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This story is more of a reflection, or reminiscence than a travel story. In the late 1960′s I made my first trip abroad courtesy of the U.S. Army to South Korea, and it was “The best of times and the worse of times.” After in processing at Asscom/Kimpo airport in Incheon I was taken by the army’s deuce and a quarter truck on a road that was nothing but rut holes and bumps to my assigned army camp. After 3 hours or more of being tossed to and fro, up and down, playing dodge the ox cart, hit the cow if you dare, and miss the bicyclist on a bicycle that was more moving truck than anything I arrived at my camp, Btty D, 6th MSL BN, 44th ARTY, Hawk, CO B 304 SIG tac site. My work site was on a hill in the tiny village of Biin or Piin just south of Chunchung-dae beach, close to Taechon Hae Soo Yok Jan just on the edge of the Yellow Sea a few long miles from Kunsan AFB at Gunsan City. I was shocked and amazed that the purported primitive conditions, just a stone throw from the stone age was not a reality. In actuality, I had gone back in time or taken two steps from the cotton fields of Mississippi and the one seat-er outside toilet and the tar paper shacks, sleeping four to a bed or on a pallet(a quilt and pillow) on the floor, to a one seat-er and mud huts in the rice paddies, sleeping in an official bed on the floor. Right away the soldiers were getting the hook up with the ladies of the night, trying to establish long-term relationships because this would be home for 13 months. Little did the newly arrived soldiers know that love was a business and love was for sale. There was no romance without finance, in other words, you had to pay to play. The  bars near the U.S. Army camp and the clubs on the  camp or base had soldiers buying overpriced drinks that usually contains little or no alcohol for the girls. Many soldiers thought they were buying true love with 4 or 5 drinks, only to come back the next night and find the girl hanging all over the next person to come in the door first. For sure things would become very heated; more importantly, rank had it’s privileges. However, I was more interested in my surroundings, the history, the culture and living conditions. I found the Koreans to be very considerate, caring, nurturing, compassionate, generous, and very hospitable people like those on the plantations and small towns back home in Mississippi. They exhibited no bias or prejudice toward me. Being a radio specialist, I was a member of the 304 Vagabond Signal Unit and I worked on army camps and tac sites all over the area, Kunsan, Pusan, Taegu, Suwon, Pyongtaek, Uijongbu, Osan, and beyond. However, I was soon reassigned to tac site 76 at Reno Hill 6th BN (Hawk) 44th  Arty just a few miles North because of my relationship with the Koreans and my bellicose nature and foul attitude toward the military. Fresh out of the cotton fields of Mississippi I did not comprehend, nor did I appreciate the way the military was treating the Koreans in their own  country. I just could not buy into the premise that the Koreans were beneath me when the only major discernible difference between us at that time was the color of our skin. I had just came out of oppressive conditions and found myself immersed in sweltering oppressions. I also had a short stay at Reno Hill. I found myself being a constant visitor to the orderly room facing the Commander, 1 Lt Jose Asencio. In my short stay there, E-5 Clifford H. McClure, E3  John E. Viloria of Salome, Arizona, and E-3 Carl L. Brockett became dear friends and kept on me to make adjustments in my attitude. They got me interested in writing and photography, but a little too late. To keep me out of the brig for doing something stupid I was transferred farther North to HCC 304th Signal BN at Camp Coiner in Youngsan, a suburb of Seoul. Like on the plantation or in slavery I was shipped out in the dark of night, with a strong and stern warning from 1Lt Asencio  “Soldier you have to settle down, simmer down, cool your jets, stop being so feisty and defiant. Do your time and go back to Mississippi or you will end up doing 5 years in Leavenworth”. I had indeed “Met the enemy and it was me.” At Camp Coiner 1st sergeant Rexall became a father figure, he treated me like I was his very own son. I soon made friends with  PFC Charles Randall from the 9th Ward of New Orleans, and the brother could sing his ash can off, I do mean wobble. I also made friends with PFC- C. W Bang and PFC Park who were KATUSA’s (Korean Augment To The U.S. Army). I also found two classmates from the Signal School that I trained at  in Fort Gordon, GA, Lewis Rydell and Mitchell McMillian, and I made friends with members of the hot Korean soul group the “Lock and Keys” this group could sing the phone book, they had the funk for the soul, and the rock for the roll. One evening while reading a book at a table close to the check in point at the main gate, Bang came over and asked me for a favor. A new young girl who was barely 18, Lim Oak  Ja, professionally known as  Candy was being forced to work the streets, the clubs, and  bars on base by mamasan, The Madame or the Pimp; Candy needed someone to sign her into the camp so she could work the clubs. No problem, I signed her in and went back to reading my book expecting her to go about her business, but she came to my table and