Sunday, August 23, 2009
My First Subway Ride, Dongdaemun, and Sticker Photos
AUGUST 22: I had the BEST time ever today! Around noon, I met up with my Korean friend Christina (we lived on the same floor of the dormitory back in first year). Her parents picked me up from my hostel in their car, and were so kind and generous as to treat me to lunch at a traditional Korean restaurant. For some reason I had this stupid prejudiced opinion that all Korean parents were strict and formal, but Christina's were anything but. They were very modern and friendly--I even had a very enlightening conversation about Korean politics with her dad. Anyways, this was my first real Korean meal since my arrival and I was starving. I ordered naengmyeon, which I had been dying to try. Naengmyeon is a healthy cold noodle dish that is eaten during the summer. It consists of buckwheat noodles in a cold beef broth with slices of beef, Korean pear, cucumber, and a hardboiled egg. Christina's mom showed me how it must be eaten seasoned with vinegar and mustard. It was light and refreshing, and tasted delicious! There was also a variety of panchan (side dishes), such as the ubiquitous kimchi. At the end of our meal, her dad bought us this special type of Korean-style coffee you get from vending machines. It is sweetened with palm oil, which isn't too healthy but tastes so good!
Naengmyeon. I forgot to take a picture so this one's from the internet.
Afterwards her parents left us and we went by subway to Dongdaemun. Christina taught me how to use the Seoul Metro, which isn't hard at all once you get the hang of it. It is so modern and clean, and everything is operated by machine. There is a huge glass wall separating the platform from the tracks, presumably to discourage people from committing suicide. It is literally packed inside--the Seoul Metro is one of the most heavily used public transportation systems in the world. I'll take pictures and describe the ticket process better in a later post.
Dongdaemun (Great East Gate) is a huge shopping complex which houses over 30,000 stores. It is mostly frequented by the young crowd as the clothes are very trendy. Dongdaemun consists of huge buildings where individual vendors compete to attract customers (there are no walls or doors separating them, so they're technically not stores). Most of the goods sold here are inexpensive (between 10,000-40,000 won). There are also plenty of street food stands, cafes, and restaurants around. One interesting experience I had was trying on a denim miniskirt. As shops here are open and there are no fitting rooms, I had to put on a huge baggy skirt overtop, then try on the miniskirt underneath (trying to be as discreet as I possibly could!). I was embarrassed at first, but it was fun.
After our shopping expedition, we saw these fortune teller stands set up on the street outside. For 10,000 won, I got my fortune told using the traditional Korean method, with Christina translating for me. All the man needs to know is the date and time of your birth. Here are some of his predictions:
Naengmyeon. I forgot to take a picture so this one's from the internet.
Afterwards her parents left us and we went by subway to Dongdaemun. Christina taught me how to use the Seoul Metro, which isn't hard at all once you get the hang of it. It is so modern and clean, and everything is operated by machine. There is a huge glass wall separating the platform from the tracks, presumably to discourage people from committing suicide. It is literally packed inside--the Seoul Metro is one of the most heavily used public transportation systems in the world. I'll take pictures and describe the ticket process better in a later post.
Dongdaemun (Great East Gate) is a huge shopping complex which houses over 30,000 stores. It is mostly frequented by the young crowd as the clothes are very trendy. Dongdaemun consists of huge buildings where individual vendors compete to attract customers (there are no walls or doors separating them, so they're technically not stores). Most of the goods sold here are inexpensive (between 10,000-40,000 won). There are also plenty of street food stands, cafes, and restaurants around. One interesting experience I had was trying on a denim miniskirt. As shops here are open and there are no fitting rooms, I had to put on a huge baggy skirt overtop, then try on the miniskirt underneath (trying to be as discreet as I possibly could!). I was embarrassed at first, but it was fun.
After our shopping expedition, we saw these fortune teller stands set up on the street outside. For 10,000 won, I got my fortune told using the traditional Korean method, with Christina translating for me. All the man needs to know is the date and time of your birth. Here are some of his predictions:
- My lucky colours are green and black
- I am good with words (eloquent)
- I have powerful dreams which often come true
- I am disposed to have kidney and bladder problems, and should counteract this by drinking lots of water
- I will have friendship troubles this November
- I must watch out for cars next April
- I will get a boyfriend next year
- I am soil, so I must marry a man who is either water or tree (either born in spring or winter)
- I must take care not to gain weight as I get older
Getting our fortunes told.
Later we went to the Korean frozen yogurt chain Red Mango, which competes with the popular Pinkberry, and ordered a medium patbingsoo to share. Patbingsoo is a Korean dessert eaten in the summer months. It consists of sweetened adzuki beans, fresh fruit (usually berries, bananas, and kiwi), and frozen yogurt over shaved ice. It is similar to the Philippine halo halo.
Patbingsoo! Ours was delicious. We chose green tea flavour for the shaved ice.
These toilets warm and massage your ass!
