South Korea

February 24 For my last leg of the freedom tour, I had saved Korea for the end simply because of my recent fascination with all things Korean...the food, culture, the pop, the drama, etc. Amelia joined me for this trip and it all seemed fitting since she had been such a big part of my adventures from Vietnam to Malaysia. The flight to Incheon took about 6 hours. Not much to see during the touchdown.

After going through immigration, we caught the subway to Hongik University station off line 2.

Then came some wandering to finally locate the guesthouse. For our first meal in Korea, we decided on BBQ...the one where you grill your own meat at the table. It was quite nice!

After dinner came some strolling through the area where I encountered what I thought was a mob protest but then I realized that I was in Korea and the mob was for a k-pop boy band called NOM! I figured when in Rome so I got my picture taken with these flower boys too...don't judge. It's crazy how Korean girls of all ages are so obsessed with k-pop stars...they bring with them signs and chant their names in unison.

Afterwards at the guesthouse, I met some other folks from Taiwan, the US, Japan and Busan. Our fearless leader was this 19 year old pink hair girl from Oakland names Arlyss. The irony was that in a group of all Asians, it was the american girl who can speak Korean. Overall, a great first night in Korea exploring the nightlife.

February 25 We woke up a bit later than usual. I suspect its the fact that Korea is 1 hour ahead of the region that I was previously in before. Headed to the subway and explored the City Hall area and Myeong-dong-Euljiro. At the City Hall stop we had some yummy kimbap and mochi balls from a vendor.

From there, it was a visit to Deoksugung Palace which was a residence for the Emperor at one point. The cool thing about the palace is that its guarded by guys in traditional korean warrior outfits armed with swords.

The rest of the day was spent exploring the rest of City Hall and Myeong by foot. A couple of observations thus far are 1) Seoul is a real clean city that's almost at the Tokyo level, 2) the two most popular vendor items are women shoes and fashion glasses, 3) men and women stroll with their besties, and 4) there's no shortage of 7/11s, family marts and other convenience stores to get your caffeine and ramen fix. After a long day of walking, we ended up doing BBQ again only this time we opted for the all you can eat buffet option. Pretty yummy but the sides could of been better. Off to bed.

February 26 Woke up a bit late this morning, again lol. The room at Four Seasons House is super comfy and the staff is top notched. After breakfast, we ventured out to cover the Gangnam, Samseong and Jamsil districts. In Gangnam there's U Street or Ubiquitous Street which brings together Korea's IT technology and fashion design. Of course there's also a landmark for Psy and Oppa Gangnam Style and we did the obligatory dance.

The other nice spot in Gangnam is Kukkiwon, the heartland of Taekwondo.

In Samseong I wanted to checkout the kimchi museum but unfortunately it was closed. I did go up to the Korea World Trade Center and caught a spectacular aerial view of Samseong at Marco Polo.

In Jamsil the big attraction is the Sports Complex that houses Jamsil Baseball Stadium and the main area for the 1988 Olympic games.

Oh and I did finally get vending machine coffee which was on my short to do list...not bad not great.

In the evening we went for Korean chicken and beer at The Cafe BBQ which is owned by a member of boyband Infinite. Pretty much all girls the

re. February 27 Today was all about Suwon, a city of filial duty and fortresses, where many historical and cultural relics can be found.

Suwon is a water city that is bound by Gwanggyo Mountain from the north and Chilbo Mountain on the west. The famous Suwon Hwaseong Fortress is a UNESCO World Heritage site. You can go around the perimeter in about 3 hours. I found Suwon to be very historical yet quirky at the same time. There are plenty of street art everywhere that give off an inviting and I'm different vibe. I really wanted to try my hand at archery but they were closed by the time I got there.

The other unique artwork were the tiles in the city square with warrior figures and other tribal arts.

Overall, I would definitely visit Suwon again and explore all the interesting spots like the toilet museum! February 28 Checked out of Four Seasons

and went to Seoul Hostel Center in Insa-dong, which has a famous street lined with antique art, bookshops and food vendors. Tried some fish cakes, chicken skewers, custard desserts and a horn shaped ice cream cone. Afterwards, ventured over to Bukchon to visit Hanok Village, which is packed with over 900 Korean traditional houses.

Hanok also serves as the backdrop for many Korean movies and dramas.

In fact I saw the filming of a bus scene there. Like a fool I chased the bus and stumbled over a rock and fell on my ass. In the evening it was another round of all you can eat Korean BBQ.

