Lunch & Coffee in Seoul: Coffee Prince's Sanmotoonge (Part 2)

(#1: From the main street, this road goes 

up to Buam-dong)

With our tummies still full from the yummiest lunch at Tong-in Market, we took the Green Bus 7212 across the street, headed north, and got off at Bu-am dong Community Center Bus Stop (Stop # 01139). 

From the bus stop, walk about 70 meters, then hike up following the path of the photos. From there, it's less than 800 meters from the famous café. (On your way back to Gyeongbukgung Station, just cross the street, look for the bus stop, take the same bus going back.)

Sanmotoong-e is a charming café on a hillside made famous by the hit Korean drama, Coffee Prince, and getting there is a bit tricky as there's no public transport that goes into its hilly location in the inner areas of Buam-dong in the Jongno District of Seoul.

But since some of us have been there before, getting lost wasn't a problem. Au contraire, walking from the main road to Sanmotoong-e was a fun stroll!

I took photos of the path we took walking to Sanmotoonge from the main street.

              (#2: The start of our climb up)

      (#3: We simply followed the road up)

When we got there, we weren't surprised to find a lot of people already enjoying an afternoon by the hill.

With the sun out, it was a perfect day to sit by the hillside sipping coffee, sharing cakes, and chatting with friends.

We ordered our drinks and cakes and picked a spot from where we could see the other side of Inwangsan that we climbed before (and definitely deserves a separate blog!).

(#4: There are other cafés along the way up)

               (#5: Be careful if the road forks; 
                just follow the path going up)

                          (#6: Almost there!)

(#7: A bicycle welcomes everyone 

at the entrance of the café!)

If you're a fan of the drama, Coffee Prince, a trip to Sanmootonge is definitely worth the effort. It sets itself apart from all the other cafés in Seoul because, when you're there comfortabley sitting under the cool breezes and surrounded by greeneries, it doesn't feel like you're in the city!

(A life-size, cut-out of the Descendant of the Sun actor awaits your visit at Sanmotoonge)

(My iced cafe mocha pairs perfectly with any cake!)

                       (Coffee, cake, chill!)

(Sanmotoonge's location on the hillside affords a spectacular view of a different Seoul)

(The lower level balcony of the café has tables 

and umbrellas for a sunnier seat)  

(A café with a view: The Seoul Fortress 

wall snakes up and down Inwangsan)

We started with a yummy lunch and ended up with coffee, cakes, and chat! A perfect day, indeed!

So, if you're in Seoul and wanted a different take on the city, a lunch at Tong-in Market and a coffee afternoon at Sanmotoonge would be a perfect break!

Enjoy! :-)

(We stumbled upon this EXO bus on our way back.)

Lunch & Coffee in Seoul: Tong-in Market (Part 1)

The traditional markets in Seoul are the most interesting bunch. This is where you can feel the 'real Korea', where household items needed for Korean living are sold and bought, the best-cooked Korean dishes are served (except for restaurants in Namdaemun!), and the atmosphere of old traditions can still be experienced.

And there's the most popular of all, especially with tourists - Namdaemun Market! That's where you get the cheapest souvenirs tourists bring home.

There's the Gwangjang Market where you can get binddaetteok, a pancake made of ground mung beans.

And in my new neighborhood, right in the middle of the must-visit Cheongnyangni Fruit and Vegetable Market, there's the kamja-tang restaurant! 

(Tourists heading to Tong-in Market!

The Market is right behind them!)

But this day, for my friends' lunch and coffee, we headed to Tong-in Market to enjoy its yummy Korean dishes and experience the market's unique way of using tokens to buy lunch!

I have been to Tong-in Market several times already, and I find this place to be the most enjoyable in terms of the quality of Korean dishes and the uniqueness of experience! Now, I wanted my friends to have this experience as well!

This is the only place in Seoul where I can get all my favorite assortment of Korean viands in one place! For example, I like soondae; I also like that side dish, kyeran-mari; and that spicy fried pork, too! And add to that, chap-jjae! And I can have all that on my lunch plate at one time!

(Everyone's got their lunch box!)

After meeting up at Exit 3 of Gyeongbukgung Palace, we all walked towards Tong-in Market just about 500 meters away. 

And at the entrance of the market, we bought our tokens and were given empty, plastic lunch boxes. We then walked around and checked out the dishes we wanted to have for lunch!

The ajummas from whom we bought simply put the food on our lunch box. And once we were done, we went up to the lunch area where we bought rice, got our utensils, picked a seat, and enjoyed our yummy lunch!

My perfect lunch box with kyeran-mari 

(rolled egg omelet with veggies, soondae 

(spicy blood sausage), & spicy marinated 

pork! I'm ready to eat!

For KRW5,000 worth of tokens, my three viands cost me KRW3,000; my rice KRW 1,000; and my syeke, or sweet rice drink another KRW 1,000!

The yummiest and cheapest Korean lunch evah! 

(With tummies full, they're ready to have 

coffee at Sanmotoonge, a café made famous 
by the Korean drama, Coffee Prince!)

(That's Part 2 of this blog)
*  *  *  *  *

TONG-IN MARKET is in the Jongno District in Seoul, along the Jahamun Road. It's about 518 meters from Exit 2 of Gyeongbukgung Station (Line 3, Orange Line).

Hidden Figures: Anita Magsaysay-Ho's Nude Women

Having lived away from home for more than a decade, I had left off things which I didn't know I had. And two of those turned out to be treasures, whose story needed sharing.

(Hidden figures inside)

Many years ago, in the early 2000's, after a morning meeting with the director of the Metropolitan Museum of Manila, he walked me and a colleague down the corridors of the Met passing by its art shop on our way out.

Although the shop was closed, I could see through its glass walls two sketches in pencil of women in nude poses. On the artwork's bottom right-hand corner was the artist's signature: Anita Magsaysay-Ho.

Of course, I knew who she was! Right there, I  expressed aloud my desire of owning one of Anita's artworks! And I think at that moment, the Universe was listening!

Anita Magsaysay-Ho was a famous Filipina painter, a member of the Thirteen Moderns, an elite group of Philippine painters whose artworks were coveted by art collectors, dealers, and museums. Anita's paintings alone could fetch millions of pesos.

But seeing that those two sketch works drawn with compressed charcoal were priced less than a thousand pesos each, I figured they were a steal! But unfortunately, the shop was closed for lunch!

But as they say, be careful with what you wish for.

The next day, someone delivered a wide, flat package to the office. The elegant, glossy wrapper spelled "METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF MANILA" over and over again, as if to remind me that I should never forget where it came from.

I carefully opened it, un-taping its sides delicately so as not to disturb whatever was hiding underneath its camouflage.

And when I finally unpacked it, there they were, lying on my office table: two nude women who, a day before, were proudly displaying their nakedness on a museum shop, now resting under the lights of a busy office full of people who couldn't be bothered by my excitement - all of which turned out to be a singular cosmic event that casually unfolded in their midst.

The package was accompanied by a note saying that these two sketchworks were gifts! Indeed, the Universe was listening! 

Even as I was typing my gratefulness in an email to the Met's director, I still couldn't believe that I was now a custodian of two artworks of one of the Philippines' six greatest painters. And all I needed to earn it was...wish for it!  I suppose the art universe conspires to reward those who appreciate its existence.

Today, as I discovered this package hidden among the things I left behind, I realized my duty to preserve them. I may need to have them framed first, and probably display them somewhere, someday.

But in the meantime, I thank Anita Magsaysay-Ho for these treasures. Of course, I also thank the Met and the Universe.  

Anita Magsaysay-Ho was a cousin of the late Philippine President Ramon Magsaysay. She was born in 1914 and died in 2012.

(The revered Anita sketched these women 

in 1976 when she was 62.)

