WHO traveled WHERE?? Part 1

Papa and David come to Korea

I had been in planning mode for months, mapping out the 10 (really 12) day trip, and it was finally time. 

About 2 months prior, I had rented a small SUV for the family trip, to provide comfort and luggage space. The day before, the rental car associate called me. Thankfully he used a lot of Konglish (Koreanized English) so I was able to get the gist of the situation, even with my limited Korean: something happened to the small SUV and it was going to be serviced the same day I would be picking it up. The only options were mid-sized sedans, which (he continued emphasizing) were “same-same” size as the small SUV. I was more concerned about my family’s comfort, as well as trunk size for luggage. After discussing this with my friends H and M (I was staying with them in Bundang), I calmed down, accepting this was the only option. I updated my rental preferences and tried to relax before my family arrived the next day. 

Day 1: Seoul

Friday, February 10th was the big day! That morning, H dropped me off at the airport shuttle near their apartment. For approximately $10, I was in a luxury seat, for an hour (or hour and a half, depending on traffic) to the airport. I hopped off at the terminal, with 40 minutes to spare before Papa and David’s flight landed. During this time, I grabbed waters and Korean snacks (it was going to be at least an hour and a half drive back into Seoul), and hunted for the best prices for data-only SIM cards. I waited, excited, at the exit… and finally… there they were!: David’s long blonde hair, and Papa’s hat and Carhart jacket.  

After hugs and the usual, fresh off the plane pit stops, we purchased and installed the data SIM card, grabbed a SUV taxi, and were on our way into Seoul. Unfortunately for my jetlagged fam, it was a long, slow ride, as we were driving straight into the end of day(and week) business traffic. Luckily, we were able to watch the sun setting, and see Seoul’s cityscape in the golden hour. Our taxi driver and I communicated as best we could, he would explain things to me in Korean, and I would try to translate for everyone else. We drove along the Han Riverand eventually arrived in Myeongdong (명동), the neighborhood we would call our temporary home for 3 nights. 

Arriving at our Airbnb proved to be a bit tricky. Turns out, in my many hours of research and planning, I didn’t realize the terrain in the particular part of the neighborhood was actually a mountain (oops… sorry Papa). We were staying midway up this mountain, and it wasn’t very SUV friendly. The driver was very patient and calm, as was the Airbnb host, who called me and helped guide us to our stay. There was a very steep, narrow climb that the SUV barely made… another narrow alleyway turn, and we finally arrived to our humble abode. 

After tipping the taxi driver very well, we unloaded, and headed inside. We decided upon our rooms, and I allowed everyone some time to freshen up. I knew we needed to get proper food in our bellies and try to fight the jet lag until at least 9pm. We decided to venture out to get some noodle soup. I had researched some places, but asked the host if they had any local recommendations as well. Turns out, we both had the same restaurant in mind!

We walked down the mountain towards the Myeongdong market area, weaved our way through the early Friday evening crowds to the restaurant. The temperature, thankfully was not too cold. When we arrived to the restaurant, we were ushered towards a back door, where we found an elevator and were directed to go to the third floor. To our surprise, we were joining into a long line of families waiting. I went to ask about the wait time, but, as we were only three, we were seated almost immediately. The place was packed! 
**Next time you find yourself in Seoul, definitely check this place out!**:
Myeongdong Kyoja a MICHELIN Guide restaurant, opened in 1966.

We sat down at our table, and quickly decided we all wanted to main dish: 칼국수 (kalguksu: handmade knife-cut noodles). Less than five minutes after ordering, our noodle soups arrived. The broth was flavorful, and the noodles were great! It was a perfect way to introduce Papa and David to Korea!! 

With our bellies full, and a little more energy gained, we decided to meander back to the Airbnnb, walking through the Myeongdong NIght Market. We were back in our 3 bedroom apartment near 9pm, and it was time for everyone to go to bed. Our Saturday was going to be filled with walking and history, so I wanted to ensure we had plenty of rest. 

Day 2: Seoul

Saturday morning was for sleeping in as late as possible, still recuperating from jet lag. David woke up early, and decided to take advantage of his energy and hike up Namsan (did I mention we were sleeping on Nam Mountain??) and visit the North Seoul Tower, which provides an overlook of the city. I heard Papa moving around a little later in the morning, perhaps 9am. I messaged David, heated up some of the Korean snacks (gimbap) I’d purchased Friday, poured some orange juice, and sat down for an easy breakfast with Papa.

