Namdaemun market

As part of a week-long Korean language and culture intensive course that I took through K's work, we went to Namdaemun, the oldest continuously running market in South Korea. I was impressed by the sheer quantity of stuff available. Housewares, clothing, fabric, handicrafts, food, you name it.  One of the teachers kept pointing me to the baby/kids alley. There are over 10,000 vendors spread over a few streets and buildings. Our task while there was to practice what we had learned in class: "how much is this/that?", listening to the prices we got back, and saying "thank you" and "goodbye, stay well". I still don't understand the prices when I hear them, so I had to rely on the vendors (either showing me with their fingers, or typing it up on their calculators). While that was fun, I am determined to understand those numbers! Must learn haggling vocabulary while I'm at it.

Here are some pictures I took on my phone. 

1. these wares can give Crate & Barrel a run for their money

2. typical Korean handicrafts. don't know what they are called yet. very pretty

3. looking down one of the main shopping streets. 

the buildings have floors and floors of shops