tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-78022969510817184232023-06-28T22:43:27.154+09:00나는, 외국인Thoughts, photos, this and that, concearning the life lead by an EFL teacher, mostly in the Republic of Korea. May God have mercy on the counrty. Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02061549423518782179noreply@blogger.comBlogger825125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7802296951081718423.post-13504902913141834472016-02-26T14:42:00.002+09:002016-02-26T14:42:39.007+09:00Hangang Bridge Long ExposureWhen you cross the Han River on Line 1, during winter, at about the time rush hour starts, look out the window. You will see a snake of car lights on the road following the banks of the Han. This, I thought, might make for a decent long exposure shot.<br />
<br />
Unfortunately the bridge I see this photo opportunity from is a rail bridge with no pedestrian access. Looking at the map I found that the road bridge a little further on had pedestrian access. Unfortunately it did not have heaters, duh, which would make standing next to the river for 30 -60 minutes, IN FEBRUARY, much more bearable. Sure, you can wait for the weather to warm up, but the sunset changes drastically between season, so at the moment I have no idea what the traffic is like just after sunset at other times of the year.<br />
<br />
This past week I finally managed to work up the will to brave the cold and trek into Seoul. I got on the train, got of at Noryangjin, walked to the Hangang Bridge and found a spot I liked. To bad about all the shaking Wait, what?!<br />
<br />
It turns out the cars driving over the bridge makes the whole structure vibrate. Lorries and busses makes the bridge shake. Yea, this is not exactly good for long exposures where you need to hold the camera motionless for as long as 30 seconds. Not even a tripod will steady that ship. Bridge, whatever.<br />
<br />
I took a few sample shots to see what the view was like. Hand held with a fast shutter speed made the photos OK, but of course that is no way to get snaking light lines that long exposure gives.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/purple_monkey_feet/24641087503/in/dateposted-public/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Going Home"><img alt="Going Home" height="400" src="https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1474/24641087503_7319c163ca_z.jpg" width="600" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Testing the view at 1/50s</td></tr>
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As the light diminished, I started playing with exposure times The first shots were not all that long. They gave nice bright red snakes, but the lines didn’t seem continuous and the buildings in the background were too dark.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/purple_monkey_feet/25267870405/in/dateposted-public/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Going Home"><img alt="Going Home" height="400" src="https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1682/25267870405_6f87598605_z.jpg" width="600" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Seeing if it will work at 8.0s</td></tr>
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Longer exposures filled in the shadows, but the periods where the cars on the bridge were not moving were really short, so anything over a 10 second exposure was rather luck of the draw. This meant most of the images ending up blurry with squiggly light lines.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/purple_monkey_feet/25149631662/in/dateposted-public/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Going Home, Inebriated."><img alt="Going Home, Inebriated." height="400" src="https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1446/25149631662_6d09cfbf01_z.jpg" width="600" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">25.0s without vibrations was just to much to hope for.</td></tr>
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<br />
Messing around with the aperture to increase the auto shutter speed gave me one very long, unexpected shot. I ended up just taking the camera off the railing, putting it on the ground and doing something else while waiting for the shot to finish. It ended up looking kind of interesting, so much so that I tried to replicate it.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/purple_monkey_feet/24637259474/in/dateposted-public/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="_MG_9397.jpg"><img alt="_MG_9397.jpg" height="400" src="https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1600/24637259474_0d3824f562_z.jpg" width="600" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An unexpected 30.0s exposure ended up to be interesting.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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In the end I did manage to get a shot that was relatively stable, but as you can see the very long exposure makes the colours from the lights blend together far to much.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/purple_monkey_feet/24641105493/in/dateposted-public/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Success, Kind Of."><img alt="Success, Kind Of." height="400" src="https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1517/24641105493_710ce53da5_z.jpg" width="600" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">13.0s or relative calm gave me a mostly useful shot.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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The photo session turned out to be underwhelming, but I did serve as a good learning experience. Maybe if I can find a footbridge with a similar view then I will be able to get a stable camera set-up.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02061549423518782179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7802296951081718423.post-84925255257916062732014-12-26T11:10:00.000+09:002014-12-26T11:10:00.716+09:00Odd LinesThe last image of the DDR this week. The lines of this structure are fascinating.<br />
<br />
