Just got back from the Washington DC area yesterday. While there, I decided to eschew my usual visit to the Smithsonian complex and instead, made a pilgrimage to Mount Vernon, home of George Washington. "Pilgrimage?" you say. That's right. George became something of a secular saint after his death. A bizarre mythology grew up around his life. He was portrayed as a heavenly figure. Washington's church was stripped by raiders trying to destroy relics associated with him. Speaking of relics, his dentures have become a national icon, and pieces of his coffin were turned into crosses and worn as necklaces!

I also visited the Naval Academy at Annapolis. The crypt of John Paul Jones is very cool. Y'know, after he died, Led Zeppelin was never the same....

Oh yeah, the highlight of the trip was having my picture taken with Ronald Reagan.

Posted by MrBaliHai at 8:50 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

My recent trip to Korea has rekindled an old interest of mine...masks. They seem to be an integral part of most cultures, and their use in ritual goes back at least 20,000 years or more, so they clearly fulfill a primal need in the human psyche. Since I believe that individual consciousness is actually composed of several integrated "minds" or personaes, perhaps we're drawn to masks because they're a reflection of the way that our brains really work. We see them as an acceptable way to let our other "selves" out of the house for a while. This article is a good primer on the roles that masks play in various world cultures.

In Korea, masks are used as part of a dramatic dance ritual called Hahoe. The Hahoe-Dong Mask Museum's website has a wonderful gallery of Hahoe masks with comprehesive descriptions of their various meanings and usage.

I wondered if Hahoe was somehow related to Japanese Noh drama. If it is, I'm sure that neither the Koreans or the Japanese will ever admit it!

Posted by MrBaliHai at 10:13 PM | Permalink

I just returned from a weeklong vacation in South Korea last Sunday. I was hoping to be kidnapped by agents of the North and transported sekritly to Pyongyang where I would be installed as Kim Jong Il's private hairstylist. Although I know nothing whatsoever about cutting hair, I figure that no one could possibly do a worse job than whoever's currently giving him that bizarre coif of his.

As is my usual practice, I wrote an extensive travelogue about the experience which I will freely share with youse. Thrill with excitement as you read about my rousing adventures in Korea's Silicon Valley, Daejon, gasp with awe at the jingoistic wonders of the Korean Independence Hall, and let your stomach rumble with delight as I describe the culinary marvels of Seoul. When you're done, feast your eyes at a few selected photographs.

Posted by MrBaliHai at 4:32 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)