Allie's Got Seoul: A Whirlwind Weekend in Seoul

How do you spend two days in Seoul? There really is no one way. Six months in and I haven’t come close to seeing it all myself (I’m starting to wonder if it’s even possible.) I often go out to explore places my chingus have never been or occasionally even heard of. Assisted by the subway app and Google Maps, I played tour guide for a couple relatives in town for the weekend. Getting to show off my city reminds me how much I love it.

A wonderful surprise dropped from the sky with my warm-hearted cousins: a suitcase filled exclusively with American goodies. I thought maybe I’d be so lucky to receive a little peanut butter and oatmeal, but this was an entirely different level. I’m equipped to open the Trader Joe’s flagship store.

After a delectable Saturday breakfast from the 38^th floor Sheraton with an expansive view of Seoul, we loaded the T-money cards and burrowed underneath the city’s surface. Riding the subway is sometimes akin to being a gopher: down one hole and out another. If it weren’t for the map I’d have no idea where I was. First stop: Gyeongbokgung Palace of the Joseon Dynasty, the main palace in the city. On the way we also passed the heavily-guarded American embassy.

A stroll through Insadong followed, an area with traditional restaurants and tea shops but not without tourist shops and street food vendors. It was my first tourist destination and I’ve come to think of it as a rite of passage for Seoul tourists. In the area we rested at a Starbucks (or 스타 벅스 as this sign says) for a quick refreshment; the comfort of the familiar should not be immediately dismissed. We peaked at a nearby pagoda (National Treasure #2, to be exact) and wandered over to Jogyesa Buddhist Temple, the main temple in the city. People worshiped inside, as they often seem to do. We crossed over the Cheonggyecheon urban stream, a peaceful place to stroll set apart from the chaotic city above. It was once a polluted stream that was transformed into a highway but has since been reverted into a clean, urban stream. If we hadn’t done enough walking already, we gophered over to Hongdae for a little walking tour before ending up back at the Sheraton for happy hour and dinner.

Once a few highlights were hit, there was a lot more flexibility on the second day of the tour. Over another perfect breakfast we decided the first stop was Gangnam. Everyone wants a little piece of Gangnam these days, thanks to PSY. Gangnam literally translates to ‘south of the river’ but when people want to see Gangnam they mean they want to see the richest, flashiest area of the city. As we walked along the main boulevard, you would never know that we were in Korea. The majority of the signs are in English and an astounding number of restaurants and stores are foreign chains (McDonalds, Burger King, Starbucks, Smoothie King, Dunkin Donuts, Krispy Kreme, California Pizza Kitchen…) as well as major Korean chains (coffee shops and cosmetic stores galore.) The number of stores in this city is yet another testament to how big and populated Seoul is.

I love new experiences and lunch was a great one for me. We dined at the Top Cloud restaurant on the 33^rd floor of the Jongno Tower. The building has a unique shape providing views other buildings can’t offer. Both the food and cityscape were lovely (although I had been quite pampered in the Sheraton as it was!)

For another new experience, we visited the Myeongdong Cathedral. Right in the heart of things, I was surprised to find this large yet hidden church. Were it not by request of my tourists I might have spent my entire year never knowing it was there. Remarkably, only a block over from this haven begins one of the biggest shopping areas in the city. Myeongdong receives 1.5 million visitors on an average day. There are alleyways with clothing, shoe, cosmetic shops, big name stores like Forever XXI and H&M, street food vendors, protestors, and always crowds of people to bump up against. There is a word for ‘excuse me’ but it is not used as frequently as we do in the States. A little bumping is to be expected and nothing to apologize for. It can be a bit of unwelcome culture shock at first but my tourists faired well.

If you’ve been (un)fortunate to participate on one of my tours or be my travel companion, you have a sense for the amount of walking I like to do. Needless to say, I had sufficiently worn everyone out. Time for another sunset over wine, cheese, and good company from the club level.