Seoul Autumn Love 2011 - Day 7

05th November 2011

( T . T )

We are going back tonight. As our flight is after midnight on 06^th November 2011, we are definitely not going to waste time. So here we go dashing to do our last minute shopping in Myeongdong.

Our 1^st stop …… Gwanghwamun Subway Station.

Inside Gwanghwanmun Subway Station - Even the walls are made of marbles

Water cooler. Cool..!!

Haechi

Missions 1 : Phototaking of King Sejong and Admiral Yi Sun-Shin

King Sejong from afar

Admiral Yi Sun-Shin from afar

That's really far.

Mission 2 : Buy souvenirs of Haechi

Haechi Madang. Don't ask me what it means.

Yes, we are here.

Cute!!!!

This is cuter!!! Which one?

2^nd stop …… Insadong

We went to Insadong again using the free shuttle service provided by Ibis Hotel. Save the walking! We had our lunch in Insadong.

Shuttle Service Board in Ibis

Yeah.... Insadong again.

친절한현자씨Chinjeolhanhyeonjassi

This restaurant is in an alley after Ssamzigil. The broiled pork was so super yummy that Mum and me finished the whole plate by just the 2 of us and it actually serves 4 pax. *SLURP*

Restaurant Signboard

Mummy

Korean side dishes with Kimchi Chigae

Beef pot

Broiled pork. This is delicious.

Wow....... big feast.

However, we are more curious with the queue outside this restaurant. Apparently, all these people are queuing for mandu (dumpling) and the fried dumpling looks delicious to me.

Dumpling shop

The queue

Full house

Fried dumpling 

Steam dumpling

Exploring Insadong ............ again. As it is a Saturday. There are more stalls on the streets selling all kinds of food and stuff. In conclusion, one must plan at least 1 weekend in Seoul to see all this special events.

Ceramic pots to keep Kimchi? 

Coffee or Tea House 

Peanut candy 

Cute hairclip

Red Bean cake 

Welcome to Seoul!! 

Pretty hairbands 

Chinese candy - 龙须糖 

Korean Traditional Candy - It's kinda too hard to eat. 

Hot oven bun

Variety of food

Hottdeok (Brown sugar peanut bun) - MUST EAT!!!

Eventually, it's time for us to leave for the airport. Goodbye Myeongdong. 

Incheon International Airport

We finally have some time to see Incheon International Airport after the rushing arrival 7 days ago. However, how should I put it, the airport is a dead town after 2130hrs (9.30pm). All shopping galleries in the departure hall are closed even the information counter. We wanted to ask if there is any place where we can have our dinner.

In the end, with the help of the Information Map, we managed to locate a 24 hours operating kiosk that sells sandwiches and drinks. I bet my mum is sad that she needs to eat sandwiches for dinner. 

Shops are closed and barely anyone.

小猫几只

24 hours kiosk

*Additional information:

For those whose flight are late like us, there is a FREE shower facility which includes FREE face towel and shampoo near The Hub Lounge (located : Airside - Level 4, Transfer Service Complex)  inside the departure hall. Prepare your own amenities if possible. 

The free shower facility is a bonus to me because I can shower before boarding the plane. I feel so refresh after that but once again, it closed at 2200hrs. They do not accept anymore guest after 2145hrs. 

Ok, times up. Our flight is taking off. Goodbye Seoul and Hello Singapore!!!!

Seoul Autumn Love 2011 - Day 6

04th November 2011

신촌Sinchon (新村)

Sinchon or Sinchon-dong is a neighbourhood in Seodaemun-gu, Seoul.

Sinchon is a very busy area of the city and holds several department stores, cinemas and shopping areas that cater mainly to a young crowd.

Street of Sinchon 

Street of Sinchon

We visited Ewha Woman’s University. Oh man……!!!! How can I not envy those girls studying here?!? Is this a University?? It looks more like a cathedral surrounded by autumn leaves. Quick, start your enrolment…….!! \\( ^ o ^ ) //

Ewha Womans University 

Ewha Womans University 

Like I said, a cathedral surrounded by autumn leaves

Another view of Ewha Womans University 

Entrance 1 and 2 to ????? 

Do you like it?

One last photo taken before we leave for lunch

[“Sinchon is also one of the major entertainment districts with hundreds of bars, karaoke rooms, PC-rooms, DVD rooms, Korean billiards halls and restaurants lining the streets covered in neon lights at night.”] ……… Ok, this is the part of Sinchon that we didn’t see. I was supposed to find the famous ‘노래방  (Noraebang)’, literally meaning Song Room, in Hongdae. *SIGH*

Lunch at춘천집닭갈비막국수 Chuncheonjip Chicken Wing Special Restaurant (春川家辣炒鸡排)

This is another delicious meal we had during our trip. A DEFINITE MUST TRY!!! No matter what, just try your best to find this restaurant. Basically, it is a hotplate dish that they cooked in front of you. The ingredients include chicken, rice cakes, sausages, cabbages, bean sprouts and yam cooked with Korean traditional spicy sauce.

They will add in the noodles right before it is ready to eat. Don't forget to remove all the noodles from the hotplate within minutes to prevent them from sticking onto the bottom. This makes eating slightly difficult. Oh....... you can also request for cheese if you like. We didn't because my mum doesn't take dairy products.

춘천집닭갈비막국수

We need to eat with aprons 

Delicious side dishes that can be refilled 

Posing with the food.

It came all raw. 

Then they slowly cook........! 

Slowly cook........... it took about 15 minutes??? or maybe 10 minutes. 

This is the noodles I was talking about. Grab it fast!!! 

Get your chopsticks ready.......!!!! DIG IN!!!! 

When you are all done with the chicken. This is the REAL DELICIOUS part. You can request them to serve rice which will be pan-fried using whatever is leftover on your hotplate. They spread the rice all over the hotplate and "TADA......." you got yourself a bibimbap dish. Seriously, you have to try this even though you are so full from the chicken hotplate. TRUST ME!!!!

Here's the rice!! 

This is how they spread the rice.

All gone!

Directions

Exit 1 of Sinchon Subway Station, walk towards the direction of Hyundai Department Store. Turn right at the first alley and continue walking. You should be able to see it. Enjoy!!!!

Map

Seoul Lantern Festival 2011 at청계천 Cheonggyecheon Stream (清溪川)

This comes as a surprise for us because we didn’t know that it’s actually their grand opening of 2011 Seoul Lantern Festival which took place from 04^th ~ 19^th November 2011. Lucky!!! After seeing the setup on our 2^nd day, we are seeing the real light up. This is awesome!!! The stream is crowded with people queuing to enjoy the lanterns. 

Seoul Lantern Festival 2011

Floating lantern 

I am not so sure what is this. 

Farmer music and dance which we saw in Korean Folk Village 

Traditional Korean Village 

Gigantic Lantern 

This look like one of the place gate 

Korean traditional band 

Knights and Armors

Paper lanterns 

Cheese......... you are on camera 

Ohh.......!!! Haechi lantern. CUTE!!

This is the scary queue of people waiting to enter the stream.

Due to the crowd, we decided to take a few more photos before we walk our way to Insadong. Sadly, Insadong is like a ghost town by 2200hrs (10pm) but we still enjoyed our windy walk.