Enjoying the different cultures of the Olympics ...

I’ve mentioned before that one of the things I enjoy the most about being at the Olympics is being exposed to the culture of the country hosting the games.  Additionally, at an Olympics there is also the opportunity to get a flavour of the culture of the different countries participating.

We have finally experienced a Korean BBQ and also had the chance to visit some of the Olympic hospitality houses that are sponsored and run by the various participating countries.

Real Korean BBQ

Korean BBQ Restaurant

After a number of false starts in terms of finding meat (or even just any food to eat in the evenings), we finally got to experience a Korean BBQ.

I had the recommendation from the ice technicians and the business card for the restaurant and so the supervisor team planned for a dinner one evening.  I spoke with our hosts at the arena and they called the restaurant to make a reservation for us.  They then also wrote a note for us so when we arrived at the restaurant they would know we had a reservation.  It felt a bit like we were a group of children being sent out on a school trip and needed a note from our parents to confirm we are allowed out and to instruct who-ever met us to take care of us!  It was an adventure and we were excited to go!

Pavel and Kim enjoying the Korean BBQ

After one of the evening games finished, we promptly got into a taxi, showed the driver the business card of the restaurant.  He drove us to the restaurant and then when we arrived we showed the note written by our hosts.  The server at the restaurant smiled and showed us to our table.  We asked him why he smiled, and he said the note said, “these are my good friends and so please look after them”.  Our hosts have been beyond helpful and they are so sweet.  We will really miss them when we go home.

The Korean BBQ was worth the wait and the many false starts.  In the middle of the table was a hot plate/grill and essentially you order whatever type of meat you want and then cook it at the table.  Each table has an extractor fan/pipe which lowers down to take away any of the fumes/smoke from the table.  We clearly looked like novices as the table of Korean’s next to us excitedly showed us what to do and how to order.  In exchange for their help we gave them some pin badges (which are a bit like currency at any Olympics, and can be swapped for knowledge, smiling, to help get you access where you need to go etc.).

Korean BBQ food

Kim and Pavel both enjoyed the authentic Korean experience and got involved cooking the meat – Pavel even set the grill on fire which resulted in a bit of panic from the restaurant staff for a few minutes while they turned off the grill and wiped it down … but then all was good, and we ordered more meat to cook!  It was a really fun way to have dinner with an activity for everyone to get involved with in terms of cooking the food and then deciding which meat we liked best to order some more of!  We will definitely plan to go back before we leave!

Slovak House

Live band at the Slovak House

Pavel was extra happy because next door to the Korean BBQ restaurant was the “Slovak House”.  At each Olympics there are hospitality houses which are sponsored by event partners or by countries.  Attending the country houses can be quite an activity and some fans make it a goal to try to visit as many houses as they can.  Each house has its own feel and is also a place for fans from that country to go to and to have a little piece of home for them at the Olympics.  The houses tend to also have a VIP section, and this may be where some of the country’s athlete will go to celebrate after they have won a medal.  Some of the houses are closed and by invite only and others are more open to anyone who wants to visit or to any fan who is from the country of the house. 

Trdelnik "Sugar Bread"

Pavel is from the Czech Republic, but this didn’t stop him from negotiating our entrance to the Slovak House.  He went up to the entrance to the Slovak House and spoke to the gate-keeper who then let us all in and gave us, a wrist band, a welcome chocolate and a drink voucher.  Inside the Slovak House was a real sense of fun.  They had a live band playing traditional Slovak music and they were serving mulled wine.  We have nicknamed Pavel as “King Pavel” this week.  It appears where-ever we go – he is able to get us into the hospitality and to get us more drinks than we are entitled to.  In the Slovak House they serve everyone with one drink and it is free.  It is then not possible for anyone to buy drinks or have any more … however Pavel managed to convince them to give us three drinks each!  After the Korean BBQ we were craving something sweet also and the Slovak House didn’t disappoint.  At the entrance they were serving Trdelník.   Trdelník is a kind of spit cake. It is made from rolled dough that is wrapped around a stick, then grilled and topped with sugar and walnut mix.  Kim and I now call it “sugar bread” and it is amazing!  I think it is a good thing that I don’t live in Slovakia as I would eat way too much of this!

Having sampled what it is like in a country house we decided that it would be a good idea to visit some of the other hospitality houses.  Outside our hotel is the Dutch House and there is a party there most nights (likely down to the speed skating success each day).  This house requires tickets and so we have set Pavel the challenge of getting us some tickets one evening!  While he is busy working on that he suggested a trip to the Czech House.

Czech House

"King Pavel" helping us get into Czech House

Pavel was able to call ahead and secure us with VIP passes for the Czech House which allowed us into the section for the athletes and the VIPs.  The Czech House is across the street from the Olympic Village and so when we arrived we found a table of the Czech ice hockey team in the VIP section.  It was their day off from games and a chance for them to relax amongst friends and other athletes from their country.  Again, this house has a sense of fun – all around are big TVs showing live Olympic events and there is a free bar and some Czech food on offer for us to sample.  The Czech bread was amazing and there was also a goulash soup which we all had second and third helpings of!

VIP lounge at Czech House

I sat in the Czech House and contemplated how lucky we are … firstly to have Pavel to get us into all of these places … but secondly to be at an Olympics and get to experience everything here.  It feels normal to go to these places and to sit with Olympic sport on TV each day.  When this dream is over and we all have to go back to “normal” life without the Olympics all around us it will feel very strange and a little bit dull I’m sure.

The hospitality Country houses are great and so we decided that we definitely need to try to sample a few more before we head home.  Unfortunately, GB and Denmark don’t appear to have them set-up here and so Kim and I can’t be of much use.  Bianca found out that Germany House is in the mountains and so we would need to go to the mountain cluster to visit that house – she is now busy trying to see if we can get passes to go there on one of our final days here.

Cartoon Signs

Example of the cartoon signs

Finally, no blog about the culture of South Korea would seem complete without mentioning the cartoon warning signs that seem to be everywhere.  It is not always possible to decipher what they mean but it is fun to guess.  There is one that seems to suggest if you are feeling ill then you need to go to the doctor.  I’ve made it a challenge to try to collect as many examples of the signs as possible while I’m here … I feel that people in London would smile a lot more if the warning signs were fun like they are here!