Mother & Seoul: A Korean Travel Itinerary

Nobody could have planned it better, not even the professional tour operators in Seoul.

Even before my mother and sister got their tourist visas, I already had an itinerary for their week-long stay in Seoul. So when they first stepped into South Korea, everything just happened as planned. 

I know Seoul like the back of my hand, so to speak. Drop me blindfolded on any part of the city and I'd still be able to find my way to Itaewon just using the bus; no taxis, no subway.  After many years of exploring Seoul, I can tell you which part of the city is more interesting than the other. Of course, interest is relative; what interests one tourist may not interest another. 

I have friends from the Philippines who signed up on these package tours and stayed in Korea for days, only to be whisked to some so-called 'Korean traditional shops' and were milked as 'captive markets', literally, for things they weren't interested in. Others complained to me about being forced into the Han River cruise at night where they saw nothing but lighted apartments and the expressway traffic.

But knowing all these tourist spots' location in Seoul has enabled me to give my friends five-hour tours around Seoul during their stopovers at Incheon International Airport, and I doubt if anyone has ever replicated my feats.

My mom isn't into Korean cosmetics or Korean dramas, or k-pop. She and my sister just wanted to sightsee and savor the local cuisine. I planned to show them more.

(Airport taxis are another convenient way to Seoul)

So from Incheon International Airport, the most convenient transport for us was the airport taxi. Taking the airport bus with our almost empty pieces of luggage (almost empty as we reserved them for our shopping!) would still be a hassle as the airport bus stop was about 200 meters from my apartment in the Dongdaemun District in Seoul, and that's a long walk for tired travelers. With the airport taxi, we would be dropped off at my apartment's doorstep. 

For a six-day, five-night stay in Korea, here are the places my mom and my sister got to see in Seoul, riding the subway, bus, and taxi:

1ST DAY 

Arrival in Seoul at night. The weather during the week was a mix of yellow dust, rain, and sun. I had to adjust our daily itinerary to avoid exposing ourselves to the irritating yellow dust.

2ND DAY

It rained during the day, which was a good thing because we were able to sleep in after a late night arrival.

But when the rain stopped in the late afternoon, the three of us took a cab going to Myeongdong. This was more convenient for us and didn't cost that much compared to taking the subway or bus since there's the three of us traveling. 

Myeongdong Cathedral
Being Catholics, we had to visit the premier place of worship for Catholics in South Korea.

         (My mom at the Myeongdong Cathedral)

Myeongdong food alley
From desserts to barbecues to roasted chestnuts, this food alley is a must for tourists eager to enjoy the local delicacies and snacks.

Mandu (dumpling) restaurant 
We visited my favorite mandu restaurant in Myeongdong for dinner; their big-sized mandu never fails to give me a 'burp!'.

                  (Our very filling mandu dinner)

My mom couldn't get over the huge, sweet chestnuts (castañas) being sold at the Myeongdong food alley. For KRW5,000, she got a pack and a lot of childhood memories when she used to enjoy castañas at home during Christmas when she was a kid.


3RD DAY

Dongmyo toy alley
We had to buy toys from the kids back home, and this place is just five minutes by subway from my apartment! How convenient!

NPH bag market
From the toy alley, we simply walked towards the Dongdaemun Design Plaza and stopped at the bag market before they closed at noon. The bag market opens the night and closes before noon the next day. We went there around 10AM. Do bring cash.

                        (Bags! Bags! Bags!)

Jogyesa Temple
My mom loves colorful flowers, and I remember the Jogyesa Temple has its own flower festival. I also needed to show her the unique architecture of the temple, which you don't see in the Philippines.

                  (The colors of Jogyesa Temple)

Insadong
From the temple, we crossed over to Insadong and walked around to see the unique shops selling traditional Korean wares and souvenirs.

                   (Insadong has unique shops)

Namsan Tower
From Insadong, a cab ride brought us to the Namsan cable car, where we got our ride going up the Seoul Tower.

