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December 28, 2005
location, location, location.
T
he difference in emotional atmosphere between the army bases in seoul and the ones up near the dmz is palpable. the soldiers in area one (camp casey, camp red cloud, etc.) seem perpetually on edge; camp casey soldiers travel in groups that circle each other like stray cats. there is very little to do on post besides bowl, drink, and fight (but the bowling alley is smoke-free, so that's a plus), and unless you have the time to make the hour-plus trip down to seoul, nearly nowhere to go off-post. the attempt at christmas cheer -- a pyramid of christmas lights draped haphazardly over a pile of rocks inside gate 1 -- doesn't extend much further than the pale glow of the bulbs, and any trace of it is gone by the time you cross the open sewage canal bisecting the post. everywhere you turn buildings are decaying, concrete is crumbling and the gazebos designated as trash collection areas are overflowing.
area two (seoul and surrounding areas) feels like a different planet. entering main post, you're greeted by two large lit displays proclaiming "merry christmas!" and "happy holidays!" there is a large hotel on the base, filled with seasonal decorations, multiple christmas trees, and a rather haphazard assortment of christmas lawn ornaments. the streets have crosswalks, the soldiers are friendly ("what're you looking for? the px? oh, it's just this way, follow me."), and people walking around post are actually smiling. here, there is none of the hollowness that echoes through camp casey.
a few photos of seoul are forthcoming; if anyone is anxious to see them, they're already up over at laloca.org.
Posted by at December 28, 2005 7:51 AM
