Left: Delicious scone muffin things we saw on our way to Seoul Grand Park station - Right: I tried getting gum from the vending machine while we waited for the subway & struggled with it for awhile before a nice lady adjumma stopped to help me ^^. However, it gave me 1) a different gum than I punched in the number for, and 2) when I opened the flap, there was a box of Pepero sitting there too. Now, I would NEVER get all excited for a second thinking I had a free box of Pepero only to turn it around and realize I had just been trolled by some Korean teenager...because the box was definitely empty. With the ends all neatly tucked in so at first glance, it would look like it was unopened haha. Cool Korean kids. Coooooool.
Candace: Today we tackled the Seoul Zoo!! We have been wanting to go here for awhile now, so we were especially excited to get going this morning. The zoo is located at the Seoul Grand Park subway exit, which wasn't too far from us. We were scheduled to meet Jess's cousin and her husband + kids and go around the zoo with them.
We figured if we're going to be little kids running around the zoo freaking out over all the cool animals, we might as well go all the way :D - Also, guy with the coolest baby carrier I've ever seen. It had zippers and pockets up the wazoo and once you put it down, it turned into a standing chair! For the baby! HOW EFFICIENT IS THAT.
Little umbrella cones filled with star candy (my fellow Asians...REMEMBER THOSE?!? :D) and views of the walk up to the Seoul Zoo entrance (we decided to forgo the tram that took you up because we had time and it was a nice morning)
A little bit of CA in Korea :) - Hats, balloons, and animal ears oh my!
After you come up from the subway, there was a long straight walk with food vendors and hat vendors lining both sides. Jess & I had time before we met her cousin so we wandered and looked around. I bought a cool leather patchwork cap and we both bought fun animal ears to wear around the zoo :)
The walkway led straight up to the Grand Park Info Hall or whatever, pictured above. On my return trip after we finished at the zoo, I found out the tram deposited and picked up passengers here. We headed to the right and up the long hill to the park on foot.
The walkway led straight up to the Grand Park Info Hall or whatever, pictured above. On my return trip after we finished at the zoo, I found out the tram deposited and picked up passengers here. We headed to the right and up the long hill to the park on foot.
Beautiful views as we walked up to the zoo!
I was hungry (surprise surprise) so we picked up some double-dipped corn dogs from a vendor to munch on while we climbed up to the zoo. I've had them before on my last trip and they are seriously the BOMB. They are massive, first and foremost. And they are like flaky and crispy on the outside but have mounds of soft yummy bread on the inside. The actual hot dog is really thin, in keeping with the Korean's more healthy less-meat eating ideologies. America, take note. They do eat a lot of bread, but they balance that with TONS of veggies, less rice, and almost no meat. Hence, they are all skinny and beautiful. Maybe if I move here, my diet will adjust...eventually o.o
We reached the top and sat to wait for Jess's cousin + family. Since we have no wifi on our phones, we had no choice but to sit and watch for them. Jess had made contact with them earlier and found they were stuck in a bit of traffic. They had agreed to meet at the entrance to the zoo but after sitting & waiting for hours for them and the time they should've arrived being well past, we finally headed inside with our tickets.
However, while we were waiting by the entrance I saw more babies in 2 & 1/2 hours than I've ever seen in my WHOLE LIFE PUT TOGETHER. AND OMG WERE THEY ADORABLE AND SQUISHY :3 They were everywhere, running around with parents chasing them, sitting on grandpas knees, holding hands with older siblings, squealing in delight when they saw the tiger statue (pictures later in post), jumping around, babbling nonsense as they trotted along as fast as their chubby little baby legs could take them, OMG THEY WERE SO CUTE. Their outfits were equally adorable, all brightly-colored. Some had so many layers on, they were like walking marshmallows; they waddled more than anything ^.^ One little boy was wearing the TINIEST pair of Nike Free's I've ever seen. SO CUTE. The soles couldn't have been longer than my palm. Not my hand, just my palm. And my hands are pretty damn small.
However, while we were waiting by the entrance I saw more babies in 2 & 1/2 hours than I've ever seen in my WHOLE LIFE PUT TOGETHER. AND OMG WERE THEY ADORABLE AND SQUISHY :3 They were everywhere, running around with parents chasing them, sitting on grandpas knees, holding hands with older siblings, squealing in delight when they saw the tiger statue (pictures later in post), jumping around, babbling nonsense as they trotted along as fast as their chubby little baby legs could take them, OMG THEY WERE SO CUTE. Their outfits were equally adorable, all brightly-colored. Some had so many layers on, they were like walking marshmallows; they waddled more than anything ^.^ One little boy was wearing the TINIEST pair of Nike Free's I've ever seen. SO CUTE. The soles couldn't have been longer than my palm. Not my hand, just my palm. And my hands are pretty damn small.
