Our First Weekend in Seoul - Culinary and Historic Discovery Tour

Being in Seoul for four weeks, I try to revive my blog a little bit. Let’s see if I get some time along working at our office here in Seoul J

My colleague Joyce and I started our adventure yesterday, hurling ourselves into the city right after arriving at our apartments in Itaewon. And better thing is there to do, as getting an Asian city to know by its food! Our plan was to get a glance at the Changdeokgung (Palace), but we were distracted from the first street food stall just when we got off the underground. That is how we started with something like fried fishballs and sausages.

When we arrived at the Changdeokgung, we had strength for walking but they told us we were to late for the last tour around the Secret Garden and Palace, so we postponed that to the next day and went on to Buckchon and Samcheon-Dong. We admired the traditional houses and at times a glance from the hills down to the skyscrapers of the city. On the way we collected fried pancakes with a potato filling and caramelized sweet potato. (I let you know, when I find out the names.)

In the evening we had dinner at Sosonjae, eating Bibimbap (mixed rice) and fried meet patties (tteok galbi) with the Korean side dishes. Speaking of food – a completely successful day!

Missing out on the palaces our first day, we started right after breakfast for the Gyeongbokgung (Palace). We followed the paths of the former king with an exeption - he was carried, we had to walk. And even today normal people have to walk through the side gates. Today only a few of the buildings, that were destroyed by the Japanese invasion over 400 years ago have been rebuilt, but still the Palace with its colorful painted buildings, abundant expansion and situation in between the house moutains is impressive. The Korean people knew how to use floor heating in an early time as well, so you have to look out for the chimneys next to every building, they skillfully integrated them in the architecture and greenery.

As highlight of our tour to the Gyeongbokgung, we watched the changing of the guards, reanimate hundred year old customs.

At the Changdeokgung (Palace) we had to change our combination ticket (for the most important palaces) in to an voucher for the tour through the Secret Garden, as it is limited. Being there only five minutes before the tour started the woman at the ticket office almost did not want to let us in the tour. And as we walked past the palace buildings to the entrance of the garden, we realized why – the Koreans (or at least the Korean tour guides) are extremely punctual. Did the one at Gyeongbokgung stared on the point, the one at Changdeokgung started even some minutes before the set time. But the guards welcomed us still cheery.

The walk through the park was as pleasant even with some fifty other people. Small pavillons along ponds and enclosed by trees, hills and in the end the housing of the crown prince made it worthwhile. Afterwards we were ready for our next food stop – the other palaces have to wait for another day. So we just hopped in the palace buildings which are more nested into each other than at the bigger Gyeonbokgung and with that can convey the city character with winding alleys of an Korean palace even better than its bigger counterpart. And as this palace was less crowded we saw even more small groups of children with their teacher, learning about history and architecture. The importance of education is innate here. At Gyeongbokgung there was even an eunuch in a traditional dress teaching children.

On our search for a very late lunch we wandered through Insa-Dong and ended in a perfect dumpling diner. How did we found it – we just stepped in the longest food queue we saw on our way. You could see the women making the dumplings just in front of the customers. We ordered the Bukchon Special Plate and had vegetable, kimchi and prawn filling, dumplings without dough around and massive fried dumplings – perfect.

As the dumplings were just around the corner of Ssamzigil Market, we were ready for a little window shopping afterwards. The market reminds me of the kids toy you could find at most pediatrists. The one where you let marbles roll down wooden half pipes – from left to right, going down one floor, from right to left etc. The market was the same just that the marbles were people and they were walking up. The shops had a lot of unique and self-made stuff, a little bit like Etsy in real. On top we found a place where people made their wishes on round buttons or hear buttons (forget the old locks) and a booth that sold cakes in the shap of piles of shit. Sure we had to try that – in real it was I think a cake with red bean paste for filling (the same they also sell in shapes of fish, I think).

On our way back we made a stop at the Lotte in Myeong-Dong, the one department store in Korea. But as it is an Korean Company, it does not only operate department stores, you can find a hotel next to the store, food and beverages, an adventure park and a lot more. But as our feet were tired of walking we suspended shopping for today.