Spring Escapade with Mom (Part 2) Seoul (pics added)

18 Apr 2011

I would have to meet with Youngsun unni for dinner coming back to Seoul. After checking ourselves into Namsan Guesthouse, we walked out to Myeondong Station.

 

(Namsan Guesthouse 2, about 5 mins walk from the subway and about 8 mins walk from N Seoul Tower is a convenient location for all. With Myeondong shopping area just right across the main street from the subway station, you can shop till you drop! But there’s just one thing, the guys manning the place don’t seemed that friendly lor.. or maybe it was just me :p)

I was coming close to the station when I heard “Yokee! Yokee!...Yokee!!”

Huh? Isn’t this Seoul? Unni said she won’t be here until later. So am I hearing things? Well, maybe I’m hearing things.

“Yokee! Yokee!!”

I turned around to see if there’s any Japanese ladies around. None. Then, I saw a familiar face.

It was Norni and JennyT. Hahahaha..

They were to leave that night and were taking a rest after a last round of shopping. I should have taken a picture of Jenny. She was garbed in full winter wear..Jenny arrr so cold meh? Hahahahahaha

Finally, unni arrived. It wasn’t that long before the last I met her. We met when she was here in KL back in 2010. It was still a little early for dinner so Unni took us on a drive along the Blue House and Samcheong-dong in her new Grandeur ^^

 

Dinner was at this famous Korean restaurant Hanilkwan (한일관) at Ferrum Tower. The restaurant originated in Apgujeong has been around for many years and this one we went too is a new branch. Upon googling I found that this was actually Micky Yoochun’s grandma’s restaurant! 유천아 미안해. 줄 알았으면 사진을 더 많이 직을거야 ㅋㅋ

 

 

 

 

 

At the restaurant, we had such a great coincidence meeting with a Korean couple who has stayed in KL for 4 years. They were telling us how much they like Malaysian food while I told them how much I like Korean haha..

We parted with unni when she took us to the foot of Namsan. Having missed Namsan the last 3 times I was here, it became one of the tops on my list this time.

 

It was a really cold night with slight showers during the day so I was kinda worried about mom. But I promised her it’ll be a beautiful sight and I’ll buy her hot coffee hehe..

 

Cable car ride took less than 5 mins? Eerr I can’t remember :p

Mom didn’t wanna go up the tower so we settled within the ‘ground floor’.



 

 

 

 

 

Namsan was just a brief walk away from the guesthouse so it was only about 10pm when we got back. I told mom it’s still too early for bed so we went out again to Myeongdong. The place hasn’t change much though except for one very noticeable shop façade. Nature Republic. JYJ, Yes! I can see you!

 

Mom was suggesting supper and said she had always wanted to eat at those pojangmacha she saw in K-dramas. We spotted one nearby the station and we ordered guksu and pajeon (파전). Didn’t wanna pay double for a bottle of soju but we had fun watching the guy at the next table getting drunk as soon as he finished his 2^nd glass. YJ said he can hold his to the 2^nd bottle and myself maybe 1.5 but this guy 2^nd glass?? That’s really fast. He had wanted to sing and was criss-crossing his way out of the tent. Mom was worried if he’ll knock into one of the stand and bring the tent down or not..haha..

19 Apr 2011

Cherry Blossom Day!!!

This was on top of our must-do list. I had hope to coincide with the festival but we were a day late so well never mind. We just wanna see those blooms.

Line 9 was our main route today so we made Noryangjin Fish Market (노량진시장) our first stop.

 

Line 9 is a new track (well at least to me heh) so the stations and subways were all spanking new and the escalators at Noryangjin Station is almost 2 storeys high! I would have set out at 2am in the morning if Jaeho is still working there but he resigned years ago so I told mom we could sleep a little more and the fishes would still be there no worries. Haha..

재호야 요즘에 개를 얼마예요? 아유~ 너무 보고싶다~~

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When we met Jenny and Norni the other day, Jenny said Yeoinaru station is closed for renovation and they had a hard time walking to Yeouido Hangang Park from Yeouido Station instead lugging their luggage along after their journey back from Busan. Well, sometimes, all you need is a little luck during a trip. A sweet young lady I stopped for directions can actually speak very fluent English and said she’s also on her way to the park for the cherry blossoms. So instead of Yeouido Station, we alighted from the National Assembly Station and walked about 10 mins to the park.

Jenny arr, this way was much nearer and easier to walk la..

