travel: South Korea 2013 Day 4: Seoul: Everland Resort

Today we spent pretty much the whole day at Everland Resort. It is freaking far from central Seoul - like 45 minutes to 1 hour drive. Lazy 1/2heart and I took taxi there (and also back), and it costed KRW50000 per trip approx. For around 50 minutes drive.

Imagine the same length of trip but in Australia... would have costed at least double... .

There is tulip festival in Everland Resort, gorgeous tulips everywhere. Oh and by the way, Everland is much much better than Lotte World, IMO. If you only have to go to one theme park in Korea, go to Everland. Skip Lotte World.

 

the flower and the bee

 

I particularly love the animal adventure part of the theme park. In fact, the whole planning and settings of each section of the theme park is pretty good, making it easy to explore and see everything with minimal fuss. They also have safari ride type attraction, where you get on board of a bus and get up, close, and personal (apart from the glass windows of the bus of course, separating the wild animals from their prospective meals).

bonding time

There are also plenty of meal and snack options around the park. Not necessarily as good as the ones we have had so far during this trip, but I think for theme park standard, they are quite good.
We had japchae, pork katsu and grilled chicken set, and egg roll. Cost: KRW 19000. Kimchi is self-serve and free refill.

1/2heart had his first try at T-express - the infamous steep wooden rollercoaster ride - the scariest in the theme park.

I waited for him to finish, like the good wife I am (and a scaredy cat).

I love this little balls of delight. They are mini balls of ice cream, people.

 After having our fill of the theme park, we headed back to Anguk station (by taxi again, another KRW50000) and looked for dinner. You cannot go wrong staying around this area. Food aplenty.
Dinner: Tteok Mandu-guk (rice cake & dumpling soup) and Kimchi pancake, and some Makgeolli (rice wine).
OMG, I love this rice wine. I think I am going to stock up this brand when I am back in Sydney - If I can find one.

 

Felling relax and warm and kinda flying (alcohol effect), we headed back to Lavinia for the night.

travel: South Korea 2013 Day 3: Changdeokgung Palace, COEX Mall, COEX Aquarium, Kimchi Museum

Rant:
Australia winter has nothing against South Korea's urm... spring... or at least beginning of spring... because it does not feel like spring.

Cold to the bone.

Rant over.

Today we checked out of Soriwool and headed to our next accommodation for the rest of the length of our trip. Lavinia is a modest but clean and very functional motel type accommodation located also close to Anguk station; but from exit 4 of the station (Soriwool is most easily reached from exit 1). We booked the room via airbnb site.

The room is small, but it has everything needed and most importantly - private bathroom.

After dropping our luggage, we headed to Changdeokgung Palace. I booked the Secret Garden tour in advance before I left for Korea, and it is recommended to do so, as the English speaking tours are quite popular and it was fully booked today.

Secret Garden Tour costs KRW5000, but you also have to pay KRW3000 for the general palace entry. (so KRW8000 all up). I prefer this palace than the Gyeongbokgung we visited a couple of days ago.

half expected something would come out of that eerie door...

Having enough of the palace, we headed to COEX Mall - can be reached by taking the green line (line 2) to Samseong station and towards exit 6. The mall is connected.

Had lunch at one of the many eateries inside the mall. Kimbap (the sushi roll thingy), Dumplings, and Tteokbokki only costed us KRW13500.

Then we headed to the Kimchi museum (KRW3000 per person entry fee). Nothing much to see apart from, well, kimchi. Actually, the replicas of various kimchis. They do provide free tasting of only a few of the kimchis though.

kimchi free tasting

replicas only

Then we headed to the Aquarium, still located inside the mall. Fare is KRW19500 per adult. I really think it is worth it :) Well, I love animals... I love fish... fish are yummy... urm... I'll stop there...

Their displays of incorporating various small fish into various daily objects is also amusing.

I love the prairie dog and the beaver. So cute.

look at his omnomnomsodelicious expression!

the rest of wacky animals...

Heading out of the aquarium and feeling a bit peckish again, we dropped by Angel-in-us Cafe for some sweet treat. 

Max Brenner who? Give me this waffle any day instead!

We headed back to Anguk station and had some very late dinner, but not so very light dinner. It was at a traditional Korean restaurant that sells mainly BBQ dishes. The Gal-bi (beef ribs) here is the most tender I have ever had at a Korean BBQ.

They were so generous with the side dishes and I have never seen most of them (except the cabbage kimchi which is the most common). It makes me think - Koreans can probably make kimchi out of plain grass growing in their backyards. 

Total damage: KRW43000 and bursting stomach.