Mabang

♩♫♪It's Friday, it's Friday, it's Friday ♩♬♪.... 

Who doesn't look forward to a Friday... I sure do! 

I love that S.' all ours for the weekend. He helps out sooooo much... ♥ Having him around makes my weekends feel like I'm on vacation. : ) 

So, the day we went to Farmland (you could see the post here), we had lunch in another great traditional restaurant just outside Seoul. 

❊❊❊ Because the post is big, the images come out small on the post. If you want to see them better, click on them and they open up on a new window as a slide show.  

This Restaurant is called Mabang, or Mabang Jib... not 100% on this, the website HERE, is in Korean. It's located in Hanam, just outside Seoul... about a 40 minute drive on a Sunday with no traffic. 

On our drive, through the suburbs east of Seoul. 

mabang restaurant, Hanam, South Korea, Korea, korean food, family friendly, traditional korean food, Mabang, Bulgogi

At the entrance a big sign welcomes you... I'm guessing it says something like "Mabang Restaurant"... maybe "Welcome"! 

I like guessing... If I get it right, I can pretend I'm learning Korean. If I get it wrong... hey... I don't know Korean! : )

mabang restaurant, Hanam, South Korea, Korea, korean food, family friendly, traditional korean food, Mabang, Bulgogi

As I walked it, I had a "Time Slip Dr. Jin" moment... It's almost as being transported back in time. 

mabang restaurant, Hanam, South Korea, Korea, korean food, family friendly, traditional korean food, Mabang, Bulgogi

The waiters greet you at the entrance and walk you to the area where you will eat. 

mabang restaurant, Hanam, South Korea, Korea, korean food, family friendly, traditional korean food, Mabang, Bulgogi

It's divided into individual dining rooms...each party getting their own. 

mabang restaurant, Hanam, South Korea, Korea, korean food, family friendly, traditional korean food, Mabang, Bulgogi

While S. went to get ours, I wandered a bit to take pictures.

mabang restaurant, Hanam, South Korea, Korea, korean food, family friendly, traditional korean food, Mabang, Bulgogi

All the way in the back, they have the Kimchi pots...

mabang restaurant, Hanam, South Korea, Korea, korean food, family friendly, traditional korean food, Mabang, Bulgogi

I loved the traditional feel.

mabang restaurant, Hanam, South Korea, Korea, korean food, family friendly, traditional korean food, Mabang, Bulgogi

Like at most restaurants in Korea, you take your shoes off... 

mabang restaurant, Hanam, South Korea, Korea, korean food, family friendly, traditional korean food, Mabang, Bulgogi

You could also have the option of eating outside... 

We got a small room on the inside part. Since we have the baby, I'd rather be in a closed area so I could let her crawl around. : )

mabang restaurant, Hanam, South Korea, Korea, korean food, family friendly, traditional korean food, Mabang, Bulgogi

& there is S. in our spot...

mabang restaurant, Hanam, South Korea, Korea, korean food, boricuas en Korea, traditional korean food, Mabang, Bulgogi

& Marky was very exited...

Some complimentary barley water or rice tea...

mabang restaurant, Hanam, South Korea, Korea, korean food, boricuas en Korea, traditional korean food, Mabang, Bulgogi

& we made our order. The menu is the picture frame S. is looking at. They had, kimchi jjigae, doenjang jjigae and Bulgogi, beef or pork.

mabang restaurant, Hanam, South Korea, Korea, korean food, boricuas en Korea, traditional korean food, Mabang, Bulgogi

We got beef bulgogi and doengjang jjigae. As usual in Korean restaurants you get your good amount of little side dishes.... they are called banchan or panch'an.

mabang restaurant, Hanam, South Korea, Korea, korean food, boricuas en Korea, traditional korean food, Mabang, Bulgogi

At the end of the course they give you nurungji. 

If you are from PR, you will know what this is. It's basically pegao'... Here, they have it as a snack while on the crunchy state, or as a after meal rice tea adding hot water. 

As it turned out, this place was not far at all, we drove and ate in a matter of two hours. We were done so early, (it wasn't even noon) that we just decided to get creative and picked randomly what to do after.

That's how we ended up in Farmland. 

Another great meal, another great experience & another great day!

xoxo,

T. 

Spring in Korea!

I ❤ SPRING!!!

Flowers started blooming everywhere and tiny green leaves started growing on trees. Magnolias, Cherry Blossoms, ohhhh.... all so, so, so, so, so incredibly beautiful. 

Coffee shops, boutiques, flower shops, gift shops all started putting pots of plants and flowers outside their door steps. 

As much as I love Winter, I must admit it is really nice walking around without a coat. I wanted to take advantage of the nice weather and started going out as much as I could. 

We headed out to the Cherry Blossom Festival at Yeouido. I came out a bit disappointed as there where soooo many people, you couldn't really take any good pictures.

