Gyeongbokgung Palace

I am failing in the tourist department when it comes to my home base: South Korea.

I’ve lived in Seoul now for five months and have seen very little of the city itself. But to be fair, I arrived just as winter was blowing in, and just like the black bears back home, I hibernate.

I hate being cold, so walking around Seoul and getting lost in never-ending markets just didn’t sound appealing. I hunkered down for the winter, venturing out for a movie every now and then.

It was on a less-than-horrible day that my friend Kristin asked me if I wanted to go ice skating. I am horrible at all things that require coordination, but despite this fact, I love ice skating.

Unfortunately, so does all of Seoul. The wait time was four hours. We consoled our broken hearts with warm, stuffed waffles.

We figured since we were already downtown, we’d do something worthwhile and Gyeongbokgung Palace was just a few blocks down. It was a lovely walk too!

For a mere 3,000 won (just under 3 bucks), you can walk the entire grounds.
Pictured below is what you see when you walk through the front gate.

The colors are amazing. Click here to see it.

Originally constructed in the late 14th century, the throne room housed the Joseon Dynasty – aka – The Korean Empire.

This place was a maze, I loved it. I can’t imagine how creepy it would be in a horror movie. I kept imagining epic lazer tag wars too. I am such an American.

Case in point.

This is the Hyangwonjeong Pavilion. I don’t know what this place was for, but the name roughly translates to “Pavilion of Far-Reaching Fragrance.”

Was it for poop?

I would have fit in great here.

This is Gyeonghoeru, the banquet hall. I can’t imagine how beautiful they would have been with the pond lit up at night.

Below: Exterior of Geunjeongjeon (throne room)

I loved the juxtaposition in this shot. We closed out the place because we couldn’t get enough! I definitely want to see this place in Springtime.

Although it has been an interesting five months, my Korean journey is soon coming to an end. I’ve been traveling and moving around for the past six years, trying to figure out what I want to do with my life and where I want to be when I do it. I haven’t got it all figured out yet, but I do know that I’m ready to be back in the U.S. (and be within driving distance of a Target).

With three months to go, I’ve got a lot of ground to cover on this side of the world.

Everyday Life in Korea

One thing that I love about living here is how much money I save. Not only are prices super low and the exchange rates beneficial, but I just don’t spend as much. While I was living in D.C., the only thing everyone did was go out. Brunch, dinner, drinks, shows, etc. Everything cost money, and a lot of it.

I’ve gone out a few times, but it’s different in another country. I feel odd ‘letting loose’ here. I don’t want to misrepresent Americans, which I know is ridiculous. As if my actions could change an entire country’s perspective of the U.S. based solely on my drinking habits.

So when I’m not tiptoeing around, I hang around my neighborhood, Dongbinggo-dong. There’s two coffee shops right down the hill from me, both equipped with ample seating and WiFi.

I use them as an office. Initially it was because I had no desk at home and needed the work space, but now I’ve grown to like it. If I’m home, I get lazy and don’t want to write. Netflix, art projects, books, pretty much anything seems more fun. If I get out of the house dressed like a human rather than a sweatpants ad, I feel more energized and committed to writing. I love it because the plug-in stations face the window, so I can be around people, but anti-social too-aka-perfection.

Plus, there’s a perk. Macarons. I have never been a huge fan of these. Well, my friends, I was eating scum compared to these little pieces of paradise. I’m addicted.

When I’m not trying to write the next big fantasy novel, I like to take walks. Fall here was really pretty. Plus the leaves are humongous.

 

I love this building. I think it’s a museum or something, but I like to pretend it’s an upgraded Sandcrawler.

Is my nerd-bone showing??

Honestly though, my adventures have been spread out lately due to the cooooold weather. But in a positive light, I have been trying to catch up on my reading (Tolkien takes forever) and postcard project.

I’ve been exploring watercolors, as some of you may remember, and recently found paint-able postcards. It combines two of my favorite things: art and mail!!

