Korea's got Seoul! Ba-dum-ch! (drum crash)

It may be true that other countries have some "one-ups" on Korea like public trash cans or avocadoes, but one thing that Korea has that no other country has is Seoul... Ba-Dum-Ch!  Seoul, the capital of Korea, is definitely an interesting place, and has a lot to see.  Danny and I have been there a few times, and we haven't even made a dent in seeing all there is to see!  This last time we were in Seoul, I don't know if it was the great weather or the great friends or the great food or the great sites that we saw, but I fell in love with the city even more.

We started our long weekend exploring a nearby night market.  Walking past steaming pots of food and tons of people crowded on little stools waiting for their meal just gets you in the mood to eat.  If you want to get a taste of the Korean culture (ba-dum-ch... man I am full of one-liners today ; ) walk through a market and you will see some fascinating things.

There are some great things to eat and then some not so great things.  The kimbap and chopchae looked awesome, but I could easily walk past the intestines and pig knuckles without a second glance.  Also, I will say that I will be sad the day that I can't buy fruit off the back of a cart.  It may not be the suave and "clean" Whole Foods kinds of scene, but you get the feeling that they just litterally picked the fruit, threw it on a cart and you get to enjoy it for a reasonable price!  Seriously, Korean fruit just tastes better for some reason, so if you come to Seoul don't be scared to try the bananas (yum), grapes (oh goodness), or the strawberries (my favorite!).

We passed all of the temptations up, however, to get what we were really after...bin dae ddeok.  I have mentioned it before, but this is a fantastic snack that you have to try.  If you are watching your weight, avoid these fried meat pancakes at all cost, but if you want to try something unforgettable, don't pass these up!  Everyone tells you to try pajeon (Korean green onion pancake) but I say forget that and have bin dae ddeok!  There are awesome little restuarants all along the market (I think it is the Daerim Market, but just go near the Dongdaemun area) and all you have to do is choose one, order some Makoli and make friends with all of the after work partying Koreans who are usually eager to practice their English after a few beers : )

Seoul, in general, is just a cool city at night.  You can see plenty in the day, but I feel like "real Korea" comes out at night.  There are lit-up signs and flashing lights everywhere and you can tell that tons of Koreans who just got off work are looking to blow off some steam.  I heard about it, but didn't really know what it meant, but a big part of Korea's culture is drinking.  Drinking with your friends, drinking with your family, drinking with your coworkers, and basically drinking with anybody you can find. About every few feet you can find a beer and soju "Hof" or bar where there are probably plenty of well dressed, shiny suited, businessmen taking some time to relax before they go home.  Maybe that's why I never feel unsafe walking around this huge city at night, everybody is too busy relaxing to bother you ; )

Another especially great way that Korean's love to blow off steam is singing No Rae Bang.  I gotta tell you I wasn't so sure about it at first, but as you can tell by my excitement to sing "Everybody" by the Backstreet Boys, I am all for it now!  Our great South African friends, Greg and Gabi, are fantastic No Rae Bang-ers (better than me for SURE!) so there is always sure to be an epic list of hits.  I mean how could you go wrong (besides blowing out your voice on the first song) by singing "We Built this City on Rock n' Roll" as Danny and Greg are doing?  YOU CAN'T!  That's the answer you were looking for!

The weekend just kept getting better and better.  We went to Taco Bell in Itaewon (which should basically be called "Foreigner Town" seeing that you see non-Koreans all over the place) and ate a Nachos Bell Grande, a bean burrito, a Crunchwrap Supreme, and other delicious treats.  Danny vowed to never eat at Taco Bell after he "supposedly" found an eyeball in a taco, but even he was happy after he filled his belly with Mexican food!

Jumping for joy... it's Taco Bell time, baby!

While we were in Seoul, it also happened to be the lantern festival so Cheonggyecheon Creek, which flows through the middle of downtown, was glowing with lanterns.

An amazing tiger latern.