Philippine History: E.B. Magalona's Sitio Guintabuan and Elias Magbanua

If you're familiar with the topography of the highway between the municipality of Enrique B. Magalona and the city of Silay in the province of Negros Occidental (in the Philippines), you'd notice a statue of a man holding a sword on his right hand and a pistol on his left. 

With the green sugarcane leaves as his backdrop and the tall electrical posts as his companions, he stands gallantly day and night, rain or shine, with or without any vehicular traffic. At night, without any light, he slumbers in the dark; during the day, he captures the attention of all passers-by.

I once rode a public transport from Bacolod City going home to Victorias City and asked aloud whose statue that was when the bus was passing by it.  One passenger from E.B. Magalona told me it was the statue of E.B. Magalona himself. Of course, I didn't believe him; E.B. Magalona was a senator, not a soldier.

Fortunately for me, thanks to Wilson, Tita Helen's driver, who accommodated my wish, I was able to stop by the monument, read the marker, and took photos. And the research began.

The monument, it turned out, is a marker to commemorate the heroism of a group of  Negrense and Ilonggo soldiers led by Elias Magbanua who fought against the American forces on August 19, 1899. The soldiers from Iloilo Province crossed the Iloilo Strait and joined their Negrense brothers in Saravia (the old name of the municipality of E.B. Magalona) in their fight for independence against the Americans. (During those years, it was normal for Ilonggos to find love and fortune in Negros, one of whom was the young Felix Lozada Montinola of Jaro, Iloilo, who married the daughter of Saravia's mayor in 1897. Read his story here.)

Although they might not have successfully fought off the Americans, their bravery and gallantry are now part of the island's history, just like the other uprisings in the other parts of Negros Island. 

And now that I finally know who he is and what is monument stands for (pun intended), I shouldn't be asking anyone else about it when I pass by that spot. And so, if Silay has its historic Cinco de Noviembre,  should E.B. Magalona also have its own Diez y Nueve de Agosto?

So, every time we pass by this monument, let's remember that, more than 120 years ago, a group of brave Negrenses and Ilonggos risked and sacrificed their lives to fight for their rights, independence, and the future of Negrenses.

And even though this is probably not celebrated or taught at any local elementary schools just like the other bits of our region's history, this marker reminds us a bit of our history we might not even know.

Now, we do.

                              *  *  *  *  *

Photo: Elias Magbanua basks in the late afternoon sunlight, looking to the west and awaiting the impending sunset on his beloved motherland. 

He raises his sword to remind his fellow Negrenses passing by that fighting for independence goes on and that the memories of their armed struggled against foreign colonizers should live on every time we pass by his monument.

By the way, I'm wondering whether Elias was left-handed because the pistol is on his left hand, and not on the dominant right where it should be if you're righthanded. Or maybe he ran out of precious bullets. Or maybe the sculptor just wanted a dramatic pose.😊

My Tennis Kids, Serena Williams & Wasted Rackets

To quote Chris Evert, "I've never seen anything like this!"

But what drama!

Last Saturday, during the ladies' singles final of the 2018 US Open, Serena Williams smashed her racket, got penalized for coaching, and verbally attacked the chair umpire. She eventually lost the match and a chance to equal the tennis record of 24 grand slams singles titles held by Margaret Court.

Sadly, Williams's theatrics ruined what could have been a memorable night for the champion, Naomi Osaka of Japan, who just won her first ever Grand Slam title. Well, Naomi and the rest of us will eventually remember that night for all the wrong reasons.

I am both a tennis fan and a tennis player. 

I have watched in person matches of Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, Pete Sampras, Martina Hingis, Amelie Mauresmo, and of course, that of Serena Williams. I even have selfies with former World No.1's Andy Murray, Pete Sampras, and Marat Safin!

I have played tennis on the tennis courts of Seoul in South Korea, playing against Koreans and other nationalities, most of whom became good friends.

               (These kids love to play tennis!)

