Michael Myers staring at me every night

Every night after work I make my way home. Usually the same way, seeing largely the same things and think nothing of it. However, as I am almost home I chance upon a scene from someones window that is the same every night. The first time I saw it and every time since, it has reminded me of the character Michael Myers in Halloween. Of course, it's not some menacing figure with a penchant for murder. As you can see from the (poor) picture it's clearly someones suit or overalls or whatever hung up, but still, every night I think the same thought and wonder what goes on in that house.

DMZ Halloween plans

Tomorrow a large amount of the foreign residents in Korea will head to the bars and clubs where they are currently living to 'celebrate' Halloween. Doing largely the same thing many of them do weekend after weekend but this time some with costumes getting into the 'holiday' spirit. Not really my cup of tea so I'm heading off to do something different.

Tomorrow morning I am getting the early morning train with a few co-workers and heading to Seoul, but not for drinks and shenanigans. We are heading to Seoul to start a tour to the DMZ, the. A quick scan of Wikipedia will tell you more than I can but briefly, it is the area of land between North Korea and South Korea. It runs 155 miles long and is just over 2 miles wide. And it is "the most heavily militarized border in the world". Sounds interesting doesn't it so I'm hoping my camera can pick up some decent pictures for a change.

Technically the two Korea's are still at war so you can understand the serious nature of the border. Of course tensions have been high over the last few years when you consider the North's nuclear ambitions. Whatever they are. Anyway, reading the details of the tour it looks like some interesting history in store. Certainly I am not expecting laughs and games during this tour. I am just hoping for no International Incidents this weekend!

Going on the DMZ tour has been something I've been hoping to do for a long time. It's one of the must-see things I am trying to do before I leave Korea around this time next year. Other things to do include going to Jeju island and visiting the War museum in Seoul. I'm sure there are a few more on my list but the DMZ has been top for a while. I wonder how I will find it and how insightful it will be. Being married to a Korean has only increased my curiosity of some of the things on this peninsula.

£1 H1N1 solution

Today I purchased my now mandatory-for-work face mask. It cost 2,000₩ or £1. As I said when I found out it was compulsory for work, I don't object to it whatsoever but this cynical Englishman finds it hard to believe that £1 will prevent me from picking up H1N1 or other problems. Especially when there is no soap in the bathrooms at work! Old habits die hard in this country and there certainly are some hygiene issues that need dealing with before getting hysterical about influenza. On a side note, I look ridiculous with the mask on. I would dearly love to go to work wearing something like the William Shatner/Halloween mask but I think that's out of the question here.