Seoul: Toxnfill @ Gangnam

Last day in Seoul, and so this morning instead of heading out for search for breakfast, we decided to eat at the MoMo Cafe downstairs next to the lobby. 

Sometimes I wonder, given my appetite these days, whether it's a good thing to have morning breakfast hotel buffet style. 

There was a time where it wasn't difficult for me to polish off in one sitting an omelet, scrambled eggs, fruit, toast, even pancakes and waffles and noodles and cereal and ice cream.

These days however I'm very selective with my food and it looks like I'm going to keep it that way. 

This morning I decided to have scrambled eggs, a couple of cherry tomatoes (they looked really red and fresh and good), a bit of bread (I think I chose wholewheat toast with butter) and a bit of seaweed. 

There's probably something else that I took, but now cannot remember. 

Breakfast over we packed, checked out, then headed out for a dermatological appointment at aesthetic clinic called Toxnfill. Located over in the Gangnam district, this was, apparently, one of the better known clinics with several branches and outlets scattered all over the city. 

One thing about this clinic that struck me was the building in which she was in. 

I had thought she would be a clinic located amongst offices of other industries, but no, the entire building was dedicated to clinics for cosmetology, and so in the lift there were people heading out for dental treatments, facial treatments, skin treatments etc. 

It was the kind of place where people didn't balk if you entered the lift wearing a plastic mask over your entire face, if the lower half of your face was bandaged, or if you had some sort of covering over your hands and face. 

Nearly everyone wore a regular mask here. 

This afternoon I did a treatment known as Juvelock. 

It wasn't very uncomfortable- what helped was that the doctor spoke Mandarin- so I got ample warning before the needle went in, and the only thing that made me feel somewhat awkward was the plastic wrap they placed all around my face after prepping my skin. 

I don't think I've ever had a gentleman use a paintbrush to apply (some sort of) cream all over my face with broad brush strokes before. 

There were a lot of people though, so everything was done swiftly, in and out, with hardly any downtime. 

But they did give medication in case of inflammation, and to get it, I had to go to the pharmacy three floors down- and yes, there were additional charges for it. 

After the treatment we walked up and down Gangnam a little bit, then headed to a random place around the area for lunch. 

We weren't really sure what it was we wanted to eat- it was our last meal here, more or less, after all- so we settled for two bowls of beef soup prepared different ways, and rice. 

What I liked about this dish was how heartwarming this soup was, and how there was a whole generous lot of tanghoon inside. 

I had thought the soup be too warm for us (it was a hot day) but surprisingly, no, for some reason it was actually refreshing on the palate and cooled our bodies, and mouths, down. 

I wish I were able to finish the tanghoon, but between the fluffy rice, the slices of tender, clean tasting beef, and the kimchi and everything else the ajumma had put on the table, I had space only enough for the soup, the vegetables, and that was it. 

I guess I won't be forgetting this beef soup anytime soon. It is, after all, one of those dishes that make you think of the place long after you've left, and you don't have think hard trying to recollect the clear, tasty, slightly oily broth that fills you up and comforts you. 

From Gangnam we took the train back to Yeungdeungpo, alighting at Sindorim then changing to Line 1. 

Back at the hotel we got our luggage, and crossed the opposite side of Shinsagae  to the bus stop outside La Bab Cafe where we waited for the Airport Express coach to take us to Incheon. 

Seoul: KBBQ & Zoolung Zoolung

For breakfast this morning we decided we'd head down to Eggstory at the Yeungdeungpo train station. 

It proved an interesting time as we tried navigating our way amongst the sea of footfall traffic making their way from one side of the station to another. 

What surprised me was that most of the shops were open. 

I don't know if there're many people who need a new blouse or skirt or Tshirt or even a new bag at that morning hour, but I guess there are some who do. 

Likewise there'll also be those who need a new pair of socks, or a new pair of summer footwear.

Our meal this morning was a sandwich that, if I'm not wrong, was the same as the other day's- a thick toast one with a generous piece of scrambled egg and lots and lots of sauce.

The amount of sauce that they place in, and on their sandwiches continues to overwhelm me. 

Today we did something rather unexpected. 

I had thought we would be simply wandering about the mall- it has, after all, been some time- but to my surprise, not only did we wander about the mall, we went to a zoo in the mall. 

Before that, however, there was lunch. 

My friend wanted the experience of K-BBQ in Korea, so across the road we went to the streets opposite. 

It's interesting, but the place looks somewhat different in the daytime compared to the night. 

Doesn't mean that it's quieter- there were groups of people walking around, some of which, like us, were looking for lunch, whilst there were others who looked like the were passing through- but less people hung about on the streets chatting and smoking. 

We found a place not too far away from where we'd had dinner the first night, and right away we ordered one of their meat sets. 

If there's one thing about Korea that I've come to realize now, it is that they know their food, and they know how to eat it well. 

Perhaps I'm too used to smaller portions of meat even at K-BBQ. 

Or that the vegetables they serve aren't of this portion, nor of this size. 

The only vegetables I recognized offhand were the cabbage kimchi, and the gigantic beansprouts. 

I didn't know what the rest were.

So I googled, especially the brown-looking stems that the staff threw onto the grill and which I soon found out tasted really good. The vegetable might not have had the best of color and cheerful aesthetics (unlike carrots and corn) but upon being grilled these roots had a lovely smokiness on them, and, surprisingly, a rather tender chew. 

We'd chosen beef and pork- the non marinated version- and may I say it was lovely chowing our way through meat carefully sliced up and grilled to such an extent that it you felt the warmth of the meat embracing your tongue inside your mouth. 

I liked how the meat had a little fat, but not too much that it made you feel greasy otherwise. 

We didnt go straight to Zoolung Zoolung in Times Square however. 

