My Great America Tour

walking

2006-12-22T00:17:00.000-08:00

Walking down the Broadway.

NY

2006-12-19T21:45:00.000-08:00

Bye-bye

2006-12-18T19:47:00.000-08:00

tomorrow will be a memorial day, not for the world, not for USA nor Korea,
but just for me......

I began this trip with ' why' .
And now the goal is already nigh.
it's time to say 'bye-bye'
but don't worry, I feel high.

Birthday Party

2006-12-17T07:25:00.000-08:00

....Oh...God.

JK told us to bring some liquor for his birthday.

there were about 16 people, so the fridge was full of heavy liquors...

I don't remeber if we finished them all because I passed out before it happened.

There were some bottles left last time I checked it.

HAppy Birthday to U, JK!

Trenton, NJ!

2006-12-13T10:44:00.000-08:00

I'm in Trenton, just 100 miles away from NYC!

I'm so excited about spending Christmas in Manhattan.

To save some bucks on lodging, I'll be at my friend Junho's house until Sunday. (He's celebrating his birthday on Saturday!) I'm looking for nice motels in NYC which seems impossible.

There are either big expensive hotels or cheap youth hostels.

Junho told me there are some cheap motels in Jersey City, which is right next to NYC.

I'm wondering what it's going to feel like to stand in Time Square with my bicycle, after this 4 months- pedaling.

Wish me good luck!

Toll

2006-12-11T21:39:00.000-08:00

I'm in Philadelphia, in the UPENN area. My body is full of beer now. Haha.

I just don't want to go to New York City. I should have stopped in Washington DC.
I should have been modest and realized my limit. I've been pushing to the limit and it's making me ill physically and mentally.

I just checked all the possible roads that lead to Manhattan.
New York City is surounded by tolls. It seems like there's no way to get in there.

Damn..

Cuba was a lot more worth traveling by bike. There was no such thing as toll. There was no sign saying "cars only". Cars, trucks, bicycles, coaches, horses, cows and people shared same roads.

Maybe I might have to take a train to enter NYC after all this ordeal with bicycle...

I don't know why, but I have bad feeling about this last route. I fell, I got arrested, and still have cold. Maybe it's my obsession of karma; I've done so many bad things in my life. I feel like I'm getting it back on this one trip!

The weather forecast said it will be warm for the whole week. Is it some kind of trick from God?

DUI

2006-12-08T10:58:00.000-08:00

(24miles, freezing)

I had lunch at Burgerking along with a small bottle of bacardi.
I had to keep myself warm.

I felt so warm inside (which is good)
but I was depressed after I rode bike for about 5 miles.

I'm stuck in a lousy motel in a town where there's nothing. Even no Chinese restaurant.

I was thinking why I started this.

Maybe bacardi made me wiser.

Fallin' into mud

2006-12-07T00:17:00.000-08:00

(50 miles, sunny, 35 F)

I saw that big Chevy truck coming right behind me in the rear view morror. But the truck didn’t slow down. It’s either 1) the driver didn’t see me or 2) he didn’t care whether he hits a stupid foreign bike rider. I didn’t know what to do. I shifted the handle to the sideroad. It was muddy, my bike trembled and fell.

I didn’t bleed. It didn’t hurt much, I just got a bruise on the side of my right knee. But I was covered wih mud. I laid down on the mud, bitching about my life and destiny looking at the sky.

It was a beautiful,sunny day.

150 dollar fine ticket

2006-12-03T21:03:00.000-08:00

(47miles, cloudy, 39-48F)

It was a very cold day. It wasn’t a good day to be arrested by a cop. I was crossing a bridge from Maryland to Delaware. This bridge was on highway 440. There were two bridges that connect Maryland and Delaware. The other one was on Interstate 95 which was marked green- that means there is a toll.

The bridge was 4 lane road, about 1mile long. There was no sidewalk, the fence was very low, so it scared me to death to cycle next to the vehicles which don’t take cyclists into their consideration.

At the end of the bridge, there were tolls where drivers paid 5 dollars, and a cop was standing, looking tough, waving at me. I didn’t know why.
“Are you blind or fxxking stupid?!”
He said there was a sign saying that no bikes were allowed. I said I didn’t see it.

“then you must be fxxking stupid”
He took my passport and went into the police office. I couldn’t move because he didn’t tell me not to move. Sweats on my body started cooling down. I stood outside, 39 F, shivering for 20 minutes.

He came out with another officer. He asked me questions where I stayed, where I got my money from etc.

I said “I get money from a fried chicken company. I stay at hotels”

He asked me if I’m from North or South Korea. He didn’t know “Republic of Korea” means South Korea, which means, in his mind, I couldn have been a North Korean terrorist who attempted to enter Delaware by bicycle without paying for the toll.
He wrote me a ticket, 90 dollars for ignoring a road sign and 60 dollars for causing disturbance on the road.

Then he let me go.
I took some pictures of the bridge because I really wanted toremeber the bridge which cost me 150dollars. The cop came out of the office, howling “take the fxxking film out! Now!”
“But officer, I can’t”
“Do it, now!”
“But this is a digital camera”
He stared me in my eyes, looking scary, and screamed.

“I don’t’ care. Do it!”

I thought he was kidding, but unfortuenatley, he was not.

This is the first impression of Delaware.
I need beer desperately.

Leave some comments, please

2006-12-02T22:02:00.000-08:00

Now anyone can leave some comments on this blog.

When I started this blog two years ago, I couldn't stand criticism from irresponsible browsers. That's why didn't allow any comment.

But now, I want to hear what other people have to say.

I'm about 250 miles away from the finish line.

Some might say what I did was just stupid.

But I just want to hear one person saying that this trip was worth doing it.

Thanks for watching.

Bad Karma

2006-12-01T21:41:00.000-08:00

It’s raining. This is because of my bad Karma.

It took such a long time to have the courage again to cycle 300 more miles to NYC.I said goodbye to everybody so everybody thought I was gone. I didn’t go outside.

I checked weather on the weather.com. The temperature will drop drastically after this rain – it’s going to be 30~40 degrees.

Maybe this is not a bad karma but a test given by the God. Either way, I will suffer. And I will learn. Hopefully.

AFKN and I

2006-11-27T00:12:00.000-08:00

[We're almost there!]

[what is this sign supposed to mean?]

( sunny, 53-61F)

When I don’t cycle, I watch TV. Most of the stuff are boring, rude and covered with commercials.
But it just came to me, that there was time I loved American TV.
It was about 20 years ago. I used to watch the channel two, the AFKN-American Forces Network Korea. Korea had 3 Korean channels, but AFKN was my favorite.

AFKN used to air cartoons in the morning. I didn’t speak English but enjoyed watching it.

I don’t remember the names of the most characters, except for Bugs Bunny.
I remember a ostrich which made some funny noise and fooled a wolf.
There were a black duck, a piggy.
I think the broadcast was called Loony Tunes. Back then, America seemed to very far far away somewhere in the galaxy. It was like a fairly land.

Now I’m in the middle of Ameirca, literally. But I don’t know how close I got to America.

I don’t watch the Loony Tunes no more, but I watch Oprah Winfrey Show instead.

I still feel estranged.
America seems to be running away from me. This country is very strange to me. But I like Oprah. She’s "awesome".

[Izaka, almost got attacked by a small red car but escaped using an ancient Asian trick - photo by Choi J. W.]

Pictures of "My Great America"

2006-11-26T08:26:00.000-08:00

some folks have sent me emails regarding various subjects.
One of the most frequently asked question was about the photography.
("How the hell did you take pictures like that?", "What kind of camera are you using?" "is there a photographer following you?")

1. I've been using Canon 5D and 17-40mm Lens for the entire trip. I use canon G5 as a sub-camera. I carry Lomo-AC for special pictures.

(17-40mm is ideal for taking wide pictures likes this; a biker and a nice blond lady on a same picture!)

Sometimes I put my camera on something and set in on timer.
I have to make sure that people around it don't notice the camera so that I can get very natural pictures)

You don't have to put your camera on a tripod to get a self-portait.
I use various tools to take self-portraits. My favorite is - simply putting it on the ground.

Taking pictures of Diana has never been easy.

She's so cocky (is that a right word to use?)

....

..... because she's a woman... (just kidding)

I think everybody has to find something to enjoy while they on a bike tour.
Since I don't like riding bicycle (that's so true) I devoted lots of my time taking pictures when I take rest.

The problem is, I hate riding bicycle, And also, taking pictures.

Thank God I don't have to do them anymore!!

thanksgiving

2006-11-24T21:48:00.000-08:00

I was invited by SFC Taylor, who replaced SFC Miller and became my supervisor for the following year.

This is my second Thanksgiving I celebrate in Washington DC. It was as good as the first Thanksgiving here. 12-pound turkey and mashed potatoes. I love Mrs. Taylor’s gravy. It’s fabulous. 6- year old Alea blessed the meal this time (last time it was SFC Taylor)

I used to hate the gravy sauce. The first day I spent on the military base as a fresh private, I thought the gravy was a soup. I put some salt and pepper in it. It still tasted awful. I wept that night thinkin’ about all the terrible food I had to deal with the next two years.
It was good to see him again and his family.

Jamie made some very delicious gravy. The 15 pound turkey was so big that we could eat the half of it even though SFC Taylor brought some of the neighbors who couldn't leave the base for the Thanksgiving.

It was great!

thanksgiving in Korea

2006-11-22T23:38:00.000-08:00

I’m at Taylor’s again.
Thanksgiving on military base was very hectic. It wasn’t a holiday for soldiers. It was all about “looking happy”. 4 star generals used to come to our unit’s dining room. Low ranking soldiers like me had to clean up the area thoroughly. When it comes to Thanksgivng, we used to have lots of fallen leaves, so it was no use cleaning up the area a week prior. But the First Sergeant didn’t care.

On the Thanksgiving day, the commander and other high ranking officers came in special uniforms- the calvary style. They cut the turkey for us. We had something special like a lobster, shrimp cocktail, ice cream with banana and whip cream. The KATUSA soldiers didn’t care about the food much. All we cared about was the 4-day weekend starting from Thursday. We didn’t understand why we had to celebrate and spent some of our precious time on pass for the historical event where Native Americans saved 107 starving pilgrims by feeding them with 107 10-poundturkey. (I don’t know if it’s really the reason Americans celebrate Thanksgiving but I’m sure it involves some pilgrims and Native Americans and some turkeys.)

SFC Roesh

2006-11-19T00:06:00.000-08:00

Today, I’m in the mood of wrting about SFC Roesh. He was a combat medic but was sent to South Korea as the Equal Opportunity adviser. He was my supervisor and my boss.
When I first met him, he was 31 years old, not too tall,not too small but he was a tough soldier. He had been to combat zone in 1989.
Since our Equal opportunity office was not a busy place and me and SFC Roesh was the only soldiers in the office, we spent time talking.
When I was a private, SFC Roesh brought something in the office and hung on the wall. It was the map of United States. He told me that I should know the regions of USA in order to understand America. I learned all the names of the States by heart, I like to tell me stories of the Civil War and the differences and tensions between the South and the North.
“PV2 Lee, you have to come and travel in America to understand the culture.”
“But how should I travel such a huge place. USA is 50 times bigger than Korea. And you told me the public transportation system in USA is bad.”
“Most people travel in the States by car”
Then I told him that I didn’t have a driver’s license. He didn’t even believe me that I had never been behind the wheel. I was 21 years old.
“Lee, You told me you cycled across Europe, right?”
“That’s right, Sarge”
“How long did you travel?”
“About 2000miles”
“ From East to West, it’s about 3000miles. I think you can do it”
“But it’s going to take forever. I don’t think there’s anyone who does a stuff like that”
“I know a guy who did it within 8days.”
“You must be shitting me, right,Sarge?”

But he wasn’t lying. I met a guy in North Carolina who really cycled across USA within 8days. Twice.

Hidden Hero

2006-11-17T17:40:00.000-08:00

A hidden hero.

Korea

2006-11-15T12:46:00.000-08:00

(53miles, Sunny, 50-67F, moderate)

I can see my hometown Seoul over the mountains.

I miss you.

Crimes commited by US soldiers in South Korea

2006-11-14T22:20:00.000-08:00

Here is something that might help you understand why I didn't like United States so much.