The first thing we saw when we walked in was a long line of face cut-out animals, ranging from dinosaur to cow to monkey. Us being the little 5-year olds that we are, we immediately freaked out and ran over to take pictures :D We didn't stand out at all...we were just like 4 feet taller than anyone else having their picture taken. Okay, so people MIGHT have stared...
Tiger statue and me ^^
Clearly I am having a BALL running around, seeing animals, and imitating them hahah
The animals were SO COOOOOOOOOOOL AHHHHHH. It was like we were literally little kids again. Everything was new and wonderful and amazing. Animals are awesome, however old you are. They are different and interesting in how they live in such different environments and adapt to them. We ran all over the zoo snapping pictures and jostling for arm space in front of the animals habitats, cuz man, was it CROWDED. Zoo on a Saturday, on a day with beautiful weather was maybe not the greatest idea we've ever had.
They had these really cool all-electric buses in the park, with animal murals on them. With my interest in renewable energy, I particularly admired the electric part of them. Although the animal pictures were cool of course :D
Awesome bird that was totally strutting it's stuff for the camera. It knew it was cool. And this bear was my second favorite animal in the park (my absolute favorite comes later and you'll see why it's my favorite) just for it's hilarious pose. It was chillllllllllin. The bears were particularly interesting because they were like little human teddy bears. They sat on their butts, with their legs straight out and their front paws sitting on their stomach. It was HILARIOUS and so cute :)
The monkeys were also really interesting in how human-like they were. I know we always learn about how they are our closest animal relative and all but it's one thing to read about it and know it, and another to SEE it and know it.
The monkeys we saw were a CRACK-UP. One of them even had a baby with it (the black one)!!! The mama was totally jumping around and climbing the fence and everything with it on it's lap 0.o So amazing. I took a video of them too, they were so funny. Visitors had corn on the cob, so they would take off kernels and toss them to the monkeys, who were holding out their hands through the bars. And they would climb the fences and catch all the tiny kernels being tossed to them in their one hand!! ALL OF THEM. It was like a dog begging for treats but more like a mini human asking for more food; it blew my mind lol. They were so silly! Their eye to hand coordination fascinated me, especially when they would speedily go loping around their cages, jumping from thing to thing, swinging from their hands, then suddenly come back and stop to catch a kernel. They are so smart too. I remember when I was little, all I wanted was a spider monkey. Other little boys and girls wanted a puppy or a gerbil, but I wanted a spider monkey. I even went as far as looking up adoption methods onlnine (I didn't fit the criteria). Failing that, I then wanted a cow. Yes, a cow.
Adorable monkeys playing and cleaning each others fur for the other - also lizards and crocodiles :)
The felines! There was a white tiger too, but he was feeling grumpy and kept his head turned away the whole time. It was apparently naptime for a lot of them too, so we encountered plenty completely conked out, like the one below ^^. It was funny!
I was craving popcorn, because at the zoo, don't people eat popcorn? Obviously they didn't have any here, but I did find some in a bag at a store in the zoo :) - Seals, baby black bears, and more zonked out felines :D
MY FAVORITE ANIMALS OF THE DAY: the Lesser Panda :) SERIOUSLY HOW CUTE ARE THEY. When we saw them we immediately took as many photos of them as we had taken of the rest of the animals all put together haha. They were so tiny and energetic and playful and quick! And fuzzy :3 I have now changed my cow pet desire to a lesser panda. Prease aaaaand fank you.
We also spotted something called a raccoon dog, that neither of us had ever seen before. They were unbelievably fluffy and super cute though, so whatever they are, they have immediately gone to the top of my favorite animals list!
We also spotted something called a raccoon dog, that neither of us had ever seen before. They were unbelievably fluffy and super cute though, so whatever they are, they have immediately gone to the top of my favorite animals list!
Gray wolves and the lions!!
On the way back down from the zoo, Jess decided to walk while I waited for the tram. It was really quick, and cool cuz I got to see Seoul Land! All the kids on the tram were so excited, yelling that yay, we were off!! Adorable :)
I got down before Jess so as I waited I did some people watching. It was a good thing we went early because as I got off the tram near the entrance to Seoul Park, the line of people queuing up for the tram UP to the park was IMMENSE. All the way down 3 sets of stairs and out onto the plaza ON BOTH SIDES of the entranceway was a horde of potential zoo-goers, armed with strollers and diapers.
