Kimchi, Blind Massage Delight, Elevator Sickness, and Call Girls in South Korea.

The Kimchi Experience, Dad Laughing: ISSUE #28

Now, we are flying from Taipei, Taiwan, to Seoul, Korea and my Dad had arranged for me to be able to be inside the cockpit on take off this time, Yahoo! Wow, that was awesome big time.

The pressure and the thrill of speed building up for lift-off was fantastic. Off we went into the blue skies on our way to Korea. Once back in my seat Dad pulled out gifts for me to give the pilots as a thank-you. As he said, maybe one day they will see you again, and you’ll get to do it once more.

SOUTH KOREA

South Korean Flag Taegukgi

One of THE FOUR Asian tigers— South Korea—once fascinated the economic world. From the early 1960s until the 1990s, they regularly achieved double-digit growth. A generation that had toiled as farmers and labourers watched their grandchildren become some of the most educated people on the planet. The tigers started by making cotton shirts, plastic flowers and black wigs. Before long, they were producing memory chips, laptops and equity derivatives.

Once in Seoul, South Korea, there was something in the air, strong, powerful, potent, overwhelming, to be honest, and once I got into the hotel elevator, it hit me smack in the face.

I was ready to upchuck; Dad started laughing out loud; he couldn’t help himself; all he could do was laugh with the many people in the elevator. Once we got to our floor, I ran, shouting, “What is that smell?” Kimchi!!! You need to eat as much as you can right away and get it into your system.

National Folk Museum of Korea is a national museum of South Korea, located within the grounds of the Gyeongbokgung Palace in Jongno-gu, Seoul, and uses replicas of historical objects to illustrate the history of traditional life of the Korean people.

As much as I was sick over the smell that pours out the people's pores, I actually enjoyed eating it, so I got that out of the way, no more shock. Now what, enjoy the streets but we were told that we could not bring any dates upstairs.

I got calls in my room; “Hello, is this Ollie?” This is so, and so I’m downstairs. Can you come down, please? WHAT, WHO, WHY HELP? So I called Dad's room, and he, of course, laughed again.

He said, “When you fill out the paperwork coming into the country, they ask for the name of the hotel you're staying in, and for how long; what they do is sell the information to these ladies so they can get into the hotels and take your money, son!” What a scam that was.

There were military-like guards standing by each floor elevator door, sitting and checking for the keys of each guest. There were large numbers of ladies of the night that would try and come upstairs. 

Dad asked me if I would like to have a message, by professionals.

“Would you like to have the massage in your room or in the downstairs salon? He asked. I’m still 16 and I was okay with Dad’s suggestions, I should be! “Room please”. I replied.

Next a knock on the door and I opened it to two people standing there with the massage table. Shocked and amazed and SCARED all at the same moment, I asked “Why two people?” One replied speaking English, '‘I needed to bring the masseur up as he is totally blind”.

Blind Masseur

OMG! What has I about to get myself into. But what the hell, lets go, the lady opened the table set it up for the Masseur and I jumped on board for the treatment. I must admit after many long years I still remember the high level of message I was blessed with. He was Blind but his senses were the best ever… Thank-you!

Dad had his own permanent hotel room in Seoul. He spent so much time there that he kept a full wardrobe and toiletries; when he wasn’t there, his room just stayed empty and ready for his next visit, so he had the room available at any time. Is that cool or what all the way back in the 70’s? Today more than likely unaffordable for sure.

He knew every trick in the minds of the locals for sure. There was one benefit during this visit. I got a three-piece custom-made suit measured 3 times to perfection done for me at the cost of $20 USD. These suits would cost hundreds of dollars back home. Ours were all custom-made directly by top tailors. Now that was cool, I wish it still fitted today.

Our special summer vacation came to an end; we were flying back to California and School and Chores. I was starting to feel sick at the thought of what lay ahead.

ifOnlyi… I always remembered to be kind, honest, giving and thoughtful. Keeping my word most of all, where would I have gone in my life journeys?

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….ifOnlyi…. short stories are published chronologically, and follow my life growing up in California from 4 years old. If you’ve just found me the stories will come together when you start reading from….Issue #1