Seoul (10.02-10.04)

A little belated, I apologize. But here is my update on my trip to Seoul. =)

It was an amazing time - Seoul is huge and beautiful and crowded and packed full of foreigners. Actually, when I first arrived at the station, walking out onto the street I got so excited because it was such a bustling city... it reminded me of home! Sometimes when I've been away from a city for a while, seeing crowded sidewalks and people rushing to get to where they need to go makes me nostalgic. Not that Daejeon isn't a city; it's crowded here as well and congestion is a nightmare... maybe it was just the fact that I was in Seoul that also got me excited. However, by the end of my weekend I was extremely happy that I did NOT live in Seoul and I was very excited to get back to home sweet Daejeon.

(Friday)

We arrived in Seoul at around 5pm... had just enough time to get to my hostel in Hongdae, drop off my stuff, and help my two friends find a motel to stay in. We tried to do some exploring and check out this electronics market, but by the time we got there it was already closing, so we headed back to Hongdae for some dinner. Hongdae is an area by Hongdik University (Hongdik Daehakgyo) that has a ton of bars and clubs. That night we went to a bar and then a club called nb2 (or noise basement, I'm pretty sure..). It was fun but the club was extremely packed and I did not enjoy getting pushed around so much.

(Saturday)

The next day, we woke up, grabbed some breakfast/lunch, and headed to Insadong to see the National Palace (Gyeongbukgung). Because it was Chuseok, admission to the palace and the museums inside were free. The palace was huge and had a backdrop of some pretty hills... after walking in, it was like stepping outside of Seoul and back in time. We took some photos with guards, explored/played, and visited the Folk Museum (also for free). Apparently there was a pretty lake somewhere on the grounds, but we missed it. =(

After that, we went to the open market in Insadong. They sold a lot of crafts and souvenir items there, I was tempted to buy a lot but I knew I would have tons of time to buy things for my friends and family back home. We walked a lot at this time: from Insadong all the way south toward Myeongdong and Namdaemun Market (I know this means nothing to you if you don't know Seoul, but trust me: it's a bit of a walk). We passed this bridge with a small stream under it, with a stone path, benches to sit on, and rocks to climb. This must've been my favorite place in Seoul. It was so random, I didn't expect to see it in such a busy and crowded city... it's times like this - when out of nowhere you see something that's a part of nature exist somewhere you never expected it to, and to be able to peacefully step away from the sound of horns honking and foreign languages and the footsteps of millions of people heading this way and that, and instead listen to the sound of flowing water... okay I'm getting philosophical on you, so I'll stop!


Myeongdong and Namdaemun Market is a shopper's paradise. Especially a bargain shopper. Especially a bargain shopper who does not mind buying fake designer goods at dirt cheap prices. There is just so much around you. The area is a pedestrian strip, with many reputable clothing stores around (i.e. Forever 21 - biggest one I have ever seen and the only one in Korea... needless to say, I will be back there soon), and then vendors with their stands on the street selling watches, purses, jewelry, hair clips, FOOD, etc... it's definitely a stop on everyone's list when they visit Seoul.

Myeongdong

Following this, we met up with some friends in Itaewon - the "foreigner" district with tons of international cuisine. We went to a Thai restaurant and my friend Chriselle got to take a picture with a famous actor who owned the restaurant (first thing every Korean told me when I mentioned his name.. "Did you know he's gay?!".. still a taboo in Korea but awesome that a celebrity came out and is still famous). Itaewon is great if you're missing home.. but the minute I stepped out of the subway system it was like I wasn't in Korea anymore. There were foreigners everywhere. I love traveling and I love meeting people from all over the world, but for me, living in Korea feels different. I don't want to be around foreigners all the time. I want to meet Koreans, make lasting friendships, share in their culture. So I guess Itaewon wasn't my favorite stop in Seoul.

That night I was planning on going up to Namsan Tower but it ended up raining when we got there... so that was out. Instead we walked around an empty Myeongdong (completely different without all the stands and crowds at night), and found a shady cafe/bar to chill at for a while. Then back to Hongdae where I got to see some old orientation buddies before I called it a night.

(Sunday)

Our train was scheduled to leave in the evening on Sunday, so we had plenty of time to explore all the outdoor markets. Tried hitting up Dongdaemun but it was half closed since it was the Sunday after Chuseok... Myeongdong and Namdaemun though were open and busy as usual so I spent my afternoon haggling with my two friends for cheaper prices and cutting deals with the shopkeepers. Purchases of the day: a bag and sweater.

All in all, my trip to Seoul was great. I got to see some old friends from Orientation, which was all I really wanted to do. I'm looking forward to going back for more shopping, hanging out, and hopefully visiting some old friends from the US who are living there now.