 

The blooms here were well I think 10 times much more than what we saw in Jeju 2 days ago. The number of trees plus the sea of the white pinkish flowers were just endless! Mom and I kept saying “Wow~ So pretty and beautiful!” each time we came across a ‘bigger’ bunch of the flowers. Sometimes they are so pretty that they looked so fake and plastic.

Too bad it is still too early into spring that we don’t get to see much of other flowers in town. It was many May(s) ago when mom came with the tour group and she said there were lots and lots of roses and tulips around. Sigh~ Tulips~ Tulips!!! Never mind, this time for the cherry blossoms, next time I’m coming back for the tulips!

 

 

We spent quite some time at the park just like the locals did. Office workers, family and friends were having picnic just right under the trees and we had our kimbap and bungo-ppang(붕어빵)^^ I’m sure if I am to work here I’ll do this every single lunch hour. Such bliss~

Later that afternoon, we went down to Kyobobooks at Gwanghwamun and took a brief walk at Cheongyecheon Plaza. It would be a nice cool place to sit around but I had to agree with mom, the water stinks!

Last stop for the day was Dongdaemun. I wasn’t planning to get anything but we bought some things hahaha..

 

On our walk back to the guesthouse, we bought some fried chickens and a bottle of soju and coffee for dinner. Unni, your strawberries and melons were our dessert. YUMMY!!!

20 Apr 2011

Another market trip for the day. Gwanjang Market (관장시장).

It was almost 10am when we got there and most stalls/shops were just about to open. If you are into varieties, then I would recommend you this place. Food, shoes, clothing, fresh groceries, dried stuff, household & non-household stuff etc. Oh, I bought myself a pair of purple hanbok here^^

 

 

 

 

It was right here at this market, that I also got myself into ‘trouble’! Read on.

I mentioned food right? Well, this was aplenty here and we wanted to try all of them but of course that’s not possible. Mom wanted to try the porky stuff and the tteokbokki. So we sat at one of the many similar stalls. We ordered the tteok, guksu and a plate of mixed porky stuff.

 

There’s this Korean specialty you always hear and see on K-dramas/shows. I took a bite into it and it tasted good. Mom didn’t like it and there were only 2 pieces so I ate them all.

Introducing troublemaker...

see the dark colored long sausage-e thingy? That 2 pieces of round thingy?

That's 'soondae' (순대).

We already full half way through the food that we could only take sample pieces of the famous bindaetteok (빈대떡) later.

We left the market for Namdaemun. I’ve heard of this famous pink box mandu (만두dumplings) so I bought 2 pieces when we came across the stall. Hmm, overrated.  One particular thing that never changes with Namdaemun, the crowd!! I’ve always had trouble remembering my way around because everything looks just the same everywhere you go :p

 

 

 

I have a dinner date that day so, after some shopping, we left. As soon as I’m back at the guesthouse, I started feeling uneasy, nausea @@...and yeah, I threw up…sorry, mian~ I was so sick from it and mom suspected the 2 pieces of specialty stuff I ate. I’m not gonna describe it in details but glutinous rice was part of what’s in it. I am a person with lots of wind in the stomach and it often causes indigestion. Mom said it must be due to the glutinous rice acting up L mom brought along some medicine from home so after some rest I was feeling better. I freshened up and changed before going out for the date. Oh of course, mom came along too.

We took a taxi from Apgujeong Station and finally we are at the front of our dinner place.

Gorilla in the Kitchen (GIK). (now you know why I called it a ‘date’ hahahahaha)

You..ok, I, would wished the date was with that somebody but nope. It was not. You know, in Seoul, or Korea, I do have many other acquaintances than that one person. Ok ok, I know I can’t consider him as an acquaintance but oh dear I’m talking nonsense..sorry mian~

So, my date, no ‘dates’ for that night were my unnis from Baetomisa. It was our ‘family gathering’^^

우리 사랑하는 배토언니들 과 요키 한 데이트. 가족의 모임. 처음 만남.

 

 

My Korean teacher who moved back to Korea some years ago came and joined us too.

It was my very first time at GIK and I have always wanted to try the food there. But, but…looks like it was just not my day. I totally had no appetite that night after the ‘ordeal’ but unni insisted on something so I ordered a pumpkin soup. Everyone was having such good looking food but I just couldn’t put any of them to my mouth. Not even the i-waited-so-long-to-try ppat bingsu (밭핑수). LL

I actually felt sorry for myself too sob sob….sigh~

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Anyway, food aside, I was really really pleased to meet everyone again.

