Shop Korea!

Sorry for the slight hiatus and leaving you with images of pigs and cow parts but the only new and exciting thing I did last week was watch "Casablanca" on Friday afternoon for the first time, with interest in it spawned from reading about a two day screening of it here in Seoul. After giving up on trying to look up information on where and how to buy tickets for it, I resorted to downloading it. No doubt it would have been better on the big screen, but my home version had no distracting Korean subtitles.  I feel quite satisfied now having finally heard all the famous lines come from Humphrey Bogart himself but what a disappointing ending for a love story! He doesn't even end up with her! I had no idea!

Anyway, we're having a heatwave here with a high of 45 degrees today but this past weekend was still hovering around freezing. RCP and I still managed to get out and explorer more uncharted territory in an area called Myeong-dong on Saturday and the Seoul Metropolitan Museum of Art on Sunday.

"Korea Grand Sale 2012"

We are in the midst of "Korea Grand Sale 2012" here. It's pretty much a nationwide shopping extravaganza designed to help everyone enjoy their Korean shopping experience to the fullest with extra discounts, clearance and final sale sections everywhere. I think it was established and aimed at oversees travelers but as I established some posts ago, Koreans themselves love to shop and this "Grand Sale" is as much for them as it is for the tourists. Since the purging of pretty much my whole closet before leaving the U.S. caused me to vow never to purchase anything clothing related while here, I can't really participate in helping the Korean economy but on a cold winter Saturday, sometimes the only thing left to do is shop. I love to look but I will not wait in line to try something on and I get very agitated in crowds, therefore urges to spend are fleeting. So we went to Myeong-dong where there are lines and crowds everywhere. It was still very tempting, none the less.

According to the guide book, over 1.5 million people pass through Myeong-dong on a regular day which I completely believe and think it's probably a little higher on a Saturday. Myeong-dong is an area not far over the north side of the mountain that is a true shopping mecca, full of fashion, eateries and cafes....and wall to wall people. The most impressive crowds were found on a small grid of pedestrian only streets where nearly every global brand is represented from Polo Ralph Lauren to H&M and Zara. Due to the clear needs that 1.5 million customers would generate there are not just one H&M and Zara but two of each, located merely down the street from each other. Both were complete zoo's with girls scooping up fashion and trends as fast as they can be churned out.  Across the street from this little grid of frenzy is Lotte Town (pronouned Loh-tee), a typical giant indoor mall boasting not only every global luxury brand but lines of customers waiting to be let into each shop to drool over whatever their fancies may be; Louis Vuitton, Prada, Chanel, you name it, they were waiting. We enjoyed the energy and frenzy on the streets, took in the smells of the fun street food and did get a little distracted by some beautiful Spring prints and colors at H&M up until sunset then we ventured indoors to Lotte Town's expansive food court to have dinner.

"Korea Grand Sale 2012" runs for a glorious 52 days ending February 29th. It doesn't hurt to window shop!

Let the frenzy begin!

But first stop in the church to ask for forgiveness for the shopping sins 

that ensue further down the street....

This is the Myeong-dong Catholic Church, the home of the Archdiocese of Seoul.

Before the church was built in 1898, the first faith community gathered on it's grounds in 1784.

The Myeong-dong Catholic Church is the main symbol of the presence of the 

Catholic Church in Korea and the first brick church built in Korea in the Gothic style.

We left a 50 cent offering, to help with the upkeep.

 The beginning of Myeong-dong.

Wall to wall people.

 

 RCP likes to interact with statues.

 There were lots of street food options from chicken kabob tacos....

 to fried potato slices on a stick!

 Too cool for school....at least this one's not a statue.

Myeong-dong from above.

Lotte Town

 This delicious pork tasted like bacon but had the chewy tenderness of beef jerky. 

They even had it in the shapes of hearts, but were sold out due Valentine's.

It's in the top 5 of the most delicious things I've had in Korea...
and probably the most delicious way to a heart attack if it were to become a regular snack.

Grilling, smoking, whatever they do to it.

The food court is quite the place to eat on a Saturday night. 

You order here and get your buzzer.

Ah, the beauty of dinner in a food court....options!!
Fried rice, curry with Japanese noodles and bibimbop.