Sunday Funday 2.0

As I mentioned in my last Sunday post, I was invited to hangout with the ladies of DOCS this Sunday again (since this is a late post, technically it was last, last Sunday now, as it is Wednesday and I'm not yet writing about this past weekend), for more shopping, more food and more sightseeing :) Emma, one of the lovely ladies I spent the day with, is quite knowledgeable in little known, but tasty cafes, unique veggie (or omnivore) eateries and unusual attractions. And since Caroline and I are very new to the ROK, we appreciate Emma and Danella's Sunday planning skills immensely.

Last Sunday was a different experience than the week before, as we went somewhere smaller, but just as cool, to shop; the express bus terminal. Now you might think this to be a strange name, and it is, or you may think a bus terminal a strange place for a mini-mall to pop up, and you would be right, but one of the things I have learned about Seoul, is that things are never where you expect them to be, and things that shouldn't survive, let alone thrive, in certain areas somehow do. Hence one of the largest underground malls in Asia; the express bus terminal.

It is basically just two loooong corridors of shops off to the side of a subway station, but my my was it neat! I could probably spend hours (and hours, and hours...and hours) there, but alas, I had a husband at home and we had made plans in Hondae to watch the street performers and I had a skype-date with Champion. So I spent just a measly hour or so in the throngs of people. I did manage to buy a dress which will be turned into a crop-top by summertime, and some more headband bows (my favorite K-fashion trend thus far), but that was all I truly had time for.

Before the mall though, was yet another new experience; a vegan buffet! There is a chain (small but not locally owned) called the Loving Hut which is all over the world, though they cater to the tastes of whatever country they are in, so they all have vastly different menus, styles, venues, ect. The one we went to was quite different from the California location I'm sure, and though it wasn't my favorite meal ever, it was certainly fun and odd, in a good way!

Before I share the pictures though, no teasing me for the number of plates I had...vegan food is so healthy I don't think my body even recognizes it as food, so I knew I would be hungry 45 minutes later if I didn't seriously chow down! Now, onto the slide show!

 In the order in which they appear, starting with the pickle & moving clockwise; mushrooms and broccoli, something like a little pinwheel sans the meat or cheese, rice (I am in Asian, right?), some plant that I don't think was meant to be eaten by humans but by golly I tried (and now forgot the name), a little seaweed-pickled salad number, tofu-meat and cucumber slices and in the center; wasabi-tofu over a rice ball (like sashimi without the fish). I sadly didn't know the little ball of rice in the center was only a thin layer f rice over a ball of what I assume (because of the shocking taste) was wasabi, and I quickly learned to nibble things before popping them in my mouth, as all the water in the world couldn't have stopped my eyes from wetting after that little surprise -.-

Plate two: a rice cake, tofu bulgoggi with carrots and mushrooms in a kinda-gravy, vegetarian gimbop, bread, fried mushrooms in a sweet sauce, a kimchi pancake without any of the seafoods, and in the center, fried sweet potato (I think).

 Plate three: a large mushroom arm (I believe that's what the sign said), a honey glazed root of some kind (kinda tasted like wood..?), more rice because it was a safe bet, a little chili-ish dab, and fruit salad with celery and onion.

And my favorite dish (I may have gone back for more), vegan bread with vegan whipping cream and jam, MMMHHH! That was so good. I'm a fan of the Korean love of whipped cream here.

Now that you are caught up on my foods for the first half of the day, I will reveal what the second-half of my Sunday entailed. First, I rode the subway home (not getting lost a single time, despite leaving before the girls and therefore coming home solo), Skyped Champion (a lovely experience), I try to Skype Delaney weekly, my parents at least weekly, and Skype/message/chat with Champion and Morgan weekly or so as well. Then I was out the door with Taylor to Hondae, back on the subway and out to the venue of the lady's Sunday shopping trip from the previous week. I had told Taylor of the awesome street performers and the burger place (Du Pain) with enough enthusiasm that he was interested to see it as well. And as a side-note, when Taylor saw the awesome area and people, he decided that Hondae may be a weekly outing! WEE!

Here is the rundown via pictures:

A ham & cheese 'toast' (aka sandwich with eggs, veggies, spam, cheese, corn & sauces) as we waited for the Subway from a local vendor who is quite cheap, delicious, and makes the sandwiches to order! We had a nice Korean woman help us order, explaining what the different variations were. I swear the people here are to helpful, though Taylor says its because I get the 'lost puppy' look on my face when I don't understand someone or something.

My cafe mocha (I drink wayy too much coffee here) and the evidence of sugar-mixed-with-a-dash-of-coffee that Taylor had in Hondae at the Coffee Prince as we leeched their wifi to find our dinner destination.

Du Pain!! Again, for the second Sunday in a row, but I had to show Taylor the best burger I had ever had, right? Right. Though he said it was slightly less than I had said, I enjoyed it just as much the second time around :)

And of course, I had to snap some pictures of my mushroom burger. Mmmhh!! In addition, the owner/cook/only-worker is an avid sketcher artist, his works are all over the restaurant, and I think if Taylor and I go back again which, let's be honest, we will, I might commission him to do a sketch for me...or at least ask.

And of course...the performers! This was a dance group that Taylor and I spent quite a bit of time watching. Very fun!

 And another dance group with a very enthusiastic member who had the crowd in knots a few times with his take on female-sexy dancing.

And of course Taylor got pulled on 'stage', as the feminine-male-dancer seemed to take a liking to him, go figure! :P

Though not all the photos do it justice, trust me, these dancers were hilarious! The above is actually a little 'inch-worm' number he did on the street to end the 'show', however I couldn't get the picture quick enough to capture his upraised heiny.

Unfortunately it was cold out that evening and Taylor and I were not dressed for the plummeting night-time temperatures, so though we both wanted to stat, we headed on home with a promise to return every Sunday when it gets warm :)

All of my love, and more to come!

Tea