Seoul Day 5 & At Tomomi's Day 0 ~ Gimpo Airport, Seoul City Hall & Namdaemun Market; Sakurai

My last da in Korea... I got up in time and enjoyed my 'American breakfast' for the last time XD

I checked out and made my way to the subway station. I had to change one time but I was lucky and there was wether an elevator or escalator so I was able to transport my luggage quite comfortable then. The subway to the Airport took a bit of time and I got really sleepy so I kept my eyes shot. Then someone tipped me and tried to tell me something but I didn't get it. Then I realized we had already arrived at Gimpo Airport... and the doors were closing. Damn, missed the station >.<

So get off on the next one, elevator up otherside elevator down and wait for the train back^^;

I could say I was awake then. But nevertheless I reached the airport.

airport from the outside

I checked in at the self-check-in but unfortunately I couldn't drop-off my luggage this early >.< And lockers were too small... but they had another baggage storage so I could leave my trunk and my hand-luggage there for 7500 Won. Quite some money but what should I do.

I had planned to meet Kim at 11:30 h at the station of her working place but I wouldn't make it in time so I had to mail her that it will be around half an hour later. Finally I could go back to town.

Kim was waiting at the station exit when I arrived. But she told me that she had even less time than expected, so we didn't nowhere but she invited me for lunch with some collegues. We went to have lunch in the canteen of KDB (a huge Korean Bank). You could choose between to menues: pork with kimchi or fried rice with chicken. We both took the chicken XD

You also got three sidedishes with the meal. It was not bad.

lunch

the canteen

Shortly after us the other collegues arrived. Of course I can't remember the names (I'm really bad in this...) but it were two men and one women. The men could also speak English with me. They were really interested why I have visited Korea.

Atfer lunch they also invited me for a coffee and we had a little photo shooting in the entrance hall because Kim and I wanted to make pictures of our group with our cameras XD

It was so lovely and really sad to say goodbye. But finally I also had to say goodbye to Kim Q.Q I am so thankful to her but I know that we will meet again at the Book Fair in Frankfurt!

I still had around two hours left before I had to head back to the airport so I decided to go to the City Hall. The lady from the Palance Museum yesterday recommended that area and I thought this wouldn't take much time.
From the station one exit directly leads to the citizien's entrance of the city hall.

next to the entrance

I expected nothing special - I mean it is a City Hall - but I was really impressed! There was a picture gallery, a chill-out-area, a media corner and a bookstore in the basement.

the chill-out-area was really inviting

Through the bookstore I got up the stairs to the ground floor and the real entrance hall. Currently there was an exhibition about plants and green environment. Everything looked really impressive.

view towards the roof

You could also take the elevator to the 11th floor. Besides offices there was a café located for the public. Unfortunately you hadn't got a free over the city >.<

café on the top

But I liked the nterior very much. Now it was time to take a view from the outside. I head to observe that the City Hall was really new.

City Hall & National Library

The old building in front of the City Hall is the National Library. The building truly gave a contrast but this has also a symbolic character.

One hour left so I decided to take a quick view over Namdaemun Market which was located down the main street.

Namdaemun (=South Gate)

The market streets were crowded but there were shops for everything. I liked that and it was even better than Dondaemun Market, so I was a pity that I hadn't got much time for strolling around and shopping T^T

Nevertheless I bought some things XD New stickers for my purikura book, a writing book (for Asian letters) and a set of Korean silverware (chopsticks and spoon) and a typical silver rice bowl (I even got that 500 Won cheaper).
But then it got quite late and I had to hurry a bit^^; I arrived at the airport a few minuites past 5 pm and my flight would start at 17:45 h. I just made it in time XD The boarding time started even delayed. So I took my flight with Asiana Airlines from Gimpo Airport to Kansai Airport. It takes one and half an hour. For this short time the plane was really well equipped. I could watch movies and series and so on, so I started to watch the movie '47 Ronin' in German! We even got a cold bento as dinner. Everything went perfect and I savely arrived at Kansai Airport...

~*~

But I got some problems at the passport control. I couldn't fill in anything in the adress field of the immigration form because I couldn't remember Tomomis adress and I even hadn't the adress of any of our hotels in mind^^;
So a woman asked me to leave the waiting line and wait for her while she is resolving this case. I really thought the worst and that I even had to wait very long till I get through the control...
But after one minute she came back with a hotel guide and jut wrote down some hotel adress. She lead to the front of the waiting line and I was the next one to be checked XD That was fast *lol*
I even got my luggage quite quickly and the immigration control also didn't want to check the content of my trunk O.o Really weird but so I got through everything really fast.
At the exit Tomomi and her farther were already waiting for me. They fetched me by car, I was really thankful for that so I hadn't got any problems with my luggage. It took a bit more than an hour to get to Tomomis house. Her mother even served us dinner this late (it was already half past 9). Rice, Miso Soup, vegetables (tsukemono), fried salmon and salad. I was so warmly welcomed I could have cried Q.Q
Tomomi even bought me some shower gel, shampoo and face washing cream >.< So I could take a relaxing shower before I went to bed.

Tomomis presents to me

Tomomi showed me my own room and she even gave a Star Wars book of Episode III as a welcome present!!! I was so touched T^T
I am sure I will have wonderful days here! And the first thing to do is: sleeping out XD Then I'm excited what Tomomi will show me in her area!