I haven't been regular in the updates recently because of a very busy 2 weeks. But recess break has arrived!! Hooray! :DDD So I shall continue with these updates.
If you want to experience things the Korean way, you have to go to these places: Noryangjin fish market, Jjimjibang (otherwise known as Korean sauna), Cheongyecheon stream, and the Namsan Tower.
Noryangjin fish market wasn't as well known as many other tourist spots, but it is a must-go - if you are a fan of seafood too! The seafood there are one of the cheapest, and also the freshest in Seoul. To get to Noryanjing fish market, simply take the subway to Noryangjin Subway Station, Exit 1. Cross the overhead bridge to the emptier side. (One side looked like a small neighbourhood with many shops.)
To get your seafood lunch from Noryangjin, there are 2 ways you can go about doing it. (1) Step into any restaurant and let them know what you want to eat, and they will get it for you. (2) Step into the fish market, choose your own seafood, negotiate the prices, and have the ahjummas bring you to a restaurant to have your seafood cooked. I will strongly recommend going by Method 2 because you get to see many rare seafood you have never seen in your life HAHAH. And also, a few ahjummas speak Chinese and I feel so thankful if not, I really don't know how to go about telling the restaurant owners that I want my seafood steamed, raw, BBQ or what.
For Shan and I, we took sea urchins, a huge scallop the size of our face, and also some abalones. I guess we were pretty adventurous but if you didn't like it, there is always the prawns. We were told to have the sea urchin raw (the usual way of eating it) and the scallop and abalone cooked. Sea urchin was good, but bad. In the sense that I like the taste, but the texture wise, it was so slimy and all, Shan and I felt like our stomachs were churning after the meal. And also probably because we haven't ate breakfast and that was our first meal so our stomachs couldn't really take it. Guess what I did - I bought hot coffee from the vending machine at the subway station later on in an attempt to cook the sea urchin in my stomach. Maybe it's psychological, but it works!! Ingenious me HAHAH.
After the meal, we decided to go to Jjimjibang. And the most famous Jjimjibang had to be Dragon Hill Spa. To get to Dragon Hill Spa, take the subway to Yongsan station (one stop after Noryangjin), and get out of the subway station. You will see this place within 3 minutes walk from the subway station.
So... why Jjimjibang? Jjimjibang, or otherwise known as the Korean sauna, is popular among Koreans. Koreans love to go there, because it is practically a space whereby you can do almost anything! Of course they have the usual water spas (do note that it is gender-specific, and you have to go in naked, so if you are uncomfortable with it, please skip this spa section), and the saunas, and a huge main hall whereby there is a huge TV, massage chairs, food being sold, facials and even manicures being done. You can easily spend a few hours there, and it really doesn't cost that much. Usually about 10,000KRW for the entrance fee. Of course, food, massage, facial etc is another thing. To me, it is a must-go! You can either relax there on your own, or bring a few friends along and chit-chat there. Try cracking a boiled egg on each other's head - it really HURTS!
After a refreshing session of spa and sauna at the Jjimjilbang, Shan and I decided to head to Cheongyecheon stream. Cheongyecheon stream used to be just another canal until it was re-opened as a recreation area again in 2005. The whole course stretches along a long distance, and Shan and I chose to start near Dongdaemun. Maybe we chose the wrong part to start, maybe it was still too bright, we felt that the stream did not bring that kind of atmosphere which people raved about. Instead, we felt that we were feeding mosquitoes. We took a few shots, and quickly left.
Dongdaemun was nearby, and we wanted to drop by to see if we could get anything. However, at 6pm, Dongdaemun was DEAD QUIET. All shops have yet to open. We forgot that Dongdaemun operates mostly at night, and shops will start opening past 8pm till 5am in the morning (I heard) so anyway, we decided to skip this. I've subsequently heard that Koreans do not like to go to Dongdaemun, because the ahjummas were rude and pushy, and you can't get that much of a bargain too unless you're really good at negotiating or you're buying a whole lot at a go. So, whatever the case, I did not ever step back into DDM again. It didn't leave me with a very good impression too.
So, heading back to Myeongdong, we had an early dinner at Han's Deli. If you're sick of Korean food (which you should not be, they are really good!) and are in need for some Western food fix, I would highly recommend Han's Deli. For the reasonable prices, you can get good Western food. Well, I haven't personally been to Italy for pastas or pizzas so I'm not able to talk about authenticity, but rest assured it has Swensen's/Pizza Hut's standard (if you're familiar with these restaurants) so it's quite a safe bet already.
After dinner, finally, a highlight I've been waiting for! Namsan tower! I don't think it's weird for two girls to head up to Namsan Tower, but for 2 guys, maybe! Hahah, but whichever the case, I think Namsan tower is a sight you should not miss if you are in that area. I love the breeze and the atmosphere up there. Love is in the air~~~! Shan and I decided to take the cable car up to the foot of the tower, but somehow unknowingly we got lost again, and found ourselves climbing Mt. Namsan instead. Funniest thing ever, we bumped into Saiful again. Saiful was my friend who was also there for a holiday, and we coincidentally bumped into each other at the foot of Seongsan Ilchulbong Peak in Jeju. And we always seemed to meet whenever we are climbing hills and mountains. Anyway, we finally found our way to the cable car station (Saiful was lost too LOL)
If I were to give an advice, I'd say the cable car was not worth it. Squeezing with many people and seeing practically no view (especially if you're as short as I am) probably meant that the bus might be a better option. There are public buses bringing you up from several subway stations, and if you really want to take the cable car, I would say try both the bus and the cable car. To me, bus trips in Korea are a must-try. It makes me feel like I'm more assimilated into their culture.
We ended off the night at Myeongdong again, because Saiful has yet to eat his dinner. And coincidentally, I bumped into my NBS senior at that same restaurant. I was really unsure and I kept looking his direction but he wasn't looking at me, so I thought, maybe... I was wrong. But after his meal, he came by to say hi so I was right hahah! The world is so small seriously...
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