A Slow Morning and Beautiful Streets
May 17th. I checked the time and realized it was already 9:30 AM. Since I usually wake up around 5:30 or 6:30 AM, it had been a while since I slept in this late. Deciding that a slow morning wasn't such a bad thing, I got ready and headed out for the second full day of my Korean adventure.
First, we headed to a station called Shiminnun and took a 10-minute walk around the area. The neighborhood was dotted with brown buildings, creating a uniquely unified and beautiful cityscape.
A Little Courage and Hours of Conversation
Next, we decided to head toward Hankuk University, but I couldn't figure out how to buy a train ticket. It had been a while since I last asked a stranger for help abroad—probably not since I lived in Australia—so I was a bit nervous, but I gathered my courage and asked an older local man. He tried his absolute best to help me, though he ended up giving me the wrong directions. Still, I was just happy that I managed to communicate.
Once we finally arrived, we grabbed lunch at a pizza place.
The pizza was unbelievably delicious, and we washed it down with some refreshing lemon cider. Afterward, we wandered around a large temple nearby. They were holding an event, and the space was beautifully decorated. We ended up sitting there and talking for about three or four hours. I'm usually the type to constantly move around on my bike, so staying in one spot to just talk felt incredibly fresh and new to me.
A Meaningful Gift and Black Samgyetang
Heading back into the city, we stumbled upon an incredibly stylish stationery store.
It felt like a curated select shop where you could even make custom-ordered books, and she kindly bought me a souvenir before we left. Later, we visited a sprawling park located within the grounds of a former royal palace, soaking in the relaxed atmosphere.
For dinner, I pushed myself out of my comfort zone to ride a local bus, and we went to eat Samgyetang (ginseng chicken soup).
They served a rare black Samgyetang. It looked surprising, but it was hearty, healthy, and absolutely delicious.
Time Moving Forward
The amazing two days flew by, and soon enough, we were standing on separate platforms at the train station, saying our goodbyes. It was undeniably lonely, but more than anything, I felt a profound sense of happiness. It felt as though the time that had completely frozen between us during the pandemic had finally started moving again. I am so deeply grateful to have had this experience before embarking on my next big life adventure. It truly was the greatest spontaneous trip to Korea.