This week’s WP photo challenge – symbol – was tough, but hit a nerve that’s been exposed recently. Rather than take a photo of an object which symbolises something to me (and there are many such items, I’m a terrible hoarder) I had to share an image which symbolises something for me.
I’ve got just over eight weeks left in Seoul, the city which has been my home for the last eighteen months and burrowed its way firmly into my heart. There are a host of reasons why I’ll love this city for a long time to come, and this week’s photo shows some of them.
Seoul: urban stew
My home near the Han has offered me a great vantage point from which I’ve really got the benefits this thriving megacity has to offer. Many here bemoan the constant drive for change; for the new, for the cutting edge, at the expense of the city’s rich cultural and social heritage, and there are obvious issues of progress vs preservation which city planners are struggling to address. However, the astounding diversity and contrast are a strong part of the city’s charm in my eyes.
This image of the winter sun setting over the Han was taken from the pedestrian trail on the north bank of the river with the Yeoido towers of finance on the left and the National Assembly building disappearing off to the right. In the far distance, further lines of residential apartment blocks fill in the background, while the wild Hangang bamseom (night island?) provide natural relief in the foreground.
Seoul takes this jumble of hyper-development, concrete jungle, and wild, untamed nature and makes a surprisingly harmonious and appealing urban stew. Get it while it’s hot: it’s delicious.
Do you have images which symbolise a certain time, place, or relationship for you?
WordPress: The Daily Post Photo Challenge
Happy snapping, folks.
Parrot Exposed 
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