Hiking GoGunsan Island

With only 2 months left on the ROK (can you believe it!), I have been trying to explore the city as much as possible.  I don't want to miss out on ANYTHING!  We recently had a few days off from work due to Korean Holidays, so we took advantage of the sunny weather and went to explore the area west of base, known as the Saemangeum Seawall.  It is the worlds largest man made levee.  If you drive along the seawall, there are tons of places to walk around, hike, and take in the views.  We chose to park and explore GoGunsan Island, which is only one of the islands connected by the wall.

A random parking lot of concrete structures makes for good photo ops

At the base of the hiking trail, there were several small shops serving snacks and drinks.  I recommend you bring your own treats if you are looking for granola bar or bag of pretzels....all you will find here is dried seafood.  But if your into that kind of thing, you can find sting ray, squid, octopus, and little fishies galore!

We also came across a vendor selling the largest mussels I've ever seen!  I had no idea mussels could get this large.  They looked like they were out of the prehistoric era.

After taking in the food sites (and smells), we headed up the mountain for a hike.  The weather was glorious!

At the bottom of the trail there was a "Stamp Box", so we decided to stamp our hands like little kids (because thats what we are!).  It turned out to be a poor decision...once we started hiking the ink ran, and I ended up transferring the stamp to my forehead as I wiped the sweat away.  Oops!

 The trail was fairly short, but very steep

 The view, about half way up

 The "Trail"...you wouldn't want to slip on this stuff, it was pretty sharp!

 Success! Sarah and I Pushing it up at the top of the mountain!

We made it up and back in about 35 + 10 minutes.  Overall it was a successful morning!  

DBAP PITFU Rage! 

5 Reasons to Love Korean Street Food

One of the things that Korea does well is street food.  If you are an adventurous person when it comes to eating, there is no shortage of interesting foods to try.  The term "Street Meat" was not particularly appealing to me when I arrived, but now its something to crave!  here are 5 reasons to love Korean street food.

# 5

If you enjoy hitting up flea markets and farmers markets on sunny weekend afternoons, Namdaemun Market is a great place to visit.  It is a traditional Korean market located in the center of Seoul.  It is a great place to shop for traditional Korean souvenirs, but its also a great place to hang out on a sunny day, drink a beer, and enjoy some interesting food!  If you are adventurous when it comes to food, you will enjoy the food stands located throughout the market.  There are all kinds of meats including pork, beef, chicken, squid, and clams.  Pick your meat, and they will cook it up for you right there and serve it with delicious noodles!   

# 4

After stuffing yourself with delicious street meat, you will probably want something sweet.  These fresh donuts won't disappoint!  Freshly fried, and covered in granulated sugar...mmmmm

# 3
Hot dogs! In all shapes and forms. Pigs in a blanket, Korean style!  They are delicious, and they make for a good snack or lunch on the go while exploring markets and city streets. If you have ever craved a dirty water dog in NYC, you will surely be craving these.

# 2
One of my favorite snacks is this traditional Korean food, Kimbap. This is a favorite snack/lunch item because it is convenient to grab on the go and it is super portable.  "Kimbap" literally translates to seaweed rice.  At first glance these rolls may look like sushi, but the filling is anything but. The filling may vary, but I am familiar with what's pictured below:  ham, crab, egg, carrots, spinach, and yellow pickled radish.  If someone had described this to me before I tasted it, it would not sound appealing.  Surprisingly, the flavore is unique and craveable!

# 1
Number one on my list of must try Korean street food is the broad category of twigim and mandu.  Twigim is a broad term that refers to anything deep fried in a type of tempura batter.  You can find anything from whole shrimp, squid, and hard boiled eggs to pumpkin and vegetables ready to be fried up and served hot.  Mandu is a Korean dumpling that could be filled with pork, seafood, or vegetables.  Stands that sell this food can be found throughout the streets in Seoul and Songtan, making for a quick and cheap stop late at night after a night on the town.