Understanding the United States through the Crimes Committed by its Troops in Korea

- Lee Sohee (us@usacrime.or.kr) Secretary-General, National Campaign for Eradication of Crimes by U.S. Troops in Korea (Written January, 2004)

From 'liberator', 'ally', and 'blood brother' to 'occupying force' and 'source of all evil'could Korean public opinion be split so differently on the issue of the United States? This inevitably means that there must be a concealed and distorted history.
A History of Crimes by U.S. Troops in Korea
In modern Korean history, the U.S. troops first stepped on Korean soil on September 8, 1945 at the port of Incheon. Many Koreans welcomed the 'liberators' that had saved Korea from the Japanese occupation. Soon that welcome faded, however, when Koreans realized that the US military was to be stationed in Korea as an occupier as well.
Afraid of possible interruptions to the landing operation, American forces arranged for the remnants of the Japanese military and police to keep Koreans indoors. When some Koreans gathered at Incheon port to welcome the U.S. troops, Japanese police shot two Koreans to death and ten were injured for trespassing. Against the protest of Koreans, the U.S. authorities ruled in favor of the Japanese police, saying the incident happened in the interests of public order. This is recorded today by advocacy groups as the first crime by U.S. troops in Korea. The charge level is 'aiding and abetting homicide.'In the intervening fifty-six years, many other crimes have been committed by U.S. troops. According to official Korean government statistics, roughly 52,000 crimes were committed by the U.S. troops and civilians related to the U.S. military from 1967 to 2002. Some 59,000 U.S. servicemen were involved in these crimes. When one considers that not all crimes are reported to the police, it is not difficult to imagine that there are in fact more crimes. Based on the statistic above, it is estimated that there would be more than 100,000 crimes by U.S. troops in Korea since their stationing in 1945. U.S. troops in Korea have committed about 700 crimes every year. In a word, they usually commit 2 or 3 crimes everyday.
The types of crimes are indeed diverse. They include people being shot to death, bitten by intentionally unleashed military dogs, poked in the eyes with a fork, strangled to death with a bra, cut in the throat with a razor blade, put into a water pool naked in the middle of winter and burned after killing. Records show that Koreans were killed without any particular reason, for not obeying the order to stop, for intervening in a quarrel, for waking up, for eating too much jam, for smoking too much, etc. Each and every case cannot be listed in detail.
It was only in 1992, after a half-century since US troops entered Korea, when the crimes by U.S. troops in Korea became widely publicized. The landmark case of Ms. Yoon Geumy , which involved a certain. Kenneth Lee Markle, still remains as a shocking picture for many Koreans until today.
In the evening of the day before the crime, October 27, 1992, drunk after barhopping, Ms. Yoon Geumy (26 years old at that time) was heading her home in Dongdoochon with Pvt. Markle (20 years old at that time), after agreeing to spend the night with him. On the way, the two came across with U.S. Cpl. Jason Ramburt in front of her house. They got involved in a quarrel for quite long time. Ms. Yoon, who had slept with him the night before, was now in another soldier's arms. Ramburt, who was already in a bad mood from negotiating for cost at another military camp town bar, picked on these two people. Pvt. Markle got mad, took Ms. Yoon by the hair, brought her into her room, and started to beat her up. He hit her forehead several times with a cola bottle.
When blood poured out from her forehead and she stopped resisting, he poked in her anus with an umbrella he found in the room. The tip of the umbrella reached her rectum, 27 cm from the anus. This did not satisfy him. He stuffed two beer bottles into
her vagina. When she was found dead, she was naked and a half of the cola bottle was still poked in her anus. He tried to cover up the evidence by putting broken matchsticks in her mouth and sprinkling white detergent powder all over her dead body. The autopsy reported the cause of death to be physical trauma and bleeding from the forehead.
As the truth of this incident was revealed, civil, social, and religious organizations got together and formed the Taskforce Committee against the Murder of Ms. Yoon Geumy by U.S. Troops in Korea. The committee fought for more than a year, requesting fair punishment of the U.S. soldier. In the end, the Korean Supreme Court sentenced Pvt. Markle to 15 years imprisonment.
Crimes by U.S. Troops in Korea and National Security
The main reason that prevented crimes by U.S. troops from being discussed in Korean society was the special position the U.S. occupied in the Korean national security framework.
In 1950, with the outbreak of the Korean War, the U.S. was called our 'blood brother' because it dispatched troops into the war and sacrificed its young men to keep Koreans safe from the communist invasion. Since then, however, as U.S. troops remained stationed in Korea, their role changed to one of augmenting South Korean national security against an attack from the north. As a result, many of the crimes committed by U.S. troops in Korea were either justified or concealed in the name of 'national security.'
1964 was a year of particular note in the history of crimes committed by U.S. troops. On February 4, 1964, while picking up cans near a U.S. base, Ms. Suh Myungja was shot to death by a U.S. soldier. She was nine months pregnant at the time. On the 6th of the same month, a 16-year-old boy, Ahn Jaeseop, was catching rabbits with a friend when he approached wire entanglements of a U.S. base. Right away a U.S. guard shot the boy through the boy's throat, and he died. When Koreans demanded an accounting of the incident, the U.S. authority announced that throughout the day, the UN Forces need to perform maximum protection for our war munitions for there are continuing threats of infiltration by communist spies. They justified the shooting by saying that it occurred to prevent the theft of military resources.
Continued shootings in the 1960s and the resulting official stance of U.S. troops vividly showed us the frightening barbarity of how crimes can be justified in the name of 'security.' Above all, the fact that the 'beautiful country (美國 how the U.S. is translated into Korean)' commits crimes was intolerable for Korean society.
The blind pro-Americanism of Korean politics resulted in a corresponding blind anti-North sentiment. Talking about the negative image of the U.S. was taboo because it was easily connected with 'pro-Northern' sentiment. This oppressive atmosphere was reflected in the fact that civilian massacres during the Korean War, including Nogeunri incident, came up to the surface only after a half-century of silence. In addition, unlike other countries under the U.S. sphere of influence which all had anti-U.S. movements, anti-U.S. sentiment or slogans were seldom found in Korea for several decades during the stationing of U.S. troops. This in fact shows how much the existence of the U.S. in Korean society has been considered unquestionable.
As time passed, however, the Korean people started to raise critical voices against the U.S. The most significant change appeared in 2000 when two major incidents created great controversy: the Maehyangri explosion and the illegal disposal of toxic materials. The Maehyangri incident revealed the effects of life-threatening noise pollution and serious heavy metal contamination over 50 years. Disposal of formaldehyde, which causes cancer and miscarriages, raised concerns throughout the country. Influenced largely by improvement of the relations between South and North after the summit of
June 2002, anti-U.S. sentiment from various interests led to revision the Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) between Korea and the United States. The reconciliatory mood between South and North caused damage to the national security ideology rooted on the logic of confrontation between South and North. The changing atmosphere also affected the foundation of the U.S. troop presence in Korea because it was and is based on a possible attack from the North. There developed, therefore, some splits in Korean politics surrounding the existence and role of the U.S. troops in Korea.
What Will the U.S. Choose?
What is the U.S. and why are U.S. troops in Korea? Now it is the time for Koreans to ask themselves this question. How should Koreans interpret the reality that the ones who are supposed to be here for the security of our nation are in fact threatening our life and safety? Is this situation benefiting or hurting Korean national security?
There needs to be a clear line between the defense of national security and criminal acts. In particular, impunity on the recent schoolgirls incident was without a doubt unacceptable for Koreans, though it happened during official duties of U.S. troops. It is quite natural that the recent rise of anti-U.S. sentiment in Korea coincided with the transformation of the Koreans' view of the U.S. according to a reality which was romanticized for so long.
It is necessary to make clear that the fundamental reason for anti-U.S. sentiment was the arrogant attitude of the U.S. authorities towards the victims of the crimes by U.S. troops in Korea. The perception of unequal relations between Korea and the U.S. also was a contributing factor.
Just looking at the case of the schoolgirls, the U.S. authorities investigated the incident for the sake of formality that the truth is still not known. It refused the Korean government's request to turn over jurisdiction, and ended the trial with acquittal on the charge of negligence. After continuing requests for an apology, the president of the U.S. only delivered an indirect apology. This left a scar on Korean people's pride. This portrait stands in contrast to the image, which the U.S. projects, as being one of the best countries in protecting human rights. That the death of a few Koreans can be nothing serious to the U.S., and that the incident is treated differently because it happened to a foreign people, cause Koreans anguish. It is natural to raise doubts as to whether the U.S. is indeed an ally of Korea.
Now the U.S. is no longer an 'unconditional' benefactor to the Korean people. If the U.S., without accepting this clear fact, keeps insisting on the conventional relationship of the past, it could loose its blood brother. Only things left now is the choice of the U.S.

My Great America.Com

2006-11-12T01:04:00.000-08:00

I bought this domain 2 years ago, when I got out of the military service.
I was hoping to make an website where me and other people from all around the world can gather together online and talk about United States.

But I realized it is really hard to talk about USA rationally. People from different background have different opinions on USA. Many people seemed to be biased by the media. I didn't like USA but some people seemed to hate America just because it's a cool thing to do.

I started cycling, so that I can speak for myself. I can't be wrong as long as I tell from my real experience.

That's why I started.

This trip has changed me.

Businessman Y

2006-11-10T23:34:00.000-08:00

Y visited me from Charlottesville. It’s been 15 years since I saw him last time. My family moved to Germany and He came to USA.
I think his parents were pursuing the “American Dream”. His father quit job, sold the house and sent all the money to his uncle who came to USA earlier. His uncle promised his family that he was going to set up everything for them; finding a new house, a job, school.

But when they landed in Chicago, noone was there. His uncle ran away with the money.
“We used to live in house in a bad neighborhood” he said, “after a while we weren’t even surprised to see rats strolling in the living room”

He and his mom worked 15 hours a day, cleaning big stores like Bestbuy or Target, stacking boxes.

Y became a very successful business man now.

American Friends

2006-11-10T15:22:00.000-08:00

I never thought I could make friends in USA.

Once again, I was wrong.

Borat

2006-11-04T23:25:00.000-08:00

The whole adcenter crews went to theater in Shortpump to watch the premier of Borat.
We went to a Italian restaurant “Bertolucci” and celebrated a birthday party.

Borat wasn’t fun at all. He seemed to making fun of every innocent people he met in America. But it occurred to me that I’m the only person in the theater who didn’t enjoy the movie. Others laughed “their asses off”.
It was funny to see James, who is Jewish, cracked himself out the whole time.
“I don’t care. Cohen himself is a Jew. I heard he is even a strict Jew.”

First, I don’t understand Americans laughing at themselves. If somebody came to Korea and made of fun of my folks, most people find it offensive.
Maybe, Americans are more tolerant than anybody else. They are cool people, joke is joke and they laugh. That’s why comics make fun of all the races in America, Latinos, Blacks, whites and even Asians(are Asians really bad drivers? I think it’s just Asians in America) and noone seems to start the riot.

(Kramer: I mentioned earlier in this blog about the tolerance of Americans about jokes. But Americans have very strict line. And Kramer crossed the line. I used to like the Kramer character (my favorite was Costanza). Americans are very harsh on people who cross that line. I think Kramer is out forever. Some people don’t cross the line and they are out.
Saddam is out. Kim Jung Il is way over the line. I’m very afraid.

Halloween as "Cat in the Hat"

2006-10-31T23:24:00.000-08:00

It was a nice neighborhood. I didn’t see any blacks around the neighborhood.
I went there dressed up as the “Cat in the Hat” (it was funnier when Mike Myers wore this costume)
Samie got lots of candy. I didn’t get anything. People thought I came to accompany the small kids. I wanted to have chocolates for myself too.
Kirsten told me “people look down on you if you go trick of treat when you’re over 12.” She suggested that I don’t ask for candies. I was sad. It was another Halloween ruined.

I think it is amazing that people spend so much money on decorating houses for one day.
They spend money on the decoration and on candies.
Maybe this is way of American life I don’t understand.

My miserable Halloween 2005

2006-10-27T23:21:00.000-07:00

My first Halloween party. This is not my first Halloween that I spent in USA.
Last year, I rented a “orange pimp” costume. It cost me 80 dollars. I was very excited about one of the biggest American events.

But I had 3 hour long “Interpersonal communication” class at 7. I talked to the professor about my plan.

“Too bad” he said, “It’ll be an unexcused absence and you’ll have a quiz after the break. You’ll get C for class participation and 0 point for the quiz”
I went to the classroom, dressed as an orange “pimp”. After the first half of the class, I went out to talk to some of my friends where I was. I came back to classroom and the professor told me that I cannot take the test because I was late. “But you’ll be absent for the half of the class”
I walked out of the classroom. By the time I got to Georgetown, my friends were done with trick or treating.

The whole decoration in front of houses thrill me. This Halloween will be full of fun. “This time, it’s a payback”

I-commerce

2006-10-25T23:19:00.000-07:00

I knew it. I should have known that an attractive- but- 40 year old woman is never attracted to an Asian.
She showed me a small pamphlet which showed how the ‘system’ works. It’s selling all the brand name product to other people. She told me that I need to be in a lecture next Monday to get more information.
She told me that she knows thousands of Koreans who became millionaires because of this “I-commerce”. She said Koreans are genius in selling stuff.

“Isn’t that just like the pyramid scheme?”
“no, it’s not” she said, “They go door to door to sell stuff. We don’t do that. We use internet to sell stuff”

Is there any Americans who fall for this type of crap? It’s so sad.