<center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/purple_monkey_feet/15986965442" title="20141122_204543_1 by Otto Silver, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7516/15986965442_692fe980a2_z.jpg" width="600" height="901" alt="20141122_204543_1"></a></center><div align="center"><i>Image taken with a <a href="http://www.samsung.com/global/microsite/galaxys4/">Samsung Galaxy S4</a>, edited with <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.niksoftware.snapseed&hl=en">Snapseed</a>.</i></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02061549423518782179noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7802296951081718423.post-71911541218903648532014-12-24T11:05:00.000+09:002014-12-19T11:06:47.637+09:00Sterile FutureThe inside of the DDR is a feast of smooth but oddly angled lines.<br />
<br />
I liked the contrast of the bright young autumn tree against the sterile gray of the building itself.<br />
<br />
<br />
<center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/purple_monkey_feet/15985654831" title="20141122_211509_1 by Otto Silver, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7557/15985654831_83896fc1f4_z.jpg" width="600" height="400" alt="20141122_211509_1"></a></center><div align="center"><i>Image taken with a <a href="http://www.samsung.com/global/microsite/galaxys4/">Samsung Galaxy S4</a>, edited with <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.niksoftware.snapseed&hl=en">Snapseed</a>.</i></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02061549423518782179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7802296951081718423.post-25656443915293027782014-12-22T11:01:00.000+09:002014-12-22T11:01:00.047+09:00Dongdaemun EntranceWhen you look at old science fiction films about the future you often see crowded back streets with power lines everywhere and neon lights blinding you around every corner.<br />
<br />
In many ways this is North East Asia today. In Gangnam you get the sanitised sparkly lights, but in the less posh areas you get something that often reminds you of <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0083658/">Blade Runner</a>. And then you get <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dongdaemun_Design_Plaza">Dongdaemun Design Plaza</a>.<br />
<br />
In this photo we have the main entrance to the structure, late at night but still well lit.<br />
<br />
<center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/purple_monkey_feet/15986964202" title="20141122_204120_1 by Otto Silver, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7511/15986964202_6feb7c94f1_z.jpg" width="640" height="338" alt="20141122_204120_1"></a></center><div align="center"><i>Image taken with a <a href="http://www.samsung.com/global/microsite/galaxys4/">Samsung Galaxy S4</a>, edited with <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.niksoftware.snapseed&hl=en">Snapseed</a>.</i></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02061549423518782179noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7802296951081718423.post-45476404146314600342014-12-19T12:00:00.000+09:002014-12-19T12:00:01.077+09:00Passed out and nowhere to goYou don't see them often, and certainly not passed out on a busy through fare like Noksapyeong to Itaewon, but the homeless are all around us in Seoul.<br />
<br />
For those interested in helping out, there are various groups in various cities that volunteer their time. In Seoul <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/512374962222834/?fref=ts">PLUR</a> provides an way for English speakers to help out. One of their programs that is almost always in need of more people is the Sunday evening Seoul Station project.<br />
<br />
If walking the street around Seoul Station is not your sort of thing, then you can always go help at one of the soup kitchens.<br />
<br />
<center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/purple_monkey_feet/15193428710" title="You don't see them often, and certainly not passed out on a busy through fare like Noksapyeong to Itaewon, but the homeless are all around us in Seoul. by Otto Silver, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2946/15193428710_8b862eefdf_z.jpg" width="600" height="600" alt="You don't see them often, and certainly not passed out on a busy through fare like Noksapyeong to Itaewon, but the homeless are all around us in Seoul."></a></center><div align="center"><i>Image taken with a <a href="http://www.samsung.com/global/microsite/galaxys4/">Samsung Galaxy S4</a>, edited with <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.niksoftware.snapseed&hl=en">Snapseed</a>.</i></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02061549423518782179noreply@blogger.com0Itaewon-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul, South Korea37.5400456 126.9921017000000337.5148641 126.95176120000004 37.5652271 127.03244220000003tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7802296951081718423.post-28481367667667555742014-12-17T12:00:00.000+09:002014-12-19T11:08:29.389+09:00White FlowerIts interesting what happens sometimes when you slam a photo with the editor. This little flower, busy opening into full bloom, was nothing special. fter messing about just to see what would happen, this displayed on my screen.<br />
<br />
<center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/purple_monkey_feet/14914399195" title="It's interesting what you get when you completely overdo the editing. by Otto Silver, on Flickr"><img alt="It's interesting what you get when you completely overdo the editing." height="600" src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5586/14914399195_38a7ee43df_z.jpg" width="600" /></a></center><div><i>Image taken with a <a href="http://www.samsung.com/global/microsite/galaxys4/">Samsung Galaxy S4</a>, edited with <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.niksoftware.snapseed&hl=en">Snapseed</a>.</i></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02061549423518782179noreply@blogger.com0Gunpo-si, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea37.3616703 126.9351741000000437.2606778 126.77381260000004 37.4626628 127.09653560000004tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7802296951081718423.post-41197347621483436842014-12-15T12:45:00.000+09:002014-12-19T11:08:50.278+09:00Hand in HandDuring summer I walked to school quite often. I did so usually when it was raining because that meant I had a very good excuse to walk barefoot.<br />
<br />
