Seoul Searching in Spring

My recent trip to Seoul gave me the perfect opportunity to do some soul searching (pun intended). Seoul is a city of contradictions with the old and new co-existing side by side. Despite the hectic pace this city is moving at, it is still deeply rooted in its culture and cuisine. Age old temples and palaces co-exist with skyscrapers in this bustling city. At noon, be prepared for swarms of hungry office workds in a mad scramble for sustenance!

Being my first solo trip abroad , I had the blessings of discovering one of the most accessible and cosiest of guesthouses. Located at Insadong - a cobblestoned quaint little area filled with art galleries, cafes and arty shops, one can easily while away a whole day just traipsing through the winding alleys on this street. YEHA GUESTHOUSE is just right behind Ssamziegil building - shopping haven for ladies out there ! A treasure trove of shops that peddle a wide variety of trinkets and accessories amidst handmade crafts. The owner Mr Cho also owns the YEHA CERAMIC shop across the street. They even presented me a lovely handmade teacup set as a parting gift. http://www.yehadoye.com/KR/guest/guest_index.jsp

Cafes are aplenty in Seoul, be it to rest your tired feet or take cover from the sudden downpour, you have much to much to choose from. Be it the upmarket and very posh PASCUCI or the commonplace STARBUCKS, COFFEE BEAN & TEA LEAF, the sheer variety of cafes out there is mind boggling. For one with a lovely european feel, visit MIAM MIAM in the Gangnam area. CAFE SOBAHN serves up house grown greens during lunch & dinner. Do not miss out on their piping hot and velvety pumpkin latte.

Insadong has many lovely cafes worth checking out - CHASARANG (aka tea of love) is a modern concept teahouse imparting a very organic feel from the wood and paper interiors and furniture. The next cafe is a traditional shop with a cute name "MOON BIRD THINKS ONLY OF THE MOON". It took me quite a while to find this hidden gem near the Yeha guesthouse. Both serve up traditional fare like jujube / citron tea with side dish of puffed rice cakes to complete the afternoon treat. For breakfast, I popped over to the "LIME TREE CAFE" serving up American sandwiches with hearty heaps of fresh veggies, notably the crunchy ice cold lettuce.

Bakeries serve wonderful croissants and dreamy creations of strawberry confections during March - the season for irresistibly sweet STRAWBERRIES. Bakery chains like PARIS CROISSANT and TOUR LES JOURS serve up scrumptiously flaky croissants. Just pop them into the oven for breakfast, add slices of fresh strawberries, finish off with a light drizzle of honey. Accompanied by locally produced yoghurt and bergamot scented earl grey tea on the side. Simply divine!

Do not miss the uber chic LEE-UM SAMSUNG MUSUEM located at the Itaewon district. Get your hands on the sleek PDA guide and discover the history behind the porcelain versus bronze treasures and modern art in this ultra modern facility.

Check out the stationery dept at the massive underground KYOBO bookstore and get caught up in the variety of locally designed creations that will leave you spoilt for choice. Handphone accessories and straps abound, notebooks of every color & print vye for your attention. I spent a good 2 hours browsing through the dept.. and left reluctantly with a bag of goodies that I am having trouble parting with. Now, which ones should i keep for myself and which ones do I give away as souvenirs ? Conundrum, conundrum, conundrum...

I definitely left my heart and soul in this bustling city of the old & new. I will endeavour to revisit this city in its splendid glory in the coming summer,autumn & winter.