Seoul Indescribable- Part Six

Day 18- Sinsa-dong Garosugil and Rainbow fountain at Banpo Bridge (kind of)

My day started off very late at Apgujeong and my first stop- Garosugil in Sinsadong! And that's located in between the Apgujeong and Sinsa stations. I got off at Apgujeong to walk to the Garosugil (tree-lined street). Got out an exit, walked a few yards down the road, looked at the shops along the road and noticed a recurring theme. The shop windows were plastered with before and after pictures of women and men, pictures of very handsome men dressed in lab coats with arms crossed. And the whole stretch of 'shops' were all like this. And then I realised they were ALL plastic surgery clinics. And almost everyone around had bandaged up faces. It was the weirdest feeling, a lil' scary. And all the clinics look super welcoming please!! So I learnt, Apgujeong has a high density of plastic surgery clinics. But I don't understand why they all chose to open like right next to each other. Wouldn't it be insane competition?! 

Anyway, I got severely lost amongst these super comfortable looking plastic surgeries, and got back on the train and got off at Sinsa instead. Ha. If you're planning to go to Garosugil, get off at Sinsa! Its much easier and has directions all the way to the street. 

Garosugil in Sinsa-dong is a DEFINITE MUST, PLEASE GO, HAVE TO, NEED when you go to Seoul. By far the coolest, most trendy, fashionable place I've set foot in. Paris, London, Milan, move over. Seoul is definitely fashion capital. I was upset I only visited this place on my third-last day when I was alone. I really wanted to spend money and help Korea's economy, but the shop keepers are not, in any way, welcoming. I guess cos its in Gangnam, and their items are not particularly cheap and because their products are so amazeballs they'd attract customers no matter how snooty they are. (Just not customers like me..)

The shop was called 'around the corner'. So perfect!

Spot the lady photobombing my photo with aegyo. 

They also had street vendors selling affordable stuff like mobile phone accessories, hair clips and such. Probably the best quality street vendors I've encountered in Seoul.

As it approached 8.30pm I left Sinsa-dong, empty-handed, sadly. I left to go watch the Rainbow Fountain on Banpo bridge at 9pm! Or so I thought. I was too late, I missed it and I was sad! I comforted myself by telling myself; well, I'll just have to come back here soon! 

The view from the bridge definitely compensated though! And you know how I'm a total sucker for night light views. 

I was walking along this deserted bridge. I was the only person in sight, and I started to freak cos I knew someone was looking at me. So I looked around and realised it was only Justin Timberlake. 

Day 19- Farmers markets and Soyosan

Second-last day in Seoul, I ventured out of Seoul to Dongducheon, north of Seoul. I have friends staying there, so I paid them a visit and they took me around. I am so blessed!

Dongducheon the night I arrived. 

I arrived on the 25th of March, and every 5, 15, 25th of each month there's a farmers market! And farmers markets are one of my favourite things to go to. Like ever. They sold everything from Oranges to fish, from brooms to buckets, from potted plants to trousers, from slippers to bags. EVERYTHING.

My sister saw this picture and said; imagine that, all of them had a personality....

Imagine being gutted, and spread open by chopsticks with strings coming out your mouth. 

Knuckle sandwich. 

Hugest, juiciest, fleshiest Korean pear EVER.

Emily, my friend, introduced me to the Korean pear. And oh, how blinded of this earth's beauty I've been! It was the best thing to happen to me that day and the next following days! We went hiking next, and this pear lasted both of us the whole way up. It was THAT huge. And the next day, back in Seoul, I bought two pears, ate one of lunch and dinner. And kept the other one for my breakfast the next day ( I was flying to Taiwan the next day). And I forgot to eat it! And got it confiscated at Shanghai where I was transitting. I was DEVASTATED, to say the least! It was an emotional goodbye, I asked the airport people to take good care of it, and eat it well. Fo' real. 

Wait, just let me wipe away my tears. 

At the foot of Soyosan! 

