Kenji Tei Ramen House at Greenbelt 5

Going with the Christmas rush two weeks ago, the family went to the Makati area to scout for some presents. There were a lot of people doing some Christmas shopping– no doubt about that as the malls were packed! As the afternoon passed, it was soon dinner time and we need to look for a place to eat. Here it goes again… the problem of making a decision.

I recall seeing a new restaurant in Greenbelt 5 the last time we went so I suggested we go there. It was fairly easy to find as I remember it being on the 3^rd floor – the name escaped me at that time though so we just strolled around until we found something not familiar to us. Lo and behold, the name of the place was Kenji Tei Ramen House. Apparently, it was serving Japanese cuisine.

restaurant front

Seoul Day 1 – Myeongdong Dinner and Shopping

After our lunch session, my friends and I split up. They were to meet another person in Seoul at the place they were staying at. I then went off to explore more of what the city has to offer.

As I don’t have a clear cut agenda for this day, I just went on to the nearest place from Shinsegae Department Store – the Myeongdong Shopping District. Apparently, this is one of the most famous places for tourists to shop. There were lots of underground markets, malls, and street vendors all over. No wonder this place feels so vibrant and full of life!

I explored the nearby underground markets first. As these seem to be just simple underpasses, I expected to see only a few stores. However, when I actually went into one, the place is huge! So many little shops were spread out on the many alleyways that comprise the underground market. There were shops for clothes, shoes, bags, small trinkets, vinyl records, CDs, DVDs, food, and so many more! It took me quite a while to visit all these underground markets located in the area. I got to go around 3 of them – Myeongdong, Hoehyeon, and Sogong. All were pretty much the same in layout except that each store specializes in something different.

courtesy of panoramio.com (Peter Mok)

Seoul Day 1 – Lunch at Saboten, Shinsegae Department Store, Seoul

Namdaemun Market is so huge that we didn’t notice how fast time flew by. When I looked at my watch, it’s already lunchtime. Time to find a place to eat!

One of my friends suggested walking towards Shinsegae Department Store to find a restaurant. Trying the elevator to go up to the 10^th floor seemed hopeless since it’s always filled with people. So, we ended up using the escalators instead. I didn’t mind at all because there was so much to see in the different floors while going up. However, no buying for us as we were all on a budget.

courtesy of http://english.shinsegae.com

Seoul Day 1 – Browsing at Namdaemun Market

As I was really tired the night before from the flight to Seoul, I started my first day a little bit later than usual. I set an alarm for 8:00 am but kept on hitting the snooze button that I actually woke up at 9:00 am. So much for getting up early!

I felt the cold weather instantly creep in when I got out into the streets. To add to that, wind was constantly blowing from the nearby mountains.  Good thing I prepared myself by wearing two layers of jackets. All set to go exploring in the city of Seoul.

Kichitora of Tokyo at SM Megamall

While strolling around Megamall, I chanced upon a standee showing an advertisement for Kichitora of Tokyo. I haven’t seen it the last time I was here so it’s definitely a new Japanese restaurant. Those two words – new and Japanese – blend very well in my decision making process of choosing a place to eat. I love Japanese cuisine and enjoy trying out new restaurants. A perfect combination!

Seoul Citypass Plus

Before anything else, let me tell you about this nifty transportation card that they have in Seoul called the Seoul Citypass Plus. Not only does it pay for your transportation fees, it can also double as a prepaid card for convenience stores, vending machines, and some tourist attractions.

Seoul, South Korea - 5 Days / 4 Nights Itinerary

I went to visit Seoul in South Korea last November 3-8, 2012.

The whole city was enveloped in vivid colors of red, orange, and yellow. I can say that autumn here is a sight to behold. With so many trees scattered around the city, you are literally showered with falling leaves on almost every street corner.

I better stop talking about the season now. Let’s head on to my travel plan.