I’m still trying to get my mom to start painting again, so I bought her a blank set too. I sent the first one out yesterday, hopefully she gets the not-so-subtle hint. Also, I am terrible at animals. This was supposed to be a wolf….

I did take my first trip since I’ve been here though! Stay tuned for my Tokyo Christmas adventure!!

Eating in Hongdae

Other than, ‘How’s life in Korea?’ the question I most often get from friends is ‘How’s the food?’ Because food runs the world, people. Not money, girls, power hungry leaders, no. FOOD RUNS THE WORLD.

Overall, I try to be pretty adventurous with my palette. Trying everything at least once is virtually painless. BUT If you are an anxious introvert who doesn’t want to offend the nice lady who brought a steaming bowl of mystery, it doesn’t stop at one bite.

I’m wary about my seafood intake. I have to see the ocean to trust the freshness. I know this country is a peninsula and the seafood quality is probably high, but I’m just funny about this.

I ordered a vegetable soup. I got this.

There were onions.There was also shrimp, octopus, squid and other strange gangly critters. I ate some spongey thingys, and noodlesque forms. Ate ALL the pickled sides, because YUM. I tried to drink the broth to make it look like I ate something in the bowl. This makes me sound like such a picky eater, but really I’m not!! I just don’t want seafood in my soup. (unless it’s the marvelous chowda from Mo’s).

That has been the only bad experience. Everything else has been delicious.
Exhibit A: Patbingsu

 

This is shaved ice (consistency of snow) topped in this case with green tea cake and a chocolate mousse cake. It makes dessert feel healthier, because it’s mostly water right?

I got it in Sinchon, a fun, artsy part of the city. There were a few live performances along the boardwalk.

Exhibit B: Bibimbap

 

This is by far my favorite thing ever. It’s a hot stone bowl filled with rice, veggies, sometimes meat, and an egg. As you mixed it together, the egg cooks with the heat of the bowl and rice. So good. So filling. And I’m going to say healthy.

Another place to get some good grub is Hongdae. It’s really close to Hongik University, so it’s always crowded with college kids. In turn, the area has a young n’ hip feel to it.

This is Sangsangmadang. It’s an extension of the Design school and showcases buy-able products in the gift shop. I want everything in there.

The fashions here are so bizarre, but fun nonetheless.

I went to an ‘american style’ burger joint and was pleasantly surprised. This was a mushroom & onion burger with crisp, hot fries. The best part? The shot of vanilla ice cream to dip my fries in.
South Korea understands me.

Their drinks had the most random names, but I especially enjoyed the fruity non-alcoholic selection.

While in the area, I was fortunate enough to meet a fellow artist.
This is Nada Salama. She is a flautist. She started her career in Egypt, gaining quite the following (she has over 48K followers!) and is now touring the world, learning to play as many different types of flutes as she can. This isn’t a sponsored tour, it’s purely for her own discovery. I love it. She jumps from country to country to learn from the local artists, plays a few live shows, and moves on to the next.

I felt very privileged to have met her. She is so full of life and happiness.

I was so mesmerized by Nada’s tattoo, she allowed me to take a photo. The translation is hazy, but it means something along the lines of ‘Generous Love’. I think that describes Nada perfectly. I love seeing women my age traveling the world and getting the most out of life, unhindered by the stigma put on single women.
Here’s my soapbox people.
I’m not against marriage, or marrying early in life. I’m just saying it’s not the only option for women. We have dreams and aspirations that sometimes reach beyond a husband and a 9 to 5 day in suburbia. So when I’m asked, ‘Have you met anyone yet?’ I get a little sad. I’m not in Korea to find a man, I’m here to gain new experiences and live in a different culture than my own. I came here to be uncomfortable. To upset my routine. To reset my outlook on life and my future.

 

Hongdae at night is great. So many live performers are out. Lip syncers (with dancing), rappers, acoustic singers, etc. Night life is a big thing here.

