The Subway

Noksapyeong Station on Line 6.  It is located on the eastern end of the Yongsan Garrison (U.S.), and the western end of Itaewon (MAJOR shopping district.)  It is the main station servicing the Haebangchon and Hoenamu-gil communities, which are known for having significant foreign populations.

 

The station has low ridership due to its location, but is noted for its impressive interior design.  It has five underground levels, and a glass dome on top lets in sunlight which permeates throughout the station.  In addition to being featured in Korean movies and dramas, weddings can be held there at no cost (see the photo later on . . .)

Shiny, shiny.

You are here!

No one looks at anyone else, but you can get married here!

Sergeant Major Jusino and her thug pose.

Major Rivera sizing up the enemy?

(Left to Right) Seating for:  shepherds who have lost their canes, people trafficking humans under their clothes, people in striped pants carrying large "Ys", lopsided mutant Christmas trees.

 

Um . . . yum?

Public access to gas masks.

The dome.

The dome.

Exiting the subway at night.

 

 

 

The Summit!

Love locks.

These are similar to the ones on the Pont des Arts, Passerelle Léopold-Sédar-Senghor and the Pont de l'Archevêché bridges in Paris and the Ponte Milvio in Rome.

Typically the sweethearts' names or initials are inscribed on the padlock, and its key is thrown away to symbolize unbreakable love.

 

The history of love padlocks dates back at least 100 years to a melancholic Serbian tale of World War I, with an attribution for the bridge Most Ljubavi (lit. the Bridge of Love) in spa town of Vrnjačka Banja.

 

A local schoolmistress named Nada, who was from Vrnjačka Banja, fell in love with a Serbian officer named Relja. After they committed to each other Relja went to war in Greece where he fell in love with a local woman from Corfu. As a consequence, Relja and Nada broke off their engagement. Nada never recovered from that devastating blow, and after some time she died due to heartbreak from her unfortunate love.

 

As young women from Vrnjačka Banja wanted to protect their own loves, they started writing down their names, with the names of their loved ones, on padlocks and affixing them to the railings of the bridge where Nada and Relja used to meet.

Seoul's platform has a sign prohibiting people throwing their key from the 236 m (774 ft) elevation.

 

Old versus new.

 

At 3:00 p.m. every afternoon, a demonstration of traditional martial arts, music and dancing occurs.

The ribbons on their heads are used as part of the dance.  I'm pretty sure that they represent bees trying to pollinate the flower.

 

The drum is played on both ends.

 

 

 

 

Watch it to the end.

  

The kid would NOT move.

Major Ervin Rivera.

The Climb

Wooden stairs where they are repairing the granite ones.

More granite than the Granite State.

My new buddy Shi-shi Boo-boo climbed the whole way with me.

 

649 steps total.  Yes, we counted them.

The damned cable car, taunting us . . .

 

My best attempt at a panorama . . .

 

"Just go around it!"

Really?  Not even CLOSE.

It I only had a rocket propelled grenade . . .

Wait!!  We have to walk DOWN too!

Ah, a refreshing can of Pocari Sweat!  It's actually a pretty good Japanese sports drink that is better than Gatorade any day.