Chapter Two: Rubber Seoul

Welcome to chapter two. I started to think that maybe my last blog might have focused too much on the initial culture shock and I've been having a great time so far here. Plus this time I'm going to try and incorporate more pictures.

So here are some assorted things about Korea that I really like so far. Or at least that are different enough to comment on.

I know what you're thinking. "Ew, why is there a picture of trash here?" Well this and many other larger piles like it are where you have to put your trash. From what I can tell you can really put it anywhere on the street and eventually it's collected. Kind of gross, and sometimes the smell is almost overwhelming. In the summer it's apparently worse. But that's the way they do it here.

For all those times when you have had to choose between wine OR waffles...well now there is wine AND waffles. Finally!

A guard at Deoksugung, which roughly translates as "Virtuous Longevity." Though it dates to the 15th century, like everything else in Seoul it was obliverated in the Korean War and rebuilt Its kind of sparse but there are some cool things in there.

One of many pagodas inside the palace.

Um, Standy-upy-things? (Maybe I should have taken the tour).

Also in Deoksugung. A statue of King Sejoing , who ruled in the 15th century and invented the Korean alphabet. According to my Lonely Planet, he also developed rain gauges, sundials, new music, and innovations in farming. His face is on the 10,000 won note, which currently is the largest denomination here.

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People have asked me what my favorite thing about Korea is. Right now, that is a very difficult question as I feel too immersed to quantify experiences. But my favorite thing, on a broad level, is just that I still have no idea what I'll run into on a given day.

Case in point: last night, in an area I'd already been to twice (Hongdae, it's sort of like a combination of Hawthorne in Portland and Garnett in Pacific Beach--tons of cafes, clubs, and bars). I saw a korean rock band playing covers of eric clapton and jason mraz. They had three drummers and an official dancer who at first was just kind of sashaying around but then did a 3 minute tap solo! Awesome. And then I ended up at a korean version of a german biergarten. So three places or things I'd never heard of but all that were awesome and just part of the unique experience here.

A German pub, they had yard glasses and chilled recesses (see below) built in to the table that not only cooled your beer but also had lights that changed the way your beer looked.




A chilled receptacle thing, in EXTREME CLOSEUP! Wayne's World! Party On!

A view of the city from a pub in Hongdae.

When the night started, I was pretty sure that I wouldn't be hanging out with this guy.

And I was nearly positive I would't get a chance to meet one of my heroes. But you just never know what to expect whilst in Korea.