Seoul Folk Flea Market

Last Saturday, we went to an all-you-can-drink  wine buffet in Gangnam. It was a good deal but between the $25 price tag and the availability of otherwise scarce good wine, it was a little too easy to drink a little too much.

Recently, this keeps happening to me. I wake up the next morning feeling like where's Waldo, wondering where my ear muffs, hat, wig, 'insert item here' went. So, unless I start duct-tapping the important stuff to my body, I've got to start being more responsible.

This past weekend, Eric and I went to the Seoul folk Flea Market. I feel strongly that everything I lose in Seoul will eventually end up here (for the low, low price of 2,000 won). I'm not sure what makes it 'folk.' From what I saw, the only major difference between this and other flea markets I've been to was its scale. This was a massive warehouse of people selling random junk, and any kind of random junk you could possibly want. Earmuffs, golf clubs, authentic U.S. military meal rations, Japanese swords, old trombones, and butterfly knifes (illegal in the U.S., if you feel the urge to smuggle home a neat souvenir for baby brother).

Random Korean Figurines. I want the Tae Kwon Do fighters!

Or how about some business card holders with Korean pop stars on them? Rain B is pretty dreamy.

Inappropriate pigs. We found these at a stall that sold smutty videos.

It was refreshing in it's lack of touristy build-up, actually. I bought some earmuffs for Eric (since I lost his the night before) and a cinnamon-sugar filled pancake at the food court.

Visiting Namsan Tower or We Are Disgusting

Last Saturday, Kyeong Ran and the head teacher at out school, Mr. Shin, invited Eric and me to Namsan Tower. It is a huge tower on one of the taller hills in Seoul, and it has a 360 degree observation deck, so you can see the entire city.
This is Namsan Tower, looking up from the base. We had to take a tram up the hill to get to here first.


Here are Eric and me standing on Mongmyeoksan Beacon Tower, located at the foot of Namsan Tower. In the 19th century, the smoke stacks on Mongmyeoksan (which we are standing next to) were lit up to warn of attacks.

Lots of couples put locks on the chain-link fence that surrounds the base of Namsan Tower as a symbol that their love will last forever. Kyeong insisted that we buy a lock from the gift shop since it is tradition. I suspect she just likes taking lots of cheesy couple shots of us.

Proof positive.


Here is our lock. Aren't we too cute?


Up on the observation deck, each window has the names of different cities that, when looking out that window, you are pointing directly toward.
Here are Eric and me in front of the San Francisco/Los Angeles window. We were very excited.

Finally, here are Kyeong and Mr. Shin.
Don't they look nice? They are nice. Super nice. And very responsible. They keep me from getting lost and wandering into North Korea.