Itaewon, My First Time

      I found two hills affectionally called "Hookers Hill" and "Homo Hill."  Actually, they are streets, each being one street away from, and running parallel to, each other.  While I was walking up one of them, during my first venture through Itaewan that Sunday afternoon, I was approched.... I declined.

     Both streets are lined on both sides with bars.  I have seen as much partying outside on the streets as I have seen inside the various bars.  I've enjoyed a few beers at a couple of them (and that's all).
    
     Not all bars and clubs are on these two "hills."  I have seen many throughout Itaewon.  Also, I've seen many (and have eaten at a few) restaurants featuring international cuisines.

     Besides eating some lunch, all I did in Itaewan was walk around.  That required only a couple hours of slow walking. 

      I've eaten western styled breakfast at "All American Diner" a few times.  Pricey, but delicious!

      Great burgers are made at Kraze Burgers.  During my first time eating at the one pictured above, a Korean man dressed in a gray suit sat at the table next to mine.  While he slowly enjoyed his beer, he started a conversation with me.  He told me his father fled North Korea years ago and started a new life near Daegu.  I had told him I was living in Yeongcheon, and that rung a bell in his mind.  Very kind man he was.

      That orange building has been a reliable cue, telling me I'm near Seoul Station, when riding in a taxi.    In those white tents was a church service being conducted.

My First Night in a "Love Motel"

     I did not go there for love and was happy to remain alone while there.

     Through a "grapevine," I heard, a week or so prior, that there was going to be a Gay Chorus concert in Seoul, so I made plans to attend.  It would be my first "solo" flight to an occasion in Seoul, so I consulted with my co-workers, and they were excellent at helping me find tools on the web that could help me through this venture.

      I know a bit more now than I knew then.  You see in Korea, it's traditional that children live at home until they get married (whenever that might be) unless they go away to a university.  Love Motels have often been the only way Koreans could get away from the family to enjoy a date.  From what I've read and heard, husbands and wives like to get away from the family too (but not necessarily with each other).  Still, the "Love Motels" are fairly cheap.  Married couple do in fact use them.  So do single travelers like me.

      The red lettering on that sign (straight ahead) says "Motel."

      I thoroughly enjoyed the concert.  It was conducted in Hyehwa, an area of Seoul where many universities are neighbors.  So, there were (obviously) lots and lots of university type people -students, alumni, professors, etc - in the area, lots of outdoor entertainments, and lots of places to eat and drink (my kind of town). 

      Food display cabinets, like the one above, are in front of many restaurants all over Korea.

     I ate lunch at the restaurant pictured above.  Like many menus (and magazines) in South Korea, the menu here started out in English, but once you got past the cover you were on your own.  The pictures were helpful, and the food was good.

     At breakfast on the next day, I studied the subway map.  I had plenty of time, so I wanted to venture just a bit on my own before heading back to Yeongcheon.  I studied both the Korean and the English versions of the map.