Subway time!

I found the subway station! And now I know the reason I couldn't find it before - I didn't go nearly far enough. The normal two-lane streets that I had been passing I assumed were part of the main grid on my map. But no. On my map, two-lane streets are considered side streets. The main street that I was looking for turned out to be an eight-lane behemoth that I needed to go a couple more blocks to find. The things is, the one-lane side streets that I thought were the side streets marked on my map actually aren't on the map at all, let alone the pedestrian alleys. Seoul streets are a frickin' Mandelbrot set, I swear to God.


So I finally got on the subway, and once that hurdle is cleared everything is pretty easy. I got to Dongdaemun, which is one of the big shopping districts named after this gate:

I actually bought leggings and a skirt (shock!) and then I wandered around the market streets checking the place out. And promptly got lost.

Lost...

Looooost...

Loooooooooost...

I eventually found my way. I do not know where I was all that time or how I got there, but I can roll with it. As long as I get home at the end of the day.

I've seen these before. They're like little cakes with red bean in them. This lady caught me watching and offered me one. When I practiced my Korean by asking her how much it cost (urmayo?) she shook her head and pushed it at me. No charge. I guess she just liked my face.

Kris called me around this point to ask if I wanted to meet her in the Hyundai department store. I subwayed over there and then I had some time to kill before our date. I went up and down the escalator seeing nothing but clothes, clothes, makeup, clothes, all very expensive and I'm sure my Mom would love it here...

And then I went one floor farther down than I meant to and found the food court. Sweet!

I do not know what this cookie-thing is, but it tastes lovely.

Also, they have the nicest public bathrooms I've ever seen. This is all a single stall. It has its own sink and counter, and a real closing door. I could have just stayed in here for a few hours and enjoyed the privacy.

Ah, privacy. Not too much of that these days. When I'm home I have to contend with Eun-hyuk, and when I'm outside I'm up to my neck in people. In the States, at least sometimes I get the house to myself or I'm driving in the car alone, and I get to sing out loud. I miss that. It's a thing for me. If I don't get to sing out loud on a regular basis it gets all bottled up. Luckily, Drew says he'll take me out to a noraebang (karaoke bar) soon. We'll see how that goes, and if he's ever able to drag me away from the mic.