South Korea - Day 1 - Teddy Bear Museum, N Seoul Tower, Lotte World

When we reach South Korea after transiting in Hong Kong, we arrived early morning (around 4am) local time.After we got our check-in luggage, we change into our winter clothes in the airport. Thick jackets and boots. Gloves and Scarfs.

First step into the outdoor and we were like... shit! It's so cold! Not long after we are seated in the bus, it started to rain. RAIN! HOW CAN IT RAIN DURING THE WINTER? In my thoughts, I keep asking "isn't it supposed to be snowing instead of raining?"

Our first destination was breakfast. We had our first Korean local breakfast.

First meal in South Korea

As it was raining, the tour guide has rearranged our schedules and took us indoor activities/destinations first.

We went to Teddy Bear Museum. The bus stopped at the bottom of the hill and we need to hike up a little slope to reach the museum.

the hike up to Teddy Bear Museum

The slope was soooooooooooo difficult. First the road was already icy as the snow has melted over time. So it feels like skating if we step on it. To avoid falling down, we would need to look for the part of the road that is not covered with ice (which is very little spaces here and there only). With the rain pouring down on us, it was very cold! Imagine trying to wrape our bodies to avoid the rain and wind, heads bend low looking for little places on the road that is not covered with ice or water. Nothing to hold on to because the railings are all wet and our gloves are not waterproof! Torturing journey!

It was so cold, we were hanging on to our life not to fall that the moment we started to walk, we were unable to take any photos until we reach indoors. LOL

After a loooooooooong walk uphill, we finally reach indoor and entered the Teddy Bear Museum.
It's a museum consisting teddy bears of all sizes and in different costumes.

Teddy Bear Museum entrance

Korean farmer teddies

Teddy bear kingdom

well, it's the current hit thing - Oppa Gangnam Style

Royal highnest

My favourite bear in the whole museum - Barryman Bear

In the same building, it is also the entrance for N Seoul Tower. We took the elevator that shoots up to the Observatory deck which enable us to have a 360 degrees view of Seoul.

N Seoul Tower

Observation Deck

Malaysia is 4,596.51 km away

black and white city of Seoul

 It's my first time seeing a black and white city.

 Then we headed off for lunch. Steamboat ala Korean style.

Beef steamboat

All the kimchi-s

rice

With a full belly, we headed off to Lotte World, an indoor theme park.

Lotte World Entrance

We didn't go to any of the ride as the queue was too long. The shortest queue was 90 minutes (being kiddy rides like merry-go-round), and the average queue time for roller coaster is 150 minutes (2.5 hours!!!!). We just went around the theme park, taking photos and and one point, sitting pointlessly while waiting for time to pass. =S 

Merry-go-round

with the Korean tour guide - David

Souvenir stalls

Souvenir stall

Lovely Christmas Tree

Giant Loop Roller Coaster

Skating Ring converted into Concert Arena

Guess how long is the queue for Swinging Ship?

160 minutes!!! Crazily 2 hours 40 minutes!!!

The whole place is super packed

View 1

View 2

Bigggggggggg Lollipop

Prison Break wannabe

Any last words?

Christmas Backdrop

 Oh, we tried going to the outdoor theme park but it was raining so badly that we almost freeze to death! This is as far as we go only - the entrance to outdoor theme park. LOL

almost froze to death taking this picture. Lol

There's also a Christmas Parade going on while we were there. People dressed up in cute sparkly costumes sharing Christmas cheers and songs. Really made the Christmas feeling alive.

After Lotte World, we headed for Dinner. Seafood steamboat.

Then it's off to Ski Resort which I will continue my ski experience in the next blog post!

Stay tuned! :)


***to be continued......