As I near school I often see mothers with very young children. The area is newly built and mostly populated by younger people getting to the stage where they purchase their first apartments and start having children. Many of the mothers do not work and have the luxury of taking their babies to school every day.<br />
<br />
When I took this I was walking behind a family and found the scene of the older sister taking care of her little brother heart warming.<br />
<br />
<center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/purple_monkey_feet/15297113429" title="upload by Otto Silver, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5609/15297113429_992ee99993_z.jpg" width="600" height="600" alt="upload"></a></center><div style="text-align: center; font-size: x-small;"><i>Image taken with a <a href="http://www.samsung.com/global/microsite/galaxys4/">Samsung Galaxy S4</a>, edited with <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.niksoftware.snapseed&hl=en">Snapseed</a>.</i></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02061549423518782179noreply@blogger.com0Gunpo-si, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea37.3616703 126.9351741000000437.2606778 126.77381260000004 37.4626628 127.09653560000004tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7802296951081718423.post-61553215989275991982014-12-12T12:00:00.000+09:002014-12-12T12:00:02.744+09:00Yongin LineA new "subway" line opened this year that runs through Yongin and connects Everland with the subway system.<br />
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The line runs on elevated rail and is completely automated. Two cars arrive every few minutes to take you on a journey along the edge of a city many people know very little about. Because there are no drivers the have the front and back ends available for windows, so if you are quick you will have a prime photo real estate at either end.<br />
<br />
I went there just as summer was winding down. It might have been nice to see in autumn, but I had other things I wanted to do and missed the window of opportunity.<br />
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<center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/purple_monkey_feet/15194612815" title="upload by Otto Silver, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3906/15194612815_2abd1de723_z.jpg" width="600" height="600" alt="upload"></a></center><div style="text-align: center; font-size: x-small;"><i>Image taken with a <a href="http://www.samsung.com/global/microsite/galaxys4/">Samsung Galaxy S4</a>, edited with <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.niksoftware.snapseed&hl=en">Snapseed</a>.</i></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02061549423518782179noreply@blogger.com0Yongin-si, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea37.2410864 127.1775536999999836.8365044 126.53210669999997 37.6456684 127.82300069999998tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7802296951081718423.post-30419188484897650782014-12-10T12:00:00.000+09:002014-12-19T11:09:18.121+09:00Pulling and GruntingOne of the activities in the music textbook is tap dancing. To make tap dancing shoes students were asked to tape bottle tops to the bottom of their shoes. They all brought their own caps, but some did not have tape to fasten the tops to their shoes.<br />
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The teacher provided the students without tape with the green duct tape stuff we have here. The stuff sticks like crazy and is strong as anything. I was not there to see how it worked out, but I’m sure it worked like a charm.<br />
<br />
In fact, it seemed to have worked so well that when I came into the classroom before the English lesson, there were still students nearly pulling their own feet off to try and remove the tape from their shoes. It was rather amusing seeing a student on one leg, the other sole up, pulling and grunting at their own shoes.<br />
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<center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/purple_monkey_feet/15987614785" title="Pulling and Grunting by Otto Silver, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8578/15987614785_9154abeea3_z.jpg" width="600" height="400" alt="Pulling and Grunting"></a></center><div style="text-align: center; font-size: x-small;"><i>Image taken with a <a href="http://www.samsung.com/global/microsite/galaxys4/">Samsung Galaxy S4</a>, edited with <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.niksoftware.snapseed&hl=en">Snapseed</a>.</i></div><br />
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02061549423518782179noreply@blogger.com0Gunpo-si, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea37.3616703 126.9351741000000437.2606778 126.77381260000004 37.4626628 127.09653560000004tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7802296951081718423.post-62768033610415656532014-11-12T10:21:00.000+09:002014-12-10T12:52:12.305+09:00Rubber DuckyThe <a href="Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rubber_Duck_(sculpture)">Rubber Duck</a> has been making it's way around the world and recently found itsles in <a href="The Korean site: http://rubberduckproject.kr/">Seoul</a>.<br />
<br />
The project was conceived by Dutch artist Florentijn Hofman. Each country or city that chooses to display a Rubber Duck builds one from scratch and they therefore vary in size. The largest one so far measured 26 × 20 × 32 metres and weighed in at 600kg. Seoul's duck measured in at 16.5 × 19.8 × 16.5 metres. I'm not sure if it weighs the same <a href="http://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/news/article/article.aspx?aid=2996049">when it was seriously ill</a>.<br />
<br />
From what I can tell the duck was built by Lotte in order to promote their newly opened World Mall. Clues were:<br />
<list><br />
<li>The duck is in the lake that already holds Lotte World, the Lotte owned theme park.<br />
<li>It is on the side of the lake right next to the entrance to the mall.<br />
<li>The pop-up store hosing the associated display was inside the mall itself.</list><br />
<br />
