SE's birthday 2026

SE is now 14!  She adamantly refused a birthday cake though.  Or substitutes like a jelly or ice-cream cake.

She picked Mozer's for Syrian food on the weekday, and d'Italiane on the weekend.  Mozer's was good as usual, forgot to take pictures.

Food at d'Italiane was good!  

Mozzarella in crumbed ciabatta bread

Pea and avocado risotto

The third item was lamb stromboli - lamb in baked bread - which we decided not to order again. 

Then she chose some cheese after me asking her multiple times to get something 'special' since it was her birthday.  And that was all. 

Happy birthday to my little one!  Maybe next year choose more 'presents'?  

Home and Other pics

Gahh sleeping at the airport with old bones is no joke!  Apparently there are rest areas within the airport, but since online check-in is not doable for Malaysians, we had to wait outside until the counters opened at 5am.  Which meant napping on a hard bench.  JE didn't bother with it and just walked around the airport.  

Reached home smoothly.  Our loot: Socks (good quality and cheap at just rm3 a pair if you buy more), snacks to share, souvenirs for friends and JE's usual popmart - rainbow thing this time.

Our loot

A few more pictures... there were so many HBAF almond stores!  Most stores had samples but usually the same, more popular, ones.  I was happy to score unusual ones like 'carrot cake', 'soy sauce chicken' and 'matcha red bean', as I wouldn't dare buy whole packets of those.  Erm no, I wouldn't be buying either after trying.  Prices didn't seem lower than what I could get online so just bought a few home for friends.

Chicken-flavoured

Toffee latte flavoured

Now, why the hype over cherry blossoms when there are other pretty ones?

Magnolia with large white flowers

Plum, this one in intense pink

Looking back on the trip is part of the fun I guess.  Ok, on to the next!

Day 8 - 30/3 Yeouido Park, Ikseon-dong

Ah the last day of our trip already.  We had ticked off all the major items on our list so we could now go for remaining items - ginseng chicken, cherry blossoms, Namdaemun market.  Followed the Naver map for the first... then kept walking around without seeing the shop.  Finally I realised we had already been in the correct building, just that the shop was on a higher floor, its name WAS listed (in Korean) AND access was actually across the floor via a different set of lifts.  Wow no wonder we couldn't find it!

Figured 3 orders of ginseng chicken would be too much.  Selected 'acorn jelly salad' instead as the 3rd item - it was cheaper which was already a plus point, and salad would complement the meal.  It was a good choice as we got to try something new.  Acorn jelly is a Korean dish made from acorn starch.  It was slightly bitter.  I didn't quite like it while SE did.  The ginseng chicken soup didn't taste of ginseng... only the shredded ginseng topping had a mild taste.  I had expected something like the one hubby and I had years back on a package tour to Korea, which had a strong taste and we could even add on ginseng wine for free (which we did).  

Ginseng chicken finally, and also this weird salad

On to Yeouido Park.  Sigh, confirmed that it was too early for cherry blossoms.  I wonder why they don't just plant a lot of PLUM trees together?  These were way more cooperative in showing blossoms! The trees we saw were beautifully shrouded in blossoms but were always scattered single trees.

Plum tree with blossom

This one is also plum blossom

With Hechi (the big pink one) the mascot of Seoul and his friends

We still had time so took the metro to Ikseon-dong.  I loved the narrow streets filled with cool cafes and shops.  The cafes were just beautiful.  Unfortunately we were full from lunch and couldn't have managed to eat the 3 items we would have had to order.  Fine hmmppff (being sour grapes)... at least we didn't have to pick one cafe out of the many tempting ones.  Oh, and the prices weren't low either.

Birdcages in nature theme

Railroad tracks theme

Saltpond cafe 

Dripping water and a pond

Dry ice stream

SE suddenly noticed it was past 5pm... meaning Namdaemun market which was the next destination was already closed.  Aiks what an early closing time.  Thing was, wouldn't have been much point going to a foodie destination on a full stomach.  What to do... just made our way back to Myeongdong.

