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Virtual Experience

Eat & Exercise

Where do I even begin? Seoul food was soul food! I cannot recall the last time I ate until my heart was content and my clothes did not share the same appreciation. Monday’s stroll around Seoul started with street food at 8:30 am and ended with street food around 9:00 pm. Coffee is a favorite past time in Seoul and on my first day I counted 51 coffee shops! What did I eat that day? Well, I will take this opportunity to say, what is eaten in Seoul, stays in Seoul!

Three years ago I was introduced to Korean BBQ and have loved it ever since. My absolute favorite is bulgogi, which is made of thin, marinated slices of beef grilled on a stovetop griddle. The meat is marinated to enhance its flavor and tenderness with a mixture of soy sauce, sugar, sesame oil, garlic, ground black pepper, and other ingredients such as scallions, ginger, onions or mushrooms, especially white button mushrooms or matsutake. Pureed pears and onions are often used as tenderizers. Sometimes, cellophane noodles are added to the dish, which varies by the region and specific recipe (Wikipedia). The best bulgogi I had while there was fried in a dumpling. The twenty-minute wait for this $1 slice of gold was worth the wait.

I had the unique opportunity to visit Seoul with one of my besties that I consider my “sister from another mister,” and she and her husband allowed me to experience Seoul in a special way. I had mentioned in passing that I couldn’t wait to eat king crab legs upon my return to the states and wouldn’t you know, they made it happen there. I ate crab legs like crazy and although melted butter was not an option, I have created another combination that I like – soy sauce with wasabi and ginger. The most memorable food experience there was the night we went out for sushi and I enjoyed cuts of beef that I have never heard of but thoroughly enjoyed.

A walk around town to the various palaces and other excursions helped me meet my walking calories of 350 a day but the damage done this week will be paid off in the next couple of months. One must get ready to enjoy all of the home-cooked meals and stateside favorites that are awaiting me. Mommy, did you catch the hint?

Pray

While there I watched the headlines of the news thankful for God’s continuous protection. My heart resonated with the words penned in Psalms 91:1-5 (NLT).

1 Those who live in the shelter of the Most High
will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
2 This I declare about the LORD:
He alone is my refuge, my place of safety;
he is my God, and I trust him.
3 For he will rescue you from every trap
and protect you from deadly disease.
4 He will cover you with his feathers.
He will shelter you with his wings.
His faithful promises are your armor and protection.
5 Do not be afraid of the terrors of the night,
nor the arrow that flies in the day.

Love

A special moment for me was being able to see where my dad served after he was drafted. He lived in the Bupyeong District of Incheon from 1964-66. Brown was part of the US Army ASCOM (Army Support Command) Depot and I recently discovered that some of the insignias on his uniform indicated that one of his specialties included being a sharp shooter.

I was treated with loving-kindness my entire visit and I credit that to my bestie and her husband. Their friends welcomed me into their homes and their shops and I have been given an open invitation to visit again. I found their hospitality to reflect that of those who live in the south and their generosity will forever be cherished.

Teach

Although I did not visit the Bukcho Hanok Village, I did see some one-story wooden hanoks in my strolls around the city. Namsan and the N Seoul Tower offered breathtaking views of the city. If I had been inclined to do so, I could have enjoyed even more picturesque views of the city with cherry blossoms as the backdrop but that would have entailed a hike and you know how I feel about those. Still in view are sections of the original fortress with the signal beacons that were used 500 years ago to notify the central government or urgent political and military information.

Another highlight was a visit to Changdenkgung, which is thought to be the most beautiful palace of Seoul’s four main palaces. It was built in the early 15th century as a secondary palace to Gyeongbokgung. The kings of the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910) loved this palace because of the spacious and beautiful garden located in the back of the garden, which takes up about 60% of the entire estate. The garden is named the Secret Garden and was intended as a place where the king and the royal family members could relax and enjoy leisure outdoor activities. The palace was destroyed in 1590 by the Japanese and rebuilt to become the main residence of the royal family into the 20th century. The palace holds many halls to include a hall built by the 24th king, King Heonjong for his beloved concubine.

Deoksugung Palace also known as Gyeongungung Palace was a statement of prestige during King Gojong’s empire. This is a palace that survived turmoil at the hands of the Japanese colonial government. The most thrilling part of the visit to this palace was the changing of the guards. Stone carvings of a mythical lion, haechi said to protect against fire, although that proved to be false, flank the palace. The palace in the day was made of wood but now is made of painted concrete.

My soles also visited these sites around Seoul:

Itaewon a place where one can get expat clothing and western sizes; sizes that were needed and appreciated by the end of my eat-cation.

Myeongdong mostly a commercial area, being one of Seoul’s main shopping and tourism districts which considering my past shopping habit, I didn’t do too badly.

Dongdaemun Market a shopping town selling all types of goods and is on the list of ‘Asia’s 10 greatest street food cities’ for the Korean snacks. Dongdaemun was traditionally a night market for wholesalers and you can still see people trying to get the best deals.

Gangnam, the area made famous by PSY’s Gangnam style. Although I did not break into dance this visit, my visit in this area offered views to the home of the 1988 Olympics. Locals consider this area a place for frivolous spending because, in South Korea, education is the best investment and currency.