Beyond Korea's Kimchi and Jjamppong

“Spontaneous”, the word that fully defined our “barkada” trip in Seoul. All I can remember was – without any itinerary on mind or in hand, we just packed our bags and bravely took a flight to a foreign land. Surprisingly though, for some of us who frequently travels, ideas were knitted spontaneously :|

Speaking of our college group’s Seoul travel, it was pretty much similar to our (not too long ago) thesis project, wherein deadlines force us to abruptly make reasonable decisions. I can’t say we weren’t successful, as we were able to visit countless historic places (even my feet can’t keep count, bcoz of sore and exhaust). As what we adventurous youngsters say: travels aren’t much fun without some added thrill! Let me share some of the thrill then, maybe it’d help you decide on booking your next trip to Korea :p -- we were chased by life- like zombies in a theme park; walked in circles.. after circles.. after circles (yeh! Admittedly, we got lost and no one there seemed to understand English), and of course, as with most tourist, we communicated via charades =D

(Tourist tip: Look for a person with a letter “i” on his hat- he could help you out with directions)

Though we had no itinerary on hand, we were fortunate enough to have tried some of Korea’s unique treats. By fortunate, I meant tasting Korean delicacies fit for a Filipino’s palette, of which my friends would whisper after every bite- “manamis-namis”

Savory Street BBQ

The very first street food I noticed was the “tender and juicy” looking Korean BBQ… By the looks of it, one couldn’t have guessed the type of meat coated under its thick brown sauce. Though, despite the uncertainty, we continuously devoured the grilled meat, picking a stick after another…  Good thing the stuff is made with white meat- Chicken!

School Food - Blooming Mari

This restaurant raves its deliciously cooked food, while authentically prepared the Korean way! 

The Beef Bokkeumbap is the Best! With rice cooked perfectly moist and fragrant…

As all fresh ingredients were mixed together, the plate itself was bursting with Asian flavors.

Street Vanilla Ice Cream

This particular Korean ice cream may not exactly taste extraordinary; yet, its distinctive shapes make it highly recommendable. I personally tried the “J” shaped cone, and true enough the shapes distinctiveness made it undeniably fun to eat. A plus: the cone remained crunchy till the last bite.

Tip: If travelling with a child, the J- shaped cone is truly a must try (While strolling, I saw a father carrying his child over his shoulders, and couldn't help but notice them sharing a J- shaped cone together, with the son eating the ice cream top- bottom while the father eating the same bottom- up.)

written by: Shobe