This Used To Be My Playground

While walking to chilbo yesterday Madonna's "This Used To Be My Playground" started to play on my IPod and it got me to thinking how true it was.  The area of Paldulmun where most of my craft classes are has changed dramatically over the last month.  This isn't a new phenomenom because businesses open and close almost daily here in South Korea.

But when I first returned to Korea and found Nan's new chilbo shop, I was surprised at how rundown the area was.  I live in the North part of Suwon which is the old part of town.  Recently the government has put serious thought and money into revamping the area.  But they are not just updating but making it so much more.  As you can see above, they are using Korean artists and all of their wonderful talent.  I've been walking around with my mouth hanging open and sighing at the beauty around me.

       Here is Nan Young's shop which they have most completed.  I thought they did a beautiful job.

       Even the area around Nan Young's shop has incorporated a lot of her and her student's work.

                                                    This is Nan Young's work.
                     

So after class I decided to continue down the street to see what other changes I had missed.  I'm a little concerned about the Human Contact in Pressed Flower.  It sounds painful.

I got a chuckle out of this sign with the "sweat red-bean soup."  I'm sure it's delicious but the name kinda puts me off.

                               Here's a larger photo of the restaurant.  I love all the color.

                                                              Gorgeous!

All that you see is new.  I wish I had taken pictures of what it used to look like.  It's a complete makeover!

                                      This was intriguing to me so I glanced inside the tiny door.

            It's a tiny restaurant.  There were people in it so I didn't want to stick my camera all the way in.

                                                 I love all the paintings on the buildings.

I even stumbled on a Buddhist temple.  I was freezing or I would have stopped in for visit.  I want to come back with Rocketman.

                        There are bunches of little shops and restaurants.  I loved these backpacks.
                     
This "love" motel rolls out the green striped carpet and I swear it went on for a block!  I want Rocketman to come with me with his fancy camera to take more pictures.  It was getting dark so I didn't walk more than six or seven blocks.  I wanted to get home before dark and my fingers were freezing.

Rocketman comes home tomorrow. Yeah!!  We'll see what he is up for this weekend.  I have a chilbo class tomorrow and the second half of my Korean miniature class all day Sunday.  We are making the food and finishing up the Korean street cart.  Can't wait! I did shoot a video on how to get my hanji and chilbo shop and to give you a little look at the area: