Sigh

So I'm at Incheon Airport right now and leaving Seoul. I can't believe 6 weeks passed so quickly! Sadly, the last week has been rather disappointing—at least three different places I wanted to eat at ended up being closed on the precise day I chose, or didn't deliver even after confirming that they would with my friend. So the fooding hasn't been great. But oh, I will miss Seoul so much! I liked Busan and Gyeongju too, but didn't get to see them nearly as much as Seoul, which I think is now up there with Hong Kong as one of my favorite cities.

It's odd that both San Francisco and Taipei aren't among that number; rather, I love Bay Area and Taiwan. But Seoul is such a distinctive city to me, and I love all its neighborhoods and the old Joseon capital of Hanyang you still see in it, I love Insadong and Samcheongdong and Hongdae and Myeongdong and a billionty more places I didn't get the chance to explore. I love the subway and the buses and the way it is so easy finding anything next to a subway stop.

Things further from a subway is a different matter, contributing to my getting lost while attempting to find random tiny museums more times than I can count, but even that was mostly fun, despite the heat and humidity. Also, another thing that is slightly annoying is the lack of paper towels and air dryers in many bathrooms.

Still. I love that the subway bathrooms overall are clean and usable—there's actually a campaign with the slogan "Department store bathroom? No! It's the bathroom of Seoul Metro!" My friend said she was shocked when she saw some of the public bathrooms in the US and no wonder! In so many ways, it feels so much more civilized here in comparison with the US (please do not use "civilized" in the comments detrimentally comparing places to Western countries though).

It was just so big here, which I hadn't expected, and there is so much! For example, I knew Dongdaemun had a lot of clothes stores, but I didn't quite realize just how much until I spent who knows how much money and at least 2 and a half hours in a single building, only to realize there were at least 30 other buildings just as large in the area. This city just feels so big and it holds so much!

Anyway, I must board now, but hopefully more later (and hopefully a stable Internet connection too...).

Back!

Safely back in Taiwan now, and it is hotter and more humid than Seoul, sigh. I miss Seoul! It makes Taipei feel so small =(.

But the wireless is amazingly working, I am surrounded by my own books again, and now I will see if I can stream Queen Seon Deok, since I have been inspired to try watching again thanks to my Gyeongju trip.

Also! To keep me from missing Seoul, tell me what to do in Tokyo! My family is going there for a week in August, and it will be my first time in Japan since undergrad! I can't believe it's been so long...

I think I've done most of the touristy things on previous trips, though any museum recommendations would be good, since I am fairly sure I missed those. Small and/or weird and/or offbeat museums highly welcome (I am still sad I never made it to the Seoul Museum of Chicken Art!). I already plan on going to Harajuku to people watch and eat crepes and look at loligoth clothing I probably can't fit into or afford. I may pass on Shibuya, since the last time I was in Tokyo, I was there a lot. And am considering going to Tokyo Tower at night if it's open so I can brood and pretend I am Kamui. And maybe the fish market, since I've still never been.

Recommendations for shows are especially welcome, especially if it is something like Bleach the Musical (though some doubts as to whether I can convince my family...). Ditto festivals and seasonal events.

Recommendations for restaurants always welcome! I eat mostly everything, with the possible exception off things that still move (both my friend and I didn't order san nakji in Busan) or large bugs. I especially love sashimi, grilled cow tongue, izakaya fare, sushi, ramen, Japanized western food (egg on spaghetti!), tonkatsu, omurice, bakeries with things like yakisoba pan, onigiri, waffles (I am hoping Japan has as much waffles as Korea did), and... lots of other things that are slipping my mind right now because I am craving naengmyeon.