Namsan Seoul Tower Day!

Today started with me still on my Cheonggyecheon midnight trip. I walked a few scary-looking places just to get there. They seemed scary not because I saw them as unsafe, but scary because I was unfamiliar with where I was going, and urban places without people seemed liminal. But I eventually got to Cheonggyecheon and took a few photos of it, and a few selfies of myself, too. I didn't stay for long because the Bluetooth shutter wasn't working.

I just decided to go home after that, but I found some difficulty in finding a bus taking me back to my hotel. I was honestly confused and didn't know where to go because the buses servicing my stop didn't have a route going to my hotel. There was also this thing with BTS' comeback somehow diverting buses, which inconvenienced me because I was waiting at some bus stops for a bus that never came. Still, it was fine, and I just kept walking and walking until I got to a specific bus stop nearby. The N51 Night Bus I rode was freaking packed! We were packed in like sardines and I could only assume this was the case because a lot of people had their bus routes changed. I couldn't even tap my T-Money card at the terminal, but there was a guy kind enough to tap in my card and one of another passenger. That bus ride was hell and I actually forgot to leave at the specified bus stop because it was too crowded. I just decided to get off at the next bus stop and I was able to tap my card out and get out of there. Even the lady next to me was sort of crushed by the door due to how crowded it was. So I just left and decided to book a car ride back to my hotel because I'm out of options. Honestly, I kind of regretted going out this late at night lol.

I booked a cab ride and I did my usual thing of saying the cab driver's name just to confirm. And at first, she didn't get why, and she kept talking to me in Korean which I totally didn't get huhu. She was a nice, elderly lady and I was able to tell her a bit in Korean that I don't speak Korean at all and that I was a foreigner. She drove like crazy but it was such a fun ride back to the hotel. I'm just glad I got back after all that and I was able to make it safe. I just chilled and got some rest after that.

For the morning, I had this strange dream that I'll oversleep, but thankfully I didn't and I woke up at around noon. I got a ticket for the Namsan Seoul Tower since that was planned in today's itinerary. I wore something comfortable and stopped by at a nearby coffee shop because I also wanted to check that off my itinerary. I asked in Korean and I didn't understand what they said. But I was able to ask how I'll clean up after I finished my order, and the lady said that she'll do it herself, so that was nice. I took the bus to claim my Klook ticket because it was for the cable car and for the tower itself. I took the bus there and I dropped by somewhere near Myeongdong. I got my ticket and used a nearby elevator to go up to the cable car building.

The cable car building was kind of a long wait, but it was fine. I just didn't expect that I'd be riding a cable car full of people. I thought it was in smaller groups, or something. We were packed and standing, like a bunch of sardines or something. But I enjoyed it for what it was and drank a Pocari Sweat from the vending machine at the top. I took a few photos of the tower and I overheard a few Filipinos and I assumed they wanted a group pic of them together, so I offered and asked the lady in Tagalog if I could take a pic of them. They seemed shocked, but glad, and I took a few photos of them. They also took a few photos of me, since I needed a few pics of myself anyway. So that was a nice exchange.

I walked around to a nearby restaurant and had late lunch there because I hadn't eaten all day. I also rolled on this fortune paper thing and I think I got a good one. I took a few pictures and then decided that it was time to go up to the tower itself. I got a real ticket for the tower heading up and took a few photos. I also bought a few souvenirs, as well as some for myself, as a gift to bring back. I also got this N Seoul Tower card as a kind of souvenir for myself, because I couldn't pass up the opportunity to get it and say that I have something tangible from this place. I got to meet another Filipino, this time a traveler coming in from Japan. She says that she isn't staying long in Korea, and she generally asked if I could take pictures of her. Thankfully, she was also kind enough to take pictures of me in return, so that was nice. I went to the lower floor and we bumped into each other again, and we took pictures at this nice window view as the sun was setting, so that was cool.

For the rest of the evening, I just chilled at the base of the tower. I thought to myself for a bit, took a few photos, and oversaw Seoul's city skyline. It was still surreal and I just couldn't believe I was here in Seoul, South Korea all by myself. After a while, I went to a Starbucks nearby and got a drink. I was thinking if this was the day I got that mug and tumbler from Starbucks, but decided on another day instead. I just enjoyed my coffee which was actually served in this trenta size. I also had food at the same restaurant and saw a few Filipinos there, so that was cool. I walked around for a bit in Strava and then decided to go down once I felt like I had explored all of the places here. I waited in line and thought that I didn't have to wait in line, I assumed the line was for the tickets (which I already had), so I left my place only to find that I was wrong. So I waited in line again, and I think a few Filipinos were behind me, so I pretended to call a friend and speak in Tagalog, and the couple behind me were definitely looking at me. When we got to the cable car, that's when they asked me and they introduced themselves to me. They were 2 sets of couples and the girl from the Korean couple actually studied in the Philippines for a while, kind of what like what we had in our school. I talk to them for a bit, but eventually part ways with them and I kind of regret that I didn't get their number of Facebook accounts, and stuff. I took a few photos of myself at this landmark and then took the bus home. I just wanted to get home early today so I can just chill in my hotel room. I eventually arrived back and bought a few stuff at some convenience stores nearby like some toothbrushes and this banana milk.I also got my accommodation set for Busan, thankfully. After that, I went to sleep.