Birthday Series: Seoul Searching

-

Temple, shopping, coffee and FOOD! This is what reminds me of Seoul. The vibrant atmosphere of Myeong Dong to the artsy hipster feel of Hongdae. No matter where you end up, you can see the fusion of the traditional and the modern. The streets are full of life no matter what day it is.



Summer was peering its sunny rays of sunshine when I travelled to Seoul. I took a midmorning bus from Busan and having always loved the contemplative feel of long land travel, it gives me the space to think, meditate and breath in the beauty of the country.



We had a short stop and I got myself some java boost while enjoying the beauty of the Sokor highway. The cool breeze contrasting with the heat gives you a spring feel that I love, perfect travel weather. I arrived in Seoul right on time but with a few hiccups with figuring out how to reach my hotel. It was still an adventure nonetheless. The perks of solo travelling! :)



Everywhere you can see evidence of how Koreans  appreciate and insert art in everything. The beauty is how they fused together the tradition and the modern from their temples to their quaint tea houses and quirky shops. It’s amazing that they hold on to the past but still ride with the sign of the times.





Korean food is one of the best in the world and having tasted authentic korean cuisine from the street to highly recommended restos. I can now see and literally taste the difference. 





I have never been a big fan of shopping but as they say, if in Rome, do as the Romans do. And if in Korea, do as the locals and tourist do — which is to SHOP! I never enjoyed shopping so I can be quite a bore but in Seoul, I shopped from socks to make up, face masks and kpop stuff (ugh!). Believe you me, I surprised myself with my loot too.






But of course, my travels will never be complete without checking new cafes and testing my palette with its bitter delicacy. Seoul was no exception, I made sure to have at least one new cafe discovery a day. Some were perfect places for quieting the mind, some were very instagram-worthy but all serve damn good coffee.


All in all, my solo Seoul searching trip was one or the books. A few unplanned disappointments but it is what makes for a great adventure and a memorable trip. I still have a few places I missed and will definitely plan to go back very very soon!









Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Bits and Pieces

-
Image
Have you ever wondered how you look in another person's eyes? . Its strange but I guess we will never know.. . One of my fave past times is people watching. I share that enthusiasm with my sister. We can stay and people watch all day. . What they say may indeed be true "we are all voyeurs" in one way or another. . Its rather entertaining observing strangers from afar. Being candid, unaware. They show their true selves. .. Even in photographs, I like the candid ones. The "real" candid photos, not the I'll-pose-but-make-it-look-candid pictures that you see everywhere. . I happen to come across some of my pics, taken unbeknownst. . Looking at these shots, I realized a few thing about myself: I have a penchant for touching my face. I have a habit of biting, puffing or playing with my lips. I have this "lost" look that makes me seem so faraway. My smile is my best when Im oblivious to who is watching. My eyes are too transparent for my own goo
Read more

Droplets

-
Image
Im in a melancholy mood. Listening to The Fray's "You Found Me" rain drizzling outside. . I love this weather, this atmosphere. Reminds me of childhood. Days when typhoon rears it's comforting swooshes and rain pouring hard. Cocoa days and staying home with the sibs and my mom. Most people hate the rain. i find it really meditative and comforting. As it pours on, it seems to wash away what ever worries or stress I have. I like walking in the rain. Its refreshing. You see things differently when it rains It opens up my inner loner, my inner introvert. I think clearer. I feel more inspired. I am calmed. When I was younger I would stare out the window and get lost in my own thoughts. As i got older, the best ideas flowed when its gloomy and rainy days were peaking in. I daydream and contemplate. Love those days. Love these days. ******************************************************************
Read more

Birthday Series: Beautiful Busan

-
Image
A little heads up, this was a very long overdue post. I traveled to Korea last September. It was as fun and awesome as I had expected. ☺ Cold chilly air welcomed me upon arrival, I didn’t know what to expect but I was excited nonetheless. This was my first time in Korea and another first solo travel adventure. Busan strikes me to be very laid-back chill city and reminds me somewhat of Bondi beach in Sydney, from its seaside scenes to its cool but very sociable party loving people and its various coffee shop scattered all over the city. I arrived in the late evening and I had to make way to the city on my own. First order of business was Gwanggan Beach. It’s one of the popular beaches in Busan and interesting to note that it's overlooking the Gwanggali Bridge. At night it was truly an awesome sight to behold and a perfect place to relax. So there I sat, with my lumbering backpack, in one of the shaded huts aligning the shore enjoying the tranquility of just enjoying the mom
Read more