Six In Seoul
  • Our Life in Seoul Take 3
  • Our Life in Seoul, Take 2
  • 2015 Project 365
  • Project 365
  • Moving to Korea?
  • Six in the Hood
  • Seoul, 4/2008 - 4/2010
    • Flower Arrangements
    • Our second month here.....
    • Our first month here, 4/08
    • Flat Stanley
  • The Whole 30

Seoul Racecourse Park

3/1/2010

3 Comments

 
I've wanted to take Hubby to the horse races every since I went back in October.  I'm glad it finally worked out.  We had a great day together!

If you are interested in going here are a few tips for you:

To get there by subway, take subway line 4 to Seoul Racecourse Park station, go out exit 2 and follow the crowd down the covered walkway to the track.  Races happen most Saturdays and Sundays from 10:30AM  to 5:30PM.  You can check here for the 2010 schedule.

Here I am in the Seoul Racecourse Park subway station.
Picture
:
The cost is a mere 800 won to get in.

If you are a foreigner, take your passport, and you will be able to get into the foreigner's lounge on the 4th floor.  I suck at giving North, South, East, West directions, so when you are standing in front of the building - where they parade the horses before each race:
Picture
Go inside then turn left & go to the far end of the building (make sure you are on the 4th floor).  While walking look for the "Foreigners Lounge" on the right.
Picture
Here is a picture of Hubby sitting in the foreigner's lounge.  It is super nice and the sweet ladies at the desk will help you figure out what to do, IF you ask them. 
Picture
You will also need to ask them for "the simple guide to betting".  Not that simple, but fun to figure out!  ;-)
Picture
This is what your betting card looks like... follow the directions in your guide.  There is also a big sheet of paper that gives you information on all the races for the day you are there, sorry I forgot to take a picture of it.
Picture
After you fill out your betting slip take it to the betting window where you give the lady behind the glass your ticket and your money...
Picture
then she will give you this money ticket:
Picture
You then take both your tickets: your betting ticket and your money ticket to the machines beside the betting window, press ENGLISH and follow the instructions.
Picture
You will get your money ticket back.

Now that you have figured it all out, sit back and enjoy the races!
Picture
Picture
And they're off!!
Picture
And if you are lucky, maybe, just maybe you will win some won!!  (To collect your money take your money ticket back to the betting window and give it to the lady behind the glass again.)
Picture
A few other things worth mentioning....
If you want to fit in, dye your hair black and don't wear red...can you find me?
Picture
If you are hungry or thirsty, never fear, there are tons of convenience stores and places to eat.  The food is a little pricy here.  It is OK to bring a sack lunch to the races.  OH, and there is plenty of time between races to go exploring!
Picture
And last but not least, have a great time at the races!!
Picture
Picture
3 Comments

Fabric Market in Dongdaemun!

2/26/2010

13 Comments

 
I've been spending a lot of time at the fabric market lately, and I mean A LOT of time!  I have probably gone to the fabric market at least 12 times in the past 2 months, and I still have one more trip to go. What am I doing you ask?  Well, I will tell you but before I do you have to understand a few things about the fabric market..... This place is HUGE it is 6 floors high including the basement and is 3 buildings wide.  I admit shopping in Korea is overwhelming, but the fabric market takes it to a new level of OVERWHELMING, and this is especially true if you don't have one ounce of sewing talent in you.   The fabric market is EASY to get lost in, it is a lot like the streets of Seoul, there are little alleys all over the market...I see something shiny and I take off through another alley, before I know it I forget about leaving a trail of bread crumbs and am off in the land of thread not knowing where to go next....
Picture
I take a few more turns and I find zippers of every size & color!  Not that I would ever know how to put a zipper in, it is just nice to know they are there in case I ever need one.  I see more sparkles and take off in a new direction.....
Picture
HOLY COW...I'm in the land of buttons!!
Picture
Another turn takes me to more fabric than I have ever seen in my lifetime.
Picture
By this time my head is spinning, the next turn I make takes me to tassel, piping & curtain rod alley! 
Picture
Not knowing what to do next, I see and elevator and hop on board, only to find this sweet young lady asking me which floor I want to go to...Goodness, I have no idea, just pick one!
Picture
I land on the top floor, floor 5 and think to myself, is this a transporting elevator? Because when we landed I no longer found fabric, buttons, zippers, thread, yarn or tassels.  I am now finding myself in what appears to be a large costume jewelry shop.  If you are into making jewelry, this is your lucky floor. I've never see so many things to make jewelry in my life!  I don't even know what you call half of  this stuff! 
Picture
If you are not into making your own jewelry, no worries, they will make it for you....
Picture
The jewelry floor wasn't really what I was looking for, so I headed back down and this time I took the stairs.....next floor  ( I have no idea where I am at this point) LACE!
Picture
and more fabric!!
Check out the delivery delivery man....
Picture
I've had enough...it is time to go home, only to find we have been blocked in....
Picture
But no worries, when someone blocks you in here in Korea they always leave a phone number in the window for you to call them, or in this case, they just left the keys in the car so the attendants could move it.
Picture
I know, I know, you still have no idea why I went to the fabric market, at this point I couldn't remember either.....
13 Comments

