Shopping in Two Different Worlds

Travel tip number 6: make sure everyone is clear on the definition of "shopping" before you go anywhere with my sister! This morning Rose got "lost" on the way to school, and wound up at our door. We first headed out for coffee and were surprised to find that Starbucks only opens at 11. Here in Seoul a coffee shop is a place where you sit and visit with your friends, not just pop in to buy a coffee. As most young people live at home with their parents, having a place to meet friends away from home is critical.

Next we went back to our favourite market close by, where Rose informed Paula that it was a very traditional market geared to "old people." The good news is that it is also famous for its potato and cabbage pancakes called Gamjajeon. On the second floor was a Hanbok market the size of a Safeway. There were dozens of booths with dress samples, rolls and rolls of heavy silk fabric and design books from which you choose a style. So incredibly beautiful and complicated rules as to who can where what (age, marital status etc).

We then moved on to the Namdaemun Market, which was the last stop on our tour yesterday. Rosé told us it is really more like a wholesale mall, where shop owners come for stock. Paula would have spent hours here, talking to every vendor, if we'd let her! Fabulous news however. I have been crowned sister of the year because I found the doll-house furniture store. I can guarantee that every kitchen in Paula's doll-houses will be serving Korean food from now on.

And then for something completely different. We went back to the Gangnam area to go the to Coex Mall. Holy smokes! This is the mother ship of malls. Enormous (30 acres underground) and high-end. We felt like we had entered another reality. All the big name stores are there and it was packed with very smart looking business people. Rosé took me to her favourite make-up shop, there are many of them here, Étude House, where I bought wrinkle cream! (Seeing all those beautiful young Korean women compelled me to go and try to turn back the hands of time. The cream is called "Go Back." Hysterical)!