3rd December 2013
After a short flight from Taiwan we finally arrived at Seoul, Korea.
We immediately took a taxi to our hostel at "Kimchee Guest House", Sinchon District.
For more information click HERE.
Since we arrived late, we decided to crash and explore Seoul the following morning.
4th December 2013
Before starting our adventures, we needed food in our belly.
Nearby our guesthouse there was a small restaurant, i forgot the english name, but heres the sign to the shop.
The place is owned by the sweetest mother and daughter duo.
When in Korea, you must try "Bibimbap" (비빔밥)
It is a signature Korean dish, which means "mixed rice".
Served hot or cold, it is a bowl of white rice topped with seasoned vegetables (namul) and chilli pepper paste (gochujang).
If you are not a fan of chilli, I suggest that you ask the owners to skip the "gochujang". It was pretty hot the first time I ate it, but by the end of the trip, I enjoyed this spicy dish.
A raw or fried egg and sliced meat are common additions.
The ingredients are stirred together thoroughly just before eating.
After our fulfilling meal, we walked to Sinchon station to catch the train to "Myeong-dong"
When we arrived the streets were bustling with people.
LOCATION:
Myeong-dong Station (Seoul Subway Line 4), Exit 5, 6, 7, or 8.
Myeong-dong (명동) is one of the primary shopping districts in Seoul. There are many brand name shops and department stores line the streets and alleys. Common products for sale include make-up, clothes, shoes, and accessories.
The department stores in Myeong-dong carry many premium labels and other fashionable goods at reasonable prices.
But one thing you must try in Myeong-dong is the street food.
There are plenty street stalls to cater different tastes.
On a cold day, its ideal to eat something warm.
Try the sweet egg steamed bun, and for only 2,000WON ($2AUD)
SO CHEAP ( ^_^)/
This bread-bun like sweet is made by placing the mixture into a mould, then cracking a whole egg in the middle.
Placed in a steamer and ready to be served fresh.
To wash that down you could also try the popular pomegranate juice.
They will juice the pomegranate and place it in a neat little bag for you. It sweet and tastes bubbly.
If street stalls are not your thing, then you can try the coffee shops.
One thing that becomes immediately apparent upon walking down any street in South Korea is that coffee shops are incredibly popular.
Every where I went, there was a coffee shop around the corner.
I found it quite interesting.
When I went back home I did a little research on this topic and found a short study by JungHee Jang on the cafe culture in South Korea.
You could check out this paper HERE.
My friend and I went to a small place called "Cafe SOHO"
It is a good place to unwind (and put your feet up after a long day of shopping and eating street food...hehe)
"hmmm...is this why nobody sleeps at night? because everyone is drinking coffee at such hours?..."
(p.s: unless disclaimed, all pictures were taken by me on iphone 4s, apologies for any blurriness)
