Our last days before heading home had been a blur. We are now in a rush to fit in some shopping and places we want to see. Around this time, we had been often calling home. I am terribly missing hubby and my little one.
Yeongdeungpo
When we are in the process of booking this trip, there was a big debate as to where we would stay in Seoul. We sorted it out based on price, location and convenience. Then we chose this mid-range business hotel located on top of a mall aptly called Times Square. The area is still surrounded by a cluster of residential neighborhoods and its great to see something mundane like watching locals head over to work in the morning.
The Yeoungdeungpo train station is convenient when you need to take a day trip out of town. Coming back, it is the first stop in Seoul. This is very convenient when you are coming back around when the metro stops running at midnight. Our hotel is one block away from this station.
Can you believe that our hotel is on top of this mall? Crazy, I know.
This was our home in Seoul for 10 days. We are not used to jet lag that we end up watching TV around 3 am. We don't understand most of the shows but we had a good laugh on certain commercials.
Our room was spotless.
The only weird thing about this hotel room was the glass partition between the beds and the bathroom. There is a curtain to cover up the glass and that is the extent of privacy you are getting.
Nam Dae Mun Market
This is the largest and oldest open market in Seoul. I believe you could get everything you need here only if you know where to get it. It is also a place where you could get items at wholesale prices.
We came at a time when most of the outdoor vendors are wrapping up their wares. The weather looks like it is going to rain.The vendors wasn't as aggressive so shopping was painless.
I can't resist foods that are fresh off the steamers. They smell so good too.
Afterwards, we went on for some old fashioned barbecue.
National Folk Village
It was one of the major tourist attraction in the city. It was free and a major stop at the Seoul City Tour so we did manage to check it out.
It probably took a village to make this a functional kitchen.
Traditional Korean houses has no furniture. They all eat and sleep on the floor.
It is probably the most important wares in every household. The traditional jars to store everything from kimchi, chili paste to soy sauce.
Namsan Tower
This maybe our last tourist tour from our trip. It is a great wrap up of seeing the city in birds eye view. It turns out this is not just a plain observation deck but it also had historical significance in Korean history.
The bus took us halfway up but you still have to walk a steep incline to the tower.
One of the great views we saw from the top. This was a good reminder for me that I am actually in Asia. It has been more than 10 years since I visited Manila. I am close but not too close enough.
A tree row of "lovelocks" at the observation deck.
The top of the Namsan mountain was formerly used as a smoke signal station.It was used for emergency communication during the Joseon Dynasty and was retired in 1985.
After thoughts....
This is the final post of the Korea series. It was a great journey to a fascinating culture that I can't get enough of. It felt that I only scratched the surface. I vow to come back for more hoping next time I could bring hubby and baby in tow.
Yeongdeungpo
When we are in the process of booking this trip, there was a big debate as to where we would stay in Seoul. We sorted it out based on price, location and convenience. Then we chose this mid-range business hotel located on top of a mall aptly called Times Square. The area is still surrounded by a cluster of residential neighborhoods and its great to see something mundane like watching locals head over to work in the morning.
The Yeoungdeungpo train station is convenient when you need to take a day trip out of town. Coming back, it is the first stop in Seoul. This is very convenient when you are coming back around when the metro stops running at midnight. Our hotel is one block away from this station.
Can you believe that our hotel is on top of this mall? Crazy, I know.
This was our home in Seoul for 10 days. We are not used to jet lag that we end up watching TV around 3 am. We don't understand most of the shows but we had a good laugh on certain commercials.
Our room was spotless.
The only weird thing about this hotel room was the glass partition between the beds and the bathroom. There is a curtain to cover up the glass and that is the extent of privacy you are getting.
Nam Dae Mun Market
This is the largest and oldest open market in Seoul. I believe you could get everything you need here only if you know where to get it. It is also a place where you could get items at wholesale prices.
We came at a time when most of the outdoor vendors are wrapping up their wares. The weather looks like it is going to rain.The vendors wasn't as aggressive so shopping was painless.
I can't resist foods that are fresh off the steamers. They smell so good too.
Afterwards, we went on for some old fashioned barbecue.
National Folk Village
It was one of the major tourist attraction in the city. It was free and a major stop at the Seoul City Tour so we did manage to check it out.
It probably took a village to make this a functional kitchen.
Traditional Korean houses has no furniture. They all eat and sleep on the floor.
It is probably the most important wares in every household. The traditional jars to store everything from kimchi, chili paste to soy sauce.
Namsan Tower
This maybe our last tourist tour from our trip. It is a great wrap up of seeing the city in birds eye view. It turns out this is not just a plain observation deck but it also had historical significance in Korean history.
The bus took us halfway up but you still have to walk a steep incline to the tower.
One of the great views we saw from the top. This was a good reminder for me that I am actually in Asia. It has been more than 10 years since I visited Manila. I am close but not too close enough.
A tree row of "lovelocks" at the observation deck.
The top of the Namsan mountain was formerly used as a smoke signal station.It was used for emergency communication during the Joseon Dynasty and was retired in 1985.
After thoughts....
This is the final post of the Korea series. It was a great journey to a fascinating culture that I can't get enough of. It felt that I only scratched the surface. I vow to come back for more hoping next time I could bring hubby and baby in tow.
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