Bubble World!

2/17/2010

1 Comment

 
Bubbles, bubbles, bubbles everywhere!  For Valentine's day I took the kids to see Fan Yang's Bubble World!   I had no idea how big this show was until my friend Amanda set it up for us - thanks Amanda!  At first I thought this was just a Korean adventure, but once I looked at the website I realized you can see this show in the US as well!  Do you know how many things are in the Guinness World Record book that has to do with bubble? TONS!  They have even put an elephant in a bubble!  Crazy.  I wish they would have done that at our show, but no such luck. Before the show we got to play with bubbles (inside the building, something I never let my kids do, so they thought this was super cool), this girl was in the show.  She was so cute! 
Picture
Picture
Picture
This is a GREAT show for young children!   The kids LOVED it!  If you are here in Korea and want to go see it  there isn't much speaking and when they do speak they have English sub titles, so no worries about understanding things, plus, it really is all about the bubbles!
Picture
Picture
Picture
One of our friends on stage in a bubble!
Picture
Sweet boys!
Picture
Pretty girl!
Picture
1 Comment

Happy Valentine's Day!

2/14/2010

5 Comments

 
Happy Valentine's day to the love of my life!   Wow - this was our 18th Valentine's together, can you believe that? Thanks for a great evening!
Picture
We only have 1 month left here in Seoul, so we are trying to make the most of it.  Saturday night we went to the Millennium Hilton Hotel for a fantastic dinner with some wonderful people!  We ate at Cilantro where we had the dinner buffet.  If you have not experienced the Millennium Hilton in Seoul, it is worth it!  The atmosphere was perfect for groups of friends or families, the service was fantastic (by Korea standards) and the food was delicious!  We had Alaskan king crab, with the shells already cut for easy eating, tuna, halibut and salmon sashimi, prime rib, beef kalbi, duck mouse in a puff pastry, beef tartare and so much more!   I even found a new wine I love thanks to Eric & Lisa! 
Picture
After dinner we headed to Myeong-Dong to see the show Nanta!
Picture
I've been wanting Hubby to see Nanta for over a year now  (I saw it with Boy 1 last year), but I just never got around to taking Hubby, that is until it hit me that we are REALLY moving and SOON!  Nanta is great fun; the setting is in a kitchen where four chefs are preparing food for a wedding.  While preparing food, they use anything they can find to make music!  From knives to pots and pans to trash cans and each other!  It is slap stick comedy at its best!  If you live here I would highly recommend you go see it!  It is great for people of all ages!
Picture
After the show T and I really wanted to shop, but we had the guys with us.  Here is a little preview of Myeong-Dong  (Molly, you are going to LOVE Myeong-Dong!)
Picture
Picture
hair stuff & jewels!!
Picture
I really wanted a wig!
Picture
I couldn't resist!
Picture
We ended the night at JJ Mahoney's in the Seoul Grand Hyatt.  JJ Mahoney's is a great place to listen to live music.  The band that is playing there now is FANTASTIC!  Here is a link to their FB page.  They will be playing at JJ Mahoney's through 10 April, 2010 ~ go see them, however if you are going to drink, be prepared to spend a bundle!!  We bought the first round of drinks ~ 4 drinks, 77,000 won!!  Holy crap!
Picture
5 Comments

