We started the day at a coffee shop about 7 minutes from the hotel. We had seen it yesterday as we walked to Analog Garden Cafe and decided to try it. What we didn’t realize at the time is that it’s a bagel shop! They use rice flour for the bagels and they had about a dozen varieties… We shared a bagel with salmon (lox), apples, cream cheese, and some greens. And we also shared what they called a tiramisu bagel (which came unexpectedly with whipped cream and wasn’t exactly a bagel–but very yummy.

From there we taxied to the Mullae-dong neighborhood, which is located in the southwestern part of the city and is home to active metal workshops and factories that coexist with art galleries, studios, and restaurants. Apparently the area was the major steel manufacturing district in the 1970s, and in the 2000s transformed into artist studios where cheap rent could be found for large spaces. But the small metal manufacturers are still there. As we explored the narrow alleyways we discovered murals, graffiti, and metal sculptures right outside working steel shops… and literally scores of really cool bars, cafes, restaurants, and even performance spaces. In one really funky place we met the owner who says he lived for a while in California in a city called Toronto.. but maybe he meant Torrance (??) His very funky art cafe was decorated with all sorts of memorabilia and mini collections — sort of Dada-esque.. and playing on his speaker were tunes like Barbara Ann..Anyway, he gave us a copy of an illustrated book that he created which is pretty cool. We love these kind of places and Mike is now ready to move to Seoul and live and work in one of these spaces in this industrial area.

Most areas like this in large cities in the states (like NY) have disappeared and are no longer affordable to artists–having been taken over by boutiques, wealthier renters, and fancy restaurants and spas. I hope Seoul can keep these places alive. Currently these one and two story buildings and shops sit pretty close to high rise housing. By the way, one other thing we noticed during our time here—the number of stores in both high end areas and working class neighborhoods is huge and you never see a boarded up store or a vacant store. US cities struggle to keep retail alive and as we all know, it’s not really working.

Along the way we stopped into one of many photobooth stores that are totally self-administered—no staff; there are several different types of shops that have no staff. And to our American surprise, the supplies and tools remain in tact; no theft, no mess. We took our photos, but we didn’t totally understand the directions so we got two copies of three images, but we took 8 images.. Now had there been an attendant…..

From Mullae, we taxied back to Hongdae (to begin to pack–strategically… since Mike will check his bag since he can’t lift it into the bin above.. and I will put whatever is heavy into his bag so that I can easily lift my bag) but got off a few blocks before the hotel to stroll and try to grab a quick light lunch. We wound up on the campus of Hongik University which had a pink popup van with tons of college students lining up — for collagen samples! And along the way we passed a few murals, perhaps done by art studnts at the university.

Another interesting observation… perhaps for the architect readers: Buildings here in Seoul, even large scale buildings show a lot of whimsy, with windows popping out or terraces suddenly appearing or cutouts within the frame.. or twisted and “warped” buildings.. or buildings with 15 different materials on one side of a building… and more. Each seems to be screaming for attention, but these features are actually made possible because there still remain fabricators and “artists” who can produce these things. Like in many countries, architects here in Korea are obviously trained to appeal to clients who want their building to attract attention, much like the advertisements for clothing and cosmetics!

Oh.. we did eventually stop for lunch at a place called Blue Roof. We went inside and there was a stairwell with about five flights to climb, but no signage about the restaurant except the big sign on the edge of the building where the door was… We climbed four flights thinking the restaurant must be on the roof (Blue Roof— got it?). But no restaurant so we climbed back down.. and there right next to the door with the stairs was the restaurant on the first floor. The Internet said it was a noodle restaurant, but it turned out to be Korean BBQ. We like that but hadn’t stopped at other BBQ places because it would be too heavy for lunch. Anyway.. all good. BBQ was tasty.

Now we are packing and then head to a supposedly upscale sushi restaurant… in lieu of our planned travels through Japan, which will alas have to be rescheduled…again! Will report on our final evening and morning tomorrow. Our flight is around 4 pm and wonder of wonders, we arrive at 11:30 am (same day).

