The night was 3rd Dec and Sandy and Ashli and I had managed to get ourselves on the not-very-exclusive-but-not-very-well-known-about guest list for an early Christmas function that was being organised by a man I only ever heard referred to as “Santa” (A large American chap with a white beard and balled head).
Soekie had invited Ashli and Ashli invited Sandy and I. It was to be held on Saturday 4th December, in Itaewon (Western aimed area of Seoul) to begin at 15:00 with gift presenting from 14:30. FIRST THOUGH, we had to get ourselves to Seoul. At about 18:15 on Friday night we headed to have pizza for supper and then hopped on our train to Deagu and KTX connection to Seoul. We arrived in Seoul at about 22:00 and made our way (via subway) to Hongik University Subway station were apon we walked around for a while and eventually found where we were staying – the Hong Guesthouse (Hostle).
The reason that the previous couple of paragraphs have been solely an account of our movements with minimal anecdotal references is because it was COLD! Like -3C cold, thus we were cold and tired and just wanted to get to sleep, so we had no anecdotal worthy stories for me to share at this point. However I think you would be interested to hear my dress-code at the time:
2 pairs of gloves (one wool and one leather); 2 pairs of Long-Johns; 2 vests; 3 beanies; 1 scarf; 1 Jersey-shirt-top; one ultra think jacket and on pair of jeans + my relatively think if a bit lose Brown leather boots. THAT, ladies and gents, is how cold it was on the walk to the train stations and hostel.
 |
| Me all Michelin-manned up before we left Yeongcheon |
 |
| A photo opportunity and... |
 |
| ... some entertainment at the subway station |
We find the guesthouse and initial impressions were good. Wooden floors, nice and warm, nice kitchen where you could store your food and cook for yourself, a nice (if sounding slightly over life/stoned) Texan - Josh, his name was - at the front desk. Then we see where we were actually sleeping. 1st we are guided into a room just beyond the front desk and there were other unknown people in this room. This, we expected (we were staying in a hostel after all). However, I am then guided out of the room and told – “following recent complaints from guests we have imposed an opposite sex separation rule on the hostel dorms, so you will not be staying in here. You will be staying in the basement, or as we like to call it, the dungeon.” All my hope extinguished we traipse out into the cold and down a set of stones to a series of basement room under the main house.
First thing I notice is that is it dirty as hell and the place smells like a combo of wet dog and used socks. I am led into the room I will be sleeping...
I am handed my sheets and pillow (which was essentially just a pillow slip as the pillow itself was so flat there was no point in calling it a pillow) and told “have a good nights!” – with a rather indifferent look on his face, Josh leaves and it is me and 4 other gets in various states of clothed’ness in this room. I climb in my bed and...
Second thing I notice is that the bed is a hard as concrete. I think I would have been more comfortable and less claustrophobic sleeping on the floor. I forgot to mention that I was sleeping in the top bunk of a bunk bed, so apart from having about a 30cm clearance between my nose (when I am lying on my back) and the ceiling, all the damp, wet-dog-sock smell (which is heated because of how high the heater was set) rose to the ceiling and I was surrounded by it. LOVELY! About the only thing going for the place was that it was warm – though even that became a problem (described later).
Sandy wanted to go out for some food as she was hungry so I quickly set up my sheets and bed, so as not to wake the guys who might be sleeping when I got back and headed out. It was now nearing 00:10 and we found a nifty little restaurant where sandy ordered some food and Ashli and I had glasses of water.
We were just generally too tired to talk and Ashli had the flu so she was saving her strength for the food and friends of the next day.
After the meal we stop by a little corner cafe and buy some OJ and Milk for breakfast for the next morning and get to the hostel for some rest. I enter the room (mentally wounded by the smell as I enter) and climb on my bed trying to get to sleep.
It just isn’t happening
The heaters are set way too high and where I was only wearing my PJ’s and one pair of under clothes I end up taking off my shirts and my long johns before I could get to sleep. Oh and then there were two loud Americans who were speaking at full volume just outside the bedroom door failing to pay any of the other sleeping men any courtesy by shutting their traps! Sigh.
Woke up the next morning feeling less than refreshed but had a shower (which helped) and went up for breakfast. Sandy and I were clever; we had packed some cereal for ourselves to eat and having bought milk the previous evening + OJ to share, we had a pleasant breakfast. I had also made a Pb&J sandwich that I had brought with so I gave Ashli half of that to eat as well.
Off to Itaewon we go...
We were in Itaewon nice and early so we had time to walk around and shop before heading to food heaven at 14:15.
I did some souvenir and GIFT ;) buying as well as I couple of foods from the foreign food products such as TACO and TACO sauce mix and then we went to Cafe Mielie (run by 2 Austrian Chefs) for our pre-Christmas gorging! We sat at a table with the 3 of us (Ashli, Sandy and I) and Ashli’s friend Summer. Unfortunately Soekie was very ill so she was unable to join in the festivities. Here are some pictures:
 |
| All the attendees of the Itaewon Christmas December 4 2010 |
 |
| Ashli and Summer looking at the Menu (Mid-page turn) |
 |
| A rooftop view of Iteawon from the Restaurant |
 |
| A-fore-mentioned Santa handing out pressies |
 |
| Ashli astounded at the amount of food we were given |
Menu was: Succulent Turkey; soft and creamy Mash; Borsht (Beetroot Soup); Some roast veg with the Turkey; Meat Loaf; cranberry Sauce and Pumpkin Pie-for dessert.
 |
| Borsht with Cream and a Mug of Gluvine |
 |
| The plate of food |
Various gifts were distributed by Santa: Gloves; Scarves; Socks and Festive headgear.
Sandy even had to sing for her pair of toe socks :-P
We ate, drank (Yes drank – Wonderful, yummy, warm Gluvine (of which I had 3 mugs worth and thusly got very warm and happy) and were merry and then it was time to go. Ashli and her friends wanted to go out, Sandy and I were not as keen so instead we went to Lotte World instead.
Lotte world is owned by Lotte conglomerate. They are the Consumer bigwigs in South Korea. They have a number of different ventures from an amusement park to shopping malls, fast food places, chips, biscuits and OJ. Lotte World is the Amusement park that is attached to this ridiculously big shopping mall.
There was an Ice Rink in the middle (ala Northgate) as well as games, restaurants, the works. But what amazed me about the place was the indoor amusement park. There was an Outdoor, much bigger, one but there was an indoor one for when it gets cold as it was at the time of this adventure. At the time they also had a Christmas parade with various cartoon and Christmas characters marching and dancing around the top floor of the place above the Ice Rink.
There were floats, fire, costumes, dancing, lights and laser shows. It was truly a spectacle. Sandy and I though had our hearts set on going ice skating (having read about Courtney and Sam’s trip to the slopes and Ice Rink in Pohang, on their blog). So we paid our Won grabbed some skates, put on our gloves (a rule of that particular rink) and got onto the ice.
I can’t remember when the last time I went skating was but it was just as energy sapping as I remember. We went well in circles for about 50min, with Sandy particularly impressive as she was effortless able to pick up speed and slow down while I was trying so hard just to keep my balance.
After skating we went and competed against each other at a racing arcade game and had a game of Air Hockey (Both of which I won: Air Hockey score being: 15-8 to me ;) ). After smoothies we were less than excited about going back to the hostel so decided to find a motel and stay there instead, being happy to forgo having already paid for the night at the hostel. We had a good very enjoyable night’s sleep and met up with Ashli again to get breakfast and head home by lunch time on the Sunday.
Another adventure done and dusted! Tune in again for more from Geoff’s Asian Adventure!
No comments:
Post a Comment