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Rocking Out with a New Member!
Some if you might be thinking it’s about time, while others had no idea this was coming. The last three months have been a compilation of excitement, exhaustion and empathy with a being I haven’t even had the pleasure of meeting yet. The feelings of lethargy overtook me when I would usually be bounding out the door to somewhere or another. Luckily, there wasn’t morning sickness to speak of just some nausea at the smell of… well I’m still not sure what was causing it. My husband was on top of things with iron heavy seaweed soup to help me cope and boost my energy and our cats couldn’t keep away from…
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Gaya Land: Abandoned to Revived Amusement Park in Korea
Just a short walk from my in-laws house, I spotted a Ferris wheel and never one to pass up a good view we headed in the direction only to find ourselves at an abandoned amusement park. I have never been one to enter places where entrance is clearly not permitted, but this was different. The front entrance wasn’t fenced off in any way and the signage didn’t make it sound too serious if we did enter. Down in Gimhae, Korea, you can find some great places to explore that are lively and fun like the Gimhae Gaya Theme Park and the ClayArch Ceramics Museum, but there are also some derelict…
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The Bukchon Hanok Village: Where To Start
Picking a direction and beginning a self guided tour is how most approach the traditional area of Bukchon in the historic center of Seoul, Korea. As a longtime resident of the capital of Korea, I’ve visited the Bukchon Hanok Village numerous times, but I still remember that first time I went and felt like I didn’t really “see” anything. To make your time in the historic city center of Seoul memorable, there’s a lot you can do, and a lot I’ve covered in this guide to the Bukchon Hanok Village if you want to plan your own day in the area. If it’s your first time though, stick around because…
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Gangseo Marsh Ecological Park: On The Han River
The westernmost of the 11 Hangang Parks is the boggy and bird friendly Gangseo Marsh Ecological Park (강서습지생태공원). There are some really popular parks on the Han River and and some that you only find if you’ve rented bikes, or have a bike, and are passing through. Don’t miss this Han River Park and maybe take a picnic with you to enjoy an afternoon in Gangseo-gu. (This post contains affiliate links, which means I receive a certain percentage of a sale if you purchase after clicking. These funds go to maintain the site. Thank you for your support.) How To Get There Address: 279-23 27-gil Yangcheon-ro Gangseo-gu, Seoul (서울특별시 강서구…
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Korean Cooking: How to make Korean Seaweed Soup
Known as the birthday soup in Korea, though it can be eaten any old time, miyeok-guk (미역국), or seaweed soup, is one of my favorite Korean soups. Seaweed soup is a household staple but it’s also a great restaurant option too. I had it every day for every meal when I was staying at a post-natal hotel in Seoul. If you want to make your own seaweed soup Korean style, follow the recipe below. This is my go-to meal when I’m feeling low on energy. It’s the pick-me-up I need. (This post contains affiliate links, which means I receive a certain percentage of a sale if you purchase after clicking…
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30 Things I Did Before I Turned 30
It’s my birthday today! I saw a post with this same title awhile back and at first I thought, why would someone write a post like this? I’ve done a lot in 30 years and writing just 30 of those things down doesn’t seem fair to everything else I can’t write down or can’t remember, taking my first step was a big accomplishment I’m sure, but I can’t for the life of me remember it. A few weeks back though, I was sitting with a student, who is just a year younger than myself, and we were talking about accomplishments. I thought it was an easy enough question. Tell me…
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Marche@ Munchies: A Monthly Artisanal Market
This artisan market is relatively new, only starting in October of last year, but they sure have a following. Vendors selling handmade soy candles, bags, aprons and other crafts sit next to vendors selling organic treats and drinks for those food lovers out there. The Marche@ (마르쉐@) Market in the Maronnier Park in Hyewha once a month is the perfect place to spend a Sunday, especially now that the weather is nice, eating good food for lunch and meeting some really great people. (This post contains affiliate links, which means I receive a certain percentage of a sale if you purchase after clicking. These funds go to maintain the site.…
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The Time I Mooned A Nurse in Korea Because I Couldn’t Speak Korean
One of the reasons I love living in Korea is because almost every day there’s something to chuckle at. It may be due to my own misunderstanding, a Konglish word I should have guessed, a spelling error that ends up being something totally different, or just a natural inclination of Koreans that is completely opposite of my own. There is just always something. Have you ever had to speak Korean at a hospital before? Well, I did and it didn’t end well suffice to say. (This post contains affiliate links, which means I receive a certain percentage of a sale if you purchase after clicking at no cost to you. Thank…
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Nonsan Strawberry Festival: Eating In Strawberry Fields in Korea