It was a very sad meeting at the Starbuck’s.

(some pictures of Smoky Mountain to refresh today's mood)

Cooking

2006-10-24T23:18:00.000-07:00

I cooked today.
Donna called me. We set up a meeting at the Starbuck’s at 4 o’clock tomorrow.

BMWs

2006-10-23T23:14:00.000-07:00

I went to Kroger’s for grocery shopping this afternoon.
I don’ cook usually, but to recover from the cold I have to eat something other than BMWs(Burger King, McDonald’s, Wendy’s)

I bought
Small chicken
4 Ramen
1 miso soup
4 onions
2 garlic
10 yogurt
12 coke in fridge pack
2 Ben & Jerry
3 frozen pizza

A nice woman came to me and asked where I was from.
She asked me for my phone number. She said she’s a business woman. She was looking for somebody who knows a lot about the Asian market.
I asked her how she knew I’m in marketing business
“I saw you dancing in the supermarket”

She maybe one of the ‘desperate housewives” who are lonely inside. She didn’t call today. She’ll call me tomorrow. I’m excited.

Do you know what's more fun than riding bicycle? Not -riding bicycle!

-> this is not fun either

bombing Korea

2006-10-23T01:25:00.000-07:00

I sat at a bar in an Outback restaurant. I was exhausted from the 70mile trip I did today.

An old man sitting next to me, eating a Sirloin Steak, asked me where I came from.
I said “From Hongkong” to avoid any conversation regarding North Korea. I was tired of the reactions of Americans on the nulcear test.
"Why are the North Koreans like that?" "Why is Kim Jung Il so dumb?" "Your family still lives in Korea? Aren't you afraid about them?"

“So you must suffer a lot from the Communist China.” I said yes.

He started talking about China, using lots of 4 letter words. He was so drunk he didn't care what I said.
Then I got curious about what he thinks of North Korea.
“The damn North Koreans”, he said, “We should bomb that damn place and get rid of Kim Jul Il”
He said he served in the Marines and spent a year in the 50’s in the border between South and North Korea.
“Can you speak Korea?”
“Yes….well, I can think of only ‘Juriga’. ‘Iriwa’ to give orders to Koreas.

'Juriga' and 'Iriwa', which mean ‘get out’ and 'Come here", are not a polite way to speak to other people in Korea. He spent a year in Korea, and they were the only two words he could say?

I got very upset when he started talking about women in Korea. He said it was easy to sleep with Korean women.

"Wow, women were so cheap there?"
"Yeah. Koreans loved dollar. And they still do, I'm sure."
"But I heard US military has been causing lots problems there. Most of the prostitution started because of the US military. I also read an article about the crimes of US soldiers in Korea. They are bad people"
"Well, whereever there are people, there are always problems"
"But you know, a friend of mine told me that USA sends the dumbest soldiers to Korea. I think it was the same way 50 years ago"

I was very sorry after I said it. It's not because I hurt his feelings, but because he showed me what some of Americans think of my country.

And Insulting him didn't make me feel any better.

(This is not the bad guy. This is a good guy, Franky)

A Lost Bag

2006-10-22T23:07:00.000-07:00

weather: rainy

It was pouring rain. I couldn’t leave this goddamn place! The elevator was broken, so I had to use the emergency stairways.
Then I found a bag, which was open and the clothes were thrown on the ground. It was obvious that somebody was robbed.
I went to the front desk and told them about this. The receptionist said, looking indifferent,
“We are not reported anything about the bag.”
“Now you’re informed”
“I’ll check that later”

I bought two boxes of Chinese food as take-out. They were my lunch and dinner. I don’t want to spend too much time outside.

I don’t think the rain will stop tomorrow. I’m miserable.

Pretty Safe Motel in Raleigh

2006-10-21T22:57:00.000-07:00

distance: 42 miles
weather: slight rain, 49-54F
difficulty: hard

I’m at a Super 8 motel in Raleigh. I’m scared. The receptionist told me that a black man asked about my room. It was the guy who helped me with my bags. He told the receptionist that he was a friend of mine. Now it figures. He used a phone on the front desk and let me talk to his brother. The whole intention was to show the front desk that we were friends.
How naïve I was!
This is a slum. I’ve seen many blacks hanging around this neighborhood but since I told myself that I should politically correct and shouldn’t judge a place by the skin color of the people in this place I didn’t worry about staying here.

I changed my room immediately.

I didn’t go outside. I had popcorn and a can of coke for dinner.

“We are pretty safe motel in this neighborhood”

pretty safe motel is not good enough. Who would want to stay in a pretty motel? It's like having sex with a "pretty safe" condom.

North Korea

2006-10-20T01:14:00.000-07:00

My hometown, Seoul, is only 30miles away from the border between South and North Korea.

It'll be very hard to keep Seoul unharmed if they starts attacking Pyongyang.

I hope that North Korea won't be the next target of America.

Becoming a Stand-up Comic

2006-10-20T00:07:00.000-07:00

Today’s ride was very comfortable. It wasn’t cold nor hot. The wind was blowing from the back. A few cars passed me by slowly. Some drivers showed their thumbs to cheer me up.
I walked in to this Comfort Inn. The receptionist, Jay, asked me what I was doing in such a small town with my “Lexus”. I told him what I was doing. He was surprised. He called the manager immediately. Then he said with a happy smile “The manager said that you’ll get 50% off”
I was very glad.

When I came back from the Outback Steakhouse, he told the other receptionist who I am.
“That’s the amazing man Mr. Lee who is crossing USA by bicycle.”
I started talking about my last 3months. Then people started gathering around. I was very delighted.
“This whole thing started with one tiny mistake I made” I said, “I underestimated America, I didn’t know this country is so fxxking huge”
When I finished my 30 minute long “stand-up” There were 2 receptionists, 3 janitor men, 2 cleaning ladies and 6 guests listening to me.

I feel great.

life lesson from cycling

2006-10-19T23:01:00.000-07:00

One should not cycle across the USA,

because it's just crazy.

That's the wisdom I got from this journey.

Re-cycling

2006-10-18T23:14:00.000-07:00

(72miles, partly cloudy, 59-75F, easy)

I rode bicycle to ~. It’s been a week since I rode bike last time. It was too comfortable to sit in the Jiwoong’s car. My body is completely relaxed. My whole body hurt after one hour of pedaling.

Eric Rocks!

2006-10-17T22:55:00.000-07:00

Distance: 250 miles

weather: cloudy

I went to Eric Clapton concert in Charlotte.
It was very emotional. I saw the ‘god of guitar’ ‘the slowhand” and the “biggest star of my youth”, Eric Clapton. I started playing the guitar with “Tears in Heaven”. My band used to play “Layla” and “Crossroad”. I played “Wonderful Tonight” on my girlfriend’s birthday.
He now has short hair. He is old. But he was still tough. When he was ‘in the mood’ he played stepping the ground with both feet.

Ji Woong didn’t go to the concert. He sat in a coffee shop and read a book

i'm in UNC

2006-10-17T10:20:00.000-07:00

University of North Carolina is well known for their basketball team. Michael 'Air' Jordan played there in the mid 80's.

My friend Jiwoong was crazy about taking pics of me.

Jiwoong is also a victim of the "KATUSA" program. He served as a admin in the orderly room of the Alpha troop, 6th Cav BDE. Funny.

US Army

2006-10-17T07:29:00.000-07:00

In the middle of my study in college, I had to serve in the 6th Cavalry Brigade, Camp Humphreys,Korea, starting as a private.- for two years Full Time.
Being paid 20 dollars a month wasn't fun.

But I got to know SFC Miller in the US Army. He was a very tough soldier but he had a great leadership skill.

Me and SFC Miller worked in Equal Opportunity office. He was my supervisor and I was his only soldier.

Once I told SFC Miller that I've traveled Europe by bicycle, he encouraged me to cycle across the USA. He said "there are people who make it within 8days"

I thought I could do it at least within a month.

SFC Miller wasn't kidding, and I was a fool. That's how this trip began, i guess.

He was sent to Iraq, and I've never heard a thing from him since then.

USFK -United States Forces Korea

2006-10-16T19:27:00.000-07:00

Here's why there are American Forces in South Korea.

I still don't understand this fully, but, whatever.

-----------------------------------------------------------

United States Forces Korea

The initial contact between Americans and Koreans was hostile - a clash in 1866 over Chosun rejection of U.S. overtures for trade relations that resulted in a dozen Korean casualties and left the U.S. merchant ship General Sherman sunk in the Daedong River, its entire 23-man crew dead. Relations did improve so that the historic links between the two nations have developed into a close and friendly alliance of economic, social and cultural, as well as military interests.

With the capitulation of Japan in World War II, U.S. troops entered Korea to accept the surrender of Japanese forces in the zone south of the 38th parallel, which crosses the peninsula's midsection. The Soviet Union, having belatedly joined the war in the Pacific, had already sent forces into Korea and took the Japanese surrender north of the 38th parallel. Although the allies had agreed at Cairo in 1943 that Korea would be "free and independent," In due course the border at the 38th parallel was soon sealed and contact between the southern and northern zones ended.

Elections supervised by the United Nations led to establishment of the Republic of Korea in the south. The Soviets appointed Kim Il-Sung leader in the north, without bothering to submit their choice to any mandate of the Korean people. Moscow pulled its occupation forces out in 1948, thereby forcing the United States to take similar actions. U.S. forces were withdrawn by mid-1949, leaving only an advisory group called KMAG to help train the fledgling ROK defensive force.

On June 25, 1950, North Korea launched an all out attack intended to unify the peninsula. Only then, when U.S. troops were committed as the bulwark of a United Nations' authorized defense of the ROK, did Korea really come to be impressed upon the consciousness of the American public. For more than three years U.S. forces fought valiantly - in all the dimensions of the battle - the length and breadth of the Korean peninsula. More than five million Americans served in Korea during the conflict. When the guns were silenced by an Armistice Agreement on July 27, 1953, U.S. casualties exceeded 140,000, including more than 33,000 killed in action. The armistice that brought a cease fire and defined the terms of the tenuous peace that followed remains in existence to this day. It is the longest truce in modern military history. U.S. forces continue to serve on the forward edge of freedom, sharing the rigors of maintaining the deterrent to another North Korean attack with ROK forces.

The longtime U.S. security commitment to the ROK has both legal and moral sanctions. U.S. legal obligations are those under UN Security Council Resolutions of 1950, by which the United States leads the United Nations Command, and the ROK/US Mutual Security Agreement of 1954, which commits both nations to assist each other in case of outside attack. The United States is also a partner in the operations of the ROK/US Combined Forces Command, an integrated headquarters that was established by the two governments in 1978, and is responsible for planning the defense of the ROK and, if necessary, directing the ROK/US combat forces to defeat the enemy aggression. U.S. Forces Korea is the joint headquarters through which American combat forces would be sent to the CFC's fighting components-the Ground, Air, Naval and Combined Marine Forces Component Commands. Major USFK elements include Eighth US Army, US Air Forces Korea (Seventh Air Force) and US Naval Forces Korea.

For more info -> http://www.goodneighbor.or.kr/content.php?mode=view&c_idx=c0006&c_type=06&str_block=eng

Nuc Test

2006-10-15T01:17:00.000-07:00

Somebody told me that North Korea tested nucluear bomb a few days ago.

It's sooooo depressing.

Outer Banks

2006-10-14T09:59:00.000-07:00

Ji woong took me to Outer Banks to take some pictures of me and Lexus for his portfolio.

It was just awesome.

I saw this fishing man in a shore.
He was a pastor from Virginia.

He's been waiting for fish for hours.

The moment we arrived there he got one.

He was a pastor.

He prayed for me and Jiwoong.

And he let the fish go.

CNN Center

2006-10-10T20:35:00.000-07:00

At CNN Center.

With the help of a BBC journalist, I could take an extra insider tour.

Coca-Cola World

2006-10-09T21:04:00.000-07:00

Coca- Cola World in Atlanta, GA.

All the coca-cola products were for free, if you pay 10 dollars for the entry.

Wow.

I think i should write a story about a man I met in Alabama.

It was in Natural Bridge,in Alabama. I entered a cabin where the entry tickets, T-shirts, postcards are sold. The Natural Bridge must be the biggest tourist attraction in the entire country. I saw only 5 people while I spent 2hours day. It was a hot day, by the way.

An old man, about 75 years old, was stunned when he encountered me. I don’t think he has seen anyone from Asia visiting this small tourist attraction. An Asian with big Afro that wears tight pants and blue bike helmet.

“Where are you form,sir?” “From Korea”

He was glad. “Oh, I was there in 1950”
1950 is the year when the Korean War started. He was sent as a private in the US Army. “It took 12 days to get to Japan by ship. I was very frightened. I asked an officer what happened to the unit that was sent to the battle field before he came. He said “they are all gone”. But I was lucky. When my unit reached Busan, the allies started the Incheon landing” I spent 10 months in Korea, served 4 more years in the army and got out.”

