Australians

The people of this very large island are not hamstrung or hog tied by stupid things like etiquette or a sense of formality. From the highest offices of government right through to the common man, Aussies 'tell it like it is.' I'm not saying this is always a good thing, it isn't, it can never be a good thing to tell it like it is all of the time but there are times when it's refreshing to be in a country where the people are not shackled by political correctness. 

A good example is the banter on TV breakfast shows. A recent sports news section showed a pretty impressive slam dunk from an all star game and as the news reader acknowledged the prowess of the athlete for jumping over a car whilst catching a ball mid air and dunking it, he finished with “we still don't need to see it 45 times.” A very tame example but one that you would not likely get on a British news bulletin. I often think the same when replays are overdone, every angle at varying speeds is frankly too many. 

The police too are quite relaxed and do not have the formality and by extension the unapproachable aura about them that British police officers have. My most recent experience came when my next door neighbour in Corryong, a regular piss head who played music loud and often aggressively attacked the nearest fence with both fists and head, decided, as if there was any sentient thought involved at all, or felt compelled to light a fire very near to the house I was staying in using our own rubbish as fuel. The rubbish was admittedly spilling over the floor from an unsealed bag (see my post about the French) but still a drastic measure I think. Jarkko, my Finnish mate in the house put out the flames with a pan of water and as I poked my head around the corner to have a gentle word with the psycho he appeared in just his boxer shorts carrying what the police later described as a 'tomahawk' which to me and you is a hatchet or a small axe. Suffice it to say the police turned up soon after and had a chat to him. After telling him, let's not forget we are talking about a drunken, axe wielding pyromaniac, to not be a naughty boy police officer 1 came to us and said “I threw the tomahawk in the out house so he probably wont find it for a couple of days and we told him to got bed so if he causes any more trouble just give us a call.” 

PROBABLY WONT FIND IT. 

What if he does find it and he decides that he wants to use it or he decides that the fire we so rudely put out needs to be started again or that we really shouldn't have called the police and we need to be punished. And what if he decided to punish us at 4 in the morning when we are all in bed? Perhaps he would creep in and slaughter us in our sleep, although I don't think creeping is his style, I imagine he is more of a Jack Torrance type character. Or maybe he would plump for setting the tinderbox Australian house on fire, which I am pretty sure you could do very easily with a piece of flint and a stone. In this case I would have to say the relaxed attitude of the police was maybe a bit too relaxed. At least take the bloody axe away with you.

I have also been slightly surprised by the number of Australians, seemingly normal people who do not look like the have recently escaped from some hospital for the mentally ill, who walk around the streets with no shoes or socks on. Out of the 2 having no shoes on is the bigger deal I think because I would be inclined to think someone was even more of a nutter if they had socks on but no shoes but never the less there are a lot of people here and by here I mean in Sydney, Melbourne, Tasmania and Corryong who walk around with no shoes on. Like hobbits. Maybe they are trying to toughen up the skin on their feet in order to become a hobbit, god knows some of the have the rest of the hobbit features but honestly what is the deal with this. If you are walking form the beach to your car or carrying your surfboard and are clearly going to or from the sea and don't want anything you have to leave on the beach that might get stolen, you get a pass but other that that you are just an idiot. And you like like a trampy hobbit.

WELCOME TO CORRYONG!

Where shoes are optional and nutters are free!

Haemil - Korean Food in Sydney

Clear sky after the rain in Sydney's Circular Quay

Spicy pickled cabbage soup anyone? Understandably not too many hands shoot skyward when faced with such a disgusting prospect but that is exactly what kimchi chigae is. This taste packed dish is one of the best offerings at Haemil, a quaint, charming and surprisingly inexpensive restaurant located in the relatively glamorous surrounds of Circular Quay.

Outside Korea the cuisine of this divided peninsula usually falls into a very narrow category for most people, barbecue. As delicious as pieces of grilled meat, snipped into bite size morsels, dipped in an equally delicious sauce and wrapped in a piece of lush, green lettuce are (and they are very) Korean food is being done something of a disservice, an injustice even, if a broader range isn’t sampled. And that is where Haemil comes in. It is the perfect place to expand your culinary range and treat those taste buds as the menu offers a good range of slightly more traditional Korean dishes in a relaxed atmosphere without leaving you wondering where all your hard earned cash went.

Before even entering the restaurant and being seated in one of the 30ish seats inside (there is room for about another 30 outside) the glass wall that forms the restaurant front shows a small crowd of Korean diners (which is of course a great sign) and a small but grand piano, taking pride of place in the center of the small but spacious dining room. The aforementioned glass wall that runs along the entire side of the restaurant makes it feel open and airy so that even if there are 30 people squeezed inside you wouldn’t feel cramped.

The menu offers a wide range of dishes from the kimchi stew mentioned earlier to dumplings, pancakes, spicy pork dishes and a chicken and ginseng soup that would satisfy any soul. The menu highlights a different, more traditionally Korean perspective on this relatively unknown food. The kimchi stew is dark and rich and with rice and the obligatory and delicious side dishes is filling and hearty. Yuk gae jang, the spicy beef and leek soup is another stew with kimchi and is equally delicious. The time and effort that has gone into preparing it is evident from the first mouthful as the intense but not overpowering beef flavour envelops your mouth and delights your taste buds as a subtle heat follows through and gently warms you. The bibimbap is another hearty bowl, this time of rice and vegetables, which may not seem particularly restaurant worthy but the individually prepared and cooked ingredients , seasonings and ‘hand taste’, a Korean term that signifies the the unique taste that can only be added by and expert hand, make for a delicious and healthy meal.

Joshua Kwak provides a great room to eat in and wanders around, frequently checking everything is up to spec, he is funny and welcoming and he plays the piano on request. He arrived from Korea 10 years ago and took over Haemil 4 years ago in Circular Quay’s Gateway Building. He offered our party a free shot of soju and even rounded down the bill a dollar or 2. Whether you are a Korean food virgin or an experienced eater of all things kimchi, Haemil is a great place for a meal.

Who - Haemil/Joshua Kwak
What - Affordable Korean cuisine
Where - Circular Quay's Gateway building,
Why - Why not, the food is great, authentic and affordable.
When - Lunch 12pm-3pm and dinner 6pm-9pm, Monday to Friday.

Sydney

Overheard in Sydney

"Honestly I thought you were gay until recently."

"Don't believe the lies she tells, my Monther is a liar."

"I know heaps of stuff"

"It's like walking on paradise"

"The tit to gut ratio is all out of whack."

"You know I beleive in all that gypsy curse stuff."

"Which clan do you like in the grime scene."