Korea DAY 2: (Pt. 1) Morning Walk + Climbing N Seoul Tower

Neither open windows nor a fan blowing at the foot of our beds all night could ease the stickiness in the air. Quality of sleep was extremely poor, and the rumble of trains that rush hour brought into the nearby transit hub hadn't helped either.

​I had climbed into bed just before midnight after what appeared a never-ending evening of navigation woes. Throughout the night, I woke two to three times, then surrendered around the 5 AM mark. While my browsing partner fought to ignore my morning ruckus, I moved with resoluteness to start the day early. Time is of the essence always, but especially so on vacation.

When we had checked in late the previous evening, I had skipped perusal of hotel amenities. To start, I'd venture down to the 19th floor lobby to locate a WOWPASS machine for currency conversion. A middle-aged Japanese couple hovered before it, expressing confusion then ultimately walking away with a dissatisfied exchange.

​Drawing near the giant screen, I tapped my card to exchange the four 50-dollar bills I had brought with me. After all, the machine would only accept Canadian dollars in the form of fifties. Two hundred Canadian dollars was the equivalent of 195,000 KRW after exchange.

​Next, I headed to the laundry room. Coin Laundry was possible between the hours of 9 AM - 9 PM, with washing and drying priced at 5,000 KRW each and detergent and fabric softener at 1,000 KRW each. Two sets of washer-dryers were found behind the door.

​Within the room were also a microwave, water dispenser, and ironing setup (iron + board). I took note of these features, then reached for an empty laundry bag for my browsing partner, as the room only included one.

​I later learned that, in addition to the Coin Laundry facility, each floor offered water and ice dispensers, a microwave, and a steam iron in a room by the elevators. Most importantly, it also featured garbage and recycling bins, which helped to alleviate spillage from the teensy two-compartment bin in the our room.

After checking in with my browsing partner, who was still fast asleep, I ventured out on my own. Unlike the maze on the B2 Level, the Ground floor provided direct access to street-level vendors. Within walking distance were a coffee shop (Mammoth Coffee) and convenience store. The latter would mark my first of many CU observations.

​The adjacent building also appeared to house a pilates studio and café for which Karina was the spokesperson. The idol's face was spotted again on the Sprite advertisement gracing the median bus platform.

​Strolling south, I'd pass a gas station, somewhat smelly area (no garbage, but many manholes), and Seoul's version of a Bike Share station. Seoul Bike prices ranged from 1,000 KRW (one hour of use) to 40,000 KRW (annual pass enabling two hours of use) - far more budget-friendly than any North American city.

​My aimless saunter eventually led me to GS25, where I procured a No Sugar Added rendition of Binggrae's ever-popular Banana Milk. Priced at 1,800 KRW, the microscopic beverage wasn't exactly economic, but nevertheless cheaper than back home.

​Maxim's T.O.P was marked for a 2+1 promotion. I initially plucked the T.O.P Black, T.O.P Sweet Americano, and a bottled coffee of another brand from the refrigerator, only to be informed by the cashier that the sale only applied to products of the same brand. Three bottles of Maxim T.O.P set me back 6,400 KRW after the 2+1 deal. Tacking on Banana Milk and a Red Bean Bun, the bill came to a grand total of 10,200 KRW.

Two of five items were depleted within the store, as it offered seating in the form of four-person tables and bar seating along the window.  The Red Bean Bun was forgettable (save the coarse bits of whole red bean), while the T.O.P Black was of a looser consistency than desired; both were passable. During my short-lived stay, two men, seemingly regulars, entered to purchase ramen for immediate consumption. Their stopover was brief, and their ingestion speed shockingly rapid. As if ordering ramen at 8 AM was odd enough, the entire portion had been scoffed down in under five minutes - while simultaneously holding a conversation! Excess broth was poured through a sieve in the disposal area, then the container placed into garbage.

I too made my departure after a leisurely breakfast, silently griping to myself for purchasing more drinks than I could consume on the spot.

Gradually heading east, I found impromptu uphill stretches, residential permit parking spaces (which appear to exist in most large cities around the world), and a handful of coffee shops. Not a single pharmacy was spotted open before 9 AM.

Stumbling upon the entryway of Huan Traditional Market, I scurried across the intersection to peruse its offerings. Similar to the pharmacies, business operations had not commenced yet. A public bathroom was spotted inside the market, but not used by yours truly.​

A handful of residential alleyways and notable whiffs of cigarette and sewer were perceived in the connecting pathways.

When I resurfaced at street level once more, my gaze fell upon Path Roasters.