He gave me 5 postcards for free. The postcards were pictures of the natural bridge, collection of some of the beauties of Alabama and the “Graceland”, the resident of Elvis Presely.

“You can have them. But please send me one of the postcard back to me whenyou arrive New York City. If I get the postcard, I’ll know that you get there safely and It’ll make me happy.”

Maybe my trip is not useless.

Aquarium

2006-10-09T13:12:00.000-07:00

I went to the biggest Aquarium in the world which is located in the downtown of Atlanta.

It was just amazing. Wow.

about 2000miles left 'till NYC.

Georgia

2006-10-08T19:29:00.000-07:00

It's been 2 months since I started this "My Great America" journey.

Then something struck my mind. I totally forgot smoking. It works better than quiting smoking.

Rain

2006-10-07T07:05:00.000-07:00

It rained.

"What should I do? What Should I DO?"

I kept saying this to myself for 7 hours on bike until I reached little Rock.

Chusok- Korean Thanksgiving.

2006-10-06T21:12:00.000-07:00

Today's Korean Thanksgiving.

I had BLT sandwich at Subway's.

I called home. My father told me that , as usual, my whole family gathered together at my uncle's and had lots of fun.

It was akward. They're having lots of fun while I paddle to death somewhere in USA.

Maybe that's life.

"Blacks"

2006-10-05T00:09:00.000-07:00

Distance: 65miles

Weather: sunny, 65~79F

Difficulty: moderate

There are lots of Afro-Americans in Georgia.
In retrospect, I’ve had lots of stereotypes on Afro-Americans. I’m very ashamed of this fact but I have to admit that most of these stereotypes were negative.
The only Afro Americans I knew before I was drafted to the military were either basketball players, rapper, gangster or somebody from the Cosby Show.
I didn’t believe in Bill Cosby’s intelligence even though he was a “doctor”, because I knew it was a show and thus fictional. But I wasn’t intelligent enough to find out that what the Afro American rappers did was also fictional.

I’ve met many0 Afro- Americans on my way here. I was scared first. They didn’t seem to be talkative.
Then I found out that Afro Americans don’t talk to strangers very often. Howeever, when I started a conversation first in a bar or in a restaurant, they became friendly and started talking to me as if I was a close friend of his. Just like Mike I talked to today. He was silent first, but by the time I left the bar, I knew all about his children, uncles, nephews,what he did in 1976, 1984 etc.

While I write this now, I realize, it is very hard to get rid of the prejudice on other races. I don’t know if any of my friends can do this while they watch TV in Korea. It took me 2000miles.

Bicycle Accident

2006-10-04T23:20:00.000-07:00

I was riding bicycle in a small town in Alabama. A big Truck passed by and I fell.

But some nice Americans working in a beauty shop helped me with the first aid kit.

I love the warm heart of the Deep South.

Rednecks

2006-10-03T00:07:00.000-07:00

All day long, sitting on the saddle of my bicycle, I've been thinking about what i think of when i cycle.

Right before i arrived here, I figured out that when I cycle, I think of Swedish women playing beach volleyball in Florida. This thought motivates me. A lot.

Kevin, who repaired my bicycle in Memphis, told me some of the ‘Redneck jokes’.

“Hey, Izaka, do you know any‘redneck’ jokes?”
“What’s that?”
“It goes like, “If you let your 14 year old daughter smoke in front of her 4 children, you might be a red-neck”
“I don’t get it. And I don’t think it’s funny. Who are rednecks?”
“They are people who live in the Deep South. They are usually poor, not hygienic, and have bad teeth”
And he told me somemore redneck joke:

‘if you’ve ever stared at an orange juice more than 5 minutes because it said ‘concentrate’, you might be a red neck’. I think that one was really funny.

Kevin changed my itinerary. My original plan was to go to St. Louis to get back on the ‘Mother Road’ and going to the East through Chicago, Detroit. But after I was told the jokes, I wanted to go to the ‘Deep Southern States’ - Mississippi, Alabama and Georgia.

It was in a restaurant in the middle of nowhere. 4 old trucks were parked in the dusty parking lot. The restaurant may accommodate around 50 people. When I got there, it was about 4 O’clock and 7~8 people were sitting around, either watching TV or doing nothing.

I wanted to ask for direction to Birmingham. Jim, who was one of the servers and the owner of the restaurant drew a map and showed me the direction.

He asked me why I came to such a small town in Alabama.

“I came here to meet the rednecks. I heard they are pretty odd people.”

The entire restaurant became dead silent. I could feel that people were listening to what I was telling Jim. It seemed like Jim couldn’t believe what he just heard.
After a few seconds were passed by, Jim started laughing. And the whole crowd laughed hard. I didn’t know why.

“Izaka, we’re all rednecks here,haha”

He didn’t charge me anything for the sandwich and the soda. In addition to that, he gave me a yellow T-shirt, where it was printed "Keep Alabama beautiful".

Now, I know what a redneck is. I think I could have offended many people there, If I didn’t keep my serious face. They knew I wasn’t joking, and forgave me.

Oh, I love the Rednecks.

(these pictures have nothing to do with 'rednecks')

Dog

2006-10-01T21:51:00.000-07:00

There's something I really don't understand about the people in the South.

Why is it that the Southern people never have their dogs on leashes.

People in the "deep south" seem to enjoy their unleashed dogs chasing a stupid cyclist with a big Afro from Deep Asia.

Jim Crow Law

2006-09-30T20:10:00.001-07:00

I talked to the bartender. She was a round woman from Birmingham, Alabama. I told her I cycled through Alabama, and it made her delighted. I asked her what it was like to live there before the Civil Rights movement. She told that they had different water fountains for whites and blacks, that she had to sit in the back seat in a bus and was asked leave the seat when there was no seat for white people..

I knew all about these facts, all the segregation and Jim Crow law.
But the history was dead to me. I couldn’t feel it. Just like the fact I know people die in Palestine but I don’t have much of sympathy for them.

But today, I could feel it. Her life became a part of my history.

Corny

2006-09-29T07:52:00.000-07:00

I met Corny in a restaurant in Tupelo , Mississippi. She is round, looks about 42 years old and has beautiful smile. She told me that she never traveled in her entire life.

“I envy you. Even though you’re from Korea, and I’m an American, I’m sure you’ve seen my country much more than I’ve seen."

The biggest place she has ever been to was Memphis, TN, which was 3 hours away from the town.
I ordered a turkey sandwich. She brought me a fresh baked sandwich and a wooden bowl. “You see the salad bar over there?” she smiled,”help yourself”

3000 miles to NYC.

Dry County

2006-09-21T22:53:00.000-07:00

Distance: 59 miles

weather: partly cloudy

difficulty: moderate

This is the most interesting town I’ve been to in USA. It’s a dry country. I didn’t know what it meant. I thought it was a town where it doesn’t rain much in summer.
- “We don’t sell alcoholic drinks”
- A 17 year old waitress said to me. I couldn’t believe my ears. No alcohol in the whole county. What do they do on the weekend?
- “Well, we go bowling, we have a movie theater.”
- It was 9 o’clock on Saturday. It was dead silent.
- You missed something, mister” she continued. “If you came here earlier, you could have seen the football match of the ~ middle school”

Gibson Guitar Factory

2006-09-18T14:37:00.000-07:00

Gibson Factory, Memphis.

Memphis

2006-09-17T21:45:00.000-07:00

Memphis, the hometown of Elvis.

Also, the hometown of Justin Timberlake. What's the odd.

Mississippi River

2006-09-16T07:43:00.000-07:00

I camped at a small state park along the "Mighty River"

It was.... dark and no fun.

Tom, 42, a photographer who takes pictures of small insects, showed me some pics of 'flying scorpions'.

Tom Sawyer in Mighty River

2006-09-14T22:51:00.000-07:00

Distance: 27 miles
weather: partly cloudy.

I’m right next to the Mississippi River!! And I’ll sleep over here! This feels great. I set up the tent next in the wood. I brought 1 gallon water,
The weather is nice, I checked forecast and it will be sunny the whole week.
I always dreamed of camping here, ever since I read “Adventure of Tom Sawyer” 150 years have passed by since Mark Twain wrote the wonderful story. But the nature couldn’t have been changed much. Trees after trees, far away from the towns. Noone can find me.

I used to hate sleeping in a sleeping bag. Bad memories from the time I spent in the US Army.

"On the road again"

2006-09-13T12:46:00.000-07:00

On the Road again.

But, when are we actually 'off the road'?

On a bicycle, in a car, walking, talking, eating- no matter what,
we are on the road constantly.

Arkansas

2006-09-12T23:26:00.000-07:00

long, silent roads,

Trees,

filthy gas stations

local newspapers

...Things I saw in Arkansas.

my memory of 911

2006-09-11T22:47:00.000-07:00

911.
I was sitting on a bus, chatting to my girlfriend. I heard it from the radio the bus driver turned on. It must have been about 8 o’clock in the evening of 11th of November. I thought it was a new type of radio drama. Then I thought it was some sort of gimmick that someone did after the “Invasion from Mars” in the 30’s.
I found out what really happened when I got a phone from dad. He asked me if I was watching the news. I said no. He said I should come home immediately. He said “Something incredible happened”
By the time I got home the other building was crashed by the suicide plane.

Next morning, everyone was talking about 911. I felt sorry for the Americans who died on that day. I was scared. If I’m selected for the KATUSA program, do I have to go somewhere to fight against the terrorists?

I was scared, what happens if USA attacks North Korea. Will North Korea attack USA or attack South Korea?

I was confused, just like anybody else at that time.

Old Man and the Sea

2006-09-09T17:11:00.000-07:00

I sat at McDonald's.
I had a menu "number 4".

I'm thinking, I should make "the old man and the sea" into a musical. It's going to be a romantic & action and r-rated musical.

I forgot why I started.
what a sad story.

Flat Tire and a broken vending machine

2006-09-08T22:14:00.000-07:00

(55 miles, sunny, 59F, difficult)

“Lexus” started shaking hard when I rode it downhill 30 miles an hour. I sighed. I got a flat tire. In a small road, I took out some of the tools. Bike patch, bond, sapo. Tears fell from my eyes while I fixed the problem.

A flat tire cannot be even compared to a vending machine that swallowed your coins. It’s that desperate.

Maybe

2006-09-07T20:01:00.000-07:00

Maybe, i shouldn't have started this.
If I stayed home, I might have thought everything was OK and just adjusted myself to my miserable life.

I have pedaled 1200miles since i started from LA.

It was a horrible day.

Rodeo in Ft.Worth

2006-09-05T22:46:00.000-07:00

We watched Rodeo in Ft. Worth which is located about 30 miles from Dallas.
The arena was half full (or half empty). I thought rodeo is a sport where a cowboy gets on a bull and falls on ground eventually.
But there were many events other than that. Riding horses, catching a small cow with a rope, small children running to catch a calf.

It wasn’t exciting at all, but it was fun to watch Americans.

(this game seemed pretty dangerous to me, but the parents don't care about it in Texas)

(A Cowboy!!)

Hooter's in Dallas

2006-09-05T21:41:00.000-07:00

Distance: -
Sunny

Dallas is big. The first thing we did was having lunch at the Hooter’s. Brad looked very happy. I don’t like a restaurant like this. They advertise that they have waitresses who are blond and have big boobs.

I went to the website of the hooter’s.

“The element of female sex appeal is prevalent in the restaurants, and the company believes the Hooters Girl is as socially acceptable as a Dallas Cowboy cheerleader, Sports Illustrated swimsuit model, or a Radio City Rockette. The Hooters system employs over 25,000 people - over 15,000 of which are Hooters Girls. The "nearly world famous" Hooters Girls are the cornerstone of the Hooters concept, and as part of their job, these all-American cheerleaders make promotional and charitable appearances in their respective communities. Hooters hires women who best fit the image of a Hooters Girl to work in this capacity. The chain hires both males and females to work in management and host, staff, service bar, and kitchen positions. The Hooters Girl uniform consists of orange shorts and a white tank top, short-sleeve or long-sleeve T-shirt. Pantyhose and bras are required.

Claims that Hooters exploits attractive women are as ridiculous as saying the NFL exploits men who are big and fast. Hooters Girls have the same right to use their natural female sex appeal to earn a living as do super models Cindy Crawford and Naomi Campbell. To Hooters, the women's rights movement is important because it guarantees women have the right to choose their own careers, be it a Supreme Court Justice or Hooters Girl.“

I’m just not used to watching such girls in public. I think I need to dine at hooter’s dozen more times until I feel really comfortable.

Grand Canyon

2006-09-05T20:55:00.000-07:00

It's hard to fly when you have no wings.

Driving to Dallas

2006-09-03T22:34:00.000-07:00

Distance: 500miles
weather: Sunny
Temperature: 87 F
difficulty: annoying

We argued. My cousin Case got mad when we arrived Santa Fe.
“What is this? Is this supposed to a tourist attraction?”
“You know, I don’t know much about Santa Fe, but the name seems to be very familiar.”
“Yeah, That’s because there’s a brand name of some can coffee shit. There’s nothing! We are in the downtown and there are no clubs, no chicks, no organic food store, no bestbuy, no WalMart!”
“But they have everything people need; post office, grocery shops…”
“What’s the next biggest city?”
“Dallas”
“OK, Let’s go there then.”
“It’s like…1000 miles away from here”
“I don’t care. I’m from Canada. Let’s go”

It’s been 5 hours driving. We are not there yet. We are having late dinner at McDonald’s.

Navajo Nation

2006-09-02T22:28:00.000-07:00

We couldn’t find any bike shop in Windrock. Instead, I went to the Navajo Nation’s Office. I didn’t know that WIndrock is the capital of the Navajo Nation. I didn’t even know that there’s a place called “Navajo Nation”. I walked in and there I met Laura, who is the representative of the tourism department and also a published author of two books on tales on Navajo Indians for children,
I introduced myself as a journalist from South Korea. We talked for 30 minutes about current problems of Navajo Indians.
“The biggest problem is the health problem” “too many Indians suffer from diabetes nowadays.”
The second biggest problem is young kids listening to the wrong type music”
“What is ‘wrong type of music’?”
“You know, rap music, Hiphop. Young Navajo Indians like to dress up as blacks. They are losing our precius culture”

I took pictures with her. While Brad took photos, I felt that she was watching my t-shirt. There were holes in my shirt.
“You know, Laura, this is going to be on a feature section. To give the reader some sense of “West”, I had to dress up as a vagabond.”

I thank Laura for believing some of the crap I told her.

(another Navajo Native American in Windrock)

My Cousin Brad

2006-08-30T18:24:00.001-07:00

Brad came. He’s my cousin who lives in Vancouver.
He’s been traveling the West of America, but he’s smarter than me; he drove a car.
He looked fine. He’s got tanned skin. He must have spent lots of time on Californian beach.

“What you’re doing it awesome, even though I don’t understand why you’re doing this.”
I told him about this “My Great America” project, pursuing the “True America”. He said ‘Great’ but I could read from his expression on his face that what he really wanted to say was “Whatever”
He’s been in USA for 2 weeks. He spent 400 dollars in Vegas. “I didn’t lose anything” he said, “plus, I had lots of fun!”

I told him to take me to a place where I can repair my bicycle.

I'm sure I can't find it within 100 mile radius.

The Mother Road

2006-08-27T07:10:00.000-07:00

On the "Mother Road"

Route 66

2006-08-26T19:19:00.000-07:00

Distance: 64 miles to Kingman
Temp: 84 F

Every sign said “route 66” route 66 motel, Route 66 gas station. They even had “Route 66 water”
It was just like the movie ‘Cars’ that I watched this spring. Old cars, small road on vast desert.
I rode through many towns but most of them were ghosttowns.
I felt like I was traveling across a Western movie.
For the 8hours I spent riding, I’ve used my imagination to picture what it was like to be here 100 years ago.

It couldn’t have been this desolate.

Hot weather

2006-08-24T15:14:00.000-07:00

Distance: 54miles

Temp: 95 F

It’s hot. So hot that I thought I would be evaporated.

I hate myself.
But I cannot quit yet.
I have be remain strong.

I know this trip will be rewarding.

Las Vegas

2006-08-23T11:34:00.000-07:00

Diana: i don't think cycling is the best way to cross the USA, izaka
Why don't we just gamble?

Izaka: you're right. We'll be gambling for the next a few months.

City in a desert

2006-08-22T23:41:00.000-07:00

At least, i don't have to go to NYC to see the Statue of Liberty.

I've seen it all.

I just go

because I started.

Death Valley

2006-08-21T22:33:00.000-07:00

I don't know how i got here. A van stopped and an American family from Ohio rescued me in Ridgecrest.

We stopped in Death Valley. it was 120 degrees Fahrenhiet.

It was like hell. And it could have gotten a lot worse. It feels like being in a fridge, closed and uplugged.

Everybody makes mistake. Kathy married Tom, Bush is the president, Clinton married Clinton.

I think not every mistake is forgiven.

Hollywood

2006-08-17T23:35:00.000-07:00

Meeting Mary Poppin on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Mary Poppin : What a Freak you are!

izaka : What?

Mary Poppin: What's wrong with you? you carrying this big headed doll and taking pictures and all that...

Izaka: Her name is Diana. Diana Angel.

Mary Poppin: By the way, we accept tips. (I give her one dollar) oh, god. Give me two, C'mon!!You took lots of pictures.

the conversation

2006-08-17T23:33:00.000-07:00

my friend: What is this?

Izaka: Diana Angel

LA

2006-08-16T09:30:00.000-07:00

Lost in map.

disneyland

2006-08-15T22:53:00.000-07:00

Izaka: Was it fun?

Diana: yes. It was fun. We should come here more often.

An Unknown Asian in LA

2006-08-14T23:20:00.000-07:00

I arrived LA on the 13th of August 2006.

Sunny sky, warm weather. nothing happend.

I'm preparing for a trip that might cost my life.

I don't mind if the trip is not fun.

I hope I can go back to Korea with some kind of a life lesson.

"How I can die in USA"

2006-08-10T20:10:00.000-07:00

List of ways I can die on the “My Great America” trip (that my friends told me)

- Getting shot on the road in a bad neighborhood in LA
- cheating with the ex-wife of an ex-football player/actor
- Hit by a truck
-Hit by a taxi in Chicago
-Bored to death
- AIDS
- Food poisoning
- Encounter with Big Foot
- Heat stroke
- Hunger
- DUI
- Eaten by a hungry eagle in Nevada
-Suicide.

and

.....excuted in Texas for riding bicycle in a private property.

(....it was fun until I got to realize the reality of this trip.)

List of "Things I'm taking to USA"

2006-08-07T20:06:00.000-07:00

Here’s the list of the things I take to America:

"Lexus" (my bicycle)
- (I already disassembled it and put it in a box. I have to put it together in the airport of Los Angeles. It freaks me out when a big crowd gathers around, just like it happened in Cuba."

“Bob Yak” - bicycle trailer
Helmet
Cycle Repair Kit
Bike tent
Sleeping bag
3 T-shirts
1 short pants
3 pairs of socks
2 set of cycling clothes
Personal hygiene stuff
Bible
3 books by Mark Twain
Lonely Planet Guide book “USA”
Lomo Camera
Canon 5D
17-40mm Lens
Canon G5
2 memory cards
Blanket
Map of America (2006, Michelin)

57 lbs….

....obviously, a lot heavier than I ought to carry on my trailer.....

Farewell Concert for Izaka

2006-08-05T19:57:00.000-07:00

The farewell concert was fun. Lots of people came to the club to see my band “Young Lions” perform.

We played some of the songs by Kim Kwang Seok, Eric Clapton, Sanulim, Jo Yong Pil.
But now I’m under huge pressure. I can't say “I’m not going”. They will ask for refund for the ticket they bought.

The M.G.A. Plan

2006-07-18T19:52:00.000-07:00

Schedule of “My Great America”

Los Angeles -> Las Vegas -> Flagstaff -> Santa Fe -> Oklahoma City -> Tulsa -> St. Louis -> Chicago -> Detroit -> Pittsburg ->New York City.

Distance: circa. 4000miles.

Avg. Speed: 10 miles/hour. 60 miles a day

Date: 7 Aug 2006 ~ 31 Oct 2006-12-11

Start

2006-07-10T19:50:00.000-07:00

To begin with this website.
This blog is made to show America in an non-American point of view.

USA is known as the “world police” or the “world bully”. Lots of people hate America. USA started a meaningless war in Iraq, they are building a new military installation in PyeongTaek with the cost from the South Korean Budget. In my freshman year, I joined a Anti-American activist group and went to violent demonstrations.

But everybody in my generation is influenced by America. I watch Hollywood movies, copied some of the music of American hardrock bands such as Aerosmith and Metallica.

I’ve worked in Equal Opportunity office while I did my mandatory military service in the US Army. SFC Roesh told me that one should only speak for oneself.
It’s not fair for Americans if one starts blaming them without talking to them, and being to USA.

I will ride bike from LA to NYC in Aug~Oct 2006. I’ll write about people, culture television, politics that make up the country “America” while I travel. I don’t exactly recall when I planned this trip, but I’ve decided after I was released from the military service, that I wouldn’t make judgment on America until I really saw it.

I’ve been working on this project for the last two years. I hope this blog will help people who are not Americans understand America better by providing them information on America that is not filtered by media. I hope this blog will serve as a mirror that shows how Americans are seen by a Korean student.

I wish everybody will have fun with this blog. I’ll try to have fun doing this too, but 4000 miles seem to be a very long distance.

Wish me good luck.

A cow watching "Dick & Jane"

2006-04-08T21:40:00.000-07:00

4월 1일 만우절기념 싸인회를 마치고
한우 복장 그냥 반납하기 아까워 CGV 영화관에 입고 갔다.

"Dick & Jane"을 봤는데, 영화도 재미있었고
나도 모르게 계속 신이 났다.

표 파는 사람, 팝콘 주는 종업원도 즐거워 했다.

저 탈만 쓰면 나도 모르게 현실 밖으로 나가는 느낌이 든다.

요즘 가장 하고 싶은 것은
다시 저렇게 소 탈 쓰고 영화보러 가기다.

여러분도 한번 해보세용. 디따 잼있어용.

교보문고에서의 Autograph Session!!

2006-04-02T18:24:00.000-07:00

[4.1 싸인회 후, 동네에서 뒷풀이 할 때 by 최지웅 -> 책이 주는 이미지와는 너무 다르죠? 사람들이 괜히 못 알아 보는 것이 아닌듯...^^;;;]

대학교 신입생일 때, 이원복씨의 싸인회에 간 적이 있다.

너무나도 존경하는 인물로, 반디앤루니스에서 30분간 기다려 그의 싸인을 받을 수 있었다.

그런데 나는 그의 이름 석자를 빨리 휘갈긴 싸인만을 받았다.
나는 그에게 궁금한 것도 많았고, 원하는 글귀도 있었다. 상황이 이해가 되지 않는 것은 아니지만, 만약 내가 작가가 된다면, 독자들과 더 많은 것을 소통하고 싶을 것 같다,고 생각했다.

그로부터 6년이 지난 지금, 책을 두권을 썼다. 책을 한번 쓸 때마다, 책을 몇백권씩 읽고 쓴다.
책은 여행과 마찬가지로 스타일의 문제이기 때문에, 나만의 스타일을 만들기 위해 여러 책들을 참조했다. 하지만 결과물은 늘 만족스럽지 못 하다.
그런데 그런 책을 읽어 주고, "여행을 가고 싶어졌어요"라고 말해주는 분을 보면너무나도 힘이 난다.

만약 그러한 응원과 위로가 없었다면, 이번 <원더랜드 여행기>는 나올 수 없었을 것이다. 한 서점 직원에게서 '여행을 다룬 책 중에서 현재 가장 많이 나가고 있는 책'이라는 말을 들었을 때,나는 그 말을 믿을 수가 없었다.

책을 읽어 본 사람들은, 내가 작가로서 대단한 사람이 아니란 것을 안다. 어렸을 적부터 외국에 있어서 한국어 구사능력이 남들보다 떨어진다.

사실 내가 잘 하는 것은, 외롭게 독일 학교에서 생활하면서 익힌 자조적이면서도 약간은 병적인 위트들이다. 독일어를 할 줄 모르는 나는 누구보다도 외로웠다.

나는 나의 슬픔을 웃음으로 변환시키는데 익숙하다. 여기에는 중학교 때 독일에서 만난 진중권 선생님의 영향도 크다. 우리나라에서 가장 신랄한 글을 쓰는 진중권 선생님,독일 유학중인던 그분에게 논술 공부를 2년간 배우지 않았더라면,지금쯤 전혀 다른 일을 하고 있었는지도 모른다.

자전거를 탈 때, 왜 달리는지 생각하지 않고 오직 내가 달려야만 한다는 사실에 주목하듯이,글을 쓸 때는, 어떤 목적을 위해 쓰기 보다는, 오직 내가 써야만 한다는 사실을 기억한다. 나는 독자들이 너무나 고맙다.

책을 한권살 때 나에게 떨어지는 돈은 800원이지만, 그분들이 책을 읽고 남기는 간단한 방명록 글, 쪽지, 이메일은 값을 매길 수 없을 정도이다. 게릴라 사인회를 시작한 것을 그때문이다. 사람들에게, 이번 책에서 만나게 될 주인공을 직접 보면책을 읽을 때의 느낌이 남다를 것이라고 생각했다.

