This time’s holidaying took me on an Oriental route and what better destination than Korea (of course, South Korea, silly) to taste the flavours and sights of the Oriental? So I found myself walking into the heart of the K land…the K of drama, of music, of shopping, of swag and cuteness..
And it was just as I imagined - an imagination fueled by the
constant buildup of K-drama, K-pop, and Han Kang. The canvas spread out - as pretty and cute as Korean glass skin, and
the palette - as serene and regal as the colours of Korean tradition..
The trip started with a true
‘Seoul-searching’ through the streets of Seoul – exploring the Korean way of
life and absorbing the K-culture through the myriad subway lines, the food
alleys, the exotic cafes and colourful pride of shops and neighbourhoods that
make up the little 'cupcake' cuteness called Seoul…
Myeongdong was my first stop and I couldn’t help going back
to this shopping mecca over and over again because simply… it wasn’t enough –an
unsatiable greed triggered in the streets of Myeongdong and I was in a state of
consumer coma… counting Wons (and making little sense of the conversion
factor), buying knicks and knacks with no utility or logic but just because I
couldn’t let go of the opportunity, picking up souvenirs and the thousand
‘customizable’ things that will greet you only in Korea..
And to wash away the shopping sins, I took an uphill cable
car ride to the top of Namsan tower, an epic peak in Seoul where you can see
the sky changing colours from evening pinks to night blacks sequenced with
crystal lights of the city…an elegant black cape that spreads across the city
with its jeweled skyscrapers and bridges…the perfect spot to soak in Seoul and
unwind after a long day of walking, spending and climbing..
The next day took me away from the bustle of the city to the
coastal town of Busan..the first stop being the absolutely stunning and
colourful heritage village of Gamcheon which was originally the shelter of
numerous refugees..now the winding roads, the steep and narrow staircases and
the little homes breathe stories of struggles, survival and proudly showcase art
and heritage in a million colours…
From there I ventured into the traditional market-place of
Busan .. another cozy display of shops, fish, hats, bargains and bunches of old
women fanning away the afternoon sun .. and here unfolded my first authentic
Korean lunch experience at the ‘Sulgodang ‘ – a delectable spread of dishes,
flavours forcing me to ditch table manners, the struggles with the chopstick
and simply devour the food and the Sikhye (a traditional Korean drink) in
record time.. my tummy full and the afternoon sun slowly dipping into Busan’s
beautiful skyline, I boarded the ‘sky-bus’ that took me cruising across the
blue ocean - cloudy, windy, scary and
exhilarating all packed into this cable car experience …and the day decided to
wind down and the sun determined to set into the blue ocean as I packed bags,
memories and rushed to catch the train back to Seoul..
Back to Seoul and a bright Wednesday morning took me back in
time and into Korea’s history as I excitedly tried on a powdery pink ‘Hanbok’
(Korean traditional attire) and swirled and swished into the Gyeongbokgung
Palace..a stunning spectacle unfurling at the palace – a colourful and royal display of blues and reds as the palace guards put up a ‘change of guard’
ceremony, the sun rays streaming through the grandeur of the mountains that
surround the palace; into the corridors and shimmering in the golden trims of my
Hanbok.. the palace - a pretty preserve of history and culture blending
harmoniously with the modern city square and with the towering mountains and together
they come alive as a picture of sheer contrast and beauty..
I continued on through the cultural trails of Insadong and
Bukchon hanok villages where I was greeted by century-old aristocratic houses,
artisan shops, and picturesque cafes …you cannot miss the pride and richness of
Korean heritage that glimmers in the streets, the unique roof styles and the
architecture in general..a final stop at the Palace museum helped me put all
the bits and pieces together to understand the timelines, dynasties and rituals
and journey into the Korea of now..
Seoul continued to woo and charm me with such a melody of
experiences, sights, sounds, tastes and colours that I was swept off my feet in
true K-drama style..a park of pink flowers, a magnificent library that left me speechless, a cozy tea house nestled amongst the trees and a Buddhist
temple, Hongdae and its festive moods and Kpop performances, a variety of
aromas erupting from breads of a thousand varieties, a library dedicated to
ramyon, the delicacies served on the streets with pretty smiles, an ‘atypical’
design plaza that stands out and leaps forward into the future and I can go on…
In all the ten days I spent in Korea, there was never a dull, ‘eye-sore’ or colourless moment, and I slipped and fell into the K fantasy
world with a spring in my step and a smile on my lips…just missing the soft
background score that was literally playing in my heart..
Of course like all beautiful episodes and journeys, this too
had to end …As I touched down in Bangalore, the sweetness lingered, the
cuteness terribly missed, the memories turned vivid, and I nibbled into the last few
rice cakes I had saved up from the trip, trying in vain to relive and keep some
semblance of ‘K’ ness in my world..
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