Seoul, South Korea Ketchup

FINALLY THE TALES WILL BE TOLD. Although, to be honest, there aren't so many tales. Lots of pictures though.

First off, we obviously left Phnom Penh.


We arrived in Seoul around 6AM local time. After getting our bags we swapped out our airplane rags for some winter attire. The airport was a bit chilly but we were in for a much bigger chill walking outside. It was freezing. Literally, like high 20's. We weren't the most prepared.


Took the airport train to the main terminal in the center of town. The airport is on an island outside of the city so it was about a 45 minute ride.



It was stressful navigating the subways and finding our hotel (especially considering NOBODY speaks English) but we managed to be in the lobby by 10 or so. Unfortunately we couldn't get into our room until 2, so we stumbled off in search of food. Very little was open and we ended up at McDonald's which was not the best decision because Anton tried to take lettuce and mustard off his burger and it did not go well. Lots of pointing and mistakes. And they didn't have salt. We deliriously read for a couple hours (having not really slept for 36 hours at this point) and returned at 1. Luckily the room was ready early and we showered up and fell into a deep slumber.

Asleep by 3:30PM, wake up at 1PM the next day. I know the word epic is overused but that in this situation I do not care: that was some epic sleeping.

We set off to go to a nearby market. The market itself ended up being pretty lame, but the walk there was lovely.














LEAVES.






I bought a scarf for $2, which helped with my freezing-coldness.


Another exciting thing was trying these potato-hotdogs. They were really popular at all the food stands. It was a corndog, battered and covered in chunks of potato and then deep fried. SO GOOD.




It was weird walking around because there are SO MANY American chains there. Like, almost every one you could imagine. Went in Dunkin' Donuts so Anton could get a donut, he made me get a banana one even though I hate donuts and yes, I still hate donuts. So Anton ate two. That was probably his goal all along.



Wandered around the area, went into a mall and had some delicious Kim Chi soup. Didn't get to eat as much Korean food as I would have liked, the time/language barrier was just too much. The soup was bomb though.






Hoofin' it.





That night we went to a Korean Pub which was not at all pub like.


Had an enormous pitcher of beer, SMOKED CIGARETTES INSIDE THE RESTAURANT, and laughed about the bar snacks: pickles and seaweed.






We tried to find another decently priced bar after the pub experience and ended up at a sushi restaurant. Can. Not. Resist.









The best part by far was when one of the employees came over and informed Anton that the "wasabi" he was using was not, in fact, wasabi, but powdered green tea. We had thought powdered wasabi was a bit strange...



Wandered about a bit afterwards before deciding to return home.


We stopped at a gas station to get a couple beers on the way, Anton grabbed some tomato juice so as we could have RED beers, but unfortunately/of course the tomato juice was SUGARED and disgusting.


The next morning I woke up feverish and achy, freezing cold from chills. Took some tylenol and passed out again, woke up a couple hours later around 11 and felt better. While I'd slept off my ill Anton had been playing on the computer and made an exciting discovery: THERE WERE TACO BELLS IN SEOUL.


We obviously had to go at once. We took the train over and grubbed out. Taco Bell is okay, but I could go the rest of my life never eating it again no problem. Anton would probably rather die.






After the Taco Bell extravaganza, we set out walking towards the North Seoul Tower. We were coming from a different side than I'd read about, and ended up having to take a bus through a tunnel to get out on the right side.



We promptly found the cable car station to go up to the base of the tower, but those fools wanted 6000 won 1 way/8000 won round trip. $1 = 1150ish won. Hellz no. We walked.



It was A LOT of stairs. We were hurting. By the time we got to the top Anton was down to his T-shirt, surely the only one in the whole city.


Pretty awesome.



It was about 8 bucks to go up to the viewing platform, and being that Anton didn't really care I just went up alone. He missed out!













I came back down after 20 minutes or so and had Anton take my Christmas picture.


We then began the long descent.


There were plenty more awesome views along the way.









Much easier than going up.


We got back down to the street level and started heading in the direction of our hotel.



We ended up coming upon a huge shopping area.






It was packed and hectic and great. Anton got some sausage.



I was starting to feel a bit blah by that time so Anton grabbed a beer and we went home to take scalding hot showers and bury ourselves in blankets.



The next morning I was NOT feeling well, but we had to check-out as our flight back home (Seoul -> Honolulu -> Phoenix) was that night. We left our bags with the hotel owner (MR. YIM) and set off for the Seoul Seafood Market. Anton had his heart set on eating a Korean specialty, LIVE OCTOPUS.

We got off the train at the recommended stop and knew we were close. Stepping onto the platform we were overwhelmed with the smell of fish. The market was right next to the stop and we followed our noses over.

THE PLACE WAS MASSIVE.






We got down to ground level and began wandering.






Anton soon found what he was looking for.




We bought one and took it over to one of the food stalls that lined the side of the market. Two Korean women rinsed the octopus and gave Anton a dish of sauce. He was a bit nervous.


But rocked it out.




A braver soul than I! He said the suckers on the inside of his throat and mouth felt like hooks, and as he was trying to chew and swallow the octopus it kept fighting him and trying to get free. CREEPY.

Anton's adventurous pallet satisfied, we wandered the rest of the market.









We walked from the market over to the Seoul Animation Museum so we could take a picture with the transformer statue. Very important.



I was getting sicker and sicker as time passed, and the cold wasn't helping. We walked back to the hotel about an hour earlier than planned and set off for the airport. Got to the airport and I put on every item of clothing I could manage.


Please don't be serious.


Can you tell how miserable I am here?


The flight back was TERRIBLE for me. I was feverish and achy and freezing and sweaty and everything. I think the flight was about 8 hours? I felt bad for the guy next to me as it was very obvious how sick I was, but he must have been pleased I had the courtesy and preparedness to mask myself.


We'd had grand ambitions of leaving the airport in Honolulu and having a drink on the beach, but being the cab ride 1 way would have been $40 and we didn't have much time and I felt like garbage we decided to just hang in the airport. Had to snap a couple pics though.




We landed in Phoenix around midnight, night of the 20th. I have never been so happy to be anywhere in my entire life. Anton's Mom picked us up and took us back to her house, I did some unpacking/organizing and crashed hard just before 3. My fever never reappeared but my bowel would prove to be sick as hell for the following week. Still. I was estatic to be home.