May 28th. Incheon Bound

 After a great night last night, I needed some rest. But that didn’t happen. Neither Mary Ann nor I had a good nights sleep despite the wonderful new Hanok we were in. You never know. And then sometimes you fall asleep on a rock and wake up rested.  

But we are still in Korea and need breakfast, so we walk down the street for coffee and breakfast. Which leads me to the subject of Scones. Seems no matter where we try them, scones in Korea are delicious. I have trouble not reordering another one the same meal. My breakfast partner tells me that is not to be done. 

After breakfast, I go downtown to pick up a present we special ordered for someone back in the USA. And let me tell you about that. Not the present, but the bus number 1. It makes a loop starting on our street and loops past our old 1970’s house, downtown and the back. How very very convenient. The driver actually got to know us by sight.  Of course he received a turtle keychain from Topsail Island. 

Part of his route. 

And what should appear across from where we are staying but the institute to preserve Royal Culture Food. 

Some things don’t need preserving here in Korea. 

So just before we head to Seoul train Station to go to Incheon, we make a detour to the house next door. It was here that Ko Hui Dong built his house and lived. He is known as Korea’s first modern (western style) painter bringing western style and merging it with traditional Korean style painting. Cool

On the way to Seoul Station. Right. No more tile roofs.

We taxied to Seoul Station and then took the train to Incheon airport terminal 1. After that it is figuring out which taxi is the local one  most want fares to Seoul. And wouldn’t you know it that despite my best efforts, we land up in Incheon apartments again. No sign for “hotel” but the convenience store owner finds the owner and she shows me to the apartments.  Crazy  

It is Mary Ann’s nap time and my beer time. She in the apartment and me down stairs outside having bought a Guinness in the store and plastic cups for effect. 

My surroundings

And just after I finish my Guinness and contemplate having another, they start moving all the chairs and tables up onto a concrete platform.  Seems the police have arrived and are breaking up our illegal patio party. No worry, the tables and chairs will be back down in a couple of hours. But back to the apartment for now.

And then a few hours later. 

For those who have known Korea, you can see that some things never change.

Patricia and Jonah are now back and in their room getting back to civilization. Tomorrow we leave for Tokyo but first dinner tonight. Indoors. The wind is blowing hard outside. 

And the meal was inside thankfully. A Korean standby, Chicken and Beer. At least now it is. I had cajan fries and everyone else had some version of chicken except for Patricia who had rice cake in a rose sauce. 

Tomorrow the four of us head to Tokyo. 

Goodnight.