sat down. She was wearing a nice peach colored dress, and her face was full of powder and paint, make up if you will, to conceal her true age. I could see how young she was, the fear, the nervousness, and the apprehension on her face. We could not communicate because she did not speak  English and I did not speak Korean, so we sat there looking at each other. I was wondering what was going on, she was supposed to work the club selling her body. I suppose she was thinking that I was going to be her first date or John. Bang and Park who had just gotten off duty came over and explained the situation to the both of us. Like in church, we passed the hat, took up a collection to send her on her way because we had other things to do, but she stayed with us. Lim or Candy would become my first true serious love. She taught me some Korean and I taught her some English, and I must say she learned English quicker than I learned Korean. I will not say that Lim was true blue because of the nature of the beast, but she was very defiant and rebelled against the system that she found herself an unwilling victim and
participant of. She endured the wrath of mamasan with a smile and found creative and devious means to limited her time in the clubs and bars, especially when I was on duty. I suppose we were wounded souls in need of healing, I was her healing balm, and she was mines. Lim gave me a very good reason to get off the road to self destruction that I was traveling fast on. When I left Korea I tried to bring her State side but there was far too much politics and my reputation was of no help, and we soon lost contact. Thanks to Lim, Bang, and Park I saw the Korea that only Koreans knew and loved. I soon realized that there was two Korea’s, one for the Koreans, and one for the military and everyone else, there was even a difference in the language. Lim would take me out to small out the way villages that were for the most part off the maps and diffidently off the beaten path. We would eat with the locals in the countryside and the food was good and the hospitality was awesome, but there were a few tense moments because I was military and there was a love hate relationship with the military, when they found that we shared a common problem things were cool. Lim would take me to historical sites, movies, cultural events, and festivals. Once we went to Cheju for a weekend getaway, because we missed the  first ferry back to the main land I was a bit late returning back to the base and my liberty pass was pulled for a week. That was no major concern because with Bang and Park working the main gate getting off base was no problem, but Lim had serious problems with mamasan. The only problem I had with Lim was when I went out drinking with Bang, Park and the boys. When she found me she would get up in my face, close and personal. It was not that I was out with the boys making noise, it was the drinking until we fell into a stupor. One time she came into a club and turned it out. Bang and Park to drunk to stand up, knee crawled out and left me to face Lim all by myself. There I was sweating like the next pig in line at the slaughter-house because I knew what was coming, when someone have a hand full of your neck, that don’t leave much. I must say there was a dramatic change in my life. I found Seoul to be a cosmopolitan city with Itaewon being party central. Thanks to 1st sergeant Rexall I got my head right, joined the 8th Army shooting team and had a chance to go to Yokohama and Tokyo, Japan and well as the Philippines on shooting matches. I must add that I kept walking or teetering on the fine line of military regulations. I know Korea today is not the Korea that I spent 13 months in back in the 60′s, therefore I have no problem with saying if there is an opportunity to visit Korea, I would say go and enjoy yourself, eat some Kimchi, enjoy the food,  drink a lot of OB beer and makgulli. Most of all get off the beaten path and take the road least  traveled. Once again here are some travel snippets about Korea from the travel industry, starting with Biin:
Biin is just a little south of Chunchung-dae (Chunchung Beach) about 18 miles from Kunsan. It is a short distance inland from the sea and is (was) a small town almost totally enclosed by an ancient stone wall that was some sort of protection in the bad old days from the bad guys who used to land their boats nearby and rape, pillage, and plunder. I would estimate that it was an hour or so from the ferry landing on the north side of the river to Biin that was years ago when the roads were not paved. We had to share the road with lots of villagers, some walking, some on bicycle, others with ox carts, and children playing in the road, they would not yield to the  soldiers who were driving some sort of old Jeep-the model before the M151 playing dodge the chicken. Today the town of Piin (Biin) is still a small country town located just east of the Highway 21 intersection that leads to Chunchong-dae beach. Behind Piin (Biin) are high hills where the TAC site was located. It is approximately 18 miles from Kunsan and the drive is relatively easy now that the interchanges have bypassed Sochon. The new West Coast highway (Seohan) has made reaching the area very easy. The beach at Chunchong-dae is quite popular in the spring and summer months and has just been upgraded with roads and sewers.
