After heavy research, recommendations, obtaining hard copy maps from various sources in SG, we (my small family) were finally ready for our trip to Seoul! It was a simple 5 days 5 night itinerary suited to our taste: food and shopping, with 1 day set aside for cultural appreciation! So let's begin with day 1~
We went to Edae/Ewha Women's University area first in the late morning coz I researched that shopping is great there. I was not disappointed! But first...
OH MY TIAN LOOK AT THIS FLIGHT OF STAIRS AT THE METRO THANK GOD THE ESCALATOR DIDNT BREAK DOWN OR STOP WORKING I COUNTED A TOTAL OF 123 STEPS!!!
Our route was to walk to the Ewha Women's University first (a stretch of road), and then after that turn to the west of the school gate into another shopping street. Along this stretch, some inner lanes on the left have even more shopping places to see! :D
Ewha Women's University is a really pretty campus, and running man came to this location quite a number of times as well. Be sure to stop by and take some pictures! Look at the map at the metro.
I walked here by exiting from Exit 3, near the teddy shop called Teenie Weenie. Then I walked straight where a lot of the crowd was walking towards and I eventually saw the University (can't miss it really)
I didn't take a pic of the gate from the correct side of the road, but this was when I backtracked and was walking back towards the MRT
After some picture taking of the beautiful campus, we went on to shop! :D
As usual there were some street food stores!
I ate some fishcake (odeng) but my picture came out blurry.
This was a spicy kebab costing 2,000won (S$2.4)
And this bubble tea cost 3,900won or S$4.68. Like wow. Never again. Taro milk tea. Not bad la but no never again aiyo
If you are epic lost, look out for these red shirt people who will help to guide you on where you wanna go! For Ewha, they are located along the street after you turn west from Ewha Women's University Main Gate.
A lot of things sold there were shoes (a bit ex, I got a pair for 30,000won), socks, skincare, clothes. Mostly for women. Men who are coming, be prepared that there's nothing for you. Even if have, IT IS EXPENSIVE COZ NO MARKET. Dad bought a shirt for 18,000, which was sold at Hongdae for 15,000! :O
This store with the 10,000 won note is my favourite store at Edae, selling good quality bags for that amount! :> I bought 2 bags here both of which I find are of good quality. There are a few more of these kinda stores around Seoul, but if you find one, just buy! Don't take the chance that you'll find it again, coz you may not. This store is located along one of the smaller and narrower streets after you turn west from the main gate. It's very near the main road, so as you walk along you'll definitely spot it somewhere on the left.
Tip on Edae, although there are always sales items out on the streets, take some time to go into the shops and search, because I really found some gems and great stuff in certain shops. Bargaining is ok but I didn't really bother too much at this area.
Hongdae
Take the train to Hongik University and come out of exit 9. Follow the main crowd that would be walking up the gentle hill, and then turning right after seeing zoo coffee on the second floor of a short building. The whole stretch of road is rather long, and halfway you'll have to cross a road to get to this area.
These were cute ice creams by snow spoon at Hongdae! I bought the chocolate monster face one, but due to the heat it melted all over and I had rich chocolate ice cream dripping on my hands and my sling bag. Yikes. Eat it quickly ok?
And then we had a problem. We looked desperately for Bau House the famous dog cafe, and realised we couldn't find it. An awesome man who had two dogs even brought us to the entrance of the supposed cafe, as he said (in good english) that he came here with his two dogs before.
After asking around and being sian, we hit jackpot when two ladies who were fluent in english directed me to EXIT 3 AT HAPJEONG STATION. Suay la we all, the place shifted! And the blogs I researched gave me old directions or no directions -_- but really thankful! We took a 5 minute walk and WE FOUND IT.
No regrets coming here coz I love dogs. I wanna own two when I have my own home haha. We were asked if we wanted to stay in the small dog area or the big dog area. And obviously we chose the big dogs buahaha. THERE WERE SO MANY.
boxer. golden retriver. corgi. mixed. border collie. terrier. cavalier king charles spaniel. cocker spaniel. dachshund. siberian husky. maltese. and others I can't rmb the names of
We only stayed 45 minutes, though I would have loved to chill there for about 2 hours sigh....
Directions to Bau House
Exit 3 of Hapjeong Station. After climbing the steps, make a u-turn until you see the building in the next picture (about 50 m)
Turn left into this street, and you will start to see this image below on your right! Simple enough, but we didn't have the directions for this so we walked from Hongdae oh my tian haiz.
Sinchon
We came earlier to Sinchon since we wanted to eat a very famous beef joint but it was closed. So we wandered around into this alley. There were people performing and some buskers too. But overall, nothing exciting here to shop or see. You can give this place a skip imo. Read more on Sinchon and the famous beef for day 5!
And that ends day 1! we didn't start off too well with getting lost for the dog house and also finding so many joints closed and missing the lunch hour :/
They were Bonjuk Porridge at Ewha and Seo Seo Galbi at Sinchon
woah. really sian to go all the way there only to discover they are closed. It didn't help that the signs they put were not in english, Bonjuk simply pasted a paper at the door, which I finally realised after getting someone to translate back in SG that it said "closed on sundays"
We were also unaware that shops tend to close between 2.30pm to 4.30pm/5pm so if you wanna have lunch you better eat before 2.30pm!! We made this error and ended up settling for some lousy fried chicken along Hongdae :(
argh
ok nvm rant over! So please note that quite a number of stores are closed on sundays!!