Sorry I didn't upload a blog yesterday. I was so exhausted when I got home I just didn't have the energy.
I started yesterday morning with the usual toast provided by the hostel. Not the greatest breakfast, but honestly, it's more than I do for myself at home, so not too bad. I then set off with one of the other people in my hostel towards Seoul Station to catch a train to Jeonju, the home of bibimbap! The train ride was about an hour and forty-five minutes long. We got our tickets there with 5 minutes to spare, and so got standing room only seats in two separate cars. Luckily both of us got the jump seat available in the standing area of our respective cars, so we weren't forced to stand for the almost two hour journey. When we arrived in Jeonju we immediately purchased our return tickets to avoid the same scenario on the train back, and we're successful at obtaining seats.
When we left the train station we caught a taxi to a restaurant listed in the Lonely Planet guidebook to get some bibimbap (which is why we came to to city in the first place). The taxi ride over showed us the city was much larger than either of us had anticipated. We were both glad to have caught a taxi and not to have tried to walk as it took around 15 minutes to get the the old town area we wanted to explore. We eventually arrived at the restaurant and immediately sat down and ordered some bibimbap. They brought out all the traditional side dishes (which I am fairly sick of to be honest, didn't love em in the first place and we get them with just about every meal here), and then the bibimbap. It was pretty good! No I can say I have eaten bibimbap in the very place it was thought up!
After eating lunch we tried to find the hanok village (basically old town with traditional houses that are now mostly shops,etc.). We accidentally paid to tour the old palace, so looked around that a bit before exiting towards to hanok village, which we found near he main entrance of the temple (we had entered through the side). We wandered around a while, but didn't buy anything other than a choco-pie, which they sold everywhere there and I had to try. It was basically a moon pie, with chocolate cake and a marshmallow cream like filling. Definitely yummy. We also had samples of a really fluffy angel food like cake that I though really hard about buying. Maybe I'll buy one here before I come home if I can find them in Seoul.
After wandering for a while we ventured out of the hanok area and decided to explore some of the less touristy areas, but it was pretty boring, so we eventually caught a cab back to the train station, since I was just about time anyways. The train station, we noticed while driving back on, was quite pretty! I took a few pictures, stopped at the restroom, and then we went to the platform to catch the train. The ride back was much more pleasant as we had real seats and a normal sized window. The view was mostly farms and random high rise buildings.
When we arrived at Seoul Station it was an hour before sunset, so I figured I had time to take the subway to Seokchan Lake to see the cherry blossoms there. Unfortunately it took a while by train and then I had some trouble finding my way out of Jamsil Station, so it was already dusk when I made it to the lake. It was still pretty to see in the dark though. Hopefully I will make it back there before I leave, if not, I still enjoyed it. The lake also has a small amusement park on an island in one half of the lake called Lotte World. It even has a miniature Disney like castle!
After walking around a bit I went to Lotte Tower, which was the other reason I came to the area. It is the tallest building in Korea, and only just recent opened (as in less than ten days ago recently!). I walked around the mall there a bit, but it was closing in 30 minutes and is literally the largest mall I've ever seen in my entire life. There was no way I'd see all the shops. There were a ton of shops I see at home plus others. There was even a CPK! There's an aquarium there with belugas, bug it was closed since it was late. After exploring one floor of the massive place, I went to the Sky Tour, which is the elevator to the viewing platform. It takes you up to the 117th floor and then you can take escalators and a second elevator to the 123rd floor! Since it was a weekday and late it wasn't busy, which was nice. It has stunning views of the city, and I went there at night on purpose to see the city lit up at night, which I always think makes everything more beautiful. There is even one of those glass floors where you can look down beneath your feet! It was pretty cool. I could see the Olympic stadium form 1988 nearby and essentially the entirety of Seoul outlined. Very cool! I stayed up there around an hour and then headed back the the hostel.
The trains here are always so packed that I didn't get a seat, so when I got back I was even more exhausted. I was also starving, since I hadn't stopped for dinner, but didn't want to wait for food, so I ended up getting special K at the small grocery near the hostel and eating that, which tasted amazingly good for just being special K. I then got ready for bed and passed out VERY easily.
Oh yeah, there's also a full scale replica of the Trevi Fountain in the Jamsil subway station. WTF? Haha!
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