written by mohdazhar.
edited by joeylee and stdynn.
photos by joellyn and joeylee.
photos edited by stdynn and joeylee.
From the irresistible shopping trips to the eye-opening
cultural visits, much was expected as we embarked on a journey of discovery in
Seoul. Well, little did we know that we had to get our feet wet! Literally!
Raging around the Yellow Sea, the savage Typhoon Sanba threw
our flight off course, causing violent turbulence that left us nauseated and
groggy. It was 6.46am and we were almost an hour late from schedule. One by
one, we donned our jackets, arming ourselves against the biting cold of the
airport. Desperate to fuel up our tummies (and heat our bodies), we separated
into groups and had Dunkin Donuts or McDonald’s for breakfast.
The wet weather continued to torment us for the next twelve
hours, tearing apart an umbrella, and sloshing everyone from the waist down. Clutching
an umbrella in one hand and for most of us, a DSLR in the other, we hurried
around, desperate for a piping hot Shic-hae and in solace of warm shelter.
That’s a barley-based beverage by the way, and not slang for soju.
After being blown away by the massive World Cup Stadium and
its majestic design, we were dealt a culture shock as we entered its canteen
for brunch.
Firstly, the ordering system adopted is vastly different from that in Singapore. We had to make our payment at the cashier before being handed out a queue number. Once that is done, there would be not one, but more than five counters that would serve the food. One could only imagine how chaotic it was as we crowded ourselves around the canteen, making sure that we didn’t miss our number.
Hefty portions were dished out to us by the cooks, which our ravenous bellies gladly welcomed. Crisp slices of pork cutlet, slathered with a hearty tomato sauce and served alongside a generous mound of rice wrapped in an omelette was just one of the various choices we were given to select from.
As with every meal, a neat little dish of kimchi (fermented korean cabbage) was placed on our tray, instantly cutting through the richness of the creamy mayonnaise that the Koreans are so fond of drizzling over their omelettes.
Firstly, the ordering system adopted is vastly different from that in Singapore. We had to make our payment at the cashier before being handed out a queue number. Once that is done, there would be not one, but more than five counters that would serve the food. One could only imagine how chaotic it was as we crowded ourselves around the canteen, making sure that we didn’t miss our number.
Hefty portions were dished out to us by the cooks, which our ravenous bellies gladly welcomed. Crisp slices of pork cutlet, slathered with a hearty tomato sauce and served alongside a generous mound of rice wrapped in an omelette was just one of the various choices we were given to select from.
As with every meal, a neat little dish of kimchi (fermented korean cabbage) was placed on our tray, instantly cutting through the richness of the creamy mayonnaise that the Koreans are so fond of drizzling over their omelettes.
Lastly, it was the complimentary self-service drinks – water –
provided that quenched our thirst. All customers needed to do was to pick up a tiny
metal cup from a sanitizing machine and top it up with either hot or cold
water. Once done, they were expected to return the cups to its original place,
almost as if it was mandatory and common courtesy to do so. Something that we
could only hope to see in Singapore!
A slice of South Korea culture indeed! Uh uh Seoul!
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