SOUTH KOREA/ SEOUL

From the back of the ship over breakfast we saw the amazing Incheon Bridge. One of the most amazing structures I have ever seen. Stretching twenty one miles out across the port of Icheon toward the International Airport. And I thought the Humber bridge was big, this is a different world!

Excitedly we left the ship behind and were looking forward to beating the queues as we had a car booked to take us to Seoul but, he was nowhere to be seen. After a few messages on WhatsApp he was telling us to go up the elevator to floor two. I looked every where but could not find it so I enquired at the information desk. A puzzled but kindly man told us there was no floor two!

Back on WhatsApp. “Ok” he said “Go to car park 4 and wait by the entrance.”

Again I looked everywhere with no luck so it was back to information. The puzzled kindly man told me there is no car park 4!

Frustrated I got onto WhatsApp and gave my location outside parking two. After a minute or two he replied “So am but I can’t see you? Can you see me?”

Well no you are you mad I was thinking when along came the kindly man from information. He took my phone and said he will call him. What a legend he was. After a minute of of fast Korean chat he hung up handed the phone back and smiled as he told me “He is on his way 20 minutes he is at the wrong port!”

“The wrong Port?”

“Easily done” he smiled “We build things so fast in Korea, it is all brand new here”.

I remembered his words so often during the next few days in the Metropolis that is Seoul!

After a pleasant but exciting hours ride through the land of Skyscrapers we arrived at a Hotel. This time we were really convinced he had the wrong place again as he pulled up alongside Rolls Royces, Porsches, Mercs and Teslas. He seemed very convinced this was the place as the Concierge and Bell Boys surrounded the car! We begged him not to leave us until we were checked in. Meanwhile the confused Bell Boys searched high an low throughout the car for more luggage! Just two small cases and a rucksack which nobody touches but me so keep your hands off!

Sure enough we were booked into the poshest hotel I have ever been too. I thought the one in Taipei was good this was a whole new level. They are going to love us here I thought smiling to my self.

So where shall we start? The room was massive with lots of electronic gadgets like a switch to tint the bathroom glass, electric curtains and blinds and as you can imagine it was super dooper bedroom. As for the hotel facilities I have to start with a “Glass Swimming Pool” on the roof, then maybe the indoor pool with jacuzzi’s.

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There was a virtual Golf Driving range which was quite simply amazing!
 

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The gym was stale of the art along with the fitness rooms. After all that exercise maybe a visit to the Patisserie? Maybe one of the bars or restaurants? This place was amazing and feel very lucky to have stayed there. And I must mention that the staff were just lovely!

Once we had explored the Hotel we set off to walk the local area and grab some lunch. It was very warm maybe about 27 degrees and Wendy had her lovely bright flowered dress on. As we walked for about 20 minutes she suddenly asked “Do you think I should go back and change”.

I looked at her puzzled.

“I feel really conspicuous in this dress”

“But you been wearing out a lot”

“Not in South Korea” she replied adding “Have you not noticed everyone is dressed so conservatively”

I took a moment and looked around the busy streets and sure enough she stood out like she was in colour, in a black and white movie. It was quite obvious that there was different fashions and styles but, nearly everyone was in black, white, grey, brown and maybe the odd blue. It was quite shocking after being in Japan!

Wendy kept her dress on after I convinced her that she would not offend anyone but, would just shine like a rose (well I made the last bit up, but I was thinking that).

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Spot the rebel wearing blue.

Within just a couple of hours of being in South Korea the contrast to what we had become used to in Japan was shockingly obvious. At the first road crossing people crossed before the lights had changed, they confidently walked across the flow of people, something unheard of in Japan. Gone were the cuddly toys and cartoon characters it was much more maybe functional. It is really difficult to describe, as it is maybe more of a feeling than anything. People seemed genuinely friendly but in a much more western way, almost rebellious. I could be wrong but so much was almost the opposite to Japan which was very much once the historical enemy. Maybe the opposite to North Korea is much more relevant, as it is a threat that hangs over everything in Seoul. On every subway station are reminders; the lockers full of gas masks in case of chemical attack, fire fighting instructions for the public and lockers with drinking water bottles. To a visitor it is quite a shocking reminder that technically you visiting a country still at war with a mad man just a few miles North of you! We were actually supposed to visit the DMZ (Demilitarised Zone) at the border but Kim must have caught word I was going and decided to blow up all the connecting roads in a major World Incident!

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The city streets near the hotel were a constant mix of old and new, ancient and modern. The older streets were single story poorly built relics of former districts. They were crammed in between new buildings that reached for the sky. I really cannot imagine that in ten years time any of these areas will still be here.

In most of the main streets the older buildings nearly all sold cooked food and outside were pictures of their dishes. Another shock!  The pictures showed plates with the meal but uncooked! The wonders of Google translate told us that on one plate was raw sinew, another was intestines. Maybe you fancy some tendons!

Fried Beef Brisket and Bean Sprouts

I am into trying things but I really did not want to see a picture of it uncooked on the plate!

We were not feeling very brave and eventually found a great looking cafe; a new building among rows of tired shops and restaurants. We found our own table and ordered food on a fixed iPad. I had one query and one of the staff confidently tried in his best English to help. Beautiful Tempura Shrimps, curry and rice was a great start to our eating adventure in Korea.

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It was late afternoon and decided to ride the subway back to the hotel, we would have a swim, jacuzzi and use the gym before setting out to explore again in the evening. Very much a long way underground in the station we could not work out how to buy a ticket let alone know where we were  going. We had complete brain fade and had for the first time failed at working out the system.

It was a long walk back to the hotel where the front desk explained that in future I needed to buy a special tourist card at the 7 Eleven and use different machines. Over the space of 3 days we had it off to a tee but it was not easy at first!