Emily the tourist guide
Steph and I did do some other things on the weekend worth mentioning, other than nearly lose each other and thus, nearly self-destroying my weekend plans to Koreanize my only potential candidate.
We spent Friday night drinking it up and eating it up in Hongdae where students rule and people over the age of 25 (or 30 for the few exceptional exceptions) drool. The last Friday of the month = “Club Night”… 21 clubs for $20 or at least, as many as you feel like frequenting or as many as you can frequent whilst withstanding the cold. We kept it to a minimal 4 that evening. Like true Koreans we ate, drank, ate, drank, ate, drank and ate. Rather than the typical midnight munchies for Maccas, we opted for $3 instant Ramen with mandu at a takeaway shop. As witness to a later ‘incident’, I would not recommend this option for those of you with an unaccustomed stomach.
Saturday, we played the part of tourists. We started the morning with a pick-me-up at Paris Baguette, a staple for any cash-strapped tourist diet. This was followed by watching a ceremonial performance in the form of changing of the guards at Deoksugung Palace. Up for some fresh air, we took a leisurely walk around the palace grounds of Geongbokgung Palace. Behind this maze-like palace lies the President’s house, nestled at the feet of the mountains which provided a stunning backdrop. We walked around to the Bukchon Hanok village where traditional Korean houses are now home to endless rows of coffee shops and boutiques. I fell in love with this charming corner of Seoul and it was such a wonderful pleasure being able to snoop around so many worthy cafes in hunt of the ‘perfect one’ tolunch at. We opted for a place called ‘TeaStory’ with a table for 2 overlooking the little street to enable for some people-watching. The pictures of their waffles and ice-cream were enough to draw us in but we were pleasantly surprised to discover an equally tantalizing dish on the menu that caught our eyes – the ‘Flam’ (refer to the picture). Our meal, however, did start in reverse, with the waffle being served up first. One word – incredible! Generous dollops of green tea ice-cream and walnut/maple ice-cream, cream, fresh banana, and chocolate sauce served on the crispest and softest waffle I’ve ever had! It’s definitely worth writing about and hence, I am writing about it!
Then came the flam and what a pleasant surprise this little guy proved to be. A thin crispy base with just the right amount of chewy topped with camembert cheese, cranberries and spring onion. I want another one just thinking about it!
We then proceeded to another adorable coffee shop that caught our eyes (it’s true, humans eat/drink with their eyes!) for a warm drink where we sat for a good hour or so soaking up the atmosphere. The place was lit by lamps, lanterns, candles and whatever other tools of lighting you could imagine which created a warm and intimate aura. We sat in a ‘cubby-like’ corner overlooking other patrons and spent most of our time reading the messages on the serviette that were hanging from the ceiling. Happy frequenters had also left their messages of graffiti-love scrawled across the walls. It was enchanting and ever-so ‘cutesy’ that only the Koreans could get away with it.
With little time to spare, we proceeded to the little stream, Cheonggyecheon, which runs through the middle of the city, providing a touch of tranquility for the hasty Seoulites. Some musicians were rocking it out on the bridge which acted like an encore for our departure through Myeong Dong and to the subway. Dinner was Korean BBQ, then drinking into the night, by the ‘bucket’, at Monkey Beach Thai-style Bar.
Then it was suddenly Sunday. We went for a trip to the towering KLI 63 building – the tallest in Seoul. It was interesting but rather a waste of time because the weather was far too foggy to bother paying to take the elevator to the observation deck to enjoy the view. But we were insistent on making the most of it, so we explored the wedding exhibition as though we were genuinely interested, bride-to-be’s. We enjoyed a quality Korean lunch of bibimpab and tteok mandu guk before returning to the city for coffee at Dunkin Donuts. Having vowed not to forfeit my soul to the dominating donut chain, I can honestly say that somehow the Koreans have managed to pull it off – providing a cosy charm non-existant in fast-food chains back in Australia. So yes, whilst I can proudly say I didn’t forfeit my soul, I did forfeit a few Won for a maple latte and it was well worth it! We followed this up by a trip to the Andy Warhol exhibition at the Museum of Art which I missed out on when it showcased in Brisbane. I was happy to finally see the famous pop art paintings I had so scrupulously studied back in high school.
We retreated home to join my homestay family for an amazing Korean dinner with Japchae as the main dish. To top of the day, my host parents drove us to one of the cafés that were situated in the middle of the bridge that crosses the Han River for a relaxing coffee/tea.
Monday, the day of Steph’s departure, came far too quickly. We went for one last meal together in Sincheon for brunch. The café, coined “One Tree Hill”, was where we chose to engross our taste buds in the superb tastes of banana and cinnamon pancakes! Then, the time had come; the time to bid farewell to my dear friend. I believe the weekend was a fleeting success and I have taken one for team Korea.