But my most cherished role in this sport right now is being a volunteer coach and instructor to young kids of a public elementary school in the Philippines. Nobody taught me how to properly play when I started; that's why I ended up with bad habits. I wanted to make sure these kids learn how to play properly from the start. 

 (Old tennis rackets and tennis balls - not in photo -                  donated by people who care)

(Old tennis rackets for local public schools in the Philippines: We don't even have enough tennis rackets, yet Serena Williams just destroys them as props for her theatrics.)

Last year, I asked my friends in Korea if they had old tennis rackets and tennis balls to spare as the local public schools (in my Philippine hometown) didn't have enough tennis equipment for the kids. And yet there she was, Serena Williams, seen by kids all over the world just destroying her expensive tennis rackets. How wasteful!

   (On my way from Seoul to Incheon International Airport) with the tennis bag on my back)

(Eugene carrying them when 

they got to the Philippines)

But thanks to those friends and donors who cared, I was able to gather a few old rackets, girls' outfits, and new tennis balls and donated them to two public schools in the Philippines (although they badly need more). 

(Turning over rackets & tennis balls to Mr. Noe Baldomer and teachers of AAYQM Elementary School)

   (Turning over rackets & tennis balls to 

Mrs. Lilibeth Jacobo of Valencia Ko 

  Elementary School)

One teacher even told me they only have two tennis rackets for eight kids; they had to take turns. And their tennis court? They had to make do with white lines written on the cemented ground.

(Sandy and Missy with their new girls' tennis outfits)

But what was worse, in my opinion, was the fact that, during the ceremony, the USTA President didn't even bother to address the issue. She even praised Serena and said,"...perhaps this is not the finish we were hoping for...", forgetting the fact that there were TWO players on court, and not only one, amidst booing and jeering by the New York crowd. I could only imagine how Naomi felt.

But amidst all these, with kids from tennis or from other sports, watching that shameful spectacle, it's only right to speak about the issues of fairness, sportsmanship, and respect because, sadly, a tennis superstar, someone who should have been promoting the sport, somehow managed to ruin it with just one match.

(Natassia, Missy, Rica, Sandy, Sean, Gabriel, 

Kentzhi & Joemar won all their matches 

at a local schools' meet in 2018)

Fair play
No cheating, please. If the rule says 'no coaching', then tell your coach not to send hand signals from the stands.

For me, throwing tantrums on court just to throw off your opponent or halt his/her momentum is cheating.

And cheating is wrong; it ruins, not just the sport, but your reputation as well.

Sportsmanship
Observe the rules of the game, accept defeat like you would a victory, and learn from your mistakes. It will make you a better player. Emotionally and morally.

Respect 
Even though he or she is your opponent, he or she deserves your respect like you deserve his/hers.

Remember the 1999 French Open when Martina Hingis crossed over to Steffi's side of the court (which is a no-no!) and even threw in an underhanded serve (which left Steffi shaking her head)? Martina got booed by the French crowd and was reduced to tears.

You should also abide by the rulings and decisions of the chair umpire, and not berate him just because he ruled against you. This is tennis where we shut our mouth, and let our forehands and backhands do the talking.

And my take on Serena's tantrums and theatrics? 

She did it to throw off her opponent. She was losing and was being outplayed by Naomi. With her coach's hand signals not working, she was probably ready to play dirty as long as she won.

      (Missy, Sandy, Daniel & Eugene won all their               matches at the local schools' meet in 2017)

But as I said, let's not emulate her disgusting behavior. She argued with the chair umpire using her 'mother card' and 'gender card' by claiming she was a mother and "...men out here that do a lot worse...". Well, Roger Federer is a father but we've never heard him argue against an umpire using his four kids as an excuse, have we?

So, there, tennis kids. Let's just play fair, respect everyone, and observe sportsmanship.

                   (We celebrated with pizza!)

PS. These are my happy tennis kids!  And even though our tennis rackets were just donated, we still have fun!

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!

                             *   *   *   *   *

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!