19 April 2023
The return of my beloved stream
Myeongdong and Cheonggyecheon stream
If you have suffered through my previous visits to this side of Seoul, then you have suffered through the photos of the stream. Apparently it is called Cheonggyecheon, which really rolls off the tongue. I am sure I will go back another night to see it in its full glory after dark, but tonight was a preview at dusk.
As for Myeongdong, which is the main tourist shopping area, it has now very much returned to it's pre covid levels of business. Perhaps even more so. When I first came back here after covid lockdowns in the first half of 2022, it was a real ghost town, with most of the stores being empty. Now they are all full, and there are more street stalls than ever. So that was annoying, I preferred it when it all existed just for me rather than for everyone else.
First of 3 photos of busy. Most of these places are not really properly open yet, the street stalls really only get going once it gets dark.
You can see a lot more western looking tourists than I can recall seeing in the past.
Even the narrower side streets have returned to their former glory.
New ridiculous shops have sprung up everywhere, such as the (reads sign...) wiggle wiggle.zip flagship store. I have no idea what goes on inside.
Daiso is not just an underground store wherever the real estate is cheapest in Korea, it is a (counts...) 11 level junk store. Apparently it was recently sold by its Japanese owner to a new Korean owner in Korea only, as hatred of Japan (comfort girls, Dokdo islands) had halved their sales. Also, first sighting of the tower, there will be more tower on another day too.
The cathedral is still there. It is the landmark to get your bearings in Myeongdong. Also underneath are some good shops and toilets.
After consuming all the free snacks my room came with, I decided it was time for a healthy dinner. Some sort of chicken rice salad poke bowl. Not bad.
Now for the stream. I love this stream.
I will be back for more stream, maybe more than once!
I am sure some people protest the rainbow.
Coming up from the stream and it was time for me and 30 other guys to take a pervy photo of girls doing yoga. Actually a few guys snuck into the yoga lineup too. I plan to start wearing yoga pants exclusively.
And this leads to the main protest street in all of Korea. Generally closed off every single weekend for various protests with at least 100k people. There are many permanent protests for weird reasons set up all the way along, but this is the first time I saw memorial altar for covid vaccine victims. The memorial altar is a tent.
I am back early tonight as I must get up early tomorrow to go a long way to a long hike.