April 3: Korean Fort Village

We had another awesome day as we were blessed with beautiful weather as we explored Korean Fort Village.  It reminded me of Sturbridge Village as it took you back in time to what was like in ancient times for Koreans.  The place was sprawling and immaculate.  It was a special day as it gave me some insight into how life was like for Ashley when she was a child — looks like a rough life but she always seems to glow when she talks about it.  The traditional dance and parade were a couple of the highlights for me — bright colors, upbeat rhythmic music and athletic dancing. 

From here, it was off for another bus ride to our hotel (Stanford Hotel) in Seoul.  We met a friendly Korean couple who live in North Carolina.  Ashley and the wife talked the whole trip as she recounted our adventures over the last 5 months.  The Stanford Hotel was modern and beautiful — besides a huge bathroom with tub and comfy bed, it also had a gym and coin laundry.  

After checking in, we did a quick tour of the city with mostly food stops. The first place we went to eat we had the most incredible noodle soup that I’ve ever had — amazing!  Ashley claims the kimchi is her favorite.  The slightly greasy beef soup reminded me a little of Zia Judy’s Thanksgiving soup as I continued to lick my spoon even when the soup was gone. We made quick stops at a bakery — got a tasty green tea pound cake, waffle from a street vendor and sushi from a restaurant in the food court in the Lotte Mall. The Lotte Mall was like nothing I’ve seen before— floors of upscale shops on 7+ floors.  One floor that was dedicated to sporting wear had the largest selection of golf wear that I’ve even laid my eyes on.