The 4-9 Market

I decided it was time to go off base solo.  There is only so much you can do on a weekday without it getting boring.  So I packed up the babies in the double jogger and headed out.  The directions I was given was to go over a bridge..."it's just over the bridge, not far". Perhaps not in a car...but in a double jogger, it is quite a feat.  Mind you the bridge is arched, therefore creating a HILL.  Good times pushing the jogger.  Anyway, we made it over the bridge and I got a little nervous-- merely because I was in uncharted territory.  And I didn't see any Americans.  And everything I learned at the language course I took went in one ear and out the other.  But I pressed forward.  I saw umbrellas lining the street, so I gathered I was heading in the right direction.  When I got closer to the umbrellas, a Korean lady wrinkled her nose at me as I struggled to navigate the jogger on the narrow sidewalk without running into the vendors.  She motioned for me to get on the road, suggesting it would be easier.  I contemplated this for a few seconds while she continued on ahead of me and decided that I'd rather deal with an angry vendor than push my precious cargo in the crazy Korean traffic.  And I did just that.  Right about this time, the babies started getting fussy, so they had their lunch at 10:45.  I was actually searching for mushrooms.  I found some early in the market for ₩2000, and I bought them only because I couldn't understand what the ladies were saying.  Fresh meat :)  I really didn't need all that I got.  I am still trying to find uses for them.  We saw garlic like we had never seen before (see picture).  I also purchased dried kiwi (₩5,000=about $4.00) .  I wanted something new to bring home, but not so far out that no one would touch it.  The market went further down the alley, but I thought the babies were on the brink of losing their patience, so we headed back.  I took a different route home, which is a monumental step, as many of you know how easily I get lost in my own hometown.  But it turned out to be a good decision.  Along the way, we saw a man selling octopus on the sidewalk (see picture).  I also found a man selling plants for super cheap...I got two plants for ₩5,000 (about $4.00). 

A good time overall.  More pictures on the next post.