Jason: Big City

Growing up in Tampa, I thought I knew what a big city was.  Well, I was wrong.

This afternoon we did some exploring in downtown Seoul.  The subway was quite an experience for a boy from Florida, where everything is near or at sea level.  And, if you weren't paying attention to where you were going, you could get lost pretty quick.

Map of the Seoul subway system

Finally we arrived at Lotte Town, aka the shopping district, in downtown Seoul.  As we got off the subway and entered the Lotte department store, I was amazed to find that you could buy fresh whole fish, beauty supplies, pastries and purses all on the same floor.  It was like the mall and farmers market and grocery store all in one place.

Next we went outside and even though I have never been to Times Square, I imagine that the scene was pretty similar.  Buses, cabs and cars hurrying down the road, people walking on every corner, and store signs attached to shopping stores adorning both sides of the road as far as the eye can see.  Despite the enormous amount of people, tall buildings, and stores, the most amazing thing was the cleanliness of the city and the lack of loiterers and homelessness we find in our big cities in America.