1. Recently, I posted a photo from the roof of an abandoned building, looking into a foreign military garrison next door.
2. Here's another photo of the same garrison I took a couple years earlier. By then, this whole section of the base was abandoned. The neighbhourhood uphill of there is where I live.
3. Little did I know, I would soon get an invitation to an embassy event on post. Here's a sample of some of the food I got.
4. Housing here is weird. It looks totally foreign, and only somewhat resembles its country of origin.
5. Here's a banner for the event I was at.
6. On most parts of the base, you can see the skyscrapers of Seoul towering over you.
7. The event offered unlimited free food and free beer, but I wanted to slip away.
8. I saw that sign and thought, "Please don't say 'CAUTION: LAND MINES.'" It didn't. I think it used to be a driving range.
9. The fence to the right cutting it off demarks land that has been returned to Korea. The building in the distance is the National Museum, itself built on land returned to Korea in the early 1990s.
10. "Assignment of Choice," words soldiers used to say sarcastically.
11. I thought this was a "kiddie fire trainer" spelled wrong, but it was something very real.
12. Battle Simulation Center.
13. Abandoned fast food restaurant.
14. Car wash sign.
15. The highrises in the distance were built speculatively, when everyone started preparing for the eventual handover of this whole base, which currently everyone believes will be changed into a massive urban park in the city center. However, I have doubts.
16. This overpass connects South Post with Main Post.
17. A large amount of Main Post was fenced off, which may mean it's already been returned to Korea. A friend of mine who used to work for a military newspaper had an office right back there.
18. This building had served as headquarters for a major military force.
19. This stream runs downhill a little bit, then goes underground, and then joins the
Host Tunnel, the largest known underground river in Seoul where we host an annual Christmas meetup.
20. Around now, I started feeling like all the meat I had eaten was looking for a fast exit.
21. But where could I go? Most of the buildings had this imposing sign on the entrances. Enter here, get Guantanamoed.
22. Fortunately I found this friendly house, where there was no such sign and the door was unlocked.
23. Inside, it was abandoned. This was a sauna for officers. The water no longer ran, but I found a clean toilet with water still in it and hovered over it to launch my artillery.
24. After, I went up to the roof, where I got this view. The abandoned building with the two bars I visited recently is visible on the left in red brick.
The big white building is where both my cats were born 17 years ago. That neighbourhood was originally a settlement for North Korean refugees.
25. Looking slightly to the right, here's another area that is also well-known to the foreign community of Seoul.
26. And here's a look in the opposite direction, to the west. Those highrises in the distance stand right outside the other end of the base.
27. I went further uphill to a place where the housing of the former refugee village actually peek over the wall.
28. This is where you find the Navy Club.
29. On my last visit, it was all locked tight. Not so this time.
30. Please forgive the lens hood shadow.
31. The Navy Club.
32. I suppose this person loved a guy named Dick.
33. I noted a number of cars parked around here. Maybe some units just haven't been moved out yet, but I have heard talk of an intel unit being moved back in.
34. Wandering through.
35. Quite the stark contrast.
36. Going further north, I came to a separate camp that closed earlier. They are hoping to keep possession of this property and open a new embassy here. My home is just a little further that way.
37. There's a small motor pool back here.
38. Much of the sign has been redacted. If anyone is familiar with this language, please feel free to offer your translation.
39. Time to take the overpass back to South Post.
40. The view off the side.
41. Here's a view of the overpass I would not have been allowed to photograph before, as there had been a gate below.
42. No Trespassing, but there's no fence next to the gate.
43. This garrison used to be occupied by the Japanese, and they built a prison on base.
44. A nice view of the mountain, with my scooter I'd been riding around in front.
45. I checked in at the event, and they were having a bonfire. I had a few more drinks, and I was within the local legal limit, but not the Korean one.
46. So out I went again. The land on the other side of that fence has been returned to Korea, and they were about to open a new park on the other side.
47. Here's a look over the fence, where I believe there used to be a helipad.
48. The building in the center right, blocked mostly by the tree, is Korea's new presidential residence, as of one year ago. Yes, it backs onto a foreign military facility. Not sure if this would increase the risk of surveillance.
49. By now it was getting late, and I was starting to realise I'd have to leave sooner or later. Plus my scooter was almost out of gas. But I kept finding places to wander.
50.
51. Here's a look from the overpass, down onto a civilian access road.
50. This is a hotel I'll just call Dragon Mountain Hotel, where foreign military personnel can stay.
51. Inside, I was sure to obey this sign.
52. Late blue hour view of the mountain as the tower lights up.
53. Those highrises must have been built there specifically to be visible on base.
Anyway, that's it. I headed out, not sure if I'd ever get back in, at least before it's turned into a Korean park.
