2016.12.03 Korea Seoul

Seoul is a very attractive city and also very tiring as I was amazed of almost everything, like, or close to, how I was first arriving in NY some 20 years ago!

The city is surrounded by hills and nested in the middle, like in a cradle and the river is crossing from west to east or reverse. The old city is lying there with palaces they have been dismantled several times and rebuilt . Their organization is pretty "similar" from what I already have seen in Beijing, Manchuria; the scenery only is different and size and what is in. But here temperatures are more temperate so parcs are in better conditions, better colors, some red leaves from mapple trees and atmosphere is far better too, less pollution, clear sky and it is a pleasure, at least for me, to go and to explore.

It is safe, even by night and the hostel, is not actually downtown. But network of subway is bountiful and almost easy to practice. 3 days were not enough to get it in the way of using it...

So I spent time looking for orientation or finding my way and was more up than underneath . And the weather was great for that. I didn't explored all I wanted, 10Million inhabitants,  but I got saturated. I ended in the area where they had Olympics in 1988. Magnificent and useful, many Seoulites are using it, strolling, running, cycling, rolling it. 

All come with coffee shops of any kind, pastries, croissants, local brands and a bunch of Starbuck as well,  Baguette of Paris. Door to door and almost crowds everywhere. Same with restaurants, any meal, any drink is available and prices are reasonable. I find my way to survive but i find far less veggies or fruits than in China

I decided I would quit for a while and go to Seoul is a very attractive city and also very tiring as I was amazed of almost everything, like, or close to, how I was first arriving in NY some 20 years ago!

The city is surrounded by hills and nested in the middle, like in a cradle and the river is crossing from west to east. The old city is lying there with palaces they have been dismantled several times and rebuilt . Their organization is pretty "similar" from what I already have seen in Beijing, Manchuria; the scenery only is different and size and what is in. But here temperatures are more temperate so parcs are in better conditions and atmosphere is far better too, less pollution, clear sky and it is a pleasure, at least for me, to go and to explore.

It is safe, even by night and the hostel, was not actually downtown. But network of subway is bountiful and almost easy to practice. 3 days were not enough to get it in the way of using it...

So I spent time looking for orientation or finding my way and was more out than underneath . And the weather was great for that. I didn't explored all I wanted, 10Million inhabitants,  but I got saturated. I ended in the area where they had Olympics in 1988. Magnificent and useful, many Seoulites are using it, strolling, running, cycling, rolling it. 

I decided I would quit for a while and go to smaller...i am on east coast, fishing city, Sakho. Nothing special unless it is the point from where I can go hiking a National Parc ( I hope I will not get on my way as it happened in Changbai Shan in China...and I will take care)

It is fun to observe local: they act as they do in Thailand, Burma, Laos, when they give to or receive from they play with left hand and the right one is supporting the left elbow. They bow as Japanese, men still wearing suits and ties for work. It does not happen in China. They do not spit, not noisy, more respectful of others.

On economics, still on top ends, very active. Ladies have fever for shopping, as asian I should say. Unbelievable! Unimaginable! Buildings are amazing in the way of multiple, and each more unpredictable than other. I do not know how long it can last! I feel like being a crooner or as an alien in this world. And I meet many ladies, from HKONG, Japan, China they come to Seoul for shopping, some for themselves, some for re-sale after back home! It is a way of earning money. The hostel I was, all Japanese in hostel were doing that...so when I see lady with bags, I ask questions. This morning in subway, they were six or seven male in a row and they had each of them more or less 7 to 10 big fancy plastic bags with clothes in...

So not time to write coming back for dinner at 10 PM or not far from that. I had my washing done and left part of my staff in hostel I will return to in within 15 days. I am on the road again. I will take my time and if I need I will come back later in 2017!

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