Before I begin today’s adventures, I failed to mention something in yesterday’s post about the Leeum Museum: there is absolutely no signage fromn the outside explaining how to get into the building (unless you are standing directly in front of the Koolhaus building where the doors are. Given that there are three buildings, arranged on a hillside… and our taxi driver dropped us off in front of the Jean Nouvelle building… We could see that there were people inside, but the doors to the building were locked; we then walked uphill all around the Botta building and all entrances (or what appeared to be entrances) were shut. We were totally confused. We stopped a woman walking her dog and she said she “thought” you needed to go around one of the buildings (the Koolhaus one) and you get in there. Yes, that was correct. But really? Nothing on the other buildings or the street that directed you there.. OK.. my gripe for the day.

Began today with breakfast (not at our usual Offer which only has pastries and broad assortment of drinks) at a little cafe about 8 minutes from the hotel, called Analog Cafe–an organic place with some interesting breakfast options. Unlike the rest of Seoul which does everything digitally, this cafe (rebellious, I assume) doers everything in analog. So when you place your order–instead of getting one of those little buzzers that light up when your order is ready–you get a 5″ wood cube that has a letter of the alphabet painted on it. It’s a small cafe so I guess they can just remember who is getting what.

From there we headed (by taxi, since we’ve ditched the subway with its many, many stairs given Mike’s sling is too complicated and risky) to the corporate headquarters for Amorepacific–the skin care and make up giant whose motto is “Making people beautiful, making the world beautiful.” We went, not because of our deep interest in skin care, but because we had heard it was a spectacular building with public spaces that enabled visitors to see the interior vertical green wall that is supposedly the tallest in the world. Well… it is an amazing building with a huge lobby floor above which on the 4th floor is a glass block floor and an atrium that goes up many floors. But they no longer allow the public above the third floor. We made our case to the guy at the information desk– architect, designer, professors but it fell to deaf ears. And since it was some kind of holiday we could not speak to a supervisor to try to use our NY elbows to bypass the rules. Anyway.. no go. The building is understated, impeccably detailed, showcasing a large-scale, light filled space Apparently you can get your skin tone tested and make up matched to your color perfectly. I thought about it… but didn’t do it. Mike really wanted to do it but because of his shoulder decided against it.

On the main level there is a cafe, tea shop, and a museum which currently has a Sol Lewitt show. Every space is truly beautiful. On the lower level there are at least seven different coffee shops and assorted eateries—each beautifully designed. That said, the building and the consumption that it promotes (amid its professed commitment to the environment) seems to epitomize the contradictions in South Korea and reminded us of the issues raised in the Academy Award winning film a few years ago: “Parasite.”

From there we headed to the National Museum of Korea, located in the Yongsan district. The museum is situated on what used to be a golf course tied to US Army. The museum is huge and contains more than 300,000 objects, with only about 15,000 on view at any one time. Supposedly it is the sixth largest museum in the world in terms of floor space and boasts being the third most visited museum in the world. One of the attractions, the “pensive buddhas” is located in the Room of Quiet Contemplation. We strolled several galleries and had the most fun watching people watch a huge digital screen on the plaza, which flashed images of the very people watching the screen.. kids were jumping up and down as they saw themselves on the screen. By the way, everywhere there are images of mountain tigers and on the screen there was a digital tiger image and the kids were excited to be able to see themselves next to the tiger… with some “petting it.”

From the museum, we headed to Insadong’s walkiung streets and joined the crowds watching performers, strolling, shopping, and taking photos.

And then we headed to the Jogyesa Temple in the Insadong neighborhood. The temple was founded in 1395, at the start of the Jonson period; the modern temple was founded in 1910. It’s a strange setting—this very peaceful and beautifully appointed structure, now surrounded by highrises and corporate office structures.

And then we had an early dinner at Balwoo Gongyang—delicate temple cuisine. Ran by the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism, it was opened to promote the culture of Korean temple food. Balwoo Gongyang serves traditional vegan recipes handed down for generations. Hard to explain what we ate.. and photos of food are always the hardest to do. But here are a few images. We ate in a little private room, with the staffer coming in and out with each “course.” In reality each course really had about five different dishes. English was at a minimum, but since each dish was quite simple we managed to figure most of it out. Each section of the dinner had a special name like: Palate Awakener; Harmonious Flavor; Subtle Flavor; and Monk’s Smile. Many dishes included pickled vegetables, mushrooms, lotus root, and kimche. Everyone was very friendly and bowing.

