Korea, a Story Book Adventure

Oh man, there's so much I want to tell you about my trip to South Korea! Melissa, Leslie, and I visited Seoul for 5 days, 4 nights, a couple weeks ago. It was one of the most memorable and perfect travel experiences of my life. Although I already miss the food, the people, and the atmosphere, I know I will visit again someday! Next time, I will stay for a longer period of time and travel to other parts of Korea... maybe to teach English? Maybe to live! Who knows what the future brings... I welcome it with my arms wide open :)

Waiting for our midnight flight at the Hong Kong airport... my travel adrenaline was already pumping!
AHHH KOREA KOREA KOREA !! ?? !! :D

@ Incheon International Airport in KOREA! It must've been something around 2 degrees Celsius - what a shock from Hong Kong weather! But I loved being all bundled up. It REALLY felt like Winter (and Christmas time!) Hong Kong right now is on average 25 degrees and sunny. San Diego weather :)

We arrived at our hostel - Bong House - in Seoul sometime around 5 or 6am (?) The place was small and quaint, it felt like we were crashing at a friend's house. But in Korea, ah! After a sleepless night (for me), we did the smart thing and took a 4-hour nap before we headed out to discover Seoul!

First breakfast in Korea! This place was a 2-minute walk from our hostel (there's actually a lot to do and see and EAT around where we lived). KIMBAP! Everything just tasted so right, and so much better, in Korea. Haha ;)

Wandering on the streets of Seoul, we somehow arrived in the Insadong district! It was a perfect day to be there, and was a great introduction to Korea. Seoul left a very good impression on me, from beginning to end! Compared to Hong Kong, people in Seoul just seemed less rushed, more chill, more genuinely friendly... the shop keepers don't pressure you to buy  things (or yell at you if you decide not to buy anything), the restaurant owners are so sweet (teaching us how to eat Korean food the "right way"), and random people on the streets are more helpful (especially compared to certain people I've encountered in China... who simply refused to go out of their way just to point me in the right direction when I'm lost!)

The group volunteers in the picture above were so adorable. Skipping along the street asking for donations with their bright smiles... we couldn't resist! They had a box of random miscellaneous gift items you could buy. And with any donation, they give you a ChocoPie. -smiles-

Haha, priceless, Melissa... Don't know the name of the snack, but it had clear noodles and veggies inside and was crunchy on the outside, and it was HOT! There was so much enticing street food left and right. We were lucky we happened to be in Insadong on a Friday (we dropped by again on a Monday and it was definitely a lot less 熱鬧)
We wanted to try EVERYTHING. I'd say we were pretty successful by the end of our trip ;) Oh, how I miss the fooood!! Unlike in China, where some of the street food is good while others too scary-looking to eat, in Korea, everything looks, smells, and tastes DELICIOUS.

We got interviewed in Insadong! It was for a Korean TV broadcasting company called Airang.  Teehee

Our first taste of the infamous banana milk, found in every convenient store in Korea, but sadly nowhere that I know of outside of Korea! :'(

Late night dinner at a local Korean restaurant in Myeong Dong. Yummos :)

Mmmmm, there's nothing better than warm soup on a chilly winter night. Melissa and Leslie would know the name of this... haha. I <3 my travel companions. 

Seoul has the cutest shops and boutiques!

I love how they have so many cafes everywhere. I wouldn't mind staying in Seoul for another week, and just going to a different cozy cafe each day to people-watch, drink a hot coffee (or chocolate for me), and read a book... I will always associate Seoul with good food, quaint cafes, fashionistas, and no worries... :)

I felt so safe in Seoul - anywhere, anytime (even more so than in Hong Kong!)  I love how there's so much street food  and shopping late at night. During the five days, we usually started our adventures around 10am (usually considered late for travelling) and came back around midnight. I felt so relaxed, but also that I did a lot at the end of each day! It was great to not to have a schedule to stick to, or things we had to get done. Just wander, eat, shop, sleep. Wander, eat, shop, sleep.
Oh, if I would just keep clicking "repeat"...

Gelato is good anywhere in the world... :) I definitely gained back the weight I lost the week before when I had the flu, haha. 

In a few places that we went to, there were people asking if we needed tourist information - or free maps, so handy! This time we were going to Ewha Womens University. And on our way, Melissa and I won free earphones, teehee :) 

Ewha Womens University <3 Home university of some of my dearest friends I've met in Hong Kong... It was really nice to walk around the beautiful campus, by the old-styled buildings, through the autumn-colored trees, knowing that our friends will soon return here to their home in Seoul. I must admit that I love Ewha's campus even more than I love UCSD's campus - so gorgeous!

Leslie breathing in the fresh chill air and embracing the natural beauty of Ewha :)

Little did Melissa know that this chicken skewer would mean suicide for her taste buds... SO FREAKIN SPICCYYYY!!! Even after we told the lady "mild spicy please" and she brushed just one side of the skewer with the special Korean sauce (...uh oh). 

Korean BBQ?

Oh Yes...

Korea makes THE BEST fried chicken I've ever tasted in my life.  I'm usually not a big fan of fried chicken, but now I know what I was missing out on. The gross grease-dripping chicken you find in the States is nothing in comparison! I don't understand why we don't learn from the Koreans.
There must've been like ten fried chicken take-out shops within 10 minutes of walking from our hostel.Their idea of the perfect late night snack: fried chicken and beer - but better, for us, without the beer :)

Making a scene at one of the old villages in Seoul :) Living our alternate lives... *fierce*

*pensive*

*cute*

I can't believe I was in Korea! Wow. I feel so fortunate to have had this opportunity to discover and experience a country that has such a unique culture and people. Country by country, people by people, the world is becoming less and less foreign to me :)

Our first experience in a Korean Jimjibang - a 24-hour spa/bath house. We went to Dragon Spa, recommended by Bong (yes, the owner of our hostel!) as being "the best" in Seoul. It was nice, but I think if I had to choose again whether to spend $12 at the spa or on street food, I would choose the latter... for sure. 

It is always the craziest thing to run into friends from home in a different country! Frank (right) and Melissa's friend (left) is studying abroad at Yonsei University this semester!

Mmmmmm... definitely comfort food. I wish I knew the Korean name so I can look up a recipe! This was a huge pot of stew-like thing with pork ribs and seafood with potatoes, mushrooms, and other veggies, hot and a little spicy, and so amazingly scrumptious with a bowl of rice on a cold day... oh, you just have to go to Korea! I can happily say that there wasn't a single food item I tried there that I did not like. 

North Tower (Namsan Tower) in Central Seoul. All along the railings on the ground of the tower you find thousands of locks with words of love written on them. Imagine all the cute couples and happy hearts that have been there, concentrated at the highest point of the city. Aw, Love. <3

Korea was a miracle, first (and most important) reason being how Melissa and I miraculous recovered from our sicknesses as soon as we arrived! Would've been a nightmare to be sick in such a beautiful city. It totally felt like waking up from a dream when we landed in Hong Kong. Unfortunately, Korea was only a dream INSIDE a dream, and we will have to wake up yet again when we -gasps- return home to the States! 24 days and counting...