It’s strawberry season in Korea, as if you didn’t notice the bucketfuls being sold in the markets and from trucks driving through your neighborhoods everywhere right now. When I was growing up, I LOVED having strawberry plants that I could pick my own strawberries from and luckily in Korea, there are strawberry festivals where you can do just that. Nonsan is Korea’s largest strawberry producer and the city welcomes people from near and far every spring in Korea for the Nonsan Strawberry Festival which took place this past weekend to the delight of many, myself included. Don’t miss it next year! Visitors can taste some of their delicious strawberries freshly…
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Gwanghwamun Flea Market Fun
Every Sunday from March to October, traffic is blocked going southbound and tents are erected for a big flea market on the Gwanghwamun Square just in front of Gyeongbokgung Palace. From 11 o’clock in the morning to 4 in the afternoon, visitors can peruse a wide range of goods. Vendors sell everything from old clothes at bargain prices to homemade accessories, teas, candles, lotions, potted plants and seedlings and more. What’s more, every Sunday is different. There’s something for everyone and even food from around the world on sale to munch on when the midday pangs of hunger strike. (This post contains affiliate links, which means I receive a certain percentage…
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Oh Sae Gyae Hyang: The Most Popular Vegan Restaurant in Insadong
Looking for vegan food in Seoul? A lot of tourists headed to Seoul message me each year with questions about one thing or another and the ones that usually make me search the most pertain to food choices and allergies. Never wanting to steer anyone wrong, I check and double check before recommendations. So, for those vegan tourists out there headed to Seoul, I’ll tell you it won’t be easy, but it’s not impossible. There have been more and more vegetarian and vegan restaurants opening in Seoul in the past decade. If you’re visiting Insadong, my top suggestion for lunch or dinner is Oh Sae Gyae Hyang (오세계향). It’s delicious,…
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Moon Bird Only Thinks of the Moon: The Best Traditional Tea House In Insadong
(Unfortunately, I’ve found out this long standing tea house in Insadong is now CLOSED!) Little wooden doorways that open up into dark cinnamon and ginger scent filled tea houses are scattered around Insadong, but it can take a trained eye to spot the good ones in this popular touristy district of Seoul. There are bigger, brighter and busier cafes that sit on the main Insadong drag, but if you want the intimate experience, you have to head down the small alleys and keep your eyes peeled. These little doorways that slide open can seem uninviting when closed and it’s easy to pass by assuming the establishment inside is not open…
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Flowers In Jongno
This past Sunday the sun was shining, parka weather said goodbye and a warm breeze was blowing so naturally I couldn’t help but head out for a walk. I headed to Jongno to see what was going on and for the most part I found a lot of people planning their gardens and purchasing seeds, plants and fertilizers, which got me oh so excited for my rooftop garden. I haven’t tilled the dirt that the owners before us left up there just yet so I’m not quite ready for the seeds, so instead I enjoyed the scene and purchased some succulents for inside the abode. While I was out I…
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The National Museum of Korea: Why You Need To Visit
Since it’s establishment in Yongsan in 2005, the National Museum of Korea has had more than 20 million visitors. You should be one too! Come spring and summer in Seoul the rain will inevitably start to fall and when it does people start to look for things to do inside. Or maybe it’s winter in Korea and you’d rather have some indoor time. The National Museum of Korea (국립중앙박물관) is not only a great thing to do when it’s too cold or too wet to venture out, but it’s also one of the FREE things to do in Seoul. These days, we’ve also got a major issue with fine dust…
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Underground Art & Music with Crazy Multiply!
The Crazy Multiply Art Collective had yet another fantastic show bringing together artists and musicians under one basement roof in the Hongdae area this past weekend under the title of 쪽, “Jjok”. This show focused on line and direction and if the title of the show is confusing, just say what you normally say to your taxi drivers in your head a few times and you’ll figure out where the “jjok” is coming from. The show was not only quite successful, they brought in 175 people continuing to improve on their numbers with every show, but it was also a “goodbye” and “we’ll see you later” as two of the…
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The Seodaemun Prison & Independence Park In Seoul Are A Must See
There are numerous museums in the capital city of Seoul in Korea with some devoted to the arts, history, and science, but there are also museums devoted to the numerous wars that have befallen the country. Whether you’re a tourist or someone coming to live in Korea for even a short amount of time, you’ll hear about the wars and if you want to learn more about what happened in Korea, there are a few great places to check out. The War Memorial of Korea is a huge and FREE museum in central Seoul that showcases over 13,000 pieces of war artifacts and memorabilia but there is also a smaller…