Back in Hyehwa, Christina spotted a sticker photo shop and convinced me to go in. I was hesitant at first (I think these are too fobby), but it turned out to be quite fun! Unlike the plain old boring photo booths found in North American malls, these booths were elaborate and spacious. It costs 6,000 won for 8 photos, of which you get to choose and print four. There are two options for backgrounds, "sexy" and "cute", and you're supposed to match your poses with whatever background you've chosen. Once you're done, you go out to the side of the booth, where a large screen displays the photos you've taken so you can personalize them. Using a special pen attached to the side of the machine, you can decorate the photos with hand-drawn doodles, or pick pre-made cartoon flowers, animals, food, etc. to dot the background with. You can get really creative with these!
The inside of the sticker photo shop.
The screen by the side of the booth where your pictures show up for you to decorate.
My first Korean-style photo stickers!
We didn't notice these wigs until after we had taken the photos.
My dinner from Family Mart: banana uyu (banana milk) and chamchi kimbap (tuna kimbap) recommended by Christina. I didn't care for the banana milk since it tasted a bit like cough medicine, but the kimbap was delicious and so cheap--just 1,000 won ($1) for 10 pieces! In Toronto kimbap is typically sold for $3.50 for 8 pieces.
All in all, I had an amazing time and it made me realize how lonely I had been in Seoul before today. Plus, I learned so much and got to do and eat some of the things I've always been wanting to try in Korea. Thanks, Christina!
More Recap
AUGUST 21: I came home and crashed to bed at midnight, however thanks to jet lag, I woke up before dawn just four hours later. I killed some time, showered and got ready to go out, when I was suddenly overcome with sleep and exhaustion around noon and fell to bed again (after all, it was 11 pm in Canada and therefore my bedtime). When I woke up I felt completely refreshed, but it was 8 pm--too late for shopping! With nothing else to do, I yet again ventured outside:
Dunkin' Donuts is literally everywhere here! This one, located across the street from my hostel, has 3 floors which are packed each night. Other common American fast-food, restaurant, and convenience store chains abound, such as McDonald's (of course), Burger King, KFC, Pizza Hut, Subway, Baskin Robbins, and even Outback Steakhouse. Starbucks cups can be seen in the hands of every young Korean on the street. I've also noticed that the inside decor is much fancier and generally nicer than their American counterparts, especially when it comes to cafes. An iced cappuccino at Dunkin' Donuts set me back 3,900 won. I'm not sure if that's similar to what you'd pay in America though, since we don't have Dunkin' Donuts in Canada (Tim Hortons fills that slot).
Dunkin' Donuts is literally everywhere here! This one, located across the street from my hostel, has 3 floors which are packed each night. Other common American fast-food, restaurant, and convenience store chains abound, such as McDonald's (of course), Burger King, KFC, Pizza Hut, Subway, Baskin Robbins, and even Outback Steakhouse. Starbucks cups can be seen in the hands of every young Korean on the street. I've also noticed that the inside decor is much fancier and generally nicer than their American counterparts, especially when it comes to cafes. An iced cappuccino at Dunkin' Donuts set me back 3,900 won. I'm not sure if that's similar to what you'd pay in America though, since we don't have Dunkin' Donuts in Canada (Tim Hortons fills that slot).
This Gandalf (from The Lord of the Rings) statue was pretty neat. It was beside a movie theatre.
For a small fee, you can win a prize if you successfully break all the bricks. I didn't take a picture, but just earlier someone broke them and won a stuffed toy for his girlfriend. There are many of these types of games all around the streets at night.
Dancing Pokemon! And there was this funny little song in the background--adorable!
In Korea, food is delivered by moped/scooter. You can see it's being kept hot in the box at the back. The most common delivery food is pizza and Chinese (especially a popular dish of noodles with black bean sauce and minced pork, called "jajangmyeon"). But I even saw McDonald's delivery!
Later, I found a kiosk selling cigarettes, newspapers, and beverages, and it was here that I had my first real conversation completely in Korean! I bought an international calling card for 10,000 won from the friendly old man at the counter. I'm not sure how many minutes it's got, but at least I get to call home now.
Fresh fish and crustaceans outside a seafood restaurant.
For a small fee, you can win a prize if you successfully break all the bricks. I didn't take a picture, but just earlier someone broke them and won a stuffed toy for his girlfriend. There are many of these types of games all around the streets at night.
I thought this was funny: couples consulting tarot cards for compatability and looking to the future of their relationship.
Dancing Pokemon! And there was this funny little song in the background--adorable!
In Korea, food is delivered by moped/scooter. You can see it's being kept hot in the box at the back. The most common delivery food is pizza and Chinese (especially a popular dish of noodles with black bean sauce and minced pork, called "jajangmyeon"). But I even saw McDonald's delivery!
Later, I found a kiosk selling cigarettes, newspapers, and beverages, and it was here that I had my first real conversation completely in Korean! I bought an international calling card for 10,000 won from the friendly old man at the counter. I'm not sure how many minutes it's got, but at least I get to call home now.
Next, I stopped by Family Mart (a local convenience store chain) and picked up a small carton of milk. Korean milk is not always pasteurized so you have to be careful. It also isn't labelled by milk fat percentage like in the West, but simply "low-fat" or "full fat". I don't normally drink cow's milk (I gave it up for almond milk some months ago) but I wanted to see how it would taste in Korea. I bought low-fat milk but it tasted very creamy and was delicious--exactly like 2%!