We also got to catch the Lantern Parade and we again got to see some truly impressive lanterns.  Some shaped like tigers, elephants, flowers, fish, and my favorite, owls.  I thought that the Festival of Light's Parade in Colorado Springs was impressive, but people walking with thousands of lanterns glowing in the night is pretty hard to beat.



Greg, Gabi, Danny, and I catching the Latern Parade.

The weekend in Seoul was awesome so far, but my favorite part was for sure our time at Hangang Park.  Right by the river, there is a huge park that basically follows most of the river.  If you get off at Yeouinaru exit you will come right to Hangang Park full of places to ride bikes, picnic, play in foutains, and you can even learn how to water ski!

We decided to first rent bikes to ride along the river which only cost about $5 for 2 hours!  You got to choose from some awesome cruiser bikes, and seeing that it was the first day I didn't have to wear a jacket, I was in heaven.  

It's always great to see Korean people out and about doing outdoorsy activities with their families.  Koreans work long hours and go to school for long hours so it almost seems like they don't get much family time, so I was happy to see lots of people taking advantage of the great day.

There are all kinds of little stores and stalls along the river, so as we were riding we saw a stand that sold cream puffs that were about the size of your face.  It was irresistable so we screeched to a halt a bought a few.  A guy took your puff, stuck it on a nozzle, and let a machine fill it up with delicious "shoo cream".  Danny and I have made it a tradition to buy anything we can find filled with this magic custard-like cream and these puffs seemed to top them all.


Oh yes... you are mine, Cream Puff!

Now back track, we road for a few miles along the river.  The Hangang river is pretty cool, and seeing it from a bike is, in my opinion, the best way to see it.  You get to ride under all different kinds of cool bridges, and just enjoy the large and beautiful Seoul skyline.

After we had gotten our fill of riding our cruisers we parked ourselves right by a huge fountain full of kids.  This fountain is probably the best place I've found in Korea to satisfy my love for Korean kids.  Yes, Danny calls it creepy, but I just think that Korean kids are the cutest thing ever and I found if you throw in a pool, the cuteness factor goes through the roof!  (And, NO, it's not creepy!... I hope) 


Water + kids = cute.



We spend the rest of our hours lounging in the sun and cherishing the fact that it was a Monday and we weren't at work.  The simple things in life are definitely the best, so if you are looking for a great, and cheap, day in Seoul, go to the river!

So much is possible in Seoul, and this post is already getting to a ridiculous length, so I will end on a full stomach, courtesy of On the Border... 



Before...

Our South African friends come from a tradgic background... one empty of Mexican food.  Apparently people don't really eat many tacos or burritos in S.A., so funnily enough, coming to Korea for Greg and Gabi has meant gaining an obsession for Mexican food, as well as many other things.  Because we love Mexican food and will eat it whenever we get the chance, we knew that the best way to end a top notch weekend in Seoul would be to stuff ourselves at On the Border.  On the Border is so far the ONLY Mexican place in Korea that gives you free chips and salsa so once I knew they did, that sealed the deal.  I personally rate a Mexican restuarant on how good the FREE chips and salsa are, so when Korean people charge you $7 for a small plate of store bought chips and salsa and have the nerve to call them "nachos" my heart breaks a little.  Needless to say, we had about 10 baskets of free chips and salsa, and I'm pretty sure that our Korean server was about to cut us off if we didn't stop.  We ate guacamole, enchiladas, burritos, beans and rice till we were about to pop.  I did consider the sopapillas even though I thought I might puke but I thought that might be pushing it. 

After.

Danny and I finally loaded the train after a truly fantastic weekend.  We may have been a few pounds heavier but I choose to believe we were full of good memories instead of chips and salsa.  Seoul may not be the first place you think of when coming to Asia, but if you take the time to stop over, I bet you won't be disappointed... just as long as you stay away from the pig intestines... ba-dum-ch!

I gotta feeling tonight's gonna be a good night... Korean style!