 Gunsan city is in North Jeolla Province, South Korea. It is located on the south bank of the Geum River just upstream from its exit into the Yellow Sea. Gunsan is served by frequent railway service on the Gunsan Line from Iksan. It is also connected to the Seohaean Expressway. Kunsan Air Base of the U.S. Air Force is located in the city. To encourage investment, a free trade zone has also been declared in the area. Gunsan was a small fishing village on the banks of the Geum River, near to where the river spills into the Yellow Sea. It sits on the fertile western Honam plain where much rice is harvested. Gunsan became a port in the late 1800s largely due to pressure from the Japanese on the Koreans to ship rice to Japan. In 1899, Gunsan Port officially opened up to international trade. Gunsan City was largely settled by Japanese during the period of Japanese colonization. The old (now demolished) City Hall and the Customs House are of Japanese construction. After liberation from the Japanese in 1945, Gunsan began to slowly grow.The Korean War of the 1950s left the Gunsan area relatively unscathed. The initial drive south by the Communist North Koreans pushed the United Nations and South Korean forces toward Busan so quickly that Gunsan was spared from protracted fighting.
Jeju (Cheju) Island, also known as the “Island of the Gods,” is a popular vacation spot for Koreans and many Japanese. It remains one of the top honeymoon destinations for Korean newlyweds. The island’s mixture of volcanic rock, frequent rains, and temperate climate, make it very similar to the Hawaiian Islands in the U.S. The island offers visitors a wide range of activities: hiking on Halla-san, South Korea’s highest peak, catching sunrises and sunsets over the ocean, viewing majestic waterfalls, riding horses, or just lying around on the sandy beaches. Although tourism is one of the main industries on the island, many of the hotels and other tourist areas are run by mainland companies, so much of the income never gets put back into the local economy. Also, since the attractions are geared towards tourists, many of the entrance fees can be hefty (although the locally owned and operated ones tend to be cheaper). Similar to Gyeongju and some other areas, local residents can enter most places for free or for a steeply discounted price.
Gwangju (officially known as Gwangju Metropolitan City); is the sixth largest city in South Korea. It is a designated metropolitan city under the direct control of the central government’s Home Minister. The city was also the capital of South Jeolla Province until the provincial office moved to the southern village of Namak in Muan County in 2005. The city was established in 57 BC, and has been a major political and economic centre of Korea ever since. It was one of the administrative centres of Baekje during the Three Kingdoms Period. Modern industry was established in Gwangju with the construction of a railway to Seoul. Some of the industries that took hold includes cotton textiles, rice mills and breweries. Construction of a designated industrial zone in 1967 encouraged marked growth in industry, especially in the sectors linked to the automobile industry. In 1929, during the period of Japanese rule, a confrontation between Korean and Japanese students in the city turned into a regional demonstration, which culminated in one of the major nationwide uprisings against Japanese rule during the colonial period.