                (Heart-to-heart at Seoul Tower)

Going back home, we took the Namsan Bus No. 3 from the tower and got off at Beotigogae Station from where we took a cab going home to Dongdaemun.

Dinner @ Bella's home
After dropping off our things at my apartment, we rushed to Bella's home in the Jungrang District riding a cab with pasalubong (presents) on hand for her. She and her Korean family treated us to an authentic Korean home-style cooking! 

4TH DAY

Brunch @ Original Pancake Story 
We went to my old neighborhood of Hannam-dong in the Yongsan District to have brunch at Original Pancake Story, a brunch place cited by CNN as one of the best in Seoul. 

                       (Pancakes, anyone?)

Garuso-gil
Since Garuso-gil was just across the river, we took a cab and in five minutes, we were at the Garuso-gil in the Gangnam District. 

Garuso-gil is an interesting street full of uptown shops, restaurants, and cafés. We had our taste of green tea patpingsu there.

(Green tea patpingsu and green tea drink topped with green tea ice cream)

Lotte World Tower
Since we already climbed up Namsan, why not go higher? 

                  (The tallest building in Korea)

The Lotte World Tower is the fifth tallest in the world. Since we didn't want to be caught in traffic during rush hour, we decided not to go up the tower. At least, my mom and my sister saw up close the tallest building in South Korea.

           (My mom enjoying the Lotte World Mall)

Dongdaemun's Homeplus supermarket
From the Lotte World Tower, we left just before rush hour kicked in and headed to Dongdaemun District Office building, which was right next to Homeplus, a Korean supermarket chain where we bought some Korean snacks and choco pie.

5TH DAY

Yongsan Station
Our friend Gail, whose apartment is in the Yongsan District, was throwing a lunch for us. We took Subway Line 1 from my apartment to Yongsan Station; it took less than 20 minutes.

I showed my mom and my sister the center of Yongsan Station, which is a major train station (next to Seoul Station) for KTX trains headed to the provinces. The station has a mall and cinemas, where I saw up close Nicolas Cage and Tom Cruise in person during their movies' premiere.

Lunch @ Gail's home
Bringing our piayas from Bacolod, my mom and my sister were able to meet my Filipina friends in Seoul over a lunch and coffee.

Namdaemun Market
From lunch, Maria gave us a ride to Namdaemun Market, where we had the popular hotteok and bought more Korean souvenirs.

(Namdaemun or Sungnyemun Gate is Korea's National Treasure No. 1)

Dongdaemun Design Plaza
Night food fair @ Dongdaemun Design Plaza
After resting the whole afternoon, we headed down to the Dongdaemun Design Plaza where a food fair was going on.

The back area of DDP was full of food trucks and people. This was a Friday night.

6TH DAY

Cheongnyangni Fruit Market

Since we were leaving at night, we had time in the morning to buy fresh strawberries, pears and chestnuts at my neighborhood fruit market, the biggest one north of the Han River. 

                   (The freshest strawberries)

Lunch @ Lotte - Cheongnyangni Station
We took it easy on our last day, waking up late and headed down to the nearest mall at Cheongnyangni Station.

Departure for Cebu International Airport
At 5PM, our reserved airport cab picked us up from my apartment. Our flight was at 10PM and since we had nothing else to do, we just left for the Incheon Airport after an afternoon nap. 

It was a Saturday afternoon and the traffic was bad at the expressways up to the Mapo District. I made sure we had time even though we already checked in online.


We all have a blast traveling around Seoul together. After all, this city is my third home and it was fun introducing Seoul to them like a local.

So, if you also want to have a lazy sightseeing tour around Seoul without the needlessly forced visits to shops and drama sites you're not interested in, you can follow our itinerary and have fun like we did!

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Tips:
1. Since there's a kimbap restaurant on the ground floor of my apartment building, I simply ordered take-out for our daily breakfast.

2. During weekdays, we avoid traveling during the rush hour in the morning (8-9:30AM) and early evening (5:30 to 7PM)

3. Don't exchange all your money at the banks at Incheon Airport. There are money changers at Myeongdong and Dongdaemun shopping areas that give better rates.

