(Tuesday / 20:31)
2nd Oct
Strongly recommended by Jingwen and blogs online, I visited a Standing Coffee store.
I've no idea why this photo would not rotate..
It is a small store but you couldn't miss it because there are only guys working in the store.
HAHAHA
But seriously, they had this small group photo of the baristas at the side and apparently the staff are only guys. And the photo look as if it is for promoting a certain Korean drama. Yup it's that good.
I don't really know how to differentiate a good or bad coffee, but the mocha I got suits my taste ^^ Walked around the area with a cup of coffee in my hands and looked like a typical Korean on the street. The area is pretty interesting (Sandang MRT area I think?)
After the good coffee I headed towards Seodaemun Prison but unfortunately it was closed because it was the day after a Monday holiday (I notice a lot of attractions in Seoul are closed on Monday unless it is a holiday where they will close on Tuesday instead. So check beforehand!)
Decided to walk to Gyeongbokgung since it is only one station away. Cannot be too far right?!
Wrong. -.- I took a damn long time to reach there (Note: ACHING LEGS) Well at least I got there in the end. But the palace was not open too Haha I have already expected it since I only want to see how the palace is like from the outside but there is actually a exhibition by the side. Something for me to see~
guess who this is.
Hint: this is Monkey God. His statue is placed behind the statue above.
I wonder if the person who wrote on this huge book actually sat or lie down
A lot of old stuff and most of them are preserved nicely! I wonder in the future what Singapore will have in our national museum of history..
The plan after visiting the palace was to go to Dongdaemun but I accidentally dropped off at Hyehwa instead. And it was impossible for me to take a train back because I had to tap my card to exit. Oh well so I decided to explore the place instead.
There were also a couple of stalls like these that sells cocktail in plastic bags. Cool or what.
In that area there were quite a few universities so it was pretty crowded. Other than that there were also a lot of theaters around the area. I got lost while walking through the lanes. I am so used to getting lost now haha
In the end I managed to come to an area where there were street performance. Joined the crowd to watch the dance group and man did they get the atmosphere so high on a chilly night. After they are done I went to the other side to watch this band sing. I really enjoyed the vocalist and one of the member were playing the cajón (aka 'the box'). Really cool!
Then I had the 4th person of the day who mistaken me as a Korean came and talk to me. I apologised in English and he was shock but he could speak English too haha he introduced himself and stuff and then it got creepy. Which CEO will tell me he is one within the first 15 minutes of a conversation -_- I had my doubts but just played along. Yknow, trying to be a nice tourist. Then he ask if I had my dinner when he mentioned that he just had a company dinner. In my head I was like HE IS TRYING TO LURE ME TO DARK CORNERS OHNO and I said I just ate around the area. As a matter of fact I was famished. Thank god my stomach did not growl! After that he ask if I would like some ice cream.....
"No thanks. I am enjoying the band and would like to stay here."
"Can I watch with you?"
D: My bet is that he cannot do anything to me since there are so many other people around. So I "suit yourself" and went on enjoying myself.
After maybe two hours he finally left HAHAHAHHA I was hungry like mad and it was starting to get really cold but I knew I had to hang on. 1) he only had a shirt on 2) the band is really nice although they kept singing the same few songs
While I was silently cheering myself for being brave, the band was having a break and decided to say Hi to me since I was there for such a long time haha In the end we had a conversation that was so much better than what I had with that old man although they can hardly speak Korean ^^
When they finished their last performance the creepy man came back though. I quickly bid goodbye to them politely and almost went running to the train station. I could not feel any aches at all then hahaha
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I would love to recap more but I had a lot other stuff to do. I came to Jeju Island so unprepared =/ Bye!
Labels: South Korea, travel