Anyo Assého
3 days here in Seoul we were all excited until we found out that it was a holliday.
Visit:
Maxtile district
Itkeasong
Insadong
Gangnam district
FIRST DAY
Korea
tiny on the map but
43.2 people per square mile
10 M in Seoul
51M in all Korea
18:00 in hotel
8:30 out of the hotel
Shower
dinner
at the Hyundai food mall
Thai meal
Here everything is shutting down in the preparation of
Korean thanks giving well its not quit thanks giving but expat called it like this and it last for many days....
big big celebration here
people go back visiting their family to celebrate together over great meal.
They visit the decease love ones and offer some rice and gifts at the temples for the monks to take care of the temple.
So during a week of festivities, the only place open are the one that foreigners workers take care of.
Don't get me wrong but not all of them are close but you dont know which one are open and the concierge....well....they are very limited in english and giving you the proper informations.
This time, I did not have a good sleep.
I woke up in the middle of the night.
Twice and I was not able to go back to sleep.
Its a big price to pay when you come to Asia.
Sleepless night
Oh non.
And it will be harder when I return home.
Beside sleepless night, everything is great so far.
SECOND DAY
We went to the textile district, 2 girls and I by metro.
Unfortunately, the textile market was close a few shops are open and when its open they only take cash.
Do you have cash lady
oh yeah a lot of cash but its in Canadian dollars iiiii
Do you have cash lady
cash cash cash
Do you have cash lady
So we kept walking in search of open shops or something to do.
Our day will not be as the greatest plan day we tought it will be.
I usully have planned all my day trips but not today beside ibe thing gojng to insadong.
So we arrived at Gangnam food market woa the olace is jam pack.
We managed to have lunch with the millions of others Koreans in Gangwang market.
( ok in books its written differently be aware)
We had lunch
We sat down, had some kimpap and a coke and the girls had also dumplings.
The woman serving us give us this kind of sticky rice paste fill with red beans inside it was blend and quite sticky but what a nice gesture.
Lunch cost 8 won
Than we walk under the extreme heat looking for my friend's husband pants and some shower baby gift... I did not need anything.
Well, well, it took for ever for my friend to find something...
The place is like a huge warehouse.
Food in the middle of the market and tiny streets that lead to the back...
Meanwhile, I went shopping for one of those Korean bag for my cousine's daughter. Im telling you; everyone love those funky bags.
I was surprised that I find something I like on this particular day.
Afterwards, we took a cab and we went to Itskedong.
The girls wanted to see it but
omg
it was jam pack again like crazy and the cute little place I had previously found was totally full.
watching you
We had coffee and ice cream in it and one girl had a beautiful aromatic jesu water.
So as we were walking we crossed the street and were right there in.
INSADONG!
yes
This was on my list for today.
I loved that place but the girls were getting tired and all and I was over expose from the heat afraid to have another insolation.
So we walk to find a place for a massage.
The 3 of us got a massage at the same time.
80 minutes for 80 dollars
not free
and not good either.
Vietnam girls
(OK i had a massage from blind person in Shanghai a scrub in Morroco and now a body massage.
And now after all this
NEVER AGAIN!
I was not to keen in going there at the first place, I rather pay more but the girls wanted their massage and since I joined them today in their outing I had to follow...
We found out after putting our nose in the hole close to the blanket that the place was not (aromatic) at all and our massage either and on top of it we could hear all that time a person passing a vaccum cleaner above our head. Not pleasant.
but we did it in Korea.
Horrible experience
and was it a big mistake....to go in this place...it was the third place we tried.
Afterwards, we went back to the hotel
15 dollars taxi
I was tired but I knew I will not go out and party for sure.
I usually cut my day in two when I am in Asia and it work for me for jet lag but today we did not break when it was time to break and that ruined my day because you are dragging yourself instead of being full of energy.
After lunch time, it was time to come back to the hotel but I stayed with the other girls; big mistake for me.
Dragging yourself is no fun and the heat was too much for me.
Too hot every where I go
When we arrived at the hotel,
Some other crew members were going out for dinner so i decided to join them as they were living soon.
Jumped in the shower and left to have a Korean style dinner and an early night. We went for
tang
kamba tang
its called potatoe soup
Everyone in the restaurant was eating the soup.
We had a beer
and we paid 15,00 each
not bad
When its hot
beat the heat with heat
however this being said it was a hot day again in Seoul.
