Seoul is one of those cities that keeps going in every direction to the horizon. Those mountains in the distance are really really far away, and it’s non-stop activity between here and there. I’ve always wanted to try taking the subway to the end, but never quite had the opportunity to do so. But, while there, I did get to know the subway system pretty well.

I was amazed at how the girls on the subways would take non-stop photos of themselves with their mobile phones. They would look at themselves, make a few adjustments, show their friends, then do it again and again. You don’t see that here in the states… (yet!)

I believe (the smart readers here will correct me if I’m wrong) that this is facing north. Seoul is right on the border of North Korea, so it’s just a short distance to the edge. In fact, it’s so short that they occasionally find tunnels that come up near the outskirts of Seoul as people are digging their way out. Crazy.

Filed under the categories: Korea, Seoul, South Korea, Travel

This photo is a little deceptive in that it shows less than one quarter of the city. I took it from about the center of the city in the World Trade building and just went towards the pie-piece of the city that had the sunset.

Filed under the categories: Seoul, South Korea, Travel

This shot was taken close to sunset, and everything was perfect to grab some sharp colors along with the brake lights of long exposures.

Filed under the categories: Musings, Seoul, South Korea, Travel

Over the weekend we hung pictures up at the gallery. Everything looks pretty sharp and those of you are coming to the gallery opening should see something a bit different, perhaps. I don’t know… impossible to be objective, but I do know it is different than what is usually shown there at Halcyon.

I’ll be showing about 45 pieces. Here is a sampling of the ones at the show. You will notice the first three are exceptionally pointy.
Dark Storm over Vancouver:

Intricate:

Spires of God:

Farewell Holland:

Fourth on Lake Austin:

This is Nathaniel:

Rush Hour in Seoul:

One Night in Bangkok:

Filed under the categories: Austin, Bangkok, British Columbia, Canada, Italy, Milan, Musings, Seoul, South Korea, Texas, Thailand, Travel, Vancouver

Here is Seoul at sunset – check out the U-Turn trails on the large version.

Filed under the categories: Musings, Seoul, South Korea, Travel

Here is an HDR shot of the COEX area of Seoul taken around dusk.

Filed under the categories: Musings, Seoul, South Korea, Travel

Here is an interesting atrium of an office building in Seoul.

Filed under the categories: Musings, Seoul, South Korea, Travel

Seoul’s traffic is just about as bad as all major Asian cities, but when looked at from this vantage, it looks almost poetic.

Filed under the categories: Korea, Musings, Seoul, South Korea, Travel

I am leaving Seoul after a busy week here. I stopped at the top of the World Trade Tower after work yesterday to grab this HDR shot, which turned out pretty slick and Blade-Runneresque. If you click on it, then All Sizes, you can see it larger, which looks much better.

Filed under the categories: Korea, Musings, Seoul, South Korea, Travel

Seoul was rather cold, but clear yesterday, so after lunch I stopped at the World Trade Tower to take this shot:

Filed under the categories: Korea, Seoul, South Korea, Travel

I just uploaded all my pics to Flickr and here are a few cute shots I grabbed while in Korea last week.

Filed under the categories: Seoul, South Korea, Travel

Look at the name of the pastry on the right… You’ll probably have to zoom.

Filed under the categories: Seoul, South Korea, Travel

I grabbed this interesting shot of a Korean pharmacy. I really like how everyone is standing in attention, ready to help the customer. You don’t see that in the US.

Filed under the categories: Seoul, South Korea, Travel

Yesterday, while rooting around Gustaf’s apartment to find some razors or Lysol for the bed, we came across his book collection. Below, you can see what Will found… curious.

Filed under the categories: Seoul, South Korea, Travel

Myeongdong is one of about a dozen shopping areas of Seoul that are constantly packed with people, day or night. South Koreans seem to have an insatiable desire for shopping for clothes. North Koreans seem to have an insatiable desire for shopping for fissile material. This is a key difference I have noted.

Here is a picture of a three-story Dunkin’ Donuts.

And here is a typical department store in Seoul – this one is the Lotte Department Store. There must be (seriously) over 200 this size throughout Seoul.

Filed under the categories: Seoul, South Korea, Travel

Chris recommended we get some dimsum at a very famous place called Din Tai Fung. It was pretty good and had a good variety of dumplings, but they were out of crab, redbean, AND sesame. How is that possible? I thought those three things just naturally replicated themselves throughout Asia like Moses’ bread.

After we were done, we saw Sweet Buns, and knew it was made for us.

Filed under the categories: Seoul, South Korea, Travel