Korea - Day 2 - Shop smart. Shop EMart.

Took a trip with aunt Cindy to the grocery store in the morning. Yes, we came halfway around the world to partake in Grocery shopping. Honestly. We both enjoy experiencing the differences culture through the everyday experiences of that culture.

But first we went to a small, local (not 50 feet from the apartment), proper market to get some fish and veggies. Not much different from what a fish and produce market set up in a parking garage might be here. A wide variety of fish. And eel, squid, skatefish and other unusual varieties.

When I lived here 20 years ago, the idea of a supermarket was pretty... foreign. You bought your food at the street markets or from the small (like 7-11 size small) local grocers. Now, supermarkets, department stores, and supercenters ala Walmart (and, FYI, they have a Walmart here) are everywhere. One of the more prominent stores, EMart, was our destination.

The EMart was four stories. Each floor carried different items. Houswares on 1. Clothes on 2. Health and beauty on 3. And Grocery on 4. Or something like that. We skipped past 1 and 2.

At first glance, it wasn't that different. Lighting felt a little...whiter. Ailes weren't as tall. Little things. Had a good time looking at all the peculiar products and packaging. Even more intriguing was noticing the ratios of what was available. For example, Canned Vegitables. Cindy was happily surprised to find canned vegetables other than corn. This was the first time they had canned peas and baked beans. A quarter of an aisle of dried squid. Two aisles of rice. And a 2 foot by 2 foot selection of canned vegetables.

Just like home, they have free samples on the ends of aisles. Just like home, most are handed out by quiet, pleasent older women. And then there's the meat and store prepared foods section. They bring the old school open outdoor market feeling indoors - shooting, I assume, "I've got some really good beef over here" and "Kimchee. I'm makin' Kimchee. Come get your Kimchee", loud enough to be heard throught most of the store. And theres several of them, all in the same corner. All trying to out-carnival-barker one another.

Oh, and I don't recommend acorn gelatin. Can't really say it's bad, because it's mostly flavorless. Jello (fine, gelatin) should have some flavor. Without it, it's kinda gross.

Curious foods purchased, sampled and, for your vicarious pleasure, reviewed:

Emotion Chocolates: Standard individually wrapped milk chocolate wafers. With pop rocks mixed in. Brilliant.

Milkus: "New feeling of soda beverage," says the tagline. There were a few varieties of Milkus in the soda aisle. All looked a bit like really watered down milk. Bought the one that, from it's package coloring, suggested it was citrus flavor. I was right. Tasted like the remenants of an ice cream float made with Squirt, but still fizzy and crisp. Pretty good.

Little pink box of cookies with chocolate centers. Predictable. No big.

Sansachus: Sweet, rose flavored wine. "Sansa is a fruit bearing, broad leafed, plant belonging to the rose species. Red and a pleasant scent. Good for treating weak stomachs, backaches, and cut (sic)" Very cheap. Very good. Will be bringing some home.

Sweet Dew Tea: A green tea with an aromatic, sweet finish. Even
I liked it.

A note on the later two. They are considered "Well Being" or as the Koreans pronounce, "well bing". This is the trendy health kick buzz word floating around Korea right now. Pretty much every Korean food ends up being considered well bing, and foreign foods (ei, western culture foods) seem suspiciously to lack this very important status.

Returned to Iteawon in the afternoon. Traveled down the allyway to where I used to live. Things have really changed. There are bulidings where streets used to be and streets where building used to be. What were once quiet streets lined with residences have become cluttered streets lines with mom and pop greasy spoons (chopsticks), cleaners, and the like. Dissapointing.
Our apartment complex was the tall, cream colored buliding in the background, right of center.


Made a few small gift purchases, picked up my pimpin' purple housecoat, and returned home.

And just for kicks, I've started taking pictures of fun, mangled english. Enjoy.