​Using broken Korean, I somehow managed to ask the barista about coffee tasting notes. My request for a bean recommendation suitable for both filter and espresso landed me with First Light House Blend. The 200 g portion was a mere 15,000 KRW - a steal compared to the $25-30 range charged by independent roasters back home.

After completing the purchase, I carefully asked to use the bathroom. The barista gladly gestured to the back of the café, where I found an elevated setup (read: not accessible) with wobbly, interlocking tiles surrounding the sink and toilet. I presumed this addition to assist with drainage, though wasn't entirely convinced its unstable material was ideal was walking on. Either way, I was thankful to have found a clean establishment with indoor plumbing facilities and courteous service.

​Resuming my unplanned journey, my steps somehow led me to the base of Namsan Park.

Without much thought, I decided to follow the paths of two runners along the Outer Trail, not knowing the staircase hell that awaited me.

​It didn't take long before I learned of the nonexistent tree cover and hefty stone steps along the path. Having donned double denim with my hair down, it was an understatement to say that my choices of outfit and activity did not align. Nevertheless, I continued on the path, curious to see whether I'd make to N Seoul Tower before my browsing partner awoke.

Alas, the steps did not become any easier with time. I succeeded in reaching the Hanyangdoseong Historic Site Museum after generating some warmth. Then, it was time to conquer steeper stretches of uneven stairs.

View the full album HERE !

​The path was comprised of brick and stone stairs of uneven depth, width, and distance. Such a design choice was beyond me - some of the atrociously tall steps didn't even have railings within reach!
I adhered to the shaded sections as best as possible, but found the trip utterly devoid of shade. The later hours of the day would have probably proven warmer and even less attractive with the repositioning of the sun.

Scenic the trek was, yet positively exhausting. Following in the footsteps of a nearby ahjussi, I quietly re-composed myself on the benches of the breezy rest areas before continuing upwards.

Along the last part of the trail were strategically placed drink vending machines. Their sighting coincided with the landing area of the Namsan Cable Car, which my browsing partner and I had resolved to ride.

​Passing the last stone steps (with a railing-less cut-out for a lofty tree), I arrived at the first observation are for love locks.

​Several more steps later, the view of Namsan/N Seoul Tower slowly came into view.

A traditional music performance was taking place in the pavilion, otherwise known as the Namsan Palgakjeong (Octagonal Pavilion). The three instrumentalists bravely faced the beaming glare of the sun as two cameramen hovered nearby.

​A handful of more steps would grant visitors to the lookout area at the base of the tower.

"Wow." I marvelled at the mountainous scenery before me.

​Easing myself into one of the many wooden benches, the weight of my two-and-one-third bottles of T.O.P could be relieved at long last. From my eco bag, I withdrew my No Sugar Added Banana Milk - a well-deserved reward for completing the climb!

​The early hour saw a greater number of visitors than expected. Many had come alone for the purposes of exercise or simply getting fresh air. A couple giggled away on the neighbouring bench, while a duo of English-speaking girls stationed themselves near the central seating area. As opposed to approaching one of the locals for a photo request, I reached out to the duo in (presumably) our native language. One was more than willing to snap some shots of me along the length of observation area, for which I thanked her immediately.

​Venturing around the tower, I found more areas for love locks. Naturally, the opportunity was used to scope out the area in preparation for attaching my own lock.

​Besides the love lock area and lookout deck, N Seoul Tower also offered various levels of food retail within the Seoul Tower Plaza.

Within the plaza were indoor plumbing facilities (thank you!), restaurants and cafés, full-body massage chairs, a compact gallery, supposedly the world's first OLED tunnel, and even an arcade.

I determined the ideal location for hooking love locks as a small deck with a breathtaking city skyline backdrop. This destination would be revealed to my browsing partner later in the evening.

​On the B2 level was a dedicated K-Pop outlet, which was, unfortunately, not yet open at my time of visit.

​One level above, on the B1 level, was Starbucks.

One level above, on the B1 level, was Starbucks. The Tourist Tumbler series was impressive, but affordable. Meanwhile, it was the expansive selection of cake that I found overpriced and overwhelming.

Ultimately, I walked away without a single food or beverage purchase, for there was no telling when my browsing partner would join my sightseeing endeavours.

By the time each floor of the attraction had been roamed to my heart's desire, I reached out to my browsing partner once more. Instead of remaining at the base of the tower, I offered to board a bus into the city centre on the basis of time.

A different trail supported vehicular traffic in addition to foot traffic with a paved multi-use lane delineated by yellow line paintings and bollards.

I successfully boarded the next bus, with the driver urging me to relax and slow down as he wouldn't be pulling away anytime soon. The entire vehicle consisted of just two passengers at the terminus station.

Read Part 2 HERE !