Seoul in Spring 2010

summarized:

insa-dong
- The Art Gallery District
- Ssamjiegil: The Alley That Leads to the Sky

- Cobbled one-way streets
- Pretty back lanes fit for exploring
- Insadong Hotteok [Chinese pancake-like. Yummy fried stuff.]

myeong-dong

- Street food. Night markets. Very much brings to mind the many, MANY nights i spent roaming night markets when in Taiwan 06 - 08.
- Tteokkochi and Soondae [Skewered Rice Cakes and Korean style sausages. deeeeeeelicious!]
- SkinFood, FaceShop, EtudeHouse, Laneige, H&M, Migliore......
- Myeong-dong Catholic Cathedral. Designed by French missionaries, rich and beautiful neo-Gothic in style, one of Korea's oldest churches consecrated in 1898.

namsangol hanok village

- A Korean Folk Village in Downtown Seoul, pil-dong.

- Authentic old Korean Hanoks set amongst traditional gardens, pavilions and ponds.

changdeokgung (Palace)
- UNESCO World Heritage Site

- Beautiful ancient towers, pavilions and well-kept gardens.
- Felt like a was transported back in time when walking through the palace grounds.

dongdaemun
- Migilore, Pyeonghwa, Doota... Market after market after market. Mall after mall after mall. Shop after shop after shop. 'Nuff said :)

cheongyecheon stream

- Lovely place for a stroll. I went alone but saw plenty of couples :) Sweet!
- Caught a beautiful sunset one evening.

bosin-gak (Belfry) and jongno tower

- Found above Exit 4 of Jonggak Subway Station, the Belfry was used during the Joseon Dynasty to keep the time. The bell is rung 33 times on New Year’s Eve, and thousands of people flock to see this event in Jongno

- Jongno Tower at Exit 3: office building, restaurant, bar.

samkyetang
- After five looooong years since meeting in SG, Erin and i caught up over dinner one evening after work. Had delicious Korean Ginseng Chicken Soup. Yums!
- An entire whole young chicken, stuffed with glutinous rice, Korean ginseng, dried jujube, ginger and garlic... broiled till absolutely tender and yummilicous.

SLURPS!!

Seoul Metro

- Well developed and absolutely easy to navigate. With map in hand and a good sense of direction? Heeheehee... i was moving around the city with ease and on my own from Day One :)

Underground Malls

- At Euljiro, Jonggak, Dongdaemun... shopping, shopping, anytime, anywhere!

bokbunjaju

- Raspberry wine

- SO GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD!!! comes in plum flava tooooooooo

soju

- Clear rice vodka with alcohol content ranging 20 - 40% !!!
- Funky stuff we had with dinner one evening.

makgeolli

- Milky rice beer (beer? really? didn't look anything like beer) we consumed with one of those huge Pajeon (Korean pancakes).

kimchi, bibimbap, sundubu jjigae, hot pepper sauce... :)

- yum, yum, yummy stuff!

COEX

- hugeass mall and convention centre where we were working over the weekend.

- Hyundai Dept. Store's Basement Supermart where i went crazy buying Korean snacks and foodstuff for the kids and mum :ppp

Parting [random] shot of me. Happy. On the Palace grounds.

Just 'cos i like walking along the pebbled/ stone-paved long and winding lanes, amongst lots of greens and woods in Spring ^^