Here We Go Again

14/15112023

Its been a while, I am reviving the blog once again to keep my loved ones, and other interested in my life abreast with our goings on abroad.

We have come back to Seoul.
Long time readers will remember Laura and I came to Seoul on a couple-night stopover on our way to China, and realized it deserved more attention. So here we are, admittedly COVID delayed our travelling, but it has been like 7 years since we were last here.

So this post is being written retroactively, but it covers the travel day, so there wasnt much going on anyways.

we flew on Delta, the food was korean-esque airline food, so really not that much to write about. I did learn that on most international flights one can just saunter back to the service area and ask for more beer, and they give it to you? so thats cool.

We left Seattle at 1020 local, and arrived in Seoul at 1600 local the next day, we rented a little 4G hotspot for this trip so we have internet, which gives us plenty of flexibility compared to previous international trips, and given the rest of the day (and now today) with full blown phone connectivity, I dont think I will go back to sniping wifi out of hotel lobbies and subway stations to plan my day.

Laura and I also argued a bit about how to use an ATM for pulling some Won (with 10,000 KRW = 7.75USD right now), but ultimately got our cash.

We took the slow train to Seoul proper, which was really just a subway that stopped at normal stops through from ICN into city center, it took about 50 minutes, and cost about 4.50USD per person, which is pretty close to what Seattle's public transit costs in time and money, except no one on the Korean metro I didnt see anyone nodding out, and no one smelled as though they had soiled themselves, so it was a more pleasant ride here than at home.

Our hotel is in the Insadong neighborhood, which while walking around to find the spot, we learned is a littly artsy, bar restaurant area. After dumping our stuff at the hotel we went into a narrow poorly marked alley for dinner, ( https://www.google.co.kr/maps/place/Namdosikgaek/data=!4m7!3m6!1s0x357ca3b397df762d:0x102ad06588e4b8ee!8m2!3d37.5742358!4d126.9839719!15sCgtSZXN0YXVyYW50c1oNIgtyZXN0YXVyYW50c5IBEWtvcmVhbl9yZXN0YXVyYW504AEA!16s%2Fg%2F11h3l3fs06?hl=en&entry=ttu )

We got a Beef Jiggae and "kimchi omelette" which was less omelette, and more quiche. Both were pretty good.

After dinner we went to a Rocky (as in the boxer) themed bar that was blasting american pop-rock circa 2007 music, we went here hoping for some kind of local or craft beer, but wound up drinking a Cass anyways.

After dinner and drinks we went home and went to sleep.

Tomorrow (which is today as I write this) we are going to the Demilitarized Zone so there will be more to write in here, and more eaten to write about.