Humidity is disgusting
Avoid this time of the year.
Everything is good so far
THIRD DAY
So for my third day,
I went to Gangnam area
way too big its like another city.
way too far
Even the taxi driver didnt know how to get to the restaurant I picked for breakfast.
So I decided to go to the temple instead since the taxi driver (again did not speak english )
You need to have a plan B
Its one of the biggest temple in Seoul.
I got there and on the right, above the stairs, there is a little coffee shop.
Very nice lady. She warmed me up my grilled cheese sandwiches and I took a cappucino. Unfortunately my coffee was too hot undrinkable too hot even with cold water in it
oh well
than I started exploring this huge up hill site it was nice and calming and there was a nice view from Seoul. Very peaceful.
On that particular holliday, the monk were busy that day because of thanks giving (action de grace)
The humming in the mountain was very therapeutic.
I am more buddhist than catholic.
Looking to enhance your person, to pursue enlightement within and with others is whats important to ne.
Buddha is like your spiritual guide thru your journey on earth.
I than went across the street to see the librairy in the Ceoxx mall.
Beautiful design quite original, this was almost the only place open.
So much walking in that huge mall.
I took a picture of gangnam style SPys hands and left to go back ot the hotel.
The heat was unbearable.
I waited for a taxi its not bad 5.6 mins.
again taxi driver did not speak english.
He stopped me at another hotel...
but under that heat, even a block to walk its too much to walk.
I got to my room exhausted fell asleep until 18 :00 at nigth found someone from the crew to come and eat something with me.
Again the concierge are useless.
And their english pathetic.
I ask her where should I go and eat should I go to the food mall in the shopping mall
no no everything close
we got inside the mall
everything was open
what the fuck is wrong with her.
All I ask was a place to eat
so we went for thai
again
not much choice
You go where people go
my pad thai was over cook
chicken so so
my friend had a better meal she took the cury
Yes I know
why not eat Korean
well down there in the IFC Mall the korean is not good only in the Hyundai mall.
So on our way to the hotel, we stopped at Olive and young to grab the latest stuff for your face.
About me rice water cleansing
Dr.G black snail cream
Abib collagen patch
and some shampoo Folligen silk for hair lost therapy...
We were happy with our finding but
they say Korean cosmetic are the best in the world so why
90% of the women have plastic surgery...?
Tomorrow, hopefully before we leave, the markets will be open again will see.
Everything is good so far....
DEPARTURE DAY
We leave the hotel at 15 hundred so we had time to go around and rest before flight.
Woke up and went for reuben sandwich down stairs.
its heavy but with the time difference your stomach and your brain dont work with the time differences.
Its dinner time at home
and breakfast time
here.
So one girl joined me and we were told everything close.
So we went to Gangnang market again to browse around and do our 10,000 steps exercise fitness.
My eye got cut on what the lady was doing. She was cutting square of pork fat and soak them in spicy kimchi.
Oh my god
that is pure fat.
We sat down and I ordered some kimpap for my lunch and some vegetarian dumpling to bring back home while I was inspecting her bowl of fat kkmchi fat red kimchi fat.
Incredible to see all these women in their tiny food shop.
We walk and left to have some rest before our flight it was still and extreme day of heat unbearable again its so hot your skin is burning.
Everything is good so far
When we boarded the flight
I notice the filter of our crew bunks were filty 1 inch of dust on it, it was not clean so I asked the cleaners to come and clean it they did not do a good job so I took a cleaning towel and wiped it again
it was black full of dirt...
we were in a rush as they wanted to do the boarding ..
On my return flight we got lucky not too many passengers but a lot of them were sick.
I went for my break came back to do my shift.
Everything good so far.
The other half of the crew went on break and when they came back to do the other service
one of them came back and had lost his voice.... I told him he should put a mask on...
he was very close to me when he said that he had lost his voice...
we did the service....
I went home
I got out the car
what the fuck
super weak
super sick
lost my voice
coughing
fever and all
Fuckin shit!
I was fine for 5 days not a single moment of sickness full of energy walk over 14,000 -22,000 steps a day
what the fuck
4 days still with fever as soon as I move or talk I cough....1
I was fine when I was there...
I spend my time mostly out door market is outdoor temple ...beside eating and being on the plane.
No fun.
