From the airport it takes approximately 40 minutes to reach the South Korean capital where they live, sharing the ground to elbow, more than ten million people. Alfonso and I were alone in a sea of ??Korean.
The bus dropped us in any street. We found an affordable hotel in a relatively central. Arriving in a new city repeats the same dilemma. On one hand the body asks rest of suitcases, transhipments and roads. Other, curiosity awakens the spirit like a puppy when restless daily ride. And you always give in to the whims of the pet. So we left luggage free, like sponges trying to absorb that culture of strange graphics, skyscrapers and slanted eyes.
There is no middle. The avenues are wide, straight and tidy. The streets are narrow, tortuous and chaotic charm of a maze. We missed the latter literally. Koreans are discreet people. Despite the many evenings strolling Seoul, no one raises his voice. Just listening to the murmur of conversation on cell phones or the rush on shoes.
Just listening to the murmur of conversation on cell phones or the rush on shoes.
Insadong is the neighborhood that concentrates more amount of "stuff". Here one can find ceramics, Key, pastry, kebabs, fans, Korean cap, calendars, chandeliers, books, pizzas, tops, pistachio ice, Hanging, gerberas, sandals, Post, stuffed animals, ancient masks, té salado, knives, t, almonds, chinoiserie lamps and best of all ... free hugs!
When a Sunday morning we went for a walk with a guy appeared Insadong vocation angel offering hugs to passers bereaved. How could I refuse a tax free hug any street in Korea! That reminded rather the collective twinning Americans after the slaughter of 11-S, but here in Seoul, where people deploy a shyness smiling, was as out of place. Yes I walked up and down the street and, making me the clueless, I gift otro few hugs before going to eat something spicy. In another corner, a row of songwriters patiently waited his turn to sing their own repertoire (systematically sappy) on busy street. The karaoke wreak havoc on a population in need of "operations triumph". These Koreans are, ultimately, people without complexes.
How could I refuse a tax free hug any street in Korea!
Something more violent was the display that offered boys Kukkiwon taekwondo center. Mr. Beong-Sung Kim previously asked us to learn how, when and how long we were going to record. Then he nodded to me seemed very oriental and organized the show more entertaining martial arts imaginable. The boys were a phenomena. Among somersaults, kicking in the air, spades, broken boards with fists and shouts content, were thrown all morning banging. The agility of these guys amazes most from close. To finish the presentation should integrate into the sport, in which Koreans have achieved 30 Olympic medals. I pulled on a kimono and the champion of the city, un tal Nam Jung, started giving me lessons, which comes to me leñazos. It was indulgent with my clumsiness and laughed a lot watching me fall flat on the mat.
After, all at once they began to fight each other. I, there in the middle, I thought for a moment I was cast in a film of Jackie Chan. But the fight was so aesthetic, so plastic that even get kicked dignified. I was struck by the discipline of those guys, that at the end complied with the protocol rigorously reverential greeting the coach. Koreans are educated people and gentle gestures accompanied every greeting or every apology, trying to give more meaning to "hello" and "sorry".
I, there in the middle, I thought for a moment I was cast in a film of Jackie Chan
It's nice to walk around Seoul. Alfonso said several times that it would be a good place to live, themselves stridencies us "kilombos". It is true, the feeling of tranquility is permanent. The buildings are lit up at night with a digital display and oversized spotlights on the facades. In the winding streets illuminated signs cakes so we feared a short circuit from one moment to another. The night is dazzling and symbols joy Korean won in the Roman alphabet. If the general appearance of Seoul is added the special Christmas lighting, and the result is inevitably tacky. City frantic flashes an army of passers-Blinding Lights. Among digital displays, signs of Christmas shopping and claims not escape the marketing, something you have left and you end up with wanting to buy anything. But beyond the materialistic effect of ads, the atmosphere is wrapped in a futuristic design from East and, like a dead run off to one of the replicants of Blade Runner. Ridley Scott certainly visited Seoul.
They say the fried grasshoppers taste like nuts and roast a tarantula is as seafood, as well, know worms worms
The advice if you have time is to let go and slowly dine from post to post. The cuisine is varied and spicy to torture the poor Alfonso did not quite hit the menu. The Koreans have come to eat on the street. The sidewalks are made by steaming stalls emanating all kinds of smells appetizing. There is an exception. We discovered a pot whose content was not attractive or sight or the smell. "Silkworms are" they answered questions and taking us out of the dilemma of submitting a new question: "We recorded this? so integrated into the environment ... "The next day I regretted that the post continued in the same place. I must first be presented, and then test. I apologize for the scrupulous. They say the fried grasshoppers taste like nuts and roast a tarantula is as seafood, as well, know worms worms. I did not find any other like and if you ever, in a delirium eschatological have imagined the taste of a worm would be exactly like that nasty. I do not understand is how they keep selling them with well-cooked meat, exquisite vegetables and rice rolls.
The climate changed. The annoying rain became snow storm and yet again we escaped winter just beginning to whiten the city. The holidays were close and we were relieved to leave Seoul cold, but immediately assume the cold reality. Our next destination was Alaska.