 

Exhibit C: Chicken & Beer

I don’t know how ‘Korean’ this cuisine is, but it was delicious. We got teriyaki and spicy chicken and Hite beer. A great South Korean lager. Another great thing about food here, it’s cheap!!

Lost in Namdaemun Market

In an attempt to figure out the Seoul Metro system, I chose I’Park Mall as my first destination. This place is huge. I’ve been there countless times and still get turned around. It has a an IMAX movie theater, a wedding floor (yes this is a thing: reception,ceremony, and photos all on one floor!), restaurants, and a million and one shops for every possible thing.

It is apparently the weirdest thing ever to eat alone in South Korea. I get the strangest looks when I ask for a table for one. Whatevs, I can get my Pho on solo.

Did I mention this mall has a pet shop?? I got lost once and found this tiny little corner shop filled with the cutest puppies known to man. Naturally I was drawn to the baby schnauzer, best dog ever. (RIP dearest Rudder)

 

The struggle was real guys. Leaving-Target-with-only-one-item real.

Speaking of cute, I couldn’t help sending my nephew a postcard as soon as I got here.There is nothing better than getting mail as a kid. (what am I saying? There’s nothing better than getting mail, period.)

My next adventure was taking on the Seoul Zoo. This place is huge. And basically on a mountain. Ok, a really big hill. There were tons of old couples all decked out in hiking boots and walking sticks, itching for the gates to open. I now understand and will wear better footwear next time…

Though it was a trek, the zoo is gorgeous. There are painted lines that correspond to your map, telling you which animals are on which line. I recommend going in the Fall, because the trees were beautiful.

You have to choose your animals wisely. See, if you want lions, (these lazy good-for-nothing lions) you have to really want it. Because you have to climb a humongous hill to get to them.

After the zoo, I felt ambitious and energized (more like winded, but running on adrenaline at this point) and took the metro to Namdaemun Market. This is another touristy neighborhood known for its intricate markets and street food. I got lost immediately.

Not really in the shopping mood, I looked for the food. I couldn’t tell you at all what I ate, but it tasted great! This thingy was some sort of fried bread with a sweet red bean mixture inside. Super cheap too!

I went down some steps, hoping to find the metro, but found myself in a massive underground mall.

While it did hold some 90’s treasures, I managed to emerge back into daylight. To calm my panic, I sought out some java, and found
Tom n Toms.

With four levels of coffee-lover heaven, I was able to calm down and let Dexter Morgan sooth me back to normal. (yeesh)

I don’t mind getting lost as much as I do here. Seoul is an interesting city. It has so much of the old and new mashed together. I can’t wait to visit the palace and old villages. Until next time!

Green Tea & Itaewon

Whenever I move to a new place, which is often, I usually hibernate for the first three months. No, I don’t sleep all the time. I simply don’t venture much further than a two mile radius outside of my new home. I know, lame right? Why move across the world to stay in and read?

Well first of all, reading is cool no matter where you are in the world. Second, my body and mind need a reset period. I just left everyone and everything that was familiar. I don’t do well jumping into new environments with no prior knowledge of what I’m getting into.

Call it an introvert thing or just a recluse-parading-as-a-world-traveler thing, but I eventually get over it and start exploring my surroundings. With baby steps.

First thing’s first, I needed a drink. Luckily I have a cute coffee shop right at the end of my street called MaBoo (in English)

It couldn’t be more me. The one thing I was missing in D.C. was a good coffee shop that I could settle into for more than five minutes. There’s WiFi, tons of seating and a calm artsy atmosphere.

I’m not sure if this was a serious contribution to the foundation, but it was cute nonetheless.

I got a Chocolate Chip Mint-Green Tea Frappuccino. It was delish.
I may as well give up collecting receipts since the only thing I can read is the price: 6,500 WON. About $5.50.

