![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
Korea Day 4
Oct. 15th, 2004 08:41 amWe skipped out on the afternoon of the KGDC 2004 to do a little sight-seeing, visiting a palace, walking a bit of downtown Seoul, and checking out a market. The palace was beautiful, but was also a replica since the original was destroyed by the Japanese during the 1500s--and yes they are still really bitter about it. Tons of young kids were there on school outings, and they all seemed to respond to seeing a Western face by saying "Hi! Bye!" and giggling.
Overall impression is that Seoul is a really big city (13 million I believe) of people who work a lot, but the place isn't really metropolitan in the same way as Tokyo, New York, etc. A bit touristy, but not much 'life'.
More amusing pseudo-English signage: "Hyundi Oilbank" is the name of a oil company; "Porky Children's Wear" as a store sign in the marketplace; "TEXAS Western Ice Bar"; and "Switzerland Alpenpub MONTANA"
The KGDC party was a nice venue with lots of people who didn't speak English except the other international speakers. Spent the evening primarily chatting with some computer game academics from Finnland, Holland, and a very cute Doctor lass from Dublin. Certainly the best conversation I've had in a week.
Tomorrow is going to be a really long, grueling day of travel. Hopefully I'll get a full night's sleep on the flight from Tokyo to Seattle, or the weekend is going to be pretty shot.
Overall impression is that Seoul is a really big city (13 million I believe) of people who work a lot, but the place isn't really metropolitan in the same way as Tokyo, New York, etc. A bit touristy, but not much 'life'.
More amusing pseudo-English signage: "Hyundi Oilbank" is the name of a oil company; "Porky Children's Wear" as a store sign in the marketplace; "TEXAS Western Ice Bar"; and "Switzerland Alpenpub MONTANA"
The KGDC party was a nice venue with lots of people who didn't speak English except the other international speakers. Spent the evening primarily chatting with some computer game academics from Finnland, Holland, and a very cute Doctor lass from Dublin. Certainly the best conversation I've had in a week.
Tomorrow is going to be a really long, grueling day of travel. Hopefully I'll get a full night's sleep on the flight from Tokyo to Seattle, or the weekend is going to be pretty shot.
