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Nanna and Opa do South KoreaNanna and Opa do South Korea
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Nanna and Opa do South Korea

August - September 2019
A 23-day adventure by Lynne Read more
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  • TravelerNanna and Opa do South Korea
    Day 1

    Travel Guides and Poolside Beers

    August 31, 2019 in Vietnam ⋅ ⛅ 30 °C

    It's curious how a couple of big cameras can whip up a flush of curiosity. What we weren't expecting was to have a film crew join us in our teeny tiny cramped little airplane. The participants of a local TV reality travel show were on our flight and that meant obligatory pieces to camera between the first drinks service and lunch. Made getting to the loo a bit of an adventure.

    The flight from Sydney to Ho Chi Minh City is around eight hours, which is about as much as we can readily endure but at least the airline is good.

    After collecting our bags we find our driver and 40 minutes later we are at our hotel. The driver drops us at the end of a laneway where we are met by someone from the hotel who leads us the rest of the way along a pedestrian and scooter only street.

    The hotel is a narrow four storey building and our room is on the top floor. On the ground floor is a small pool that opens staight out onto the street. That's our first stop, then to find dinner which is a sampling of three or four street stalls.

    Back at the hotel and we have a cute little covers band by the pool and a doorman using his dance moves to woo people inside.    Read more

  • TravelerNanna and Opa do South Korea
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    Day 2

    A Taste of Vietnam

    September 1, 2019 in Vietnam ⋅ 🌧 31 °C

    We have one day here and really want to get a feel for the place in a really short time. Breakfast is a buffet overlooking the pool. On offer, in addition to the usual breakfast cereals and warmers with eggs, sausages and bacon is beef or chicken noodle soup. Make your choice and a prepared bowl has broth ladled over then served with freshly sliced chilli and a sliver of fresh lime.

    Today we are walking, and it is humid. We set out from our hotel and tackle the onslaught of motor scooters aimed directly at us. Pedestrian crossings are only a guide. After a few blocks we duck in to a cafe for Vietnamese coffee which is prepared by positioning a tin drip canister over a glass. It is strong, sweet and delicious, and served with a glass of tea on the side which is novel.

    We continue map in hand, yes the paper variety and it still serves us well. We find ourselves in what appears to be the hardware neighbourhood, shop after shop of hardware items, before tracking down a pagoda I had discovered was nearby. Its squat shape with brightly coloured roof tiles, ridge caps and ornamentation provides a contrast to the unusual but intriguing very narrow apartment buildings on either side. Unsure of the protocol, we peer inside without crossing the threshold to admire the painted and gilded interior with enormous incense spirals suspended from the ceiling.

    Our hotel receptionist had suggested a street nearby that was known as the antiques street (she wrote "old" on our map to indicate this). We pass more food vendors on the way and a curious hotel with parking for motor scooters inside the front foyer. We wander its length stopping here and there to inspect an item that catches our eye as we go, pausing for a rest and cool drink along the way.    Read more

  • TravelerNanna and Opa do South Korea
    Day 2

    A Second Taste of Vietnam

    September 1, 2019 in Vietnam ⋅ 🌧 28 °C

    Exiting the street of old wares, Le Cong Kieu, we turn a corner and see the Bitexco Tower almost right in front of us. Actually, it's a few blocks away but its size brings it closer. We are debating whether to go there or bypass it and head straight for the Notre Dame cathedral when Richard is approached by a man with the familiar question, "Where you from?" The gentleman is a cycle taxi driver and after a photo and being joined by his mate, Richard asks how much to take us to the Notre Dame cathedral. He replies "500". We have not yet learned that for reasons of simplicity the Vietnamese tend to drop the last three zeroes from numbers when referring to prices but while I am still mentally converting what seems like a ridiculously small amount in my head, thinking, "this can't be right, I wonder if he means 500,000 and maybe we should have clarified and negotiated" we are already in the seats and on our way.

