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May 1 - 25: (Part 4) Goodbye Seoul, Hello Busan

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Sunday, May 4th This afternoon marked the start of a new chapter in our South Korea adventure… we left Seoul, my temporary home for the past five weeks, and boarded the KTX train to Busan. Looking back, I’m glad I booked the train tickets well in advance. May is packed with national holidays like Children’s Day, Buddha’s Birthday, and Parents’ Day, which meant nearly all KTX trains were sold out. Luckily, we managed to secure seats on an afternoon train. Talk about good timing! Leaving my room (nr. 11.02) felt a little bittersweet. That small space had been my home base for five weeks: filled with routines, late-night thoughts, and the occasional air conditioning battle (which the guy at reception still remembered all too well). He was actually the same person who had done my check-in, and as I was checking out, he apologized once more for the airco troubles. I couldn’t help but smile at how he still remembered. Before heading out, I had a spontaneous thought: what if I asked whether “...
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May 1 - 25: (Part 3)

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  A Day of History, A Birthday Mix-up and a Delightful Surprise (May 3rd) Today was Arthur’s birthday, his very first one in South Korea. And I had a little surprise prepared for him, Korean-style. A few days earlier, I picked up a bowl of miyeok-guk (미역국), or seaweed soup, from a local shop. In Korea, this soup is traditionally eaten on birthdays. It’s more than a warm meal, it’s a symbolic dish that honors Samsin Halmoni,  the goddess who watches over childbirth and mothers. By eating miyeok-guk  on your birthday, you’re essentially paying quiet tribute to your mother for bringing you into the world. In preparation, I also made a quick stop at Daiso; the one-stop shop for literally everything. There’s one on practically every corner in Seoul, and it’s where Koreans often go for affordable household items, beauty products, kitchenware, snacks, pet supplies, stationery, and quirky little finds you didn’t know you needed. I picked up a small birthday candlelight that play...
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May 1 - 25: (Part 2)

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A Perfect Day Playing Tourist in My Temporary Home City The weather was absolutely perfect - blueish with some clouds - the kind of day you want to spend outside. After a simple breakfast of cereal and instant coffee, we set off to explore some beautiful spots on the north side of the Han River. I wanted to start at Euljiro 3(sam)-ga Station, and to keep things easy, we walked to Gangnam Station (Line 2) so we could take the subway straight there without any transfers. A quick tip: it’s always helpful to know exactly which Exit to take when navigating Seoul’s subway system. The stations can be huge beneath the streets! As we emerged into the streets, we found ourselves surrounded by a mix of tiny shops selling all kinds of odds and ends, and towering construction sites reshaping the city. We made our way to one of my favorite places in Seoul: Cheonggyecheon Stream. The weather couldn’t have been better for a stroll along the stream. People were walking, chatting, lounging with books, a...
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