Bukchon Hanok Village - One Month in Korea - Part 2

the meaty part of the day was spent walking around Bukchon Hanok Village, an area in Seoul with traditional houses.  If you compare this with somewhere like Kyoto then you're gonna be underwealmed.  I guess it's not fair to compare it to somewhere in China or Japan, especially not somewhere in the middle of the megapolis of Seoul.  But I guess you gotta learn what the strong points of Seoul are and the ever shrinking pockets of traditional villages aren't that strong of a point (especially if you've been all over Asia).

we started out the day meeting Jen's Dad's oldest brother who is the head of a university and looks like he could have your legs broken at anytime.  It's seems like a pretty good example of an honorific Korean meeting.  At least he is older now and doesn't make you drink like crazy which I hear he used be quite the formidable foe.

Like may days, you just eat and eat and eat.  We went to Hwangsaengga Kalguksu (황생가칼국수) in Samcheongdong and ate bossam, wang mandoo, and kalgooksoo.  I think their dumplings are the best I had on the trip (Myeongdong Kalgooksoo #2).

There are other forms of gambling but when I went to school at Yonsei in 2001 there was only 1 casino at the Walker Hill hotel and you could only play if you had a foreign passport.  Now there are several.

an overly helpful and talkative ajashi 

DO NOT GET INTO THIS DEFIBRILLATOR CABINET BRO OR I WILL SMASH!!

from the top of the Gentle Monster sunglasses store which like most of their stores was cool.

Korea's greatest export.

Namsan tower faintly in the background.

first time having danpatjuk (sweet redbean, chestnuts, cinnamon porridge) and it's great stuff.  

Jen's first time having Dakjjim and it wasn't so good (not JP's fault cuz the wait was too long at the BBQ place he wanted to take us to so we had to find a random place on the street FAST because it was below 20f).

we met Stacy and Phil and their friends from when they taught english in Seoul at Kodachaya in Kangnam.  Its a big self serve izakaya and would be cool to go back but we didn't get the chance.  I saw other branches around the city.