<center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/purple_monkey_feet/15579121725" title="20141019_092459_1 by Otto Silver, on Flickr"><img alt="View in Flickr" height="318" src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3939/15579121725_08aee8aeb5_z.jpg" width="600" /></a></center><div style="text-align: center; font-size: x-small;"><i>Image taken with a <a href="http://www.samsung.com/global/microsite/galaxys4/">Samsung Galaxy S4</a>, edited with <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.niksoftware.snapseed&hl=en">Snapseed</a>.</i></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02061549423518782179noreply@blogger.com0Seoul, South Korea37.566535 126.9779691999999637.1637645 126.33252219999996 37.969305500000004 127.62341619999997tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7802296951081718423.post-10464287521563486612014-08-25T13:00:00.000+09:002014-08-25T13:02:38.786+09:00The DWIT Score<br />
<div style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9-VnAE_-Sms/U_qIky1VYyI/AAAAAAAAEYw/8DpTeLl3r8k/s320/Black%2BDog.jpg" /></div>On a Sunday morning at 3:30 am I found myself slowly walking the empty streets of Seoul. I was on my way to Sadang hoping to find a 24 hours restaurant there where I could get food and wait for he first trains to start running. How I came to be there at that time is not really important. It's a silly story that doesn't really have anything to do with anything.<br />
<br />
Being 3:30 am it goes without saying that I was tired. When I'm tired I often feel depressed. More specifically, when I'm already in a depressed state my down moods get magnified. Annoyingly, depression makes it difficult to sleep, creating an evil loop that's not easy to get out of.<br />
<br />
In this tired and depressed state I often have dirty "What if..." thoughts. "What if I walked in front of a car now? Who would care, if any? Would it be selfish? Would it fix anything? What would it say about me? Maybe now is not the best time because I have to figure out how to make my death be not completely useless for others. My money and scant possessions will have to go to people. What if..."<br />
<br />
I don't like these thought. What's to like about them? They don't make me feel better about myself. They do, however, help me make up reasons why I should go on, and think of things to make myself useful/valuable. Many of the things I do, many of my drives, especially when I'm depressed, come from a desire to be better than I am, a desire to not be useless.<br />
<br />
While walking I was thinking about ways to measure myself. How will I know when I'm fit enough? And will fit enough be enough to be a better me, to be useful if the shit ever hits the fan and I need to help someone? How will I measure my life progress? What other things can I measure? Will having concrete measurements help me stave off depression? Can I measure these dirty thought I have when I get depressed?<br />
<br />
These Dirty "What if..." Thoughts (DWIT), and in particular a way to measure them, came to occupy my mind. How would I go about doing this?<br />
<br />
Would it be useful to count every single time I had a suicidal thought? Should it be every single thought, or could I count a sequence withing a short period of time as one instance? Both of these seem like it would take more time than it would be worth.<br />
<br />
How about just counting the days that I have these thought? That would be easy enough, and more useful, I think? A mood generally lasts a full day. When the mood lifting event happens during the day then it mostly just helps me to get some sound sleep, which makes me feel much better when morning comes.<br />
<br />
But how will this scale work. The count could go up to pretty much any number. What would be the point? Would there be any use of knowing that my DWIT score was 40 versus 8? 8 seems plenty high to inform me that things are not going well? What if I suddenly have a single good day. I would go from a high, bad, score to a low score instantly making it seem like everything is suddenly fine. No, that would not work.<br />
<br />
How about counting days without dirty thoughts, but only for a 7 day rolling period? That would mean a high score, 7, would be good, and a low score bad. It would also allow for useful in between scores. 0 would be a real WTF score. 1 would not be much better, but it would allow me to say "See, you had a decent day there. Things are not that bad, are they?" A score of 6, on the other hand, is really good, but it still immediately says "Hey, buddy! Be careful. Relax. Take a deep breath and concentrate on important things in life." Being a rolling score this 6 would then be around for a week to remind me to stay focused.<br />
<br />
But what do I do with this score? Do I post it on Facebook? What would be the point of that? "DWIQ score for today: 5. Please pity me."<br />
<br />
Can I use this to create an achievement hunting game? "Achievement Forty Seven! 40 days of 7. Here, have a Bingsu!"<br />
<br />
Can I make pretty charts with it? That will keep my mind occupied and away from the dirty thoughts?<br />
<br />
Do I paste it up against my wall? I mean, I already know how I feel, right, but seeing a 6 for a week might help me focus. And seeing the fluctuations for everything other than 6 and 7 might cheer me up, or slap me awake. <br />
<br />
I just don't know. <br />
<br />
<center><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/vBjl7yqLWOw" width="480"></iframe></center>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02061549423518782179noreply@blogger.com0Gunpo-si, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea37.3616703 126.9351741000000437.2606778 126.77381260000004 37.4626628 127.09653560000004tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7802296951081718423.post-13805769767867040172014-07-10T13:00:00.000+09:002014-07-10T13:00:07.632+09:00Old Men, Much FunWe were doing a city tour of Incheon, not recommended, and we saw a game going on at the small pitch next to the Emigration Museum.<br />
<br />
Sport might not be very organised at school level, but after people leave school, there is nothing to stop them organising it for themselves. And organise the do, until the die of old age.<br />
<br />
The old ballie in the back must be 98 years old, or maybe 60, but that is not stopping him and what looks like other retired men from entering a tournament.<br />
<br />
Maybe they don't fly in for tackles, but they sure take it seriously, while not forgetting that it is still supposed to be fun.<br />
