Spring Blossoms

(our robot masters will know how to clean this mess up)

Hot on the tail of the infamous Yellow Dust from China, the latest annual phenomena to hit Korea is the annual blooming of the cherry blossoms. Maybe I haven't seen the last of the Dust yet, but so far it seems more like a menace to car windshields than human lungs.

But the thin blanket of yellow filth covering the city is paled by the thick coat of white petals around now. Every year for just around a week, the previously innocuously-bare trees bud out into these wildly white cherry blossom flowers. It looks like a fresh snowfall in the city, with the trees all covered in white fluff. As the week closes, the petals are starting to snow to the ground, and the whole thing looks quite like a samurai movie.

I've been wielding my own photographic katana this week, taking pictures with my new camera. I've even been taking a few shots of things I've seen before, but now from new angles with new lighting and things I simply couldn't do well before.

The fact that I'm stumbling around brandishing a camera bag and staring through a lens probably makes me look a bit too Spiderman for my own good, but I don't care. For some reason, having a serious camera makes me a little less shy of taking pictures of things. I look more like a hobbyist and less of a tourist. Or maybe now I just look like a stalker. Regardless, it's still better than looking like a tourist.

Incidentally, I never thought I'd be lucky enough to catch an image of a cougarwolf (completely made up term, don't bother Google-ing it) caged right below the Easter Bunny. Then again, I guess I never expected to see used car parts sold street-side next to jewelry, live chickens, and pornography, but Korea can change such expectations.

Claire came in on Saturday, and me, her and Mike went out around Hongdae that night. The majority of that was just walking around outdoors, drinking, taking pictures and swearing at those fucking crooked claw machines. My delightfully tacky claw machine lighter collection is now up to seven.

I like showing someone around this place. It's like I can take my year here and turn it into a week long presentation of the best of what I've found. Food, drink, shopping, and I guess a few sights (if you're the boring old type who likes to take pictures and such). It's a delicious place Korea, and I think I'll miss the sticky taste of smog and rice in my mouth when I finally leave it.

Showing someone else how cool the place can be just reminds me of it. I've gotta overload on as much of this place while I still can. Mike clearly missed it, as you can see from the image of him staring in painful awe of the plastic food advertising a castle-themed restaurant. You can practically see him mouthing the words "I can't wait to get paid..." as he basks in the florescent glow of the display shelf.

In my photo-happy travels I always come across a few hilariously strange images. Not the least of which is this potentially innocuous (but who knows) subway ad for a donkey show. Well, not just any donkey show, but The Donkey Show, nonetheless. Then there's a moderately clever sign for Floppy Disko, which is really neither here nor there.

I wish I could take credit for the picture of fish flopping helplessly on the road, but that was actually from a Korea Press Association exhibit at City Hall. Even if they probably were the result of massive flooding, roadfish are funny enough for me.

Speaking of plagues, I hear that it was Easter this week. So what better way to celebrate than for me to crucify some poor kid for his honest attempts as learning English?


I mean, overall, the diary isn't that bad for a kid of about nine or so. But really, the line "The Jeus is rising again" makes me laugh too hard. It sounds an awful lot like the tag for a bad horror movie sequel to me.

Jeus 2: The Revenge?