Busan (Officially Busan Metropolitan City), formerly spelled Pusan is South Korea’s second largest metropolis after Seoul, with a population of around 3.6 million. It is the largest port city in South Korea and the fifth largest port in the world. The city is located on the southeasternmost tip of the Korean peninsula and faces the Korea Strait. The most densely built up areas of the city are situated in a number of narrow valleys between the Nakdong River and Suyeong River, with mountains separating some of the districts. Administratively, it is designated as a Metropolitan City. The Busan metropolitan area is divided into 15 major administrative districts and a single county. Busan was the host city of the 2002 Asian Games, and APEC 2005 Korea. It was also one of the host cities for the 2002 FIFA World Cup, and is a center for international conventions in Korea. On November 14, 2005, the city officially announced its bid to host the 2020 Summer Olympics Games. Busan is home to the world’s largest department store, the Shinsegae Centum City and is pursuing a large number of multi-skyscraper projects, including the 110-floor, 510m supertall Lotte Super Tower, which is slated to become the world’s third tallest building in 2013, after Burj Khalifa in Dubai and 1 World Trade Center in New York City.
Itaewon-dong (Nightlife):The close proximity ofItaewon to the 8th U.S. Army’s Yongsan Garrison ensures a steady stream of partiers. As many of the business owners can speak at least a limited amount of English, many travelers and expatriates head here for a touch of home. Although famous as a foreigner hang-out, more Koreans have started coming here with the lifting of restrictions prohibiting businesses from operating past midnight. The area has a vibrant night life.The area has recently become a special tourist zone, with the government lifting the restriction that bars had to close at midnight which most places ignored anyway. The area is famous for its Western style pubs and nightclubs, juice bars  where men buy waitresses ridiculously over-priced drinks, and the infamous “Hooker Hill”. Hostess Bars, also called Room Salons, these establishments cater to groups of men who want to have female companionship while they drink.The women are very attentive to their clients and a small group can spend over a million Korean’s won or about 860.00 US dollars in one setting. Slightly different are the “juicy bars” found near U.S. military camps. These cater mostly to foreigners, with clients buying overpriced drinks 8,000- 10,000 Korean’s won or about 6.88-8.60 US dollars or more for a drink that usually contains little or no alcohol) for the working girls of the evening. Many uninitiated to the scene have thought they were buying true love with 4 or 5 drinks, only to come back the next evening and find the girl hanging all over the next person to come in the door with deeper pockets, drunk, or more rank.
Seoul the capital of South Korea, sits on the Han River in the country’s northwest situated about 30 miles south of the de-militarized zone (DMZ). Seoul, an ancient city, served as the historic capital of the Baekje Dynasty (18 B.C.E. – 660 C.E.) and Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910). The city became the capital of South Korea in 1394, two years after the establishment of the Joseon Dynasty. Designated the status of a Special City, the national government directly administers SeoulThe largest city in South Korea with over ten million people, Seoul also numbers among the largest cities in the world. Seoul, one of the world’s most densely populated major cities, covers an area of only375 square miles, smaller than New York City or Tokyo. Seoul, one of the world’s most digitally-connected cities, has more Internet users than all of sub-Saharan Africa, excluding South Africa. The history of Seoul traces to 18 B.C.E. as the capital of the Baekje Kingdom. During the Goryeo Dynasty, Seoul had the name Hanseong, picking up the current name during the Joseon Dynasty, designated Seoul. During the colonization period, Japan demolished many historical parts of Seoul. The North Koreans almost entirely destroyed the city during the Korean War, but an aggressive restoration policy in the 1960s and 1970s rebuilt the city rapidly. During the 1990s, the government restored some important historical buildings, including Gyeongbokgung, the main royal palace of the Joseon dynasty.
