Waiting for them to get through baggage and immigrationThere they are!Dan & Sherry are in South Korea!!!---------- A teacher from Andrew's school hooked us up with a discounted rate at the Imperial Palace Hotel in Seoul, where we stayed for the weekend. It was a beautiful hotel.The Imperial Palace at nightThe outdoor barOur reservation was under the name Kang Wan Yong.We have no idea who that might be!It looked just as nice in the daytime.The LobbyOne of the bars---------- The DMZ tour ended in Myeong Dong, one of the major shopping areas of Seoul, so we explored a bit. It was a warm, Saturday evening, so the streets were packed with shoppers and vendors of all kinds!Mmmm, Street Meat...A motorcycle equipped with a cotton candy machineWe had drinks in the Matching MoleSherry posing outside of Teenie Weenie! (A fairly popular Korean clothing brand...)
Koreans everywhere!Down into the subwayOn the train!Sunset from the subway car---------- The next day, a huge market and a traditional village were on our itinerary.South Koreans don't really understand that Christmas things are only supposed to be displayed during Christmas time, so many places are still/are always decorated for the season! This was in a subway station.----------
동대문시장
Dongdaemun Market is one of the largest markets in South Korea, selling everything you could ever think you wanted to buy.
GangstaHooded sweatshirts that zip all the way up to cover your face and turn you into the character on the sweatshirt are REALLY popular here. BIG PIMPIN'A booth selling seaweed in all formsA sexy stall for men!
Korean men are pretty damn skinny, so they are lacking in the butt department. Not anymore, thanks to these padded briefs! (No comment on the article of clothing above the briefs)
Who doesn't like elephants?Lunch!
Fried Rice, Japchae (stir fried noodles-ish),
fried dumplings and rice wine!----------
After lunch, we wandered around the market a little more, then made our way to the traditional village. Buddha's birthday was only a few days away, so we figured some festivities might be going on.
남산골한옥마을 - Namsangol Hanok Village is an area in Seoul where the traditional houses and buildings from the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910) have been restored to provide tourists a little glimpse into traditional Korean life. The village houses royal living quarters, common family dwellings, meeting halls, gardens and a number of traditional handicrafts and artifacts from the era.
Judy - A prostitute Sherry - Royalty
There was some sort of rice harvesting dance or play going on that used these, but without a working knowledge of Korean, it was lost on us.Giggling about the 5th largest dong in Seoul! Judy's Headshots(For the record, Andrew chose to take these pictures, Judy did not force him!) Way too bright for black and white...Meat on sticks!On our way to Seoul Station, to take the train to Ulsan.