Today’s adventure: crossing the street
The biggest adrenaline rush today comes in between activities, in between meals, and in between destinations. It is the literally about the journey. The chaos that is the streets of the old quarter in Hanoi give us a new found appreciation for traffic lights and walk signals. Sidewalks are crammed with scooters so that’s not an option, intersections have limited to no rules, and the road is filled with motorbikes, taxis, bicycles, and pedestrians all pretending not to notice the other. The trick: walk slowly and consistently across, while also pretending not to notice anyone else so that they won’t assume you’ll stop. The good news is that after practicing this a couple dozen times, I dare say you do start to get the hang of it. And eventually, we even start to appreciate the craziness that exists atop each of these scooters – babies without helmets, people riding every which way, three or four people to a bike, enormously towering cargo loads, and more.
36 hours in Seoul
Seoul is a blessing in disguise. Our time here is an accident, but Lindsey and I settle into our new reality and decide to make the most. We wake up Monday morning, ready to experience Seoul.
Breakfast: The concierge at our hotel helps us to chart a path for the day, starting with breakfast at a noodle shop tucked away in an alley in Myeondong. It’s the authentic feel we were craving. Old women work with plastic bowls in the back, their ingredients strewn in bags and hung in the alley. Locals come and go in the time it takes us to decide what to order. The food is spicy, delicious, and a steal at just $5 each.
Morning stroll: Although tea isn’t as big in South Korea as it is in some other Asian countries, we couldn’t resist green tea lattes from O’Sulloc Tea House. We sip slowly (they were… thick) as we wander the quiet main street Myeondong. This is the place to go for all Korean skincare products. Think masks made of snail mucus. The loud music blending together from each storefront is energizing. Along the way, we visit the Myeondong Cathedral, famous both for its Catholic significance and its advocacy of democracy. We round out our morning walk on the Cheonggyecheon, an urban park along the waterway that is unexpectedly decorated with some of the most playful and eccentric Christmas decoration.
Late morning pick-me-up: We find a piece of San Francisco when we step into Tesarosa Coffee near Gwanghwamun park. It has the hipster baristas, the expensive beans, the over-priced pastries, and the rustic yet modern décor. And for all of that, we love it! The coffee is great and we feel refueled and ready to continue.
A piece of Korean culture: Gyeongbokgung palace is a beautifully restored palace in the north of Seoul. It is truly regal and beautifully restored. The sun comes and goes as we walk through the many levels of this palace, and each new corner presents us with more magical moments.
Lunch and afternoon shopping: After the palace, we head to Insadong, a part of Seoul with traditional shops and restaurants. We enjoy meandering through shops, looking at art in all of its forms from ceramic to paintings to sculptures. We sample dragon hair candy and buy a scroll that reads, “Every day is new”. It feels fitting given the circumstances. Bibimbap calls for lunch, so we find a spot called Gogung to rest.
A step back in time: With our stomachs full, we walk to Bukchon hanok village whose steep streets remind us of San Francisco. Each resident’s home is numbered, leading visitors along a path that offers a glimpse back in time. The beautiful roofs, the detailing on the doors and walls, and the window paneling all let us imagine what Seoul might have looked like many years ago. Highly recommend.
The other side of the river: So far today, we’ve explored the north side of the Han river, but to get a sense of Seoul, we can’t leave without exploring a new area. So we head to Garosugil near Gangnam, a tree-lined street full of up-scale shops and restaurants. It’s Boston’s Newbury Street in South Korea. One store called Line Friends is drawing a real crowd, so like any good tourists, we also venture in. We don’t know exactly who these friendly looking characters (stuffed animals) are, but we still hold a photo shoot with an extremely oversized bear to commemorate this occasion.
Dinner time: Exhausted, we end our day with some Korean BBQ at Two Plus (TwoPpul DeungShim). The beef that we have is incredible, and by definition straight off the grill.
Evening markets: We thought this night was done until we saw flashing lights from the other side of our hotel. We wandered over, slipping under the streets and through the metro to reach the place where we’d started our day: Myeondong. This time, Myendong was alive with dozens of street vendors selling juice, fried shrimp, and Korean snacks. The street seemed to be brighter at night than it was during the day.
