Ok...Finally got some pictures up!

Yes! I finally managed to get some pictures uploaded to a "safe" State Department computer. I won't go crazy though - you'll enjoy a steady, digestable flow of information.

Today's topic - a little-known British traditional known as a Hash. Hashes began in the 1970s when British RAF airmen stationed in Bangkok organized weekly runs from the Bangkok Hash House. Today, Hashers are known as "Hash House Harriers." Apparently, it's common among Brit ex-pat populations throughout the world.

The Barbadian Hash tradition is very robust. People meet every week at the host's house and then stay afterwards to get hammered. The host is responsible for marking the course, which they do by drawing arrows or placing small turd-like mounds of flour on the side of the road. These markers are few and far between, and every time the running group reaches an open meadow, beach, intersection, etc, one person runs ahead 200m in every potential direction looking for the little marker. Once it's found, the checker yells "On! On!" and the rest follow. This happened about two dozen times during our roughly six mile run.





Somehow, cross-dressing became an important part of the tradition, probably because it's the British national pastime.

This week's run was hosted by a German couple in their very nice villa located in Barbados's "Platinum Coast," the ultra-rich west coast of the country. Our run took us through Sandy Lane, one of the nicest golf courses in the world, where Tiger Woods got married. The course was great because it took us through every type of terrain in Barbados - forests, hills, beaches, roads, and hiking trails.

A very beautiful thicket

The patio had a breathtaking view. Jake's (political officer) wife is on the right. She says that we are the only two Korean people on the entire island.

As new hashers, Kimberly, Rick and I were hazed by the "Religious Advisor" and his assistants.

As mentioned above, in the interest of getting hammered, we were forced to chug several beers.

The hazing continued, with offenders being cited for getting lost, being slow, Rick for his bandana, and this man for an unnamed offense.