I feel like I've been doing a lot of videos lately but it's just fun to show you what Korean kids are like.  We all have our differences, but it's fun to realize that even though they don't speak my language (very much) kids are kids all over the world.  And sometimes Korean kids are even funnier that kids in America! For example:  this week Danny was able to get all the boys in the camp to run laps around the classrooms cheering and doing boyish/Braveheartish war cries.  They weren't foreign kids at that point, they were just funny little boys... including Danny ; )



So a little while ago I shared Danny's ABC rap with you guys so I thought I would show you what my group does.  It's fun to see the kids get into it, and this group was especially fun so I had a great time.  Enjoy!

** Oh and stay tuned for another post involving a Korean hiking club.  Somehow (gulp!) we got convinced to go on another hiking trip, and if you read our last experience on the "party train", I think you will like this one too!  Let's just say it was another memory maker : )

Our Korean Apartment, Part 2

Danny and I finally wanted to show you all our new apartment.  We live about 10 minutes across town from our last place in a different neighborhood and although we don't live above a No Rae Bang, it's a nice place ; )  Enjoy!

And on another note, Danny and I have been missing home a lot lately.  Our goal is to come home for a visit in the late summer, but the ticket prices are pretty crazy right now : (  If you could just pray that we could somehow find a good deal, that would be much appreciated.  Also, if you could leave some comments about how awful Chipotle burritos have been lately, or how ugly Colorado mountains are, or how even thinking about taking a long refreshing sip of Fat Tire beer makes you want to gag... that would be great ; )  Thanks!

Korean Food... so many great foods, so little time!

Danny and I really had only eaten Korean food once before we came so basically all Korean food that we have had has been new to us.  I didn't think I would be a fan of Korean food, but oh how I was wrong!  Of course there are still things that I will avoid like the plague, but now there are foods that I can't do without.  Here is just a sampling of some of the BEST and some of the WORST...

Bin dae ddoek:  A fried potato pancake with beef in it... oh my goodness delicious.

On the right: kimbap ~ a "california roll" often filled with egg, ham, radish, spinach, carrot, green onion, and rice all wrapped in seaweed.

On the left you can see a few different things: In the very front you see pigs feet (I've never had them but I don't particularly want to eat knuckles), then you see the kimbap, then we have ddeok boki ~ rice cake covered in a red pepper sauce usually with cabbage and fish cake pieces in it, then last but not least chop chae ~ rice noodles with a kind of soy sauce marinade mixed with green onion, carrots, peppers and beef.

My absolute favorite: Dak albi, a spicy chicken dish that will blow your mind.  Cooked with cabbage, ddoek or rice cake, leeks, sesame leaves, and mixed with rice at the very end.  Seriously good... seriously.

Jimdak: Andong is most famous for this dish and it is really good and REALLY spicy.  We always have to get is "waygook-in" style (or foreigner style) which means waaaay less spicy.  It's a dish made with chicken, spinach, potatoe, carrot, onion, pepper, and rice noodles all in a delicious garlic-y, soy sauc-y, seasame oil-y sauce.  It's a must try.

Bulgogi ~ a classic Korean dish that most people know about.  It is thinly sliced meat cooked in a marinade with onion, pepper, garlic, and rice noodles.  Eat it in a lettuce leaf with some gochujang (red pepper sauce) and you'll never go wrong!

Another classic: Bibimbap.  I prefer dolsot bibimbap which is on the right but they are both good.  The difference is dolsot bibimbap is given to you in a hot stone pot so the rice around the outside gets crispy and delicious.  Bibimbap is made with all kinds of different steamed veggies, usually an egg, and a good amount of gochujang sauce.  

Ssam bap:  this food is a great way to try all kinds of Korean dishes.  Ssam bap is basically a crazy ton of small side dishes that you put in a lettuce or sesame leaf and eat in one big bite.  You can see zucchini, lotus root, fermented mussles, anchovies, spinach, steamed egg, denjang chigae (soy bean soup), and lots more.

If you are in the mood for meat: Galbi or ssam gyup sal is also classic in Korean food.  This Korean barbeque is usually pork, and if you are splurging, beef, marinaded and grilled on a open fire.  My mouth is watering just thinking about it.

