Cherry Blossoms.

(벚꽃) 
Cheongju, South Korea.

As you might know Japan is THE place to go for cherry blossoms. However, Korea's kind of got some good blossom action in the Spring as well -- good for me!

I wanted to go down to Jinhae, where they have a Cherry Blossom Festival, but it's kind of far and over crowded (I've heard), so I decided against it. I was a bit bummed, until I realized Cheongju (my city) had some blossoms down by the river near Shinae (downtown). Soooo... what did I do last friday night around 10? I went down by the river, took my camera and tripod and sat there doing long exposures for a couple of hours! Yes, I'm crazy. Yes, I got stares but I am so used to that by now! And yes, I of course got some pretty awesome photos. Or so I think, you'll have to let me know if you agree or think I'm full of it. (comment on this bottom of this post - if you so desire!)

I had to fight the hoards of people and wait super super patiently to get one without people in it! Of course all the Koreans had their huge phones out taking hundreds of photos of themselves with their boyfriends! It's actually surprising to me that there are still blossoms on the trees since EVERY person who walked by broke some off. So sad.

The river.

or I guess more like a stream, since it's maybe a few inches deep!

Sunset.

Again, for a few sunset pics.

My day off.

which was well spent with an afternoon of photographing once again -- the cherry blossoms. I got dinner with a friend and of course ice cream too!

Me.

then.. a few of me. I wanted some of me and the blossoms, so I found a way, by using this fun little mirror. Kind of cool, using my wide angle lens shooting into a wide angle/fish eye type mirror.

And I wonder why I get stares. Oh wait, I know. I'm strange and foreign. But that's the great thing about being foreign, I just don't care/can't understand what they are saying. So -- I do what I want! But I did make a new friend, who stopped to say hi. She was really sweet and took a few pictures of me and one with me on her phone! She lived in Seattle for a semester, which is why she was less afraid to speak to the way-gook-y (foreigner).

Photo shoot.

And another time for a little shoot with a friend! (who's also kind of model material!)

So, how many stares did we get, a lot probably. But I had my camera up to my face most of the time, so I didn't notice. However, I could see it in her face! She would start laughing or give me one of those, um ok why is everyone staring/slowing down to stare/stopping to stare/pointing - kind of looks. But I think it was worth it!