그래서 출판사의 허락도, 서점의 허락도 받지 않고 독자들을 모아 서점 한 가운데서 게릴라 사인회를 했다.

독자분들이 '눈을 마주쳐 주면서 이야기해줘서 고맙다'라고 말하지만,
나는 그분들이 나와 눈을 마주쳐 가며 고맙다고 이야기해줘서 고맙다.
가능하면 모든 분과 셀카를 찍고 싶다.
싸인회의 오신 분들의 책은, 유일무이한 책으로 만들고 싶다. 그래서 쓸데없는 낙서를 잔뜩 해 놓는다. '나중에 절판되면 희귀본으로 비싸게 팔릴 것이다'라고 말해주면서. 그리고 싸이를 통해서 조금이라도 기억나는 분이면 농담을 건넨다.

서점에서는 나를 싫어 한다. 게릴라 사인회를 하면, 서점 안이 소란 스러워 지고, 그렇게 되면 직원들이 높으신 분들께 귀찮은 이야기를 듣게 되니, 그럴만도 하다.
게다가 말도 많다. 30명 싸인/낙서 하는데 한시간이 걸릴 정도니...

지난번 공식 싸인회를 할 떄 사람은 60명 정도가 왔는데,책은 10권이 팔렸다고 한다. 모두들 책을 가져와서 사인을 받은 것이다.
서점에서는 다시는 찾아 오지 말라는 투로 말했다.
나로서는 전혀 문제가 되지 않는 부분이지만,

나는 독자들에게 내가 줄 수 있는 가장 좋은 선물을 주고 싶었다. 그것은 사람 많은 곳에서 '한우'옷을 입고 다니는 '무모함'과 '웃음'이다.

첫번째 책은 군대에서 이병시절부터 일기를 쓰는 척 하며 조금씩 쓰다 병장이 됐을 때 발간을 해서, 이러한 기회를 가질 수 없었다.
만약 그때 휴가를 내서라도 이렇게 싸인회를 했다면, 더 많은 동기 부여가 됐을 것 같다.

앞으로 나의 미래는 어떻게 될지 모르겠다. 하지만 지금과 비슷한 수준에 머무르지는 않을 것 같다.

전혀 주목을 받지 못 하는 작가가 되어서 더 이상 글을 쓰지 않던,아니면 너무나 유명해져서 찾아 오는 사람들에게 내 이름 석자만 써주는 그런 작가가 되던,둘 중 하나일 것 같다.

그래서 독자들과 이야기를 하고,나의 진심을 보여 줄 수 있을 때힘이 조금 들더라도, 그들 곁으로 가까이 다가서고 싶다.

그래서, 아무도 부르지 않은 대구와 부산에 이렇게 찾아 온 것 같다.

영화 [Before Sunset]의 에단호크처럼,
나도 언젠가 파리의 조그만 서점에서 사인회를 하는 그런 사람이고 싶다.

하지만 그런 일은 쉽게 일어나지 않을 것이다.
파리의 사람들이 내 책을 읽게 될지도 아무도 모르는 일이다.
그보다 더 큰 아픔은 사실,
파리에 나를 사랑해 주는 사람이 있는 것도 아니라는 것이다.

Coex몰에서의 Autograph Session!

2006-03-28T18:29:00.000-08:00

사람들이 더 많이 왔으면 좋았으려나?

리틀 이외수 복장인데, 사람들이 많이 눈치챘으려나 모르겠다.

아무튼 힘들다.

[평상복으로 갈아입는 다음. 역시 변장했을 때 반응이 더 좋다]

“That's one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind”

2006-03-27T18:02:00.000-08:00

먼 곳에 대한 그리움

살면서 미쳤다는 소리를 들어 보지 못 했다면, 그것은 단 한번도 당신의 모든 것을 바쳐 무언가를 해 보지 않았다는 것을 의미한다.

*
비행기에 올라 밤하늘을 보고 있자니 문득 암스트롱이 아폴로호가 점화되는 소리를 들었을 때 어떤 마음이었을까 하는 궁금증이 인다. 그는 한번도 우주에 나갔다는 사람에 대해 들어 본 적이 없었다. 시중에 나오는 가이드 북도 없고, 변변 찮은 지도도 없이 달나라에 가는 그가 아무 후회도 없었을까.

나, 닐 암스트롱은 달로 날아 가는 아폴로 11호의 선장이다. 지금까지 남 부럽지 않은, 매우 성공적인 삶을 살았다. 그런데 지금 나는 어디에 있는 것이가! 지금 당장이라도 이 우주선에서 내리고 싶다. 달은 그냥 사진으로만 봐도 아름다운 곳이고, 바람이 잔잔하게 부는 날 연인과 함께 쳐다봐도 괜찮은 곳인데, 왜 내가 저런 곳까지 가야 하는 것이지? 엉덩이가 커 보이는 이 우주복도 마음에 들지 않고, 빨대로 빨아 먹는 식사들도 너무나 엉망이야.
친구들과 환송파티를 할 때까지만 해도 분명 신이 났었는데, 지금은 내가 진정으로 달에 가고 싶은지도 잘 모르겠어.
이건 마치 21세기가 되서도 쿠바 같은 나라를 자전거로 여행하는 것만큼이나 바보 같은 짓이야.
’
대충 이런 고민을 하지 않았을까. 그도 인간이기에, 약간의 후회와 망설임이 머리를 스쳤을 것이다.

며칠 동안 일련의 계획을 세웠지만, 사실 여행이 예상대로 흘러가는 것도 기대하기 힘들다. 나는 쿠바를 모른다. 인터넷에 올라 온 이야기들은 대부분 쿠바에 대한 낭만적인 찬가만 올려 놨다. 나 역시 쿠바가 주는 이미지에 매료되었을 뿐, 사실적인 부분에 대해서는 알고 있지 않다. 뽀샤시처리된 사진만 보고 소개팅에 나갈 때처럼, 기대와 불안이 동시에 엄습해 온다. KBS에서 다큐멘터리를 찍으라 온다고 하는데, 언제 온다는 말도 안 해줬다. ‘연락 자주 하세요’라고 했을 뿐이다.

이런 불안감을 안고도 나는 비행기로 올라 탔다. 그리고 생각한다. 나는 떠난다. 좀 더 괜찮은 사람이 되기 위해서 쿠바까지 자전거를 들고 왔다. “우리는 우리의 욕망을 죽임으로써 부분적 자살을 감행한다”, 어찌보면 나는 구스타프 융과 같은 말을 하면서도 정반대의 의도를 갖고 있다. 기꺼이 나의 욕망 부분을 포기함으로써, 자발적으로 ‘부분적 자살’을 할 것이다. 나는 더 지금보다 더 나은 사람이 되고 싶다.

가장 중요한 의문은, 최첨단 의학과 심리학을 동원해도 어찌 하기 힘든 자기계발/발전을 과연 자전거여행으로써 얻을 수 있냐는 것이다.
하지만 일단 비행기에 올라 타 스타트를 해 놓은 이상
그 가능성을 의심하는 것은 사랑이나 신의 존재에 관한 문제처럼, 그다지 의미가 없다.

닐 암스트롱의 경우, 결국 그는 성공적으로 계획을 마쳤고, 다음과 같은 위대한 말을 남긴다.

“That's one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind”

이 말처럼 모든 고민 속에 발에 도착해 해서 내딛은 암스트롱의 한 걸음은 인류에 있어서 큰 도약다.
이에 비해 쿠바에 올려놓는 나의 첫발은 인류에 있어서 아무런 의미도 없다.
하지만 그것은, 적어도 나에게 있어서는, 매우 위대한 한 스텝이 될 것이다.

-> 여행 첫날 일기입니다. 책 본문에도 나오는 글이지만, 독자분들을 위한 서비스입니다. 글을 쓰면서 무슨 생각을 했는지 알면 더 재미있지 않을까 싶습니다. 히힛

몇몇 사람들은 제가 어린이 대공원이라도 갔다 온 줄 압니다.
쿠바에 가서, 동물원의 얼룩말을 찍듯 쿠바사람과 체게바라 사진을 찍어 올 거라고 생각하더근요.

사진 속에서는 온갖 위풍당당한 포즈를 취하지만,
저도 '쫄 줄 아는' 사람입니다. 혼자 쿠바 같은 곳을 가면서
한가하게 눈을 붙이고 '베사메 무초'같은 노래를 흥얼거릴만한
강심장을 갖고 있지 못합니다.
닐 암스트롱도 아폴로 호 안에서 '베사메 무초'를 흥얼거리지 않았을 것이라고
강하게 믿고 있습니다.

어느 가이드 북도,
설사 그것이 NASA가 만들어 준 것이라고 할지라도
여행의 불안을 막아 줄 수는 없거든요.

쿠바 여행은 제게 매우 중요한 스텝이었습니다.

그리고 제게는 아직도 내딛어야 하는 스텝이 많이 남아 있습니다.

한 발자국씩 가다 보면
언젠가 상당히 괜찮은 곳에 도달해 있을 것 같다는 생각을 합니다.

홧팅

[그러고 보니 체게바라의 모든 사진/그림/포스터는 모두 왼쪽 상단을 주시하고 있군요. 나도 담번엔 따라해 봐야쥐]

새 책이 나왔습니다. [Wonderland Traveler]!!!

2006-03-14T18:36:00.000-08:00

Review of

<원더랜드 여행기>는 모험과 유머, 재미와 감동이 가득한 종합선물세트 같은 여행기다. 자전거로 여행하며 바라본 쿠바의 아름다움과, 또 우리에게는 낯선 쿠바인의 생존방식을 Izaka라는 캐릭터의 시선을 빌어 재치 있는 어법으로 풀어냈다. 그리고 그 속에는 자아를 바라보는 젊은이의 진지하고도 매혹적인 성찰이 녹아 있다. 그 값진 여행을 따라가다 보면 예상하지 못한 감동과 만나게 된다.

카스트로가 죽은 후의 쿠바는 Izaka에게 별 매력이 없는 땅이다. 맥도널드가 들어서고, 매연 가득한 하바나엔 돌고래 같이 매끈한 미국산 신형차가 등장하게 될지도 모른다. 그리고 시간이 지날수록 낡은 건축물들이 지워진 자리에는 관광 리조트들이 대신하게 될 것이다. 바로 카스트로의 노쇠함이 이러한 위기감을 고조시켰고, Izaka는 곧바로 쿠바행 비행기에 올랐다.

빨갱이의 나라, 체 게바라 주식회사, 미국의 히스테리, 온갖 좋지 않은 닉네임을 생산하고 있지만, 쿠바는 이 땅의 젊은이들에게 여전히 호기심을 불러일으키는 곳으로 남아 있다. 슬픔과 낭만이 동시에 블랜딩된 그들의 음악은 말레콩에 부서지는 파도만큼이나 매력적이다. 또 체 게바라와 그의 드라마틱한 삶도 젊은이들의 우상이 되기에 부족함이 없다.

<원더랜드 여행기>는 이처럼 매력적인 섬, 쿠바를 여행하는 청년과 그가 겪게 되는 흥미진진한 일화가 감각적인 사진과 함께 녹아 있는 여행기다. 많은 여행기가 그렇듯, 현지인들의 삶이 낭만적으로 그려지기도 하고, 고독한 여행자의 시선으로 왜곡되기도 한다. 또 아름다운 풍경에 대한 감탄과 여행에 대한 진지한 사색이 곳곳에 등장한다. 하지만 이 책이 단순한 여행기와 다른 이유는 한 젊은이의 내적 성장의 과정이 감동적으로 그려지기 때문이다.

-어느 인터넷 서점에 실린 책소개

책 인쇄 공장 견학기

2006-02-28T21:53:00.000-08:00

안녕하세요.
Izaka, 이창수입니다.

최근들어 별명이 많아진 것 같습니다. 기존의 '100m서보면 이정재', '벗으면 유승준'(전부 조건부 별명이죠?) 에서
'거짓말쟁이', '허풍선', '전혀 신뢰감을 주지 못 하는 lazy-ass'로 별명이 변해가고 있습니다.

맨날 '나온다 나온다'해 놓고 안 나오는 책에 대한 기대가 커서 그런 것이라고 생각합니다.
다시 한번 사과드립니다.

[혹시 모르시는 분을 위해 - 저기 100m 앞에서 이'모' 연예인을 닮은 사람이 저입니다 - 벽화에
그려져 있는 사람 말구요...^^:;;]

허나,
지난 수요일! 극비리에 제가 파주 출판 단지에 다녀왔습니다. (그렇죠, 싸이월드에 안 올리면 모든 것이 '극비'가 되지요)
제 책이 인쇄소에서 찍히는 모습을 지켜 보기 위해서 입니다.

