More Seoul Stairs, Again

My interest in staircases is related to my fascination with old rundown buildings.  If buildings connect "now" to "then", then staircases connect "here" to "there".  As one is usually an essential part of the other, I guess you could say it's kind of like how space and time, once considered separate, are now combined into a single entity, spacetime.

Science Fiction Mannequins

I photographed a bunch of mannequins left abandoned in a store gone out of business. While editing the image I just happened to emphasize certain details reflected in the show window glass, and it all came out looking like a shot from some cyberpunk dystopian movie.  Ghost in the Shell, anyone?

Big Top Nipple Moon

 

A Conveniently Located "Haunted" Building

I like rooting around in decrepit, empty old buildings.  It's pretty obvious if you check out this blog's posts from the last few years.  I like the mystery, the shadows and history these old buildings possess.  I don't touch anything, I just like to record the silent traces of the countless unknown events that must have transpired in them. The moment I step into one of them something changes.  The outside noise somehow seems to get canceled out and I hear nothing but the sound of my own footsteps, which I consciously try to minimize so as not to disturb the atmosphere.  And just in case some of the suites are still occupied, inhabited by stubborn last-straggler residents or workers who might resent an outsider with a camera recording what they considered their own domain.

I was glad, therefore, when I came upon a derelict, an actual condemned building in an area not far from my home.  It had a sign affixed to it that warned against entering, as there were loose structures within and safety could not be guaranteed;  however, there were no fences or tape physically barring entry, so of course I chose to enter (don't do this at home^).

I don't normally experience fear or anxiety when I explore these dingy spaces;  the curiosity and excitement, the expectation of discovery are enough to override any feelings of discomfort that might arise.

But it's also true that I had never previously encountered an environment that was literally left to fall apart.  Which this building was -- clearly, it had been slowly rotting away for years. 

The ceilings were caving, the walls were peeling and crumbling, and many of the windows no longer had panes in them.

Then, as I stood there clicking away on the fourth floor, suddenly I heard a soft, high-pitched groaning sound, seemingly right behind me.  It sounded just like a woman's voice.  I just about jumped out of my skin!  I whirled around in shock and terror, but there was no one.  Instead, I saw that it was just a door creaking in the draft.  But then, just as I was letting out a huge (metaphorical)sigh of relief, I heard a thud or dull banging noise from downstairs.  Not from the floor below, but seemingly farther down, and not very loud but still quite distinct.

That was it.  That did it for me.  I was thoroughly creeped out and there was nothing to do but leave, and quickly.

While hurrying down the stairwell I was NOT looking to find out who or what had made the noise.  On the contrary, I prayed I would not run into the party responsible, be it a ghost, a homeless person or a fellow urban explorer.  Boy, was I glad when I made it out without incident.  Into a silent, empty alley in the gloomy gray light of a heavily overcast late afternoon -- but glad.

Rain X 2

Today it rained.  I, the rain-lover, had been excitedly waiting for it since I saw the weather forecast a few days ago;  we were supposed to get rain every day of this week.  Well, today it did rain, but now the forecast has changed to partially rainy days interspersed with sunny weather.  A bit disappointing, but still I went out for a walk in the rain, and although it was a moderately heavy rain, it wasn't enough to satisfy me.  Then I got a bright idea; I put in my earbuds and pulled up a rain sound video on YouTube as I went.  It worked like a charm!  It really felt like it was raining a lot harder than it actually was, what with the thunder sound effects and all.

Today's Iridescence

Some More Random Shots

taken on my photo-crawls through the streets and alleyways of Seoul.

 

My Thumb

Took the bandage off after two days washing and showering with it on.

Ready For The Buddha's Birthday

Yes, it's the Buddha, not just Buddha, as it is a title, not a name, and in this context it refers to a specific person -- born Siddhartha Gautama, son of a minor king in a kingdom which is now part of Nepal -- whose life is commemorated in this, the 2,570th year, of the Buddhist calendar.  His birthday is the 8th day of the fourth lunar month, and this year it falls on the 24th of May by the Gregorian calendar.

To mark the holiday a stupa of colorful paper laterns has been set up in the plaza.  It's surrounded by a fence of miniature lanterns, each of which carries a prayer or wish written by a devotee on a mock gold-leaf leaf (ha!).

Bardo: Between Hell

and some place that's kind of Heaven-ish but (wow, I just meant to type 'and' but it came out 'but' -- wonder if it's my fingers doing a Freudian slip) really is not, but maybe is, in some ways.

This is one of the scariest posts I've put up so far.

Like I keep telling you, Sam, don't drink and internet.

Another UFO?

Unknown object photographed over a busy intersection in Seoul.  

Prickle Rainbow Moon (Mod Photo VIII)

 

Today's Acquisition

While on the way home from a luncheon with my extended family I explored a nearby underground shopping mall.  While there I checked out a small shop that sold various ornamental knick-knacks, and when I saw this heart carved out of a chunk of rose quartz, I fell in love with it instantly.  The proprietress urged it on me, telling me it would bring love and romance, but I didn't need the extra convincing.

The lighting isn't the greatest in the above shots and the stone came out looking kind of somber and thick, but look at this shot, how pretty is that!

You might say I gained a heart of stone, but hey, at least it's better than having a heart of glass, no...?

Related posts:  Heart