Today I went to the Haedong Yonggungsa Temple, just northeast of the city of Busan. It was beautiful, and I was introduced to 호떡 (Hotteok). How I lived my life without this street food dessert before, I do not know.

Today I took the KTX Express Train from Seoul to Busan, and headed to the Jagalchi (자갈치) fish market.

Today I went to the DMZ on a guided tour. The highlight of the tour was going to the observation building, where you can look into North Korea and South Korea from just south of the Southern Limit Line (you can also glimpse the Joint Security Area from this building!). Afterwards, I had dinner and walked around town with a very fun and kind Australian man that I met on the tour. If you have limited time in Seoul, I wouldn’t put this super high on your to-do list, but if you have some time I think it was worth it.

Climbing Gym

Yesterday I went to a Korean bouldering gym called 드림캐처클라이밍짐 (Dreamcatcher Climbing Gym) near 노원 (Nowon) subway station. Afterwords had some noodles with a Korean guy I met there. Overall they had great sets.

Kimbab Debacle

I woke up early still jetlagged, so I walked around near Seoul station in search of 김밥 (kimbab) street food to no avail. I settled for the convinience store 삼각김밥 (triangle kimbab) and it took me 3 tries to get it right. The first two tries were quite funny:

1. I completely messed up the wrapper and separated the seaweed from the rice. As I sat on a stair on the street eating my kimbab, an old man told me that I shouldn’t eat it cold. (I was really confused as to what he was telling until I recognized the word 따뜻하다 (warm), at which point I started understanding what he was saying)
2. Determined to get it right, I went to another store, bought another, and asked him how to prepare it. He showed me, but this time the 김 (seaweed) tore. Finally, I went back to my hostel and watched a quick youtube video. When I bought my third one, I got it right.

Yesterday I arrived at 인천 (Incheon) International Airport, got to my hotel, and crashed.

Jetlagged, at 4AM I walked around and took photos near my hotel. Then, I took the AIREX train into Seoul, where I got a full meal for only 9000KRW (~6.5 USD), dropped my bag off at my hostel, and headed for 경복궁, Gyeongbokgung Palace.

Yesterday I arrived to Emeryville train station, to hang out with my friend Zacchaeus in San Francisco for a day before flying out to Seoul. We woke up, walked on the beach, went to one of my favorite climbing gyms overlooking the bay, and then he dropped me off at the airport. I’ll see him again when I pass through San Francisco on my way back from Korea. Here are some photos from the trip!