Day two -free day. Meet up Susie and explore. 5 April 2024.

Now, Im not one to start off with personal things but this place has a heated toilet seat. OMG so weird the first time, bit of a surprise the second time now I’m worried about another any other sort of toilet LOL.

Breakfast was BIG. So many things to choose from Korean Middle Eastern European everything everything. Kept a lid on it this morning. Will check out more tomorrow now to meet other Susie who flew in last night and see what the day brings.

Suzie (Aunty Sue with a z) and I cut a lap outside – saw lots of interesting things – no ATM or bank though.

Then back to meet Susie (with an S). We got some info and real maps from the concierge and asked about the bank. There is an international ATM within the Lotte complex, which also has a department store – with everything – and a cinema.

Anyway got money sorted and then took a wander through the now open Lotte Dept store – found some of the things we ate last night. Daikon, sesame leaves solved some mystery for us.

Then onto find a coffee – so much to look at – some humorous names too.

One of the brands in Department store had a very real looking horse. It was man made but moved, flicked ears and blinked. Not sure this short video does it justice.

I took a wander to find coffee and stumbled across Oddfellows Icecream – this was a fave from NYC and here it is in Seoul.

Coffee’d and cashed up and ready to roll. We have a free day so where to is the question? No

Off across the road passed our Town Hall, around a stonewall fortress.

We were trying to get into the Deoksugung Palace. It was an interesting walk past a number of buildings with views up alleys etc.

We eventually circumnavigated the wall and came to the gate with some guards and an hour until a changing of the guards ceremony. It cost the grand sum of a dollar (1000KRW -Korean Won) Inside we saw lots of palace buildings, quite bit of Cherry Blossom and trees and garden.

I pinched this quote from an observatory in a cafe on top of Town Hall that we visited for views over the Palace, gardens and city to the mountains behind. Seemed fitting for our long walk around the Palace walls.

“Along the Stonewall Walkway, Time Passes Slowly!

Since this age’s virtue is speed, daily work always forces us to chase the time that flies away. However, you can catch your breath in Jeong-dong.

If you walk into the street with its buildings filled with the ups and downs of the modern history, you can feel that time also walks slowly like us.”

Deoksugung Palace was also a trap for too many pics – the craftsmanship in the rooftops and the shapes morphed into a modern city background was stunning.

The changing of the guard was pretty good and very tourist friendly. Way too many photos. I have many more pics on Camera which might never make it to the blog. (I lied copied some to my phone to add)

From the changing of the guard, we headed up to the 13th floor of one of the Town hall buildings to a cafe with views over the gardens and palace, and into the mountains beyond.

Some coffees for the Suzie’s times two, and then we headed off to walk back. Along the way there were many amazing sights – statues, flags, flowers, another memorial to COVID and a tall clock.

We walked down the Cheonggyecheon Stream and back to the hotel to ready ourselves for dinner.

And finally turned back to Hotel Lotte

After some down time to shower and phaffing about it was time to head out for our pre arranged Michelin dinner at Flower Blossom on Rice.

Someone’s phaffing involved an iron!! Guess who?

We caught a cab for all of about $7 and ended up near our destination but not finding it. We asked in another restaurant- she was lovely came out and used our phones to help send us in the right direction. We were about 50metres away – she had no clue and our map reading didn’t help.

Anyway we arrived and shortly after another couple which completed the 7:30 sitting – turned out to be Aussies (who picked our accent) he was here for work and she joined him this time he added a weekend to his normal few days in Seoul, so they were out for a good time and were fun neighbours.

We chose the bulgogi set menu and a Special Tasting of alcohol- 2 rice wines and 2 spirits.

1. Omaegiju Light rice wine from Jeju island (13%)

2. A heavier rice wine – details unknown. (16%)

2 shots of spirits

1. Munbaeju Soju (25%)

2. Buja Gin from Seoul (44%)

A little like rocket fuel. Number 1 from Jeju was the fave all around. The food was interesting but not as amazing as we had last night.

Lots of things I’d not try usually – some were quite tasty – a range of tastes and texture. A lot of brown!

Overall the rating was disappointing- our Aussie friends independently came to the same conclusion having chosen a fish set menu option and added our drinks after seeing Ocean, our waiter, prepare ours!

We meandered home with a bit of help from Naver Maps. A good walk with lots of interesting things to look at.

Home to bed. First day of tour tomorrow.