Thursday was windy and rainy, but there was an unexpected coolness to the air, and the wind was from the northwest. It tasted of fall, for the first time, I thought. Friday was partly clear and breezy, and the humidity had dropped substantially. I keep looking for changing tree colors, but I think that happens later here than in Minnesota.
I went into Seoul yesterday, and walked around. I really love this city, I’ve decided. An infinite collection of neighborhoods. I started walking at Gyeongbokgang, the old palace at the north end of the old city, where the kings ruled during the golden age of Korean civilization in the 1400s. Seoul was founded to be a new capital in the 1300s, and this palace was the first and largest built, though later dynasties and regencies moved to other palaces.
I ended up walking all the way to Itaewon, the touristy area east of Yongsan, which is the old military base used by the Japanese during their occupation/colonization and subsequently by the Americans. Slowly, pieces of real estate have been repatriated, so the base is much smaller than it was even when I was here in 91 – for one thing, the golf course was given back and turned into a park. But the base is still huge, and the long walls topped with concertina wire are eerie in the midst of the bustling city. The base has often been a point of contention, and the intention is to eventually repatriate all of it and have the American Forces Korea headquarted elsewhere. It seems a recurring imperial pattern of the Americans, not really in keeping with the stated objectives of milatary operation, that our army often makes the former rulers’ palaces and bases into their headquarters – think of the Green Zone in Baghdad. And I doubt it is ever a very smart idea – leads to unnecessary resentments among the people being “assisted.”
I saw the war memorial. I think this is new… I don’t remember it at all. It’s quite monolithic, and saw the Namsan tower looming in the background, lighting up the night.
So Itaewon is mind-blowing. That inescapable smell of “down-range” (the old military slang for “off-base entertainment zones”): leather and food. And lots of Americans – not just off-duty soldiers, but hippies and tourists too. Stores and nice restaurants. And, surprisingly, zillions of thirdworld immigrants – this was unexpected and new to me. I would hazard a guess that Koreans are a minority in the area. Especially south of the main drag, I swear it was “little Africa,” with Nigerians and Congolese and I overheard plenty of Arabic too.
The contrast of American crewcut soldiers buying trinkets from a middle-eastern-looking, long-bearded, youthful vendor in Itaewon was strange.
I was trying to find a foreign bookstore Marlene (from work) had mentioned – still shopping for a place to get my weekly fix of news and commentary magazines. I didn’t see it – might go back in today and spend less time wandering aimlessly, and more time trying to follow the directions she gave me.