We will take the train back to Yeonsinnae Station(Stop no 6 ) to transfer to Line 3 and alight at the 7th stop – Anguk Station. We will head back to our serviced apartment to unload any shopping. If not, we will proceed on to the 4th stop -
at Dongguk University station.
From there, we will stroll over to the Shilla Seoul Hotel where I have booked a 1hr spa body treatment and massage by the famed Paris Cosmetic brand – Guerlain. The Guerlain Spa is located on the 3rd floor of the Shilla Seoul Hotel which is a leading luxury hotel in Seoul. It would be just the right thing to soothe all the tired muscles and moisturize our skin. We would probably book in advance since the Guerlain luxury spa has only 10 qualified consultants. There is a 15 minute welcome relaxing foot bath at the footbath lounge which would be just what our tired soles need. We will then proceed to our spa package – The Guerlain Imperiale Body Therapy treatment which lasts for an hour and is intended to relax and de-stress. There will be a whole body Swedish massage wih the Guerlain massage cream containing Eau de Colonge imperial invented by the founder in Paris in 1853.
An hour’s treatment costs 155000W and you can ask for an extra 30 minutes extension which will push the price to 232000W. A highlight of this treatment is to enjoy the calming views of the Namsan Mountains which the spa faces. We will ask for a couple room so that we can have some privacy. Every room there features fully customizable features like customizable fragrance, temperature, illumination.
After the spa, we will definitely feel much refreshed and take a walk down to the Dongguk University station and take a train back to Anguk Station. From Anguk Station, we will revisit Insadong Gil to take a look at any possible shopping opportunities that we missed and to have our lunch there. Insadong is the area to head to if you're looking for great souvenirs to bring home with you so we shall just do that. The main street is filled with shops and stalls that sell everything from incense to jewellery to silks to antiques. We may pick up some unique Korean birthday cards or tea as souvenirs.
We will try to explore the alleys and side streets of Insadong as we read that many of the unique cultural and interesting finds are along these alleys rather than along the main shopping street. Insadong is the stretch of avenue extending about 700m beginning at Tapgol Park. Along the way, we will also look out for quaint little sculptures along the sidewalk which will make good photo moments. Insadong is so focused on it’s traditional theme that even the Starbucks café has it’s name in Korean or so we are told. Given that it’s about evening by this time, we will try to find this quaint modern European Asian restaurant that sells delicious looking crab in marinated soya sauce which we found on the internet recommended by other bloggers (Pictures from blinkymummy.blogspot.com/2009/09/seoul-day-1.html). After dinner, we will head for Sacheong-dong. If we can’t find the crab cafe, then we will head for Samcheong-dong for dinner.
Samcheong-dong, near Gyeongbok Palace in northern Seoul, has become a hot spot for the fashionable younger generation. In recent years, the traditional neighborhood got a facelift as its hanok (Korean traditional house) buildings were renovated into chic, modern cafes and pasta places. To get to Samcheong-dong, use exit 1 of Anguk Station and walk in the direction of Gwanghwamun Gate and then turn right at the Dongsipjagak Intersection. Keep walking straight and you will reach the street. The stores have different operating hours but many of the shops open around 11am and close at 9pm.
If we are having dinner ar Samcheong-dong, we will look for Samcheong Sujebi. This eatery offers home cooked hangar sujebi or Korean Korean-style gnogghi soup that comes in a clay pot.Sujebi is prepared from ripping out rough pieces of potato and flour based dough and cooking it in hot soup. Samcheong Sujebi offers nothing too fancy. The classic sujebi (6,000 won) is served in a refreshing, anchovy-based broth with clams and chopped carrot and onion. The clay pot keeps the hearty soup nice and warm. The not-too-thick, not-too-thin dough is just chewy enough and the seafood-base soup is steamy but refreshing. Another listing in the menu is chapssal sujebi, or sujebi made with sticky rice instead of flour. This is similar to Italian gnogghi, and the texture is delightfully fluffy unlike that of conventional tteokguk or rice cake soup. It is offered in hangari or clay pot, it's 7,000 won per serving, but you must buy a minimum of two orders. Other great dishes that compliment the sujebi are the pan-fried gamjajeon and pajeon. Gamjajeon or potato pancake (6,000 won) is very simple, but again, it's always the basic stuff that's hard to perfect. It's crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. Pajeon, or green onion pancake (10,000 won) is whipped up with eggs and minced veggies and seafood – indeed a savoury treat. Two types of kimchi ― the regular red cabbage type and the other made from radish leaves ― complete the meal. If you're going in a group of four or more, ordering two chapssal sujebi might be add more flavor to your restaurant experience. The pancakes are pretty big, so two small eaters might want to share just one with one serving of sujebi.
Samcheong Sujebi is open everyday 11:30 a.m.-9 p.m., including holidays. It's located on the main strip of Samcheong-dong, a 15-minute walk from Gyeongbok Palace station on subway line 3. You'll always find a long line spanning almost two blocks during peak meal times. But the line usually goes surprisingly fast. Given its location, it caters a lot to civil servants. President Lee Myung-bak is said to dine here too.
Samcheong-dong is not the busiest shopping districts of Seoul. It’s very quiet and less commercial than other notable shopping districts. Even the shop owners or sales people do not hustle or follow you around; they’ll tell you, “Please look around at your own leisure, and if you see something you like, let us know.” Some might engage you in a little friendly conversation.
Here in Samcheong-dong , shop owners and retailers take great pride in shop presentation(above). Every shop has its own unique style. The area is a mix and match of Korean traditional and modern places, and is dominated by small boutiques. All the stores carry their own unique styles: vintage, retro, hippie, romantic, chic and classic. Prices range from reasonable to high-end, but visitors who pay cash can get a small discount. If all the shopping and walking gets us tired, there are plenty of restaurants, coffee shops or tea houses with delicious food, beautiful views and garden seats
All of the shops in the area are worth visiting just to appreciate the presentation of the items on sale. Even if one does not intend to seriously shop here(given the upscale prices), one can still take their time and enjoy the quiet calming neighborhood with its nice hanok-style restaurants and art galleries.
We will complete our night here before returning back to our hotel.
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