Seoul: Food and Hiking

We have split Seoul into a couple of posts, because there’s just so much to talk about. From the moment we landed we were greeted by cheerful salutations and lots of bowing and smiling. I was in love already. We have had an amazing experience travelling through Europe and Russia, but having never travelled to an Asian country, this leg of the journey was something extra special. We hopped on the train to Seoul Station and found our way to ‘K Seoul Guesthouse’. All of the reviews talked about the owner Mrs. Kim being so kind and wonderful and she met us at the door with a great big smile. She and her son were fantastic hosts and our fried eggs and toast with homemade jam every morning was a welcome addition! She even brought us two huge red apples as a gift on our last night, as she was leaving to see her daughter in Japan. If anyone reading this is going to Seoul, you want to stay with Mrs. Kim! 

Okay, my topics are food and hiking, let’s start with food 🙂 I didn’t know too much about Korean cuisine before arriving, but I had heard that Kimchi is served with most meals. Kimchi is fermented cabbage in a spicy sauce, which sounds disgusting, but is really tasty and refreshing! And it really is served with every meal. We ate at Gwandemun market, which was bustling with stalls selling anything you want and then in one section, food stalls. We had some crispy chicken with nuts as a little starter as we wandered around and then sat at a small stall and ordered Bibimbap and tofu noodle soup. All of the produce is in containers in front of you and just scooped into your bowl, ready in seconds! Apart from the man sitting next to me who was determined to mix Graham’s Bibimbap for him, it was wonderful! Bibimbap is a popular dish here, made from rice, veggies and a red pepper paste that you mix together, sometimes with an egg. 

Probably our best meal was at a small local restaurant down a back alley in Hanok traditional village, where we also sampled some banana wine. I wasn’t a fan, but Graham was rather taken with it!! I had Bibimbap this time and Graham had beef Bulgogi, another local favourite, that is beef strips marinated in soy, sesame, garlic, ginger and sugar. There were so many side dishes of kimchi, pickled ginger and seaweed, we hardly had space on the table, which is a recurring theme here in Seoul! We started to get the hang of the restaurant etiquette by day two, water is usually self serve, with a water fountain somewhere in the restaurant, some places have a vat of kimchi where you can have a second helping if you like and chopsticks can be found in a wooden box at the end of the table. We’re total pro’s now, although still have moments where we’re not entirely sure what we’re eating, not that it matters, as it’s all delicious!! 

After all that eating, we had to do some hiking to make sure we don’t pile on the pounds! Well lucky for us, hiking is the favourite pastime of Koreans. Weekends see the hiking trails that surround the city full of Koreans of all ages, from 20 to 90, they’re all decked out in their really nice gear to get some exercise. Seoul has four mountains that surround the city and an ancient city wall and huge gates that was built for defence in 1396. You can hike the entire city wall, which is 18 km in total and brings you to the summit of the surrounding mountains. We started on Baegak trail, which interestingly is a military zone and has soldiers patrolling as you hike. You must show your passport at the first gate to gain entry and are also forbidden from taking pictures in certain directions, as it is the closest part of city wall to the DMZ and North Korea. As I have had a horrible cold and cough, I skipped the Naksan and Heunginjimun trails, but continued onto the Namsan trail which brings you to the iconic N Seoul tower. The views over Seoul were spectacular and Graham got a beautiful picture of the sunset. 

Next up: Palaces and the DMZ 
-F xx