Ok, I know it is far too long since my last post till now. I think it is time finally to that to finish this travel post before i restart again.
Pick up where I end huh? Seriously, I think my memory is still as good as new even after giving birth to my son. Hahaha... .
Day 3
We are getting ready to move out from the little cozy two storey apartment which we had stayed for the past two days. Boo and I were quite sad as we have kinda of adapted to the place and the owner is super friendly whom we met and we even get to leave our luggage at his home so that we can stay the night at a jimjilbang.
I really encourage you to go use the Air B&B to experience living in a small apartment in Korea. Remember to search for "Jung APT 2" if you would like to live in this apartment.
P.S Mr Jung is quite good looking with flawless skin.... arghh. envy till max
After leaving our bags with Mr Jung, we went to Insadong in search for some ancient Korea experience. The streets seem to be quite quiet when we reached there in the afternoon.
I am quite surprised to see that there is a mixture of both modern and ancient culture in the area. There are vendors selling those olden days'tea sets, Korean costumes which I expected to see but there were also modern graffiti which can be found on staircases and walls.
Along our way, we noticed a small scale which is similar to trick eye museum place which is not worth to mention nor visit. Please don't visit there unless really have nothing better to do.
However, I really have to recommend you to buy the homemade rice wine which we have bought along the way. It is really sweet and taste was refreshing !!!
While waiting for the night to come, we decided to visit Gangnam to see how luxurious the area is to experience the "Gangnam style". Hmm...nothing much as we were unable to venture more apart from seeing more shopping malls due to the rain again~~~ so this is me drinking coffee at the Nescafe Cafe.
I SUPPORT MY COUNTRY MADE COFFEE to show the Koreans I am very patriotic too!!
Before going into the famous Siloam jimjilbang, we did our round to scan through LotteMart which is located pretty near to the jimjilbang. So if you want to pass your time before spending the night there, you are encouraged to go there! Will blog in details as we count down the days I stayed in Korea.
The men and the women will need to separate for any bath spas which is the only time I get to separate from Boo.
Before you can visit the bath spa and all the different kinds of treatment rooms (it is believed by the Koreans that the extreme hot/ cold rooms will help to expel the toxic from the bodies, keeping one healthy) offered in Siloam, you will be assigned with a locker to keep your belongings. This is also the place where you remove your clothes and wear the ugly and baggy orange T-shirt and shorts once you are done in the bath spa at the basement area and move around within the premise wearing them.
There is no privacy among the ladies there so you maybe you may start to compare your figure with the person next to you too??
Bath spa
Before going into the spa, you are supposed to be super naked . To start with, you will be required to bathe first before dipping into the 3 pools there.
From what I remembered, the first pool is just hot water at around 30 degrees celsius, then the cold pool and finally there is a herbal pool which measures 50 degrees celsius. I only dipped into the hot waters, skipping the cold one.
While happily dipping deep in the herbal pool, I saw the end of the bath spa stood some mid age women wearing only their matching bras and undies busy scrubbing women lying on the stone cold platforms. Please do not imagine the scene looked like the Victoria secret show. There was no walkway and pretty young models.
I have decided to try it out myself including doing full body scrubbing and mask from head to toe which I think was quite cheap. No wonder my Korean colleagues love to go for bath spa almost everyday. Seriously, I felt like I was just a piece of meat flipping from front and back, back to front on the platform by the China woman who did the spa treatment on me.
Despite that, the result gained from it was marvelous!! My whole body skin including my face were clean and smooth like silk.
Once finished, you may walk out of the bath and change into the orange attire at your locker place.
Common area to sleep and treatment rooms
Boo was looking worried and frustrated by the time I met him at the common area. The reason was we promised to meet there at a certain timing but well.. 我爱美，忘了老公。。I had a hard time coaxed him and we decided to visit the treatment rooms.
You can call us "Hum Ji" as those rooms were too extreme factor for both of us. We two went in and out within seconds and I don't even dare to step into the hot stone room. To have some better understanding of the rooms I am referring to, do click on this link
Siloam.
We went to collect blankets in a room and the block like head rest to sleep through the night. Ehh...both of us did not sleeping very well and felt super tired the next day.
The charges and directions to the place has been mentioned via the above link for your information.
Day 4
It was around 5am when we check out of Siloam and we hang around the area till 6 am since there were nothing much we can do at this early hour. Our stomach signaled us that it was time for breakie~ but.. where can we find any decent food at this hour?
