morning after the night before

The eve of Buddha's birthday ended as any noteworthy celebration should, with a few good beers and spicy street food. The following morning we made our way to Cheonggyecheon stream in downtown Seoul. The stream has an interesting history: first as the nucleus of development for an infantile Seoul, then later as being covered and choked by traffic infrastructure for twenty some years, and most recently as an expensive yet worthwhile urban renewal project. The cool air and gentle current suited our weary disposition and was a nice reprieve from the concrete jungle.

Namdaemun market was next on the itinerary. As the largest and oldest continually running market in Korea, Namdaemun is a feast for the senses.The photos simply don't do it justice because the sounds and smells alone test one's capacity for stimuli. Cars are not permitted, nor could fit within the market, but a steady stream of precariously laden motorcycles and scooters weave their way through pedestrians. Vendors shout with promise of the best merchandise: be it fish, ginseng, jerseys, or underwear. Scents ranging from enticing to repulsive or an unheard mix of the two greet you with at every turn. We wandered until we could no longer stand, and collapsed into a meal of melon and hotteok before returning to Gunsan.