4. Bring your own eco bags when going to supermarkets. They don't provide shopping bags.

5. Bring face masks during yellow dust season. Check the Korean weather bureau's website for alerts before you head out every day:

https://web.kma.go.kr/eng/

6. Give enough time for your ride back to Incheon Airport for your flight back home. From Seoul, two hours may be enough. Also, make sure to check in online if you can to afford you a less crowded line at the check-in counter.

7. There's a digital weighing scale at the departure area if you want to make sure you're within your baggage allowance limit. If you have exceeded your limit, you can always transfer non-liquid things from your luggage to your hand-carry bag. I have done this with fruits, like strawberries and pears, and roasted chestnuts.

8. Have fun!

Dongdaemun's Secrets: Ancient Rites, Medicinal Herbs & Cheapest Fruits!

Tourists visiting Seoul, Korea, would always think about shopping galore when they think of 'Dongdaemun'. 

There are the all-night shopping, a night market for bags-to-die-for, a huge market full of fabrics, and a toy alley! But ask any local, and he or she would tell you that the Dongdaemun District has a lot of other interesting things to offer other than shopping. 

Well, you can ask any local. Or you can ask me. :-)

                         (Buphwa Temple)

When I first moved into my new neighborhood in the Dongdaemun District, I explored its alleys and markets. That day, I was so surprised at the hidden treasures my new neighborhood offerred its new resident!

I could not believe the various interesting spots just within a kilometer of my apartment building!  Surprised and impressed, I bragged about it!

So, I invited my friends for a tour around Jedi-dong so that they would also enjoy the places, food, and the cheapest fresh fruits this side of Seoul I get to enjoy on a daily basis!

1. Buphwa-sa
On our way to our first stop, Seonnongdan, we first stopped by a most interesting Buddhist temple, Buphwa Temple, whose building walls were decorated with excerpts of the teaching of Buddha. This temple is a few meters upon turning right from Exit 1 of Jegidong Station (Line 1).

          (A most charming interpretation of the 
      Bodhi tree with lights hanging on its 'branches')


At the temple's lobby, a sitting Buddha greets worshippers with an elegant replica of the Bodhi Tree interpreted with wooden thin slabs emanating from the floor and rising towards the ceiling, and hanging from it are lights covered with hanji (Korean traditional paper) that provided illumination, as well as enlightenment perhaps, to everyone seeking peace and guidance.

2. Seonnongdan
A few minutes of fun strolling from the Bupwha Temple (from Exit 1 of Jegidong Station) is Seonnongdan, an ancient site where the kings of the Joseon Dynasty offered prayers to the gods of agriculture since 1475.

(This place of traditional royal ritual dating

as far back as the 15th century is a hidden 

historical gem inside a residential neighborhood. 

Ingrid and Veronica are actually standing on the grounds of Seonnongdan. 

The Museum is below them.)

(Ingrid, Kristine and Gail posing in front of the 600-year old tree!)

(The walls of the house in front of Seonnongdan were painted with Seonnongdan ceremonial scenes)

This museum showcases the history, artifacts, rites, costumes, and scenes of the ancient tradition. On the museum grounds, which is actually above the main museum itself, a tall and imposing tree that has been standing there for 600 years and has welcomed monarchs, commoners, and that day, Philippine tourists as well!

                    (Seonnongdan entrance)


While Seonnongdan is a museum, it becomes a living space because of this tea shop. While we were there, Mr. Kim, a tea master and owner of the shop, treated us to a special tea ceremony, making us enjoy a rare blend of tea from China. He has been in the tea business for decades and has authored books about tea. 

                  (The tea master and guests)

                (Mr. Kim's tea and his books)

         (Huge posters adorn Mr. Kim's tea room)

Like students, we were given free lessons on tea by Mr. Kim, showing us his style of making and pouring tea on his small, dainty teacups.

I usually only had rice tea or green tea in Korea, but that day, the unique tea from a specific area in China tasted strong like a true medicinal tea would. And what was more amazing was the huge slab of jade that served as a tea table where Mr. Kim made tea. The slab had a small drain connected to it so he could wash out the tea right in front of him. He told us the slab of jade cost him a few thousand dollars.

