6th of May; Larvae and humidity

Just sitting in my office with the window open, trying desperately to assuage the stifling humidity. It's cloudy outside, with a slight relieving breeze, but it really is very warm. I used the air-conditioning in my apartment for the first time last night; didn't think it made much of a difference until I went into the kitchen this morning, to be greeted by a blast of mugginess. Still, I can't complain; the consistently underwhelming Irish summer isn't exactly something to get nostalgic about.

Yesterday was Children's day, hence, a day off. I went drinking and 'Noraebanging' on Tuesday night (myself and Simon chanting football songs to the bemusement of all), so half of my day off was spent in bed, sweating it all out. I went for a meal with my new friend Sun-Young in the evening, in a very distinctive place that looked like something from the Flintstones. Had some decent spicy chicken, even if my stomach was slightly the worse for the previous night's drink. There's a hike planned this weekend - a 25 kilometre trek from Sangju to Jeomchon, which should take about ten hours. Slightly intimidating, but I'm up for a challenge.

Saw a couple of uncomfortably large insects and arachnids in the environs of my domicile. Given my proximity to a number of rice-fields, I expect to see a lot more 'wildlife' as the summer progresses. Speaking of which, I ate 'insect' for the first time on Tuesday night. Myself and Joe went to a cafe-place called 'Manchester', which, despite the name, is no more Western than anywhere in the city. Since custom dictates that we eat while drinking, we pointed to one of the cheapest things on the menu, hoping for sausage or chicken dippers. The waitress returned with dried-out, papery squid (with extra tentacles), and a small basket of larvae. Nothing there to whet any Western appetite. Emboldened by alcohol, I tried a larva later on in the night. It tasted exactly as I expected... like faecal matter. I really don't know how anyone can stomach it over any extended period, and the quantity of larvae per bowl is really quite astounding. Later on, Rick (an Aussie Sangju veteran) demolished a full bowl for a bet, and nearly vomited.

Here is a pic of said dish: