2 April 2024
Blossoming
Jamsil cherry blossoms
It is peak blossom season in Seoul. As I mentioned before, Blossoms are not really my thing. The news feed on my phone alerted me to the lake at Jamsil, where the giant Lotte tower is, was now in peak blossom, and crowd control measures would be in place for the next 2 weeks, so that is where I went.
I have seen no evidence that there are Japanese style Hanami blossom office parties, where the boss takes all the office girls out to get them drunk on a picnic rug and tell them about how wonderfully each of them are blossoming. Really! That is apparently a thing to do. What I did see of course were thousands of people, walking in the same direction, stopping only to take photos, in areas fenced off by police tape with security guards yelling at people who tried to go back the wrong way.
The actual blossom display was not as overdone as I thought it would be, I thought there would be coloured strobe lights, lasers and smoke machines, but there was just the regular park lighting.
And now that I have described the blossoms in detail, I will declare that the pollution sunset over the river that I experienced before going to the blossoms was far more photogenic.
I love to point my camera directly at the sun and see what happens.
Even facing away from the sun this evening was quite nice. Note the glowing train going across the bridge.
Both sides of the river are a linear park very popular with cyclists. Getting under the highway that also runs along the river can be a logistical challenge, there are tunnels periodically.
I have wondered previously why there are no ferry's on the river here. Now I know why, the bridges are actually locks.
There is the Lotte tower. From this angle it does not look too tall due to the way it slopes back. It is has 123 story's and is the 6th tallest building in the world, at least for now. There are many rumours about its poor construction with cracking glass and water leaks leading to parts of the mall underneath being closed for extended repairs.
The whole area is Lotte themed buildings, hotels, malls, theme parks.
I decided to brave the cracking glass and water leaks and head down to the lowest level of the mall for some ramen. Ramen was not my first choice but finding a seat was difficult due to the blossoming blossom crowd.
Now for some blossom pics. As you can see, we all march in one direction, or else!
The blossoms continue all the way around both halves of the lake.
I have been here before and photographed the theme park in the lake during the day time. Here it is in the dark.
Last blossom shot. I am over blossomed.
OK, one more shot of the Lotte tower, a Lotte shot.
And there he is, the mascot for Lotteworld adventure. Furry mascots always have a walking stick, it seems they must get involved in horrible work place accidents, perhaps while constructing the Lotte tower?
Tomorrow is a hiking day! I will put on sunscreen.