highlights of Seoul

Summer is here, in full swing and it is HOT! And it is only going to get hotter, and more humid. For the first time in my life I have air conditioning and I am glad for that. We live on the third and top floor of our apartment building and, well that will be nice in the winter, but it's already like an oven in there. So to try and beat the heat the other day we rented bicycles and headed to the river. At Jamsil station, between exits 1 and 2 there is a shop that rents bicycles for free for the whole day! It was super easy, and somewhat conveniently easy to get to from our neighborhood. So we got our rickety cruisers, both too small for us, and dangerously made our way through Seoul traffic before reaching the amazing bike path that lines either side of the enormous Han river.

  

the path was far removed from the traffic of the city as we rode about six kilometers on one side, and under maybe eight bridges before crossing the river and heading back along the other side. There were lots of other cyclists and fishermen posted up in the shade under most of the bridges. Some kids were beating the heat by playing in a huge water fountain and we even found a rose garden in full bloom. It felt like a slice of Portland when I spotted a bum under the bridge. We stopped frequently to cool off in some shade or to have our simple lunch of kimbap and ramen at a mini mart. We saw some cool things along the way so I'll give you a glimpse into our sights, and I'll add a few other photos from our daily adventures around Seoul. 

a floating buddhist temple

Namsan tower and the Iteawon neighborhood, from across the river.

this is the Ttukseom bridge and overpass. This is massive! As with, well... most things in this city. I think that the combination of the huge loop and the odd building, with the apartment high rises in the back it looks like something out of a science fiction movie.

this is one of the main temples in Seoul, takes a few weeks ago when we were out walking around in the northern part of the city. 

taken at the war museum, we went on a random monday off and they were closed but we were able to roam around the grounds, free of many other people. There were scores of aircraft carriers and tanks and statues created to remember the many wars that Korea has been in over it's history. 

In the Hongdae neighborhood. This is some street art that Josh captured at an old abandoned home. They are doing some crazy demolition along a few blocks to make a new and fancy subway station. This too will soon be gone. 

Also in the Hongdae neighborhood, a bright window into a cafe..

  

(above) this is in our neighborhood, we often use this subway station, and the street is one of the busiest in Seoul. Traffic is so crazy on this road. The buildings that line the street have cool design, ahh... the concrete jungle! 

this is my new shirt that I got for about four bucks on the side of the street. I read it and I just had to get it, because it makes NO SENSE! This kind of messed up english is found everywhere.
It reads: "on a nice holyday 'divas CUTE' 'when I happened is everything ok' LOOKED elevator looks nearly killed me. getting sociated." 

This is from our trip to the east coast a few weeks ago, not sure what it is, or why it sits in solitude on the beautiful beach, but it caught my eye none the less!

a beautiful sunset over the lake. I love these mirror shots!