Seoul Day 1 ~ my guesthouse and Dongdaemun

My first task in Korea was to find my way from the airport to my hotel. Frist I got myseld a 'T-Money Card' which I can use for the railway as payment. You can buy it at every station and in many comvinience stores. I exchanged some money (the currency exchange is very good at the moment: 1 € = 1.420 Won) and bought the card. I got it with 10.000 Won charge. The advantage of this card is that I don't need to buy a single ticket all the time and the ticket price is also reduced for 10 %.

So I fight my way with my heavy luggage to the Airport Railsway station.

entrance of the station

I took the AREX train to Seoul Station. It didn't even took one hour to get there. I change to subway line 1 but they way was longer than I expected and for my bad luck the last section could only reached by stairs >.< So I had to carry my whole luggage...

But surprisingly someone grabbed my trunk all of a sudden and helped me carried it. Without a word the man left but it was nice that someone had noticed my trouble (or was just annoyed because I blocked the stairs with my slow moving^^;). And it was crowded... but it was just before 9 am so I guess many people were on their way to work.

I reached my staition Sinseol-Dong without further problems but there again I had to carry my luggage up some stairs *sigh* And then the nightmare started: I had no idea how to get to my hotel. I had a discription but I didn't find the building they referred to for the right direction >.< My arms and shoulders really hurt because of my luggage and after being awake for 24 h already I really got depressed. So I stopped one the million taxis of the street XD But I got worried because the driver had also problems with the adress^^;

But after a bit of cruising and asking some people he really got me there. I had to throw some money away because of this but I can say it was quite an experience^^;

It was around half past 10 and the girl at the reception desk told me that check-in was possible at 13 o'clock. So I had to spend some time while waiting also for my friend Kim who I wanted to meet at 12:30 h at the ghesthouse. Unfortunately I wouldn't be able to take a nap before U.U

But I could leave my luggage at the house and searched for a coffee house. And I hadn't had to search long and a White Chocolate Moccha (my favoutite X3) at 'Ediya Coffee'.

entrance of the coffee shop

I could sit at the first floor at the window and watch the street while enjoying my Moccha. But I also got my book with me to end the current chapter and relax a bit from my troublesome journey to the hotel.

Atferwards I still had some time and strolled around the sorounding streets.

little side street

main street

My friend said it was an unsual area for a tourist but that's what she liked and I'm also satidfied with my choice of location. But the traffic in Seoul is really something. Car driving is a kind of suicide in my eyes here >.< Especially taxis drive as they like and you hear honking all the time^^;

Scooter driver are also something. Sometimes they drive in the sidewalk and use their traffic lights to cross a street before entering it again in a new direction. But sometimes you have to wait really long till a traffic light changes >.<

So really interesting experiences in the first few hours...

In time I met my friend Kim then at the hotel and we went for lunch. On the main street we found a nice restaurant which offered a special lunch menu of Bibimbab and Bulgogie (marinated beef). It was really good *_*

While eating we chatted a lot and finally we talked about my schedule for the week XD Kim made some fixed arrangements so she also made suggestions for my other 'wish to visit places'. 

Atfer lunch she brought me back to the hotel and then had to leave for work again but I we will meet again on Wednesday^.^ It was good to see a familar face here!

The check-in went without problems and the girl showed me my room. Because I booked a traditional Korean room we had to leave the main building and walk around the corner. It is a nice old Korean house and it really what I hoped it to be, I was very delighted^^

Here are some expressions:

entrance of the inner courtyard

inner courtcard - view from my room

my room (when I lie in my bed)

view in my room (bed isn't ready yet)

the small kitchen for everyone's use

my bathroom

the living room

living room

This is really a traditional Korean guesthouse and I'm quite happy with my choice^.^

I have also breakfast included. The girl said it will be toast and coffee, so I don't expect much but I have forgot about this so I'm just happy to have breakfast before leaving and saving money for one meal a day^^v (I have just go back to the main house then because breakfast is only served the main house's kitchen)

Finally I could my long overdue nap, I was nearly before collapsing X.x

And I slept really well^^ It was just in hour but that refreshed me for the rest of the day. Fit again I went off for Dongdaemun area which it situated just 10 minutes walk along the main street. Dongdaemun means 'East Gate', it's a gate which marks the old eastern entrance of the city. 

 

Dongdaemun with its huge traffic junction

From there I went to Dongdaemun Market. Besides of many shopping streets in the area there are also many little stands selling many things.

market street

another market street

Pyounghwa shopping street

street with only shoe shops XD

The show market was the best. Cheap shoes on different stands which a rowed one after another and this goes on around a whole block! Really funny XD

Atferwards I also made a more culturel walk. Back at Dongdaemun I walked along the old town wall. Climbing the path up was a bit exhausting but I got a nice view over the quarter,

view up the old town wall

view back down to Dongdaemun

Before returning to my guesthouse I sat down a nice coffee shop again and enjoyed the evening of my first day in Seoul. I could even tasted something new: a Sweet Potatoe Latte XD
Quite intesting was can be made of sweet potatoes. The taste was okay but nothing I need again regarding to the other coffee specialities like Latte Macchiatto, Moccha and of course Matcha Latte. But it was worth a try^^

the coffee shop on the second floor

Now it had become dark and I could also take a picture of the enlighted Dongdaemun^^

I liked it^^
So it was a good end for the day. Then I looked forward for a good sleep in my nice little room X3