Cyberest

There is something warm about the layout of this blog. Perhaps it’s the peach-colored theme that makes it very homey. Or it could just be the blog’s title: My Resting Place. I was intrigued by the philosophy behind the name of this blog. Unlike perhaps 8 out of 10 blogs that appear not to be resting places for the blog’s owners or the blog’s readers, this blog is different, though the content's theme is shared with other bloggers. The owner recognizes that this web space is a place for her to vaporize whatever is in her head; this could be relaxing for her, if not at all cathartic. This blog is about family, health, fitness, and random thoughts. You can also read her intimate stories in this blog, a perfect lounge for those who’d like to take a scoop of other people’s eventful lives. There are also pictures peppered all over, which make this site more interesting. Visit Now princessa and king’s blog’spot. ^^;

The Chronicles of the Northern Kimchi 2 of ~

Just a few minutes away from this landmark is North Korea. A field of ecstatic tension filled the bus and my insides were churning from the thought of communism. It never occurred to me that this abstraction could actually produce a psychosomatic discomfort. "What could the experience of crossing the 38th parallel be like", I asked myself. I'm sure that there's much more to this than just landing both my shoes on North Korean soil (and I have to keep those shoes after they've been worn out). I felt an unwelcome surge of guilt when, for a brief moment, I had escaped from my self-induced hypnosis--how come that I've really never felt strongly about walking on historical places in my country? I thought I should be more grateful when I get to visit the Aguinaldo Shrine than when I visited King Sejong's Memorial Museum.

Anyhow, we didn't cross the border directly. We had to spend the night in an apartment that's very near the border. It also faces the sea. The girl in red, Jelyn from Thailand, is seen contemplating by the window. Who wouldn't be mesmerized by this view? Foods were also prepared for us: there was spicy beef soup and Kimchi. Surprise! Since the tent was wasn't big enough to accommodate everyone for dinner, I and Freda (Singapore), Ken (Malaysia), and Joe (Laos) had to find a place where we could refill comfortably.

It rained heavily that day but we had to continue marching to a certain High School where a presentation was prepared. Two famous rappers brought the house down despite the falling rain. Participating students also gave their best to their comedic stunts. I remember the poor guy bashing his head through a watermelon. ... Toughie.


Sleepy now...it's 2:31am. I'll just edit this tomorrow.

The Chronicles of the Northern Kimchi 1 of ~

It really didn't feel like going to another country. I never considered North Korea as symbolically severed form the South, though geopolitically speaking, they are. The two Koreas were divided by a truce line called the 38th parellel after a ceasefire was declared by all the involved parties. After this line was drawn, the peninsula has never been the same again: lives were erased, families were separated, in the North, tyranny and poverty set in. Today is a very momentous day because I am crossing that line, a product of the human mind that does not imagine better. In my heart, there was a mixture of fear and joy, hope and despair for all that this line has cut through.

We rode the bus at around 9am and went northwards. It was a very long drive. But the seats in the tour bus were so comfortable that I really didn't mind siting for hours. The view was unspeakably magnificent for it was Summer. The hills and mountain ranges were green with life, farming areas teeming with ginseng and other growths, condominiums sparsely dotting the landscape. We're divorcing form the city, I thought. After about 2 hours of wheeling continuously, I thought I should get some sleep. But my brain's sentimental hemisphere nags at me to look outside the bus' window because it knows that I won't see the landscape again the same way as it is now. I guess the reason was well-founded so I resisted the urge to close my eyes. However, these days, try as I may to recall what were seen, all that appears is a whipped-up imagery of greens and browns and the monotonous grayness of the road; the beauty wasn't preserved at all in my head. I should have just gone to sleep. As I always say, my mind is so fragile as to keep the subtleties of nature, friendship, and virtually all other things, intact for a reminiscence anytime.

to be continued~~

Two Faces of My Girlfriend

Watching movies, may they be atrociously mediocre or superb, is something that I should not deprive myself of every weekend. I always regard this as a way of empathizing to humanity as films are incarnates to the power of imagination and expression, not only of the director but also of individual actors. Okay, okay. I won't go any further with this pedant train of thought. Cut!

