Seoul searching: Day 4
It's World Cup Stadium visit in the morning today. Again, for many this would just be another tour site but due to our crazy, innovative minds... we came up with many ideas to make it interesting. The music was great.... gives that triumphant spirit to the stadium that is now empty. We recorded a video of ourselves pretending to watch a football match... hahaha... took 2 takes and it was parfait! ;)
We then went to Walker Hill Casino.... not a gambler and nothing compared to Crown casino in Melbourne. I took the opportunity to walk around the shops, engulfed with the many perfumes, well dressed ladies and men & all the luxuries of the world. Yet, I still can never understand the need for such pretense as I see the men and women looking at all the branded items and looking all prim and proper.
Dinner was early and we were served Bibimbap.... simple dish on stone bowl and simply delicious! Chin Ai's dream come true (but we didn't know it at that time that we were eating bibimbap). It was the first time Jes was quiet during mealtime ;) We were then off to Lotte World... another theme park in a shopping complex. Little did we know that the Water world called "Magic Land" or something was so much larger than the complex. Like a world of its own. Went on some amusement rides and such! Loved the thrill!! Woohoo! Congrats also to Jes for overcoming her fear :) So proud of you!!
After 4 hours of crazy rides, we then checked in to Crown Hotel. It was already 10.30pm by the time we got to our rooms. But it was our last night at Seoul. We were planning to break off the tour the next day to do more shopping and just enjoy Seoul. However, the tour guide wasn't too pleased as we didn't speak Korean and even with the tour we were always late, lost and roaming around.
Then, I had an idea. Sitting in our hotel room with a little map of the Subway and Seoul city, and recalling that the Korean colleague stating that Dongdaemun shops open till 5am... I said "Why don't we go now to shop?" and it was a point of no return. Chin Ai, Kit and Jes agreed in unison and off we went to Itaewon station, walking with a single map and with no knowledge of Korean words except for "How are you?", "Thank you", "You are beautiful", "Discount please" and "Expensive"... all which were used for obtaining discounts! :)
With Chin Ai having the best 'sense of directions', she guided us to the station and we successfully changed trains etc without getting lost! Amazing. And wow... the shops are definitely open till 5am. The Koreans shopped like it was only 8pm... when it was already 11.40pm when we arrived. Markets were open, departmental stores, and food stalls were filled with people. And the shopaholics, being shopaholics, went nuts shopping ... till 3.30am! Till our feet were so sore.... from walking, and after trying some local delicacies at the roadside food stalls. Thanks Kit for your patience!! We were contented and broke. Things are not cheap at all! We had to consult each other to ensure we are making only good purchases. And those few Korean words we knew did go far! My best bargain was from 50,000 won to 10,000 won! Woohoo!
Took another hour or so to squeeze everything into my luggage when we got back to the hotel at 4am... slept for an hour and a half that night and off we went to meet the rest of the tour people at 7am. We contemplated exploring more of Seoul but I was already contented.. I voted to stay with the tour.
posted by emeryz @ 9:23 AM
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