    They take us past the markets, through the park, around the Imperial Palace and drop us off across the road from the cathedral. Richard later remarks that he doesn't feel so bad about paying $35 to a guy who is the same age as us to lug us around in tropical heat in the middle of the day. But the heat is sapping Richard's energy and he lays down in the shade of a tree while I go off to photograph squirrels.

    Once he feels rested we head for the cathedral which, typically it seems for us, is under tarpaulins and scaffolding. We take a few pics and decide not to join the crowds going inside. Instead, I potter around the tourist shops in the old Post Office building while Richard enjoy's some McDonald's aircon.

    Batteries recharged we hit the streets and head for Ben Thanh markets. The food markets are a compromise between authentic Vietnamese street food and sit down eating aimed at tourists; a way for tourists to claim they have tried the local street food. But there's some pretty amazing stuff on offer. We have some prawn dumplings, a pork roll and some chicken with noodles and veg before venturing inside the main market proper. This is a fairly imposing space with narrow alleys and stalls with goods spilling out in all directions. We traverse the length of the market, trying to avoid being accosted before quickly exiting to make our way back to the hotel.

    We decide to have dinner in tonight as the girls have shouted us dinner for Father's Day. The meal is delicious; spicy barbecued prawns, pork belly and whole fish.    Read more

  • TravelerNanna and Opa do South Korea
    Day 3

    Up Early for Our Next Leg

    September 2, 2019 in South Korea ⋅ ⛅ 29 °C

    Our flight from Ho Chi Minh City to Seoul is at 9:00am which means leaving the hotel at 5:30. We have organised transport and for a light breakfast to be ready for us to take with us. The trip to the airport takes around half the time it took on arrival. A quick check-in leaves us plenty of time to kill so Richard finds a place to sleep. This flight is less impressive than the first with no individual entertainment so the in-flight movie, after a documentary about a golf course photographer (fascinating << sarcasm), was one of the Marvel things that all look the same, made no sense, and couldn't keep me awake. At least it's only five and a half hours.

    Incheon Airport is huge, so big in fact that we are piled on to a train to get from the concourse to the arrivals terminal. Walking through the terminal we are greeted with mass plantings of orchids in pots. My mum would love them. Although the queue for immigration looks long they have a lot of people processing and we are through in 20 minutes. When we find the luggage carousel we must be the last on our flight to get there. Our bags are sitting on the floor next to the carousel all alone. That's a first.

    Now to find a train. I should have put my pedometer on. We must have walked at least a couple of kilometres to the station. We choose the all-stops over the express as it runs every 10 minutes. Our ticket will take us straight through to the station nearest our hotel. A trip of about an hour gets us in to Seoul Station where we need to find the line for Myeong-dong. This station is massive. We go up four long sets of escalators to reach Line 4 and walk what seems like miles as well.

    Our hotel is only a short distance from the station but we manage to exit the exact opposite exit, across the road and in the opposite direction, even though I knew which exit to look for (insert eyeroll). We see our room and gulp. They had a very, very good photographer for the online shots. Ok, we are here for four nights and we will make the most of it but first dinner.

    We walked past about a dozen small eateries to reach the hotel so head out to check them out. They all have their signage in Korean only so it is a case of look in the door and see what appeals. We choose the third place and take our cue to remove our shoes from the others left in the doorway. After three months of using Duolingo and listening to a Korean language podcast I get a chance to use one of the three words I have successfully learned, and greet the two women and man peering at us curiously. Richard expresses his priority immediately, "beer?". I don't know the word for beer yet. We receive nods all 'round and proceed to a table.

    We point to an item on the menu and using hand gestures establish that we only want one to share. They bring out a tray of side dishes and then set up the table cooker. We have an amazing meal of beef with around 15 side dishes.    Read more

  • TravelerNanna and Opa do South Korea
    Day 4

    Kawaii and Markets

    September 3, 2019 in South Korea ⋅ ⛅ 21 °C

    It wasn't a fun night. There was a time once when a room like this would have been fine for us but we have to acknowedge that we really need something a touch more comfortable nowadays. I talk to the woman behind the desk to work something out first, then go see another hotel just around the corner to see if we can get a room. Once it is all sorted I pick up a couple of takeaway coffees and toasted snacks for breakfast. Korean bread is very light and a little sweet, not unlike brioche. A chain of stores called Paris Baguette has all kinds of bread snacks such as croque monsieur and french toast, or their versions of. On the way I stop to photograph all the little Kawaii characters adorning the streetscape.