New Year's Day

1/30/2010

2 Comments

 
This year Hubby and I were super excited to go to the fish market on New Year's Day for fresh shucked oysters!  I wish this could be a yearly tradition, but I'm not sure that is possible since we will be living in CENTRAL TEXAS next New Year's Day.
Picture
Picture
About 200 fresh shucked oysters, and when I say fresh shucked, that is what I mean.  The little old lady is shucking as you are buying. We bought all of these for 30,000 won (just under 30 USD).
Picture
While we were there I grabbed this luscious piece of tuna.
Picture
2 Comments

Horse Racing in Seoul

11/10/2009

2 Comments

 
Just when I think I have done about everything there is to do in Seoul a friend tells me about the horse races!   After she told me about the races, she decided not to go. (That guilty mom thing.)  Well, after much talk, I talked her back into going (that guilty friend thing).  So one Saturday in late October Amanda and I boarded a bus with International Women's Club of Seoul and headed to the races!

For those of you that know the area, the racetrack is by Seoul Grand Park, AKA - the zoo.  To get there by subway, take subway line 4 to Seoul Racecourse Park station, leave by exit 2 and follow the crowd down the covered walkway to the track.  Races happen most Saturdays and Sundays from 10:30AM  to 5:30PM.  The entrance fee to the park is 1,000 won.

Just so you know, H1N1 is in full force here in Seoul, so it was no surprise to see these guys at the entrance.....
Picture
They were equipped with mask, hand sanitizer and thermometers, checking and squirting those coming into the race park.
Picture
A little fall foliage going into the park.
We got to hang out in the foreigners lounge.  The benefit to sitting in this area is that you get a little extra help....and trust me, we needed a little extra help.  (And no, we did not plan our outfits even though we do look cute together!)
Picture
We had to laugh when we were handed this "Simple Introduction to Betting on the Horse Races".
Picture
We were not sure what this sign was saying to us...
Picture
Amanda placing her first bet.
Picture
Figuring it all out....
Picture
Parading the horses -
Picture
And they race...
Picture
Since you can bring coolers anywhere you go here in Korea, I made up a batch of Basil-Lime Martini's to share.
Picture
Here we are having a little celebration after our horses won!
Picture
Amanda and I both did pretty well at the races, especially for not knowing what we were doing. We had a great day and it was fun making new friends! Thanks to the International Women's Club for allowing us to hang with you!
Picture
2 Comments

Hiking Namsan Tower With the Kids

9/3/2009

3 Comments

 
On Sunday, the weather was perfect for a hike, so we gathered the kids and headed for Namsan Tower. 
Picture
Preparing to hike to the tower.
Before we get started, the kids need a drink of water; thank goodness no one was standing in the way of Girls water fountain, the water shot over Boy 3's head and almost hit people sitting on a bench.  Oops....
Picture
Boy 2 - being the character he is had to get in on the action of the 'shooting' water.....
Picture
On the way up to the tower, we took the stairs, and HOLY COW there are a ton of stairs!  I wish I had counted them all!  All in all the hike to the top was not too exciting, but everyone made it without complaint, Boy 3  made several comments about how many stairs there were, but he kept climbing! 
Picture
Hubby and Boy 3 at an overview, Boy 3 was terrified that his Daddy was going to drop him.  During this picture he was yelling "I don't like it!"
Picture
And we made it!!
Picture
Once at the top the kids spied the Cold Stone Creamery.   And this is how they enjoyed their first break.  After a brief stop at the top for ice cream we started down the hill when we happened upon a lady selling dried squid. 
Picture
 In the 16 months we have been here, we have never tried dried squid, then Hubby reminded me that I had told him the next time I saw someone selling dried squid I would try it.  Well, personally I do not remember telling him this, but just in case I did, I purchased a bag of that scrumptious looking dried squid.  See the rounder ones on the left end, the ones beside the ones in the bag?  I got one of those.
Picture
Oh baby, I can't wait.  Here she is heating it up for me! 
Picture
Oh boy, I can't wait!!    She even cut it up into bite size pieces and put it in a bag. 
Picture
Picture
Here is Girl enjoying her piece!
OK, seriously, it wasn't THAT bad!  It tasted like fish jerky with a little bit of sweetness to it.  It wouldn't take that long to get used to it.  However, the kids all agreed that this was much better.....
Picture
After eating our way down the hill, we took a trail back down to the bottom.  It is hard to believe these next pictures were taken right in the middle of such a busy city!
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
This was a great way to end summer vacation!
3 Comments

