Tag: Seoul

Feeling rather proud…..

…… because this evening I went out all by myself to a spit-and-sawdust neighbourhood restaurant. I’d had to leave poor old Malcolm tucked up on his mattress to catch up on lost sleep. Food was of no interest to him.

No tourists here. No English menu. But I managed to order spiced octopus stew, and later to say it was delicious and ask for the bill. I tackled my six kinds of kimchee, sizzling fishy broth, a pot of rice and the octopus with no kind of panache and almost certainly appalling table manners. My fellow diners – and the waitress – cut me lots of slack.

Here’s a photo of my kimchee selection.

Tomorrow will be easier. Emily arrives. Hooray!

 

Changdeokgung Palace and its secret garden.

Beloved of the kings of the Joseon Dynasty since the 14th century, this palace’s true treasure is its spacious, secret garden, where Nature has been enhanced yet left in charge.

wp 20160913 10 46 34 pro li
wp 20160913 10 46 59 pro li
wp 20160913 11 35 29 pro li
wp 20160913 11 59 40 pro li

Sauntering in Seoul

If you want a pair of experts in miming for your Christmas charades, we’re your team. We spent the morning getting coffee from a back-street coffee shop, directions from anyone whose eye we caught and lunch from a market stall, all without benefit of much language at all. Pidgin Konglish rules.

Mainly though we got our bearings and pottered round the markets. Whole zones – large zones – concentrated entirely on their specialisms – traditional jewellery; timepieces; electricians’ goods (whole shops for instance of flexes and cables); rubber bands; string; cardboard packaging; logo packaging; sports trophies …..

From late morning, women scurried about with newspaper-covered tin trays on their heads containing appetising looking lunches. These meals were delivered to shop assistants and tradesmen who sat on the floor of their workplace or in the street to eat.

At the moment, rain has stopped play. But we needed a break anyway.

wp 20160912 11 53 15 pro li
wp 20160912 13 33 53 pro li
wp 20160912 12 32 52 pro li

Rather lost in Seoul

We’re here. In Seoul. A very long flight was hugely improved by our being upgraded to First Class no less. Long story.

An hour long bus journey in Seoul dropped us off within a five minute walk of our guest house. Forty five minutes later we found it, having been misdirected by a night watchman, a housewife and a schoolgirl, before finally happening upon two English-speaking students who used an app to find our address.

Which is a traditional Hanok house – wooden, mattresses on the floor – very cosy. More tomorrow. Off to bed. I’ve had no sleep for forty hours.