We have been back from Korea for almost a week and I still have not caught up with all my news about Korea so here goes.
Warren and I love going to markets, for different reasons of course. He is a much better bargainer than I am so if I should see something I really have to have, I will call his attention to it and then I leave him to do the negotiating. The first market we visited is the largest market in Asia called the Dongdaemun Market.
In fact it is a collection of markets, malls, shops, restaurants etc in one area. Inside the actual building of the main market, the passages between the vendors is so narrow you have to walk sideways!! This market is a wholesale market although some of the vendors will sell to the general public if you bargain hard enough.
Oh my word .....the "stuff"!! I spent a few hours wandering around the....guess what....of course the fabrics! Piles and piles, rows and rows, rolls and rolls.
Stripes, stripes, stripes!
It was SO overwhelming I could not buy a thing. It was fun just looking and taking photies.
Fabrics.
Books.
Buttons.
lace, lace, lace!
and more stuff.
Then we went over to the toy and shoe market. Shoes and more shoes and more shoes.
I spotted this beggar in between the markets, begging while in this strange position.
You don't see many beggars in Korea. Ten days later when we came this way again he was dressed in exactly the same clothes and begging in the same position. Hard on the knees I would say.
On Jeju island our hotel was close to the market while most things were sold there (no fabric)the fresh veggies and fish selection was amazing.
Crabs are a huge part of the Islanders menu.
These little fish are decapitated and those are not beans peeping through as I first thought but their insides!!!!
One of the ladies hard at it cleaning the fish.
A very popular delicacy.
What is a meal with out CHILIS!!!
Beans in all shapes and sizes.
Sweeties.
Mealiesssssssssss!
The market on Jeju has a policy that women from the age of 65 years can work at the market and sell their wares and not pay any rent. When wandering around one notices the older women 'manning' the stalls and chatting to their mates and appearing to have a really good time while earning a living.
It is also a good place to get a good meal and have a good chat to the locals.
Back in Seoul, what strikes me is no space is ever wasted. There are lots of underground markets as in under the ground. Sometimes where a passageway has been created under the ground in order to cross the road, you could find yet another market.
We saw NO litter wherever we went! Sometimes we did see amusing sights.
I got so tired some days as we walked for hours that I could have joined this fellow who was settling down for the night.
On our last day in Seoul while staying in a different place on the "other" side of the river, we decided to give the metro a go. It is all very easy once you know the name of the station you wish to get off at.
We visited the Kwangdong Market and did our last minute shopping here. This is a much more user friendly market and far easier to shop at. I had read that this market, being one of the oldest markets, sells the best street food ever and of course we had to try it. An absolute "Must eat" is Bindaeduk.
Mung beans are ground into a batter, green onions, garlic and beansprouts are added and this results into a crispy pancake served with soy and chili sauce. We don't have the chili but the pancake which is enough for two people, was simply delicious. This is only one of several traditional Korean dishes one can enjoy here!
No, not boerewors....blood sausage!
These are but a few of the wonderful market scenes we enjoyed. I do hope you are inspired by them and when next you visit Korea you will plan to spend several days visiting all the markets. If you are not going that way just enjoy my pics!
Warren and I love going to markets, for different reasons of course. He is a much better bargainer than I am so if I should see something I really have to have, I will call his attention to it and then I leave him to do the negotiating. The first market we visited is the largest market in Asia called the Dongdaemun Market.
In fact it is a collection of markets, malls, shops, restaurants etc in one area. Inside the actual building of the main market, the passages between the vendors is so narrow you have to walk sideways!! This market is a wholesale market although some of the vendors will sell to the general public if you bargain hard enough.
Oh my word .....the "stuff"!! I spent a few hours wandering around the....guess what....of course the fabrics! Piles and piles, rows and rows, rolls and rolls.
Stripes, stripes, stripes!
It was SO overwhelming I could not buy a thing. It was fun just looking and taking photies.
Fabrics.
Books.
Then we went over to the toy and shoe market. Shoes and more shoes and more shoes.
I spotted this beggar in between the markets, begging while in this strange position.
You don't see many beggars in Korea. Ten days later when we came this way again he was dressed in exactly the same clothes and begging in the same position. Hard on the knees I would say.
On Jeju island our hotel was close to the market while most things were sold there (no fabric)the fresh veggies and fish selection was amazing.
Crabs are a huge part of the Islanders menu.
These little fish are decapitated and those are not beans peeping through as I first thought but their insides!!!!
One of the ladies hard at it cleaning the fish.
A very popular delicacy.
What is a meal with out CHILIS!!!
Beans in all shapes and sizes.
Sweeties.Mealiesssssssssss!
The market on Jeju has a policy that women from the age of 65 years can work at the market and sell their wares and not pay any rent. When wandering around one notices the older women 'manning' the stalls and chatting to their mates and appearing to have a really good time while earning a living.
It is also a good place to get a good meal and have a good chat to the locals.
Back in Seoul, what strikes me is no space is ever wasted. There are lots of underground markets as in under the ground. Sometimes where a passageway has been created under the ground in order to cross the road, you could find yet another market.
We saw NO litter wherever we went! Sometimes we did see amusing sights.
I got so tired some days as we walked for hours that I could have joined this fellow who was settling down for the night.
On our last day in Seoul while staying in a different place on the "other" side of the river, we decided to give the metro a go. It is all very easy once you know the name of the station you wish to get off at.
We visited the Kwangdong Market and did our last minute shopping here. This is a much more user friendly market and far easier to shop at. I had read that this market, being one of the oldest markets, sells the best street food ever and of course we had to try it. An absolute "Must eat" is Bindaeduk.
Mung beans are ground into a batter, green onions, garlic and beansprouts are added and this results into a crispy pancake served with soy and chili sauce. We don't have the chili but the pancake which is enough for two people, was simply delicious. This is only one of several traditional Korean dishes one can enjoy here!
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No, not boerewors....blood sausage!
These are but a few of the wonderful market scenes we enjoyed. I do hope you are inspired by them and when next you visit Korea you will plan to spend several days visiting all the markets. If you are not going that way just enjoy my pics!
