Insadong with Heidi

My Sunday afternoon should of been spent lounging, but instead I spent the day playing the role of Heidi's ignored conscience. We went shopping in Insadong where I asked her in each and every shop if she really did need the item she was looking at. Each answer was an annoyed "of course." She did collect a good bunch of items and influenced me in parting with my money on a beautiful scroll art hanging and a lantern that I'll really never have a use for.

I've been wanting to snap some pictures of the riot police in Seoul for some time now and Heidi did her best to pose in front of one groups' backs. (I'm too scared of being beaten by their sticks to get them from the front). These riot police are made up of 20-23 year old guys conscripted into the army for two years and are all around downtown Seoul (especially in front of the American Embassy for some reason). They wouldn't frighten an angry mob one on one, but they do have the numbers so they are effective in fighting the unions and farmers.

Because Insadong is a high traffic area for foreigners, many Koreans studying English are sent there by their teachers to practice. Here Heidi was stopped so a girl could read out words and Heidi had to circle what she heard out of the two choices (15 vs 50). This girl did a good job until the end of the test when Heidi asked her what she was doing the test for. The girl answered back with a confused, "huh?"