Korea Day 3

Today we went to the zoo and then the National Museum of Korea. Both are in the south part of the city. To get to the zoo, we took the subway to Seoul grand station.


Outside were many venders sitting among huge beach umbrellas, cardboard signs pricing their ware and boiling pots in swirling steam.


Most of them were selling boiled seashells and bugs. I once drunkenly ate a similar kind of bug offered by a street bartender one night in Chiang Mai. It tasted great at the time, but I shudder in disgust at the memory now!


I wondered out loud at how people ate the tiny seashells. Even though it was in a different language, being able to sense my confusion, an old lady vender put a shell to her lip and nosily sucked out the insides. She didn’t swallow but let the innards lay on her tongue as she stuck it out towards me. It seemed like so much fun, I bought a cup to try.


My mother tried to suck out the contents of this shell. However, when it didn’t work, she was surprised to find a hermit crab boiled red.


From the station, we walked to take a open air shuttle bus. I was delighted that they used an elephant as their logo on the ticket.

The buses were decorated with elephants too!


The shuttle bus dropped us off at the zoo entrance.


When we were finished at the zoo, we took the shuttle bus back.


We bought another snack from the outdoor venders. This time, I bought a caramelized sugar lollipop. It tasted like the middle of “crunchie” chocolate bars that I used to love as a kid.


The lady was making them on the spot. It was such an interesting process to watch! I didn’t know it was so easy to make. Maybe I will try if if I have time.


We took the subway back up the line to go to the National Museum of Korea. They open until 9pm on Saturdays so we didn’t have to worry about hurrying through the exhibits. Outside the subway entrance, there was a cotton candy vendor. I was filled up on sweets from the lollipop. After crossing the street, another vendor sold red bean pastries made in a tako-yaki like grill and sweet cinnamon filled flat bread in a grill press.


I had the cinnamon treat and I think it’s my favourite street vendor food so far! The pastry was not so thin but still crunchy with a mix of melted sugar and cinnamon.


We climbed the low winding stairs to the museum entrance. It was busy with people.


You could see the Seoul tower in the distance.


After exploring the three floors of permanent exhibits at the museum, we climbed the outside steps to get an amazing night view of Seoul. We tried to take self timed shots of us and the Seoul tower in the night sky. It was very difficult. I had my camera balanced precariously on the edge of a garbage can with a revolving door.


On the way back to the subway station, I was sad to see the cotton candy vendor had gone home but the cinnamon bread vendor was still working! My mother gave me money to buy another treat (Yes, I had to ask my mother because I don’t carry much money when I travel with my parents and my father said I shouldn’t have so many sweets haha). It smelled so good and was toasty warm in my hands.


Waiting for the subway, I saw the biggest vending machine I’ve ever seen!


It was night time, which meant walking in another market. Tonight, we went to Myeongdong market. It didn’t take us long to find a restaurant we wanted to eat at. After dinner, we walked around the market. I picked out a dress and a skirt, both for 5000 won. We didn’t stay out too late before we called it a night.