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.
