Yongsan, Namdaemun and Hyehwa

After a long Friday night of fried chicken, tall cans of smuggled Cass Maekju and noraebang (3rd time, you should hear me wail Cyndi Lauper with a cold and tambourine), Saturday afternoon found Justin and myself scouting new neighbourhoods, new marketplaces, and expensive student nightspots (expensive means 5 dollar drinks). Yongsan hosts an ultramodern department store jammed to the ceiling with cell phones, computer parts, cameras and anything else you can find with more that 2GBs of memory.

After sorting out Justin's new mobile we headed for Namdaemun, which is a more traditional neighbourhood with alleyways lined with street vendors selling small dead pigs alongside knock-off Louis Vuitton (the correct spelling required research) handbags, munch-able silkworm larvae in front of Korean soccer jerseys. Quite a mishmash! Namdaemun also is the site of one of Seoul's ancient gates, a part of the fortified wall that once encircled the city. Its now in the middle of a traffic circle. God bless progress!

I've been to Hyehwa twice now, its a rather busy area full of restaraunts, bars, pubs and shopping. Lots of lights and people, but lots of fun as well.

BBQ Pork (Korean Style!) in Hyehwa - cook it yourself, cut it with scissors, roll it up in lettuce and mint leaves and enjoy. Check out all the side dishes! Thats fermented cabbage front/right - Watch for the Korean Cuisine blog installment... coming soon