[pct-l] Pot Cleaning

[Scott Williams]

Thank you Melanie,

I am not 80 years old, but to this day we have an active, combat ready
division sitting on the DMZ, as we are all still technically "at war" with
North Korea.  Had I been there during the time of real hostilities, in the
early 50's, I wouldn't have been able to hang around temples either.  I
served at the end of the Vietnam War in a mech. infantry unit near the Z,
and still make kimchee to this day.

That country is so mountainous and beautiful that I have nothing but awe
and admiration for those who actually did fight that war.  It had to have
been unbelievably hard.   "Land of the Morning Calm," much of it looks like
the Cascades and Sierra jumbled together.  Stunningly beautiful and in the
winter, wind chills of -80 degs F. blow down out of Siberia.  I've never
been so cold in my life as dug in on the DMZ in winter.

They have wonderful National Parks, but very different from here.  I
remember hiking in Seoraksan Nati. Park and sitting by a waterfall, ringed
with huge granite boulders, it could have been Yosemite on a smaller scale,
except that the boulders had beautiful, ancient Chinese calligraphy carved
into them.  Instead of detracting, it was gorgeous.  Totally defacing
nature, it was the best graffiti I've ever seen.  A short distance further
up the trail I came upon a Buddhist cave shrine.  Seated Buddha inside, not
a soul in sight, but incense burning away as if it was regularly cared for
in the middle of nowhere.  These areas have been seen as beautiful for a
very long time.  Amazing country.

With a dad like yours, no wonder you love the wilderness!

Shroomer