By 10:30 or so, we were marching our way down towards history. From our Airbnb, we walked maybe 30 minutes to arrive at the Gwanghwamun Square (광화문광장), which sits in front of the Gyeongbokgung Palace. Towering over pedestrians, is the statue of King Se-jong, who initiated the created of the Korean alphabet (한글) and Admiral Yi Sun-Sin, known for using turtle battleships to defeat the Japanese during the Imjin War in the 16th Century. Underneath the square, you can find two museums, each focusing on the accomplishments of the two famed historical figures.

After popping down to the museums for a bit, we then headed along to Gyeongbokgung Palace. Per David’s suggestion, we each rented a self-guided audio tour headphones and walked along the paths of the palace, observing the architecture, and learning about the various large open rooms and their uses. We even had the opportunity to observe the changing of the guard, and inspection of uniforms. 

Papa and David struttin’ around Gyeongbokgung Palace:

We continued to the National Folk Museum, where we learned about various farming techniques, gender role expectations throughout the generations, birth, life, death and mourning.

At this point, we were all starting to feel the miles we had conquered, and welcomed a nice sit down meal. Thankfully, just down the road was Kyochon, a Korean fried chicken restaurant chain. We mosied on over, exiting the palace and museum grounds (there’s a funny story about David and that entrance and exit sign… but we’ll save it for a rainy day). 

We sat down to our fried chicken, and I introduced them to 소맥 (somaek: soju + beer), which is a great way to enjoy fried chicken and an afternoon. We had done a great deal of walking, learned lots of history, and seen different styles of architecture, and it was only 1pm! We took time to relax, enjoy our food, and hear me say over and over how I couldn’t believe Papa and David were in Korea! (PS… I STILL can’t believe PAPA went to Korea!!) After finishing our meal, we briefly parted ways, so I could return our audio tour headphones to the palace, and they could check out some of the famous Buckchon Hanok Village (북촌한옥마을), which happened to be a few blocks away from the restaurant. 

Upon reuniting outside one of the famous village houses, it was time to return to the apartment and get some much deserved rest. We grabbed a Kakao Taxi, and made our way back up Namsan. 

After a few hours of napping and resting, and deciding it was not a great time to attempt public transportation, we grabbed a taxi and went to Gwangjang Market (광장 시장), one of the oldest shopping markets in Seoul.

Gwangjang, like most large markets in Korea, opens both during the day and at night. During the day, Gwangjang is a more popular local market, where Koreans will shop for traditional foods and wares. Its night market, equally busy, offers more traditional street foods and meals. 

As I haven’t spent much time in Seoul (2 days upon arriving to Korea in 2020), I based destination decisions solely on research. None of us were expecting the massive crowd, nor the many different ingredients and dishes being sold and served along the narrow market pathways. It was overwhelming. We managed to order the famous mungbean savory pancakes, 빈대떡 (bindaetteok), which we shared as we slowly shuffled our way towards an exit to determine our next stop on our night journey. 

We walked along Chonggyecheon Stream (청계천), admiring the city’s night views and the near silence the path, sunken below the main streets, offered us. 

We happened upon Dongdaemun (동대문), which was historically the eastern (동 “dong” means east) gate to the empirical city. As we were starting to feel cold, and wanted to warm up, we walked a bit further, to the DDP, where we found a cafe serving 유자차 (“yuja cha”: citrus honey tea). We warmed up with the sweet, citrusy tea, and then headed back to the apartment to get Papa to bed. 

David and I, still hungry after only sharing the savory pancake, decided to explore in Myeongdong for some food. David was able to mark off his second food *the first being noodle soup* from his “What I want to eat in Korea” list: 부대찌개 (“budae-jjigae”: army stew). We shared some beer, and then meandered slowly back towards the apartment and called it a night.

Day 3: Seoul

On Sunday, we decided to conquer the Seoul metro system after breaking our fasts at a trendy brunch spot we had found online. The brunch website stated the restaurant opened at 10… so we had a little orange juice and munched on whatever leftover snacks we had until 9:15 when we walked down towards Myeongdong. David had forgotten something and turned back to retrieve it in the apartment, while Papa and I continued towards the brunch spot. We knew we were early, so we walked around the block to see the Myeongdong Catholic Cathedral. David messages me saying he was at the restaurant, which had just closed from it’s morning service to prepare for it’s lunch service (GRRRRRRRRRRR). As we laughed and lamented on the situation, I searched for another option, which… upon arrival, saw it was also closed *roll eyes and whisper some choice words* Finally, we were able to have breakfast at a common chain coffee shop. We ate overpriced, subpar sandwiches, and drank our coffees, laughing about the earlier disasters. 

