May 30, 2013
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The Soul of Seoul.
Just thinking about it ensuing me to feel as if I should plan for another trip in the near future. It was only my second visit to the city of Seoul, and yet it felt like the long-gone familiarity, that I once fell for, came back to bestow me with unsurpassed warmth and friendliness.
Meeting up with old Korean friends played a part in the enjoyment of the trip. One from college days in Providence, Rhode Island, and another from high-school era back when we shared the same room at a boarding school in Perth, Western Australia. In addition, a couple of our very own Xangans also joined in for the fun and made my entire trip more memorable than I had expected.
Together we walked along the peaceful Cheong-gye stream right in the heart of the city, ventured into a jam-packed alley full of street food vendors and red-faced locals drowning themselves in so-ju, visited the ever-popular Korean sauna and learned to relax like a pro, wandered up the hilly public park right by the Seoul Nam-sam Tower, leisured with live cats of various breeds at a cat-theme café, hopped into South Korea’s high-speed train KTX to visit the nearby city of Bu-san, and last but not least, gorged ourselves with endless variety of local delicacies.
There were plenty episodes of us eating and drinking. To say that I ate well was an understatement. Boy, did I eat. It is safe to say that I experienced an equivalently satisfying food coma day in and day out, just like I did when I went for a Xangan gathering in Hong Kong. @beowulf222 and @jitiam can vouch for my greediness and unrelenting attitude to search for more delicious goodies to stuff into my mouth. I owed them my thanks for putting up with me. Even my belly gave up complaining and learned quickly to just enjoy the culinary ride.
It wasn’t difficult to stuff oneself to oblivion when there is an abundance of good food everywhere you go. Now I drool at night recalling the many tempting morsels that got me hooked; rice stuffed chicken ginseng soup, icy cold noodles, sweet steamed rice cakes, perfectly made European-style pastries, spicy medley of bi-bim-bap, fried chicken with cold beer, various sweet and savory street foods, and the sweetest and least acidic strawberries I’ve ever tasted.
Ever since my return, my mind has been wondering endlessly to the thought of me once again experiencing such a happy travel. One week apparently was not enough. There were still plenty of them goodies I have yet to taste. There’s still that stewed beef ribs that I missed, along with the charcoal grilled eel, sweet fried walnut cake, and various snacks and beverages available at LOTTE Mart. Yeah, I AM greedy. Can't you tell?
But for now, I’d settle for the memory of the chewy softness of rice cake made with fermented rice wine, the pungent vinegary mustard broth of a cold noodle dish, the perfect tender flakiness of puff pastries at a local franchised coffee shop, the aromatic whiff of hot freshly squeezed grapefruit juice, the sweet nostalgic taste of banana milk, the delicate sticky-sweet of the humble sun-dried persimmons sold at street side, and the smoky smell of burning charcoals slowly grilling slivers of marinated pork.
Ahhh… the city got my heart pumping and my soul singing. How I long to be back in Seoul and to once again make a Buddha-smile with my protruding belly. Now THAT is happy smile.
Comments (20)
The pancake!
The shave snow!I must go to Seoul.
Btw the subway? picture looks a little intimidating... partly cause it has so many colors & is korean
Glad you liked the trip.
@Devilzgaysianboi - Yes, there is a desert like this. The subway in Seoul is actually easy to use. Everything is also written in English. Buses are more challenging.
I can't wait. Thanks for posting this 2 weeks before I arrive there. Makes me impatient ahahah. How was that baek sae ju? I know for a fact that all I will be doing in Seoul is drinking and eating, maybe some shopping
It was fun traveling with you and Beowulf. I miss the food for sure.
Yes, those delicious dishes are very good indeed. I missed visiting (and shopping) this interesting city.
Good to see you found things other than the good to photograph
I would have love ot dine with you,
Such a vivid description of the visit. I felt like I was traveling with you. Great shots of the foods.
Ah Seoul! I loved how the city feels like old meets new and I found it very quiet (in some areas). I'm coming back on November. Second time celebrating my birthday there!
Love the descriptions. Now that you mention it, it’s going to be the season for mul naeng myeon and somen before long, isn’t it. Yum!
My tummy would have enjoyed all those treats. You sound so content and happy. This entry could be used as an ad for South Korea.
As impressive as it is that you have had the opportunity to visit so many exotic locations in the world, it's even more impressive that you always have friends to spend your time with when you get away. Seeing different countries is an amazing experience, but doing it alone wouldn't be as enriching than having the opportunity to spend your time with locals from that country who happen to be friends.
So you certainly do well in the international friend department ! And like always you have wonderful food pictures. Pretty soon restaurants will have to start paying you for all this free promotion you are doing for them ! I'm glad to hear that you had such an amazing trip to Seoul. I would love to go there one day, I can imagine a truly modern city with great connections to the past and a bright vision for the future.
I never actually change my blogging patterns. Ever since I started my site in early 2005, I've always updated it every three days. I've never even been off schedule once. So it never matters if I'm working, not working, studying, in Canada, in another country, visiting family.... I never get off schedule for nothing. It sounds a bit crazy, but that's always how I've done things ! Take care and have a wonderful weekend, bye for now.
Kyle
Great photos! Thanks for sharing!
@Devilzgaysianboi - the shaved snow was a pleasant surprise. it wasn't a regular shaved ice. in fact, it was a shaved frozen MILK to base the sweet toppings of red beans, mochi, soy bean powder, n steamed heart-shaped rice cake.
@beowulf222 - no. i didn't 'like' it. i LOVED it.
@NIMOnkey - baek-se-ju has always been my preference for a korean alcohol. hands down. but there are varieties of alcohol there that may not be available outside korea, so u better try them all
@Jitiam - the food was just the tip of the iceberg. your presence made it more fun for me
@CurryPuffy - when was the last time you were in seoul?
@Fatcat723 - like wise, robert. likewise.
@ZSA_MD - thank you, zakiah. i had such a great time.
@oxyGENE_08 - you going? awesome! if i knew, i would've waited 'till november
@n_e_i_l - yes, i LOVE cold noodles. thanks for the rec
@ElusiveWords - lol. yeah, i may have gone overboard in describing my experience. but i really had so much fun there.
@kyle061685 - yeah, i've been pretty lucky in that department. due to my schooling in the states and making friends with international people. i love getting to know people from various countries, you learn so much.
@CareyGLY - thanks, carey. i'm glad you approve
@oxyGENE_08 - We shall be there. *muhahaha*
@rudyhou - Yes...2nd time for my birthday
Hoping for snow this time around by being there til early December. haha #tropicalboy
@beowulf222 - What?
@beowulf222 - @oxyGENE_08 - nick, that is CREEPYYY... gene, i hope you get your snow wish. damn, i wish i could see the pics. if xanga will be shut down, i guess there goes the possibility. wait, do you have a FB account n upload pics?
@rudyhou - We can be Facebook friends. I'll send you a private message.
@rudyhou - @oxyGENE_08 - Nothing creepy. I just said I will make a point to be in Seoul when Jinni celebrates his bday and get him drunk (probably I am drunk before him).
@beowulf222 - @oxyGENE_08 - i would love to watch you guys get drunk and silly ;p