An acquired taste: although I didn't know what to think about it at first, kimchi chigae is a soup that has grown on me.  Make with kimchi, tofu, fish, onion, and lots of other vegetables, it may not be your favorite at first, but keep trying it.

Another acquired taste:  kimchi is one of those things most either hate it or love it.  I wasn't really a fan when we first moved to Korea but I have found that I actually enjoy eating fermented cabbage (I never thought I would say that!)  Made with cabbage, red pepper powder, lots of garlic, anchovies, and lots of other mystery ingredients, it doesn't really sound good when you describe it but just keep trying it.

A soup that will rock your world:  Shabu shabu is technically from Japan, but the "Koreanized" version is amazing.  It's a spicy broth soup with mushrooms, different kinds of green, onions and thinly sliced beef.  This all comes to a boil and then you add the udon noodles and this makes it delectable.  My favorite part, though, isn't till the end when you mix rice, egg and some of the broth together to make a fried rice that is a life changer.  This is a must try!

For your sweet tooth:  It makes me sad that in most places in Korea, this is a winter food, but hoddeok is a street snack that I hate that I love it so much.  A cinnamon and sugar filled fried pancake-doughnut is really hard to go wrong with.  This food may be some of the few "bad for you" Korean food but, Oh, it is so good!

Now foods that I can just do without...

If you are in the mood for bugs and snails: On the right you can see bundaegi or silk worm larvae.  Let's just say it smells horrible and I think it tastes just the same.  Then you can see golbangi or tiny snails.  Danny says these aren't that bad, but a bag of peanuts or popcorn sounds a heck of a lot better to me ; ) Older generations love these snacks but I can say with all confidence that I will never eat them again.

Octopus:  you can have it many different ways but this is one dish that I still haven't found a taste for.  Give me some calamari and I'll be happy but there is just something about the consistency of boiled, chewy octopus that doesn't light my fire.

KFC... not so much:  there is just something about fried chicken with the head still on that makes me want to say, "I'll pass."

Traditional festival food:  at festivals in America you might find deep fried candy bars or grilled turkey legs (yum), but in Korea you find things that are a little bit different.  Grilled squid is a common sight along with soon dae (or blood sausage) which is intestines stuffed with rice noodles a pig's blood.  Yeah, not the same as a funnel cake, huh?

Never tried, never will:  I know a lot of people are afraid of accidentaly eating or being fed dog when they come to Asia, and for a while it was a fear of mine too.  Although dog is eaten in Korea, you mostly have to go out of your way to try it.  Danny and I stumbled upon the dog section of our market, to which I let out a little scream, but I thought for this purpose it would be better just to show you the outside of a shop that the actual dog. Your welcome, Mom ; )

Dried fish:  it is in a lot dishes in Korea and when it is combined with other things, I don't mind it, but dried fish is something that I haven't made an afternoon snack.  People say the bigger dried fish on the grill with a beer is an awesome combination, but I think I'll just wait for a big salmon fillet when I finally go home, thank you very much.

One of those foods that you will say, "What is that?":  as you walk through the market or you see people on a picnic snacking on a marbled looking food you might wonder what that is.  Well, compressed pig's head is the answer.  A pig's head is boiled, and with the skull removed, compressed cartalage and all until it is a nice little cube.  The crunch and the flavor of the meat is in one word "gross".  

Well that's all the food I've got for now!  Hopefully, I will continue to try as many different Korean foods as I can, and if you have the chance, you should too. Sometimes you may be sorry you put something in your mouth but if I hadn't tried, I wouldn't have found my passion for Korean food... and I only hope that I can find a place in Colorado one day that will satisfy our cravings.

Danny's ABC Rap... WHA?!

Every week we have to do a performance with the kids at the end of the camp.  This can either be really great or a slow form of torture, but either way it is fun to see what kind of show the kids end up with.  Of course, Danny's is usually awesome (mine on the other hand can go either way), but how can you go wrong when doing an ABC Rap?  Hope you enjoy!