same same... just Korea (I)

Every culture does things that make you shake your head.. Korea is no different.. i'd consider this part one?

an umbrella.. a great device.. great for repelling rain.. koreans also use umbrella's when it is snowing.. it makes sense.. both are water, just in different form.. a melted snowflake looks the same on clothes as a drop of water.. yet i still think something is odd..

Masks.. we all know that masks are a pretty interesting part of asian culture.. the japanese have kabuki masks.. and the korean's have a wooden mask similar, except the mouth can move.. ANYWHO.. not talking about festive masks.. the pollution in this city is pretty bad.. and during yellow dust season its worse.. so the korean's wear masks covering their nose and mouth.. very similar to surgeon masks.. It makes walking around quite interesting.. i mean there are all these people in masks.. it makes sense.. i just feel so awkward, what do they know that i don't.. (fact: living in cities with poor air quality can take 9 years off your life expectancy...i'm wondering how long you have to live there..). ALSO the masks come in different colours, and designs.. i've been told i'm getting the 'cooter boy' mask for my birthday... i would have liked spongebob.. but i'll take it..

Garbages.. The streets in seoul are some of the cleanest i've ever seen in a major city.. litter doesn't crowd them like some cities i've been too.. although this intrigues me.. because most cities where garbage is a problem have waste bins on every street corner.. or at least within eyesight.. Seoul on the other hand, does not.. there are very VERY few trash cans in seoul.. i think it has something to do with their insane garbage programs or something (i have yet to figure out the justification)...there are only a few garbage cans..if you have garbage, you will probably partially decompose while you try to find a garbage can.. i basically walk with it all day till i get home (my clothes smell awesome.. okay lie.. but yeah.. walk with your daily trash.. not cool).. It's crazy, you'd think the streets would be littered (haha) with little piles of trash, instead they are covered in asian saliva.. apparently the koreans chew up their wrappers and spit them all over the ground i don't know.. but there is spit everywhere and not much garbage..

Costco.. The great american retailer.. well its not Wal-Mart.. but whatevs.. I went to a costco here a couple weeks ago.. very similar experience to what i would get back home.. The costco pizza.. mmm.. it was everything i wanted and more.. but the real reason for this little blurb.. the korean's love sidedishes. Kimchi accompanies every meal, as well as a myriad of other small plates.. Well costco pizza doesn't come with kimchi.. so what does a sidedish oriented culture do? They create one!!!... its a beautiful mix of onions, a little bit of relish all swimming in a sea of mustard.. if you blew up a french's mustard bottle.. thats what it might look like..

So thats all for now... there will be more, i'm sure......