As we left the restaurant we passed by the temple again… lit and glowing for the evening. Our days in Seoul are coming to an end.. Tomorrow we pack and will stroll another neighborhood. More on that to come.

Given Mike’s physical condition, we decided to go easy today (and for the remaining two days)—use taxis to eliminate hundreds of stairs on the subway; visit museums to minimize street walking; etc.

So off we went to the Leeum Museum, which is really three museums in one– connected below ground. Above ground were three totally distinct buildings–each by a starchitect! France’s Jean Nouvelle, Switzerland’s Botta, and Netherlands’ Rem Koolhaus. The entry is into the Koolhaus building through a ramp that takes you below grade level. Once in the lobby you can move between the three buildings seamlessly. If you never went above ground you might not know there were three buildings— well not exactly since the walls and spaces are different but truly it feels like a single building. It’s located in the Hamman-dong area–an upscale neighborhood with high end houses and shops.

We strolled the museum’s different exhibits–traditional Korean art, contemporary, and a special exhibition of place-based works by women artists.

We then hopped into a taxi (I’m getting to be a whiz with K-Ride) to visit the Korea Craft and Design Foundation which turned out to be in Insadong, the opposite part of the city, so once again we drove through areas we had not yet seen. The taxi driver dropped us off at a nondescript building which was closed and we realized it was not the right location. Fortunately the real location was only about a 10-munute walk. And frankly when we got there, it was a big disappointment. But we strolled the walking streets of the neighborhood which were packed with people on this bright sunny Sunday. And we stopped briefly in a tiny cafe to get a light lunch of gimbap. And then we walked some more… a lot more, since we couldn’t request a taxi until we were on a regular street and that took a while.

After a short respite at the hotel, we headed for dinner at Jin Ok Hwa — apparently a Seoul landmark that originated the neighborhood’s iconic “dakhanmari” — WHOLE chicken soup. Since it was about 8 pm, we walked down a fairly dark covered alley lined with shops with fish tanks and food stalls (mostly closed at this time of night—all the wares were on tables covered with simple cloths—clearly no fear of theft) until we found a crowd of people waiting patiently in the drizzling rain, for a table at Jin Ok Hwa. We joined that group of folks waiting as we peeked in to see what was in store for us. At first we didn’t even know how to get on the waiting list. But someone took us by the hand and got us a “number” and we waited to be called. It was pretty obvious that we were the only foreigners and probably the only “newbies.” The place is three floors of eating for this one restaurant. We calculate about 250 people eating on the three floors at any one time And it is open until 1 am every day. And it was packed. And it’s been around since 1978.

There’s no need for a menu because all they serve is a whole chicken that cooks at your table in a big pot of water with garlic and some scallions and slices of potato. Since we were novices the staff came by from time to time to tell us how much longer to let the chicken cook. They also came by to cut the chicken into parts so that it would cook faster. And they motioned that we needed to make a dipping “sauce” of chili paste, soy, mustard, vinegar, and some spices at the table. We dutifully did that and also noticed that people had kimchi… so I went to the giant kimche “pail” (about the size of a very large outdoor 64 gallon trash can) and scooped up a bowl for us. Eventually the chicken was ready and we scooped out parts to eat in our stainless steel(?) bowls.. and then a bowl of noodles arrived and were dumped into the remaining stock from the chicken… and we ate the noodles. It was fun. It was tasty.

We taxied back to the hotel in the rain, only to find some White blond pop singer signing her albums at the back door of our hotel!? We called it a day.

That’s actually Mike’s motto; as you know I’m the half full one!

What started as a great day went sideways fast.