There where a lot of street vendors, selling I guess local "snacks". Dried fish, squid, octopus, and what I just learned is Caterpillar cocoons... I wonder... How do you even come up with the idea of eating one of these, of turning it into a snack???... I know for people that grow up eating these, they must be delicious. I will not try it if I'm not forced to. To me, sorry to say, it smells and not like something yummy. : (

A picture is as close as I'll get to these! Not in a house, not with a mouse... I could not, would not try it anywhere!

I told you I'm no Andrew Zimmern... : )

As soon as I realized there was gonna be no good pictures I turned my focus onto people. It became a people watching day. I have NEVER, ever in my life seen so many people posing for pictures or taking pictures of themselves. Seriously, I took the funniest pictures of people doing the most hilarious poses. It would have been the funniest post so far. But... : ( the camera fell and I lost ALL of them. I guess it wasn't meant to be.... : ( 

To my surprise as I was walking to the supermarket the next day, (a new one I just found closer to my house) I accidentally walked into the most beautiful Cherry Blossom lined road! I was sooo happy. I felt so lucky, as if I got a second chance to take pictures! I didn't have the camera with me or Sean to help out, but I took some pretty ones with my phone! 

Ohhhhh... the Azaleas.... so pretty....

I just found out trough my Instagram, there is a mountain filled with Azaleas. I saw this picture and I had to ask where was this place. Unfortunately is in Daegumsan Mountain and it is in Geoje. This place is actually an Island that's all the way on the South part of Korea, by Busan. It would be a 2 hour Plane or 4 hour train ride. Yeahhhh.... Since they would only be as pretty for a just a couple of weeks, I don't believe we will make it there, at least this year. I hope she doesn't mind, but I want to share her Instagram picture with you  HERE! I have serious picture envy! : )

So basically I assume this is it for my dear Spring. Last weekend it was raining non stop. Then Monday felt like a Summer day, super hot. Today is raining again. In no time yellow dust arrives and we will not be able to walk outside for a while again... : ( NOT looking forward to this...

WTYS... : )

xoxo

T.

Dari was here!

The title of this post reminds me of when I was in school and we used to write our name (if you did) on the restroom door, a bench or at the school desk... Tania was here!.... Sorry, just having a lame flashback moment...

Let's just say, somewhere in Seoul it says;

Dari was here... 4 / 1 / 12 

: )

Fail!

Today I was set on finally going to Dongdaemun... failed....
Feels like I'll never make it there!
I dropped Markus off at his School and set off to my adventure. I walked to the nearest subway station with the gigantic stroller "grrrr" should've taken the BabyBjorn. After walking through the biggest maze of walking down to the underground station.... stairs.... why, why so many!!! Half way up some nice haraboji helped me. I don't always get help so I was bowing like a good Korean would, Komapsumnida, komapsumnidaaaa...
When I was preggers with Olivia, at times I would be with Marky on one hand, the Mclaren stroller in another, the gigantic belly & groceries on whatever part of my arm I had left,  trying to go down to what seemed to me like the largest staircase ever, trying to get to the subway. You wouldn't believe, not one single person would offer to help. After the 1/2 hour that took me to get down, I stand in front of where you are supposed to, waiting for the train (after I missed like 4 that came by while I was trying to go down) People start cutting me off and sneaking in front of me... seriously!

In that sign pointing right at her must say; This B... just cut you off

In that sign pointing at her, must say; "This B.... just cut you off

                          Whatever lady, I'll let it slide...
              Meanwhile, why not enjoy the nice ads while I wait.

Sweeeeeet!

As soon as the door opens, nobody waits for the people inside to come out, everybody just fights it off, whomever gets in first gets the seats, no matter if you are preggers or not. There are signs that say this seat is for the preggers, this one for old people, etc... I mean, they even tell you how to sit & how you should hold your bag.

How to Seat...

None of that is gonna work if there are a gazillion people inside... ojo a ojo!


Another day I tried to take it during rush hour.... OMG..... The "Push-Men" exist!!! There are so many people during rush hour, that there are guys just pushing people in, so everybody fits. That's their job! Yes, they push pregnant ladies too... I'll just think he didn't really see my big pipa...

The same thing happens with elevators. There are electric stairs almost everywhere, but, for some reason,  they refuse to use them. They much rather stuff themselves in the elevator. It's not even "elbow rubbing" full, it's more like, "I can smell your breath" full. And if they can, they will push you in a little more. That, my friends, is not the worst. How would you feel inside an elevator that fits 10 at most, but it has 20 people inside, and suddenly.... Yes... it happened.... someone let one loose!!!  fooooooooo..... NOTHING worst than a kimchi fart... trust me!

Don't get upset my K.ppls.... this is it with the worst. There are far more the things that I like about Korea than the ones I don't & the smelly oopsies... ; ) 


After these last experiences in the subway with the belly & Marky, I stopped taking it. The rest of the pregnancy I took cabs & now, I mostly walk.

