My MuMa, MuMa Trip to Seoul

📍(Seoul) 🇰🇷. It was in October 2003 when I and my wife left South Korea and moved back home for good, after living there as OFWs for quite some time.

The Filipinos' enthusiasm for the K-Pop and K-Drama cultures in the Philippines at the time was not as intense as it is today. Despite having a decent job and employers, we've decided to go back home simply because we wanted to be with our son and to start living in the country.

Going back to our discussion, I and my wife still have unexplainable reasons for our love of Korean culture and tradition, hence, the influence is very much alive in our hearts.

So in 2017, we spend a six-day vacation in Seoul with our three kids Muja, Kowa & Mymy.

🛫 Incheon International Airport (인천국제공항).

Our preferred entry point was at Incheon International Airport which is located at Jung District, Incheon, Gyeonggi Province. It is the largest airport in South Korea, the primary airport serving the Seoul Capital Area.

😊 Mymy, Muja, Kowa & Loveskie ❤️

There are three modes of transportation that you can ride from Incheon International Airport for a 49 km distance to Seoul Metropolis. These are taxis, buses, and trains and we chose the latter. We preferred the train Airport Railroad Express (AREX) to enjoy the trip and to let our kids experience it.

Seoul the capital of South Korea, is a huge metropolis where modern skyscrapers, high-tech subways, and pop culture meet Buddhist temples, palaces, and street markets.

We spend the rest of our first day at a notable neighborhood of Itaewon-dong (이태원동), Yongsan-gu where our accommodation is located after checking-in at our hostel.

📍Itaewon-dong (이태원동) , Yongsan-gu, Seoul.

🍽 Restaurant: Pasha (파샤) Turkish Traditional Restaurant.

🥣 Warming with Odeng soup.

Itaewon-dong or Itaewon is popular among expatriates maybe because of its close proximity to the Yongsan Garrison US Military Base. Itaewon has become a hotspot for international tourists, with cuisine and culture from all corners of the globe.

The Seoul Central Mosque (한국이슬람중앙회 서울중앙성원) located in Itaewon is also frequented by Muslim tourists, worshippers, students, and visitors alike.

We tried the doner sandwich at a Turkish Traditional Restaurant Pasha (파샤) to compare the authenticity of its taste with what we have had previously. We also have ourselves warmed-up, due to the cold breeze, by eating the Odeng and sipping its broth.

🏛️ Namsangol Hanok Village Information.

🏛️ Namsangol Hanok Village entrance gate.

😃 These young ladies were also touring the village hence we took pictures.

😃😍👪 This time with family and the young ladies posed for the picture.

The next day we visited the Namsangol Hanok Village. A popular destination for tourists which is a village located in the Pil-dong neighborhood where 'Hanok' (한옥) or Korean traditional houses have been restored to preserve the original atmosphere of the area.

🔒 Padlock gallery is where those couples pledge to declare their love forever.

🔒 Another area of the padlock gallery at N Seoul Tower.

👪🏛️ Photo ops wearing Hanbok, a traditional Korean dress for semi-formal or formal attire.

Our next trip the next day was the 'N Seoul Tower' (N서울타워). The visitors on this site ride the Namsan cable car up the Mt. Namsan to walk to the tower. The N Seoul Tower is renowned as a national landmark and for its cityscape views. And also, considered to be a romantic pilgrimage for couples who wish to pledge their eternal love. Surveys conducted by Seoul City in 2012 revealed foreign tourists ranked the N Seoul Tower as the number one tourist attraction.

👘 Muja tries to fit the Hanbuk we buy for him as a souvenir.

👘 Kowa tries to fit the Hanbuk we buy for her as a souvenir.

Another notable attraction that many visitors go to is Dongdaemun. You can find here a futuristic Dongdaemun Design Plaza that features a convention hall with curving architecture, and a rooftop park. Visitors enjoy a unique experience of both traditional flea markets, as well as modern shopping complexes. Dongdaemun was declared as a 'Special Tourism Zone' in the year 2002 and happens to be an unbelievable paradise for tourists and residents alike.©2020☺️ Developing stories...

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