<br />
<center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/purple_monkey_feet/14463252893" title="Social Football by Otto Silver, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5033/14463252893_cc5cd703dc_z.jpg" width="600" height="428" alt="Social Football"></a></center><div style="text-align: center; font-size: x-small;"><i>Image taken with a <a href="http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/canon-eos-650d-rebel-t4i">Canon 650D</a> fitted with a <a href="http://www.dpreview.com/lensreviews/sigma-18-250mm-3p5-6p3-os-hsm-macro">Sigma 18-250mm</a> lens, edited in <a href="http://www.adobe.com/products/photoshop-lightroom.html">Adobe Lightroom</a>.</i></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02061549423518782179noreply@blogger.com0Incheon, South Korea37.4562557 126.7052062000000235.8437567 124.12341920000001 39.0687547 129.2869932tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7802296951081718423.post-40046718988542558682014-07-09T13:00:00.000+09:002014-07-10T08:49:49.516+09:00Markings on the PathI have no idea what this is supposed to be, it was there and looked interesting.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/purple_monkey_feet/14537732404" title="20140628_120519_1 by Otto Silver, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5485/14537732404_913e4f4375_z.jpg" width="600" height="400" alt="20140628_120519_1"></a><br />
<div style="text-align: center; font-size: x-small;"><i>Image taken with a <a href="http://www.samsung.com/global/microsite/galaxys4/">Samsung Galaxy S4</a>, edited with <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.niksoftware.snapseed&hl=en">Snapseed</a>.</i></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02061549423518782179noreply@blogger.com0Seoul, South Korea37.566535 126.9779691999999637.1637645 126.33252219999996 37.969305500000004 127.62341619999997tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7802296951081718423.post-18566836824815232242014-07-08T13:00:00.000+09:002014-07-08T13:00:02.328+09:00Fishing the HanOver weekends, and possibly during the week, you will see scenes similar to this one dotting the Han River.<br />
<br />
The long walk from Donjak Station to Yeouinara will lead you along the Han. As you walk you will be passed by groups of cyclists. Some speed by on snazzy road bikes. Some are just out for a ride on their own bikes in normal clothes. Even the lost soul on a rented jalopy may pass you.<br />
<br />
Just off the bike road you will see encounter men, usually sitting alone and well away from any other human. They all have about four fishing lines cast into the river connected to fishing poles, leaning on special stands. Most of the men are just sitting there, doing nothing. They don't read. They don't listen to the radio. They don't play on their phones. They just sit and wait.<br />
<br />
I can't help but think that doing this, once you get past all the thought that will inevitably run through their minds and when that chaos settles down, then this will be a great form of meditation. I'd really like to try it some time.<br />
<br />
<center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/purple_monkey_feet/14352619259" title="20140628_114837_1 by Otto Silver, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5499/14352619259_f1bfb34cf7_z.jpg" width="600" height="317" alt="20140628_114837_1"></a></center><div style="text-align: center; font-size: x-small;"><i>Image taken with a <a href="http://www.samsung.com/global/microsite/galaxys4/">Samsung Galaxy S4</a>, edited with <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.niksoftware.snapseed&hl=en">Snapseed</a>.</i></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02061549423518782179noreply@blogger.com0Seoul, South Korea37.566535 126.9779691999999637.1637645 126.33252219999996 37.969305500000004 127.62341619999997tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7802296951081718423.post-1823060842896849502014-07-07T13:00:00.000+09:002014-07-07T11:14:59.427+09:00Better Days of FishingKorea is one of the world's major fishing countries, but I suspect that is not due to boats like this.<br />
<br />
This small fishing boat at Eulwangni Beach near Incheon has seen better days. I'm no expert on what vessels should look like, but somehow I feel that the rust there is not a good thing and not a sight of a prosperous fisherman.<br />
<br />
I've never lived near the sea and have very little knowledge of the life of small scale fishing men and women. I have, however, always thought that it's not an easy life. From my sporadic encounters it looks like these men and women are forever living on the edge where failure means going to bed hungry and exhausted.<br />
<br />
The life of those who must provide food for themselves and others can be hard. We in the cities really don’t appreciate them or their hard work.<br />
<br />
<br />
<center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/purple_monkey_feet/14256485048" title="Eurwangni Beach by Otto Silver, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2897/14256485048_c015f822a1_z.jpg" width="600" height="428" alt="Eurwangni Beach"></a></center><div style="text-align: center; font-size: x-small;"><i>Image taken with a <a href="http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/canon-eos-650d-rebel-t4i">Canon 650D</a> fitted with a <a href="http://www.dpreview.com/lensreviews/sigma-18-250mm-3p5-6p3-os-hsm-macro">Sigma 18-250mm</a> lens, edited in <a href="http://www.adobe.com/products/photoshop-lightroom.html">Adobe Lightroom</a>.</i></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02061549423518782179noreply@blogger.com0Incheon, South Korea37.4562557 126.7052062000000235.8437567 124.12341920000001 39.0687547 129.2869932tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7802296951081718423.post-10526452000192857162014-07-04T11:00:00.000+09:002014-07-04T11:00:00.179+09:00Basement PriceAmazingly people are still trying to sell these shirts.<br />
<br />
These were the cheap shirts sold to the general public for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. At the time they were about W30,000. As the months passed people still tried to sell them, most notably in areas where tourists hang out.<br />
<br />