We had our usual breakfast — I’ve gotten hooked on milk tea, a milder, milkier version of chai — then made a quick detour to buy a luggage lock. Mike had decided to check both bags on the Mongolia flight; his shoulder had been bothering him since lifting his carry-on bag into the overhead compartment on the flight over, despite a recent steroid shot that had it feeling almost new.

The hotel — staffed entirely by 25-year-olds who navigate entirely by device — sent us to a basement shop across the back alley. A young staffer pulled out his iPad and showed us our route in three dimensions, zooming in on the entrance so we wouldn’t miss it. We climbed down a steep staircase expecting a tiny shop and found what can only be described as a low-rent Target in a basement. Had exactly what we needed.

On the way back up those stairs, Mike let out a sharp yelp. He sort of tripped on a stair that wasn’t an even riser, grabbed the railing, his arm shot straight up — lightning bolt of pain, he said. And then a lot of it.

What followed was a medical odyssey. First stop: a slick clinic five minutes from the hotel. Young orthopedist, translator app, a few questions, some arm manipulation, shots, a PT room with devices that pounded the area. Nothing helped. Mike needed a sling — but here’s the thing: in Korea you cannot buy a sling without a prescription. The doctor had already left for the day. No sling.

Back to the hotel, where the concierge confirmed this maddening fact, made numerous calls over lunch, and determined the only solution was an emergency room. The “international hospitals” with English-speaking staff are all closed on weekends. So off we went on a 45-minute taxi ride to Gangseo K Hospital, which specializes in fractures and spinal injuries. Minimal wait. A doctor, some questions, Tylenol, and a five-day supply of pills — packaged by the pharmacist into neat little plastic sets of three, like tiny daily pill organizers. And a sling.

The long taxi ride there and back gave us an unfiltered look at working-class Seoul — no glitz, no tourists, just the city going about its business. And I finally got to try the K-Ride taxi app I’d downloaded. Worked like a dream.

Given the day’s chaos, we kept dinner simple — Korean BBQ at Doma Hongdae, right nearby. As always, delicious.

Afterward we wandered into what can only be described as a landlocked Coney Island — Hongdae’s youth district. Thousands of kids between 17 and 22, wall to wall: game arcades, caricature artists, costume photo studios, street food, soccer, shops selling everything and nothing. We were almost certainly the oldest people there by a factor of three.

Then came the hard conversation. With Mongolia tomorrow and Japan after that, we had to be clear-eyed about it — and we were. Mongolia is canceled. Japan is on the way to being canceled. We’ll stay a few more days in Seoul, keep things low-key, and fly home Wednesday. Availability looks fine; I’ll sort the airlines in the morning.

It’s disappointing, but it’s the right call. Mike needs to see his orthopedic surgeon as soon as we’re back and get surgery scheduled. What this means for our December trip to Switzerland and Algeria, we don’t know yet — one step at a time.

It’s all good.

18,000 steps; 6.5 miles; 14 flights,

Before getting into today’s adventures, for those who asked… here is a little drawing (compliments of Mike) that shows the floor plan of the hanok in Bukchon. And also some photos of the BBQ dinner last night in Hongdae. And, yes we are walking a great deal— averaging about 5 miles each day and going up and down the subway has brought us to between 10 and 15 flights (according to the app, which calculates it as going up and down to make a flight) each day. And we are doing fine with language… the apps work well, although I’m a bit slow and Mike hasn’t used it at all yet. We’ve stopped people on the street who have been very helpful, even if they only speak a few words of English. Mostly we are always looking for the subway entrance and that is easy to ask… and we’ve gotten pretty good at using Naver (sort of the WAZE of Korea). Now onward to today.

We began the day at Offer — our little cafe across from the Ryse Hotel; it’s fast, good, and has become our hangout. We had planned out what we hoped to see today, but then on the spur of the moment we shifted plans and decided to get to some “normal” neighborhoods where real people live and work, and did a bit of research and decided to head to the Nowon-gu area which is in the northern part of the city. We also knew that there was a Museum of Urban Life located in the area. So off we went– about 45 minutes by subway, using two different lines and then a bit of walking. As my pictures show, I remain obsessed with the cleanliness of the subway (and actually the city streets as well). No gum on the floors, no grafitti, no litter. When we were in Uzbekistan the subway stations were also immaculate but you saw a woman (always a woman) sweeping and washing the floors–all the time, at every station. Here, there is no evidence of anyone doing the cleaning,so even if they wash the stations in the evening… somehow they remain spotless through the day. And I’m having fun photographing everyone on their phones. I guess it’s sort of like this in NY, but I’ve never noticed it as much as I do here.