So pumped up for my hike! I love hiking! My parents have brought us hiking since we were little. My grandpa actually climbed Mount Everest! So I try to make it a point to go hiking at every country I go.  I was a little let down that I wasn't going to hike in Korea until Emily suggested we do, on my second last day! She's a Godsend. 

Ahjummas and Ahjusshis everywhere! 

I was probably the youngest person on Soyosan. Everyone I saw were old man and ladies decked out in their winter jackets and hiking sticks. It was such a lovely sight to see, so inspirational! 

Sleeping ahjusshi. 

Little shrine in a semi-cave

So rewarding 

But definitely not rewarding for my self-esteem. While we were huffing and puffing and panting away, all these old folks were zooming past us, blasting music, joking, laughing, looking like they didn't need oxygen to live! It was an embarrassment. Heh. 

I remember while walking up, we met these two ahjusshis (old men). And they said to me, 조심해, 호랑이가있다, meaning, be careful, there are tigers! And I was questioned, ho lang? (I didn't know what they meant.) And they said, Tiger, tiger! And I was like, TIGER?! JIN JJA?! (REALLY?!) And they roared with laughter. It was cute.

We reached our maximum ability, and ate pear. 

So rewarding lah. 

Back down to civilisation. 

We headed back to Dongducheon and explored there. I introduced Emily to Ddukbokki and Hoddeok. And she treated me to this crazy awesome korean buffet! They had the widest spread of food I have EVER seen. Five different types of porridges, two different types of rice, hugest spread of banchan and hugest variety of meat. MY GAT! Noms. 

And I saw a kid drinking a drink called 'Chilsung cider'. And I was speechless, WHY'S HE DRINKING CIDER?! HE'S A LIL KID. But it wasn't cider, it was called cider, but it was Seven-up... Well, I'm just glad I'm look out for the people around me. Bahahahahahahah. 

Day 20- SPEND ALL MY MONEY

Last day in Seoul, and long story short, I went out, and spent, a lot. Pretty sure the korean economy is doing better because of me....

Bye bye, Korea! I definitely shed some tears. 

That's it for my take on Korea. It has been so awesome blogging about it! I LOVE KOREA SO SO MUCH. And I hope I can help you fall in love with it like I did. Thanks you guise! And next up, Taiwan! 

You're sexy, and you know it. xxx

Seoul Marvellous- Part Five

Finally back in Singapore-town! I touched down yesterday after 5 too-good-to-be-true days in Hongkong. And I'm back to this blogging thang, continuing from where I left off; Seoul!

Day 14- Yeouido

I had previously gone to Yeouido, but I decided to go back there because I was really missing doing my daily 5-mile walks I used to do in London and thought Yeouido would be the perfect place to walk! 

It was sunny out and the sky above me was cloudless, and it was perfect! But how deceived I was, cos it was absolutely freeeeezing! It was by far the coldest day I experienced in Seoul, but everything else definitely compensated for it. It was still perfect. 

There wasn't a person in sight apart from the occasional ahjumma and ahjusshi decked out in their brightly coloured couple winter jackets brisk walking and the occasional male jogger who made me trip on the pavement and gawp because of how good they looked. 

If I was korean, I would have a korean flag on my boat too...

I thought this swing set really looked like a sad sleeping/sulking child. 

 After Yeouido, I actually planned to go to see Gangnam by night and the Garosu-gil in Sinsadong and Apujeong-dong. But I embarrassingly chickened out because of how extremely cold it was. I felt like the cold was piercing every cell in my body. And you know the feeling when ice is stuck on your tongue? That was how it felt. I resorted to the comfort of my warm floor heated guest house and spent the rest of the day with pots of ramen. Pots, plural not singular, take note. 

Day 15- Insadong and N Seoul tower by night

My favourite day in Seoul! I loved this day, it made me happy. I wish I could've planned this day while Jolene was with me, so she could've shared the joys of this day. I don't really know why I enjoyed this day so much, I think it was just very much right up my alley. 

