A Short Stop Before the Tour Begins – Seoul, South Korea

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Although the taxi ride to the airport in Hong Kong, China was an hour or so, the check-in process was smooth as silk, and, while I was enjoying a cup of coffee, I was entertained by a robot that delivered cocktails from the bar to the servers at a lounge across from the bar. The flight from Hong Kong to Seoul, South Korea was uneventful, and the seats between my aisle seat and the "window" seat were unoccupied. The passenger across the aisle from me, a man from Northern Ireland who had now been living in Hong Kong for eight years, also had two empty seats between him and the window. This was not unusual for many flights, but this flight seemed to be about 95% of capacity. I suppose most of the passengers were travelling in groups. Between chatting with my neighbor and working a a couple of blog narratives, the time went quickly.

Another one-hour taxi ride brought me to my hotel where the upcoming tour of South Korea would have its genesis. One of the passengers on the cruise ship had been to South Korea and had almost $100 USD in Korean currency which I willingly purchased. That turned out great as the taxi driver only accepted cash – not an uncommon practice in Asia – and saved me a trip to the currency exchange at the airport. It was 2000 hours (8 PM) by the time I checked in. Fortunately, the restaurant in the hotel was open until 2200 (10 PM) so I was able to get some BBQ ribs, Japanese style. The next day, I walked about a block and a half to a money exchange to replenish my cash supply for use on the land tour. I happened upon a restaurant with entrée photos posted outside. The oyster pancakes caught my attention, and I returned later for dinner. Essentially, the dish was fried oysters but the batter was more like pancake batter than the typical Louisiana batter. I got a good night’s sleep before the tour began the next day.

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Photos

Hong Kong International Airport
Delivery

Hong Kong International Airport
Return

Hong Kong International Airport
At the Ready

Aboard T'way Air Flight to Seoul, South Korea
A Window Seat Would Have Been a Bust

Au-dam Restaurant – Amid Hotel Seoul
Other than the Ribs and Rice, I Wasn't Sure What I Was Eating but Made a Tasty Meal of It Anyway

A Stroll in the Amid Hotel Seoul Neighborhood
All These Items Were Mobiles – Too Bad I Can't Do Movies Anymore!

Unknown Restaurant in the Amid Hotel Seoul Neighborhood
Oyster Pancakes – Quite Tasty