So today trying to outsmart my iPhone app Jihachul (awesome app) I took a different route than the one the app told me, thinking; what's wrong with this app??... my way is way faster... NOT!... The way the app told me to take, I had to make 2 train changes...the way I chose, I had to make only one. Obviously, If I'm gonna choose, I'm gonna go for the one that has the least changes, since I'm with the stroller and all. I was trying to switch from line 9 to line 1, but to make the switch you had to exit the station, walk a little outside and then take the line 1.

When I went outside I was at the Fish Market, being unsure of which direction to go, I followed my instincts and I did find the line 1!...but guess what... Stairs!!! If it only was the stairs this time, but my lovely stroller's back wheels are to wide and it wont fit trough the ticket booth... Oh the stairs, the stroller, the cold, the STARES... you know, with me being all glow in the dark.  Forget it... Dongdaemun will be another day.

So back I go to the crazy Bus Terminal Station & have lunch in what has become my regular cafeteria, Yummmy, yummy bulgogi would make any day, a great day! 

I ❤ this place!

I had a Bulgogi set...

After my delicious lunch, I walk back to pick up Marky who was in the greatest mood TG, and it started snowing! yaeyyy..... I <3 random snowflakes, so pretty! Not such a bad day after all! 

Dongdaemun... I WILL find you next time! : )

xoxo,

T.

Food*Food*Food & Myeongdong

Hola! 

When I started doing this blog, I though I was going to do it in chronological order. Truth is, this seems imposible to me now. I didn't realize how many pictures we have. I have like 10,000 pics. and we've lost so many! 

All this time I've been thinking how fast 7-8 months have gone by.  Then when I look at all the memories we've collected, makes me feel like we have been here forever. I still can't believe we live in Asia. Never ever would have I though I'd be here. 

Everybody asks me if I have gotten used to it, if I like it...etc.  I see it as an extended vacation.  Best thing I could do for myself is not look back and feel sad. Thinking about it, isn't gonna magically make my Mami appear in front of me... I wish! Thinking about it is just gonna make me sad, so I just won't allow myself go there. For the time being this is my life, and I want to enjoy it, so I plan on eating  the time away!!!!!!..... just hope I don't gain too much weight while at it : )

Myeongdong!!! I guess if you come to Korea you HAVE to go to Myeongdong. Shopping, eating, shopping, eating & some more shopping.  Myeongdong is not my favorite place to shop (far to busy) but I do enjoy going there, we always have fun.
They told us that one of the most famous dishes that represents this district is Kalgooksoo, kalguksu or Kal gook soo. Kalguksu is a noodle soup (it means knife cut noodles).  I think is handmade flour noodles, I assume cut by hand with a knife. ; )  Made out of beef,  sea food or chicken broth with some vegetables like carrots & Zucchini and some beef on top (the one I had).  I had it a bit ago, right when we came the first time. I wasn't crazy about it, but I know people love it. I WILL give it another try soon though. I need to know if my taste adjusted to Korean food.

First thing you do is get in a cab : )

or the busy subway : (

When you get there, (video). This was so early in the morning, and is already so busy. I think I read that over one million ppl visit this area o a daily basis.

I'll try to get better with the videos.... Sean's gonna kill me for putting this up. : /

Myeongdong, Myeongdong, seoul, South Korea, corea, 

Myeongdong

As you walk around you see all kinds of vendors selling all kinds of fried everything!

Myeongdong

Bopki

There's  also sweet stuff, including the one I talked about in my last post.  This one, Bopki, is like burnt sugar. Mad skills...  Sean's cousin told me, that if you can brake the shape without braking it, you get another one for free. 

Odeng...

odeng

picture from the web

This one is similar to a corn dog, but for some reason it reminds me of an alcapurria.  It's called Odeng or Hot bar. It's deep fried and served on a skewer. I think is pureed white fish. I have not tried it, so no idea if is any good. Last time I had a corn dog from a street vendor, my stomach didn't appreciate it. Now that I'm breast feeding Olivia, I'm very cautious with what I eat. I'm sure is just fine though. 

Tteokbokki

Tteokbokki

All I know is that the first one here, with the red spicy sauce is Tteokbokki.  There is a soy sauce version of this and is not spicy. I really like this one. I even like the spicy one, the thing is now since Olivia feeds from me, I can't have spicy food... VeeEeery hard to do here : /

Tteokbokki

Tteokbokki & Morcilla

Yes MORCILLA, they have those here my PR friends! The exact same thing. I don't know how it's called here, cause even Sean calls it Morcilla... mi koyorrican ; )

Myeongdong

busy, busy Myeongdong

Myeongdong

Street vendors. 

And finally their famous Kalguksu. 

kalgooksoo

Sided always by kimchi. We also had some dumplings, but couldn't find the picture.

Kalgooksoo

We had it at this restaurant that's supposed to be the best. Super busy, you have to wait,  you rub elbows with other people and they rush you out too. : /

Next time I try it, I think I will go to another restaurant.  Not because it was packed, the wait and the elbow rubbing, (these are things you get used to when you live in a City that has over 11million people) but because it was too small for our big family, with sometimes 2 strollers : )

Until next time!

xoxo,

T. : )