A fully satisfying day traveling to many places on the bus
Ami Taka
6 days ago
Early in the morning, I rode the bus to Gyeongbokgung Palace
I went there. I took a bus from Myeongdong, so it took about 15 minutes to get there. It was a hot day, so I wanted to go before the sun came out, and planned to arrive early in the morning.
It was scheduled to start at 9:00, so when I arrived it wasn't crowded and I was able to purchase tickets smoothly.
There were about four unmanned machines inside the tent to purchase tickets, and credit cards could also be used. The machines could be switched to Japanese, so you can easily make a purchase.
When I went around and entered, it was still sparsely populated so it was easy to see and I was able to take a good, leisurely look around. If you want to tour smoothly, I recommend going early in the morning!!
When taking photos, I was able to shoot without anyone appearing in the background, so I could snap pictures freely without worrying about it.
The building was truly wonderful, and when I carefully looked at each part one by one, I was moved by how each small material overlapped — people from long ago were amazing.
Along the tour there were small cafes and souvenir shops, and since there were chairs I sat for a bit to cool off while looking around.
I bought a set of pencils at the souvenir shop. Credit cards were accepted there as well. Compared to souvenir shops in Japan, it was very affordable and easy to pick up.
Postcards, eco bags, and other items were also being sold.
We were so satisfied that we headed for the exit, but we saw a crowd gathered! Then a lot of people ran past us, so we followed and ran toward the same spot, where the first of the several daily changeover ceremonies was beginning!
I was moved to see the changing of the guard up close. The men were tall and handsome. I was so absorbed in watching that I almost forgot to take any pictures.
It seemed to start at 10 o'clock, and since many people entered Gyeongbokgung after watching this changing ceremony, the area around the entrance was very crowded, so I definitely recommend going first thing in the morning!
After leaving Gyeongbokgung, my feet were tired and I wanted to rest, so I heard there was a spot with a great view of Gyeongbokgung across a large intersection where I could take in the scenery.
Searched, entered the building, and went upstairs.
When I took the elevator up, it opened onto a place with a magnificent panoramic view! Seeing it with my own eyes was moving! It's nice to see Gyeongbokgung up close, but seeing Gyeongbokgung from a distance was also wonderful!!
That is the National Museum of Korean History!!
It seems there were also places on other floors to look around,
This time I used it as a place to take a break.
I didn't know there was a place with such a sense of openness, and I'm really glad I went to see it.
It was a hot day, but the blue sky was beautiful.
Anyone can go here for free!
It looks close from Gyeongbokgung, but it's actually a bit of a distance away.
There is also a café. The café is on the third floor, and it was possible to get there by stairs.
There were plenty of café menu items, and since I wanted something refreshing I ordered an iced tea. They also had sweet, dessert-like drinks such as chocolate shakes.
As expected, the portions are Korean-style so the quantities are huge.
If it's okay to split it, you might want to order another one if you can share and finish it. Leaving food might be considered rude, after all.
It was the kind where you order from a machine, and since there was no Japanese displayed I was having trouble, but a friendly staff member kindly showed me how to use it. There were English labels.
It was possible to drink inside the shop, but there were also tables and chairs set up outside in the spot shown in the photo, so you could drink while enjoying the view.
The delicious drink became even more delicious with the scenery.
Now that the sweat has dried, heading to the next destination...
After resting here for a bit, we rode the bus again and got hungry, so we decided to go have a late meal!
I went as far as around Dongdaemun, but it was a bit of a distance to any restaurants so it took some determination!
We walked briskly, taking in the lives of the locals while passing small greengrocers and independent shops along the road. A nearby produce stand displayed lots of delicious-looking fruit, much cheaper than what you see in Myeong-dong or downtown, and I wanted to buy some to take home, but since we were about to eat and it would have been heavy, I held back — though I still regret not buying any!
Finally arrived at the destination
To Baekje Butcher Shop! I was finally able to go.
I had wanted to visit for a long time, but because the place wasn’t in a convenient location I gave up when I last came to Seoul. This time I was determined to go, so after getting off the bus I checked the map and went while getting a little lost.
People with weak legs or lower backs and those with children should probably go by taxi.
If you go a short way down a narrow street that branches off the main avenue, there's a shop on one corner where stores are lined up. The shop's sign is yellow, so I headed for the yellow sign.
I was a little worried about whether we could get in since it's a popular restaurant, but because it was past lunchtime we were smoothly seated.
It was so hot I grabbed the spot right in front of the air conditioner!
It was incredibly cool and comfortable.
Lunch is reasonably priced and nice, but since I made the trip, even though it was midday, I resisted ordering the lunch and instead tried the set that comes with yukhoe wrapped in meat.
I was shocked and overjoyed when they quickly brought out the large portion of yukhoe! The yukhoe is mixed with pear, and the amount of meat is amazing! It was definitely the right choice not to go with the lunch option!!
The amount of yukhoe was generous and it was very delicious — I was completely satisfied! For the yukhoe, pierce the egg yolk in the center with your chopsticks, break it, and mix before eating.
The slices of meat for grilling are thin so they cook quickly, which was very helpful because I was starving.
I also ordered a bowl of white rice.
I thought I really wanted some white rice with the meat!
The potatoes were delicious, fluffy as the meat dripped its fat onto them. We also grilled and ate kimchi. The kimchi was pretty spicy, and since we love spicy food, we ate it up eagerly. As I thought, Korea is great because you can enjoy vegetables naturally and deliciously.
The yukhoe had a very rich flavor; it was strong but not overpowering, and the sweet‑and‑savory sauce was very delicious.
I even indulged by wrapping just the yukhoe in a lower-left leaf and eating it.
The sesame oil and the salt-and-pepper sauce were also delicious.
Because the thin slices of meat cook quickly, you can wrap yukhoe in the meat, eat it together with kimchi, and enjoy many different ways of eating it — it was absolutely delicious.
There was a large amount of yukhoe, so if you couldn't finish it you could lightly sear it on the iron plate and still enjoy it.
The wall of photos tells a story — it feels very local, a real 'The Korea!!' kind of place, and the atmosphere was nice.
Around me, there were local people and a few neighbors working nearby who were quietly eating lunch by themselves. I could imagine the place has a very different, livelier atmosphere at night!
After a very satisfying meal, I went to the nearby Dongdaemun Changsin-dong Stationery and Toy Street.
Several nostalgic old toy shops stood side by side, and this was a place where you could find every kind of toy.
Since the market has no roof, it's best to avoid rainy or bad-weather days when you go.
There were lots of different things besides toys, including many kinds of stationery. They had everything from notebooks to pencils and pens.
When you go in from the entrance of Dongdaemun Changsin-dong Stationery and Toy Street, the most eye-catching toy store appears on the right. It was a clean, large shop, so I decided to go inside. Many items did not have prices posted; if you wanted to know the price there was a register-like device where you could scan the barcode yourself and the price would appear on a computer screen, so you could check prices on your own without having to ask the staff, which made shopping easy.
There was an upper floor and among the many shops it was the liveliest, and the displays were easy to see, giving a clean and nice impression.
I bought a souvenir there for a friend's child. I'm not sure if they'll like it, but there was a sample on display and when I tried it, it looked like a fun board game, so I decided to buy it. I hope they like it.
I noticed when looking at the photos that it seems Tax Refund is also possible, so if you buy a lot you might be able to get it.
I walked a lot since the morning, ate delicious food, and was completely satisfied with the day.
After taking a break I also went to Namdaemun, but I was surprised at my own stamina!!
It was a day I walked about 20,000 steps!