Four years later and despite a new shirt for the 2014 World Cup, they are still trying to sell these. Best of all, this photo was taken AFTER Korea was knocked out of the 2014 tournament.<br />
<br />
Does anyone at all buy these anymore, even at that price?<br />
<br />
<center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/purple_monkey_feet/14537728694" title="20140627_220152_1 by Otto Silver, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3903/14537728694_13625bde0a_z.jpg" width="600" height="600" alt="Still selling these, huh?"></a></center><div style="text-align: center; font-size: x-small;"><i>Image taken with a <a href="http://www.samsung.com/global/microsite/galaxys4/">Samsung Galaxy S4</a>, edited with <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.niksoftware.snapseed&hl=en">Snapseed</a>.</i></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02061549423518782179noreply@blogger.com0Gunpo-si, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea37.3616703 126.9351741000000437.2606778 126.77381260000004 37.4626628 127.09653560000004tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7802296951081718423.post-85553350410051607292014-07-03T13:00:00.000+09:002014-07-03T13:00:04.502+09:00Gwanghwamunian SummersThe new revamped version of Gwanghwamun features a water fountain much larger than the one at City Hall.<br />
<br />
On warm days you will find fully clothed children, soaked to the bone within the fountain. Some scream. Some run. Others stand. A few stand and watch with caution, trying to decide if they should venture into the wet unknown before them.<br />
<br />
And with the children come parents who are divided between those who are doing their best to get no less than 79 out of focus photos, and those who watch with eagle eyes just in case someone slips and hits their little golden lamb.<br />
<br />
You can always count on it that there will be some people in Seoul willing to use every opportunity they can to enjoy the what the city has to offer, even if it is not the same way as the person right next to them.<br />
<br />
<center><iframe src="https://www.flickr.com/photos/purple_monkey_feet/14483386554/player/" width="533" height="800" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen webkitallowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen oallowfullscreen msallowfullscreen></iframe></center><div style="text-align: center; font-size: x-small;"><i>Image taken with a <a href="http://www.samsung.com/global/microsite/galaxys4/">Samsung Galaxy S4</a>, edited with <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.niksoftware.snapseed&hl=en">Snapseed</a>.</i></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02061549423518782179noreply@blogger.com0Gwanghwamun, Doryeom-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul, South Korea37.571619 126.9764360000000412.190526499999997 85.667842000000036 62.9527115 168.28503000000003tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7802296951081718423.post-70306823045230063312014-07-02T13:00:00.000+09:002014-07-02T13:00:03.412+09:00An Opinion SharedThere wasn’t much going on in the City Hall to Gwanghwamun area when I went past there last weekend.<br />
<br />
There was just the usual mix of Falun Gong promoters, or activists, I’m not sure which and odd meeting for who knows what. The only notable visuals were the yellow ribbons at City Hall that are still up, months after the Sowal ferry accident and the children playing in the water at Gwanghwamun.<br />
<br />
But then there was a lone little lorry with this large poster on it’s back doors. There was not one nearby saying or doing anything anything. From the look of things it was a park and leave job. <br />
<br />
Whatever it was supposed to be, it was funny and well worth the photo.<br />
<br />
<center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/purple_monkey_feet/14297987790" title="20140621_142418_1 by Otto Silver, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5587/14297987790_7a06ebaa93_z.jpg" width="533" height="640" alt="20140621_142418_1"></a></center><div style="text-align: center; font-size: x-small;"><i>Image taken with a <a href="http://www.samsung.com/global/microsite/galaxys4/">Samsung Galaxy S4</a>, edited with <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.niksoftware.snapseed&hl=en">Snapseed</a>.</i></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02061549423518782179noreply@blogger.com0Seoul, South Korea37.566535 126.9779691999999637.1637645 126.33252219999996 37.969305500000004 127.62341619999997tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7802296951081718423.post-33991300187528952492014-07-01T13:00:00.000+09:002014-07-01T13:00:07.105+09:00Chit-chatTaking the motorcycle to Big Bird took me through parts of Suwon that I’ve never seem. Granted, I don’t know much about Suwon anyway.<br />
<br />
The route marked out on the map at one point took me to through the semi back streets. This is rarely a problem for me, because side and back streets tend to be much more interesting anyway.<br />
<br />
On one of the intersections someone had painted a few murals/graffiti pieces. The others seemed to be more what we would generally call artistic, but this one was a bit, well, whatever it was.<br />
<br />
There were other things I saw that I would like to go back and photograph, but for now this will be all.<br />
<br />
<iframe src="https://www.flickr.com/photos/purple_monkey_feet/14297992279/in/photostream/player/" width="600" height="400" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen webkitallowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen oallowfullscreen msallowfullscreen></iframe><br />
<div style="text-align: center; font-size: x-small;"><i>Image taken with a <a href="http://www.samsung.com/global/microsite/galaxys4/">Samsung Galaxy S4</a>, edited with <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.niksoftware.snapseed&hl=en">Snapseed</a>.</i></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02061549423518782179noreply@blogger.com0Suwon-si, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea37.2635727 127.0286009000000137.0614457 126.70587740000002 37.465699699999995 127.35132440000001tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7802296951081718423.post-80366623289075891372014-06-30T13:00:00.000+09:002014-06-30T13:00:01.633+09:00Unwitnessed DedicationI’ve mentioned before that Korean football is not well attended. There is another example.<br />
