follow her tweets here.
5 tags
Things To Do: Pyeongtaek - China Ferry
source
If you prefer ferries to planes then there are a few that take you to Mainland China, each with it’s respective route:
Pyeongtaek - Rizhao or Longyan (For schedules click here), or
Pyeongtaek - Iljo or Yeongseong (For schedules click here)
3 tags
FREE Korean Class @ Pyeongtaek University UPDATE
Free Korean classes will start up after the New Year. They run every Tues/Thurs from 1-3pm.
There are two levels, beginner and intermediate. The class is made for women who are married to Korean men, but it is possible for anyone to attend.The textbook is provided at the end of the first class. The most recent class included Vietnamese, Mongolian, Thai, Japanese, Russian, Chinese, and Canadian...
4 tags
