MOVING ON UP… THIS BLOG HAS MOVED!

I’d like to take this opportunity to announce a momentous technical and logistical triumph. My blog has officially been moved and is now integrated into lydonphoto.com. Okay, it wasn’t that much of a triumph, but it’s nice to have everything in one place now.

The new blog address is www.lydonphoto.com/theblog/

 
All of the new blog posts will be there from now on, as well as the archived material.

Thanks for reading everyone!

Sokcho Fish Market

I met a fabulous couple on top of the mountain during my hike at Seoraksan National Park. We kept eachother in good company while making our way through the intermittent cloud cover, back down into the valley. It was a very unique experience, which you can read and see more about in this post, and it was followed by a dinner which was even more so.

Back in the oceanside town of Sokcho, near the North Korean border, we decided the only logical thing for me to eat on my last night in town was some local fish.  I learned on this night, that when you ask for fresh fish at Sokcho harbor, they do take you quite seriously.

Raw fish dishes are called “Saengseon hoe” in Korea, and are similar to Japan’s “sashimi”. In contrast to Japan, however, the Koreans like a little extra reassurance that their fish is fresh, and don’t seem to fancy pre-cut fillets commonly found in sushi joints.

Here, especially at the harborside restaurants, you pick some fish from a tank and then watch as the fish is gutted in front of you, in this case while still alive. Then you carry it on up to the dining room in a plastic bag where it is dressed with all the fixings.

Live fish are gutted for us in Sokcho before being prepared as sashimi or "Saengseon hoe" (2010, P.Lydon)

Saengseon hoe fresh raw fish dish in Sokcho, South Korea, served with soy sauce, wasabi, and various leaves to wrap it all up in (2010, P.Lydon)

Saengseon hoe fresh raw fish dish in Sokcho, South Korea (2010, P.Lydon)

Sokcho Harbor as a storm makes its way in, the restaurant is at the far left side (2010, P.Lydon)

It’s strangely refreshing to see people extremely aware of the food that they eat, at least in the process from the tank to the table. Without some constant reminder, it’s sometimes difficult to put the pieces of your dinner into perspective.

Now, if only the Koreans believed in really fresh beef…

The Seoul of Urban Renewal

Having undergone a mind-numbingly rapid expansion since the 1950′s, Seoul made quick work of covering a beautiful fertile valley with concrete, asphalt, and buildings devoid of character. A story that might sound hauntingly familiar to some Silicon Valley denizens.

In an effort to repair the city’s image however, Seoul has been host to a large number of substantial ‘urban renewal’ projects in the past few decades that aim to make the city more livable, enjoyable, and walkable. The city seems to take this effort very seriously, and that attitude is reflected in the amazingly juxtaposed efforts of sheer scale, and intricate design work.

Two favorite projects I found while in Seoul…

Cheonggye Stream:

Once upon a time, this stream was covered by a highway that ran through the middle of Seoul’s central business district. Today, the stream has been uncovered, renewed, and provides a several-mile-long oasis for residents and visitors to sit, walk, or cool off their feet in the clear waters.

People enjoying a warm day at Cheonggye Stream, which through the middle of Seoul, South Korea (P. Lydon, 2010)

Hit the Highway, on a Bike:

A 4 lane road that runs through Seoul along the Han River, this road isn’t for cars, it’s built expressly for bicycle transportation. Relatively empty during the day, this ‘bicycle highway’ comes alive during commute hours and weekends.

A 4 lane 'Bicycle Highway' along the Han River in Seoul, South Korea (P. Lydon, 2010)

Cheonggyecheon Stream:

Once covered by a highway through the middle of Seoul’s central government and commercial districts, the stream has been renewed, and provides a several-mile-long, $900m oasis for residents and visitors to sit, walk, or cool off their feet in the clear waters.

Korean High School Visit

A few days ago, I had the wonderful opportunity to speak about photography, art, and the post-high school decision making process with three classes of high school students here in Korea. I wasn’t sure what to expect, so a made a rough outline and created a photo slideshow that went (also roughly) along with it.

It ened up that Jin — the wonderful and amazing teacher — allowed me to take her classes over for the entire period.

Not sure I was ready for that, but WOW, it was a good experience! Her classes were full of bright, well behaved and — after a big or coercing — engaged students who became involved the conversation of career choices and the dynamic between friend/family/community approval vs. your personal goals and aspirations.

Surely not standard curriculum at most schools, but I hope it was as valuable an experience for them as it was for me!

Class 1, notice the one who stole my sunglasses. Cute.

Class 2 - Highest ratio of glasses:students

They made me a huge Korean flag poster with personal notes from the students...

