Bianca In South Korea: Land Of Morning Calm

  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...

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...

I’ve returned home after two unforgettable months in South Korea. The final weeks were a whirlwind of travel and adventure, which meant I didn’t always have time to blog in the moment. But now that I’m back, I finally have time to reflect…and I’m excited to share the stories, photos, and experiences that never made it online. So, in the coming posts, I’ll be catching up on everything I didn’t get to publish while I was there. ~~~~~~~~~~~~ My solo time in Seoul ended with a fun night out in Hongdae. After saying goodbye to my friends, I got out of the taxi in Gangnam and walked the last 15 minutes to my accommodation. While walking, I texted my husband Arthur, who was just about to board his flight to Incheon. He asked me if I knew what time it was. It was still seven hours earlier in the Netherlands 😉. I’ve walked through the streets of Gangnam twice in the early hours of the morning, and both times, I felt completely safe. There was a quiet calm to the city at that hour, and not once...