Costco is Costco is Costco

I don't think I've ever shared the joys of Korean Costco with you all, my loyal readers. Viv and I went up yesterday, the first time in probably six months. We don't go very often because quite frankly, its a real hassle. It is an all day trip as its and hour and 45 minutes away by car. Then its the usual Costco scene: terrible parking, huge crowds, long lines, and cranky children.

Just like at home, here's the lady checking cards at the entrance.

This sign on a bunkbed caught my eye: "please don't go up and jump." In the U.S. the sign would probably just say "no climbing." I guess Americans aren't worried about their kids jumping off bunkbeds!


Here's the ubiquitous baked goods aisle, where you can get regulation Costco cheesecake, pie, bagels, and muffins.


A sight for sore eyes:


Here's a less typical Costco selection: an entire aisle of Vivian's favorite snack, gim, which is dried sheet seaweed. In a thousand varieties.


And here's the dried mushroom aisle, in case you need a 2 kg bag of pyogo-che. Don't pay any attention to Vivian showing off her food - that will only enocourage her!


We made it through the aisles and the lines, and to the lunch counter where they sell, of course, pizza, chicken cesar salad, lattes, and sausages!


Mr. Lee, our driver, always knows when to show up. He appeared just in time to take my cart to the car and give me a free hand to shoot the big picture:


The crowd had thinned out by this time. They must have all gone to the lunch room.

Other observations for which I don't have photos:

• The other customers are very curious about what foreigners buy. They have no problem examining closely what is in my cart. I mean, they will come right up to the cart and look inside, and discuss amongst themselves the contents. Mr. Lee does that too, when he's carrying my groceries (ahem!), he'll look carefully at what I have bought. I've gotten used to it but there's a little less privacy here!
• It feels about 1000 degrees inside. Its September, after all (read: its not summer anymore so it can't possibly be hot), so the air-con is probably off!
• I have to use cash because foreigners can't use credit cards here. And the largest currency denomination here is 10,000 won, which is worth about $10. Imagine spending a few hundred dollars and only having $10 bills. In order to stock up on essentials for the next few months, I have to carry a huge wad of bills that in any other western country would be worth a loooot of money.

Just like home.