And with that, we call it a day. 36 hours well spent in Seoul, South Korea.
An unexpected detour
A disclaimer: I will discuss the events that start our journey to Hanoi with a much calmer disposition than we felt while living through them. That said, I wouldn’t mind if a couple of the airlines find this post so they can hear some of my frustrations with the events of today. And with that, here goes my story.
We are so excited for our next adventure – Vietnam and Laos. Bags packed, reservations made, itinerary printed, and we even get to the airport early. That’s where the plan goes awry.
At SFO, Virgin American refuses to check us all the way through the Vietnam. Something about being co-operators with China Southern, it being an international flight, and not actually listening to us when we try to see if there’s any way to help us. We get to the terminal and all Virgin America flights are delayed (or cancelled). They give some excuse about winds being stronger than usual, but we’re skeptical. Flights coming in from all over (East, South, and North) are impacted. It’s the merger – thanks Alaska Air. The systems are so broken, they can’t even assign us seats until 30 minutes before boarding, which doesn’t happen until almost 3 hours after our scheduled departure. The biggest cause of our delay is there’s no crew available. It’s an operations nightmare, and we’re the unsuspecting bystanders.
Only 50 minutes to LAX, but just late enough we can’t make our connection on China Southern. And to add insult to injury, China Southern and Virgin America keep sending us back and forth as no one wants to claim responsibility. I guess that’s what co-operators means. Good to know. The China Southern flight hasn’t taken off, but despite two-dozen angry passengers arguing with the check-in folks, no luck. Apparently Virgin America had given out some boarding passes, but not to everyone. And to those folks with boarding passes all the way through to their final destination, China Southern checks them in. Reminder: getting checked-in to our final destination from Virgin America was something that Lindsey and I couldn’t get, and when we ask Virgin America’s customer service, it’s something that they say is impossible. Oy. I think the situation hits its climax when one very unfriendly China Southern attendant rips up a teenager’s boarding pass right in front of her.
We do find one person at Virgin America who is trying to fix everyone else’s mess. After waiting almost three hours, she sets us up with flights on Korean Air for the next day. We spend the night in La Canada (thanks mom and dad), and when we wake up the next morning, we find that our latest flight arrangement also delayed, meaning we’ll miss our connection in Seoul. Not our day/weekend. We head to the airport to work things out. When we arrive, Korean Airlines says that our flight was never actually was confirmed and that the plane we were supposed to be on is full. It’s infuriating. Mom has thought ahead and taken a defensive position in line at Virgin Airlines. Eventually we have the two airlines talking on our two phones (mine and Mom’s), duking it out. Both want to pass off responsibility and we’re not sure we’ll ever get to Hanoi, let alone in a timely manner. After over an hour of back and forth, we get seats on a plane to Seoul that afternoon and decide to make the most of our 36-hour layover.
Goodbye London
London definitely has a certain charm about it. I’m not sure if it’s the accent or the history or the posh style or something else, but there’s something about it that makes it feel like I may be living in a movie. To drum up this feeling even more, Lindsey and I tour Soho, where we drop in every other coffee shop for a flat white. The sun is out, the pastries are warm, and the coffee delicious – overall, a great morning activity!
At another break in wedding activities, we head over to Kensington Gardens, again met by Lindsey’s friend, where we enjoy a refreshing (and very sweet) Pimm’s Cup complete with Pimms, fruit, cucumber, lemonade and mint. To complement the Pimms, we eat some delicious scones and other snacks.
No British experience is complete without fish and chips, and maybe some chicken mushroom pie, both some of London’s delicacies that can’t be passed up. Between the wedding, seeing old friends, and diving into London’s sights, sounds and tastes, we leave the city with a true appreciation.
Notting Hill
Although we don’t find Hugh Grant or Julia Roberts walking the streets of Notting Hill, we do find a rose petal latte at Farm Girl café that is unique, delicious, and beautiful.
On Saturday morning, there is an outdoor market lining Portobello Street. We stroll up and down and around the block, soaking up the pastel painted houses, antique pop-up shops, coffee cafes and pastry shops. It all makes for a beautiful morning.
