Around Town

Sara and I went for a walk this week around Jukdo Market and our downtown.  I took a bunch of pictures and thought I'd post 10 here.  I've lived here long enough now that walking around Pohang has become my normal.  Hundreds of power lines criss-crossing, hangul on every sign, LED lights of every shape and color flashing constantly, trash piles on every corner, old women crouching over fruit and vegetables sitting and selling, basically, Korea.  Sometimes I forget that these aren't the sights and sounds of everybody's life.  So I went out to try to capture what makes Korea different, what makes Pohang different?  What things were new to me when I walked down these streets for the first time?  Here's just a few.  As always, 10 pictures and some foolish comments.

The Seller

Jukdo market is a great place to buy just about anything.  This guy had peaches, apples, and giant Korean pears, and he pushed his cart up the rows of the market.  

The Hardware Store

This street is just off our more modern downtown.  It's literally the next street over from the Nike store, and the Baskin Robbins, and the Starbucks, and the two story New Balance store.  The amount of wires is just insane.  With all the cell phones and wi-fi you'ed think we'd be done with power lines, that we'd find a way to transfer power wirelessly, but clearly we're a ways from that.  All of these shops are little mom and pop hardware stores selling everything from chain saws to lights, 

On the Street

On the streets around Jukdo Market people set up shops on the street and sell fruits, vegetables, even raw ginger.  

Jukdo

Another shot of Jukdo, and the guy selling peaches. This alley goes for about a km, where it blends into the fish market.

For the Sun

These are for the sun, and are much more delicate than rain umbrellas.  Any size, any color, any old-lady decorative pattern, this is the place.

Shopping

The sun started to set right down this alley and the light was perfect.  My shooting, not so much.

Discount City

Doing some shopping for knock offs.  

Dinner

In this orange bowl are these small eel like animals that squiggle and are food.   They are very gross looking to me. 

Pick Me Up, Please

Hanging from the awnings of all the shops were these cords.  This one happened to be blue and had an open loop so I stood here for a few minutes and took some pictures.  The Koreans thought I was crazy.

Through the Hook

And here's my wife through the same hoop.  Looking good wife.