Namdaeun Flower Market

The plant lover that I am, the Namdaemun flower market is pretty close to paradise for me. The photo below is just ONE aisle in the place, there are about 10 more. It varies by season, and while the majority of the stock are the more common roses, mums, sunflowers, orchids and lilies, you can find interesting floral fillers and accents including woody vines, stems, pods, grasses and of course containers, ribbons, etc not far away.  Just smelling the fresh greenery of the place is so cleansing and uplifting, I take my sweet time wandering back and forth through the aisles deciding what to take home with me. And the prices!! Can you imagine bunches of roses for about $3-4 dollars a dozen? I wish I lived closer, I would visit once every other week and really get creative with my flower arranging! It's the kind of place you dream of long after it's become unavailable to you - kinda like Cafe Rio. My mom introduced it to me when we lived in Seoul in the late 90's. I've only been able to go a few times in the last year we've been here, but every time is a treasure. Wish I could stick it in my back pocket.

Just out the door from the flower market is one of the best outdoor markets in Korea- Namdaemun. I've been there enough now to almost not get lost down the many streets, but you can find all kinds of things there, in the company of a billion Koreans. If there is another foreigner on the street, they're easy to spot and always happy to see another person who sticks out like they do. Being a foreigner in Korea is a bit of a social buffer. For the most part, people's eyes will light up and they will always say hi with this smile that lets you know they totally understand cause they're living the Korean experience too. Here are some photos from the market- bottles of ginseng, tables of clothing and clamoring ladies. It's also easy to find shops with a myriad of fabric, paper, pig heads, accessories, underwear, steamed silkworm cocoons, black market army gear, belts, hair clips... you name it. It's all mixed together and a whole lotta fun.