Nipponbashi Festa

This was my last photo opp before moving back to Australia. I accidentally went to the festival last year but because i was just meeting someone for lunch i didn't have my camera. I'm not sure what the festival is all about but there are lots of strange people, dressed like cartoon characters and young women dressed in maids outfits. The festival itself is just shit. They block of the street and there's a float about every 10mins that usually has about 3-5 people in it. The people in the crowd are much more interesting and thats where all my photos are from.

remember to click to see large photo

i think this is my favourite pic from the festival. the
50mm 1.8 is a great little head portrait lens on digital.

I'm not sure how old these girls were but they
were easily the favourites. Most of them work in
cosuplay maid bars in the area.

more maids

some more weird people

this guy seemed to be the pimp for one of the
girls in maid costume.

kimchi, kia and samsung

Recently i went to Seoul, South Korea for the week. My visa in Japan was about to run out and I wasn't ready to go home yet so a quick flight to Seoul for the week sounded perfect. Flights from Japan to Seoul are dirt cheap ($200 AUD) and the flight takes about two hours. It took me an hour on the bus to get to the airport, 2hrs waiting around at the airport, 2hr flight then 90min on the bus to get to the hostel. So 6 1/2 hours messing around for a two hour flight.

The first thing i noticed when i arrived in Seoul was everyone was driving a Kia or Hyundai. Every car seemed to look the same. When i got of the airport bus near my hostel i couldn't believe how many police there was. Not friendly police, ones carrying riot gear and all looking very serious. I realised a few days later that my hostel was near the Japanese Embassy. Politically things aren't good between South Korea and Japan. Also people don't ride bicycles here. In Japan everywhere you go you have to dodge people on bicycles. It felt a bit strange actually sharing the sidewalk with pedestrians.

remember to click on the photo to see large

Gyeongbokgung Palace. Originally constructed in 1394 and was
the largest palace of the Joseon Dynasty.

the main gate of the palace. The architecture is similar to Japan
but the roof has a curve and the colours are much more vibrant.

inside the palace. I used the sb600 to illuminate the eve of the roof
to show the colours and artwork.

Sungnyemun Gate. apparently it used to close every night at 11pm
when the city had curfew. I also heard the walls and gate were to protect
the city from South Korean Tigers. Sounds like BS to me.

the changing of the guards ceremony. This happens at various
sightseeing spots around the city a few times a day.

food in Seoul is awesome. Very similar to Japanese
food but everything is very spicy. Kimchi is the staple food, it's
made from pickled cabbage and is really spicy. top left is bibimap, beef wrapped
in lettuce leaves (one of my favourites), middle left, korean style bbq ribs. really really
spicy but great. other pics are just spices and stuff from local markets.

there's military everywhere in seoul. apparently Louis
Vuitton is army issue here. You can buy a genuine handbag and
genuine sorny MP3 player at the markets for a few dollars.

I actually went to the theatre. I think it might
be the first time i've even been to a theatre. I didn't run out and
buy a tweed jacket after but i did enjoy it. It was a performance of traditional
Korean dance and music. Really amazing and probably the highlight of the trip.

i quickly found out that when it comes to shopping women are just
nasty in every country. They have really sharp elbows and get super powers
to push you out of the way. all this to buy some shitty fake brand name bag
that is one of thousands at the stall. but you have to love the sellers as you
walk past "for you special price, today only"


the Blue House, Seouls version of the white house. This guard platform was
very high tech. He had three mirrors around him.

just some traditional dress from the national museum

In south Korea a lot of people have heated floors. my hostel had
them and they're awesome. This is at one of the palaces so it's old skool. basically
make a fire under your house and stay warm.