Seoul: The City That Never Stops

Seoul is one giant tourist attraction. There are so many things to see and do and experience. Just walking around the city is a tourist attraction. For an American like me, it's so different to see a modern city with huge sky-scrapers and fast cars dotted with ancient temples and bell towers. It's just so unique compared to any city in the western hemisphere I have ever seen. There's a real feeling of being in two time periods at once and I find it fascinating.

I wanted to check out a traditional market in Seoul, so Sean went with me and we found our way to the Gwangjang Market near Dongdaemun. This market sells a variety of different things. There are clothing stalls, gifts, household items, food, etc. When we arrived at the market it was later in the evening it appeared to be closing down. The vendors were all closing their shops for the night, but as we walked through the building a little more we discovered a thriving food market. There were lots of little stands set up right in the middle of the market where ajumas were selling all kinds of yummy foods (and soju and makgoli of course). There were kimchi and mung bean pancakes, parts of pig heads, feet, skin, etc., stews with thick pieces of beef and potatoes, and many other unrecognizable things. We sat down and had a kimchi and mung bean pancake. They were delicious. We then traveled a little further into the market hallway and found even more set-ups with lots and lots of men in business suits eating, drinking, and generally being merry. It was a little after work watering hole for the Seoul business men. There were many more stalls of creepy foods such as sundae (sausage) and lots of pig feet and intestines. Not really my thing. I just couldn't stop thinking to myself that people in America eat that stuff because they want to win $50,000 on Fear Factor or something, but people in Korea eat that stuff because they ENJOY it. The Gwangjang Market after hours was definitely an experience.

mung bean and kimchi pancake

serving up some yummies at the market

Gwangjang Market

Sean wanted to surprise me, so he took me to a place I had wanted to see in Seoul for a while; the Banpo Bridge. It is one of the most well known bridges in the world because of it's beautiful Moonlight Rainbow Fountain. The fountain shoots of spurts of water recylced from the river and is set to music with lights to create a fantastic little show. The bridge is in the Guinness Book of Records as the longest bridge fountain in the world. So many couples and families gathered near the water to see the show that goes off at certain times when the sun goes down. It was a very calming and romantic spot, a nice distraction from the busyness of the city. After all, they say New York is the city that never sleeps, but Seoul is the city that never stops.

Moonlight Rainbow Fountain

the Banpo Bridge

Namaste