Paula says 'if you can't beat 'em, join 'em'

OK I can't stand it anymore, my turn to go blogging!

It has been so interesting this past few days to see the city transform from week day to week-end! I was so glad (in some ways) that we saw the fabric market and fashion department store on a Saturday - to say it was crowded is the understatement of the year! It was wonderful though to see everyday folk doing their regular Saturday thing! We saw several brides with their grooms and moms picking out their wedding hanboks, and lots of girlfriends out for a day of shopping. Perhaps it was a good thing that the crowds of people prevented us from stopping in one place too long! (VISA says thank you!)

Today my favourite market was a bit sleepy and the streets were a little quieter too. I think this is because we're in the downtown area and everyone is at home. I think the restaurants and coffee places will get busier later on once the Saturday chores are done. What was really interesting today was that the street food vendors were all set up very early in the day. There are several at the corner and I think the ladies are starting to recognize me. I was pretty sure a couple of them were selling squid, but I was very happy to find one vendor today with signs in English - I would have eventually guessed that the big flat piece was a squid and octopus sandwich! Yesterday we found a hot-dog on a stick wrapped in French fries which R says is delicious, and big ribbons of fish on skewers. Fruit is very expensive here. I saw a small bag of oranges for $5 and a box of strawberries for $4.

I had a fabulous day at the market people watching and just getting lost in the neighbourhood. Our hotel is on the Cheonggyecheon Stream.. Originally a natural stream that was covered in asphalt in 1958 to make a road, and then uncovered again in 2003 and made into a beautiful pedestrian walkway. There are 22 bridges over the stream and lots of kids out playing in the water today!

Only down side to our trip is that Martha has become absolutely addicted to at least three different Korean soap operas .. It is getting increasingly more difficult to convince her to turn off the TV!!