Itaewon

Yesterday I went to Itaewon with some of the other teachers from orientation. It's where the military base in Seoul is located. In the neighborhood that my hotel is in, I've never seen another foreigner, but in Itaewon it's pretty common. There are a lot of foreign restaurants (Thai, French, Mexican) a lot of foreign chains (Quiznos, Coldstone, Pizza Hut, Outback, etc) and a bunch of fake designer clothes, shoes and accessories. At one point while we were walking through the market, this van pulls up to the curb and starts unloading massive amounts of fake Chanel and Burberry clothes. The people just went crazy. They all flocked to it and began picking through the piles. Apparently it's really important to have the latest fakes. It's definitely a bit sketchy and overwhelming at first but there are some great bargains if you have the patience and willingness to haggle. If you want a custom made suit, a nice leather purse, or silk ties/scarves- it's a good place to go.

We couldn't see much of the military base, just the tall stone walls with barbed wire on top, but I hear they have an awesome foreign goods market and a golf course. My goal is to find a way in.