The Slow Death of the Village Overlooking Oryuk Islets

This is the village, or what is left of it, that stands watch over Busan's famous Oryuk Islets.  It is slowly disappearing as a massive highrise development nears completion behind it.  I wonder if any of it will survive?  Click here, or on any one of the two photos, to see more.

March 24, 2007

A Stormy Return to Busan

View from the Westin - Haeundae's infamous "Love Hotel" District with New Haeundae High Rises in the Distance

Yes, I've been gone for two weeks (odd how I refer to going home as being "gone").  I did my typical escape routine with a twist - Tokyo, Seattle, DC, Chicago, Seattle, Seoul and back to Busan. 

It was not a relaxing trip, indeed, it felt good to get back to Busan in spite of working fourteen hours this Friday.  But I did get a number of critical things completed and managed to visit my mom for two days while taking both sisters out to dinner.

I've got the Slingbox working again, which means I have the luxury of watching the same crap on TV that you all have back in America.  Actually it does make for a better stay away as I can not stand BBC World and its clone, CNN Asia.

My new Nikon D40 with Super Cool AF-S Nikkor 18-200mm VR Zoom

My new Nikon D200 with a Tokina 12-24mm Zoom

I had a miserable time getting my hands on my new toys pictured here.  But, first let me tell you what prompted me to spend thousands of dollars and endure lugging around heavy SLR again in this marvelous, ever-changing digital world. 

My new Canon SD900 miniature wonder was a horrible disappointment.  I mean I still carry it around and use it on the job because of it tiny size.  But Canon gave way to marketing hype by putting 10 megapixels into such a small camera and lens without adding any stability control.

So more on my quest to get better quality digital images coming later (and yes I understand that it is the photographer, not the camera, the makes the great photos).  Well actually it's old news and pretty boring, so on second thought, I'll spare you that misadventure.

Three decades of Nikon's: 1990's, N8008s (center left), 1980's, FE2 (center right), and my new digital D40 (left) and D200 (right).  Will I ever shoot with film again?  I seriously doubt it.

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March 4, 2007

Chongwol Taeborum

 So this is what happens on the "big full moon in the first month of the new year" throughout Korea.  Unfortunately, in Busan a windy rain storm came through and we never saw the full moon.  Yet that allowed me to get a bit closer to the festivities, which otherwise would have been invaded by tens of thousands.  It's late, more on this celebration tomorrow.

The voices of these four woman were awesomely indescribable

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When the wind came up, I feared for the safety of the spectators 

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A glorious Dante's Inferno with Dancers

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The Night Before

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