 Pyeongtaek is a city in Gyeonggi Province, South Korea. Located in the southwestern part of the province, Pyeongtaek was founded as a union of two districts in 940 AD, during the Goryeo dynasty. It was elevated to city status in 1986, and is home to a South Korean naval base and a large concentration of United States troops. The Korean government plans to transform Pyeongtaek city to an international economic hub to coincide with the move of the United States Forces Korea (USFK) to Pyeongtaek. During the Korean War it was the site of an early battle between US and North Korean forces, the Battle of Pyongtaek.
Daegu is a city of 2.5 million people located on the Naktong River in South-East Korea. It is situated in a basin surrounded by mountains, which gives the city a unique climate and beauty. It is about an hour by train to such major centres as Pusan and Kyung ju, and is about 2 hours from Seoul (or 40 min by plane.) The city is particularly renowned as a textile manufacturing centre, and has launched an ambitious project to become the fashion capital of Asia.Daegu has a variety of activities to suit many tastes: parks, mountain walking trails, a large amusement park, and a wide variety of restaurants. Daegu has a sizeable expatriate community of North Americans, and plenty of night-life action. It also has several large Korean-style open markets, and one of the largest herbal medicine markets in Korea. There are also English language bookstores, millions of internet cafes, and even a red light district.
Uijeongbu is in Gyeonggi Province. The city is located just north of Seoul on the DMZ with many U.S. and Korean military bases for the defense of the Korean capital. The U.S. Second Infantry Division has established its headquarters in the city with main troops deployed in Dongducheon City. There are several mountains such as Mt. Dobongsan, Mt. Surak, Mt. Soyo nearby, which are popular with residents living in Seoul Metropolitan area for climbing as leisure activity. Despite it being known for its military presence, the area has boomed into a satellite community of Seoul and all that comes with it. Which means shopping, cinemas, restaurants and bars, PC bangs, DVD Bangs, etc. In addition to US personnel, English hagwons have surfaced and as a result, has generated an expat community of English teachers. In M*A*S*H, this city (then just a village) served as the home of MASH 4077.
Daejon (Taejon) City is located in the heart of the Korean Peninsula and forms a major transportation crossroads, with the major north-south highways and rail lines splitting to follow the east or west sides of the country. With a long history of culture and tradition, it now also leads in science and technology. EXPO Park, site of the 1993 Taejon World Expo, showcases the area’s research center in nearby Daedeok Science Town. Nearby mountains (Gyeryong-san National Park, Sogni-san National Park and Daedun-san Provincial Park), temples (Beopju-sa, Donghak-sa, and Gap-sa), hot springs (Yuseong), and lakes (Daecheong Lake) offer many recreation opportunities for travelers and local residents.
Traditional Korean Meals: Pansang is the usual meal of steamed rice, soup and side Changkuksang is the main dish, and it is arranged with kimchi, cold greens, mixed vegetables, pan-fried dishes, confectionary, fruit and fruit punch. This simple meal can be served as lunch as well. Chuansang  Alcoholic drinks (chu) and accompanying side dishes (an) are set on the table. The dishes vary depending on the kinds of liquor or wine. Kyojasang is a large table prepared for banquets. Alcoholic beverages and a large variety of side dishes, rice cakes, confectionaries and fruit punch are all placed on the table. After the liquor is finished, noodle soup is served. The number of side dishes can range from a couple to more than a dozen, depending on which meal of the day, the formality of the meal, and even the region of Korea where the meal is served. In Korean food culture, all the dishes are served together on the table in Korean food preparation. Except for individual servings of rice and soup for each person, everyone usually shares the food directly from the containers in which they are served. Basic seasonings used in Korean cooking include salt, soy sauce, hot pepper paste, soybean paste, vinegar and sugar. Other seasonings are ginger, mustard, pepper, hot pepper, sesame oil, perilla oil, sesame, green onion, garlic and Chinese pepper are used. A Korean dish is usually prepared using at least five or six different seasonings, thereby offering a unique flavor not found in other countries.