Jess's cousin was getting done with the zoo as well, so now that we had wifi (by the Grand Park entrance there was working free wifi) Jess could communicate with them again. We sat and waited again for awhile at the front until they made it down and we could finally meet with them ^^. We at least got to walk back down the walkway with them and chat. We got some food to eat as well; I got a potato slice stick (don't know what they are actually called, but they are effing amazing). They are like warm, crispy, meatier potato chips that you roll in seasoning and eat off the stick. And as we all know, everything is better when eaten off a stick :)
I got down before Jess so as I waited I did some people watching. It was a good thing we went early because as I got off the tram near the entrance to Seoul Park, the line of people queuing up for the tram UP to the park was IMMENSE. All the way down 3 sets of stairs and out onto the plaza ON BOTH SIDES of the entranceway was a horde of potential zoo-goers, armed with strollers and diapers.
Jess's cousin was getting done with the zoo as well, so now that we had wifi (by the Grand Park entrance there was working free wifi) Jess could communicate with them again. We sat and waited again for awhile at the front until they made it down and we could finally meet with them ^^. We at least got to walk back down the walkway with them and chat. We got some food to eat as well; I got a potato slice stick (don't know what they are actually called, but they are effing amazing). They are like warm, crispy, meatier potato chips that you roll in seasoning and eat off the stick. And as we all know, everything is better when eaten off a stick :)
After the zoo, we hit my favorite Gangnam Underground Shopping Center. I had been already but Jess hadn't, so we did a quick(er) circuit...more so than I did on my last spree ^^. I ended up with a cute flowy white longsleeve, a long turquoise knit sweater and a teal colored assymetrical hem long sleeve top. It falls really nicely actually so I think I'm going to go back and get another, for $8.
I have been needing a new phone case for awhile, so I also picked up a new one. There are a zillion options for phone cases, both in the regular bumper/back case type we mainly use in America and in the "diary" form that I use while I'm here in Korea. I'm of the hating-change variety though, so I got my same type of cover as my old one, just in a different color. It's navy blue on the outside now and lime green inside; super cute! At the zoo today Jess and I had gotten these adorable Winnie the Pooh phone charms from a machine; I got two. I attached the Pooh in a rabbit costume to my old phone case on the way to the shopping center, then once I bought my new case, I attached the Pooh in a froggie costume to it :)
I also haven't updated on my growing collection of scarves I've been amassing both for myself and for gifts when I go home. I love the scarves here, mainly because they have such a huge selection to choose from and they are EVERYWHERE. In all kinds of fabrics and all sorts of patterns. Anytime I find one that catches my eye and is the right price, I tend to buy it. It's way cheaper than I'll ever find an equivalent scarf for in the States anyway.
I have been needing a new phone case for awhile, so I also picked up a new one. There are a zillion options for phone cases, both in the regular bumper/back case type we mainly use in America and in the "diary" form that I use while I'm here in Korea. I'm of the hating-change variety though, so I got my same type of cover as my old one, just in a different color. It's navy blue on the outside now and lime green inside; super cute! At the zoo today Jess and I had gotten these adorable Winnie the Pooh phone charms from a machine; I got two. I attached the Pooh in a rabbit costume to my old phone case on the way to the shopping center, then once I bought my new case, I attached the Pooh in a froggie costume to it :)
I also haven't updated on my growing collection of scarves I've been amassing both for myself and for gifts when I go home. I love the scarves here, mainly because they have such a huge selection to choose from and they are EVERYWHERE. In all kinds of fabrics and all sorts of patterns. Anytime I find one that catches my eye and is the right price, I tend to buy it. It's way cheaper than I'll ever find an equivalent scarf for in the States anyway.
With the day over and us pretty exhausted from running around the zoo and shopping area all day, we decided on some low-effort (yet still gourmet, cuz it's Korea) pizza for dinner. A stop at the grocery store and the pizza place later, we were in our room for the night, happily munching on dinner while we watched tv ^^. Really though, the zoo was so awesome. I had the greatest time today! No wonder parents take their 3-month babies there, when the babies aren't even old enough to appreciate/remember it (a WTF? thought I was cultivating while I did my people-watching today); the PARENTS just want an excuse to go see the animals :D Mmm, yes, I understand now.
In Loving Memory of my old phone case. You served your time well from one Korea trip to the next, surviving thousands of pictures, constant opening/closing as I listen to music on the subway rides, and me jotting down endless blog posts. RIP <3
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