Sightseeing in the city

Time is really going by quickly. We have only one more day in Seoul and then our tour starts. So on Tuesday we  decide to politely ditch mom and head out on our own for some serious sightseeing around Seoul. She spent the day with her brother so I think all parties were satisfied on that front.
Joe and I head out for the subway. Now, I have been warned that Korean subways are crowded free-for-alls  where you must push old people and babies out of the way to make it onto a subway car. (That is how it sounded to me, anyway.) So I had my game face on and was ready for a brawl as we headed below street level.

But there was no pushing! Hardly any shoving! We went after morning rush hour so it was no more crowded than subways in America.

See? No worries.

I like subways in general. They are prime people watching venues. So I stared at them, they stared at me.  (Interestingly, I get less stares when it is just Joe and I than when I am with the family.)
All was good as we exited the subway at our first stop. Until I tried to get through the turnstile. And couldn't. I swiped my subway ticket at the turnstile with it in my left hand and it triggered the wrong gate to move. Then I was stuck. Joe had already gone through and was like, 'just jump over it'. There really was no other option. People were backing up behind me. So like a gymnast I hold on to either side of the turnstile and hurl myself up....and get stuck on the top. Not enough momentum to make it fully over. So I throw myself the rest of the way over the gate and land with a flourish. Joe had moved on because he didn't want to be seen with a blond felon. :)
The markets! We head into Dongdaemun. It is a crowded maze of little shops, crammed full of wares. Completely overwhelmed, we wander down the aisles. So much stuff. After some time we decide to keep moving. We jump back on the subway and head to Myeongdong.

Can't be too homesick when there is a Starbucks every two blocks!

More markets, more things. This area seems to be a bit more modern and touristy, and again we are overwhelmed by the amount of shops. We stop for a snack, pahtbingsu. Sweet red bean paste over shaved ice topped with rice cakes. It is a very interesting texture, and very good.

Joe doesn't want to share!

We continue on. Unfortunately, although the prices in these markets are very inexpensive, the clothing is made for the delicate bone structure of the Korean, not the hardy Western European bone structure of yours truly. So we move on.
We hit Lotte Department store and make for the food court area. If only we had food courts like this back home. No Sbarros or Orange Julius around here. There are all kinds of noodle bowls and rice dishes and we decide on a cold bimbimbap.
We hop back on the subway and make our way to find a Kingdom Hall. We want to take no chances this time. There is one not far from the hotel. After a bit too much wandering we find it! And the meeting is tomorrow night.
The hotel is a welcome sight in the evening, and we are glad to get off our tired, blistered feet. Good night!