    We pack up our stuff and move around the corner, leaving behind the mountain view. Once settled in to our new room we head off in the direction of the Namdaemun Markets. These aren't just a city block, the markets occupy an entire district with street names like Jewelry Row and Hairtail Alley. Richard is peckish and stops for a fried something on a stick and we press on. I love markets and I also find them intimidating. This one is an assault on the senses. We make our way along the fish alley where stews are bubbling right alongside the narrow footway. After a while we pop out the other side right in front of the Sungnyemun Gate, a solid and imposing structure dating back to the 1400s with a few touch ups over the years. As we consider which direction to go to best see it suddenly a platoon of colourful guards emerges from the subway in front of us and head into the markets. And as suddenly as they appeared, they are gone!

    The gate is situated in the middle of a city intersection with traffic and tall city buildings surrounding it. Standing beneath its arch provides cool relief from the heat of the day and offers a chance to admire the rather impressive dragons that guard the threshold at this point in the western wall.    Read more

  • TravelerNanna and Opa do South Korea
    Day 4

    Chicken and Beer

    September 3, 2019 in South Korea ⋅ ⛅ 24 °C

    Later in the afternoon we take the metro to Seoul main station and head for Seoullo7017 but of course this means negotiating the Seoul station underground labyrinth first. The maps are great. Every exit is numbered and although not every exit has escalators there are 3-D illustrations of the station layout everywhere. You just have to work them out. So we exit somewhere, I am still unsure where and spot a bar. Seems like a good spot to get re-oriented.

    The Seoullo7017 used to be a freeway overpass and it has been turned into a pedestrian walkway with trees and plants and elevated lookouts. It takes us most of the way back to the Sungnyemun Gate which we hoped to see at night under lights. We've arrived too early and don't fancy hanging around so slowly make our way back through the market until we come across a hole in the wall selling fried chicken and beer. That's it. Nothing else. Just fried chicken and beer. Filled a hole.

    We return via the Myeond-dong street markets and eye off tomorrow night's dinner. Oh, and the cat guy, spruiking the cat cafe.    Read more

  • TravelerNanna and Opa do South Korea
    Day 5

    A Palace. A Big One

    September 4, 2019 in South Korea ⋅ 🌧 20 °C

    We deliberately chose accommodation without breakfast to force us to get out and try local. I admit that today's choice didn't require much imagination. Right across the road from us Tous les Jours... Yes, I know. But it was quick and satisfying.

    We've got this Seoul metro thing nailed. One stop on the blue line then change to the orange line. Four stops to Gyeongbokgung. A bit of a trek underground to exit and a few more steps than I'd like and we are there. It's a bit of a drizzly day today but we have come prepared. We spot our first group of young girls in traditional Korean dress or Hanbok. You can hire these not far from the palace then gain free entry to several of the ancient sites so I know we are going to see lots of them, but they make great photos. The weather just means we are going to see less traditional footwear as skirts are hoisted to avoid puddles.

    The palace is beautiful and somehow even more so in the rain. Set against a mountain backdrop and hugged in brooding dark cloud it is a place of serenity even with groups of school tours thronging about. We sit in the outdoor area of the cafe in the grounds to take a load off and enjoy the rain falling on the small lake surrounding one of the many pavillions. A couple of Korean school girls see me and giggling say "hello" in unison. I reply "Annyeong haseyo" and they run away exclaiming "woah!"

