Stages of a photographer - How good we think we are

Pretty self explanatory really... though I must admit I had to study it for a while. The key shows what the coloured lines mean.

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A nice piece of camerabilia

Seen in Kyobo Bookstore in Centum City, Busan, today. A pencil sharpener shaped like a twin lens reflex camera.

There is really no limit to the things one can collect. I resisted the urge to buy. I'll stick to real cameras.

Much more worrying, nearby were "dog staplers".

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YMO in Pocky ad?

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On my way back from Japan last week I stayed in a hotel in Fukuoka. An ad came on the TV that featured members of the Yellow Magic Orchestra. I grabbed my iPhone but only managed to grab the last few seconds.

Here are some stills I captured from the ad. That looks like Yukihiro Takahashi on the left and Harry Hosouni on the right but is that Ryuichi Sakamoto in the middle?

I like to hope it isn't.

The product incidentally is a fake-chocolate dipped pretzel stick known on Japan as a Pocky and in Korea as a ppeppero (빼빼로). They are thoroughly nasty.

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Heoshimcheong microbrewery

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This is a place I used to frequent when I lived here in Busan a few years ago. They make 3 varieties of beer on site, the darkest being a tasty and very strong brown ale they call Dunkel. it is situated on the ground floor of the Heoshimcheong  sauna complex, a part of the Nongshim Hotel in Oencheonjang, on subway line 1, Busan.

The brewing equipment is all visible though glass windows, the decor is faux-Bavarian and the super-cute waitresses and, I suspect, embarrassed waiters, all dress respectively in Heidi-style costumes and lederhosen.  The menu is dominated by overpriced sausages, but it's definitely worth a visit just for the beer.

I went there today at about 5:30pm and the waitress, who has excellent English, told me I was the first customer. I enjoyed a 500ml glass of Dunkel, and the complimentary bread sticks, which seemed to contain chilli.

On weekends the place is packed with hikers, enjoying a few drinks after a post-mountaineering sauna. They have a house band which plays pretty cheesy pop and the place can get quite lively.

Anyway I enjoyed my own post-sauna beer and may sneak back later in the week for another.

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Daegu's "Beer Factory" : a brief review.

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I was in Daegu, Korea, this week and spent an evening with some very good folks at a microbrewery style of bar called The Beer Factory. They had quite a range of beers from a pale Pilsener to quite a dark stout. I only tried the brown ale and can attest to it's deliciousness. Prices are on the high side but typical for a bar of this type. Food was the usual fried chicken dishes but they were generous with their free "service" dishes. Then again we were a largish party and spent quite a lot.

One thing really amuses me though (see second picture): in the gents, above each urinal, is a menu if their beers so one can plan what to drink next even as one voids the last beer.

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Miyazaki Station

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Just some images I shot with the Hipstamatic App on my iPhone while waiting for the train to Miyakonojo at Miyazaki Station the other evening.

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A bar called "Arse-hole"

똥꼬 (Ddong-ggo) the sign says, over this bar in the PNU area in Busan. That translates as "Arse-hole".

I am so curious…

Love the picture!

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People I met today in Busan

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Warming myself in the sun outside Jagalchi fish markets in Busan today I noticed the woman next to me was using a real camera - a Nikon FM2 to be precise. I asked if I could take her photo and she held up her camera and took mine. I also took a film shot with my Mamiya 7 but that will have to wait. Her name is 이가영 (Ka-yeong Lee).

Later, in Nampodong subway a young fellow saw the Mamiya around my neck and came straight up to me saying, "Take my photo." I shot him with the "pinhole" setting using the Retro Camera App on my iPhone.

"What's your name?", I asked.

"이정진 (Jeong-jin Lee). Remember me!

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Hallabong - a Korean citrus fruit

한라봉 - Hallabong, a Korean citrus fruit grown largely on Jeju Island. Tastes like a tangy orange. Skin is thick and easily peeled with the fingers. Ridiculously overpriced but one of the best fruit here.

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Korean ukulele review - Countess tenor

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I just played a very nice solid tenor uke in a Yamaha store next to exit 1 of Nampodong subway station here in Busan, South Korea. The instrument, branded Countess and strung with what look like Aquila strings is Korean made and was shown to me with some pride by the very friendly shop assistant.

The top is solid spruce and the back and sides mahogany. Sound is strong and clean. Build seems a little rough with some machining marks visible at the top of the sound-hole under the end if the fret board. The neck is accurate but the ends of the metals are a little rough and scratchy in the hand as I play. Tuners are well geared and smooth and the head is slotted. Overall a good instrument but lacking in finish and not really worth the 485,000 won (~AU$430) they want for it.

In the same shop I also played another tenor branded Dexter. This one was unimpressive but had an unremarkable set of strings. It was priced around 250,000 won.

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Korean ukulele review - Countess tenor

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I just played a very nice solid tenor uke in a Yamaha store next to exit 1 of Nampodong subway station here in Busan, South Korea. The instrument, branded Countess and strung with what look like Aquila strings is Korean made and was shown to me with some pride by the very friendly shop assistant.

The top is solid spruce and the back and sides mahogany. Sound is strong and clean. Build seems a little rough with some machining marks visible at the top of the sound-hole under the end if the fret board. The neck is accurate but the ends of the metals are a little rough and scratchy in the hand as I play. Tuners are well geared and smooth and the head is slotted. Overall a good instrument but lacking in finish and not really worth the 485,000 won (~AU$430) they want for it.

In the same shop I also played another tenor branded Dexter. This one was unimpressive but had an unremarkable set of strings. It was priced around 250,000 won.

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Korean ukulele review - Countess tenor

See the full gallery on posterous

I just played a very nice solid tenor uke in a Yamaha store next to exit 1 of Nampodong subway station here in Busan, South Korea. The instrument, branded Countess and strung with what look like Aquila strings is Korean made and was shown to me with some pride by the very friendly shop assistant.

The top is solid spruce and the back and sides mahogany. Sound is strong and clean. Build seems a little rough with some machining marks visible at the top of the sound-hole under the end if the fret board. The neck is accurate but the ends of the metals are a little rough and scratchy in the hand as I play. Tuners are well geared and smooth and the head is slotted. Overall a good instrument but lacking in finish and not really worth the 485,000 won (~AU$430) they want for it.

In the same shop I also played another tenor branded Dexter. This one was unimpressive but had an unremarkable set of strings. It was priced around 250,000 won.

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