Flowers of Seoul

One Monday in Seoul, we decided to go visit the National Museum of Korea. That was a horrible move on my part since when we arrived after taking the bus and a couple of subway trains we found the museum closed on Mondays. Well, I saw a sign that said that the Family park was a fair walk away. Once again I messed up. I confused it with the Children's Park which is a great place to visit unlike the Family Park. We then dragged ourselves back to the subway wanting the day to get better. We saw signs everywhere pointing to this new venue, so we rode the subway excited about being able to see something in Seoul we have not seen. That was strike three. With all of the advertising, one would not expect the place to be under construction and not even open yet...

I did however get a photograph of the flowers in front of the museum. The grey and rainy skies did provide some nice blooms.

Island Restaurant off of Inchon, South Korea

Here is a restaurant that was on a little island we took a ferry boat to. There were a few restaurants on the island and some very small hotels as well. The tour buses were in full force carrying mostly Chinese and Japanese tourists. This island was seen on a couple of Korean dramas as well. It was picturesque and had the feel of a place you would like to call home.

We must have arrived after a large tour group left since the other side of the food establishment had dishes all over the tables. You will notice that the tables are low so that you can sit on the ground while eating. I was glad that I wasn't the dishwasher! The room to the left is where the owner resides. The commute to work is very short. They had many tables outside as well that overlooked the ocean that was maybe a hundred yards away. I would bet that this place is even more beautiful when the snow is falling. Yes, snow is pretty when you live in Hawaii. :-)

Lonely Boat in Incheon, South Korea

We ate lunch on a little island just outside of Incheon, South Korea. When lunch was over, we got in a fairly long line of vehicles waiting on the ferry ride back to the mainland. This boat was sitting in the mud at low tide, so I jumped out of our Komando Ssangyong jeep like vehicle and shot this photograph. The weather was on the grey side which really made this boat look lonely.

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Korean Airlines at Gimpo Airport, South Korea

Here are a couple of photographs of a Korean Airline's jet getting prepared for flight. These were shot through the glass window at Gimpo Airport as we waited for our flight from Seoul to Jeju Island.

Tree in Fort DeRussey

There are many trees here on Oahu that are very interesting to look at. The person with a camera strapped around the neck will take their best shot to capture the natural beauty that lays before them. The problem is trying to capture what is actually seen, only to look at the image that lacks detail. High dynamic range photography helps alleviate this problem. Yes other problems seem to present themselves such as the ghostly leaves blowing in the wind. Oh well, this tree still has a majestic beauty about her. 

Diamond Head Crater on the island of Oahu, in Hawaii

Diamond Head Crater is the most photographed natural landmark in the world. It is easily recognized the moment you see it. No marketing firm on earth could ever create a more recognized icon.

Body Boarding off Kapahulu Pier

Here are some body boarders catching waves off the Kapahulu Pier.

Hilton Lagoon in the morning

I love the mornings in Waikiki. The pictures just have a better look and there are less people around. Here is an image of the Hilton Lagoon in Waikiki, Hawaii.

Net Ball? Yes, Net Ball

A month or so ago, a group of Australians gathered at Kapiolani Park near Waikiki Beach. What were they there for? Well, that is what I wanted to know as well. They were dressed in cheerleader type uniforms, but they carried balls that looked like volleyballs. Maybe they were volleyball cheerleaders? Nope. They were net ball players. What? Yea, net ball players. It is very popular in Australia, but me being on top of things rather than down under (I know, stupid joke), I did not have a clue it even existed. Here is what I found out. The sport is normally played on a wooden court. The Kapiolani games were played on grass. That is no big deal since the game is like basketball, only you cannot bounce the ball. Players with the ball need to keep a foot stationary as well. The basketball style nets were a little lower as well and they lacked a backboard. That makes it much harder to get the ball in the hoop.

While speaking with one of the coaches, they said that the team from Hawaii played outstanding and I think they even beat the Australians at their own game. Congratulations! I only had about ten minutes to get a couple of shots off (okay four shots), and here they are.

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Seoul Fish Market Closer Up

While killing time at the fish market waiting for my sister in law, I got a close up view of the activity down below. Everything from crabs to sharks were being sold. If you love seafood, this would have been paradise. For the non-seafood lovers, there were vegetable vendors just outside the fish market.

Seoul Fish Market

Here is a view of Seoul's Fish Market from the bridge that led from the subway terminal. You can tell that there are a lot of different fish being sold. Each sign represents the company that is located beneath the sign. I guess this is derived from the saying that you should keep your friends near, and your enemies even closer. That is, the competition here is side by side. You cannot get closer than that. The theory behind this business practice is that people will come from all over to purchase their fish here, therefore there are more customers at this location. In America, the business practice is less common, and leans towards keeping your competition out of a five mile perimeter. We purchased a lot of seafood there for supper that evening.

Shopping Cart in Canal

This is an image of a shopping cart in the Ala Wai Canal that separates Waikiki from the rest of Honolulu. The homeless use them to carry their belongings from one place to another. There are others who use the shopping carts to carry their groceries all the home. They then leave the carts in front of where they live, even if it is on the 12th floor of a luxury condo.

Fan Palm and Pink Plumerias

These images were taken in the Waikiki area of Honolulu on the Island of Oahu. I love the beautiful foliage here in Hawaii. My wife says that I take too many photographs of flowers. Oh well, after taking some bikini photos and bragging to her that I stopped taking flower pictures, she agreed that flowers make a great subject. :-)

Foliage of Hawaii

The great weather of Hawaii allows plants to flourish here. These are examples of the plants here.

Fresh Caught Fish

I walk a lot around Magic Island to keep the body from becoming an out of control marsh mellow like glob. These ladies are out fishing several days a month. The guy on the right holding up the newly caught Sergeant Major fish is a walking buddy of mine.

Discarded Bottle

This bottle was laying along the path for several days. There is a bottle tax that can be partially refunded at recycling centers. The homeless use this as an opportunity to earn some money. My guess is that this little bottle is excluded from the bottle tax.

This blueish flower with a yellow center grows in front of the condo building here in Honolulu, Hawaii. I just love the small details in these intricate flowers.

View

Some days at the Kapahulu Pier look better than other days. It does not always have to do with the weather.

Honolulu Fire Rescue Helicopter

The Honolulu Fire Department has all kinds of equipment readily available. This includes trucks, boats, and helicopters. Here is an image of a helicopter looking for a missing person just off of Waikiki Beach.

White Flower

This photograph was taken during the month of April in South Korea. Spring is a beautiful time in Korea with all of the flowers blooming and the time nature comes to life once again.