This time the variety and meat selection were much better than the last place I went to. After stuffing myself with meat and banchan, I had to walk it off so to the Seoul Tower we went. Its an impressive sight but quite a hike up the hill.

Really worn out now. Good night.

March 1 Headed to Busan today from Seoul via the Express Bus Terminal. You can get a 1 way bus tix for about 23,000 wan and the journey takes about 4.5 hours with a 15 minute rest stop in the middle. The rest stop is quite nice because you can get your Korean snack fix such as the fish cake sticks that are sunk in tasty broth. Busan was rainy and gloomy today so not much to do but check into this jjimjilbang called Haeundae Spa Center.

Korean spas are popular all over and families would stay overnight too. The concept is pretty straightforward with check in first, then follow by showering in gender segregated areas or floors. In the shower room, you will find lockers for your possessions, saunas and hot spring baths for relaxation...all in the nude of course. Once you are ready, you change into a standard uniform which is typically pink for women and gray or blue for men. After slipping into your uniform, you head up to a common area where one will find various sauna rooms, DVD/TV rooms, food, and sleeping areas. The sleeping areas are pretty neat and consists of you grabbing a couple of blankets and a curved slab of wood that acts as a pillow. You sleep on heated floors and you will see families with mom, dad and the kids sleeping side by side like you see in the k-dramas. My favorite part is actually the shower are where you can get this coarse towel that can wrap around a bar of soap to scrub yourself thoroughly from head to toe. Very very clean and relaxing experience. I've done Korean spas pretty often in Dallas but it's something else to do it in Korea. March 2 Checked out of the jjimjilbang and explored the Haeundae Beach area. Great seaside view from Haeundae and from there went to Nampo-dong, Gwangbok-dong area. Dropped by the Sindonga Fish Market and saw a mass of people buying fresh seafood.

Ate oysters, clams and octopus at Jagalchi Market. Saw the guy pick up an octopus from the tank and sever its tentacles...which still wiggles in your mouth.

Then I walked to BIFF Square, Jokbal Alley, Bupyeong Market, Gukje Market and the Busan Tower. The Busan Tower had a pretty spectacular view of the city from high above...about 107 meter

s. Afterwards checked into another jjimjilban named Song Do Haesoopia. More saunas and amenities than the prior night, but not as clean. Not bad really.

March 3 Left Busan and headed to Gyeongju, which is only 40 minutes away. Gyeongju is a very ancient city known for its royal tombs and seafood. First headed to Gampo Port for fresh raw fish. Had an excellent spread of sashimi and banchan.

Afterwards checked out Anapji Pond which was built during the reign of King Munmu. Really spectacular at night when its lit up. Later on the evening I felt sick from the sashimi. The flatfish was very chewy and indigestible so it kept me up all night. Now I have back pains and cramps...err sashimi. March 4 Eh spent all day feeling sick as I traveled back to Seoul. Nothing terribly exciting. I did manage to get Netflix to work in Korea using HOLA VPN so minor win.

March 5 Checked out of Four Seasons House. Going to miss that place...by far one of the best guesthouses that I have ever stayed at. The place has a very comfortable home vibe and the staff is super friendly. I went to the SBS studio but was not allowed in...pretty disappointing. Checked into another jjimjilbang called Dragon Hill. Apparently one of the best in Seoul.

March 6 Found another place to stay called KW owned by a Korean man and his Malaysian wife. They have 5 other properties and a resort. The place was quite nice and comfortable. Had another Korean BBQ meal at Hong Bar...this time I knew my limits. Pretty much a quiet day of unwinding before I fly out tomorrow. Coming to an end of my adventures with Amelia...will really miss her.

March 7 Departure day! Such bittersweet memories from my near 6 months in Asia. I met so many great people during my travels and experienced so many things that I probably never would have in the US. All my senses have been heightened and yes, even my heart has awoken. Thank you Amelia! Def the highlight of my travels :)

Flight to Honolulu with a 5 hour stopover, then a layover in LAX overnight before heading to SF early morning. Its a bit bittersweet to know that my trip is concluding and that I would be returning home soon. After 5 and 1/4 months on the road, bouncing from country to country, city to city, sleeping in foreign beds every night, and attempting the best I can to immerse myself into local cultures, I still do not have a summary of my travels. I think it will take some time for things to sit and marinade before I can fully digest all that I have consumed. I leave this blog with the perhaps copt-out, but yet seemingly appropriate TBD.