Cherry Blossom Tunnel in Seoul

This is what I was hoping for when we reached the Cherry Blossom Tunnel in National Assembly, Seoul. Both the kiss and the flowers.

(image from Dramabeans)

Reality, the cherry blossoms were still in their bud stage because of the harsh winter that Korea experienced. Everywhere else in the world, the flowers have started blooming already.

Darn, missed the glorious show by a week.

Eats in Insadong, Seoul

Insadong is one of those vibrant places for you to visit whenever you are in Seoul. Sure, it is somewhat of a tourist trap, but it's fun wandering the streets nonetheless. Insadong is always full of people milling around the alleyways, restaurants, food stalls and curio shops.

I was looking for a hole-in-the-wall restaurant that I wasn't able to try last time I was in Insadong with my co-workers for a company trip because of limited time with the tour group. I wanted to look for that restaurant because the smell was just so heavenly when I passed by. I was mighty disappointed that it wasn't where I thought it was. Me and my bad sense of direction again.

I took Hubby to one of the dumpling places that I visited last time.  I bought assorted dumplings and we decided to eat them in a restaurant somewhere where we could sit. Hubby was starting to get (very) cranky by the time we got to the dumpling shop because it was quite a walk from the subway station, we had no sleep (since we took the red-eye) and he was upset that we couldn't get a table inside. 

I love Hubby and all, but when he gets tired and hungry, he turns to an effing @$$hole (pardon my French). I usually get pissed when he starts pulling the Jekyll and Hyde crap on me. See my lovely expression in the picture above.

We ended up having lunch in this restaurant with no English name. We needed a place to sit down, have a proper lunch and eat the dumplings in peace.  The food in the restaurant turned out quite good, actually. The fried beef was delicious. Beef in Korea is really good, the side dishes are almost always bottomless. 

What I noticed though during my travels in Korea, is that most restaurants don't allow sharing of one order, despite that each serving is usually good for two. I suppose it's because of the bottomless kimchi and side dishes that they offer. It just makes good business sense to recoup their capital specially if they encounter people who will fill themselves with just the side dishes.

Anyway, after Hubby had been fed and an after hour of rest in the restaurant while wolfing down copious amounts of kimchi, he became his usual self again. Hubby's personality is a cross between Scooby-doo, Bill Gates and that narrator from the Discovery channel. He's weird, but I love him nonetheless.

He brightened up when he saw this ice cream stall. He LOVES ice cream.

All is well again in the world. Ice cream does that to people.

That's my Scooby-doo enjoying his ice cream cone. Jekyll and Hyde nowhere in sight.

Din Tai Fung in Myeong-dong, Seoul

What do you know, my favorite restaurant in the whole wide world is in Seoul! I wasn't able to go last time due to my poor sense of direction, I ended up wonderfully lost somewhere in the streets of Myeong-dong.

This time though, I was determined to find Din Tai Fung. I researched it, and realized, I had seen that building before, if only I looked closer, I would have found it during my last stay in Seoul.

Anyway, Hubby and I both love Din Tai Fung. I fell madly head over heels with the Xiao Long Bao in Taipei and I COULDN'T wait to get my hands on them ( sorry, that's the glutton talking).

I was so eager but, I was slightly disappointed with how the food tasted in Seoul. Din Tai Fung in Taipei is still the bomb! I vow to return there. Hubby will probably give in and take me there soon. Ha ha ha.

The difference in Seoul was the vinegar and soy sauce used for the dipping sauce of the Xiao Long Bao. That is it but, it makes such a HUGE difference in taste. Seriously, there aren't any black vinegar and Chinese soy sauce anywhere in Seoul? Cane vinegar doesn't taste quite as good with the Xiao Long Bao.

It would have been such a huge gastronomic success if the right vinegar and soy sauce were used. Even Hubby noticed the difference.

Anyhoo, the experience was still pleasant because Hubby was with me :-) Ah, two gluttons in love <3

Seoul N Tower

As a sign of our love and commitment, Hubby and I placed lovers' locks on the terrace of the Seoul N Tower. This trip to Seoul is Hubby's 11th wedding anniversary to me. Isn't he just the best?

The locks are available at the gift shop. There are a variety of designs to choose from. You can also bring your own and place them anywhere on the railings on the terrace or at the metal trees beside the entrance. Thousands of locks can be found here. It's lovely and so romantic to see all these couples making this symbolic gesture.

It would be nice to come back sometime in the future and look for ours.

Street Food in Myeong-dong

Freshly roasted chestnuts and ginko nuts are typical street food in Myeong-dong, Seoul. I love them both! It's the first time I've had ginko nuts, they're a bit bitter if the nuts are not properly peeled, but otherwise they taste really good.

Freshly roasted chestnuts really go well on a cold night. It almost felt like Christmas.

Yummy!

I swear! We don't always have breakfast like this. It was an emergency! Took the red eye, no sleep and no restaurants open yet when we arrived in Seoul yesterday.

I have no regrets. The waffles in Angel-in-us Coffee were really good, they were freshly made, fluffy and the whip cream was not too sweet. I didn't finish all of it though, it was too big. Hubby had to help me **wink wink**.

In Seoul

Hubby and I arrived in Seoul, South Korea yesterday for our 11th wedding anniversary celebration. I am ashamed, yet happy to say that we have been eating almost non-stop.

I'm having fun despite the rainy weather. Hubby unfortunately wasn't too enthusiastic about the walking in the rain part.

Hopefully the weather will be nicer tomorrow.