Contrasts

At times, the fast paced Korean society seems to drift back in time, reminding the casual observer, a.k.a. me, that life here hasn't always been running at 200 km/hr.

Today, while walking to the bus stop in the Thursday morning cold, a group of workers huddled around a small fire they had built in the empty lot. In a few weeks that lot will be a new apartment. Today, it was burning branches cut from some unsuspecting urban tree growing between concrete and asphalt.

At other times, the recycling person comes by. They are pushing around a huge cart, by hand, piled high with cardboard which blocks their view through the streets, between the cars and high rises. Nicaragua at least has oxen to pull the carts.

This from the same place that builds entire cities in a year. There are elevators for the cars in parking garages. Phones have TV and internet that work even on the subway underground. Contrasts of the then and now.