A big first week!

Times have changed here in Korea. Where you used to see villagers towing rice carts, you now see...

the whole look

CRAZY HATS!

'windy city' is a popular one

Yep it's about time for a hat craze! All the kids are wearing these adorable hats.

Chicago hats

Oakland is pretty popular too for some reason

bragging rights

They hardly even know what they mean! It's fun for the whole family.

the wearer of this shirt wins

Speaking of fashion, it's always fun to see what sort of topics clothes will take on. This one provides a fine example of how a cutltural divide can cause strife and still encompass something you want to wear (on a t shirt). It's also nicely ironic.

Smile for the police cameras!

We started our trip this time in Seoul, making our way through the streets looking for deals and delights. There are so many attractions in Seoul - you can even use the police stations as a photo op.

big 5

This is a sheet music store, which highlights 5 great composers in the window. I think that's the proprietor of the shop on the left - he's in good company.

hello shoppers

I was almost too scared to walk across this window on the floor, but I tried it and lived. It was sort of a let down.

Elevator warning

Something I haen't yet commented on here. Walking, driving, commuting, everywhere in Korea, it seems there are so many signs. Signs instructing you not to touch, not to sit, to stand, watch your head, wait in line, push or pull (most of the doors swing both ways but they still feel the need to put a push or pull sign on them).

Revolving door warning

They can also have some really funny graphics on them, which display the disastrous consequence if you don't obey. I present some priceless illustrations of what can happen if you try to touch this revolving door while it's moving.

say what

Along with the overwhelming amount of instructional signs, of course there are tons of advertisements. Ads that sing and dance and generally tend to annoy me. Most of the ads include strange english phrases that make little to no sense. Apparently even US companies are guilty of this - Dunkin' created this gem. That dude's scarf and charm bracelet are totally cool.

want some spray soup with that burger, Mr. Prez?

There are also some artsy ads too, like this storefront for a burger joint. It's good to know that while the president can't get anything done with domestic legislation, at least he can sell some burgers abroad.

McRon's scooter

And speaking of burgers, what if you're stuck somewhere and crave some food folks and fun? No problem here in the delivery capitol of the world. Everything can be delivered including... well everything - all via little "auto bai" like this one. Your big mac is safe inside the McDelivery box. Also, don't touch that back part of the scooter!

lovely desserts

Pat bing soo! This is maybe the one thing you wouldn't want delivered, because it's a medley of crushed ice other sweet things. The typical mix-ins include azuki beans (the "pat"), ice cream / milk, fruit, nuts, and dduk (rice cake). Then there are the gross toppings like cereal and this powder that tastes like sugary sawdust to me. Here we have a lovely cocktail umbrella and breadsticks. Also, the blueberry smoothie in a jar is served on a handmade doily, supercute!

advertising!

The next leg of our tour took us to Janghyeon, a suburb of Seoul. It's a little rural out here, and you get some of the coutry folk's charming display of gruesome sights at the butcher shop. Inside there were other unmentionables, but I guess it's nice to know where your beef came from. Yep, that cow had a head too, and here it is for your inspection.

veggies!

For less gruesome sights, head over to the market on market day. It's like the whole town shows up to buy and sell on the sidewalks, which are barely wide enough to walk on without tents and racks. I really love these mobile markets, they often have great deals. But even more important, they're tons of fun. You haven't lived until you've been repeatedly shoved in the back by an old lady trying to get her ingredients before dinner.

stack o' fish

This market was even more special than most because this was the last one before the big harvest holiday of Chuseok. As I've mentioned, everybody goes back to their mom's place to share in traditions of gluttony. There were a bunch of gift pack displays like this set of 5 fish. Nothing says "I love you" more than fish you're too stuffed to eat!

bibim mook

We got hungry and stopped for some icy cold bibim mook. This is a local favorite that's become quite famous at this market. Mook is a jelly made from acorns, which sounds a little gross, and it often is. Not the case here. This mook had a really nice firm texture, and the "bibim" part mixed in a whole lot of fun veggies. I don't always eat mook, but when I do, I prefer it iced with kimchi.

BOOR + beer and makgeolri

We wrapped up in Janghyeon with a classic combo: fried chicken and beer. Korean beer is pretty close to the major American beers - watery lager. It goes well with spicy food. We also added some makgeolri to the mix for an extra kick. That's the Korean rice wine that gives a nice headache in the morning. It's worth it. This "Boor Chicken" place's logo looks familiar...

rockin out

Finally, it was time to hit the road and head out to Buseok for Chuseok the sequel. I've commented on the traffic ordeal it is to get away from Seoul at this time of year, so we headed out at 4:30am. That wasn't fun. But this guy at the rest stop made it all worth while. The rest stops in Korea, as I've mentioned, are totally unlike any rest stop you've been to in the US. We actually stopped at one old rest stop by mistake, and my brother in law joked that it was an American rest stop. We then made it over to this real Korean one. Funny story - we then had to wait in a long line at 7am to get coffee and snacks at the real rest stop because there were so many people there. While they waited in line, I got to take some great photos of this guy.

can't let that branch go to waste

Also, great photo op number 2. I've also commented on how much Koreans love the conspicuous display of phallus with their folk art. This was an amusing reminder. All in all a great rest stop experience. It was puncuated at the end when my brother in law threw his coins at the kids working the snack counter. They were too busy and lazy to sell him the fish cake he wanted. Definitely the most exciting morning I've ever had before 7am.

the new deck in Buseok

And finally we made it back to mom's place in Buseok! It's changed a bit since the last time I was here. There are some cute new grape vines growing above the porch.

Buseok's traffic circle

There are some new traffic circles at previously death trap intersections.

Buseok's coffee shop

And there's even a proper coffee shop! Not sure if I'll have time to try it this trip since I'm too stuffed.

Buseok's new park

Also, there's a new park that opened up at the entrance to town, partly in an effort to redirect traffic away from the temple for which Buseok is known. It's long been a complaint of the townspeople that the buses taking tourists to the temple skip the town entirely, and just drop them at the little cottage market that's grown around the temple's parking lot. The town has missed out on a lot of tourism because of this. Well finally, they've changed the bus routes and the town has some new life in it!

rock in the park of Buseok

Not to end on a down note, but this rock is a somewhat literal reminder of the scars left by the Japanese occupation. This huge slab of granite marks the entrance to the park, and is emblazoned with a Japanese territorial marking. The cut marks were an attempt to break the rock apart and remove it, but eventually this was given up due to the size of the rock. it's been here since as a historical marker.