Where I live - Part 2

Coming home, we roll downhill. Past the same fields and houses, but with a different view.

Towering over the fields, there are mountains... and the ubiquitous Korean apartment blocks that can be found in ever-growing numbers throughout the country. Are they a blight upon the landscape? Or, are they the reason that there is so much greenery here? As ugly as they may be, I still find it preferable to the North American model: Let's squeeze 5,000 people into a small space, instead of each one having his own house, with an acre of land around it.

Still, the traditional peaked roofs have their place here. Ancestors' graves are simply a part of the scenery, with the road curving around it. There are graves on the hill behind Shidae too. From my window, I can see about 4 of them. Spooky? Traditional? I hardly even notice them anymore.

More modern houses can also be found here. The most important element of any parcel of land, however, seems to be the way it is used, almost exclusively, for gardening. And I'm talking vegetables, persimmon orchards. There are no lawns to mow in Korea. Only onions to harvest.
















Shidae looms ahead of us... let's go look inside.