지난번 책 '나쁜 여행' 때는 군대에 있었기 떄문에, 외박을 나와서 서점에 발매된 책을 받아 봤을 뿐 그것이 어떤 공정을 거치는지 알 수 없었습니다.
하지만 인쇄소 - 즉, '책공장'에 가서 제 책이 만들어 지는 것을 눈물을 훔치며 (약간 과장을 하자면 그렇다는 얘기죠) 지켜보았습니다. 감동, 또 감동...

무라카미 하루키의 수필집 3권에 보면, 공장 견학기가 나오는데, 저도 '책 공장'에 대한 견학기를 짤막하게 써 보겠습니다. 지금은 열심히 쇼트트랙을 보고 있느라 비몽사몽간에 글을 쓰고 있지만, 메시지 만큼은 확실히 전달하도록 노력하겠습니다.

우선 충무로에 있는 성광사에서 끝까지 디자이너-편집자-작가의 삼각관계에서 첨예한 대립을 하게 했던 표지의 최종판을 꺼냈습니다.
표지를 위해서 5장의 필름을 만들어야 했습니다. 다지인을 공부하시는 분들은 아시겠지만, 모르시는 분들을 위해 자세한 설명을 드리자면...흠, 저도 잘 모릅니다. 옆에 계신 디자인공부하는 친구들에게 물어 보시죠.

[ 필름에 찍힌 제 모습입니다. 한장처럼 보이지만, 사실 5장으로 이뤄져 있습니다]

CMY 색을 잘 섞어서 칼라를 내는 것인데, 여러분이 보시는 책들 중 흑백은 1도, 단색은 2도, 컬러는 4도라고 합니다. 그것이 필름의 숫자를 결정을 합니다.
제 책의 표지는 5도, 즉 5장의 필름을 사용합니다. 그 이유는 CMY가 만들어 내지 못 하는 별색을 집어 넣기 위해서이지요. 은색과 야간 주황빛 도는 핑크색이 사용됐습니다. 상당히...빤딱빤딱한 표지가 되겠지요?^^

필름 출력소에서 일하시는 직원분이 종이를 이용해 여러 장의 흑백필름을 조심스럽게 종이에 싸서 주셔서 건네주셨습니다. 그 필름을 들고 성광사를 나와서 주변을 두리번 거리며 지하철을 타고 대화역으로 향했습니다. 편집자님은 제게 필름간수를 잘 하라고 부탁했습니다. 만약 필름에 스크레치가 생기면, 앞으로 몇만, 혹은 몇 십만권까지 (아싸) 찍힐지 모르는 책 전부에 흠집이 생기게 되고, 그렇게 되면 수많은 젊고 아름다운 여성팬들이 저희 집 앞까지 찾아와 환불 항의를 하는....(이하 생략 ->어이가 없죠?)

어쨌든, 대화역에서 인쇄소 영업사원의 라이드를 받아 출판소를 향했습니다.
약 25분 정도를 가니, 자유로를 넘어 파주의 출판단지가 펼쳐졌습니다.

정부의 힘찬 지원으로 조성된 출판단지이지만, 아직 아파트가 완공되지 않아 동네사람이라고 부를 만한 사람없이, 허허벌판에 네모난 공장들이 듬성듬성 있습니다. 하지만 그 공장들이 어마어마 하게 큽니다.

이 출판단지가 얼마나 초창기 준비단계에 있냐면요, CGV가 하나 있는데, 토요일 프라임 타임에 가더라도 혼자서 영화를 볼 수 있을 정도로 썰렁하다고 합니다. 그러면 식사는 어떻게 해결하냐고 묻자, 출판단지 내에 배달이 되는 곳이 두군데 있다고 합니다. 하나는 중국집이고 하나는 분식집인데, 그 중 중국집은 워낙 음식맛이 떨어져 자장면을 먹지 않으면 나을 수 없는 그런 요상한 병에 걸린 사람이 생기기 전까지는 절대 시키지 않는다고 합니다. 호기심이 발동해 자장면 한그릇을 시키자고 하려고 했지만, 보수적인 편집자님의 눈쌀에 못 이겨 떡볶이+김밥+순대로 점심을 떼웠습니다.

교양과 지식과 감성을 담는 책이 만들어 지는 곳, 참으로 낭만적인 곳 같지요?

하지만 할리우드 스튜디오같은 큰 상자 모양의 인쇄소 안으로 들어 가면, 철컹철컹, 쿵쾅쿵쾅 기계 소리가 유별나게 들립니다. '어둠 속의 댄서'의 공장 씬이 생각 났습니다.

[인쇄 공장 '책공장'의 모습입니다. 썰렁하죠?]

[여느 공장과 다를 바 없는 내부의 모습입니다]

[60년대 SF 영화에 나올만한 그런 기계들 모습입니다. 단추가 많고, 계속해서 삐비빅 소리를 내는 ...하지만 이 기계들이 만들어 내는 퀄리티는 세계 최고입니다]

인쇄를 담당하는 기사분들 두분과 영업부원님, 그리고 편집자님이 열띤 토론을 벌였습니다.
제 책은 이번에 '이라이트'라는 비싼 용지에 인쇄가 되는데, 이 종이는 약간 노란띠를 주는 용지로 약간 빈티지스러운 느낌을 주지만 색깔을 잘 안 먹고 지분이 많이 생기는 문제점이 있어서 세심한 배려가 요구된다고 합니다. 저는 뭐가 뭔지 알 수가 없어 구경을 하다가 공장 사진을 찍으러 돌아 다녔습니다. 공장에서 일하시는 분들은, 마치 하회마을을 열심히 사진찍어 대는 일본사람 구경하시듯 저를 보시다가 다시 하시던 일을 마저 하셨습니다.

책은 필름을 가져 와서, 그것을 출력하고, 그 다음 그것을 제본을 해서 책으로 만듭니다. 쉽게 말해, 기본적인 방식 원재를 갖고 오면, 그것을 가공시키고, 그것을 완제품으로 만드는 공정은 동원참치를 만드는 과정과 같은 것입니다.

'흠, 이 색은 조금 너무 어둡지 않나요?'
'아, 지금 이 이라이트 용지위에서 색이 잘 스며들지 않아서 그러는데, 색을 말리면 조금 더 밝아질 겁니다'
'아, 그래요? 그래도 한 두톤 정도 높여서 뽑아주세요. 그리고 이 곳의 빨간 색은 가제본의 색깔하고 약간 차이가 나는데, 빨간 색을 조금 빼주시고, 그린을 조금만 높이는게 좋을것 같네요'

[제가 보기에는 똑같은 종이 여러장을 펼쳐 놓고 열띤 토론을 벌이고 계십니다]

그리면 두톤을 높이는 과정과 색깔 조정이 들어 가죠. 약 30분 정도가 걸리는데, 그러는 동안 저와 편집자는 이층 대기실에서 이런 저런 이야기를 합니다. 대부분 프로모션에 관한 것이지요. 빠른 시간내에 초판을 다 팔 수 있을까를 이야기했습니다. 결론은 '열심히, 부지런히 프로모션을 한다'로 나왔습니다. -.-;;;

잠시 후 영업부에 계신 분이 올라 와 커피를 타 주시고, 이런 저런 출판사업에 대한 이야기, 종이에 대한 이야기, 인쇄기에 대한 이야기를 나눕니다. 저는 세계 리코더의 거장들이 모인 자리에서 새로운 송나무 리코더 T-100에 관한 리뷰를 하는 것처럼 들립니다.

그리고 다시 1층에 내려 가서, 색깔과 명암을 결정하게 됩니다.

'흐흠, 여기선 이창수씨의 턱선이 안 사는데...좀 더 콘트라스트를 주세요'
'턱은 이정도면 되지 않을까요. 충분히 얼굴 윤곽은 산다고 보는데요'
'그래도 한번만 더 뽑아주세요'

[색깔을 만드는 기계들입니다. 수많은 페인트와 빨강,노랑,파랑, 그리고 먹색을 결정하는 기계입니다. 기계의 굉음 소리와 전혀 안 어울리는 귀여운 색깔이죠?]

[여러분은 저 두 사진의 색 차이가 보이시나요?]

2층에 가서 다시 30분간 담화.

그리고 편집자님이 영업부원께 물어 보죠.

'여기 있는 이 학생, 어디서 본 것 같지 않나요?'
'글쎄요...잘 기억이 안 나는데...혹시 TV에 나오지 않았나요?'
'예, TV에도 나왔어요'
'그런데 ..하하...잘 기억이 안 나네요...'

'....표지에도 나왔던 분이잖아요..^^:;;'

'앗, 그렇습니까? 표지에는 굉장히 터프하게 보이던데...실제로는...안경을 쓰셔서 그런지...하핫...'

....그렇죠. 아까 '이창수씨의 턱선'에서도 '이창수'가 누군지 몰랐다는 이야기입니다. 다시 말하면, 그분에게는 오직 색채와 명암으로만 사진을 볼 뿐이라는 것이죠. 상당히 프로페셔널한 면입니다.

[돋보기로 저렇게 망점 하나하나를 살피니 제 얼굴이 눈에 들어 올릴 리가 없죠]

인쇄 기사님들 사이에서도 '아, 저사람이 모델이예요?'
... 책이 무엇에 관한 것인지도 모르고,
제가 책에 나오자, 여행기를 장식하는 모델로 생각했던 모양입니다. 워냑 몸의 모양새가 좋기 때문에...(생략 -하지만 왜 작가가 그곳까지 따라갔는지는 끝까지 이해하지 못 했던 것 같습니다. 원래 그런 일은 흔치 않죠.)

표지를 보는 데에는 더 오랜 시간이 걸렸습니다. 별색을 쓰는데, 밤 늦게까지 기다린 결과, 책의 표지의 색을 볼 수 있었는데, 약 두번의 수정을 거쳐야 했습니다. 마지막 코팅을 거치면 색깔이 한톤 더 어두워진다고 하는데, 아직 표지가 다 마르지 않은 상태에서 결정하기 힘들었습니다.
[책은 한장한장씩 뽑는 것이 아니라, 저렇게 16장을 한꺼번에 큰 종이에 뽑은 다음에, 페이지 수에 맞게 잘라서 제본을 하는 것입니다]

시간이 되지 않아, 띠지는 확인하지 못 하고 집으로 돌아 왔습니다. 아직 완공되지 않은 파주 출판단지의 밤은 무척이나 어두웠습니다.

자, 주말 동안 철컹철컹, 쿵쾅쿵쾅, 제 두번째 책이 찍히게 되었습니다.

무슨 말이냐면, 다음주 화요일, 혹은 목요일, 서점에서 제 책을 만나보실 수 있습니다.

[기계 위에 올려진 제 책의 표지 모습입니다. 아하하, 기엽져?]

...으흐흑, 저도 모르게 갑자기 눈물이...ㅠ.ㅠ

화이팅입니다~^^

p.s: '이창수씨, 우리는 끝까지 신비주의야. 마지막까지 표지를 공개해서는 안돼',

'멀리서 본 것도 안 돼요?' ,

'안 된다니까요. 쫌 만 더 기다려요'

...라는 대화에도 불구하고, 쪼금 공개한 것들이 있습니다. 작가의 용기를 볼 수 있는 부분이졍. 아무튼, 다음주에 속시원하게 모든 것을 공개하죠.
...그런데 저만큼 이 책을 기다린 사람도 있을까요?

2. 쇼트트랙, 금메달 두개 따는 것 확인했습니다. 저도 이제 잘래용...@.@

끝으로, 멋진 샷 한장!

있는 힘껏, 끝까지 정진!

"My Great America" Tour

2006-02-01T23:52:00.000-08:00

I just pray.

Mount Vernon Campus in Washington DC

2005-11-25T18:05:00.000-08:00

[캠퍼스 교정 한가운데 있는 정자와 분수대입니다]

워싱턴에서의 짧은 유학생활은 miserable과 horrible을 왔다갔다 하고 있습니다.

이곳에 온지 3개월이 지났네요. 계속해서 워싱턴에 관한 글을 쓰기 위해
여러번 끄적끄적 댔는데, 대부분 저도 모르게 이야기가 픽션화면서
누군가에게 잔인하게 해를 끼치는 결말로 끝나서 글을 실을 수가 없었네요.
아마 너무 가까운 곳에 부시대통령이 살고 있어서 그런 것 같습니다.
(얼마전 한국도 방문했었죠? 무사히 돌아간게 신기합니다)

미국에 오면 많은 것이 달라질 줄 알았습니다.
하지만 세계 어디에나 존재하는 보편적인 법칙은 분명 존재하나 봅니다.
미국으로 오기 전에 바랬던 일들 -얼굴도 좀 서구적으로 변하고,
친구도 생기고, 복권에 당첨되는 일들-은 일어나지 않았습니다.

대충 제가 뭐하고 지내는지 말씀을 드리자면,
아침에는 토스트 구워 먹고, 숙제도 조금하고,
살짝 낮잠도 자면 지내고 있습니다. 집에서 쉬는데 지치게 되면
학교 가서 출석도 하고 합니다.