    The photos tell more of a story today than I can wax unlyrical although some may have water droplets    Read more

  • TravelerNanna and Opa do South Korea
    Day 6

    Exploring the Traditional Houses

    September 5, 2019 in South Korea ⋅ 🌧 23 °C

    We decided to get breakfast on the go today so we head out in the direction of Bukchon Hanok Village. This part of Seoul has been preserved by the government to retain the character and history of the traditional housing model. There are cafes and stores as well as places where you can see traditional crafts, but many of the houses are occupied as private dwellings. We find a place for breakfast which is mainly pastries, tarts and very strong coffee before diving in to the gradually climbing laneways which eventually bring you to a point where you can look down across the rooves. This also the part of town where you can hire the hanbok so you can wander the streets and sites of Seoul in traditional dress and gain free entry for doing so.Read more

  • TravelerNanna and Opa do South Korea
    Day 7

    Leaving Seoul

    September 6, 2019 in South Korea ⋅ 🌧 23 °C

    We check out a little neighbourhood we hadn't explored previously and find a place selling toasted sandwiches; coffee next door. Not very thrilled with Korean coffee so far. Served in very big cups, and strong and bitter. Today we leave Seoul but first we must pick up the rental car. After checking out we make our way to Dongdaemun and after several false starts finally succeed in locating the office. The first challenge is to get the car up the very narrow spiralling exit from seven floors down and then figure out which direction to head in. The car has Sat Nav and I am quickly able to punch in a general destination. The plan is to fine tune it once we get out of the city.

    We whizz past the Dongdaemun Design Plaza which had been on my hope-to-see list, not least because it could well be the one and only Zaha Hadid project I will ever get to see. Well, I did, ever so briefly. And hit the motorway. I am disoriented, I feel like we are heading in the wrong direction and begin to doubt the navigation but eventually realise that all is good. I had ear-marked a possible place to stop along the way but as we get nearer it feels like it doesn't offer much so we keep going. We make a brief stop beside a river but there is no way to get down to it so after a bit we resume our journey.

    We are headed for Chuncheon after I have read about its fame for being the origin of Chicken Dakgalbi. The Sat Nav takes us straight there. Chuncheon is more of a city than a town. This I was not expecting, but heading into the city centre and finding parking is painless enough. We find the street where the chicken is famous and choose a venue. We sit at a round table with a griller in the centre. A mix of marinated chicken and vegetables is thron onto the grill plate and we are brought a selection of side dishes including whole garlic cloves and lettuce leaves. We later discover that the seats are small bins with padded lids where you can both place your belongings and retrieve an apron. It was definitely worth the detour.

    Our accommodation for tonight is only about half an hour further on but set up a hillside overlooking forest and a small river. It is called the Sicily Pension and with only four rooms and a coffee shop, is set among lovingly cared for gardens.

    We are keeping an eye on the weather as there is a typhoon making its way up the west coast. We think we'll miss the worst of it heading east but we'll probably still encounter some wind and rain.    Read more

  • TravelerNanna and Opa do South Korea
    Day 8

    Through the Mountains

    September 7, 2019 in South Korea ⋅ ☁️ 28 °C

    We take our time this morning and have coffee at the guesthouse before leaving. We then make our way in to Hongcheon for breakfast. While trying to find something we spot a barber, Richard has been wanting to get a haircut since we arrived. While he waits to be served I go to try and find somewhere to eat. I find something with the typical mix of traditional tables alongside more-my-style tables and chairs. The menu is completely in Korean and the servers speak no English but with a combination of hand gestures, image search and my phone app that kind of interprets Hangeul but not brilliantly, I establish that they serve a choice of noodle dishes. I am unsure what exactly is served with the noodles.

    I return to the barber to see the final stage of Richard's haircut and razor treatment then we return to the eatery to see what we are about to have for brunch. It turns out to be a great meal and exactly what I needed after too many pastry and toast breakfasts. One is possibly a red bean paste based sauce, the other has a mix of mussels, octopus, mushrooms and fungi.

    We are now ready to hit the motorway headed for the mountains. The road is about 70km and at least half of that is tunnels. Total toll about $6. The sat nav takes right to the coast before heading into the Seoraksan National Park. Our hotel is a an Anglophile's dream complete with a London bus in the carpark. As we pull in to the carpark we receive another weather warning about the typhoon that's causing some bother on the west coast. We'll have to wait and see what the weather is like tomorrow before we decide what to do.    Read more

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