Eventually, we headed to the metro, I showed Papa and David how to use their transportation cards, and we were off! We were on our way south, crossing over the Han River, to the COEX mall, to see the famous and picturesque Starfield Library (별마당도서관). I had visited it only months prior, when the large Christmas tree and decorations adorned the space. This time was nowhere near as impressive. 

We exited the mall, walking along the street towards a Buddhist temple. On our way, we passed a very important modern landmark which prompted us to introduce Papa to Psy’s “Oppa Gangnam Style”, much to Papa’s…delight..???

After a few posed photos with the famous hands, we continued along to Bong-eun Temple (봉은사). The temple grounds, housing multiple temple buildings ranging in age and size, as well as a large standing Buddhist statue (91 ft), overlooks the modern day cityscape of Gangnam, a larger neighborhood of Seoul. It offers a beautiful contrast. 

As is common throughout Korea’s history, many of the buildings of the temple had burned down during fires, or destroyed during Japanese occupation. The oldest building still standing was built in the mid 19th century. Although we needed to climb a hill, it was a lovely, refreshing walk and view. David was able to observe part of a Buddhist prayer, while Papa had plenty of spots to relax and observe the architecture. 

We enjoyed traditional teas at the temple teahouse, and then, after realizing the temple dining hall we had hoped to lunch in was closed to the public, we headed back to the COEX mall to find food. 

We enjoyed an Icheon-styled meal. Although we each ordered a small entree, our trays were filled with bulgogi, rice and traditional side dishes, including kimchi. I am proud to say, we finished all the food, even the kimchis! 

While eating, we noticed the server was turning away customers, and I realized it was the restaurant’s resting time. This is very common in Korea: restaurants open for early lunch, close around 3pm, and re-open around 5pm for dinner. Thankfully, he was kind enough to not rush us out, as water was self-serve and we had everything else we needed. 

We then returned to the metro to journey to the 노량진수산시장 (Noryangjin Fish Wholesale Market), a massive building where they sell (you guessed it) FISH! The many fish stalls displayed all fish heads, tails, whole fish, shellfish, octopus, crabs, lobster… you name it.. it was probably there! Buyers go to this market for fresh fish, either to prepare at home, or have it prepared sashimi style right at the stall. Unfortunately, we had eaten such a large meal before, we couldn’t fathom buying fresh fish. 

After walking about, open-mouthed in awe of what we were seeing, we decided to head to the Han River to relax. I grabbed us some beers and snacks at a conveniently located convenience store, and we sat at a picnic table to people-watch. I was hoping to time it right, so we could watch the sun setting over the river, but we were too early for it, and the boys were getting cold again. As I finally admitted defeat, and we saw traffic building up, we grabbed a taxi and headed back to the apartment to relax and pack for the next morning’s journey. We headed to bed fairly early, and I can’t recall if we grabbed dinner beforehand…

Day 4: Seoul-Naganeupseong Village-Tongyeong

Monday morning was an early start for us. We needed to be at the Seoul Train Station for a 7am, 3 hour KTX train south to Suncheon. Trusty tour guide that I am, I ensured we were out the door and grabbing a taxi with plenty of time to spare for any and all “just in case” situations. We had a decent 30 minutes before we would board our train, which gave Papa and David time to grab McDonalds, and eat on the steps of the station overlooking all the train platforms, in peace. 

Once on the train, in our designated seats (except for mine… oooops) we began the 3 hours’ journey south. David was most likely listening to audiobooks or podcasts while he observed the passing Korean scenery. Papa, on the other hand, was making engineering observations regarding the railroad track lengths, admiring the speed and smoothness of the ride, while also trying to determine what would be harvested in the many fields we passed along our ride. As he had recently learned that sweet potatoes in Korea are very different from US sweet potatoes, and a staple in Korean life, he figured most fields were either rice or sweet potatoes, with a few outliers that he couldn’t determine. He also noticed how many greenhouses were spread throughout the land. The train ride was peaceful and lovely, especially since I hadn’t had much chance to spend time on the western portion of the peninsula. 

