Recently, Markus and I both had a random Monday off. It rarely happens, so we decided to make the most of it and went out for a few hours to see the cherry blossoms. They only last for about two weeks, so any chance we had to see them, we took. I always get sad when the cherry blossoms disappear. It feels like I'm living in a fairy tale for two weeks. It's so magical. The city is filled with beautiful pink flowers and before you know it they're gone.
We didn't need to go to any special street or place. Our neighborhood also had heaps of cherry blossoms. We walked around and stopped to take a photo at any spot that we liked. Markus and I are so busy, so we rarely have time to relax. It's a bit sad, but it's the reality of our lives. I'm thankful we were able to have this afternoon to explore and enjoy the little things. We only have five months left in Korea, so every moment counts.
If you know me, you know that I'm obsessed with chicken, especially if it's fried. Anytime I know chicken is in my future, I even do a little chicken dance. It's strange, but it's very much a part of who I am. Jeff knows this about me and suggested that we go to a samgyetang restaurant in Sajik. Samgyetang is a delicious soup that consists of a whole chicken, rice and ginseng. There are other components and they all meld together to create this savory stew. Most samgyetang restaurants only serve the one dish, but Jeff found a restaurant that also served crispy chicken. This chicken is special because it's cooked in an electric grill and not fried. The minute he mentioned the crispy chicken, I knew we had to go.
Banchan
The banchan or side dishes were really good. Most restaurants tend to stick to the same dishes, but this place had a few different ones. Also, everything was fresh and definitely tasty. After being in Korea for 18 months, I've had my fair share of banchan. I can tell if there is a lot of care put into the dishes and these were good quality. The flavors were not too overwhelming and had the write amount of spice and sourness. Surprisingly, my favorite was the chicken gizzards.
Samgyetang
Me, the owner and Jeff
We ordered two plates of the crispy chicken and one samgyetang. I think our stomachs lead the decision making. When it arrived, there was so much, but I tore into that delicious crispy goodness. The difference between crispy chicken and fried chicken wasn't that obvious. It tasted just like fried chicken and I didn't feel as guilty eating it. The samgyetang was delicious and very similar to the banchan. It tasted very clean and the major highlight was the chicken. I've eaten samgyetang before, but I try not to eat it often, since it is the highest calorie meal in Korea coming in at 918 kcal per serving.
The owner of the restaurant remembered Jeff and kept bringing little extras to us. He was so sweet and and seriously adorable. He walked over and would drop something off with a huge smile. His kindness only added to a delicious and wonderful experience.
While we were in Boston in 2010, Markus and I hopped on the T and headed over to Cambridge. We planned to spend the day at Harvard. I really liked Cambridge. It had the same quaint feeling as Boston, but Boston still feels very much like a city. Cambridge felt a little more personal and easily accessible. It's such a great little city and has many things to see.
The main reason we went to Cambridge was to check out Harvard and it's campus. I have to admit, while we were there, I felt like an impostor. Never in my wildest dreams, would I have been able to go to a university like that. I felt a bit envious of all the students who were able to not only live in such a beautiful place, but attend such a great school. Alas, it was still pretty cool being able to pretend for a day. I was really tempted to sit in one of the bigger classes, but decided against it. Instead, we spent the rest of the afternoon enjoying the nice fall weather, wandering the streets and visiting the Natural History Museum.
Spring is finally here! I feel like it's been winter for months! I do love winter, but it's definitely time for warmer weather and the earth to come alive. Spring in Busan is amazing. The streets and neighborhoods are filled with cherry blossom trees. They are everywhere and really hard to miss. They definitely make the city more beautiful and instantly put me in a good mood. Recently, I had a Friday off from work and met with one of my dearest Korean friends, Sat Byeol. We meet once a month and it's always a great time. She always researches the best restaurants and cafes beforehand and we always end up at some great places. For this meeting, she wanted to take me to one of the best places to see cherry blossoms in Busan.
Twinsies
Beef Pho
Fried Spring Roll
For lunch, she found a Vietnamese restaurant in Gwangalli. Markus and I have had Vietnamese food in Korea and it's always been sub par. It's nothing like it is back home and it's one of the comfort foods I miss the most. This restaurant wasn't bad, but it wasn't great either. It's probably the closest taste wise, but it's still lacking a lot. They don't give bean sprouts on the side and already put them in before the bowl has reached the table. The broth tastes really good, but it's kind of a one note dish. There wasn't any hoisin to dip my meat in and that's one of my favorite things about pho. The spring rolls were delicious, but it's really hard to mess up a fried spring roll. Although, it was nothing like a Vietnamese spring roll. It was a weird Korean facsimile, but it was still really tasty.
Gwangalli Beach
Before we saw the cherry blossoms, we walked along the beach. It was such a beautiful day. The sky was absolutely clear. It wasn't too hot or too cold, the weather was just right. It was a perfect spring day. When we walked closer to the the sea, we saw an ahjumma (older lady) out in the ocean trying to catch fish or picking seaweed. We really couldn't tell, she was sort of wading for most of the time. We stood and watched her for a little bit, soaking in the sun and enjoying the day.
When we finally made it to the street lined with cherry blossoms, I couldn't believe my eyes. It was so beautiful and there were so many flowers! This street is one of the more popular spots in Busan and it was packed full of cars, couples and families. It was hard getting a photo without a barricade, car or person. Last year, Markus and I went to another residential street, but it was a lot more spread out. This street is like a cocoon of cherry blossoms. It was much more magical and I loved it. For a perfect ending to a perfect spring day, Sat Byeol took me to Beans Bins for coffee and a waffle.
On our final day in London, we walked around the city to catch all the places we missed. I'm pretty sure that we won't be in England for a very long time. I do love England, it's one of my favorite countries, but there is so much of the world to see! I promised myself that I wouldn't travel to the same country twice, but England is such a special place for me that I couldn't help it. It will always have a special place in my heart.