Splish & Splash Water Park

8/21/2009

4 Comments

 
I don't know about you, but I LOVE water parks.  However the thought of taking ALL my kids to a water park by myself frightens me.  The big one, Boy 1 is fine, no worries there, but the others, OH MY GOODNESS.  They are all different levels of swimmers and they all want to do different things, plus Boy 3 thinks he is invincible.   I am so afraid of losing one of them, or one going under and no one noticing.  Therefore, I have not once taken my kids to a water park here in Korea, which is a shame because there are some great water parks here.  So when my friend M came over last week and invited us to Splish & Splash Water park at Camp Humphery's I took her up on the invite.  Camp Humphery's is another military post here in Korea. 

On Tuesday, we met our LARGE group at gate 19 & walked over to the train station where we bought tickets for Pyongtaek.  The cost was only 4,200 won per adult & 2,100 won per child.  The train ride takes just over an hour and my kids LOVED the train.  This was Boy 3's first train ride & let me tell you, he was super EXCITED!!  Here we are on the train...you can rearrange your chairs so you can face each other.  Coolness. 
Picture
Once we arrived in Pyongtaek, we took a cab to Camp Humphreys.  If you are going, ask the cab driver to take you to K6.  (This is the gate you will need to enter through.)  Once you arrive,  walk through the gate, and it is a pretty straight shot...between buildings, only about a 1-2 minute walk.  Here is a picture of our group before entering the park.
Picture
Upon entering the park, all my fears were diminished.  This is the PERFECT park for small kids! 
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
See the pool in the background of the picture above?  The deepest part was only 3 feet deep. I LOVE this place! 

This park wasn't only for little kids; there were a few things for the bigger kids to do.  There were a couple of big water slides, and the high dive......
Picture
Girl wants everyone to know she went off the high dive ELEVEN times!!
Picture
Boy 2 finally worked up the nerve and went off the high dive 4 time!  (I didn't get a picture of him on the high dive though).
Picture
Boy 3 couldn't get enough of the water slides.....
Picture
The kids and I had such a great day, we can't wait to go back next week.  Thanks to Boy 1 for being such a great help to me!  (Notice how much taller he is than I am!)
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
4 Comments

FC Seoul VS.Geongnam

8/19/2009

4 Comments

 
Saturday night my wonderful husband took me to dinner at one of our favorite "merry-go-round" sushi places, then to see a FC Seoul soccer game!  
Picture
 Upon exiting the subway station, the concessions were out!  To our surprise the sales were not kimbap & dried quid, they were selling DUNKIN DONUTS!  Now don't get too excited Twin, this is as close as Hubby got to them...taking a picture of me.
  ;-)  (Notice the stadium at the top of the picture?)
Picture
I just love the entrance to World Cup Stadium from the subway.  Here is a picture as we are going up the escalator.
Picture
Getting ready to go in....
Picture
Picture
One thing I can say about FC Seoul fans is they have
S P I R I T ! ! !
Picture
I don't know who these guys are, but I love their spirit!
Picture
Picture
OK, get this....anytime FC Seoul scores, the fans light flares!!  Seriously!  When I saw the 'fire' I thought for sure this fan was going to get thrown out, but no!  They even sell the flares....go figure!
Picture
Picture
Twin, Hubby ask me to take this picture for you.....
This was on the board right after he scored.
Picture
In the end, FC Seoul pulls it out! 
Picture
Picture
4 Comments