We pulled into the Suncheon station near 10:30, and walked over to the neighboring building to pick up our rental car. It was a welcomed change to the tiny, 2008 blueberry of a car I had been driving for the past year. This car was spacious, a large trunk, and very modern options on the dashboard. We all hopped in, and drove another 45 minutes to the Nagan-eupseong Folk Village (낙안읍성), a historically preserved village of straw thatch roofs and clay structures within an ancient fortress. 

Within minutes of entering the village (entrance was ~$1.50 per person), I saw a vendor preparing one of my favorite street foods: 호떡 (“hotteok” a sweet pancake filled with brown sugar syrup and seeds). Naturally, I had to grab some and introduce them to Papa and David. It was a perfect light snack after our long train ride and drive.

 After exploring the village, observing the traditional farming equipment and appreciating the beauty of the surrounding mountains, we sat down to lunch at a little restaurant within the village. Not realizing how much food would come (what is this, amateur hour??) I ordered us a noodle soup, a savory Korean pancake of seafood and green onions (해물파전 “haemul pajeon”), as well as a rice dish (비빔밥 “bibimbap”). It was too much food, including the side dishes we received. The ladies cooking and serving loved coming over and trying to speak to Papa and David, through me. 

Stuffed, we headed back to the car, and drove about two hours south east to Tongyeong, where we had rented an Airbnb for the night. We were a bit too early to immediately check in, so we grabbed teas and cake at the small cafe just down the street, which overlooked the water. We then checked in to the lovely house we would be staying in, freshened up, and tried to make a plan for the afternoon and evening. 

Tongyeong was another place I had never visited, but had heard was “amaaaazingggg”. I had done some small research for things to do during the winter, and every time, the same information popped up. So, we headed on over into a downtown area that was meant to host many interesting sites…. Alas… the area definitely seems to be seasonal, as the turtle ship that was meant to be there was, well..NOT. 

I’m not going to lie, I was very disappointed in my choices at this point. The Airbnb was nice, and in a quiet area, but this downtown area did not have anything interesting to offer. And we were getting hungry, which can be a frustrating situation when trying to play tour guide in an unfamiliar town. 

We head back towards an area where we had noticed a market earlier, and try to find parking… which took a little while. I almost gave up, and we almost ate fast food, but we finally found street parking!  As we walked to the market, we stopped by a bread shop which baked the local honey and red bean bread 꿀빵 (“kkul bbang”). David and I went inside to check out this bread, and the shopkeeper kept telling me how handsome David was, “Brad Pitt… Handsome boy”. She gifted both David and Papa (also “Handsome boy”) some honey bread, and I purchased us a small sampler box to enjoy during the remainder of our road trip. 

In better spirits, we continue along to the market, and soon find a restaurant serving fresh fish dishes. After checking to be sure Papa and David were both feeling brave, we entered one of the small market restaurants and ordered octopus stir-fry (낙지볶음 “nakji-bokkeum”). As the establishment was small, we were sharing a table with a gentleman who was enjoying his somaek (remember, beer and soju mixed) and a large stew. He was very kind, helping me grab the serving ladies’ attention to order beers for Papa and David, and a fork (for Papa). He then began trying to have a conversation with us (through me attempting to translate). I explained, in my limited Korean, how David was my brother and Papa was our father.. And he asked about Papa’s age… and then started talking about how he was very impressed with Papa… beyond this.. I don’t quite know what he was saying, but I believe it was all very positive, and kind. At some point, he even tried to offer Papa and shot of soju, which Papa politely declined. He also offered us part of his stew, which we all declined, since we saw how large our entree was going to be. 

Others eating at the restaurant were caught off guard that three foreigners were eating at this restaurant on a Monday night (weekends would be less shocking, I presume). One college-aged man was also kind enough to briefly translate something for me when I was having a difficult time finding the words. 

The meal was delicious, and to my surprise, Papa (who had said he wasn’t very hungry) seemed to eat a good deal of it, and enjoyed it! Thankfully, it was not too spicy. Our disappointing afternoon ended with a really great dinner surrounded by locals! *happy dance*

We returned to the house, and headed off to bed. 

Day 5: Tongyeong – Geoje – Busan – Daegu

On Tuesday, we all seemed to wake up fairly early. We knew the Airbnb host would be bringing breakfast around 9am, so we took advantage of the morning hours to walk around the local area next to the house. David went for a run, and Papa and I walked through the large park that happened to be right there.

