Welcome to Korea - even before you arrive!

Sophie: I'm in my pajamas, and it's dark outside, BUT I'M NOT IN BED!

Well, we are pretty sure that's what she was thinking as we walked around the airport. As we got on the plane, we were greeted by an adorable flight attendant who brought us a plastic bag and a box of tissues, "for the baby." Right after take off, we got a really cute bag with stuff in it, including a mini etch-a-scetch-type game that Sophie was totally into.

Sophie, of course, flirted with everyone on the plane, and received 3 offers of adoption from Japan and one from the Philippines.

The flight was a perfect preview to what we would learn when we arrived:

1) The Koreans are adorable and very similar to the Japanese in their desire to make everyone feel welcome.
2) The Koreans LOVE babies (and there don't seem to be many).

The airport deserves its own post, but suffice it to say that it has a movie theatre and an ICE SKATING RINK. For real.

7-Eleven, Dunkin' Donuts, and Baskin Robbins... We are definitely back in Asia!

We easily found our hotel, which is located in the middle of Gangnam (Style). The guy at the lobby showed us a fridge in the entrance full of water bottles, ice coffee, and some drink with picture of corn on it that we have yet to find the courage to sample, and said it is free. There are also warm drinks (not in cans), bananas, and snacks.

Our room is really nice, the bed is wide (though it doesn't feel like it when you sleep with a possesive one year old). It has a ginormous TV and a computer and a fridge, and looks like a zimmer (sorry, non-Hebrew speakers).

It's entirely possible that it is because this hotel was, and kinda may still be, a love motel. At least it sounded like it last night when we heard interesting noises coming from the room next door, but we showed THEM, we had a noisy baby from midnight to 3 am SO THERE.

Other than dinner at a really delicious Vietnamese restaurant (ha), we didn't really do anything last night. We had a lot of plans for today, but you know what they say, jetlag is what happens when you're making plans.

So we reogranized, and it was actually really great. We started at Insa-Dong, a long street with many different stores, galleries, booths, and restaurants. There is one where they make a traditional Korean candy and it's amazing to watch how it's done - they really put on a show! We recorded it on video, so we will upload it once we can.

They sell everything there from furniture and modern art, to candy and Gangnam Style socks (for real, we have a picture). We ate at a great restaurant there and proceeded to Jongmoyo Shrine. They are celebrating 100 years this year, so the place, other than gorgeous, is decorated with a LOT of lotuses.

From there we went to see the changing of the guard at Deoksugung Palace, which didn't happen because the palace is closed on Mondays and, as it turns out, today is Monday, but all was not lost because the palace is right by City Hall, which is really special. The new building was built as green as possible, and when you walk in you just feel peaceful. There is greenage EVERYWHERE, so many different types of plants going all thebway up to the ceiling. And, of course, like many places in Seoul, a free computer station (these are also found at subway stations).

Apropos subway stations, when we were at Seoulleung station, we had the opportunity tonsee the first virtual supermarket! You can walk up to one of many stands throughout the subway (including the gate that opens to get on the train!) and scan barcodes of whatever you want to order, and it is automatically delivered to you! Better than shopping online!

Everyone on the subway is completely enchanted with Sophie. I don't think there is a person above 70 who didn't pet her, and people of literally all ages (especially teens!) kept coming to her. Seeing as she's a performer, this must have been her favorite part of the trip so far.

We decided to take it easy this evening and not go out at night so we coukd try to get over our jetlag and have energy for the long day ahead tomorrow. We promise to post pictures as soon as we can.

Happy Passover, everyone!