Notice the name of this bank. Wooribank. Are you worried? You really don't need to be. Really the name of the bank is Ooribank. Oori means "ours." So it is our bank. Koreans don't like vowels at the beginning of words. Most people with the surname "Lee" are really "Ee."
A quick trip to the bank is in orderbefore one begins there shopping day. There are people at these two desks. We are sitting on a couch waiting for our turn. Actually, the downstairs has tellers much like American banks, but this is where Elder Biesinger comes to do Mission banking. Mr. Kim speaks some English and that helps a lot.
This is the view from the window to the left of the desks. You can see the red flag of China flying over their embassy. Cool, huh? Our apartment is about 1/4 mile up the road.
Nice plants under the window.
With money in our pockets, we are off to spend it.
These little stands are all over the city. Sometimes there are so many, it is difficult to navigate the sidewalk.
This is a better view. If we were in the market for 100% acorn paste, grains, beans, or peeled roots, this is where I would find them.
What a great day for shopping! Food is one of the necessities of life, and sometimes it is not easy to find. Fortunately, I think we have found most things that we need to survive!
This is our street, very near our apartment. We are now looking back down towards the bank. You will be surprised how many things we can find on this one street.
The blue building with the green and blue sign is our neighborhood market. In a matter of 30 minutes or so walking from our apartment to the store and back, we can have milk, eggs, fruits, vegetables, and dried squid.
Even before we get in the door, our tastebuds are being tempted.
Even before we get in the door, our tastebuds are being tempted.
These little stands are all over the city. Sometimes there are so many, it is difficult to navigate the sidewalk.
This is a better view. If we were in the market for 100% acorn paste, grains, beans, or peeled roots, this is where I would find them.
Wow! Lookie here! It's a Paris Baguette bakery! Yessiree! Paris with a Korean touch!
This is the back of our fruit stand where we can buy bananas, apples, Korean pears, strawberries,etc.
These tiny woman are all over the city. They sit on the ground or small stools, day in and day out, peeling roots, separating greens, shelling nuts, etc.
These wonderful fruit stands tempt us with apples, tangerines, Korean pears, persimmon, bananas, tomatoes, grapes, and more. Korean strawberries can be purchased year round. They are the best. (This fruit stand actually isn't on our street, it just too far away.)
I know this is hard to believe, but this is one of several Costcos in Seoul. Weehaw!
We arrived at Costco on a Saturday to do our shopping. We try to avoid weekends and evenings due to the large number of shoppers, but sometimes it can't be avoided.
I seem to always gravitate to the fish section. Sorry! There are so many varieties. I haven't eaten fish that I didn't like, yet. They have all been very mild and tasty.
These delectible little fish are a little pricey, but very popular. As you can see they are packaged for convenience. I might mention, that samples are very big in Korean Costco. You could almost eat your lunch here. I was waiting for a sample one day along with two Korean ladies. A few sample appeared on the plate. One of the Korean ladies reached out and took one. Then she looked at me, and handed me the sample. I thanked her in Korean, of course, so she thought I could understand her. She said some very nice things, I am sure, because she was smiling. Probably something like, "you look like you are starving, so I will wait for my sample."
I have to admit, I am developing quite a taste for octopus, especially the tender pieces.
This is the back of our fruit stand where we can buy bananas, apples, Korean pears, strawberries,etc.
These tiny woman are all over the city. They sit on the ground or small stools, day in and day out, peeling roots, separating greens, shelling nuts, etc.
These wonderful fruit stands tempt us with apples, tangerines, Korean pears, persimmon, bananas, tomatoes, grapes, and more. Korean strawberries can be purchased year round. They are the best. (This fruit stand actually isn't on our street, it just too far away.)
I know this is hard to believe, but this is one of several Costcos in Seoul. Weehaw!
We arrived at Costco on a Saturday to do our shopping. We try to avoid weekends and evenings due to the large number of shoppers, but sometimes it can't be avoided.
I seem to always gravitate to the fish section. Sorry! There are so many varieties. I haven't eaten fish that I didn't like, yet. They have all been very mild and tasty.
These delectible little fish are a little pricey, but very popular. As you can see they are packaged for convenience. I might mention, that samples are very big in Korean Costco. You could almost eat your lunch here. I was waiting for a sample one day along with two Korean ladies. A few sample appeared on the plate. One of the Korean ladies reached out and took one. Then she looked at me, and handed me the sample. I thanked her in Korean, of course, so she thought I could understand her. She said some very nice things, I am sure, because she was smiling. Probably something like, "you look like you are starving, so I will wait for my sample."
I have to admit, I am developing quite a taste for octopus, especially the tender pieces.
Costco has a lot of American foods, but many others are painfully not available. We buy a lot of frozen orange juice for Clyde. He's happy that we have found it. I personally get excited about the albacore. When we are shopping for the Mission Office, we get a ride with the Office Elders in the van. They are such good little shoppers. Elder Thacker, on the left, is a distant relative of mine through the Francom line. How is that for a small world?
We actually spotted these wonderful mushrooms at Lotte Mart. We were dumbfounded by the price tag. In dollars that would be about $200.oo for this small box of mushrooms.
We actually spotted these wonderful mushrooms at Lotte Mart. We were dumbfounded by the price tag. In dollars that would be about $200.oo for this small box of mushrooms.
This clip is for Zy. I know you like to see the fish up close and personal and swimming around. So here you go. Just click on the arrow. Aquarium today, lunch tomorrow! Enjoy!
Next time we'll go shopping for clothes. In the mean time, enjoy the spring weather.
8 comments:
Do you have Girl Scouts in Korea? Right now I'm munching down on a box of Thin Mints. Mmmmmmm!
I was noticing as I browsed through your photo journal that all the trees were bare until you came to the wonderful fruit stand picture which showed trees with lots of leaves. What's up with that?
Why don't they like vowels at the beginning of words? Is it a superstition?
Those fruits look REALLY yummy!
Mom, I have to say...I am WAY impressed that you eat (and like!) squid and that! Way to go!
I'm glad its not the goofy looking elder that you're related to! :P
To give more information on the vowels. The Koreans write by grouping letters in syllables. If the first sound in the syllable is a vowel sound, they precede it with a consenant which looks like "o". When this consenant begins a syllable, it adds no sound. So when Korens write using our Roman characters, it just hurts to start with a vowel, so they add a consenant. Why? I don't know. If you look at the name of the bank in Korean, you will see that it starts with that unpronounced character.
Dear Susan and Clyde,
I just will never get over how clean Seoul is, compared to Bangkok and Manilla. Far more stands and packed with people, and thus trash in B. & M.
So how do you cook the octopus and fish, Susan? The fruit looks great--I think we miss out in USA.
Is it starting to get warmer there?
Just got back from the home ward RS party--just fun to visit with the gals.
Went in on jury duty today but didn't get picked. So I went over to the towers--downtown ward--and did some stuff. Too bad, jury!
Take care. Love, H.
Post a Comment