It feels like Spring has finally decided to make its appearance here in Seoul. Despite the atrocious air quality (I will never take air quality for granted again) I still welcome the sun with open arms and say to it, "Come and stay for a while!" The start of spring makes exploring the possibilities of this city invigorating. (Just have to make sure to check air quality before leaving the house. Again, note to self: Never take good air quality for granted!)
My friend K is a teacher, one who loves her students lavishly. Her exuberance for life is intoxicating and I always leave her presence feeling energized and refreshed. What is great is that she has Wednesday afternoons free so I have dates with K on Wednesdays. We decided we would use our Wednesday afternoons for adventures. Welcome to a new weekly series: Wednesday Wanderings!
Yesterday, with the 60 degree weather and the sun shining bright, we decided to head out to Samcheongdong for lunch and meanderings. I couldn't believe I could actually leave the house without a jacket. My sunglasses became mandatory to avoid the squinting and scrunching. We strolled around the quaint area of Samcheongdong, its streets lined with restaurants and small shops filled with knick knacks and jewelry.
Our first spontaneous stop was for ddukggochi, rice cakes on a stick. It was a scrumptious and glorious mess but well worth it (and well worth the 700 won price, equivalent to about 70 cents!) Its crispy, spicy and saucy exterior and chewy inside, I could eat them all day.
After a bit more walking, we worked back up our appetites for lunch, which was soojaebi and pa-jun.
We popped in and out of shops, K and I got matching rings and made our way to one of her favorite spots, a cafe with a rooftop. I enjoyed a cup of caramel macchiato, we soaked in the sun rays and basked in its warmth and the tranquil surroundings. Our conversations were filled with reflections, words of encouragement and a rolling anticipation for future things.
We wrapped up our date with a stop at a nearby bakery to pick up some tasty delights for the road. My choices: an apple strudel, a chicken and onion flatbread sandwich, and an olive roll for Y.
Seoul, you are fabulous.