Date Night: Zoo & Indian food

On our date night, Nick and I went to a city park and to a GREAT Indian/Korean fusion place overlooking the downtown beach (Bukbu). I thoroughly enjoyed my Tandoori beef with nan and a slaw/yogurt side salad (to calm the beef curry flames).  The wine list had 5 wines - 2 whites (not in the mood) a sweet red (not a fan), and I couldn't bear the thought of $70 for a Mirrasou (about $10 at Fareway in Sioux Center), so we went with a Spanish dry red that was really good.  I loved people-watching as we ate. Of course, we're the only white people to be seen - in fact, anytime we're driving around the city and see a non-Korean, we reflexively shout out their race - "LOOK!  A WHITE person!" (or Black person, etc.).   We don't take pictures of them (so tacky - but tempting), but we wonder if we should honk and wave or maybe ask to be Facebook friends.  Anyway, we noted a bunch of guys in wheelchairs coming down the sidewalk and entering a traditional Korean restaurant next door. In the US, we assume that younger men in wheelchairs were in a car or swimming accident. Here, it's a reminder that Korea is a country at war, and all men under 25 are required to serve in the military; perhaps they weren't all injured during their service, but it's still a sobering thought.

Before the restaurant, I wasn't hungry yet so we visited Hwanho Park, a city park I'd noticed while mapping area beaches earlier in the day. Once at Hwanho, we found a nice map and discovered a Children's Zoo. Off we went to the zoo, expecting baby goats, sheep, and maybe rabbits and ponies.  Silly Americans. We found: 2 morose monkeys, 2 lop-eared rabbits, a few shy deer, some brightly colored pheasant-ish birds, a peacock, some Rhode Island Red chickens (Nick says - we couldn't read any of the Korean signs), and a ragged American Turkey that was caged with a grouchy Ostrich.  We believe the turkey was actually a playtoy for the ostrich, who seemed to enjoy chasing and kicking the poor thing. Then again, Nick seemed to enjoy taunting the ostrich, so we're calling it a tie between the Americans and the Ostrich.

So, Hwanho park, Curry & Coffee, and then a lovely drive home on what I call "Lake Shore Drive" (from Chicago) along the ocean.  I got an interesting picture of the skyline that reflects perhaps more than one of the following: (a) the slow shutter speed of my camera at night; (b) the moving car; (c) the intake of Spanish wine.  You be the judge.  : )