<br />
Suwon City is currently playing in the Seoul World cup stadium while their own older stadium is being renovated. Also known as Big Bird, it is the home off the much larger Suwon Samsung Bluewings. being an FC Seoul supporter I know this stadium mostly through my my visits on derby days when 20,000 people is considered low.<br />
<br />
But when you visit to watch a second tier match you can't expect to get those numbers. I’d say 2,000 spectators would be a good day for Suwon City. It doesn't matter though. Players are used to this and still try their hardest, like a good sportsman should, to beat the team that are in front of them.<br />
<br />
I hope to see them at their own stadium some day, because it is just not the same here when the Chickenwings aren't hosting FC Seoul.<br />
<br />
<center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/purple_monkey_feet/14298037568" title="20140622_200302_1 by Otto Silver, on Flickr"><img alt="20140622_200302_1" height="401" src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3861/14298037568_52efd8aa4f_z.jpg" width="600" /></a></center><div style="text-align: center; font-size: x-small;"><i>Image taken with a <a href="http://www.samsung.com/global/microsite/galaxys4/">Samsung Galaxy S4</a>, edited with <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.niksoftware.snapseed&hl=en">Snapseed</a>.</i></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02061549423518782179noreply@blogger.com0Suwon World Cup Stadium, 228 Uman-dong, Paldal-gu, Suwon-si, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea37.2865123 127.0368800999999611.905419799999997 85.728286099999963 62.6676048 168.34547409999996tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7802296951081718423.post-65851291568735648402014-06-27T13:00:00.000+09:002014-06-27T13:00:07.250+09:00Where Humens Do Their ThingsSome Friday Afternoon Konglish for you.<br />
<br />
In this case not really Konglish, just bad spelling, on a poster, in an area where most people who visit Seoul will walk at some point.<br />
<br />
This was the poster for the exhibit at the Sejeong Art Center in Gwanghwamun. The Korean 사람 means Person or Human, so I'm quite confident that is what they were going for. Amazing how one letter can make a word look so odd. <br />
<br />
No, if only I could get my own spelling to function properly. <br />
<br />
<iframe src="https://www.flickr.com/photos/purple_monkey_feet/14298186497/in/photostream/player/" width="600" height="400" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen webkitallowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen oallowfullscreen msallowfullscreen></iframe>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02061549423518782179noreply@blogger.com0Gwanghwamun, Doryeom-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul, South Korea37.571619 126.9764360000000412.190526499999997 85.667842000000036 62.9527115 168.28503000000003tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7802296951081718423.post-49738016304629881202014-06-26T13:00:00.000+09:002014-06-26T13:00:02.689+09:00Baby steps to courtesyIt doesn't always work, but they try.<br />
<br />
This was a sign on the floor at a subway station in Seoul. It was pointing at a narrow escalator, and a similar sigh with a fit man was pointing to the wide stairs. I'm guessing they're trying to say that preference to use the escalator should be given to frail folk.<br />
<br />
I've no idea if this works though. Most people in Seoul, indeed in Korea, are very much in their own bubbles where nothing exist that they don't want to pay immediate attention to. They will not notice you right next to them until they literally trip over our feet and they will certainly not notice a sign like this that is not physically shoved in their faces.<br />
<br />
I've noticed that the subways are trying to teach people general courtesy though, so maybe this will eventually become common sense.<br />
<br />
<iframe src="https://www.flickr.com/photos/purple_monkey_feet/14298187587/in/photostream/player/" width="600" height="600" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen webkitallowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen oallowfullscreen msallowfullscreen></iframe>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02061549423518782179noreply@blogger.com0Seoul, South Korea37.566535 126.9779691999999637.1637645 126.33252219999996 37.969305500000004 127.62341619999997tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7802296951081718423.post-57978692671665165662014-06-25T13:00:00.000+09:002014-06-25T13:00:07.636+09:00Even when you get of the trainCreative reuse of materials can be a beautiful thing.<br />
<br />
Fine, maybe beautiful is a bit of a stretch, but this is still very cool. What we have here is something they did in the now renovated City Hall Station in Seoul, which, I must say, is much better to walk in than used to be.<br />
<br />
I didn't see it at first, but then my friend pointed it out to me. The seat in the image is in the waiting area outside the public toilets. It's an old subway car seat. Nice, huh? They didn't recycle it in the break-it-down-and-make-something-new way, but basically kept it as is and just reused it.<br />
<br />
It's nice when small things like this can bring pleasure or interest.<br />
<br />
<iframe src="https://www.flickr.com/photos/purple_monkey_feet/14481238261/in/photostream/player/" width="600" height="400" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen webkitallowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen oallowfullscreen msallowfullscreen></iframe>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02061549423518782179noreply@blogger.com0City Hall, Sogong-dong, Jung-gu, Seoul, South Korea37.563537 126.9752690000000312.182444499999995 85.666675000000026 62.9446295 168.28386300000003tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7802296951081718423.post-20196963476128844452014-06-24T13:00:00.000+09:002014-06-24T13:00:04.302+09:00Out of place relaxationSometimes when you mix every day things in Korea you get odd sights.<br />
<br />
