Day 3

I turned the room upside down. New Room; New Me.

The extraneous bed is now on its side in the corridor and leaves a big space for me to roam around in.

Had my first 1–1 Korean lesson over zoom. Learning basic Hangul. It’s very well structured but I can’t get my mouth around a couple of the vowel sounds. For the first time in a long time I’m paying plenty of attention to where I’m making the sounds- is it tongue on top teeth? Bottom teeth? From the throat or mouth? Are you smiling when you say ‘eee’. For the S and H sounds I never noticed that your tongue doesn’t touch anything, it relies on squeezing air through little gaps. This is going to be hard.

The restrictions have been lifted here — now bars and clubs are open along with all other entertainment venues. Restaurants now open until 10pm (rather than 9pm). There are some restrictions like ‘you can’t dance in the club’ but it’s a world away from the UK at the moment.

Breakfast

Thick bread again. Processed smoked chicken slice with a slightly sweet pureed vegetable and some gherkin and lettuce inside. Bread a little dry again but again the puree gives some lubrication to offset this. Could have done with another chicken slice inside but I liked this one. 7/10

Yellow jelly soup thing — I have no idea what’s in this. I thought it was custard by the way it wobbled at me but actually its savoury with a slightly buttery taste. Similar taste to very pureed mashed potato. Not unpleasant at all, just very well versed in the art of misdirection. I started off very suspicious but by the end I was drinking it straight from the bowl. What an adventure.

Everything else as before.

Lunch

Not sure if was supposed to be a DIY burger kit but that’s exactly what I did. “When you are a hammer, everything looks like a nail”

Put the well breaded chicken in the buns with the butter, jalapenos, lettuce and gherkins. The bread came with Strawberry Jam which makes me think it shouldn’t be mixed…but on second thoughts my own closed mindedness stopped me doing it. Note to self: Try chicken with jam next time. 7/10

Dinner

Saw another broth and couldn’t handle it cold…so I took the genius (?) step of pouring boiling water into the other old tray and then submerging the pot. Instantly elevating the hot spicy broth with beansprouts and giving that hit of energy and excitement to eat which has been sorely lacking.

Unknown meat loaf — possibly pork. Quite fatty with a bbq taste and went particularly well when I submerged it in the boiling water and then wrapped it in a kimchi leaf.

BBQ pork with rice — again, heating this up even just slightly has made the world of difference. The aromas come off enticing and draw you into eat it. Mixing the little pickles in is the perfect finishing touch 8/10

Pineapple juice paired well with all this.