Bright and early Sarah and I left for Seoul. Jill still had to work. We took a taxi to their main bus station, Usquare. It’s funny because it’s clear I can’t speak Korean but the taxi drivers will always try to talk to you anyway. It was 2,000 won to upgrade to a luxury bus (that’s like $2 so we decided to ball out). The bus was super nice and the chairs reclined a lot so Sarah and I got some good shut-eye before we decided to take on Seoul.

The subway system in Seoul is amazing! I wouldn’t recommend any other way of getting around. Plus Seoul is way more tourist friendly so more signs and directions are in English. We got to our hostel, Air Hostel Dongdaemun first to drop off our stuff. We got there before check-in. We took subway line 1 and got off at Jongno-5 (exit 3). Jill had given us a loose itinerary of things to do and sights to see in Seoul. She didn’t do a ton of research because she sent us to the palace first, which was actually closed on Tuesdays. We did walk around the Korean history museum for a little, which was in the same plaza. Then after we tried to go to this street food market, which she said to come hungry. We were starving but it was nowhere to be found. We were off to a rocky start on our first day in Seoul.

We ended up at this poop-themed café, Ddo-ong Café, in this cute little shopping structure (Ssamziegil complex). It was off of the Anguk Station (line 3, exit 6), down a very touristy shopping street. They serve their food and drinks in toilet bowls. We just shared some fried rice as a snack since we knew we would eat something big later. We went back to our hostel to check in and change and cool off. Not many places blast the air conditioning here because they don’t like to spend money on it so when we are in our room we keep it real cold. Then we were off to the baseball game. I wrote a whole post on this experience since I was super excited for it.

Wednesday morning we were up early again, this time to go see North Korea. Yes everybody had told us to stay away from North Korea and were frightened that something would happen to us, but we signed up for this tour through VIP Travel, which takes you right into the demilitarized zone (DMZ). We were so happy the tour was in English and honestly when I came to Korea I didn’t know much about the country but this tour was super informative and one of the best parts of my trip. Turns out there are numerous boundary lines. There’s the actual border between the North and South, then a few meters back on either side is the Northern boundary line and the Southern boundary line and beyond that is the DMZ and then the civilian area in the South. People actually live in the area, they have to back home at a certain time because they have a curfew but they live there because they get a tax break. Only farmers are allowed to live there and apparently, they are pretty well off.

The tour took us into the Third Tunnel. This tunnel, among others, was built by the North Korean soldiers, to infiltrate Seoul from underground. Since they couldn’t cross the border above ground, they thought they were being sneaky with the tunnels, and it probably would have worked too if it wasn’t for this Northern general who ended up turning on the North and told the South Korean government a bunch of inside information. They searched for this tunnel for years before finally finding them. When the North Koreans knew they were caught they tried to disguise it as a mining tunnel. Pretty clever I thought, haha. No photos were allowed down there so unfortunately, I have none to show you of that part, but I highly recommend checking it out.

We also went to an observation deck, where we could look out over North Korea. It was bizarre to see little cities they call propaganda towns, meaning nobody lives there – strictly for looks. Our last stop on the tour was a train station that was, at one point, connected between the North and South, until 2008 when a woman from South Korea was shot by a North Korean soldier. After that incident, South Koreans are no longer allowed to visit or take tours in the North. Relations have been bad ever since then and they are only getting worse. I felt bad for our guide, who expressed his wishes that one day the two countries can reunite and he can explore his whole country. Sarah and I loved this tour. 5/5 would recommend. It may seem a little scary getting that close to North Korea but you are safe the whole time. There are military men always in the area and we never felt uncomfortable. Of course, after I had to send a picture to my dad with my GPS dot right on the border, just to mess with him. You could also get closer to the North Korean border by going on the JSA tour (you can do that with the same company or others), but Sarah and I found out about that too late. You have to book it two days in advance.

When we got back to Seoul we went back to the Gyeongbokgung Palace that was closed the previous day (take subway line 3, station Gyeongbokgung Palace, exit 5). It was extremely hot and most of it was in the sun and not a ton to see because a lot of it was being renovated or refurbished, so it wasn’t our favorite part. We were followed by a strange man, who we thought at first seemed lost and frantic. Turned out he was just trying to work up the nerve to ask to get a picture with me. I stupidly agreed and before I could move he put his head on my chest for the picture and as soon as it the photo was taken he ran away. I was speechless and felt grossed out. He was the only person that ever made me feel uncomfortable in Korea.

We took the subway to the park next to the Han River (line 5, Yeoinaru Station, exit 3). After being so hot and sweaty we just wanted to chill for a little. We walked around, took some pictures, and found a little water installment that people had their feet in. We, of course, took off our shoes and socks and joined everyone else. This cute little Korean boy started walking towards us in the water, but as soon as he saw us he started crying. His dad picked him up and carried him past us and set him down in the water again and he stopped crying. Obviously, he doesn’t see very many white people, hahaha.

Next stop was an unforgettable one. Take the subway line 2 and get off at Hongik University Station (exit 6), to go to a meerkat café. Yeah, meerkat as in Timon from Disney’s The Lion King. Drinks were way overpriced because they had the entrance fee included (7,000 won). Every drink also was a sealed bottle. I’m sure it would be against health code to make drinks there, considering animals were all over the place. As soon as we walked in a little kangaroo is jumping past us along with a couple of fox looking animals. Also, there were cats and I don’t even know the name of the other exotic animal that was there. You get in line and when it’s your turn with the meerkats they have you in an enclosed pen with a lot of toys and most importantly a handful of meerkats!!! Sarah and I had like six around us, clawing at our shirts and walking over our laps. I cannot explain how adorable they were, you would have to experience it for yourself. Sarah and I decided we need to open up a meerkat café in Vegas. Unfortunately, I’m sure the US has stricter health code laws regarding that, but we can dream.