Seoul South Korea
So, I figure it's about time I update about my trip to visit John and see Korea.
It was too short, but a very good trip. The flight over there was horrible, I was assigned an aisle seat and I couldn't sleep a wink, which was my plan so I wouldn't be jet lagged. We seemed to take the long way around, going up the coast, around over Alaska (which was cool to see the icebergs and the island cracks in the sunset), and then all the way around the coast of Asia to the south of Korea, then up north to the airport in Seoul. All round about if you ask me.
I got there at 7:30 in the evening and was very glad John had come up early and taken care of the Hotel. We spent 2 days in Dongdaemoon, which is the shopping district of Seoul. There were stands everywhere along the street, and below in the subway and passes beneath the road instead of crosswalks. We had quite an adventure that first morning. I didn't convert my money at the airport and thus we wandered around for 2 hours trying to find a bank that would exchange when we didn't have a local address. Luckily I had checked in on the weather and packed a winter jacket and umbrella, it was pouring. John however forgot his jacket, so that was another adventure along with trying to find a converter plug. We didn't buy hardly anything there, but walked around and enjoyed ourslef. The view from the hotel restaurant where we ate breakfast was nice. It overlooked the Dongdaemoon gate, the path lined with trees, the urban city surrounding the clearing and gate, and a church atop a hillside with stone steps and a wall and garden leading up to it. I wish it had been spring, but either way it was beautiful.
The next morning we ate and traveled south to Osan AFB so that John could get some things he forgot and we could use his internet to call mom on Skype and plan the rest of my visit. After a lunch in Osan we went North to Suwon to spend a nice evening at the movies and walk around the city. I enjoyed the evenings, lights everywhere, neon, Christmas lit trees and decorations. That was the night we stayed in the love shack. Hehe, the whole place was lit with pink lights, the small cozy room had mood lighting, and had a glowing fish tank hung on the wall by the bed. It was as entertaining as anything else that night. In our wanderings we passed a true love motel, a big castle lit in pink and purple lights, the type you could rent by the hour. We couldn't help laughing and getting a picture.
The next morning we checked out early and went further north to Jamsil where the theme park, Lotte World is. We got a nice hotel across the lake from the Park. Lotte World was fun, and for all intensive purposes was a fake Disneyland. Half of it was indoors which was nice, and had pretty good rides. One of the best was their version of the tea cups. There was no line so John and I got on it, determined to spin it as fast as we can. Yeah, we didn't realize the floor tilted, so not only were we spinning while going around, abut also up and down. It pretty accurately created the sensation of being disoriented and not knowing what the hell is going on. There were also a few good roller coasters.
We had the best breakfast that next morning. John had delicious waffles and I had a large stack of honey butter bread with whip, cinnamon and a light caramel drizzle. Mmm, I've been trying to make it at home, but it isn't nearly as good.
Our last full day we went to Namsan over to the east of Jamsil where the National Parks and Palaces are. it took a few to find a hotel in Namsan, but finally got one and headed over to Gyeongbokgung, the National Palace. It was perfect timing, we got there 10 minutes before the ceremonial Changing of the Guards. The palace was pretty, though a little dulled by the brown of winter. It was nice to walk around with John and take pictures in the Palace, enjoying the views. I liked the back of the Palace most, where the sacred garden was housing the Royal Prayer Temple out in the middle of a pond. Next to Gyeongbokgung was another building in the same style as the palace, multi-layered with the turned up roofs. We went there to the National Museum and walked around before heading back, looking at the traditional Korean relics, clothing, tools...
By the time we got back to Namsan and ate we didn't have time to go up to Namsan National Park, but as that was second to the Palace and it was dusk, I was content to just relax with John this last night together at the hotel. I wasn't looking forward to the trip to the airport the next day. It was even harder to leave him once we got there. But all in all it was a much overdue visit with John, and a good vacation.
It seemed like ages had passed and not just one calendar day as I was walking to class Tuesday morning. It had been the longest Monday ever. After leaving John in Seoul for my flight at 3:30pm, the hours of travel with interrupted sleep, and a most of the day stuck at the San Fran Airport because of delays, followed by giving it up and having Grandma and Papa come pick me up and drive home I was exhausted. And I had lost one of my new earrings from Seoul.