I love walking aimlessly, although in a foreign country it can be a little risky when all the roads twist into each other and look alike. I saw some interesting things on my way. South Korea is all over the thrift shop game.

My mom is already on my case about the rocking horses. ‘Buy me all the rocking horses’ she says. Sure no problem. There’s only twenty…

Don’t Blink. (keep looking Whovians!)

I walked a little further to the touristy neighborhood:
Itaewon (Eee-tay-wahn). There was a festival going on, so a gazillion people were there. Some accompanied by their very nervous pets.

Itaewon is a maze. (as is the rest of Seoul in my opinion)
Shopping in Itaewon can be fun, but you almost need to photograph your twist and turns to get back out. I got lost a few times. But I found a cool scarf and an old Sprite shirt.

I seem to have gotten in the habit of snapping photos of animals wherever I go. This little guy was tied up on my street and not happy about it.

He did not want his picture taken either and thoroughly chewed me out for it afterwards.

So far, I haven’t freaked out completely being a stranger in a strange land. Yeah, the 7-Eleven has dried squid, but they also have dried seaweed, my fave!

I’m adjusting to new things, like heated tile floors and ‘house shoes’ since you do not wear your actual shoes inside.

And thankfully, when I do get a little overwhelmed, I can turn to this beauty. I hadn’t seen her all summer since I shipped her off before my travels started. There’s nothing a little Beatles tune can’t fix.

Next post will feature adventures in Namdaemun, Yongsan, and more!

Living in Seoul

I never thought I would visit Asia before Europe. To be honest, I hadn’t ever planned on it. Sure I thought about seeing The Great Wall of China and maybe somewhere in Japan, but they weren’t on my bucket list. I grew up dreaming of England, Ireland, Scotland, Italy, everywhere in Europe. I still do.

Moving to South Korea was more of an ‘experience’ decision rather than a career one. Yes, my job moved me here, but I wasn’t required to. The opportunity presented itself and I thought, why not? When am I ever going to get another chance to move to a new country and get paid to do it?

The answer was easy. The flight was not.

The weirdest thing about that ridiculously long flight was the amount of meals they served. I forgot what day it was I’d had so many meals. It was free though, as were the movies. I caught up on all the ones I had been missing during my summer travels: The Avengers: Age of Ultron, Terminator: Genisys, The Hobbit: Battle of Five Armies and American Ultra. It was a long flight guys.

Customs went smoothly, thankfully, because I was a zombie ready for bed. I was pleased to see that my new room had an enclosed porch.
Mental Note: Must get lounge chair for reading.

The view from the living room isn’t too shabby either. Downtown Seoul is pretty close.

This is Fenway. She is handling the transition quite well. She may be the largest dog our neighbors have ever seen. I have a feeling Rhodesian Ridgebacks aren’t too common in South Korea. People either are fascinated by her or struck with terror.

The local cuisine is fun to explore. I rarely ever know what I am eating, but it tastes delicious. Most of the time. I’m getting used to Kimchi, but staying away from the squid soup. I’m not a huge fan of sitting on the floor or having my shoes off in an eating establishment, but I guess it’ll take some getting used to.

My neighborhood is called Dongbinggo Dong, which is part of a larger area called Yongsan-gu. I’m taking Korean lessons twice a week. It’s actually not that difficult. I’ve found myself reading restaurant signs and street names when I walk to the store. I don’t always know what I’m reading, but I at least want to get the pronunciation down.

The Metro system is incredibly efficient. It is heavenly compared to the DC Metro. It was daunting at first, but once I learned how to navigate the stations, it was simple. And there’s WiFi. On the trains. Guys, there’s WiFi everywhere. My data plan is minuscule because I hardly ever use it!

I cannot wait to start planning trips along the peninsula as well as China, possibly Mongolia and maybe Figi? Who knows. But for now, I will try to explore each neighborhood at least once and give you a glimpse into Seoul living.