See the lone plum tree?

The final item to tick off, Isaac toast, the famous toasted sandwich chain.  Shared a sandwich with JE... too much food, too little stomach!  This was pretty good.  

Got the toast

We noticed people going up the stairs next to this outlet.  Searched on Google and found the shop was called 1992 and it has good reviews.  We still had to walk around more to digest our lunch first!  Made our way back here eventually for dinner.  Food was decent but not mind-blowing.

Last dinner in Korea

I'd initially considered this last day a poor cousin to our previous ones for lack of worthy destinations, but JE liked it as she said it was relaxing.

Walked back to our hotel to collect our luggage, made our way to the airport without drama and settled to sleep the night there ahead of our early morning flight.  Bye, Korea!

Day 7 - 29/3 Namsan Tower, Namsangol Hanok Village

Oops time flies and I was busy.  Continuing on!

First destination for the day was Namsam tower.  I spent some time researching - multiple walking trails exist so had to be careful to pick one suitable for us.  In the end, found that the bus to the start of my chosen trail would go also straight to the tower haha.  So we just rode all the way, passing people huffing on the uphill road. 

Us at Namsan tower 

From the bus-stop it was a short walk to the base of the tower.  Fake cherry blossoms will do when real ones are not showing up....

Blossoms! Erm fake ones

Tons of 'love locks' there.  You could buy this from the many stalls or from vending machines.  Write your message and lock the padlock on the many rails around.  They will periodically remove when the rails are full (which makes it kind of pointless?)

Colourful padlocks

There were stalls offering various edibles.  Hubby would have liked this wine and cheese section.  Yep, still found it hard to believe he was gone.

If only hubby were here 

Queued for an ice-cream instead.  

My ice-cream is actually quite large

We decided to walk down to Myeongdong, which was surprisingly quite close.  But so glad we were going DOWN instead of UP!  The many flights of steps would have been no joke at all.

Down, down we go

Eventually arrived at this temple.  I thought hard whether it was worth braving the steps.  Eventually we did... there were old people climbing up so had to control the heavy breathing hahaha.  Lovely weather and scenery though.

More steps

Soldiered on and eventually got down from the hill.

Yes yes everyone knows we are at Seoul

SE wanted to eat meat buffet again.  So it was back to Mongvely.

C'mon let's go!

Walked out stuffed to the brim, again.  Next was Namsangol Hanok Village, which was close to our hotel.  This place was nice.

Pretty yellow flowers behind us

Now pretty purple flowers

Unlike Bukchon Hanok village, this was a 'show' village with real houses which had been brought together to this site.  We could walk in and out as we liked and imagine how it was living there in earlier times.  The houses were those of the upper-class but somehow the living spaces seemed really small to us.

 

What if we lived here?  Hmm

This one should be plum blossoms

Night was falling when we were done, perfect timing as we were rather tired

Goodbye now

SE and me were too stuffed to consider going for dinner even though JE was game.  So we blamed JE for not eating enough haha.  A trip to the convenience store was enough for the night. 

Day 6 - 28/3 BTS ex haunts, Gangnam

The morning was dedicated to the BTS fan apparently willing to move half the earth for them.  Luckily I simplified her travel plan to a doable one.  Arrived at the nearest metro station and began walking.  The way was long and hilly.  Why do these roads go up AND down?  Surely it's either up OR down?  This was NOT kind to my leg muscles.

Down and then up

Finally reached this graffiti-covered building.  Upon closer inspection, the 'graffiti' which covered every inch of the building are actually declarations of love from fans like JE.  And mind you, this is the PREVIOUS location of their recording company.

This is the EX-company HQ

Once JE was done soaking in the atmosphere, we walked to the cafe where the group USED to hang out.  The BTS fan enlightened us with the history and snippets of trivia.   

 

And this is their EX-lunch place. So cool!

Food was decent but I forgot to take pictures.  Onwards we go.  I was actually more excited to find my first salt bread hehe.  This is a buttery bun with salt on top.