I decided to explore Insadong. I think Insadong is pretty underrated as a place to visit in Seoul, but since experiencing it first hand, I highly highly recommend it. 

Immediately outside the Subway station is the Bosingak Bell pavilion. There hung a bell which was hit to notify the citizens of the opening and closing of the city gates very long time ago, it was build in 1396. And also to notify them of fires, but ironically, it was burnt down a couple of times. When the gates were opening, the bell was struck 33 times and when it was closing, 28 times. Imagine that! That's a lot of hits! 

Jongno tower, interesting no?

Few minutes down the road was Jogyesa Temple! One of the 'most magnificent' temples in Korea, and it definitely lived up to its reputation. This was the only temple I saw on Seoul, I know there's one in Gangnam. I knew that Korea was a very christian part of Asia, but I was very shocked at how few temples there were. Walking up the road leading to the temple, you see many shops selling prayer beads, the costumes worn by monks, incense and stuff. 

So beautiful! 

Wish I could've come at a time where the whole tree was decorated with lanterns! 

I then went on a hunt for Ssamziegil! And the street leading to it is so pretty! Shops were mostly selling souvenirs, but they were really awesome souvenirs! If you're one to buy souvenirs for people (I'm not...) this is the place to go. 

Bon Chuk!

They have branches all over Seoul. And I couldn't get enough of it! I ate it for breakfast almost everyday in the branch near the guest house! Its so so yummy, and cheap, and hearty, and healthy, and warm for winter! I so-extremely-highly recommend it. You'll find porridges with ingredients you'd NEVER think of putting into porridge, but so perfectly complimenting each other. 

Found it! Ssamziegil! The highlight of my shopping life in Korea. 

Ssamziegil is a unique shopping centre, very artsy, very indie. My sister would've loved everything there! What's unique about ssamziegil is that its just one massive spiral walkway. There are stairs connecting the 'floors' if you don't want to walk round and round. And on the top floor, it offers a really awesome rooftop view of Seoul! So perfect!! 

Even the sitting down area is artsy. Please, stop! 

People, probably mainly teenagers, go there and write all over the walls. Such a nice touch to a very young, hipster place. 

One. massive. spiral. walkway. 

All the shops actively shot down any forms of photography of their shops and products. Understandable cos most of the products sold were handmade and crafty stuff. But I found the most awesome earrings and accessories there! It still baffles me to this day why I didn't buy any! But if you have time, GO! And spend money. 

I wish for many things in life. But one of the things I wish for is to draw like that! 

Of course, some English speaking fool of a person had to ruin something. 

Another couple thing. I couldn't escape! You buy one of those what looked like luggage tags and you write something and you hang it there. 

So sweet. 

One thing I couldn't understand was why Insadong was so obsessed with anything poop related! They had stalls selling poop bread and everything. 

After a very difficult departure from Ssamziegil I headed to Hoehyeon to ride the previously mentioned elevator up Namsan! 

It was pretty easy to find, I saw this bright thing in the distance and just walked towards it. 

Back here again. 

MYGARSH! My soft-spot for night-light views was going insane! 

Oh mai gat. 

OH MY GAT. 

Love the silhouette the trees produced!  

I stood at the bottom of the tower for a long time deciding if I should go up. I finally decided to. There were options to just go to the observatory, or go to the revolving restaurant and the bear museum etc. I chose just to go to the observatory. It took me a long time to decide because the view standing was Namsan tower was awesome enough, with no glass in the way and a railing to place your camera for long exposure shots (lol). But I went anyway, just in case I regretted. 

These were the best pictures produced. D: A bit disappointed

Shocking! 

The view was definitely to die for! The photos do not do it any of its deserved justice because of the glass and grainy-ness. 

They had a really cool thing from the observatory where you can write and send postcards from the tower. They provided really cool stamps showing that you sent the postcard from the tower itself. I thought that was a great idea. 

Last photo because I took the cable car back down and headed back. 

This day will forevvvvver be remembered! I already want to relive it. I'm glad this blog can help me preserve my memory. ^^

Stay cool! xxx