Dates with Love in Korea- Day 10

29 May 2014-

My feet injury aggravated. Yes, both feet :(. I can still walk slowly, not bending the swollen part above the heel. Well, at least it's after Everland. We had planned for Gyeongbokgung Palace and Coex Mall today, so it seemed manageable.

Before everything, we had lunch at our favourite eating place nearby. Let me introduce you to the "ugly but tasty kimbap". It is just rice with bits of minced beef and salt wrapped in slices of seaweed. It was tasty indeed but not as good as pork cutlet kimbap. Yummy! I had the feel for kimchi fried rice and it tasted great. Bibimbap was less enjoyable as it was too wet.

Ugly right

Bf's bibimbap

Kimchi fried rice

Off to take the subway to Gyeongbokgung Palace station but walking down the steps into the subway station took ages. So did the taking of stairs up exit 5 when we reached the station. Walked around abit and took some photos with the guards before the guards changing ceremony started. Had to take out my umbrella because it was too scorching and hot, made worse with my speed of walking. I think Queen in Hyun's Man had a scene here? Kind of remember the view of the road and streets looking from inside the palace.

Umbrella warrior

 

We tried to queue for the guard's costume fitting for awhile but there were quite a number of people in front of us, plus I was more interested in couple-ly Korean traditional costume instead and also due to the lack of language understanding from the staff there, we decided not to continue with the queue. Bf went to purchase the tickets [while I sat at one corner near the entrance] at 3000 won each, and also decided to rent the portable tour guiding device at 3000 won too. When you scan the area on the map with the device, it will play the recording to explain the facts about the area. We shared the device but honestly, I could'nt absorb a thing, I was suffering in pain just trying to walk on those uneven paths. Plus i'm not in favor of the freaking hot weather. >:(.

After we entered the third gate or so, I decided I really could'nt walk anymore. I kept bending over and have the desperate need to rest my feet. I asked bf to explore himself and I can wait for him somewhere. 

So he said something like this "I am not going to walk myself. There's no point. I want to explore with you". Oh no I forgot the exact sentence, and I bet he forgot it too.  But what came out from him at that moment overwhelmed me with emotions. Together with feelings of sadness, tiredness and frustration, I was deeply touched by his words. The moment he said that he will only walk with me beside him, I teared up and broke down. Of course, he did'nt know why and got a shock. 

"Why are you crying?" He thought I was in sudden painful moments haha. So I told him I was very touched and that he must be very happy. Why? Because I don't think I have ever reacted so strongly to such simple action or words. I may be touched in my heart but I don't show it to him as like this time. Usually even if he tries to be romantic, I just find him funny and I will laugh instead. I guess his timing was right too. I was in my most vulnerable state, I needed him to be there for me, and he made me felt like he will never abandon me even if I become a burden. Sounds very exaggerating but those were the thoughts that went through my mind. I have found myself a reliable man <3.

Well I did wanted to see the garden. Those dramas that depict life in ancient times always have those pretty gardens haha. So he urged me to continue walking to see it together. But halfway, I rested again, and walked and rested again. So he decided to explore abit, find out the shortest way to the nearest garden while I sat down at one area. 

"Eat the kimbap if you're hungry, drink water you need to hydrate yourself." :)

Some shots that he took for me to see. 

He came back to me and encouraged me to walk again LOL. So slowly, we walked to one of the gardens. He said he did'nt take any photos there because he wanted me to see for myself. I was tearing up again when we took photos but I guess I hid it well from him this time. It's like we finally reached a hard-to-get-to destination.

 

He was carrying all my stuff too because I found it inconvenient to carry my own bag out. Left my things all in his bag. After the garden, we returned the device and headed back to the station. As we needed to go through the whole flights of stairs again, bf decided to piggyback me down because it was faster that way. People behind were probably looking at us but it's fine haha. We were heading to Coex mall at Samseong station. Unfortunately, Coex mall seemed to be under renovation damn. But I found Charles and Keith there! At a higher price compared to Singapore's outlets. Who says everything is more expensive in Singapore! One of the C and K staff was very cute. She spoke to me in Korean but I could'nt understand so I just smiled. After that, she took a pair of shoes to me, pointed at it and made a thumbs up. The expression on her face also so cute. All of us laughed haha.

Not sure which station we went after but there's alot of shops for shopping! Its near Gangnam area. We had dinner at one of the malls there. This restaurant does'nt have any English menu so we were asked to look at pictures. Thankfully, the man sitting beside our table could speak English and offered to explain the Korean menu to us. He ordered for us when we wanted the same food as him. He also helped us to add free noodles and soup to our bowl! So kind. End up we only need to share one bowl because as you see, there's not much ingredient in the bowl either. Adding the free noodles was enough to fill us both. And that was the more meaty and larger dumpling we ate in Korea, nice!

Continued to walk around after dinner. Bf got me a muscle rub solution for temporary relief of pain on my feet. Communicating with the pharmacist on my needs was also difficult and hilarious at the same time. Shopping time too. I can walk okay when i'm shopping though, maybe due to the flat ground and cooling environment. Had some matcha ice dessert after buying 9 pairs of stretchy pants from a kind store owner who gave me recommendations and a big plastic bag to put all of my purchases. We also bought our couple socks in this area.

Ended my day with a massage from bf <3