KOREA PART 3

Sunday night was the best night sleep we had that weekend, so we were well prepared for our last day. We wanted more time, but that is true with any fun adventure. You'll always want one more hour, one more day, one more week. So we had to make the most of what we had and not regret anything.

First, we headed to DDP to check around for a jacket my travel buddy wanted. Although it was beautiful during the day, it felt like an apocalyptic film, with an empty city. Though the DDP is bustling at night, it is just as deserted during the day. It was also then that we learned that most of the buildings were closed during the day. There was a mall that opened at 8 pm and closed at 6 am. Crazy!






Next, we returned to Myeongdong, and after failing to find a cafe in the Japanese guidebook from the library we were using, we ate breakfast at a different cafe. Hands-down, the best hot dog I have had in my life. Plus, a waffle with ice cream and blueberry tea (that unfortunately wasn't blue - but we made it up to Percy by my travel buddy having blue lemonade).



We enjoyed the much livelier Myeongdong shopping district and did some shopping ourselves. We also saw the famous Seoul ice cream cones with ice cream that swirls up way too far (or just the right amount - depends on how much you like ice-cream). We were running out of time and had just had the ice-cream waffles, so kept walking.

Our morning rushed by and, before we knew it, we were back on the express subway/train to the airport. There was some beautiful scenery: urban scenery, rice fields full of egrets, colorful wetland plains, and mini islands in the ocean. After returning to my seat from snapping pictures, my travel buddy said the funniest thing had happened. He was people-watching and said as soon as I started taking pictures, people starting giving me weird looks, then looking out the window, and then taking pictures - chain reaction. Yes, inspire the photography - my master plan~.

Two exciting things happened at the airport. One: dancing robots. These little robots dancing to various songs (one of which was Gangnam Style). They were so cute! Secondly, as we were checking in at our airline desk, the attendant asked if we understood Japanese and when we both replied affirmatively, she was so relieved. We were also extremely relieved, because of a weekend of not being able to communicate and, previously, a different attendant talking to us very slowly in English to make sure we knew that we were in a line for a plane going to Japan...so we were all very happy.

We had time and empty stomachs before the ride, so we had the best burgers I've had in Asia: BBQ, bacon, cheeseburger (still not as good as what we find in the US, but better than what I've had in Japan). I also was hit with a nostalgic longing for my campus back in US when I smelled and saw a Jamba Juice.

Next, when getting some sweets for friends and host family, my travel buddy and I were very aggressively marketed to. We were browsing, figuring out what we wanted, and three or four different, sharply dressed shopping attendants kept following us and asking us questions and pushing this or that product or continuously asking if we were going to buy their recommended treat. It was kind of scary, especially since my travel buddy tended to avoid interaction with people, leaving me to handle the human interaction. But, I got the snacks and we got on the plane successfully.

Note: we never reached the altitude that longer flights in my personal experience usually reach, meaning my body and head felt weird during the flight. Almost like the weight I was accustomed to had changed and precisely moving my arm was difficult - like when a body is extremely sleep deprived, yet my mind was still sharp. My travel buddy said he felt weird from the low altitude as well. It was an interesting experience.

The emotions going through my mind and body on the plane were very interesting, I think. We were so happy to be returning to Japan. It felt like coming home, which I didn't realize. I also didn't realize that just in the span of that weekend, I had missed Japan so much. It helped reaffirm even more that I want to come back one day.

 On our bus ride from the airport (thank goodness to buying round-trip tickets in advance), there was a beautiful, long, golden sunset hitting all of the non-beach coastline.

Getting home meant an immediate shower, since our hostel did not have one. Then, my host family sat with me while I ate delicious Japanese food and promised to show them pictures once I had finished sorting them (which I did).

I will definitely want to go back one, explore more of Seoul possibly, and see other cities and countryside. I also would love to see the tropical Jeju Island one day!

• The language was so rhythmic, like a fun song. 
• Japan has a nicer, more open feel to it, but Seoul was much more active in its tourist inclusiveness 
• Obviously influenced by China and other continental cultures (so red was prominent), but there was also a lot of green!
• Also not as many skinny people (Japan is full of skinny people, not always fit and sometimes I'm afraid that just walking by them, I'll snap them).
• Lots of adults in hiking gear on the subways
• Just like Japan, people were quiet on public transport, usually looking at their phones, reading a book, or napping
• Lots of pigeons in Seoul
• "sumida" is used at the end of a lot of sentences
• I wonder what type of experience I'd have with a native friend as a guide? (which then leads me to question, how would I act/where would I go if I were acting as a native guide for a friend who came to visit me?)

Despite the long gap between posts, I have finally finished my Korea trip! It was so much fun and I don't regret it at all. It was really interesting being able to eat the food, see the history, and compare Korea with Japan, as well as taste the language.

After a week of school and rest, my next adventure: Hiroshima!