I think I just bought toothpaste.

Sure,  I know the word MASTICATE.  And those appear to be minty leaves on the box.  But I'm going to test it on a loose tile in my bathroom before I put it in my mouth.  

Not having some of the things that we consider basics back home has been a little bit of an adventure.  For instance,  I didn't pack sheets.  One might assume that some simulacrum of sheets would exist in one of the most modern countries in the world.


 One would be wrong.

Here's my bedding situation.


Magenta fleece bottom "sheet".
Blue stripy comforter
Yellow polyester comforter.
Golden floral print polyester comforter.

And yes those are my "pillow" cases.


I say "pillow" because although they're softish,  they're about 12" thick in the smallest dimension.


I know I sound like I'm complaining.  I'm really not.  Because I'm warm and comfortable.  (the summer may be a different situation however)  But I've been to 20 different bedding stores, and if I could have photographed the insides of them you wouldn't be able to tell the difference in selection.  But I will say that sheets as westerners know them don't exist.  I'm 95% sure of that.


I also went shopping for a washcloth and a big fluffy bath towel.  I ended up with a  2 moderately sized towels that can't be washed with anything else because they leave little chartreuse pills on everything in the washing machine.  And due to the communication barrier I ended up buying 20 lufa-esque  (also in the chartreuse colorway) hand pouches instead of a 5 pack of wash clothes.  I have since cut a hand towel in quarters to make wash clothes.   I have yet to see a wash cloth.  But I'm still looking.

Lufa-esques drying on top of 40s

I've also been looking for slippers.  I was warned about this one.  Big sizes don't really exist.  But I wandered around the Dongdaemun shoe bazar.  Miles of cheap knock offs,   and definitely nothing in a size that I could squeeze into.  Besides, anything that even resembled a slipper also resembled my bedding.

Dongdaemun shoe bazar. 

Imagine this going on for a mile or more.

While I was looking for slippers, towels and washcloths I continued my search for sheets.  I wandered around Dongdaemun for the better part of a day because just about anything cloth related was reported to be located in this area.  I found myself in the raw textile area.  I'm definitely heading back here for halloween.  I found just about any kind of fabric in large quantity.  And much to my delight I also saw three stores dedicated exclusively to zippers.  (  I love zippers )

Raw textiles.  Note the sling for carrying large batons of fabric on the back of the motorcycle.

I under packed in the warm clothes department so I also looked for an inexpensive sweater and an insulated vest.  I found both.  The vest was $12 or so, and the sweater was 6.  But if I could get my money back on the sweater I would.  It sheds worse than Stuart.  It's like having 8 cats in my dormroom.  I've have to swiffer the floor every other day since I bought this sweater.  I'm not breaking out in hives or anything.  It's just that my sweater sheds.  A LOT.  

Hairier than Stuart, and it doesn't even catch a frisbee in it's mouth.

As for dorm stylin' it.   Guess what occupies a  good amount of my kitchen cabinet space.....

This one has 60 ingredients.  Normally that's not something that you'd brag about.  But what do I know.  I haven't opened the one on the right yet.  I'm still betting that it's food and not individual sachets of laundry detergent.

That's right.   Ramen.    MMMMMMMM.   It's way better if you just add seaweed, cabbage, onions, carrots and tofu.


I've also been on the hunt for a few western staples for my breakfasts.  I'm not really into the Korean style breakfast which I can't tell apart from the Korean style lunch and supper.

What's that you're asking?








You probably know the answer.

That's right.  IT'S SQUID!
Squid is easier to get here than a decent loaf of bread.

The last known photo of Molly Z. before she was grabbed and pulled under.  If anyone knows how to get ahold of her parents I'd like to send this to them.

Once again.  I may sound like I'm not adapting.  That's far from true.  I'm just observing here.


Along the same lines.....

What here doest thou spy?

That's right.  ITS OCTOPI!


I've got to go to bed.  But I want to leave you with a couple things.

The full moon viewed Through the yellow dust from China.


That's what it's called.


I'm not a racist.


I am however an alien.

Feel free to congratulate me on this.  I've been working on this for years.

And finally, while I was on my shopping spree I found this......  

wait for it......

BOO YAH!

In another life I might have considered this to be racist or offensive.  

But NAH.   

It's just too damned funny.