Distilled liquors: In Korea, the major crop has historically been rice, and thus most Korean traditional alcoholic beverages have been made from rice, of both the glutinous and non-glutinous variety, which are fermented with the aid of yeast and nuruk, a wheat-based source of the enzyme amylase. Additionally, Koreans often use fruits, flowers, herbs, and other ingredients to flavor these beverages, to a much greater extent than Chinese wines. Korean distilled liquors include goryangju hangul hanja; also spelled koryangju is made from sorghum and similar to Chinese gaoliang jiu) and okroju hangul ; hanja ; is made from rice and Job’s Tears. Another variety, called munbaeju , has the distinction of being South Korea’s Important Intangible Cultural Property Number 86-1. Munbaeju is a traditional aged distilled liquor made of malted millet, sorghum, wheat, rice, and nuruk (fermentation starter), with a strength of 40 percent alcohol by volume. It originates in the Pyongyang region of North Korea and is noted for its fragrance, which is said to resemble the flower of the munbae tree (similar to a pear). There are six main types of Korean alcoholic beverages: yakju, distilled liquors (including soju), takju, fruit wines, flower wines, and medicinal wines.
Yakju: Daepo, a branded yakju. Yakju (hangul,hanja, literally “medicinal alcohol”  is a refined rice wine
made from steamed rice that has gone through several fermentation stages. It is also called myeongyakju or beopju and is distinguished from takju by its relative clarity. Varieties include baekhaju, which is made from glutinous rice and Korean nuruk, and Heukmeeju (hangul:; hanja: ; literally “black rice wine”), which is made from black rice.
Cheongju: hangul, hanja,  literally “clear wine” or “clear liquor”  is a clear rice wine similar to Japanese sake. One popular brand of cheongju is Chung Ha , which is widely available at Korean restaurants. There are various local variations, including beopju, which is brewed in the ancient city of Gyeongju.
Soju: hangul, hanja, a clear, slightly sweet distilled spirit, is by far the most popular Korean liquor. It is made from grain or sweet potatoes and is generally inexpensive. It typically has an alcohol content of 40 proof (20% alc. by volume). There is a version with top notch ingredients distilled using traditional methods that hails from the city of Andong that is 90 to 100 proof. This version has a government protection/regulation seal, as Andong has historically been known as a fine soju center among other things. While all soju in Korea are priced almost identically, Andong soju commands more than 20 times the normal price of soju. It is the cognac to commercial soju’s vin du pays. In the late 20th century soju flavored with lemon or green tea became available. The Japanese version is called Shōchū.
Makkeolli: Takju , better known as makgeolli is a milky, off-white, sweet alcoholic beverage made from rice. It is also called nongju, literally farmers alcohol. Makgeolli, also known as Makuly (takju), is an alcoholic beverage native to Korea. It is made from rice (referred to in English as “Korean rice wine;) which gives it a milky, off-white color, and sweetness. It is made by fermenting a mixture of boiled rice and water, and is about 6.5–7% alcohol by volume. It was originally quite popular among farmers, earning it the name nongju, which means “farmer liquor”. Additionally, makgeolli is used during ancestral rites in Korea. However, it has recently started to become more popular in cities, especially with the younger generations. Dongdongju is a drink very similar to makgeolli, and both are commonly imbibed alongside Korean; called pajeon or bindaetteok. A regional variant, originally from Gyeonggi-do, is called dongdongju. Another variety, called ihwaju ; hanja; literally pear blossom wine;  was so named because it was brewed from rice with rice malt that had fermented during the pear blossom season. Ihwaju is often so thick that it must be eaten with a spoon. A similar drink is called gamju; this name is also used for various non-alcoholic sweet drinks including sikhye.


“Enjoy your life while you can! As long as it is physically possible, visit places you wish to visit.”- comment from Joel Malkar
“A turtle travels only when it sticks its neck out.”- Korean Proverb
″A traveler without observation is a bird without wings.”–Moslih Eddin Saadi