남는 시간에는 늘 그렇듯 책을 읽던가 일요일에는 교회에 가 복권에
당첨되게 해달라고 기도하고 있습니다.

가끔씩 하늘을 보며 '내가 정말 작가였으면 어땠을까'라는 생각을 해봅니다.
시간을 어떻게 보낼지는 모르겠지만,
지금처럼 배고픈 것은 마찬가지일 것이라고 생각합니다.

'리차알드 기어얼'(제 발음을 기준으로 표기했습니다)가 주연한
'뉴욕의 가을'아시나요? 그영화 재미있나요? 저는 못 봤습니다.
하지만 제가 소풍을 통해 알게 된 사실은, 뉴욕의 가을이 어떻던 간에
워싱턴의 가을 역시 무지 아름답다는 것입니다.

3주전 버지니아 주에 있는 국립공원 Shenondouh에 가서 교회사람들과
단풍 놀이를 하며 찍은 사진들을 훑어 봤습니다.
얼룩덜룩한 자연이 높은 하늘을 떠받치고 있는 그 모습은
가슴 뭉클할 정도로 아름다웠습니다.

[미국 아저씨가 열심히 가족사진을 찍는 장면이 보기 좋았습니다]

아쉽게도 제가 차가 없기 때문에 다시 Shenondouh 국립공원에는 가지 못 했습니다. 그래서 대역을 쓰기로 했습니다. 바로 제가 머물고 있는 MT Vernon 캠퍼스입니다.
사진기를 들고 무작정 밖으로 나갔습니다. 석양이 기가 막히게 예뻐
눈을 감고 찍어도 그림 같은 사진을 얻을 수 있었습니다.

[저 밑에 다정해 보이는 커플이 보이시죠? 제가 아는 커플인데,
알고보니 싸우고 있는 것이더군요]

MT Vernon 캠퍼스에는 6개의 기숙사 건물과 매점 한 개,
그리고 아무도 안 읽을 것 같은 책들만 빽빽하게 모아 놓은
Eckles Library가 있습니다.
이 캠퍼스를 천천히 돌아 보는데는 5분 정도가 걸립니다.
건물들 외에는 캠퍼스가 온통 잔디와 나무들로 덮혀 있기 때문에
매우 비싼 사립 수용소에 들어 와 있다는 생각을 하게 만듭니다.
거주자의 90%가 일학년이라 저 같은 복학생과는 놀아주는 사람이 없습니다.
(복학생이 인간대접을 받지 못하는 것도 보편적인 현상이라고 생각합니다)

반경 10분 이내에 상점이 하나도 없습니다.
캠퍼스안에 있는 매점에서는 생필품과 과자, 기름진 피자,
그리고 더 기름진 햄버거를 팝니다.

워싱턴 시내와 MT Vernon을 연결하는 것은
Vernon Express 라고 불리는 셔틀버스입니다.
이 셔틀버스는 지각하기 좋아하는 사람들의 가장 좋은 친구입니다.
Vernon Express 사무소에서 공지한 시간에 정류장에 나가면
어김 없이 학교에 늦게 도착합니다.
물론 가끔 제시간에 출발하는 경우도 있기 합니다만,
그런 실수가 흔한 것은 아닙니다.
[지각대장들의 나이스 프랜드, Vern Express]

덕분에 MT Vernon에서는 도둑 걱정이 없습니다. 도둑이 물건을 훔쳐
도망가더라도, Vern Express를 기다리던 도중 모두
UPD(University Police Department)에게 붙잡힐 것이라고 생각합니다.

메인 캠퍼스와 상당히 떨어진 이 캠퍼스는
GWU의 기숙사와 여가용도로 쓰이고 있지만,
사실 이곳은 예전에 여자대학으로 쓰이던 곳입니다.
처음에 이 곳에 와서 이 소식을 듣고 많은 것을 기대했습니다.
저도 모르게 대학생활 말년의 로망을 떠올리게 되었죠.
아쉽게도 제가 약 30년 정도 늦게 이 곳에 도착하는 바람에
여자대학교 시절만큼 여학생이 그렇게 많지는 않습니다. 한편으로는
30년 전 이 곳에서 백마탄 왕자를 기다리던 여학생들에게
대단한 미안한 마음입니다.

캠퍼스 입구를 들어서서 조금 가면 나오는 곳은 사커필드입니다.
MT Vernon에서 제가 가장 좋아하는 곳입니다.
가끔씩 이곳에서 GWU 라크로스 여성부 연습 & 경기가 있는데,
지나가는 사람을 서 있는 자리에 꽂아 세워 놓는 매력이 있습니다.
팔등신의 아가씨들이 잠자리채를 들고 서로 부딪치며
이리저리 뛰어다니는 것을 보면 혈액순환도 빨라지고,
식욕도 왕성해지는 것 같습니다.
[여성부 라크로스 경기가 없는 텅빈 교정에서]

Vern Express의 랜덤한 서큘레이션과 텅빈 사커필드와는 상관 없이
하늘은 매우 높고 아름다웠습니다.
하늘 앞에 서 있는 시계탑 역시 제가 좋아 하는 곳입니다.
손목시계를 들여다 보는 수고를 하지 않아도 시간을 알 수 있기 때문입니다.

방에는 식물을 키우는데, 제임스와 카일라라고 이름을 붙였습니다.
별로 기분이 좋지 않은 날 이름을 생각해 내서 예쁜 이름을 붙이지는 못 했습니다.
사진에서 오른쪽에 보이는 것이 제임스입니다.
이름을 바꿀까도 생각해 봤습니다만, 제가 아무리 상업작가라고는 해도,
작가가 자신의 기분에 따라 한 생명체의 이름을 마구 바꾸는 것은
도리에 맞지 않다고 판단해 그냥 뒀습니다.

[사이좋게 물을 나눠 마시는 제임스와 카일라]

식물을 키우는 것은 참으로 좋습니다. 동굴 같은 제 방 안에
저와 함께 숨쉬는 것이 있다는 사실이 기분을 좋게 만듭니다.
얼마 전 핸드폰을 사기 전까지는 제임스와 카일라가 유일한 대화상대였습니다.
방안에 있는 유선전화가 있긴 합니다만, 전화를 걸어 주는 사람이 없습니다.
그래서 제가 사람들에게 전화를 걸고는 하는데,
전화를 받아 주는 사람이 그리 많지 않습니다.
그러면 다시 슬퍼져 식물에 물을 주고, 잠시 누웠다가 글을 씁니다.

가을을 타는 것은 저 뿐만이 아닙니다.
제가 방에서 기르는 제임스와 카일라 역시 마찬가지입니다.
제임스의 푸른 색이던 잎파리가 몇 장이 갈색으로 변했습니다.
몇몇 친구들이 제임스와 카일라에게 물을 줄 것을 요구했는데,
그것은 그들이 잘 모르고 하는 얘기입니다.
분명 제임스와 카일라 역시 주인을 닮아 가을을 타고 있는 겁니다.

혹시 여러분 중에도 가을 때문에 고생하시는 분 계신가요?
걱정마세요. 곧 더욱 비참한 겨울이 다가 오고 있습니다.
괜히 '오늘을 즐기자,카르페 디엠'이란 말이 있는 것이 아닙니다.

이 곳 생활에 관련해 해 드리고 싶은 이야기가 너무 많습니다만,
다음 기회로 미뤄야 겠습니다. 이제 하루 중 가장 중요한 식사시간이거든요.
오늘은 짜파게티와 계란말이를 먹을 생각입니다.

모두 좋은 하루 되시기 바랍니다^^

Lincoln Memorial

2005-09-04T18:10:00.000-07:00

[this gigantic 'white' man is Abraham Lincoln. The small man is Izaka June]

Hi, Everyone. I just got here in DC!

I go to George Washington University as an exchange student, from September to December 2005!

이곳은 미국의 수도 Washington D.C.입니다. 얼마 전까지는 적응하느라 상당히 힘들었는데요즘은 더 힘듭니다. 열흘간, 아주아주 미치는 줄 알았습니다.한국에 J양을 빼놓고 오는 큰 실수를 했군요. 보시는 사진은 링컨 기념관에 앉아 있는 링컨아저씨와이작가입니다. 아시는 분은 아시겠지만, '부에나 비스타 소셜 클럽'에 나오는 카스트로 사진을 따라해 보았습니다. 이곳에는 아주아주 이쁜 여자들이 많지만, J양에게 '눈을 씻고 봐도 한명도 없다'고 말을 했기 때문에 사진을 보여 드릴 수가 없습니다. 남자분들, 죄송합니다. 학기가 시작되서 열심히 공부를 하고 있습니다. 모두들 영어를 씁니다. 덕분에 세상이 어떻게 돌아가는지 알 수 없게 됐습니다. 좋은 점이 있다면, 필요없는 말을 안 하게 됐다는 것입니다. 하지만 필요한 말도 안 하게 됐네용. 모두들 건강하세요.

9 reasons you should go to Cuba before you die

2005-04-11T15:58:00.000-07:00

9 reasons you should go to Cuba before you die

다음의 9가지 이유로

나는 당신이 죽기 전에

꼭 쿠바를 가기 바란다.

1. 말레콩의 물벼락을 맞기 위해 (말레꽁,HAVANA)

2. 아침 햇살을 맞으며 신에게 감사하기 위해 (팔마, Santiago de CUBA)

3. 늦은 밤 400원짜리 식사를 하며 여유있게 웃어 보기 위해 (NIquero)

4. 일흔이 넘어서도 살사를 추는 사람들을 보며,

당신이 나이에 갖고 있던 관념을 산산조각 내버리기 위해 (Niquero)

5. 아무도 의식하지 않은 채, 나만의 리듬 속에서 환희를 느끼기 위해 (발락, 파르케 나시오날 데 그란마)

6. 영원히 웃음을 잃지 않은 사람들을 만나 보기 위해 (쿠바 시골 학교 아이들)

7. 세계에서 가장 아름다운 해변가에 발을 담궈보기 위해 (란초 루나)

8. 영웅의 발자취를 걸어 보기 위해 (산또 도밍고)

그리고...

9. 아무도 없는 곳에 떨어져,
오랫동안 잊고 지내던 나 자신과의 조우를 위해

(파르케 나시오날 데 그란마)

이러한 이유로난 당신이 죽기 전에 쿠바에 꼭 가봐야한다,라고 굳게 믿고 있다.

'I can do it',
이것으로는 그 어떤 것도 할 수 없다.
위대함을 만들어 낼 수 있는 것은 오직 ,
'I WILL do it' -조지 번햄-

Varadero

2005-04-01T18:19:00.000-08:00

Varadeo, hidden paradise, 200 km East of Havana

Guarapo Frio

2005-03-27T18:17:00.000-08:00

[Santa Clara, Cuba]

저기서 사탕수수 음료를 시켜 먹었다. 너무 달아서 문제지만,
그래도 100% 천연주스라 맘놓고 먹었다.싸기도 엄청 싸고...(한잔에 40원)

Vinales

2005-03-25T18:15:00.000-08:00

[Vinales, Cuba]

할아버지는 밭을 갈고아해는...바지를 안 입고 있다하루 종일 쳐다보고 있어도 싫증이 나지 않았다

Izaka on TV

2005-03-23T19:07:00.000-08:00

[Izaka on 'Worldnet', KBS]

3월 21일 KBS 1TV에서
쿠바 자전거 여행 4부작의 첫방송이 있었습니다.

상당히 많은 사람이 본 것 같습니다. 알아 보는 사람도 있고,
친척분들, 친구들에게 전화도 오더군요.

기쁜 소식인데,
기뻐할 힘이 하나도 없네요.

늘 열심히 살아야 겠다고,
늘 뼈를 깍는 고통을 견뎌내며
최선을 다하겠다고 다짐하지만, 쉽지 않습니다.

실패는 고통스러운 일이지만, 그러나 최선을 다하지 못한 것을 깨닫는 것은 몇 배 더 고통스러운 일입니다.

화이팅

p.s: 쿠바 사진 몇장 올립니다. 이 사진들을 보고 있으면 나름 힘이 솟습니다. 불쑥불쑥~^^

다비드와 할아버지. 산타 클라라 카사 파티쿨라에서
- 할말이 많은 사진. 설명은 다음으로 미루지요.

그렇게 무서운 얼굴로 지나가던 할아버지에게,용기를 내어 카메라를 들이 댔다.
씨익 웃으시는 할아버지. 무차스 그라시아스

-쿠바 산티아고 데 쿠바 인근

(올드 하바나 풍경)

쿠바 자전거 이야기를 자꾸 미뤄서 죄송합니다. 열심히 살겠습니다

자기 자신을 사랑하는 것. 그것이야말로 평생에 걸친 로맨스의 시작이다.

-오스카 와일드