Day Trips: A Balancing Act Between Laziness and Longing
Is it just my age? The mere thought of packing and unpacking has become a chore. The idea of joining the nationwide exodus during this long holiday, and the resulting traffic jams, is enough to make my neck stiff. But spending these precious days off at home also feels like a waste. The compromise I've found between 'laziness' and 'FOMO' is the spontaneous day trip.
First Stop: Seoul - A Pilgrimage to Places of Longing
Whenever I saw Gwangjang Market on TV, I’d always think, 'I should go there sometime.' Even though it's not like I've never been. I got my wedding Hanbok, side dishes for the parents, and bedding all from here! Yet, it always felt like an unfinished task. Since I had an eye appointment in Seoul, I decided to finally fulfill that wish.
Parking in downtown Seoul felt like an impossible mission, but luckily, there was some space in the Bangsan Market parking lot. Honestly, the market was smaller and had fewer food options than I expected, which was a bit disappointing. But I felt good about finally crossing it off my list. The food seemed geared towards foreigners, sweet and not spicy, even for sensitive palates.
I wanted to try the famous Yukhoe (raw beef), but there were 14 teams on the waiting list. With my aversion to waiting, even for the most delicious food, I don't think I’ll ever conquer those truly famous restaurants. In the end, I decided to sample various foods in small portions, like a tourist buffet, to satisfy my cravings.
Next, I headed to the Jongno Jewelry Street. I never cared for precious metals, but in my late 40s, my neck felt bare whenever I dressed up. I thought I needed a necklace or two. With gold prices soaring, I heard that Jongno Jewelry Street offered the best prices, so I took a look around.
I originally wanted to visit the Hyundai Motorstudio, a place my husband is interested in, but was thwarted by the parking situation. After my eye appointment, I headed to Garak Market as the last stop. The intense atmosphere of the dawn auctions was gone, but I carefully selected Chuseok (Korean Thanksgiving) fruits in the afterglow of the empty space. On the way home, I stopped at my favorite restaurant for the best meal, making it the high point of the day.
Second Stop: Wonju - Braving the Rain as a Planner
It started raining lightly, even though the forecast didn't mention it. But I'm a J-type person! I stuck to my plan.
On the way, I stopped by the Bangye-ri Ginkgo Tree. It was too early in the season to see it in its full, golden glory, but it was so enormous that I was speechless. How can it grow so tall? Nature's grand scale was overwhelming.
After a brief pause, I headed to my main destination: Sogeumsan Grand Valley. It was closer than I thought, which made me wonder why I hadn't come sooner. When I went to buy cable car tickets, the staff asked if I qualified for a discount. There were many options, but the only one I could rely on was the multi-child discount. When I said I didn't have a copy of my family registry, the staff showed me how to get one easily through KakaoTalk. Wow! Government documents in an instant! (But why is Kakao's stock still struggling?)
I even got a discount, which was a pleasant surprise, and boarded the cable car. It wasn't a weekend, and it was raining, so it was quiet. As soon as I crossed the suspension bridge, it felt like walking in the clouds, with the misty rain and rising water vapor. My husband and I joked that we were in China, enjoying a fake overseas trip.
Instead of taking the cable car back, I walked along the path through the sky garden until I got to the 'Edge Walk'. I had tried a similar one in Danyang, but the one on top of the mountain was more thrilling. Before the ultimate goal, the Ulleong Bridge, the sky lounge caught our attention. The endless stairs going down made us stop and enjoy the view, but then we continued to the end. Mission accomplished on the Ulleong Bridge! Now my feet are finally starting to hurt from the descent.
But what's this unexpected gift! There was an escalator waiting for us! They made it just difficult enough, then placed the convenience facilities perfectly, making the one-hour course great. We skipped breakfast, so my stomach was grumbling as soon as we came down, but we had some fishcake to tie us over for the Kimchi Stew restaurant.
There are two Kimchi Stew restaurants in Wonju. One had a crazy long wait, so we went to Jinsung Yangpun Kimchi Stew, which is served with a rolled omelet. It was past lunchtime, so we only had to wait for one or two teams before getting a table. The stew, filled with fresh pork, was a rice thief! It was so delicious. Thanks to the unlimited refills and generous owner, I'd definitely visit again.
Next up was a dumpling tour of Wonju Central Market. I was surprised by how reasonable the prices were in Wonju. We love visiting local markets, and we always check out the ones in the areas we visit. We were amazed by the size of Central Market and the cheap prices. Most of all, it was nice to see that it had retained its old charm.
On the way, my husband was helping an old woman carry her things in the rain, without even holding his umbrella. I joined in and helped tie the packages securely to her cart. The old woman kept repeating, "Tight, tight!," emphasizing the importance of securing the load. Still, she thanked us in the end. Later, my husband and I laughed, "I bet she's going to load those groceries into the trunk of her Mercedes!"
Thanks to the random umbrella my mother-in-law gave me, we had a good laugh, bought some cheap side dishes, and got some famous dumplings, returning home with our hands full. We stopped at a Starbucks overlooking the Namhan River to read a book and nourish our minds.
I enjoy the fullness of these short trips more than the fatigue of long ones. Most of all, I'm happiest about not having to deal with the cycle of packing and unpacking.
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