THE LIFE OF VEE

Some of the things I looked forward to witnessing in Korea are the festivities. I was truly rooting for the spring festivals happening all over the country. I imagined how great it would be to pick strawberries or apples in some orchard in the countryside, be mesmerized by Cherry Blossoms in Yeouido, sip green tea while looking at this gorgeous view of the field, or feed animals at Anseong. Months before my scheduled trip, I went crazy researching for the must-see places and festivities. To my dismay, most of the spring festivals would have been over by the time I fly to Seoul. Most of them were over by Mid-April. But then, I read somewhere that the Haeundae Sand Festival takes place in early June. I got lucky because it coincided with my trip to Busan.

The 9th day was a mixture of excitement and anxiety. Half of me was looking forward to a new adventure while the other half was wanting for the 8th day to stretch a bit longer. Obviously I wasn't prepared to leave Bundang although I knew that an entirely different experience awaits in Busan.

At exactly 5:30 in the morning, I woke up to a mix of incoherent sounds from two mobile phones - C's and mine. I had another restful sleep - uninterrupted - much like the other nights, a testament to a full, exhausting yet fun-filled day that was. I went straight to the bathroom and took a quick shower. C's mom was already up and by the time I was through dressing up, a breakfast of sandwich and coffee was already waiting on the table. C was up too as she would send me off.

We were already at the door before 6:30, the chilly morning breeze hugging us. I said my goodbyes, and for the nth time in less than 48 hours, I thanked C's mom for accommodating me. "Thank you" wasn't enough though for their generosity.

We got to Yatap Bus Station before 7. I bought a ticket for 33,600 won ($33.60) and got to the bus a few minutes later. "goodbyes" and "take cares" were said and C headed back home. The bus left at exactly 7:10.

Here's the second installment of my 7th day in Seoul. After a lovely lunch at a tonkatsu place, we dropped by Tapgol Park.

Tapgol Park is small but holds so much history and significance especially in the Korean people's quest for freedom. On March 1, 1919,  the independence movement against the Japanese rule took root here and quickly  spread across Korea.

A ten-storey stone pagoda, encased in glass, from Wongaksa Temple site is also displayed in the park. The pagoda must be pretty old since Wongaksa Temple was founded in 1465 and the Monument of Wongaksa (the tortoise stele in the photo below) was built in 1471.

My Seoul itinerary was not a fixed one. The good thing about traveling solo is that you can always be flexible and yes, my sched was just like that - it could pretty much change any minute depending on the weather, the availability of my friends, or my ability to find the places I was looking for. But I had a few staples - places that I SHOULD see no matter what. And one of the "must-see" was Han River and Banpo Bridge. I was extremely lucky because I stayed somewhere in Jamwon-dong/Banpo area just a walking distance from Han River. That means I didn't have to hurry home when it was getting late and I had all the time to savor the view and just hang out with three of my former students. 

Hanok means Korean traditional houses. They are structured in consideration of their surroundings and may be built in closed square form especially in cold regions. Some houses are "L" shaped while others may be in an open "I" form.

Bukchon in Samcheongdong is probably the most popular Hanok village in all of Korea. I was able to walk around in its neighborhood on my first day there, and yes, it is someplace you shouldn't miss. But apart from Bukchon, another hanok village worth visiting is Namsangol near Myeongdong.

Namsangol Hanok Village is a collection of five hanoks from the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910), recovered from different parts of the city and relocated to the northern foot of Namsan mountain. The interiors of each of these five houses reflect owners from different walks of life, from the middle class to the yangban (who were mainly high government officials, noblemen and aristocrats). [Source] 

Right after a sumptuous Korean lunch, we walked the calories away to Gwanghwamun Square. It's really easy to spot. It's right across the main entrance of Gyeongbok Palace. Gwanghwamun is located in Sejong-ro, Jongno-gu in Seoul and is near Insadong, Cheonggyecheon and Samcheongdong. A whole day is not enough to walk around in this area; there are just so many places to see.