The Seoul Museum of Urban Life was actually quite interesting. It is located in a former court building that was abandoned when a newer court (or prosecutor’s office) was established. There are some parts that are devoted to children with activities like seeing the city throjgh the vantage point of an ant (clever). The museum has preserved many artifacts of working class life in Seoul in the decades between 1950 and 2010 (maybe a little later), and has developed some interesting exhibits focused on various topics from housing design to population growth to elections to child rearing, sports, and weddings.

After strolling through the museum, we stopped briefly at the cafe on the third floor to get something cold to drink. Naturally, the menu was automated but it had a translation button so we were fine. Then the guy who worked there (about 70 years old) asked where I was from and began to cut open some chestnuts for me (a little gift, he said). Then Mike came and ordered a smoothie or something and the guy shows up with two hard boiled eggs for us. And when we were about to leave he handed us two bottles of water. Extremely friendly. The museum was pretty empty so maybe he was hoping we’d “spread the word.” I love when museums are located within neighborhoods rather than in special zones creating a “culture hub” or downtown. Museums should be accessible and local.

Then we headed to Sewoon Sangga, a 1967 megastructure that was considered state of the art at the time—a brutalist structure with bridges above streets that connected multiple buildings. It was in pretty bad shape, but it turned out to be right at the center of the reclaimed river project, which sits below street level in that area: Cheonggyecheon. And just as we were finding this gem, we got a text from a Korean American friend in Seattle reminding us to visit this project. It is a 6.8 mile river (sort of more like a stream) that had been coverd over with a two-story highway in the 60s when development overruled environment. Shops grew alongside the expressway and there was probably a generation that never even knew there had been a stream below.

In the early 2000s the mayor of Seoul decided to demolish the expressway and reveal the stream underneath. Surprisingly the water was clear and today there are 22 bridges that cross the river creating a sort of sunken park below the hubbub of city life. It’s kind of like Seoul’s Highline… or maybe its Lowline. It’s beautifully planted and edged with stepping stones and plenty of trees. It is charming and relaxing to stroll through (which we did — but not the whole 6.8 miles). A definite gem and literally a breath of fresh air, with lots of people milling about and enjoying the space, The walk back to the subway provided us the chance to stroll past tiny shop after tiny shop –each dedicated to one item: sewing machines (old ones being repaired); motors; light bulbs (similar to what we’ve seen in many developing nations).

Then we trekked back to the subway to reach our next stop EWHA University, the world’s largest women’s college in the world (23,000 students). It’s a real urban university, with an incredible campus.It’s built on a series of hills and the French architect was commissioned to do new buildings. Rather than spoil the beauty of the natural setting, he buried the 4-5 story buildings underground so that the roofs are green and merge with the hillside. Running through the middle of the two “buried buildings” is a paved chasm with a gently ramping hill on one side and a stepped forum on the other.

We headed back to the subway (by now pretty beat) and to the hotel to freshen up for dinner. Tonight we went to a tiny place called Hangonggon in the Mapo-gu district. Can’t remember where I heard about it but we decided to give it a try. We had some trouble making a reservation and finally sent a note on Instagram. They were adamant that I phone exactly an hour before our reservation, which I did. Hangonggon seats about 16 people (that’s it!) and is very casual. There is no name on the door and no signage anywhere. The menu is small and includes about 7 different fried chicken dishes. We chose the honey mustard garlic version, and we had the spicy pork noodles as well—and beers. At the end of the meal they gave us each a glass of some kind of after dinner wine. Then we walked back to the hotel, making a quick detour for some great gelato.

That’s it. Hard to believe tomorrow will be our last full day in Seoul. So much more to see and do. Guess, another trip needs to be planned.