Market Day - At the Shijang with Judy

It was market day in Yongin - all the adjummas come in with their fresh goods. A bundle of spring onions here, a bowl of harvested barley,there, a gaggle of caged ducklings, bound plants, new vegetables, twisted grass ropes, farm tools, puppies, cut flowers, foot socks, notebooks, bamboo matting...


Above left you see a typical alleyway in the market, where the adjummas have laid out their bits of cardboard or plastic to sit on and spread their wares around them. Above right is a popular snack - boiled bondeggi, or silkworm larvae. They smell like ancient socks, in case you were wondering - musty, cheesy, and crunchy all at the same time.

Left: A traditional hand grindstone. The barley (in this case) is dropped handful by handful into the hole at the top and the wheel rotated by means of the wooden handle jutting up. The ground meal sifts slowly from the sides into the large bowl where the mill is sitting.




















Above right: fresh vegetables, or 'namul'. They can be bought in bulk for very good prices here!
Left: a typical kimchi stall, with about thirty or so types of pickled spicy material. I say 'material' because it's just as likely to be pickled crabs or miniature anchovies as it is any sort of vegetable, leaf or root.


Below right: The fishmonger's. Lots to choose from, and all nice and fresh. In some cases, still squirming or flapping in its buckets!

To the left: Obligatory picture of Katherine. I call it "Katherella" (as she's holding a traditional Korean broom and staring wistfully out over the edge of the rocks....)



Enjoy your 'walk' through Yongin's market!