It has been an interesting week. I've...been places. Seen...things. And eaten...foods.
What times.
I would prefer, though, to not talk about the plastic square cheese + fried egg + strawberry jam + rice bread sandwich I half-consumed this morning. Don't ask, and I won't cry.
Don't really know where to start. The beginning, mayhaps? Errr...Myeongdong? Yeah. That was a pretty cool place. I forgot to mention last post that that was teh place that we ate massive amounts of street food. Oh, and then we went and got a huge and delicious bowl of Japanese ramen. Mmmmmmm, soup with handmade noodles and a healthy dose of green leafy vegetables. It's a little area of Seoul which is considered 'boutique' but really just had a lot of expensive (and mostly Western) stores; the likes of Gucci, Oroton, and...other things that I care little for. But the vibe of the place was great. The streets are possibly the most crowded I have ever encountered, which was a lot less frustrating and intimidating than I would have imagined. Also, a giant chicken took a liking to my butt with one of it's wings. As in one of those people in furry chicken suits. That was way scary. I hate those dressed-up...things. Urgh. *Shiverrrr*
The next day we went to one big-ass palace. Gyeongbokgung is the first azn-stylez palace I have seen, and it was incredibly eye-opening. Such damn huge courtyards and the gorgeous fusion of an Art Nouveau-esque naturalism and strict lines of a minimalist linear style in the building's patterns and organisation was stunning. Also: the sheer design reserved for the roofs of every building really makes you see that the purpose of the architecture was to make you look up to the goddamn heavens; your neck breaks and your mind explodes for the king and his glorious being. Like, y'know, literally and metaphorically.
And so, post-palace envy, we wandered away still in awe and managed our way through the backstreets of a much more polished part of Seoul. Y'know those streets that are in theme parks? Too clean and seemingly in mini form? Yeah, it felt like that weirdly. Although I have definitely learnt my lesson with the Korean take on Western food I still have way too many urges to try outlandish claims of authentic European food. Like the bakery, for example, that we walked into in the area outside Gyeongbokgung. After looking like a ba bo (idiot) wandering around breadstuffs and pastries, for what must have been a curious 15 minutes for the staff behind the counter, I ended up buying a tiny croissant ridiculously overpriced and way too buttery. My excuse for that (not the silliest) purchase was that they had a certificate from the world-renowned and extraordinarily elite Le Cordon Bleu cooking school. Aiiight! Don't lie, otai!?
We then headed over to the tourist-trap that is Insadon. On the outskirts we found an awesome Tteok (rice cake) - a dessert that one is easily accustomed to despite it being way heavier than, say baklava or Turkish delight - shoppe, in which we picked up some with red bean in the centre and outside rolled in slithers of dried date. Mmmmmm...you should turn ENVY ON. I'm not the biggest fan of Insadon. I abhor touristy things. And I really have an inner weirdo that loathes seeing other people that are not of the culture I am viewing and taking part in...I know, strange, but I like to at least think that I am seeing things that a lot of other people won't - and I am!! But still...know what I mean? Anyone? The only thing I can see that here (or Dongdaemun, a huge market that will surely be visited soon) will be useful for is for the gifts to bring home; you've just got to have a discerning eye to separate the bullshit artefacts and the genuine articles. Thankfully for you guys, you have two peeps dedicated to that which is quality! Ayup!!! ^________^ You'll all get something awesome, fo sho.
So apart from wandering around, and getting hella confused in some absolute dears of tiny alleyways, we decided to go to a speciality dumpling place. It was even I, who six months ago claimed that dumplings and anything involved I had extreme dislike for, that suggested it. And we got a damn tasty meal. Holy Halmuni (grandmother). Why is it that old women in every culture are Absolute Gods when they step into a kitchen. I need to see if I can find a stall in Dongdaemun or Namdaemun that sells these jewels for cheap. I need one for my house! Anyway, suffice to say I was totally convinced by the massive photo on the front door of the shop of an old woman looking kindly into the dough she was kneading. I was further indoctrinated into the dumpling ways from the first bite right up until to the last slurp of soup. Halmuni chuseyo!!! (Give me a grandmother!) .\/. Now!
We spent the start of the week sleeping right on the border of North and South Korea. I was shown the incredible expanses of mud flats (one of the largest in the world, I was told) that head out to the Yellow Sea. I was shown North Korean land, literally reachable in ten minutes if swum through the cold and icy sea, through a heavily barbed-wire fence and under the watch of nearby militants. The first house we stayed at was with an incredibly awesome woman who felt like a benevolent aunt, and who runs basically an afterschool place for poor and disadvantaged children from as young as 7 to 16 or so. Although extraordinarily tiring, I am all too happy spend every Monday until Christmas there, being an absolute kid myself, playing and running around with them. It was nerve-racking at first, none would talk to us at first, shying away at any little comment we said. About half an hour later I had about four hanging off my arms, giving me back massages (child labour, wheeee!!!), and gabbling on in fast Korean, and despite my repeated explanations that I could neither understand nor respond, my efforts came to absolute no avail.
