Seoul Survival Guide: When Your Camera Hates The Weather
just landed in seoul with my gear and a bad attitude. turns out my phone's weather app was wrong again-should've known when it suggested bringing sunscreen. i just checked and it's currently 0.94°C with 92% humidity, which is basically breathing soup. hope you brought a parka because your fingers will freeze off. this city doesn't mess around with cold.
been wandering around jongno-gu trying to find decent coffee spots. *bukchon alley looks great on paper but honestly, the steep paths are murder with a tripod. someone told me that the real hidden gem is this tiny cafe called 'mystic bean' where the barista gives you free refills if you mention you're a photographer-no idea if it's true but i'm desperate. heard it's near Gyeongbokgung Palace, though the palace itself is kinda underwhelming when half the courtyard is frozen solid.
tried shooting at namsan tower yesterday. bad idea. the fog was thicker than my morning coffee and i nearly broke my lens sliding on ice. if you get bored, incheon and busan are just a short train ride away-less humidity, better light. though honestly, this city has enough neon signs to keep you busy for weeks. passed by Myeongdong Street Food Market and saw a guy selling octopus-shaped pancakes. i ate three. regret nothing.
speaking of regret, i ignored a local's warning about hongdae's nightlife. apparently some clubs there have sketchy bouncers who confiscate cameras. i hid mine in a potato chip bag. worked like a charm. also heard that Hongdae Free Market is great for vintage gear, but only if you bargain like your life depends on it. my favorite find so far was a broken lens cap for $5. still counting it as a win.
the pressure's at 1019 hpa, which apparently means it's gonna get worse. great. found this random bus stop in gangnam that looks like a spaceship. probably the best shot i've gotten all trip. also discovered that seoul's electric scooters* are terrifying-nearly got hit by one carrying a whole family. would not recommend unless you have a death wish. on the bright side, the national museum here has free heat. and bathrooms. two of my favorite things.
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