   (Mr. Kim's business card in case you want to visit)

       (Playing with the Korean traditional farm 
             implements inside Seonnongdan)


3. Jeongneungcheon (Jeongneung Stream)

Right after our tea and visit to Seonnongdan, we just meandered around the neighborhood, walked behind a school, and crossed the Jeongneung Stream, a stream that empties into the Cheonggye Stream.

The Jeongneung Stream has fish and ducks as well as bike and hiking trails. 

                   (The tourists by the stream)

4. Seoul Yangnyeong-si Market

This is the biggest herb market in Seoul. You can walk around the alleys enjoy the aromas of dried wood, mountain herbs, and all other medicinal concoctions that waft through the air in this market. On some mornings during my walk, I made sure I included these alleys in my route just to enjoy the aromas and scents these dried wood and herbs provide to passers-by...for free!

This is where you can purchase some medicinal herbs for any ailment, or just for health maintenance.

And since this is really a medicinal market, don't be surprised by the horns or body parts of dead animals that are on display at the shops.

5. Seoul Yangnyeong-si Herb Medicine Museum

A few meters from the main arch of the Yangnyeong-si Market is the newly constructed multi-story museum that houses the history of herb medicine in Korea depicted in intricately made dioramas.

The museum has halls for talks, displays showcasing the herbs and their medicinal values, interactive games, and even an AI robot that greets visitors. Sadly, the robot could only speak hangeul.

(Ingrid and Veronica in front of the Museum)

The whole museum is actually a beautiful hanok-style design inside and out. Almost every corner is a spot perfect for a photograph. A year before, I once roamed this area while it was still under construction. I thought this was going to be some commercial building but I was glad this huge creative and relaxing space turned out to be a major tourist attraction for both local and international tourists! 

On the second floor, there's even an outdoor foot spa for a limited number of, well, pairs of tired feet!

        (Veronica and Ingrid on the second floor's 
              recreation of medicinal shops)

The Museum's main purpose is to showcase the Korean medicinal and herb tradition and history, and the Dongdaemun District didn't spare any expense to create this beautiful museum right in the middle of the medicinal market!

And if you're a student or a fan of traditional medicine, the Museum has a comprehensive display of herbs and their names, just like an encyclopedia.

It also has a small duty-free shop on the ground floor next to the entrance. Here's the Museum's official website:

http://museum.ddm.go.kr/eng/

6. Cheongnyangni Fruit and Vegetable Market

Well, this is my favorite part of my neighborhood! And the reason is yummy, sweet and cheap!

The Cheongnyangni market is where you can find the cheapest and freshest fruits and vegetables north of the Han River.

Aside from fresh produce, it has meat and fish sections, and alleys at the back full of restaurants. The market is really big. So, be prepared to be overwhelmed by the size and the enterprising vendors all around you.

And while walking around the market was fun, we had to stop for lunch, which turned out to be even more enjoyable! The kamja-tang restaurant is one of my yummiest discoveries inside the Cheongnyangni fruit and vegetable market.

Although I was told that kamja means potato, it also means the back of the pig. And this soupy Korean dish, is full of veggies, sprouts, spicy broth, potatoes, and the best part, the cooked, softened part of the pig's back. That part is meaty and just falls off the bone when cooked! And I am now salivating again as I write this! Ha-ha-ha!

When you decide to go to the fruit and vegetable market, don't forget to bring a big bag for your veggies and fruits, and the one with rollers if you're buying a lot more!

            (Gail and her KRW4,000 strawberries)

          (The arch entrance of the herb market 
                  near Exit 2 of Jegidong Station)

It was always fun to tour my friends. I toured them a couple of times before in my former playground, Itaewon, and around Dongdaemun shopping district.

This time, in another part of Seoul, I shared with them my new discoveries.

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For an easier walk from Jegidong Station (Line 1), here's the map with numbers to label the spots we visited:

Have fun!