I got on the train and figured I should take some pictures of the maps it was I the phone. Although I lost Internet when I left the airport. I got on the subway and headed for seoul station. First experience was I sat down in a section of 3 empty seats. They were the only empty one in this subway car. Immediately two ladies cam in and I offered the seats to them and they were very embarrassed and refused even though one of them was much older and would have appreciated sitting down. I said please which they said back to me gesturing to take the seat. I stood for a whole and when the doors shut I sat down.
A stop later three guys, all older than me came in, and they made a big show of offering the seats ti the oldest,I stood up to offer it to the third who had no seat and he said oh no and physically helped me in my seat. He them made a joke about the oldest guy who had white hair.
The old guy was next to me and he said something g to me that I did not understand. Then he said "KOREAN"AND I said american. And that was all of the communication we had.
One of the guys was drunken and smelled like a sweet type of alcohol. He was very expensive and made wild funny gestures. Speaking animatedly. I enjoyed watching them.
Two of them left halfway to my destination and when I noticed that one of them seemed to be getting on wifi, I showed him my wifi screen to ask about an Internet connection. He immediately started trying to figure out how to get me to myeongdong. HR had an app on his phone and he probably said transfer train about 100 times. I tried to say I understood but he was still helping. He got up found done e who spoke english. I told them thank you I know where I am going they said okay and sat down. He seemed embarrassed and stayed standing so I invite him to sit down and he said thank you and sat down. I told him my name and he said hi name was Le. He said thank you. I turned on international roaming opened google translate and typed out. Thank you for being helpul he was visibly relieved. After a while his concious was eating at him. He started to tell me again to change line four. I said ok, thank you and understtand. And finally he said okay. I am going with you. (He had told me he was getting off before my stop previously ) I convinced him I am okay and he went on his way. Unfortunately I did not learn anything from le. Except that it is a good idea to get an offline translate app before you travel without internet.
I got off the train and walked about 1/2 mile to Get On Line 4. However, line 4 was ambiguous marked (some 1s and some 4s) I found it though and read the map. I didn't watch the trains to find d out which direction they travel, but I know know the travel to the left. So I picked correct and a 10 minute rife later I am in myeong-dong.
I picked this place arbitrarily so I have no idea what to expect(the first trip advisor search said there is some night life here) so I go in search of some food and maybe a place to sleep and shower.
I find a treasure trove of activity. Block after block teaming with people and products. Tons of vendors some on carts and makeshift tables I the middle of the street, others are stores lining the streets. Some shops are large corporate storefronts, others are tiny, some are only 4ft wide. Some are just doorways that open to a set of stairs going up or down to the actual shop. There is advertising EVERYWHERE storefronts, freestanding signs, and on the stairfronts. A come things is for restaurants to have someone out front with a large two sided menu that you could look at, they would hand it to you and then say okay and start to lead you upstairs or whatever. Kindof a neat trick to get you to follow in order to return the menu. I ate some fish pancake on a stick made by a street vendor on and ancient looking grill and cart. It was excellent after I let it cool.(although not as sweet as the one I had at gang am in boise) . He also gave me a cup of tea looking stuff that would have melted my throat if I had tried to drink it. I had to get rid of it and set it down it was burning my fingertips off through the cup.
I also found someone selling g fried octopus balls. I went mild instead of spicy and I was bummed. It was real octopus inside but it was a very chewy chunk probably from a large tough octopus, not at all tender like the grilled smaller octopus tentacles.
I continued to wander and found a hotel built 7 stories high and only 12 feet wide. It was about 110000 a night. Since it was the first I looked at. The guy didn't want me to leave so he knocked it down to 90000. I left anyway and ended up at a wider place but with only tiny rooms 54000 (after the discount he gave immediately when i did not respond to his initial 60000 price). The bathroom had a shower toilet all in one. No power outlets and the bed was a single. The walls were thin and I only slept a d ew hours got up and showered and left by 230 am. I was worried about getting g back t ok the airport on the subway and when I went out to check it out I found out that the subways closed. But at first I had no idea where to look to find the schedule, eventually after wandering between stations i find a sign with firat train and last traun times, and the first train showed up at about 5 am and that would not leave me anytime at the airport to check out the vip lounge. So I wandered looking for a running bus or something cheap. I was drawn by some neon signs bcause most of the crazy french quarter stuff was gone, and I found a wierd are that was all about children's clothes, like infant clothes, and there were dozens and dozens of stores still open and being restocked. I found a place in the midst of them and had some poki (?) And it was spicy. I could only handle about half of it it was really good at first but the texture started to be enough. I had enough and went in search of a ride. I walked about a mile I the direction of the aurport, and then I turned on my roaming data on my phone and quickly realized I was walking the wrong way. So I grabbed a cab and paid 54000 for the 54 km to the airport (For price reference the subway was less than 5000 but took the sam amount of time because the subway went straight into town but the cab driver had to take a freeway that went all the way around about way.)
Wow!! What an adventure!!
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