The second night we stayed with another awesome person, this time the computer teacher from the High School we were to attend for the next three days as usual. Living also extraordinarily close to the border, we were once again waived through the restricted area by armed guards, I having to hide my face a little on the way through as foreigners are generally not accepted into the area, let alone Korean citizens who are non-residents. The dude was great, he took us out to a freaking three-level Kalbi (Korean-style ribs) "castle"...well, that was the restaurants name!!! His two children were adorable, the little girl seemingly thinking I was some sort of secret-holder and trickster. Which, it turned out I was, as she egged me on to poke Mintie and then act as if I didn't. Our fun-having was greeted by peals of her laughter. So cute.
Soooo...that was all great. The week at the school went fast, I think I felt as if I were on a high from the past couple of days of being treated so nicely and being so welcomed. The kids at the High School seem to really like us, the second year being the most interested. We usually waste about 3/4 of the time in that class just talking to them. The most awkward question this week (god, I hope there isn't one for every week!!) was asked by a dude sitting right at the front. He asked me which boy was the most good-looking in the class, which I avoided, I thought cleverly, by pointing to a girl to his left. Phewww...I thought. Okay, so who was the second-best looking then? Grah. "God!!! Fine, you!" I exclaimed through rolled eyes and laughter. Although he already held his arms in victory, he had to ask me "True?" before he looked around at a laughing class and smiled. Total LOL FACTORY. But, probably one of the nicest dudes at the school, we played soccer with him the week before.
This weekend, though? Contempory Art. It was great to be in amongst it all for a while. Some extraordinarily interesting pieces, a few pieces I recognised, a bit of Warhol, Sherman, and Park, an amazing Korean video artist which a few people had told me to go see while here. What an absolute dude. This gallery loves him, having a whole room dedicated to him and his awesome skillzorz. Unfortunately his most famous work and centrepiece of the big spiral ramp up to other galleries, was not open until next May. As it is a gorram huge sculpture of televisions, I was still damned impressed. I cannot imagine what it would have been like had they all been working. We also froze our arses off taking an open cable car back down to the station, over a huge lake and in a valley surrounded by sizable mountains. FUN!!! XD
Electronics. I love markets. I love gadgets. The former fills me with glee and the latter, well, I am a lady so I can't talk about that! Add the two together and I explode. Yongsan is rad. Description from fellow travel friend will suffice, I am sure. Needless to say, we shall be re-visiting. I had strong desires for the laptops I saw there that were no bigger than your average book, but I need to consider my finances before I spend about a thousand on one of these babies. God. I SO WANT ONE!!!111jgkjfdklgjklfjl!!!! Maybe I will just have to settle with a DS. It's tough, really.
Mall. We went to the biggest underground shopping centres in Asia, that which is known as COEX. Fascinating stuff. Bombarded with uber-advertising from the moment you step off the Metro, a tunnel leads you into a wonderland of flashing lights, a megaplex of cinemas, and speciality shops from the ridiculous to the sublime. Ridiculous being a pseudo-French market where you pick what you want to eat off the mini-stalls...and then eat. What the hell?! Sublime being the joint Totoro + Nintendo stores. Shit, yes. Much screaming was done. Packed with a katrillion people, you barely navigate your way around the ultrAA-confusing place, re-seeing that which you have already seen and stumbling across some of the more stranger sights. We managed to stumble into a fine food and coffee convention. How? I don't know. We looked at espresso machines, and homemade chocolates, realised that Korea has a long way to go in terms of these goods which we so easily procure in Australia but, nevertheless, managed to score some gelato (Godsend or what?!) which will be the best I will get here. It was no Bar Italia or Gelatomassi in terms of flavours, but the texture was just perfect. As we walked out gobbling it up in excited hiccups, we realised that we totally gatecrashed the place. Everyone there was either a cafe owner, paid visitor, or exhibitor. Hehehehe...that was fun!! I have no idea how we managed to just walk right past the security checking the name tags required to be displayed at all times. *Grins* We do luck out an awful lot.
Then it was a DVD bang for our weary legs, and a treat to ourselves for surviving the less-than-nice place we stayed in over the weekend...no details, but let's just say it wasn't the most welcoming reception ever. I was barely even acknowledged. :( Nevertomind, we found a great little place hidden at the top of a building which gave me a whole damn chicken stuffed with a whole chestnut, a date, and some of the most beautful rice I have ever had. The soup was incredible. And it was all washed down nicely with a bottle of Soju. I really like it!! That is all.
Totorrroooooooooo.... *squeeglomp!* ^_________________________^
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