You may be curious if the unnis speak English well, not really and neither am I good with my spoken Korean hahaha.. but this was never a barrier. Somehow we understand each other and I’m thankful that they understand my half past six Korean.

언니야, 나 더 열심히 할거예요.

샘, 아니, 선생니~임, 말레이시아에 돌아오고 우리 다시 시작하다! ㅋㅋㅋ

언니들, 우리의 만남 시간을 많이 잛지만 너무 좋았어요.

나 언니들 떡분에 진짜 행복하다.

강릉에서 2시간반 버스를 탄 우리 골무언니,

인천에서 퇴근 후에 온 우리 문 선생님,

저 때문에 멀리에서 와 주셔서 정말로 진심으로 감사드립니다.

우리 기쁜맘언니, 로젯트언니 그리고 영준언니 만났어 반갑습니다.

우리 커피사랑언니 정말 오래만입니다.

나 진짜로 감동했어요.

모두 다 또 한번 뗑.규.합니다!!

So, GIK, please wait for me. I’m coming back!!

용준님, 우리 고릴라가 꼭 오래오래 지겨주세요. 잘 부탁합니다.

That night back at the guesthouse, I slept like a log.

21 Apr 2011

Last day in Korea.

I woke up that morning with slight fever. This was the first time I ever got sick during a trip L

I took some medicine, felt better a little while later and started packing. Ahh, FYI, breakfast in Seoul has been peanut butter and jam bread with coffee self-served from the guesthouse.

It was always not easy to pack at the end of a trip and it doesn’t help when one of our trolley bag started to show signs of retirement. I also had to keep the weight balanced because mom can’t carry heavy bags. We have decided to take the airport bus so the thought of walking down this side and up the other side of the subway station staircases scares me. I’m not new to where we’ll be taking the airport bus so I knew that stairs I’m gonna face later. Yokee-ar FIGHTING!!

We finished packing and by 11am, we were ready to check out of the guesthouse. You are allowed to keep your luggage at the guesthouse while you go out for your last round of shopping so no worries.

Mom suggested that I should get some additional medicine for the stomach so we dropped by a pharmacy. The pharmacist recommended this and this. My first time ever taking medicine this way and it worked well. I felt much much better.

 

We did some last minute shopping around Myeongdong. I told mom about Korea’s McDonalds pork burger and for lunch she had a Bulgogi burger and yes it was delicious! I regretted not ordering the same. So, I’m coming back again for the Bulgogi burger!

 

 

During our dreaded climb with heavy luggage from the stairs at exit 2 of Myeongdong station to across the other exit at Sejong Hotel, we were really lucky. An ajosshi came to my rescue and helped carry one bag up while over the other side, a young gentleman and a lady came to our rescue with one bag each. Thank you! Thank you!

Jenny and Norni, any trouble with your bags then? Hehehehe..

Our flight was at 11.25pm but we arrived at the airport at about six plus. I know some would call me crazy to waste time at the airport but I love Incheon International Airport. The airport has go so many other things you can see, eat and of course buy. Mom had even wanted to clear/finish all of my Korean Won but I refused. I told her, “No. I’m coming back and the balance will be kept as proof.” Hahaha.

   

 

22 Apr 2011 – Arrived Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Weather was H.O.T. at 4.30am!

The End. 끝.

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Did anyone notice something?

Something’s missing from this trip.

Something that I always do during my trip to Korea except for this one.

Can anyone guess?

No prize for guessing though because I’m telling you haha..

Anyone noticed that there wasn’t anything BYJ about this whole trip?

Well, ok maybe one or two, the Abalone Restaurant and GIK. But hey, I need to eat ok?

Moreover, Korea has so much more to see other than BYJ or any other K-stars for that matter.

Like I’ve mentioned so frequently along this post, I will be back!

I have so many other places that I would wanna go and of course GIK.

So BYJ or not I am going back ^^

Frankly,  I did wish for some miracle but the ‘hope’ level was low enough for it to be forgotten.

Especially when I got to know that he went on his own break to Haeundae, I let it go.

And if you are curious, nope I did not make any trip to KE office either or arrange to meet with anyone from KE too.

So there you go. No BYJ. Just mom, Korea and myself!

I'm sure YJ would be happy to know that all of us can enjoy Korea's beauty like he did on his journey.

YJ-nim, with or without you, I'm glad I was able to discover the beauty of Korea's Spring in this journey. :)