So that's that. Pictures below.
It was too short, but a very good trip. The flight over there was horrible, I was assigned an aisle seat and I couldn't sleep a wink, which was my plan so I wouldn't be jet lagged. We seemed to take the long way around, going up the coast, around over Alaska (which was cool to see the icebergs and the island cracks in the sunset), and then all the way around the coast of Asia to the south of Korea, then up north to the airport in Seoul. All round about if you ask me.
I got there at 7:30 in the evening and was very glad John had come up early and taken care of the Hotel. We spent 2 days in Dongdaemoon, which is the shopping district of Seoul. There were stands everywhere along the street, and below in the subway and passes beneath the road instead of crosswalks. We had quite an adventure that first morning. I didn't convert my money at the airport and thus we wandered around for 2 hours trying to find a bank that would exchange when we didn't have a local address. Luckily I had checked in on the weather and packed a winter jacket and umbrella, it was pouring. John however forgot his jacket, so that was another adventure along with trying to find a converter plug. We didn't buy hardly anything there, but walked around and enjoyed ourslef. The view from the hotel restaurant where we ate breakfast was nice. It overlooked the Dongdaemoon gate, the path lined with trees, the urban city surrounding the clearing and gate, and a church atop a hillside with stone steps and a wall and garden leading up to it. I wish it had been spring, but either way it was beautiful.
The next morning we ate and traveled south to Osan AFB so that John could get some things he forgot and we could use his internet to call mom on Skype and plan the rest of my visit. After a lunch in Osan we went North to Suwon to spend a nice evening at the movies and walk around the city. I enjoyed the evenings, lights everywhere, neon, Christmas lit trees and decorations. That was the night we stayed in the love shack. Hehe, the whole place was lit with pink lights, the small cozy room had mood lighting, and had a glowing fish tank hung on the wall by the bed. It was as entertaining as anything else that night. In our wanderings we passed a true love motel, a big castle lit in pink and purple lights, the type you could rent by the hour. We couldn't help laughing and getting a picture.
The next morning we checked out early and went further north to Jamsil where the theme park, Lotte World is. We got a nice hotel across the lake from the Park. Lotte World was fun, and for all intensive purposes was a fake Disneyland. Half of it was indoors which was nice, and had pretty good rides. One of the best was their version of the tea cups. There was no line so John and I got on it, determined to spin it as fast as we can. Yeah, we didn't realize the floor tilted, so not only were we spinning while going around, abut also up and down. It pretty accurately created the sensation of being disoriented and not knowing what the hell is going on. There were also a few good roller coasters.
We had the best breakfast that next morning. John had delicious waffles and I had a large stack of honey butter bread with whip, cinnamon and a light caramel drizzle. Mmm, I've been trying to make it at home, but it isn't nearly as good.
Our last full day we went to Namsan over to the east of Jamsil where the National Parks and Palaces are. it took a few to find a hotel in Namsan, but finally got one and headed over to Gyeongbokgung, the National Palace. It was perfect timing, we got there 10 minutes before the ceremonial Changing of the Guards. The palace was pretty, though a little dulled by the brown of winter. It was nice to walk around with John and take pictures in the Palace, enjoying the views. I liked the back of the Palace most, where the sacred garden was housing the Royal Prayer Temple out in the middle of a pond. Next to Gyeongbokgung was another building in the same style as the palace, multi-layered with the turned up roofs. We went there to the National Museum and walked around before heading back, looking at the traditional Korean relics, clothing, tools...
By the time we got back to Namsan and ate we didn't have time to go up to Namsan National Park, but as that was second to the Palace and it was dusk, I was content to just relax with John this last night together at the hotel. I wasn't looking forward to the trip to the airport the next day. It was even harder to leave him once we got there. But all in all it was a much overdue visit with John, and a good vacation.
It seemed like ages had passed and not just one calendar day as I was walking to class Tuesday morning. It had been the longest Monday ever. After leaving John in Seoul for my flight at 3:30pm, the hours of travel with interrupted sleep, and a most of the day stuck at the San Fran Airport because of delays, followed by giving it up and having Grandma and Papa come pick me up and drive home I was exhausted. And I had lost one of my new earrings from Seoul.
So that's that. Pictures below.
