Seoul-City

“We are back, to play a trick on you!”, yes, I steal quotes from time to time. Otherwise, where were we? Oh yes, I had just arrived in Seoul. Finally! Now that the luggage is unpacked, how about we go explore the city and meet a few people? On the way!

Arriving on Monday, visiting the neighborhood on Tuesday morning, I met the other occupants of the guesthouse in the afternoon of the same Tuesday. They were all very charming and friendly. They asked me to join them for a hike to Buckhansan. I repeat, but I come from Brittany. In Brittany, there are no mountains. I still said yes to accompany them. It wasn’t easy, but it was worth it. The only thing that would have been a real little extra would have been to see the fall colors already adorning the trees. Nevertheless, the site remains magnificent and if you have the chance to go to Seoul, I can only advise you to take a trip there.

What is convenient about being in a guesthouse is being able to meet people who have been there longer than you. So they can share tips and tricks with you to better enjoy your stay. For example: transport! South Korea is fairly well served by subways, buses and trains. But the huge advantage appreciated by many travelers is the T-Money card (opposite). It can be recharged in every convenience store (however, be careful, the recharge is only done in cash), and it can be used on buses and subways as well as in every city in Korea! This card is an extraordinary sesame for me. In France, transport tickets change from one city to another. Not very practical. So don’t hesitate to take it when you visit, they can also be purchased in convenience stores.

About these stores, I need to tell you a little more. Convenience stores are places where you can find what you need: no more chargers? Convenience store. A little hungry, want a little alcohol for the evening, or even underwear because you are spending the night away from your accommodation? Convenience store. They are open 24/24 and 7/7. On the one hand, I pity the employees who have to stay all night long, however, we’re not going to lie, it’s super practical for slackers like me. There are several chains (as shown in the images), they are everywhere and therefore easy to find. On the other hand, it is not said that you will meet an interlocutor with knowledge of English. The advantage of digital is being able to show the screen, however, learning two or three vocabulary words would not be superfluous.

Ah yes, let’s talk a little about food. It is not a country that I recommend for vegetarians. I’m not, so didn’t have a problem, but I was able to make friends with travelers who were. Finding places, or solutions, to eat without meat is far from ideal. Some had compromised by taking fish anyway and others had agreed not to be so rigid about their diet for meals, some had essentially turned to buying ingredients in supermarkets to get by eat in their accommodation. Whatever the solutions, if you are vegetarian and wish to visit this beautiful country, consider asking other people who share your diet about possible options to make the most of your stay.

Other than food, drinks. More specifically, coffee. Although I am from France, I am not a drinker of this bitter beverage. However, Koreans are crazy about it. Chains and small individual cafes are legion! It is very difficult to take a walk without seeing one. Problem, if you drink hot chocolate like your humble author, finding a place where it is offered is not easy. It’s rare to find a small independent coffeshop that can offer you this. I had to fall back on chains such as Holly’s or Ediya (the latter being the cheapest). If you are not difficult to please then ignore this paragraph and let’s move on.

Tourism

As I said above, I started with Bukhansan. Other than this national park, I was also able to see the famous Gyeongbokgung palace (without being dressed in the traditional hanbok, unfortunately), stroll through the streets of Itaewon (a somewhat expensive, but cosmopolitan district of the city), do the tour of the small lake at the foot of the Lotte World Tower, fall back into history by visiting the War Museum (it takes at least two good hours, but it’s free),… I had even decided on a impulse to go up to the famous Seoul Namsan Tower on foot very early in the morning to see the rising sun. In October, I can confirm that it was not very hot, perhaps a slightly crazy idea, but no regrets in having done it. If you want to know what my stay there was like, consider going to my Instagram: gaellelancelotconteuse, most of my photos are there.

You understand that two weeks in a city like Seoul go by very quickly. I was already getting ready to pack my bags to go south.

For next week: direction Busan!