The sun was rising and the weather was nice. We all returned to the house, freshened up, and packed as we would leave soon after breakfast. 

The house had a very cottage feel to it. Cross-stitch art was everywhere, as well as antique furniture. It was lovely!  When breakfast was delivered, it was beautifully set on a rustic wooden tray. Each bowl, Korean traditional rice bowls, filled with yogurt, dried fruits and nuts, were covered with cross-stitched napkins, and the spoons were wooden. 

We continued our journey, heading to Geoje, where we decided to take a side-trip to see the sites. We were still hungry, as the yogurt breakfast was small. We found a local cafe, overlooking the popular tourist attraction of Windy Hill, grabbed coffee and baked goods. 

Across the street were the Sinseondae Cliff (신선대), and a lovely view of the ocean. We took time to enjoy the peace and quiet of the beautiful view, until a bus load of Korean elderly tourists pulled up and jumped out. We headed on over towards Windy Hill, which boasts a random European style windmill overlooking the water. David and I continued to the windmill, as it was a bit of a climb, and Papa returned to observe the cliffs and rest. …After taking in the view, we continued along, driving across long, scenic bridges, taking in the beauty of Geoje’s landscape, Busan-bound. 

We arrived in Busan in the early afternoon. As the second largest city in Korea, Busan has constant hustle and bustle on the streets. We made our way up to our first stop: Gamcheon Village. This was the colorful village in the mountains of Busan, which I visited in 2021. This time, however, we were driving, rather than hiking up a mountain to the entrance. It was a Wednesday, and I did not imagine it would be so busy. Parking was near impossible to find. Instead, I dropped Papa and David off at the top, and they were able to walk down and observe the colors while I slowly (creeping speed) drove through the streets to meet them. 

We then went to the Busan cable car. For $20 per person, round trip, we rode the “crystal bottom” (glass bottom) cable car. Thankfully, it was not too windy, and we were able to see the waters below, as well as the massive ships. Once on the other side, David decided to hike a bit to see more, while Papa and I checked out what the tourist cable car building offered. We went to the rooftop, and had a lovely view of the city below us!

Eventually, we all cabled back down to the car, and drove to Haeundae (해운대), where we walked along the beach for a few minutes, and then grabbed dinner at a Spanish “tapas” restaurant. We spent a relaxing afternoon and evening in Busan, watching the sun set, before we headed along to Daegu, a 2.5 hour drive north. 

While getting out of Busan in evening traffic was quite stressful, the remainder of our drive to Daegu was smooth sailing. We arrived near 10pm, unloaded the car, checked in to the Airbnb in northwest Daegu, and went to bed.

Day 6: Daegu

Wednesday was a big day for us! The one thing Papa really wanted to accomplish on this trip was seeing the Daedong Factory, where the Kioti tractors are built. After months of asking, a tour was scheduled for that afternoon. *Yeehaw!*

As the factory was far to the west of Daegu, I wanted to ensure we used our time wisely. We first stopped for a hefty breakfast at my friend’s sandwich shop. We had a lovely time talking and joking with my friend S, and eventually headed west near the factory, where we stopped at Otgol Hanok Village. 

I had visited this village once before, but as it is a private residence, it was completely closed at the time. I figured it would at least be a nice place to walk around before the factory. Little did I know, the elected village guide and key holder happened to be there, and spoke English! We were able to see the oldest building, a Confucious Academy, and even entered a private garden (shhh!). After we finally were able to slip away, (we were on a tight schedule, y’all!.. And this tour guide talked… A LOT!) we raced over the mountain and arrived at the factory, where we had  to check in, park, and wait to be greeted by our personal tour guide.  

The factory tour lasted nearly 2 hours, walking through the different departments, watching the various parts of a tractor being constructed, even various quality testings. It was really nice to see Papa in his element, even so far away from home!!

Once our factory tour was complete, and we had our samples in-hand, we headed to Gachang, my “home town” for the past 3 years. I wanted Papa and David to taste fresh Korean dumplings, and possibly see my middle school. As we pulled up to the middle school, however, I noticed all the teachers’ cars were there… and as nice as it might be to have an opportunity to introduce family to my school colleagues, we were all exhausted from the day. ** If you’ve ever traveled to another place where your native language is their second, you may know what I’m talking about: no matter how perfect someone’s vocabulary may be in their second language, sometimes pronunciation may be different (eg: educated by British/South African English versus North American English), or the vocabulary may be more formal than you are familiar with in day-to-day conversation. So, as great as it is to encounter others speaking your native tongue as their second, it can be taxing for both parties.** Thus, we decided to exit the school, grab some dumplings from my local mandu lady, and then head back to the apartment.

