Brgy. Alano goes to Seoul - Part 1

In advance celebration of Miya's 7th birthday, our whole family went to Seoul last week. We took the 5:30pm flight to Incheon by Cebu Pacific and arrived in Korea by 10:30pm (local time).

Waiting to board at NAIA Terminal 3

Still awake! Waiting for our luggages at Incheon International Airport

Arrived to very cold weather! 

I booked our airport pick-up via our hotel who sent us a Jumbo Deluxe taxi. Our driver patiently brought us to KT roaming center's kiosk (between gates 7 and 8 upon exit of the arrival hall before exiting the airport) to get our pocket wifi. Booked our wifi via Klook. We had to present a credit card for the deposit and the passport of the credit card holder.  We didn't have time to exchange our money to Won.

It was our first time to experience winter so we really came prepared. But we were not prepared with the heater once we entered the taxi hahaha! Fortunately, Miya and Javi fell asleep during the one hour ride to Seoul. But they woke up when we arrived at our hotel - Hotel Creto Myeongdong (I booked via Agoda). Since we didn't have local currency when we arrived, we paid our taxi using credit card. Check-in to the hotel was a breeze - I only had to sign their guest information card and we were instantly handed our room keys. The desk receptionist even offered us the adapter for their electric plugs - we were lent two each for the two rooms. I booked two family twin rooms for us - the website is accurate, the room had one king sized bed and one single bed. We thought it would be tight in our room so we asked Miya if she could sleep with her Lolo and Lola in the other room on our first night.

The next day, maybe because the sun rose later than our usual time here in the Philippines, the kids woke up late - maybe around 8-8:30am. We left the hotel around lunch time (this was the case for the succeeding days as well).

Getting bundled up before leaving our hotel

We exchanged our money first and then had lunch in a Korean BBQ restaurant just a few steps away from hotel. The money exchange was also just at the corner down the street our hotel. I cannot recommend this hotel enough. It's affordable, clean and location is awesome.

Praying before eating

The kids ate bbq and japchae. I thought we'll have a hard time feeding them thinking that everything will be spicy. Good thing it wasn't the case when we got there. We just ordered bbq most of the time for the kids and then ordered spicy food separately for the adults.

After eating, we went to Gyeongbokgung Palace. I really researched and researched our itinerary. Most of the places we went to are one or two transfers away from our station.

Going there: Exit 10 of Myeongdong Station, take Line 4 to Chungmuro station (1 stop; transfer to Line 3 to Geyongbokgung station (4 stops) - Exit 5.

Right by the exit is the National Palace Museum of Korea and just across it is the Gyeongbokgung Palace. We arrived just in time for the changing of Palace guards.

Javi got a bit stressed with the loud banging sound of the drum used during the changing of guards

After that, we bought our tickets to go inside the Palace. But since we wanted to go on a guided tour we waited until 3:30pm to enter the Palace. The guided tour is free. Here's the schedule of the English tour: 11am, 1:30pm, 3:30pm.

So while waiting for that we went inside the museum.

We actually stayed in just one part of the museum where they had a screening of the different parts of the Palace. Nina was able to nap and at the same time we were able to rest our feet. Before going out, we saw this stamping station. So we immediately took one card from the reception desk for Miya to fill up. It's now part of her memorabilia from Korea.

Then we went back to the Palace and waited for the tour to start.

Unfortunately, Miya can't understand the tourguide so we ditched the tour and just went about our way. We stopped by a cafe inside the Palace and kept warm there, while the kids played with the pigeons outside. They had a grand time haha! Funny how itineraries for kids are really different from adults. Different things really spark wonder in them. So even though we didn't have time to go around the Palace, we just let them be.

He enjoyed chasing the birds

So happy to see a small patch of snow

We had to leave at 5pm because the Palace closes earlier during the winter. We went to Dongdaemun Design Plaza because there's a skating rink there and I told Miya she can go skating. The younger kids cannot since there's an age requirement.

Going there: Exit 5 of Gyeongbokgung Station, take Line 3 to Jongno 3(sam)-ga station (2 stops); transfer to Line 5 to Dongdaemun History and Culture Park station (2 stops) - Exit 1.

There were a lot of Kbeauty stores before the exit so I bought some items from The Face Shop - they were on sale heehee! Right when you get out of Exit 1, the skating risk was there.

Miya and I tried lining up for the skating rink. But when I inquired they said that the next slot would be around 8:30pm and it was only around 6pm then. So I just let the kids play with the "snow" right by the skating rink - this is actually the ice they scraped from the rink after a session hahaha! After that we had dinner there.

At the Kakao Friends Store at DDP

DDP at night

After dinner we, we went to find the LED rose garden. It was so cold that Nina was crying the whole time we were walking (Joema was wearing her in a carrier). She was wailing by the time we reached the rose garden, so both Joma and her are not in photos. They took refuge from an enclosed room near the garden while we took photos hehe.

Then we called it a night and went back to our hotel.