Images from Hadong

Pagoda

Tiny cute Buddha

Entrance to the temple

Tea Ceremony

Tea Ceremony

Roasting fresh picked green tea leaves

Long time no post. Sorry about that. Anyway, you all know I always update my other blog, http://smileyjkl.blogspot.com, right? You can see more details about the trip here.

Suwon and Hwaseong Fortress

This first photo was taken in the market near Paldalmun in Suwon. This man is making custom designed stamps on the street.

The rest of these photos were taken at Hwaseong Fortress. If you want to know more about my trip, see my other blog.

A Revisit to Namsan

Here are some fun photos I took on my second visit to Namsan (with camera this time... my phone camera just doesn't do the trick)

Around Anguk...

Yes! Spring is here!

Some cool, atypical shoes I found...

One of the traditional neighborhoods in this area...

Boy on the Chongyechong

Changgyeonggung III

Here is yet another photo I took while at Changgyeonggung. Though it was December, there were still leaves on the trees. I played with the exposure on this one a bit. What do you think?

Again it seems as though my best photos are taken by coincidence... This photo was taken at the DMZ between North and South Korea. This soldier is making sure no one takes any photos beyond the line, because on the other side is an incredible viewpoint of Kaesong in North Korea. I guess taking photos could somehow jeopardize.... something the South wants to keep secret..... anyway... whatever. I was on the other side of that line here.

Changgyeonggung II

I found another photo from my trip to Changgyeonggung a few months ago. I cropped it a little, and I like it now:

Guardians

So, I was just about to go to bed when I stumbled across this photo I took in January. I don't think I liked it at first, but the more I look at it, the more I like it. I just wish that stupid streetlight wasn't in the frame... maybe I'll crop it out or something later.....

Changgyeonggung

Today we headed down to Jongmyo and Changgyeonggung and I was able to get a few good shots. The skies were a little cloudy, but but there were so few people around that I was able to take lots of photos. Unfortunately, my camera batteries died half way through the palace, so these are what I was able to take.

A sun dial that is way to complicated for me to figure out


Front gate to Changgyeonggung

Brick wall inside Changgyeonggung

A structure inside Changgyeonggung that struck us as more intersesting than most of the other buildings.

An ajumma and two ajossis sitting outside Jongmyo

Typical Korean palace eaves. They generally follow the same color and pattern in every palace and temple.

Boys Playing At The Korean Folk Village

I really like this photo I took at the Korean Folk Village in Suwon. These kids look like they are just having a blast with this mill. I know that stylistically this photo has some issues, but I still like it.

Images from Gyongbukgung

On a beautiful, but blisteringly cold day, I made my second trip to Gyongbuk Palace in Seoul. The skies were much clearer than the first time I went last summer and my photos came out much better.

On the roofs of many buildings within the palace walls, guardians such as these protect the royal family's residence.


Here is the front gate to the palace. I cropped more sky out of this photo because I was not sure if there was too much blue in the other photo. Here is the original. What do you think?


Part of me sort of likes this one better........

Here is a flag belonging to one of the palace guards. I took this during the changing of the guards ceremony. The wind was whipping so strongly that I could barely open my eyes because of the dirt blowing in my face, but I did snap this photo. I really like the clouds and sun in the background, and the flag itself is really fun. I wonder if the ugly buildings in the background detract from the photo though? And what about the fact that the upper corner of the flag is cut off?