The evening was spent resting, ordering a very disappointing pizza, and playing Five Crown, a family favorite card game (I had accidentally forgotten to bring Ticket to Ride).

I believe this may have been the same evening we bought a large box of Korean sweet potatoes to try out. If so, Papa wanted to try cooking one in the microwave like he would back in the US. I followed his instructions and cooked the sweet potato. Unfortunately, it seemed to dry out, and Papa did not enjoy the flavor nor the texture of it. O well… we could try again when we had a fireplace.

Day 7: Daegu – Gyeongju

On Thursday morning, we drove 2 hours east, to Gyeongju. If you’ve followed along on my journeys, you’ll recall I have visited Gyeongju several times. This small city boasts ancient royal burial grounds and a wealth of history from the Silla Dynasty (57 BC – 935 AD). 

We toured about the royal tombs of Daerungwon (대릉원), and then stopped to grab lunch in the modernized hanok village next door. We were originally set on having the Korean BBQ experience, however, these specific restaurants were not yet open (it was probably 11am at this time). We stumbled upon a braised beef short ribs (갈비찜 “galbi-jjim”) restaurant. The food was delicious, including the side dishes which included silk tofu, various styles of kimchi, and the savory spring onion Korean pancake (파전  “pajeon”). 

Full, we headed across the street to 첨성대 (“Cheomseongdae”) an ancient structure constructed between 632-647 AD. It is believed to have been an astronomical observatory, and a focal point for lunar and solar festivals. It is the oldest standing observatory in Asia.

We decided to warm up in the National Museum, just down the road. The museum contains artifacts from archeological digs mostly from the Silla dynasty, within Gyeongju, but also some pieces from the whole of the peninsula. 

There was a special exhibit regarding two tiny, embellished bells found within the tomb of a young boy. The exhibit had a beautiful animated video loop showing a story of a family having a baby, who turns into a boy, who then gets sick and passes away. The parents place the two golden bells on the boy’s funeral clothing… and then you see the boy in the afterlife, with a guardian guiding the boy onto a boat, safely across a river. Throughout the video, there was a butterfly that would fly about. The bells, historians believe, were a sort of payment for the child’s protection in the afterlife. 

After spending a couple of hours in 2 of the museum buildings (there were probably 6 buildings), we decided to visit Woljeong Bridge (경주 월정교), before heading back to Daegu. 

For our final evening in Daegu, I had planned to take Papa and David along my favorite historical path. Papa also wanted to ride the above-ground train, to get a better view of the city. We hopped on the red line (underground), which was a few blocks from the apartment, and rode into the city a few stops to then jump onto the yellow line (above-ground) to ride 2 stops. We even had the treat of watching the sunset from the above-ground station. 

Once back on the street, we walked a few blocks to the Heritage Trail, beginning at the Independence March stairs (beside Daegu Jeil Church 대구제일교회) commemorating the march for independence on March 1, 1910 during the Japanese occupation. We then walked to the Gyesan Cathedral (계산성당) constructed during 1899 through 1902. Next “stop” was the house of poet Yi Sang-hwa (이상화고택), followed by a stroll along “Mullberry Avenue”, leading into the ancient streets of the Oriental Medicine Market, where you can still buy oriental medicinal herbs. This path led us along into the heart of Daegu nightlife and shopping central: Jungnang-ro (중앙로).

We had decided, after much debate, we wanted to stray from Korean food for the evening. We settled upon Mexican cuisine. We enjoyed the familiar dishes, while sipping on a couple margaritas, but the restaurant and surrounding bars were too loud.. We wanted to continue our evening, and headed out to find a nice quiet place. I had just the spot in mind, however, it turned out to be closed *ㅠㅠ*… thankfully across the street was a fancy, trendy bar. We climbed the stairs, and ordered some cocktails, and enjoyed a decently quiet, albeit small, space. 

Before grabbing a taxi back to the apartment, we stopped by a convenience store to buy soju (which we did not open/drink for days) and some Korean ice cream. We all headed to bed upon return to the Airbnb.

I’ll continue tales of our adventures (Days 8~12) in the next post, which I PROMISE will come out tomorrow!

Thanks for traveling with us!