Seoul Survivor!!

This weekend was a normal two day weekend. On Friday I went out for dinner with Tracy, Holly, Alison, Nick, Chris, Paul and Kristy for Turkish. A new Turkish restaurant just opened in Yeonsu about 3 blocks from my apartment. Since Turkey is a Muslim country there was no alcohol served at it. The food was alright, but I don't know if I would go back. It wasn't as good as most authentic Turkish food. After dinner Tracy, Holly, Alison and I didn't feel like going out drinking because it was getting late and we all had to be up early Saturday. Instead we went to a local bar to have a beer, but they make you buy food if you want to have a drink and since we had just eaten we didn't want to buy food, so we left and went to the convenience store next door and each just bought a can of beer and sat outside at a picnic table. We chatted for about an hour and then we decided it was late, so we headed home our own separate ways. Saturday was a busy, but great day. I got up at 8 a.m. and went for a run and then I made myself a lunch for the day with some snacks, had a shower and met Alison at the bus stop to head to Myeong-dong for the day. Myeong-dong is in Seoul and it's a great area to go shopping. We got there around noon and pretty much spent the entire afternoon shopping. It was so much FUN! I bought so much stuff and for such decent prices. I bought a new pair of sweatpants and a polo shirt in Yeongsan (on the way to Myeong-dong) for $26. Then in Myeong- dong I bought a shirt, tank top, accessories that all cost $1 each, such a good deal, some nail polish that was $0.70 each, a beautiful dress for $28 (my most expensive purchase), some stuff for friends and family back home. When we were finished in Myeong-dong we took a cab to Itaewon, which also has great shopping, but we didn't go there to shop we went there to meet up with Tracy, Holly, Sophie and some of their friends. Itaewon is foreigner central because it is where all the military people hang out. We met them at a place called Gecko's, which was very westernized and full of waguks (foreigners). The drinks were expensive there, but I got to have a Cosmopolitan, which is the one drink I miss the most from back home, so that made my night. Since I was already in Seoul I decided I would stay and go to Hongdae with Brianna and some friends, but I had no where to put my clothes and I needed to change. Since I talked Alison into coming to Hongdae with me we both decided to go and buy some high heeled shoes and leggings for me, so I could just pair them with my new dress. We both bought shoes, which were more than we should have paid, but we were desperate and I bought two pairs of leggings. We headed to Hongdae around 10:30 p.m. and met up with Brianna, Mary Anne and Lisa (Bri's friend visiting from the USA). Alison and I had to put our stuff in a locker, so we didn't have to carry it around the bars, so we didn't want o leave Seoul until the trains started running again at 5 a.m. because it was just easier than having to come all the way back into Seoul the next day. We traveled from bar to bar in Hongdae and Bri, Mary Anne and Lisa left around 2 a.m. so Alison and I decided to eat some food and then go to another bar. I was starting to get really tired, so Alison suggested we go to a DVD bong, which is a place people go to "watch" a movie. We paid $12 to rent a movie, which includes a private room and I ended up falling asleep for the entire movie. Alison woke me up when the movie was over and headed to the train station to retrieve our stuff from the locker and then catch the train home. I was so exhausted I kept nodding off the entire train ride. We finally made it back to Incheon around 7:30 this morning and I slept until 4:00 this afternoon. I wasn't planning on having such a lazy day, but after the early morning on Saturday and the entire day of shopping I was exhausted. I was going to climb a mountain today, put it decided to rain, so I didn't feel so bad sleeping in and doing nothing. I've basically been doing laundry, catching up on TV shows and putting my Saturday purchases away. I'm just getting ready to eat dinner and watch more TV, so I will end this blog and Happy Victoria Day Long Weekend!! P.S. I will be getting my camera fixed AGIAN this week, so fingers crossed its useable and I will be back to posting great blog pictures next week.