Today I watched Two Faces of My Girlfriend (Du Olgeuri Yeochin/두 얼굴의 여친), which is about a college male student who has never had a girlfriend before. Gu-cheong is a "rare species deserving to be under the protection of UNESCO". He eventually meets a girl named Anni who also attends his university. Anni's split-personality disorder (I think SPD is a misdiagnosis, a misnomer actually; find out for yourself why) made Gu-cheong's life sassy, eventful, and half of the time painful.
This movie would really take you to comedic peaks to dramatic troughs. It might seem to be just your another humdrum humor flick in the first hour but it is NOT! Definitely not!!! The twist near the end is just so fantastic that I thought the movie was carefully planned; it won't insult your logic even if it's a comedy film.

Two Faces of My Girlfriend is funny but not dumb and sappy. I really recommend this to everyone! ^^;

North Korea Rejects On-Site Inspection Into Shooting Death

OOohhh! I really can't stomach N. Korea! How could they demand from the South an apology when it was the South who has lost a compatriot?
--------
North Korea Saturday rejected the South's demand for an on-site inspection by Seoul officials into the death of a South Korean tourist at the North's Mount Geumgang.

In a statement, the North's operator of the joint tourism program expressed regret about the death, but claimed that the South should take responsibility for the incident.

It urged Seoul to apologize for it and take steps to prevent recurrence of similar incidents.

As to the South's decision to suspend the tourism program, the North said, ``Until the South apologizes for the incident properly and take measures to prevent recurrence of similar incidents, we will not accept tourists from the South."

The government attempted to send North Korea a telegram demanding an on-site inspection by Seoul officials into the death of Park Wang-ja, 53, a resident in Nowon-gu, Seoul. But it was unable to get a clear response, the Ministry of Unification said.

Park, a housewife, was shot to death by a North Korean soldier early Friday, while taking a pre-dawn stroll on a beach near the Mount Geumgang resort.

Pyongyang claimed the woman crossed about 1.2 kilometers into a fenced-off military area, but fled back toward the hotel where she was staying when the soldier ordered her to halt for investigation, Hyundai Asan, the South's operator of the tour program, was quoted as saying by Yonhap News.

article reference

South Korean Tourist Shot Dead at Mt. Geumgang

A 53-year-old South Korean tourist to Mount Geumgang in North Korea was shot dead by a North Korean soldier, the Unification Ministry said Friday. Park Wang-ja, residing in Nowon-gu, Seoul, was shot twice in her chest and leg when running away from a military restricted zone, according to reports.
---------------------
Thing is, she was unarmed but she was shot thrice. That couldn't be any more terrible for an old lady like Ms. Park. It was reported that she fled after hearing a warning shot. But who wouldn't be scared to his wits after hearing a gun fire? That N. Korean soldier clearly doesn't know the distinction between a human being and a wild boar. I bet he grew up without a mother.

As for the South Koreans, this reader's comment from Korea Times, in my opinion, is very incisive: "Two months of violent protests over safe beef, nothing for an old lady who as executed." Is this incident not enough a reason for S. Koreans to collectively express vehemence (on this particular issue only) towards the North?

But then again, this is an outsider's perspective. The South could still be regarding the North as fellow Koreans so this incident doesn't appear to them as hostility from 'another' country.

The Call

I so love this song from the Chronicles of Narnia Prince Caspian OST. The Call reminds me of my dearest friends to whom goodbye is a word unspeakable.

"The Call"

It started out as a feeling
Which then grew into hope
Which then turned into a quiet thought
Which then turned into a quiet word
And then that word grew louder and louder
Till it was a battle cry
I'll come back when you call me
No need to say goodbye

Just because everything's changing
Doesn't mean it's never been this way before
All you can do is try to know who your friends are
As you head off to war
Pick a star on the dark horizon and follow the light
You'll come back when it's over
No need to say goodbye
You'll come back when it's over
No need to say goodbye

Now we're back to the beginning
It's just a feeling and no one knows yet
But just because they can't feel it, too
Doesn't means that you have to forget
Let your memories grow stronger and stronger
Till they're before your eyes
You'll come back when they call you
No need to say goodbye
You'll come back when they call you
No need to say goodbye