Instead we got distracted by a two-storeyed Daiso store facing out onto the road, and so we went in. 

Daiso is as Daiso is- those who know will know- but what made this a wee bit different, if you ask me, were the quirky offerings, and the stationery. 

I don't think I'd seen that wide a collection of stationery on the shelves before. It wasn't just the standard repertoire of writing pads and notebooks and pens and desk paraphernalia. 

There were lots and lots of colorful notebooks. 

There were lots and lots of pens- they came in selections of ten, and some in ten different colors. 

And there were so many stickers. 

Best part, most of them were only about 1000W (that's a dollar SGD).

We didn't get stationery or any of the interesting household stuff that were there on sale. 

Instead we got a neck pillow, and a blue colored denim shoulder bag that I thought looked handy and cute. 

From here we crossed back to our hotel, and whilst I went upstairs to place all the bags down, my friend went down to the basement and got us dessert in the form of a croffle that lived up to its reputation of being crispy, crunchy, sweet, sticky and a little buttery salty. 

Up we went right after this (finally) to Zoolung Zoolung. 

You know, it's still a little hard (for me) to put into words what this place actually is. I don't even know what it's officially called but let's just say that whilst it loosk and feels like a little urban zoo, one gets more vibes of a little urban petting farm that ironically lets you engage the creatures only from a slight distance away. 

One of the very first creatures we saw were the macaws. 

They were really adorable, bright, cheerful, colorful feathers all. 

My friend expressed a wish to stroke their feathers. 

But high up on the branches in their enclosure they were, so, no.  

After this we caught sight of what I think is a chameleon, or was it a lizard- I don't know- and a couple of storks and red-feathered birds. 

There were a couple of turtles basking away on their stone seats in their enclosure, a green-feathered baby macaw (or what I think looked like it) perched on a branch looking at us like we were a study, and a porcupine whom, for some reason, had his head tucked inside his chest and didn't bother observing us humans at all. 

I was intrigued by the porcupine- I've never seen one before- not to mention seeing it up close- and they really do have those spines.

But I got further interested at the sight of meerkats in their replicated habitat. 

I'd never known how alert these creatures were. 

Nor had I ever known just how expressive these animals were. 

They just had a look all of their own. 

After the meerkats we wandered over to where the lone capybara was, having a most adorable soak in his little pool. 

In recent times I've been wondering how real-life capybaras are like, and I'm glad I got this chance. 

One thing about them is that they look goofy, a little blur, a little nonchalant about the world, a little couldn't-care-less, and one of those easily contented creatures that don't demand a lot of human attention nor affectation. 

I've heard they're supposed to be social creatures, but this one seemed happy!

There were a couple more creatures that we got to see after that, including a dormouse with the cutest face looking out at you, a fox dozing by the window (I don't know what happened to the pictures), a wallaby, a grand old tortoise spending a nice glorious afternoon in his gold-lit cave-like enclosure, and a raccoon who had the most animated expressions ever. 

My friend was very taken by the raccoons- there were two- one alert, one full on fast asleep. 

I, on the other hand, was very intrigued by the desert-like enclosure full of guinea pigs and what I think is probably my most favorite animal out there in the wild- the prairie dog. 

Sad to say I don't have any pictures of the prairie dog. 

I don't know where they went to. 

But thankfully I do have pictures of the other animal which I was too very intrigued by.

The robins. 

With their babies. 

I had never ever seen robin birds in real life before, I tell you, except on Christmas cards, and these, flitting about in their glass enclosure with their eggs and their chicks snug in their nests, were so tiny, so alert and so alive. 

Watching these little birds flit around, it was easy to imagine how pleasant a sight it would be to see them with their little wings flit from branch to branch on trees white under a heavy blanket of snow. 

After this there were the cold blooded creatures, which, although not top of my list when it comes to fluffiness, had their own behavioral charms. 

I guess it can get kind of interesting having a forest lizard stare back at you with his beady eyes.

Or a poisonous bullfrog stay almost motionless for a good minute before turning his eyes towards you. 

After that we wandered into the penguin enclosure. Unfortunately we'd missed the feeding times and the interaction times but it was lovely watching them Emperor penguins waddle about, diving into the water, and swimming. 

It made me think of other penguins in Hong Kong... and I found myself wondering how they'd been.

Zoolung Zoolung's a nice place to visit.

Doesn't matter whether you're kid or adult, you'll love it all the same. 

Maybe it has something to do with the animals being so alive and animated and natural of what they are. 

Maybe it's the fact that this is like a little zoo right in the center of a major shopping mall with all the dining and the shopping and the entertainment inside. 

Plus, it's not too expensive- about 22000W- so it's more than sufficient for a wholesome, educational, hands-on experience for everyone. 

We went back up to the lounge for a quick snack of chocolate chip cookies, purple sweet potato crackers, and (being in the mood for sweet things), a handful of jelly beans. 

Later we headed out to dinner. 

What exactly the road name of this Kyonchon 1991 outlet was, I don't know, but I do know we exited left from the hotel's main driveway, crossed an intersection to the opposite side, walked straight down, and at another part near what seemed to be a far-off exit of the Yeungdeungpo train station, we crossed back the road and entered a little lane close to a supermarket and a small cafe. 

It might have been closer to the Yeungdeungpo Traditional Market too, if I'm not wrong. 

But this place is pretty well known- it's been around for a while- so we decided we'd have two kinds of chicken this time- one of soy garlic, the other of yangnyum.  

Both came thickly and evenly coated with their sauce, and yes, what with their crisp and their crunch and their bite sized pieces (we took the boneless kind), it made for a great dinner. 

I think I liked the soy garlic more than the yangnyum (it was really spicy!) 

But I do wish I'd ordered a Coke to go along with it. 

Or maybe a bottle of beer.