I just returned from a wonderful trip to Seoul, Korea. This was the first time I had ever really travelled on my own. My husband and I had to take separate flights, he was working the whole time, and I ventured out of my comfort zone in a major way. I had a great time.
Living in a small town as I do, it's easy to get overwhelmed when you suddenly find yourself in a city of over 13 million people. It's huge, hot, crowded and definitely a culture shock. This is only the second foreign country I have ever been to, unless you count Baja, Mexico, which I suppose I would, if I could remember any of it. My friends tell me I had a GREAT time. Oh, and Canada. I've been to Canada. I don't remember much of that either, but for entirely different reasons.
At any rate, I found myself on the streets of Seoul, wandering through huge shopping districts, finding deals on clothes and bags and all sorts of things. I was in shopping heaven. Everything but shoes, that is, since my size 10s were not well represented in the stores. I wandered into a shoe store, and this little woman took one look at my feet and said, "you go back of store...BACK OF STORE," while she waved me through. The largest shoes they had were still at least a size too small.
I also was intrigued by Korean cuisine. I am a very adventurous eater. I have no problem trying anything once, as long as it isn't illegal or won't kill you. After this experience, I was rather unimpressed. I never had anything to eat that I immediately wanted to find the recipe for. Koreans eat kimchi with every meal, and kimchi is rather...pungent. It is cabbage mixed with lots of chilis and spices and is then fermented for a while. Need I say more? Most of downtown Seoul smelled like kimchi. Well, that, and other things that weren't nearly so appealing. I also verified my belief that many Korean foods were actually started as bar dares after drinking too much Jinro. LIVE BABY OCTOPUS????? I mean, really.
The Korean people in general were very nice. I am fairly certain they spent a lot of time talking about me behind my back, however. I was alone, which seemed unusual, and I am very tall, so I had no chance of blending. Every time I would leave a store, the chattering would increase to breakneck speeds as the owners leaned out of their doors to watch me and my big feet leave.
I went to the DMZ for a sobering experience. And the tour I took of two palaces was truly breathtaking.
Did I mention the shopping?
I had a great time, and I was really proud of myself for branching out and not being too nervous to leave the hotel room.
And did I mention the shopping?
Living in a small town as I do, it's easy to get overwhelmed when you suddenly find yourself in a city of over 13 million people. It's huge, hot, crowded and definitely a culture shock. This is only the second foreign country I have ever been to, unless you count Baja, Mexico, which I suppose I would, if I could remember any of it. My friends tell me I had a GREAT time. Oh, and Canada. I've been to Canada. I don't remember much of that either, but for entirely different reasons.
At any rate, I found myself on the streets of Seoul, wandering through huge shopping districts, finding deals on clothes and bags and all sorts of things. I was in shopping heaven. Everything but shoes, that is, since my size 10s were not well represented in the stores. I wandered into a shoe store, and this little woman took one look at my feet and said, "you go back of store...BACK OF STORE," while she waved me through. The largest shoes they had were still at least a size too small.
I also was intrigued by Korean cuisine. I am a very adventurous eater. I have no problem trying anything once, as long as it isn't illegal or won't kill you. After this experience, I was rather unimpressed. I never had anything to eat that I immediately wanted to find the recipe for. Koreans eat kimchi with every meal, and kimchi is rather...pungent. It is cabbage mixed with lots of chilis and spices and is then fermented for a while. Need I say more? Most of downtown Seoul smelled like kimchi. Well, that, and other things that weren't nearly so appealing. I also verified my belief that many Korean foods were actually started as bar dares after drinking too much Jinro. LIVE BABY OCTOPUS????? I mean, really.
The Korean people in general were very nice. I am fairly certain they spent a lot of time talking about me behind my back, however. I was alone, which seemed unusual, and I am very tall, so I had no chance of blending. Every time I would leave a store, the chattering would increase to breakneck speeds as the owners leaned out of their doors to watch me and my big feet leave.
I went to the DMZ for a sobering experience. And the tour I took of two palaces was truly breathtaking.
Did I mention the shopping?
I had a great time, and I was really proud of myself for branching out and not being too nervous to leave the hotel room.
And did I mention the shopping?
