Philippines: Manila, Batad, Puerto Princessa
Philippines
Seoul Part 2
The morning was cool. Empty. People don't seem to move in the streets before 0600. However the subway was busy. A woman by the subway entrance 200 meters from my hostel was selling 2,000 won sushi. The spontaneous breakfast was super tasty. It was warm and fresh and filling. Best 1.80 USD I spent.
The subway has a fluidity to it. Everyone moves in unison. Seoul moves like an organism. Everyone seemed sorta drone-like. People seem to line up in an orderly manner when boarding the train car. And the car is silent from people fiddling with their devices. Hypnotized by their gadgets. However, I'd say this is quite normal behavior these days. What is really impressive is how Seoul's subways are impressively clean and well kept. If you refer to the video you may notice that the floors and walls are white. The floors are free of shoe marks. Free from stains and signs of wear. It's evident that Seoul takes great care of its infrastructure.
I arrived at Gyeongbokgung palace 2 hours earlier than opening time. Palace hours are 09:00-18:00. As a lover of food, I decided to venture around the city and see what I can try. A decided to ask a stranger for some help - perhaps she could point me in the right direction. She knew no English. My Korean vocabulary was only comprised of thank you and hello. The Converse app is my go to when trying to communicate. This is another reason why having international coverage is extremely helpful. No wifi necessary to translate that I would like to find a place that serves traditional Korean food. A 15 minute walk led us to a place I cannot pronounce. But the long line outside made me curious. This is actually an exception to one of my rules - I tend to avoid places with trip advisor stickers because it robs the place of its authenticity (or at least that's how I feel). When I know that a location is a common tourist spot I tend to steer in a different direction. But after the kind lady walked all this way I disregarded those green stickers.
Mugyodong pollack soup. Their signature soup is what I everyone seemed to be ordering. You usually can have it cooked with your choice of seafood chicken or pork. Condiments at the table are there for you to design the taste to your liking. Make it as spicy or salty as you wish. I've noticed that the same condiments are common in every other restaurant I had visited. Kimchee, pajeori, and chili suace are available with every meal. It was tasty and filling. In fact I was already full from the sushi I had earlier in the morning but the soup was still delicious.
09:30. 8 USD gets you pass to 5 different palaces. Gyeongbokgung was the main one I wanted to visit because it's a partially reconstruction from the Joseon Dynasty. Dating back to the late 12th century Korea it was a the first established form of government in the city of Gyeongju Which is now known as Seoul until it was destroyed in the Imjin war when the Japanese invaded. The palace was burned to the ground. It was partially restored in the 1980s to give us a view into the Joseon period.
A visit to Gyeongbokgung can take several hours as the grounds cover a large area. The entire group of palaces are definitely going to consume the majority of a day. Keep this in mind when planning a visit.
NOTE:
The highlight of my day was myeongdong night market. Shoe shops, food stands, restaurants, outlets of all kinds exist here. You can find squid on a stick, crab cakes, lobster, sweet and sour chicken, a very appetite friendly zone. So much food to try, it can make you too full to subway back to your hostel. An Uber ride was my only option by the end of my visit here.