Korea up to now

I'll save the events of Saturday night for the next post, the week I've already spent here deserves a short story of its own.

After overcoming a wicked case of jet lag, I spent my first night/day walking around the main street in the district of Mapo-gu, close to Yonsei University, where I will be spending the next five weeks. Mapo-gu holds an incredible variety of life, from towering office blocks to crooked brickwalled back streets, and of course the famous Hongdae. Hongdae deserves a post of its own in the future, once I have a grasp on a bar district that tops any I've seen in the states.

I had heard a few disparaging remarks about the architecture of Korea, described as little more than utilitarian concrete towers and copies of western architecture. What I found was a raucous combination of brightly colored walls, homes peeking out at the street from under traditional ceramic roofs, as well as gleaming car dealerships. The combination itself, merging the old with the new, is new and wonderful.

I'll try to get some better shots that capture the feeling of the little alleyways.

After two days in the city, I took off for southeastern Korea on a trip with my language program, pictures will come later.