Covid 19 - Dispatch from Seoul | Cherry Blossom
This week signals the coming of springs -with temperature finally rising and most importantly, cherry trees blossoming, it is the big come back of the beautiful days. The local government is advising strong social distancing policies but it is impossible to keep people, especially young ones, away from the beautiful white trees and the relaxing banks of the Han river. For this occasion, a big number of volunteer are walking around the crowds with panels reminding to wear masks and to keep a safety distance of 2 meters between groups of people. As most of of people are doing their best to respect those rules, younger people don’t hesitate to take off the mask for a quick selfie or while enjoying the sun on the grass.
For the past two month, most of the urban population of the peninsula is following the regulations of masks. But with numbers of cases falling down again in Seoul, the population is starting to relax without worrying much about the so called second or third wave. Here are some images around the “officially canceled” cherry blossom festival.
A couple enjoy the Cherry Trees in Yeouido, downtown Seoul. Part of the street has been closed to the public but people are still free to stroll around. In between trees, numerous signs are reminding visitors to keep wearing masks and observe a safety distance between groups.
At every entrance of the Hangang park , hand sanitizers and volunteers are here to remind the visitors of the dangers of the Covid 19
A volunteer with a sign reminding visitor to wear masks stroll up and down the main alley in between the cherry trees.
A group of young people playing in the the Hangang park. Young people have less tendencies to wear masks at all time.
The park is crowded but groups are sitting spaced from each others. Young people take off their masks for selfies and snacks.
A group of young people posing for a photo in front of one of the many cherry tree of Yeouido.
A volunteer offers some hand sanitizer to visitors arriving at the park/
All photos by Tim Franco | get in touch : timfranco@gmail.com