You can read earlier posts in this series here.
Seoul Must-Do #8: Visit Bukchon Hanok Village
To be frank, this was the leg of the trip I was most looking forward to. I love street photography and as a Korean drama addict buff, I envisioned myself walking through the old streets of Korea that appeared in dramas ever so often. Some people say that it’s overrated and way too touristy to see any authenticity, but I loved it anyway! I still think it is a must-visit in Seoul. The fact that the old Korean houses are still the homes of residents there and not just places for tourists to visit is too much for me to take. At every corner in the village, you will see signs reminding visitors not to make too much noise as it would disturb the residents. The residents must be really tormented by the hordes of tourists coming by every single day!
Getting to Bukchon Hanok Village was quite a walk from the nearest subway station but pretty straightforward. It is useful to grab a map as well as some verbal directions from the Tourist Information Centre nearby the subway station. Almost every tourist in the area is headed there, so it’s not possible to get lost anyway. On your way walking to the village, you would pass by quaint little shops selling pretty things – Stop and check them out. Many of the stuffs are too adorable! And stop to take photographs like this one here – The road was a slope and I was trying hard to balance myself sitting on the bench!
And this …. was what I came for. The narrow sloping alley streets in between traditional hanok houses made of bricks and wooden windows. So very lovely!
I got to admit, after a while, everything looked just about the same but there is something very therapeutic about strolling slowly along these streets. I prefer this anytime over the busy and crowded streets. I totally think that vacations should be slowly savored and not rushing from place to place.
At this place, do not hesitate to take as many photos with the traditional wooden doors as you like. Every single one was so beautiful!
This was my most favorite shot on this entire trip. So much feel in one photo! And this was also the place we rested our legs at and bought two bowls of sweet rice water to quench our thirst.
To get to Bukchon Hanok Village, alight at Anguk Station Exit 2.
Seoul Must-Do #9: Savour Army Stew at Mukshidonna Tteokbokki
The husband and I are big fans of Korean Army Stew back home, so when our friend told us about this place we need to try Army Stew, of course we had to go! This restaurant – Mukshidonna Tteokbokki – was obviously a famous place because when I stopped to ask for directions from one of the ‘mobile’ Tourist Information Centre, the kind lady whipped out a map with the restaurant name printed on it and pointed us in the right direction! Incidentally, this restaurant was also recommended by Ladyironchef!
We arrived at the restaurant pretty late for lunch, so it was not crowded. Followed Ladyironchef’s recommendation and ordered Seafood and Bulgogi in our one pot goodness. One thing about dining in Korea is that some dishes must be ordered for a minimum of two pax. If you are a solo traveler, either you eat for two all the time or you have to miss out on certain delicacies. =X We also added cheese and ramen to make it a fuller meal. Look how good it was!!!
A standard pot contained topokki, fish cake and vegetables. Along with our seafood of squids, clams, mussels and bulgogi, we had a most delightful one pot meal!
But don’t be in a hurry to leave after you are done digging into the army stew. You have to complete this last order to make your trip there worthwhile. Order a portion of fried rice and the server will use the leftover soup from the army stew to make you this delicious and addictive pot of fried rice with seaweed and corn kernels. SO SUPER GOOD. I felt complete after wolfing this down.
The fact that prices are so reasonable here, you can actually have it more than once when in Seoul. Too bad it was not that nearby to where we stayed at, otherwise I would have returned for more!
To get to Mukshidonna Tteokbokki, alight at Anguk Station Exit 6 [Address: Samcheongdong, Jongno-gu, Anguk-dong, 17-18]
Seoul Must-Do #10: Go Green Tea Everything at Osulloc
I only heard about Osulloc when my friend was helping me do up an itinerary for Seoul noobs. Apparently, even those who are not green tea fans will not miss Osulloc in Korea. In fact, many were converted to green tea lovers after a visit there! I found it most peculiar, but since my friend strongly recommended it, I thought I should just give it a try. After posting what I ate at Osulloc, I got so many comments from friends that I realized that there are actually many green tea lovers around me! Osulloc has many outlets all around Seoul, just keep your eyes looking out for them.
We tried the Matcha soft-serve ice-cream and Green Tea Latte at the restaurant and bought home jars of Green Tea Milk Spread for our friends as gifts. I especially love the soft-serve – The taste of matcha was so authentic, with a tinge of bitterness in it. It was not overly sweet and very smooth in my mouth – So good!
And so, I’ve covered 10 must-do in Seoul so far – Halfway mark! =) You can read my earlier posts in this series here.