The British Wedding
The wedding is the main reason for this European adventure. One of my closest friends from grad school is getting married in London. It is an Indian wedding complete with many days of festivities, lots of delicious Indian food, beautiful flowers, British hats, big red buses, afternoon tea, and a grand finale in London’s Natural History Museum. The wedding is spectacular. Each venue is beautiful. Catching up with old friends is long overdue and feels great. The bride looks radiant. Each event features her in a new sari or dress. We felt so happy and honored to be able to celebrate with the very happy couple.
The Globe Theatre
We remember first hearing of the famous Globe Theater back in middle school while reading Shakespeare and learning how it was first performed. Watching The Taming of the Shrew did not disappoint. The cast was spectacular. Their over-exaggerated expressions, the silly props and costumes, and the playfulness the actors and actresses have with each other on stage make the event wonderfully entertaining. Even when I mishear a line or don’t always understand Shakespeare’s iambic pentameter, the acting makes the scene come alive, and I feel as though I understand it all.
Accompanied by one of Lindsey’s friends, we watch standing near the front stage left. The open air theatre provides a fun appreciation for sunset as the first half of the play goes on. The many levels in the theatre, all of which don’t extend far back at all, make the theatre seem very intimate, which is aided by the actors engaging folks standing in the first row to help participate in their jokes and puns. Watching this Shakespearean comedy at the Globe Theatre is definitely one of our London highlights.
Annecy’s lake
Annecy is built alongside a beautiful lake, and to appreciate this lake, we cycle around it and paraglide over it. Atop our rented orange cruisers, Lindsey and I take to the lake’s bike path. The path is crowded with other cyclists, walkers, runners, and rollerbladers. The sun comes in and out of the clouds, making it really quite warm. We stop frequently for pictures, cherries, and the occasional dip in the lake. We end the ride hungry and sweaty, and ready to find a hearty sandwich made of mostly baguette.
The following day, we soak up the same view from a few thousand feet in the air tied to a parachute (and also tied to someone who knows what he’s doing). This paragliding route is so popular that there is an air traffic control person on take-off and landing. I calm myself a little by estimating how many gliders there must be every year, and decide that it has got to be safe. But still with a lot of adrenaline, I run off the equivalent of an alpine black-diamond ski slope. Shortly after, my heart rate slows just a touch as I settle into my seat, but given my intense fear of heights, I never totally calm until landing. The rush of air around us, the view of the lake below, being at the same level as the alpine peaks, and sharing this rush together makes for an amazing 30 minutes!
Annecy
Annecy at its surface is a wonderful resort town nestled in the French Alps, fun in the summer, fun in the winter. Filled with cafes, ice cream stands, old shop-lined streets, and picturesque little restaurants, the town is snuggled next to Lake Annecy and surrounded by the towering mountains of the Alps. When we try to describe the town in one word, “pleasant” easily comes to mind. The weather is perfect, the sun is out, life seems slow but stimulating, and all seem to be smiling.
With all of this, it is easy to forget or not even acknowledge its profound history at almost any point starting all the way back with the Romans. This little town sat at the crossroads of three Roman routes, and therefore a very strategic position both before and after the Romans ruled. Then in the Middle Ages, it was part of the Holy Roman Germanic Empire. In the 16th Century, it played a big role in the Protestant Reformation, when the historic diocese of Geneva moved to Annecy. The area didn’t escape the French Revolution either – the ideas were well known among the bourgeois of Annecy and in 1972, French troops invaded. During WWII, the area was invaded by the Germans and Italians, which eventually led to the Germans taking control over the whole area. And today, it is one of France’s most visited cities, which we can attest to by the number of French tourists in the narrow streets.
While here, we definitely have a bunch planned, but we are also hoping to slow down a step. Spend a little longer at breakfast and lunch. Meander through a couple more streets than we may normally do. Sit on a stoop or next to the lake and just absorb our surroundings. We love staying busy, but a couple deep breaths seem to be encouraged by this town, and we’re excited to do exactly that.
