Golden Week 2013 in Seoul, South Korea

Golden Week is a week in Japan where there are three holidays in one week. So a lot of schools will go on a week long spring holiday. It's Japan's answer to spring break, if you will. This year me and three of my co-trainees took off to South Korea. I've been wanting to go there for a few years now, since I've gotten heavy into the pop culture that comes from there. It was a really fun (and cheap) vacation!

Monday 4/29:

I over slept by ten minuets that morning and so I was rushing to get dressed, eat breakfast, and bike to the station in time for my train to Osaka. Luckily the train was a few minuets late. I was FLYING through the station, haha. I got to the airport and met up with Derek and Abby who i hand't seen since my three day weekend in Kyoto last summer. We exchanged money and went to the terminal where we met up with Stephen. This was the first time I ever boarded a plane straight from the runway, and it was really cool. We flew Peach, which is like the southwest of Japan. The round-trip flight was roughly $250. It was a two hour flight to Seoul.

We were starving by the time we got into Seoul and made our way to our hostel. So we asked the owner where we could get a good Korean dinner. He told us about an all you can eat KBBQ place not too far away. We went there and it was amazing! A buffet of various cuts and marinades of raw meat, veggies, rice, soup, and side dishes, plus a large refrigerator of drinks (including beer, yum) all for $16. We ate ourselves silly since we hadn't eaten all day. That night, our first night, we went to Seoul Tower. Its on top of a very large hill more or less in the middle of the city so you get a great view of the night sky. It was a nice place, and a good way to start our time in Korea. 

We then went back to our hostel and made a few new friends while playing cards and having drinks on the roof. It was beautiful, fun, and relaxing.

Tuesday 4/30:

For out first full day in Seoul we decided to hit up one of the most popular areas for 20 somethings, Hongdae (hong-day). Its a Univerity town with great shopping, eateries, bars, and clubs all with a very artistic flair. We wandered a round, got some lunch, and did some shopping. It was very nice. 

We left Hongdae and headed to Seonyudo (sun-you-doe) Park. There is a very large river that runs through the middle of Seoul and Seonyudo is a park on an island in the center that has a beautiful botanical garden. We played around there for a few hours and kind of just lazed about.

We headed back to our hostel after that to re-group and prepare for a night out. We grabbed a pretty good mexican dinner on the international street in Itaewon (ee-tay-wan) which is the city our hostel was in. Itaewon is near an American Base so there is a big international population there. Being there was almost like being in Korea Town in LA. Korea, but with an American flair. It was strange. The food was good through, and after we met up with our hostel friends from the night before and went to a Canadian Bar. More drinks were had, and more card games were played. It was great bonding! The two guys we met are on an Asian wide tour, so we promised to meet up again when they make their way to Japan this summer.

Wednesday 5/1:
Palace day! There are five historical palaces in Seoul. Originally I had wanted to see all five, but we made it to two and I was very happy with that. The first palace we went to was Changdeokgung (chah-ng-duck-guh-ng). This was was special because instead of following the traditional layout of the palaces before it, it flowed with the rise and fall of the topography and worked in harmony with its environment. (To be fair, I know nothing about this subject, but I like to read the info pamphlets and that's what I remember).

Regardless it was beautiful! The architecture is very similar to what I am used to in Japan, just way more ornate. Korea loves bright primary colors and intricate designs. It was beautiful!

After Changdeokgung Palace it was a short walk over to the main palace, Gyeonbokgung (Gyuh-n-boh-k-guh-ng). We got there right at the beginning of the changing of the guard! We watched the guards process in, then ran inside and watched the change over happen. There were drums, and horns, and cymbals, and bows, and arrows, and swords! So cool! This palace was very big, so we allowed ourselves to get lost inside it for a couple hours. 

Just outside Gyeonbokgung Palace is a long plaza leading down a major rode. We walked along that and on the far end we found a booth that allowed you to put on the costume of the king and take pictures for free! I didn't get a picture on my camera, so please refer to facebook for that. We then found a small stream that apparently runs through the city and decided to follow that for a while. It looked like they were preparing for a festival. 

That night we met up with Stephen's ex-JT who is currently studying in Korea. She took us out to dinner and then we went to a club. It was a Wednesday night, so it was pretty dead. But we danced and had a really nice time. People in Korea are so much more free with themselves when dancing! Japanese dancers are very self-conscious. So that was nice. And have a mentioned yet how cheap Korea was? Because we were getting drinks for $2. Then we took a cab across town back to our hostel for $8. Amazing!



Thursday 5/2:
Thursday morning we got up early and headed out to meet an old friend of mine from Jr. High. We used to ride the same bus to school and we were both good friends with kids from the same family. She took us out for a traditional Korean meal and man was it DELICIOUS  For sure the best meal I had that week. I honestly can't tell you what most of it was, or order it again without help, but gosh it was good. Thank you Sherry!

We then enjoyed a full afternoon of shopping. We all had souviners to buy. So first we went to a very artsy park of town (which's name I forget) and shopping in the mall that was all vendors selling hand crafted items. Very cool. Sherry had to leave for work after that so she took us to a big shopping mall that was also next to a large and popular market. Since we were following her around I really have no idea where we were... But we got our shop on and had a nice time. We also ran into fellow Amity co-trainees while there. Crazy!

That night we went to Stephen's ex-JT (Nina)'s place. She was having a dinner party with a bunch of her Japanese friends from her school. So I got really good practice with my Japanese while in Korea. Everyone was really fun so we had a nice time. Then we went to a bar after to have a few drinks before heading back to the hostel. 

Friday 5/3:

We woke up and had brunch with our fellow co-trainees at a place near our hostel. It is the first time I've had a real western style breakfast since leaving the states. I didn't realize how much I missed it! After that we went out to this huge and amazing market that sold everything! We got lost in that thing so many times, it was crazy. And it being our last day, and everything being wholesale, we went a little crazy. 

We didn't do much for the rest of that afternoon because that night we went out clubbing. We met up with Nina and her Japanese friends in Hongdae and hit up a club called Brooklyn. I wasn't feeling the music all that much, but the atmosphere was great so we had a good time and danced our butts off! We left there and took a taxi back to Itaewon where we hit up a certain district there that we had been wanting to go to. it was super crowded, and we were beat by then, so we didn't stay too long unfortunately. All in all, I have to say i enjoy the clubbing night-life in Korea better than Japan. Sorry Japan! I still love you!

Saturday 5/4:

The journey home was looooooooong. First we had to wake up early after being up all night in order to check out of our hostel and catch the train to the airport. Then only when we arrive at the airport do we realize that our flight is two hours later than we think it is. So we take our sweet leisurely time exchanging money, checking in, and having lunch. Once back in Japan I make a bad decision and take a local train back to Ogaki from Osaka. Turning a just under two hour train ride into a just over three hour train ride. I was not a happy camper by the time I finally got home. But it was a good week and a much needed vacation!