Last day in Seoul with video

I had a lovely time in Seoul, and wish I could have stayed just one more day. There were so many charming shops and cafés near my little hanok (traditional house).

I’ll share a few short videos of more places that I told you about. Remember in my last post, I mentioned Shin’s Old Tea House in Insadong? It’s one of my favorite haunts in Seoul. I forgot to share a video that shows just a little of its charm. There are traditional tables and curios in a kind of garden patio atmosphere, even though it is enclosed. Check it out:

VIDEO: Shin’s Old Tea House in Insadong, Seoul. I’m drinking iced omija tea, one of my summer favorites.

I’d also like to share some video of the heart of the Dongdaemun shopping district, where I did some craft shopping, as well as some photos of the exterior of Gyeongbokgung Palace, where you can see the guards in traditional costumes. It was a hot day so I think they might have been suffering a little!

VIDEO: Cheonggyecheon Stream is part of an urban green space in Dongdaemun, in the heart of the biggest shopping district in Korea. All the buildings you see are shopping complexes.

PHOTOS: at top, Dongdaemun Design Plaza night view. Next, a map of the Dongdaemun area. The other photos show Gyeongbokgung Palace and the esplanade in front of it, with a distant statue of King Sejong that is visible. The area south of Gyeongbokgung is home to many embassies, including the U.S.

I had time to visit the lovely Bukcheon hanok village, too, which is a UNESCO World Heritage site. It is full of shops, guesthouses, and cafés housed in beautifully-preserved hanok. You hardly know you are in the middle of one of the world’s biggest cities.

VIDEO: short clip of a few hanok in Bukcheon.

PHOTO: map of the Bukcheon hanok village area

The morning I left Seoul, I had a simple but hearty brunch at a restaurant down the alley from my place, called As Like. The fare and ambiance were in modern contrast to my 48 hours spent in Old Korea. Here’s my plate of perfect shrimp-avocado toast and fresh greens:

PHOTOS: Modern all-day brunch at the restaurant As Like in Tongui-dong. Streamlined decor and healthy dishes.

PHOTOS: Photo at left – Kakao Friends, popular characters in the Kakao messaging app, have their own stuffed-animal shops in Korea. Can you choose just one of these squishy cuties? Photo at right – finally home with coffee and postcards. I found out that I still can’t use airmail in Korea for overseas letters, however – that service is still suspended due to the pandemic.

Thanks for reading! I’ll be back again soon with my current craft WIPs, and a view of what high summer looks like in my neighborhood. See you again soon!