Salt bread and me

Next stop was Bongeunsa Temple.  Reviews say it feels authentic, spiritual, and deeply calming.  Well however much I might attempt to feel that, the kids don't have much patience with temples.  But we went to check it out since we are already there.  The grounds were large for a temple.

 

Going in

Big statue of Buddha with many small ones around

Then we walked across the street to the Starfield mall.  We had visited the Suwon library earlier.  There is actually another one in this mall in Seoul itself.  This one is a tourist attraction as well.  The design is a little different.  Actually I'm not sure of its function - having many visitors taking photos definitely goes against the purpose of a normal library.  It's not a bookstore hence not revenue-generating, there is no charge to enter.  Maybe it's to generate foot traffic into the mall.

 

Another pretty library

JE wanted to visit the "Psy hands".  Many were doing the steps for Psy's 'Gangnam Style' hit right at this statue.  This song was played over speakers which set the mood nicely.

Psy hands!

We walked around the mall a bit and opted to leave.  Had a good meal (overall I enjoyed the food in Korea) at a place near our hotel. 

A nice dinner

An ok day... JE got to do her BTS stuff but as the photos show, she became grumpy towards the later part.  Being out from morning to night daily IS tiring. 

Day 5 - 27/3 Gyeongbokgung Palace, Cheonggyecheon stream

Now why the concern on getting an early start for Gyeongbokgung palace? Because we were going for hanbok/traditional Korean clothing rental!  Erm the backstory is, the kids weren't keen on this as they said hanbok made people look fat.  I thought we might as well pack in the extra experience and decided on a 'basic' (as opposed to 'premium') package as a middle ground, which explains the limited choices.  For RM32 a basic hair design was included. 

You select the top and the skirt separately.  JE found a very nice combo...

Tadahh!

Well I wasn't going to let the kids have all the fun was I?  Somehow we all ended up in blue!  

And us too!

Gyeongbokgung was free entry for people wearing hanbok.

Going into the palace

Almost there

Inside. Three pretty maidens (cough)

We were initially underwhelmed by the palace, then realised the grounds were actually huge and beautiful.  Took so many photos I had trouble choosing those to post here!  Our package was 2.5 hours which was enough to see everything.  We ended up on the opposite side to where the shop was though and had to do a long brisk walk back!

 

By a lake

Lunch was at 153 - simple-but-good bulgogi, tteokboki and pork dumplings.

Hmm not bad

Next on the itinerary was Cheonggyecheon stream.  We were rather tired and wanted to get a snack to eat beside the stream.  Walked into Abebe bakery, got one Earl grey and one Matcha cream-filled donut - I didn't realise till later that I'd come across it before as a famous must-go place!  The donuts were good, filled with thick cream which wasn't too cloying to eat.  Not cheap at KRW4200/RM11 each.  I'd get them again though given the chance.

Donuts for me and Mummy

With the name of the shop

It was a major urban renewal project to clean the stream from its initial eyesore state.  Now the water is crystal clear and attracts visitors along its 10km length.  How lovely to have this nature habitat right in a city centre. 

Clear water and natural rocks

Our target for dinner, the Michelin-starred Myeongdong Kyoja.  This place sells exactly 3 things hahah.  Well plus one more which is only available in summer.  So we ordered all 3 things - knife-chopped noodles in soup, spicy noodles and dumplings.  Yep, food was good!  Prices were reasonable at about KRW13000/RM35 per item.

Ordered literally EVERYTHING on the menu hehe

JE seems to have a separate stomach for snacks.  But I was also keen to try the viral 'marshmallow ice-cream'.  Now this, at KRW8000/RM23 was NOT cheap.  It tasted just like toasted marshmallow and ice-cream hahaha.  Oh well, at least we have tried it.

 

Yes, got it!

I think it was this night JE dropped that smiski hipper on her phone (the glow-in-the-dark thing with green hat seen in this picture) which broke and she had to go buy another one.

Review of day:  So glad we finally managed to get the hanbok done, and with good results!