Lotte World

8/16/2009

3 Comments

 
Picture
This was our 2nd trip to Lotte World, an amusement park here in Seoul.  This park is great for the young and old alike; it is good on rainy or sunny days, hot or cold.  Lotte World a pretty good size park that has rides inside and out.  Inside is geared more towards the little kids, where outside more towards the big kid in all of us.   The day we went it was raining cats and dogs so we stayed inside, this was fine though as we had the three little monkeys with us.  This is them on Boy 3's favorite ride.
Picture
Having fun while waiting in line.
Picture
One thing I love about Korea is that when you go to an amusement park, sporting event, zoo, just about any place, and you are allowed to bring your own food.  This is great especially if you have a family our size, or if you have picky eaters.  With that being said, we did not take our own food.  We love experiencing what Korea has to offer in the food section, (well sometimes) and the prices are so much more reasonable than in the states. For example...Peanut Buttered Roast Squid is only 2,500 won, only about $2 USD!  What Peanut buttered Roast Squid?  Next time I find this I promise to try it and give you guys a full update, this time we skipped it.  Sorry guys.
Picture
Peanut Hotdog?  We had no idea what this was, but had to try it.  Girl LOVES the peanut hotdog.  It is just like a corndog, but instead of corn bread on the outside they use peanut bread.  Yes, peanuts in the bread, and oh so greasy.
Picture
Picture
Taco & Burrito set?  No thank you, I will pass.
Picture
This is why Korean children are so well behaved.
Picture
Picture
Boy 1 was such a trooper this trip as it was all about the little ones.  He helped me so much, and seemed to have a good time doing it.  Here they are in the 'hot air balloon'.  Boy 1 loves to ride rollercoaster’s, the scarier the better, but put him in this 'hot air balloon' and he wanted to cry.  He is so cautious, and over thinks things. He was worried about a cable snapping and us all falling to our deaths.  He cracks me up.  I love that kid!
Picture
This picture was taken from the 'hot air balloon' ride.  See the 3 little dots (yellow, blue and orange) just under the blue ledge?  Those are the balloons.
Picture
We were trying to figure out how to get into the Ball Battle pit....this sign wasn't much help.  After a little while I realized it meant the entrance is on level 1.
Picture
Boy 3 & Girl on the 'Merry-Go-Barf'.
Picture
After hanging out at Lotte World for most of the day, the kids and I headed upstairs to Toys-R-Us for a little shopping! Waaa---hooo!!  The kids were totally excited to see this place!
Picture
3 Comments
<<Previous

    Author

    Proud Army wife and mother to 4 wonderful children.  I love to cook, travel, work out and scrapbook life’s adventures when I find the time.  We just got orders & are heading back to the states in March 2010.  I'm bummed that our time has been cut short, but proud of Hubby for the reason why.

    RSS Feed

    Archives

    April 2010
    March 2010
    February 2010
    January 2010
    December 2009
    November 2009
    October 2009
    September 2009
    August 2009
    July 2009
    June 2009
    May 2009
    April 2009
    March 2009
    February 2009
    January 2009
    December 2008
    November 2008
    October 2008
    September 2008
    August 2008
    July 2008
    June 2008

    Categories

    All
    Appetizers
    Breakfast
    Cake
    Cakes
    Car Wash
    Cookies
    Cooking Tips
    Daily Life
    Desserts
    Drinks
    Entrees
    Hiking
    Modeling
    Moving To Yongsan
    Nightlife
    Not Quite Right
    Recipes
    Restaurants
    Salads
    Sandwiches
    Seafood
    Shopping
    Side Dishes
    Sightseeing
    Soups
    Spices
    Street Food
    Vacation
    Vegetarian

    Friends, Family and Fun reading:


    FeedYourKids
    GreatinGreece
    CookieMadness
    RomaninRoundRock
    Heather, Heath, Hayden & John
    EggsonSunday

    Five in Boise
    PioneerWoman
    Just The Four of US 
    SteamyKitchen
    All About Korean Food

    KissMyKimchi
    EatingOutLoud
    TheThrashClan
    Yossislost

Proudly powered by Weebly