This little bar/coffee shop is not exactly usual for Korea, but its shiny new look would fit right into many parts of Seoul, like Myeongdon, Gangnam, or most of the university areas. What makes it stand out here is that it is inside Namdaemun market.<br />
<br />
Namdaemun Market, like most markets in Korea, does not strive to be pretty. It strives to be efficient at making money, cheaply and with hard work. It's filled with locals looking for something specific, tourist who get in the way as they stand, and stare and vendors watching people walk by, hoping for some patronage. It is not exactly a place where you expect to see something that looks like it belongs on a beach in, I don't know, Spain.<br />
<br />
This idea is actually very interesting and space efficient. It would be interesting to see if it takes of.<br />
<br />
<iframe src="https://www.flickr.com/photos/purple_monkey_feet/14461515396/player/" width="600" height="400" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen webkitallowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen oallowfullscreen msallowfullscreen></iframe>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02061549423518782179noreply@blogger.com0Seoul, South Korea37.566535 126.9779691999999637.1637645 126.33252219999996 37.969305500000004 127.62341619999997tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7802296951081718423.post-42858769686340919752014-06-23T11:55:00.000+09:002014-06-23T11:55:00.791+09:00The Sequence of EventsToday's post will have more than just one photo. More than two, even. Today's post has a series of photos that are not easy to separate.<br />
<br />
Last weekend I went to Hwaseong City to watch Hwaseong FC play Seoul United. It was a very one sided game and the goal in this sequence, just 4 minutes in, was a sign of things to come. <br />
<br />
<blockquote>With the initial back and forth that you find in almost all games, the ball eventually made its way towards the general are of the Seoul United goal.</blockquote><iframe src="https://www.flickr.com/photos/purple_monkey_feet/14442522844/player/" width="600" height="429" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen webkitallowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen oallowfullscreen msallowfullscreen></iframe><br><br />
<br />
<blockquote>The Seoul player either missed the ball, or decided to let it bounce before playing it. Either way, the ball passed him to start off a sequence of small events that would end in a goal for Hwaseong.</blockquote><iframe src="https://www.flickr.com/photos/purple_monkey_feet/14257191937/player/" width="600" height="429" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen webkitallowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen oallowfullscreen msallowfullscreen></iframe><br><br />
<br />
<blockquote>Seeing the ball pass his last defender, the Seoul keeper decided to come forward to collect the ball. Whether or not that was the correct decision is for you to decide.</blockquote><iframe src="https://www.flickr.com/photos/purple_monkey_feet/14440283011/player/" width="600" height="429" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen webkitallowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen oallowfullscreen msallowfullscreen></iframe><br><br />
<br />
<blockquote>Unfortunately for everyone Seoul Side, the Hwaseong player read the situation quicker than either the defender or keeper did and was fast on the reaction trigger.</blockquote><iframe src="https://www.flickr.com/photos/purple_monkey_feet/14257193097/player/" width="600" height="429" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen webkitallowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen oallowfullscreen msallowfullscreen></iframe><br><br />
<br />
<blockquote>He was around his defender before said defender knew what was happening, and put the softest of touches on the ball to knock it out of the path of the onrushing keeper.</blockquote><iframe src="https://www.flickr.com/photos/purple_monkey_feet/14443636645/player/" width="600" height="429" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen webkitallowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen oallowfullscreen msallowfullscreen></iframe><br><br />
<br />
<blockquote>All that was left to do was to keep his cool and send the ball rolling towards the wide open goal.</blockquote><iframe src="https://www.flickr.com/photos/purple_monkey_feet/14256992249/player/" width="600" height="429" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen webkitallowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen oallowfullscreen msallowfullscreen></iframe><br><br />
<br />
<blockquote>And roll it did. Slowly, but surely.</blockquote><iframe src="https://www.flickr.com/photos/purple_monkey_feet/14420504876/player/" width="600" height="429" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen webkitallowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen oallowfullscreen msallowfullscreen></iframe><br><br />
<br />
<blockquote>Rolling, with not a single player around to change the outcome.</blockquote><iframe src="https://www.flickr.com/photos/purple_monkey_feet/14443634425/player/" width="600" height="429" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen webkitallowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen oallowfullscreen msallowfullscreen></iframe><br><br />
<br />
<blockquote>Rolling, over the line.</blockquote><iframe src="https://www.flickr.com/photos/purple_monkey_feet/14257018610/player/" width="600" height="429" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen webkitallowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen oallowfullscreen msallowfullscreen></iframe><br><br />
<br />
<blockquote>Rolling, all the way into the back of the net to score the first goal of the match. The first of seven, in fact, six of which would go in for Hawseong.</blockquote><iframe src="https://www.flickr.com/photos/purple_monkey_feet/14442285242/player/" width="600" height="429" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen webkitallowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen oallowfullscreen msallowfullscreen></iframe>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02061549423518782179noreply@blogger.com0Hwaseong-si, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea37.1994932 126.8311886999999836.7945142 126.18574169999998 37.6044722 127.47663569999999