Before heading up Naksan to look for cats and and eat mandu, we had to go to Seoul station:

KTX can’t take payments with foreign cards online right now so we went to Seoul Station to buy tickets. The station is huge and open and full of light and the buzz of travel. There are cafes and food vendors everywhere so you can buy a snack, sit on the steps in the sunshine and wait for your train. And you can go right down to the tracks even if you don’t have a ticket.

If you enjoy the content and would like to contribute towards website maintenance and development, you can make a donation here.

Snow!!

Today is the first time I have seen snow in Seoul so we decided to go out and take a morning walk around Gwanghwamun Square. We tried to go to Gyeongbokgung Palace to take some pictures but unfortunately it was closed today. You can check here for information and hours..I should have too!

Seolleongtang

We walked back through Hwanghak-dong. During the day this is a massive outdoor flea market crawling with people. After dark it is empty. I love the look of these old shops when they are closed up…the colours and the signage. Look at that coffee vending machine: it has a print of an old grandpa taking a little kid fishing.

If you enjoy the content and would like to contribute towards website maintenance and development, you can make a donation here.

Jeju Air from Tokyo to Seoul

We flew Jeju Air from Tokyo to Seoul. The onboard service was efficient and friendly and we departed right on time. Once I sat down and pulled my seatbelt tight, I began thinking of the tragic Jeju Air accident in Muan that had happened only 2 months earlier. I was a little nervous every time we hit some turbulence and especially during the landing in foul weather. I knew that the chances of something bad happening was almost zero. But watching that crash footage on the news left impressions on me that logical reasoning had no power to erase.

Looking at the faces of the young flights attendants in the jump seats facing me, I wondered if they knew any of the crew onboard Flight 2216. I wondered if the pilots knew each other. I worried about them. After a bit of a rough landing in heavy rain and gusting crosswinds, the plane rolled up to the gate and we walked off into the airport. The flight attendants smiled and thanked us. For some reason, it all felt a little strange. Maybe I was just tired.

Our house in Seoul

Our 19th floor apartment in Sungin-dong is warm and spacious with a big sunny window looking west over the city. We have 2 queen sized beds, a couch and coffee table as well as little kitchen with laundry machine. The floors are heated (best Korean invention). Sungin-dong Airbnb

Dinner with Minu

Minu! For our first meal out, my old friend and coworker took us for BBQ chicken and beers in the neighbourhood. I have known Minu since the early days of Pearl Diver when he was a cook in my kitchen on his working holiday visa from Korea. We meet up every time I come here and I am always happy to see him. For some reason, we always end up eating chicken! And it is always delicious! We have already discussed our next chicken meal : 닭한마리 (kind of a soup that has a whole chicken in it). 🐓 🐓🐓

An afternoon trip turned up some real treasures at Gimbab Records. I’ll post about music later…

If you enjoy the content and would like to contribute towards website maintenance and development, you can make a donation here.