South Korea: Late Start

For Monday, October 10, 2011

Seoul

Having stayed up until 5 AM the night before, I got a late start in the morning. Mia was pretty hung over and stayed inside all day to recover. I left the hostel at 4:30 PM and headed for Gyeongbokgung Palace. I emerged from the subway station and couldn’t see the palace. It could have been two blocks in any direction. For the second time since arriving in Seoul, I realized that my map wasn’t up to the task of orienting me based on street names. I later noticed that subway stations have neighborhood maps near exits that orient you and show you what’s nearby. I also invested in some subway and street map apps for my iPhone, which have been marginally helpful. Now that I fully understand things, I can get by just fine with the posted signs and maps. I found the long, tall wall that borders the palace on the south side, then noticed on my map that a tourist information center was nearby. I thought I might be able to get a more detailed map there, so I diverted from the palace and walked through Gwanghwamun Square towards where my map said the tourist information center was. Some soldiers stationed at the U.S. embassy’s gate told me that the center had moved. By that time it was early evening and I figured the palace had closed by then. I continued strolling down the square toward City Hall, then caught the subway back to the hostel. I rested for a bit and read on the couch there until two guys entered. One of them, Ian, was checking into the hostel, and he was accompanied by his South Korean friend Sean. They invited me to join them for dinner, and so I went. We ate meat and kimchi and drank beer and soju at a Korean BBQ a block away from the hostel, then walked into the same area I had been in last night to drink at a couple bars and then dance at the same Cocoon club as the night before. I made it home at about 4 AM. Ian went on the DMZ tour the next morning at 8 AM. I don’t know how he did it. He said he was drunk for part of it.