When I came home I was unable to sleep (still jet-lagged!) and stayed up until 6 am, when I got up to shower and dress. I was determined that I would stay awake and do something productive--like shopping! ;)
Saturday, August 22, 2009
I'M HERE!!
So I'm already into my third day in Seoul, but let me start from the beginning:
Tartufo cake from an Italian bakery.
My first meal in Korea! This is called ddeokbeokgi and consists of tubes of chewy rice cake stir-fried in spicy sauce. It is the most common street food in Korea that is said to be especially popular among women. I wasn't really hungry but I just had to try this (though I made it myself once back home). The pictured plate cost 2,500 won (about $2.50 Canadian) and was very filling. Street food stands selling ddeokbeokgi are everywhere in Korea--I've seen vendors literally side-by-side!
AUGUST 18: My last night in Canada and going-away party. I got a haircut at noon and spent most of the rest of the day packing. I was so stressed and nervous that I couldn't eat a thing, even though I was pretty hungry. Luckily, I finished packing just in time (at 4 am--that's right, no sleep for me) and headed off to the airport to catch my 8 am flight. In the car it suddenly hit me: I'M GOING TO A NEW COUNTRY ENTIRELY DIFFERENT IN PRETTY MUCH EVERY ASPECT FROM MY OWN! For the first time since I received my acceptance letter, and all throughout the grueling application process, I hadn't felt a shred of emotion--none of it seemed real. I had laboured the whole spring and summer to fill out this form, or hand in that paperwork, that I pretty much forgot what all my efforts were for. Thus, on the way to the airport, I snapped: picture me hyperventilating, teeth chattering, crying, shaking, shocked and awed (yep--it was pretty awful). Fear (and excitement) of the unknown is, paradoxically, something that I both dread and yet have longed for my entire young life. Like an infant, I knew I was going to have to start over and re-learn everything from scratch.
Greek-style pasta salad (made by me) and bulgur salad (made by my mom).
Tartufo cake from an Italian bakery.
It was hard to say goodbye to my mom, but somehow I managed to push back my tears and get it over with. I checked in my baggage and cleared customs easily enough, although due to a technical error my flight to Chicago departed 35 minutes late. It was a quick trip (1 1/2 hours), but despite the beautiful day outside, there was a whole lot of turbulence. The view from my window as the plane descended was amazing (note to self: must visit Chicago someday!). Once in Chicago, I found myself late for my next stopover and had to run like a cheetah in order to catch my flight to San Francisco just in time. On this second leg of my journey, the view from my window seat was the most breathtaking I've ever seen in my life--I flew directly above the Grand Canyon!! My jaw literally dropped as I stared, captivated, at this most beautiful work of nature. Five hours and one Star Trek movie later, I arrived in San Francisco. With half an hour to kill before my next flight, I bought some Ghirardelli chocolates from the duty-free shop before boarding the plane to Seoul. It was the longest and most boring 11 1/2 hours of my life, and they fed us practically every hour. I watched bits and pieces of Duplicity, Adventureland, and 17 Again, and even managed to get an hour of sleep, but spent most of the ride reviewing my notes in a frantic attempt to brush up on my Korean. Finally, at 5 pm local time, I arrived in Seoul!
AUGUST 20: The first thing they make you do as soon as you leave the plane is to be inspected by some health officials for the influenza (flu) virus. They scan some little detector thingy next to your neck, and if nothing turns up, they let you pass. I got my visa stamped, cleared customs, and grabbed my luggage, then headed out into the waiting area, where I bought a ticket for the airport bus to Seoul (the main airport in South Korea is Incheon International Airport in Incheon, next to Seoul). 45 minutes later, I was dropped off at Shinchon, where I managed to catch a taxi to the Golden Pond Guesthouse in Hyehwa. During the memorable taxi ride, I gathered my first impressions of Seoul: hot and humid weather, lots of honking cars driving dangerously close together (yet with remarkable skill and speed), shops and buildings lining literally every street (with no shrub or tree in sight), and the most mouthwatering restaurants and bakeries everywhere I cared to look (hello, temptation!). Once checking into my hostel (it was 8 pm by now), I washed my face and rested a little, then headed outside for my first taste of Seoul. Here are some pictures:
My hostel room. It houses four people but I'm the only one occupying it at the moment. There was another person (a Korean girl from Sweden) when I arrived, but she left the next day. She is also here on exchange to Korea University, so we exchanged e-mails and promised to meet up soon.
A typical street in Hyehwa.
My first meal in Korea! This is called ddeokbeokgi and consists of tubes of chewy rice cake stir-fried in spicy sauce. It is the most common street food in Korea that is said to be especially popular among women. I wasn't really hungry but I just had to try this (though I made it myself once back home). The pictured plate cost 2,500 won (about $2.50 Canadian) and was very filling. Street food stands selling ddeokbeokgi are everywhere in Korea--I've seen vendors literally side-by-side!
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