5th day continues with more walks inside the grounds of Gyeongbok Palace. At the far end of the compound are more clustered quarters, kind of like (very) small villages. From this point, you can actually see the blue roof of Cheongwadae, Korea's version of the White House. And from here on, you'd see lots and lots of green, a full view of a mountain, a pond and a pavilion; and feel like you are in a countryside and detached from the buzzing city that is Seoul. It's really amazing to find a space like this in a much urbanized metropolis. Truly awesome.

It's been exactly a month now since my trip to South Korea and it feels like ten days there passed by too quickly. If not for the photos, I would think that everything was just a dream - it wouldn't be too impossible because I truly have a very vivid imagination. haha. Anyway, I'm not quite done with Day 5. Gyeongbokgung is such a pretty place - the area is huge and every corner is interesting and quite lovely. Let me share some photos that I took inside and around the palace after the Royal Guards Changing Ceremonies. 

It was great to have a lovely weather on the day I was scheduled to go to Gyeongbok Palace (gung). Going there was really easy, especially that I was coming from Jamwon-do, where I could take Seoul Metro Line 3 straight to Gyeongbokgung station. If you ever go to this palace, one thing you shouldn't miss is the Royal Guard Changing Ceremonies. Be there before 10 in the morning so you have plenty of time to take photos and find a good spot when the ceremony starts. The reenactment takes place three times a day (10am, 1pm, 3pm) every day except Tuesdays.

Here's a continuation of my spontaneous city tour in Seoul on Day 4. After I finished looking around and taking photos in Bongeunsa, I had no idea where to go next. I had to ask the lovely ladies in the information booth for suggestions. I even met a fellow tourist who was also exploring Seoul on his own. He was alone because his family went to the dentist, he explained while flashing his perfect set of teeth. He kinda looked like Micky Yoochun. *wink* He showed me a mobile application that shows a list of tourist sights to go to based on your current location. Sadly, I had already gone to most of the places he recommended, he smiled and said, "Oh, you've been everywhere!".

The day before, I lost the only pair of shoes I brought with me to Korea. I have really ugly feet so as much as it was quite comfortable to wear slippers, shoes were a must for me. I asked the ladies instead for the nearest shop that sells affordable shoes. They said Jamsil Underground Shopping Centre had great deals and was easily accessible. After having my tattered map taped, taking a photo of them, and saying goodbye, I left Bongeunsa with such a happy heart and headed to Jamsil station. There, it took hours before I was able to find a nice pair of shoes that was right for my budget. Where to go next? The ever reliable subway bulletin lists Seokchon Lake. I was pretty lucky.

My fourth day in Seoul started with a hearty Korean brunch - rice, curry, pork cutlet and various side dishes. I  had a good rest the night before but the weather wasn't that great. It had been raining for two days straight and I didn't really have a fixed itinerary in mind. Had the weather been better, palaces in Seoul and Insadong would have topped the list. A friend suggested that I stay indoors, visit COEX and Samsung D'Light. He told me to go to Samseong Station, near Gangnam -- with my Seoul Metro map, going there was a breeze! When I got to Samseong Station, I found out that Bongeunsa Temple - where you could see a giant Buddha - was quite near. I kept that in mind as I mindlessly walked around COEX.

My favorite corner in all of Everland! It was very hot in Korea when I arrived. And so I thought that June was not a great time to be there, but with all the roses in full bloom at this time of the year, I was clearly mistaken.

Enjoy the photos!! :)

Check out part 1 of day 2, here.

And see what I was up to on day 1 here (Arrival), here (Samcheongdong and Bukchon), and here (Soongsil University).

And check out other photos on my new Tumblr page. :)

Thanks!!

P.S.

