Seoul After Dark
I spent a great deal of my time in Seoul wandering around after dark. Here are some of the images I captured in that time, invariably a mix of glowing neon lights and empty alleyways.
I spent a great deal of my time in Seoul wandering around after dark. Here are some of the images I captured in that time, invariably a mix of glowing neon lights and empty alleyways.
I enjoyed a sublime stroll through Bukchon Hanok Village one afternoon while visiting Seoul. Hanok is the word used to describe the traditional style of Korean homes visible in many of the photos below. I have also included some shots from Gyeongbokgung and nearby Unhyeongung, a 19th century royal residence.
Last time I wrote about my experiences with the dark side of Seoul. This time I will pick up where I left off to share some my more inspirational experiences in South Korea’s capital, especially within the scenic Bukchon Hanok Village 북촌한옥마을 (Hanja: 北村韓屋마을).
Today the weather changed. Rain has given way to light snow, strong winds, and subarctic temperatures. Gusts of up to 60 km/h have rattled windows and knocked over street furniture. After drying my shoes from the previous night’s misadventures I left my hostel for Insadong, intent on grabbing a hearty breakfast, but as the minutes began to drag I only allowed myself time to grab one of those delicious mung bean pancakes and a coffee. I didn’t know it at the time but I was bound for one of the darker parts of Seoul.
These images were captured in the Jongno-gu of Seoul, mainly in Insadong, an upscale, artsy neighbourhood, and along Cheonggyecheon Stream.
Monday, my third day in Seoul, was a series of accidental misadventures and surprise insights. Despite the intensive scheduling of the previous day, much of what transpired was entirely unplanned. I woke up late and went to cash a bunch of traveller’s cheques that I had originally purchased for emergency use in India. It seemed like a simple enough task but it was anything but. I visited nearby Woori Bank where I was told to wait for a teller in the business section. I languished in a chair for a half hour with only a single person in front of me, a woman. The customers already being served by the tellers were taking their sweet time for no reason that I could discern. I waited patiently, not knowing what to make of it.
My time in Seoul has been far more hospitable thanks to the assistance of a family friend, Ellen, who teaches English here. I am extremely grateful that we met in this distant land. It is one thing to have a local guide to show you around and another thing entirely to have someone from your own culture who really understands your motivations for travel. It isn’t simply that we communicate well, though we do—she also gets my travelling style in a way that most people wouldn’t, not without a great deal of explanation.
Here is a collection of various photos I shot in and around Seoul. Most of these images were captured in the Seoul underground or Jongno-gu alleyways.
Seoul is a fantastic change of scenery after the many challenges of Thailand. My experience here in South Korea has been fantastic from the very moment I stepped off the plane. The airport is extremely well-organized and connected to downtown Seoul by rail. I spent all of $3 to get downtown and transferred to the appropriate subway line to reach my hostel without mishap.
This gallery contains more shots from in and around Bangkok, this time with a focus on patterns, texture, grit, grime, decay, terror, and the sublime beauty that haunts the streets of this chaotic metropolis.
More photos from in and around Bangkok, this time focusing on transportation and commerce.
With this set of photos I attempt to capture the feeling of exile I experienced while renting a bungalow outside of Thong Sala for a month. Koh Phangan is a party island but I spent much of my time in solitude not talking with anyone at all. It was a time to rest, to reflect, and to create.
There are many interesting temples to explore on the island of Koh Phangan. This gallery features several photos I captured at various sites around the island.
After the seething chaos of Bangkok I travelled south to spend a few days relaxing in Ao Nang, a small town in the province of Krabi, Thailand. I had expected to find tranquil paradise by the beach based on what I read online, particularly down around Railay, which is only accessible by longboat, but everywhere I went was massively crowded and overdeveloped. Still, I managed to take some good photos of the natural beauty of Krabi, as well as a handful of cool temples and shrines.
I have arrived in Hong Kong, setting foot in Asia for the first time in my life. I am now safely ensconced in the lovely little flat in the heart of Mong Kok I rented via Airbnb. It is a nice enough place, not too expensive, and seemingly authentic, though I wouldn’t know the difference. There is no lift in the building; it is eight flights straight up the open concrete stairwell from the bustling streets with two flats on either side of every floor. Though sparsely furnished my room emanates something of the style of In The Mood For Love, one of my favourite films set in Hong Kong, and I immediately feel strangely, suspiciously at home despite being so far from it.
Collected here are eight of my finest shots from a lamentably brief stay in Hong Kong in January 2012.
This gallery features patterns and textures observed on my short sojourn in Hong Kong in January 2012.
This gallery contains several photos from my first few walking tours of Mong Kok, Hong Kong, in January 2012.
In June of 2011 I made my second pilgrimage to Detroit, the birthplace of techno music, to attend the Detroit Electronic Music Festival (or Movement 2011 as it was officially known) with a bunch of good friends and fellow DJs and music lovers. Despite my long history in the scene I haven’t attended many international festivals on the more mainstream side of electronic music so it was a very new experience for me. What follows is a lightly edited review of what went down in Hart Plaza, salvaged from a Tumblr long gone.