Please do not be deceived by the picture that the food tasted rubbish! It was the comfort food for Boo and I to start the day off!!!! I love the bean spout soup and we were told by the shop assistant that this dish is extremely helpful to those who had hangover in the morning after a night at the jimjilbang. The eatery is located a few shops away from Siloam.
Boo and I decided to travel down to Namdaemun Market but upon reaching there, Boo and I were quite disappointed as there was nothing interest us at all. The morning market does not suit us at all. It is a wet market selling kimchi, dried goods on that street.
Even the building for ladies' section looks like the earlier days of Pratunam market in Thailand. Not worth going in my opinion. We loitered around the area and took some pictures along the way.
As it was still early to meet Mr Jung for our baggage, both of us decided to have some coffee at A Twosome place. Lee Min Ho's full size board was the first I saw upon arrival at the entrance!! **Loves**
The armchairs were so comfortable that Boo and I slept there for the longest time, ordering only a cup of coffee for show and occasionally pretend that we were reading the magazines in the cafe. I was so glad that no one actually chase us away. Phew....
Once hearing that we have not found a place to stay, Mr Jung phoned his friend and got this place in Hongdae for us! Should I call it Jung APT 4? hahaha...It is relatively new place and able to accommodate up to 4 people.. Love the kitchen as the cooking utensils and pots are new!
Boo and I slept till late afternoon at the apartment before heading out and we decided to go back to Seoul station to do some tibits shopping in Lotte Mart plus some grocery so that we can cook in the apartment.
In the evening, Hongdae is also full of life and I am referring to its nightlife! There are many nice furnished cafes, pubs which are so difficult to choose from. Anyway, we had our super late dinner at Seoga Cook, an Italian restaurant. Mr Jung told us it is one of the famous food chain in Hongdae which many Koreans themselves love to eat there. Not to mention the price is so reasonable! The risotto which we have ordered was more than enough for two people and very delicious than most risotto we have eaten in Singapore.
Address: 395-16, Seogyo-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul, Korea.
After dinner, you shouldn't forget about having some desserts right? We went to this famous traditional Bingsu shop in Hongdae called Okumong. If you are up for some traditional red bean Bingsu, must try ! The smooth shaved ice and the homemade red bean paste will never leave you disappointed.
Address:402-18 Seogyo-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul, South Korea
Day 5
The pretty kitchen has to be utilized before we leave this apartment in the afternoon. We bought some premium minced pork fillet and fresh tomato from Lottemart so there I have whipped up some simple dishes in the morning for my cute hubby who was still in bed.
In return, he brought me to watch the 4DX movie early in the morning which is very famous practice in Korea for students and jobless Koreans as the tickets are very cheap. At the waiting area for the movie to be screened. Trying to act chio...
Ok, after the morning movie, we went back to the apartment to rest and do some final packing and off checking in to the next place, The Hanok .
The ajuma owning this Hanok is a super friendly host who showed us the place and talk to us about the history of this traditional house. Seriously, I really love the place and the breakfast she made for us the next day, with heart and warmth. Well, Boo cannot register in his head to why am I paying the same price for Jung APT 2 when there is no bed but only mattress to sleep in and we have to share the Hanok with another family too.
After settling in the place, Boo and I went to Myeungdong for some shopping and I am there to do my hair. The entire cost for perming + treatment was about SGD 400. It was pricey but quite worth it as the curls were very natural and I feel so Korean. The salon was recommended by Mr Jung and both his wife and him go to the salon for their haircuts. How do I look??
It was evening time when we reached Hongdae again.. Yes, there again. This time,we went there for KTV session like what we have seen in the Korean drama. It is a famous KTV in HongDae mainly for students known as Luxury Su Noraebang. There are chinese songs (not very updated ones) as well as english songs for you to explore and sing to your heart's content! The room is also very spacious and there are props for you to sing along ! There's me with the pong pongs!
Address: 367-39 Seogyo-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul, South Korea
+82-2-322-3111
Last but not the least before we ended the day to say goodbye the next day, we went to the best gimbap for our dinner. There are quite a lot of favors to choose from and I ESPECIALLY LOVE THE CHEESE BLOCK WITH VEGETABLES. There is also free flow of soup for you to press from the thermal flask. Everything is self service over there.
