BLISSNDREAMS: Day 2 in Seoul - Shopping at Ilsan

(Above) In the train on the way to Ilsan

On our second day, as it was raining cats and dogs, we changed our plan to go to Noryangjin market and instead took a trip to Ilsan, a district northwest of Seoul which is a more affluent upper middle class suburban area.We had read that prices of items there were cheaper with the same quality and variety than Seoul and decided to explore the city. We took the subway line 3 to get there dropping off at Jeongbalsan station.

(Above) At Jeongbalsan Station

Taking the subway is quite easy once you have your T-Money with you and have the subway map to guide you. There are English announcements to inform you which station is next or you can refer to the electronic display in the train. It is important to listen attentively to the announcements because sometimes, the train may not be proceeding onto the next station due to maintenance etc and you would need to transfer to another train on the same line. Also, look for the celing mounted lighted arrow displays to tell you which side of the train to alight from.

At Ilsan, most tourists would head for their lake park and the shopping belt but as it was still raining cats and dogs, we gave the former a miss and focused on the shopping belt. Luckily we brought our own umbrellas so do bring them along if you go to Seoul in June as they have this periods of rain in between.

Above)Rainy day in Ilsan

(Above)A relief from rain - indoor Shopping ahead!

(Above)Gayle's smile shows a contented shopper

(Above)Shops and more shops

(Above)Our lunch point - Konbul eatery at Ilsan

We interrupted our shopping and rested our legs with a good lunch at the popular Kongbul chain of eating house(above) offering pork bulgogi, bean sprouts simmered on the table in a big metal tray with spices and chilli(below).

(Above)Setting our stomachs on hunger mode!

Unable to speak Korean, we communicated with a very friendly waiter. Being very independent Singaporeans,we proceeded to mix and fry the ingredients over the heated metal tray and even poured some of our rice into it. When he saw he, he shrieked "Oh my god!" and stopped us. He said that it was his job to do the mixing,stirring and fryng and communicated through a mixture of 'broken' English and sign lanaguage that we were not suppose to mix our rice in.

(Above) The wrong(right portion with rice) and right(Left portion without rice) method

(Above) Our friendly waiter doing the cooking for us.

While the rice tasted good to us when it was mixed in, we realised that there was a reason as you want the rice to be just plain untouched so as to offset the spicy taste. A learning experience indeed and from then on, we let all the waiters/waitresses in the eateries we ate in later days to do the initial mixing and stirring and waiting for them to invite us to start eating.Another good thing is cold water is served free unlike in Singapore where water is charged.
We then proceeded with shopping till evening when we took a train back to Anguk where we walked around Insadong. As it was a cold and rainy day, we just could not resist heading back to our lunch spot the previous day to have boiling hot intestine ox blood rice soup for dinner.

(Above)Standard pickled side dishes - always very generous with servings and willing to give you repeatedly the minute you empty the side dish.

(Above) Seaweed soup to soothe your fired up spiced taste buds

(Above) Gayle enjoying her meal.

(Above) Our satisfied faces from a good meal

Above)Dinner - simmering hot Intestine ox blood soup on a cold rainy day! delicious!

(Above) Watching the World Cup match at Family Mart - a 24hrs convenience store is a free pastime of soccer mad koreans, even in the rain. We found it amazing how the image is projected so clearly on the glass window of the store.