Ah, it feels good to be back. This city and I, we get along really well.
Imma be honest - I've been taking it easy in Seoul compared to my first few whirlwind days last year. I just wanted to do and see everything at once. I got all tuckered out too quickly. Now that I've seen some things once, I either don't have to go back or know how to plan my time more wisely.
So here I am thinking I'm so on the ball, I ordered a SIM card from a company with good reviews and better prices than most. They have a main office kind of far from where I am, but they offer pick-up service for the card at several different outside travel companies. There was one called "Seoul Easy Tour" in Edae, the district next to where I am in Shinchon, so a few weeks before I arranged to pick it up there the day after I got to Seoul. Easy, right? Well...what had happened was...
Seoul Easy Tour no longer exists. It closed down an undeterminable time ago and the office where it was is completely empty, and the website has not been updated to reflect the changes. Boo. I put on my big-girl britches and went to the next closest pick-up spot that was still open (the main office closes on the weekends) at Seoul Station, and proceeded to get lost for at least 30 minutes before realizing the travel agency is at Seoul Station Airport Train station, which it connects to, but is separate. Crap.
When I FINALLY find the place, the lady is sympathetic, but says that since it's the weekend, she's unable to contact the SIM card company because it's closed, and I can come back the following day. Thank heavens I decided to start traveling on Tuesday instead of Monday so I can do this. True to her word, the next day the lady calls them up and explains the situation, and has my SIM card ready and installed in 5 minutes.
They also have a computer that I pay to use because the airline I want to book a flight to Jeju Island on will only accept payment from INTERNET EXPLORER. Wait, what the, what?!? Who on this green earth still uses Internet Explorer? P.S. I have a Mac, so not even possible. Oh South Korea, your technology is so advanced in so many ways...how did this one slip through the cracks?
Anyhow, I spent a couple of days wandering around some of my favorite areas - Edae, Shinchon, Hongdae, Myungdong. Mostly window-shopping, but I found a pair of canvas sneakers after trying on pairs in several stores, some of whom told me my feet were too big for their ladies' shoe sizes. Awesome. I love being told that. I'm a size 8.5 US, btw. Just call me Sasquatch.
Ok, I really did have a mostly lovely time. Now that my rant is over, here are some pictures:
3 comments:
So are the new shoes for touring on the island? Are they "hot pink"? You know your Dad would love them!!
The egg cheese bread looks so good. Di you get to go in the cathedral? Im glad you got the sim card worked out.
Marce - I went in the cathedral, but a bunch of people were silently praying and my phone makes a sound when it takes a picture, so it felt a little inappropriate. It was nice inside, but nothing spectacular.
Mom - they're all white, actually. Dad wouldn't be able to recognize me.
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