I had dog for lunch today.

It wasn't my entire meal, but yes, I had dog for lunch today. We had a traditional Korean meal—take the shoes off, sit on the floor, etc.—and the main course featured a variety of meats. Pork, chicken, octopus and dog. I know, that's so stereotypical it hurts, but there it is.

I've always wanted to try it. Because, why not? Also, it upsets most Western people, because they think of their sweet little puppy or something. I point out that cows and pigs can be cute, too, and we still eat them. Not to mention lambs ("Liiiiiisa! I thought you looooooved me!") I'm not going to eat your dog, I say.

Anyway, I thought it was going to be one of those things that taste like chicken. Because most other, non-chicken things—alligator, frog legs, rattlesnake—do. But it didn't taste like chicken. It tasted, and looked, a lot like ham.

I'm not a big ham fan to begin with, but the dog wasn't bad. I probably won't have it again (it really didn't wow me, and let's face it, it's hard to come by in Australia), but I'm glad I tried it at least.

So there you go. No, I don't know what breed it was.

And also, sadly, no evidence of the hot soprano in the lobby this evening. Boo.

You gotta have Seoul

Well, I'm back in Seoul, but this time for business. Arrived last night (Monday) after the 10-hour jaunt from Sydney. At least it's a direct flight.

Client has me put up in the Ritz Carlton, which is nice, of course, but there are a few things strange:

• The hotel hasn't switched the main HVAC system over from heating to air conditioning yet. So I can't get the room cold like I like it (hotels must be ice cold in my book). After fiddling with the thermostat, I called the bellman; he came up and explained it to me. Then he showed me how to open the window a crack (there's a button), so I have at least fresh air coming in. It's not that cold out (it's 6.45am right now and it's 43 F), but I guess they're on the cusp of the season change.
  
• The bed is hard as a rock. I know the traditional Korean thing is to sleep on a wooden floor with just a mat (I did it last time), but this massive, expensive Ritz Carlton bed is just one of those hard mattresses. I need a Select Comfort or something.
  
• There is a putting green on the roof below me at the hotel. And a driving range, too, I think; there's someone really whacking away at golf balls down there.
  
• There was a piano/violin/soprano combo last night when I arrived, just performing there in the lobby. Near the bar, not in it, but also overlooking this massive atrium that dropped down three or four storeys. While waiting for my client to drop his bags in his room, I sat and listened. The soprano was hot, and a gringo like me, so she smiled at me in that hey-we're-both-white kind of way, but also because I was the only person standing there listening. She was good. But then I had to leave to meet the group for dinner, so I couldn't talk to her. I hope she's back tonight.
  

I'm off to a day full of meetings and tours of production and R&D centres. More to come.

Reason #387

IMG_3717
Originally uploaded by Barack Obama

Yet another reason to vote for Barack Obama.

He is The Dude.

("Shut the fuck up, Hillary.")