Some photos were taken by Jaden

Though I had a really exhausting (but fun-filled) first day in Seoul, I was up at exactly 7 in the morning the next day. I had six hours of uninterrupted sleep, fully re-charged for exploring this giant of a theme park called Everland. I left Hongdae at around 8 in the morning. After two hours, I arrived at Yongin along with other foreign and local tourists, ready to experience the magic. The entrance does not give a hint of what is inside, so I had no idea what was in store for me. Plus, I didn't check the attractions online because going to Everland wasn't a part of my itinerary (though it really should be).

At 11, when I finally got in, the different flowers immediately caught my attention - bright, colorful, beautiful flowers in full bloom. Everything was picture perfect.

I am not a fan of rides, so I was happy just walking around, taking photos. But, because I was with a friend (a generous one at that), I was somehow obliged to make the most of what he paid for. haha. So, with a bit of hesitation, we lined up for the first one (without any idea what I was getting myself into).

Jaden: Let's try that one (pointing at something). It's really a simple ride.
Me: OK.

(While waiting for our turn, I had no idea what the ride looks like because we were queuing at the back).

Me: I have never tried roller coasters. I am too scared to try because they have loops. This one doesn't have loops, right?
Jaden: Yeah, just like a train. Really simple.

(Our turn came and I saw that it was no simple train)

Me: You said there are no loops!!!???!!!!???!!!
Jaden: *laughs*

I didn't have a choice but to endure the ride with my eyes closed the whole time. I wanted to scream, but I was too scared to even open my mouth.

After the ride, a really quick one (Thank God!), my head was spinning and my heart was beating too fast. I felt like throwing up but I didn't. "Really fun, right?" @_@ Not fun at all, but hurray for me for conquering one of my fears!!

After that one hell of a ride, we went to much less thrilling rides like bumper cars. It was everyone's favorite, the line was too long. We waited for almost 15 minutes only to ride the cars for less than 5 minutes.

Then we were off to taking more photos. My favorite spot in Everland is the Rose Garden. There were actually four lovely gardens filled with all kinds and sizes of roses but I'll have a separate post especially for that. :)

And, there were a lot of water fountains too - big and small. 

This area is called Miffy's Garden of Delight. It's a bright, refreshing area for kids and children-at-heart, adorned with multi-colored blooms and kiddie decorations like Easter Eggs, bunnies and other cute animals. It was like seeing story book pages come to life.

We also went to Safari World. While inside a tourist bus, we were able to see lions, tigers, hyenas and bears. The bears were so adorable!

The lions looked quite tired, after all, it was really hot that day. They were not as active as the bears and most of them were resting, also the Hyenas.

Anyway, I thought the crazy rides were over. I was terribly wrong. Jaden got passes for T-Express. It is said to be the steepest ride in the world with a top speed of 104km per hour and a 77-degree angle (see rightmost part of the photo). It starts slow, but you have to brace yourself for the notorious 77-degree drop just when the train is gathering speed. There was that churning sensation in my stomach - my insides felt totally displaced - and it felt like I was gonna fall despite the safety belts. I encourage you to experience it (at least) once. But I think, I'd be a fool to try it again. I bumped my head a few times, and I threw up (eventually) after the ride was over and after I pretended I was alright. @_@

Image taken from Everland's website

I  went straight to the washroom (and threw up), good thing I hadn't had lunch yet. I freshened up and Jaden suggested trying Amazon Express. He said it wasn't as intense as T-Express and that I'd be relaxed. It sure was relaxing but it kept on spinning! So yeah, I went to the washroom right after. T-Express plus Amazon Express weren't a great combination. T.T

We weren't able to try most of the rides - and as I am checking Everland's website now, there are actually a lot more. But even so, I really had a grand time. We had late lunch, took one last ride - cable car, and watched the Easter Bunny Parade.

At 5pm, I was on my way back to Seoul. Thank you, Everland! Until we see each other again. 

To know how to go to Everland by subway or by bus (as well as to know more about this theme park), click here. As for me, I took the subway from Hongdae (Line 2) and got off at Gangnam Station. I walked for a few blocks from Exit 5 and got on bus 5002. 

(Some photos were taken by Jaden. Others are from Everland's website. The rest of the photos are mine.)