The day ended with a delicious traditional Korean meal. I gobbled up just about all of it, save for the Kimchi… a little taste of that stuff will do me just fine

I think it is tofu, at any rate, it was really good

tofu, meats, and greens to wrap it all in

Pajeon, aka Korean 'Pizza'

A very huge thank you to teacher Jin, interpreter In-hae, and all of the students!

Seoraksan National Park

I decided to get out of the city this past week and headed to Sokcho, a small city a few hours east of Seoul by coach bus.

With the Sea of Japan on one side, and a Seoraksan National Park on the other, Sokcho’s many hotels, motels, and hostels fill with both beach-goers and hikers on most weekends. Fortunately, I was there during the week and was able to enjoy a few calm and beautifully mild partly cloudy days.

The following are some shots from my hike through Seoraksan National Park:

One of the many temple grounds set against a briliant mountain range at Seoraksan National Park

Seoraksan National Park, Korea

Seoraksan National Park, Korea

Lush foliage in Seoraksan National Park, Korea

One of the omnipresent rock stackings at Seoraksan National Park, Korea

Halfway up and into the fog at Seoraksan National Park, Korea

A meadow at Seoraksan National Park

Temple at Seoraksan National Park, Korea

Stream at Seoraksan National Park, Korea

What to do With Your Old Record Collection

How about buy a few loudspeakers, a beer fridge, and open up walk-in-closet-sized bar that’s stacked wall-to-wall with records?

Doors bar in Seoul Korea doesn’t really feel like a bar. It’s more like an old basement that happens to be rented out to a college music freak. For the most part however, the clientele graduated college a decade ago and are just as keen to chat about life, culture, and music as they are about how many beers they can put down in an hour.

A portion of the record collection at Doors Bar in Seoul, Korea (P.Lydon, 2010)

Doors Bar in Seoul, Korea (P.Lydon, 2010)

My favorite feature? This particular iteration of the popular ‘Doors’ Jazz and Rock Bar had just about every Jethro Tull album from 1968 – 1987 on vinyl. Crest of a Knave never sounded so good…

Musing #7: The Things we Build

The things we build: useful for ourselves, or useful for others?

In the best cases, perhaps they are both.

But of the structures built in the past several decades, the majority are merely funnels for the acquisition of mass quantities of money for developers.

What price does the ‘average’ person pay?

A homeless man takes an afternoon nap in Seoul's Insadong neighborhood (P.Lydon, 2010)

Seoul: Football ’till Dawn

Another night of football in Seoul… VIA satellite. Thousands of fans filled the streets for a dusk ’til dawn party to watch the match (which began at 3:30am local time) between South Korea and Nigeria.

Fans sit on a grassy median in the middle of Seoul at 3am, waiting for televised coverage of the South Korea v Nigeria World Cup match to begin.

World Cup Madness in Seoul

I expected mania, I expected that a country with such deep national pride as Korea would turn out en-masse for a world cup football match, but somehow I was still in awe the moment I walked out the door on game day.

The sheer number of people who were walking around in red shirts and devil horns was amazing, baffling even… and that was at 11am, 9 and 1/2 hours before kickoff. Only a very small minority of Seoul-ites were without their FC Korea fan gear.

The World Cup seems to be a rather good shot in the arm for the economy here in terms of merchandise sales, although I hear productivity at the office suffers in a major way as a result of the relative hysteria that ensues during the days leading up to each game.

Here’s a short photo tour of my subway ride out to Seoul city center during the South Korea vs. Argentina World Cup match…

World Cup Merchandise being sold in the Subway in Seoul

Hundreds of fans enter a train in what would normall be a reverse commute. Only a few workers are actually returning home for the night.

Hundreds of Thousands of fans gather in the streets of central Seoul for the world cup football match against Argentina.

Hundreds of Thousands of fans gather in the streets of central Seoul for the world cup football match against Argentina.

The bars and restaurants in Seoul were so packed during the world cup match vs. Argentina that fans gathered anywhere they could find a television, including outside of this travel agency.

Hundreds of Thousands of fans gather in the streets of central Seoul for the world cup football match against Argentina.

Steamed Buns

I don’t quite remember if the hankering for steamed buns came first, or if my eyes and nose made that decision for my stomach upon seeing and smelling the white clouds engulfing the street. But it was 1am at the time, so I seem to think it hardly matters.

The cook looks on at a 24 hour steamed bun and dumpling shop in Seoul, Korea

What does matter is that this wonderful woman stacked a box full of huge meat-filled steamed buns (4), and one full of meat-filled dumplings (8), for about $2.20 USD.

Happy wallet. Happy Stomach.