Episode #204 - South Korea

Welcome to the Mastering Midlife podcast where we talk about all the crazy fun things that happen when you are a midlife mama. I'm your host, Heather London. Hola guapas, okay. I feel like you think I've forgotten about you, but I haven't. I was just getting settled back into my daily life back in Canada. The party's over, that's right. But That doesn't mean the party's over. in this minute, in this moment. But I wanted to share my last stop with you.

I gotta complete the journey. I gotta tell you all the stories. So after Taiwan, which was amazing, I went to South Korea. So my thinking was I gotta get home from Indonesia, I'm gonna stop at you know, however many places I can along the way. And those so those two fit for just flights and timing and stuff like that. So I went to South

And the first thing I did when the first day that I was there, I went on a walking tour. So no matter where you go, people always offer free walking tours and then you just pay by tipping them. And Uh I booked this one tour kind of last minute and in all the reviews Sam was the guy and so Sam showed up and it was just the two of us, so it was really, really good. Um and he was very delightful and showed me all like

the there's so many temples and palaces and all this stuff in in South Korea. So we did that and then he showed me a traditional house and how they do heat like he's just he was so informative. And then last he showed me um where I was staying. In Sidong, that's where I was in Insidong. And so he just happened like it's a circle that he does all the time and it's just happened to be in my neighborhood where I was staying. And he showed me

this little like maybe four, five, six blocks of in the middle of, you know, big city. There's just these small little one story, two story, old buildings and houses and it's like sh they're all shops, but they're all amazing shops, like really crazy coffee shops or fantastic dessert shops or Italian restaurants, like just really cool um bakeries and

But each one specialized in something uh different and they were just small little walkways. It was just so visually beautiful, and I it was my favorite place, and it was literally one. where I was staying and I had no idea that that was there until I went on my walk with Sam and then I spent a lot of my time there because

close but I just loved being there. The vibe was so cool, the stores were amazing. So I spent a lot of time at that little place. Um and then after my tour, I'm just like f noticed some he showed me all the restaurants that were just insane, the little cafes and that and I'm like, I gotta get some of that. So I'm like Sam you wanna come for lunch?

because again he's you know doing the tour and he just the whole he's just um being paid by tips. So We went for French toast and he just got steamed buns. Crazy French toast with So good. But it was fun because we got to have a normal conversation and we talked about what did we talk about? We talked about ghosts and really uh fun stuff. Like he was just such a nice guy and as because I travel on my own.

Sometimes I just wanna have a conversation with somebody. So I like traveling on my own and it's nice to not have to talk to anybody but sometimes you've want to talk to somebody. I remember when I was in um Guile Air and I met that American guy. He just like went off. Like he had been travelling alone and he just talked and So I can appreciate that. But my time with Sam was really, really cool. So I bought him lunch and um and then you know gave him the tip for the tour and it

day and then I had this little community right by where I was standing. It was funny because when when I got picked up from the airport and the taxi driver or the Uber driver drops me off. He does l not a there's not a ton of there's not as much English spoken there. Like that would be the least English amount of English speaking going on, I think, in seven.

Um and so the taxi driver was only going by his And we couldn't find this hotel w where I was supposed to be dropped off'cause it was brand new and he didn't speak English and I don't speak Korean Anyway, we were we were on this l little street where there was a whole bunch of like looked like I don't know, just you know A Southeast Asian um stores where you can go and

get pictures taken or you can go and get little stuffies, you know, like just those arcade thingies. Like they're huge over there. And there's lots of lights that so I just and they're not a lot of cars. Like you're not really supposed to drive there. And so we were kind of stuck there. And eventually I just got out and I'm like, I'll walk. And then I was trying to figure out

my Google Maps and Google Maps doesn't work there. So I'm like, now I'm really stuck. So I just went to this big huge hotel and asked them and they're like, oh you have to use Navar because Google dialed in Navar and then finally I found my hotel. Um And then it was so crazy. So I had to learn a new system. It's similar to Google but you got a yeah, YouTube of I had to YouTube a video on how to use the new system to It was a good like fun starting experience trying to even find my host.

And then the next day after reading my walkabout. I went on the food tour'cause that's the thing that I do. When I'm in a large city and I'm only there for a couple of days, the one of the first things I do is a walking food tour because you get to know the area. And you get to know the food and the culture and the history. It's just these the people that put these on are so informative and everybody's different. This guy, his name was Kevin. Now Kev

He was really, really good because he actually lived in a in the US for quite a while. So he was very North Americanized, which was helpful in relating stories and you know stuff we want to learn and that's But he also was Korean, so he was born and raised in Korea and then he went to live in the US. He went to the US for college and that. And so he if you were to just bump into him on the street and listen to him talk, you'd think he would be.

didn't have an accent. But he spent most of his time in Korea, so he knows all the the places to go and that. So he he was really good at And it was really weird because on this food tour for the first time ever, on all the food tours that I've done, like throughout all my All four of us on the tour were solo travelers. So that was so cool. There was two Americans, but one of them was living in uh Japan and then the other guy was uh I'm gonna say Scott.

And we had so much fun because Kevin was also uh incorporating booze into the tour so he would show us like how the locals drink and what they drink and so we were sampling all of that. So it was a really fun And we ate some food that was, you know, questionable, like chicken feet, and normally I wouldn't, but when I'm here I'm like you gotta the worst food that I was disgusted by was in Taipei and it was called stinky tofu. I told you about

It smelt horrible and it tasted even worse. And so that was out of all the places I've been the only thing I didn't like. And so chicken feet, mm, they were okay. Like they didn't smell bad, but they were and they were de-boned. So and they were in like a sweet and sour sauce. So they was more like just kind of like fat mm mushiness. So I didn't love that. And um Kevin or

I'm like, okay, well we gotta try it, right? Everybody else is trying it. You're only you know when And then the other thing, which I posted on my Instagram videos, which was hilarious because it got a huge reaction of people going, No, you didn't. Um and by the way, I am doing this and posting my on Instagram now only just for my memories. That's why I do it. So if I don't respond to Any um comments to that? I'm sorry. I'm just doing it so that one day I can look

organized uh visual memories of all my trips. So One of the things that is a local delicacy is they take the small octopus and they chop the legs off while they're still alive and then you eat them while they're still alive. I know. And it's funny, not funny, but it's interesting because today as I sit here and I've been home for a couple of weeks, I still think about that and I'm like, oh my God, that must have been so horrible. Because

They were alive when their little legs were chopped off and my I was telling my brother the story and he's like, Do you know why? Because they have little brains in every leg. So It's like a a live uh each leg is like a separate living entity, which is c crazy when you And so I really wasn't gonna eat them'cause it grossed me out, but this one guy looks at me and says, Phew you've come this far, like you you know, you're when are you ever gonna do this?

I did it. And it was fine. It was salty and wiggly and sticky. So you had to chew it really well just to get it down. But it didn't taste horrible. It was just kind of the thought of what you were eating. But one of the guys from the states

in Japan. He took he was really into it. And so he took a a chunk of them, so a bunch of them and he popped them into his mouth. That's a huge mistake mistake. You know why? Because they all have these suctions and so when there's so many you can't chew them quickly and then they start to stick to you. teeth your tongue they grab onto your tongue and the roof of your mouth and so it's like hard to get them down because they're so sticky and there's so many of them in there.

laughed my face off'cause he was chewing those for quite a while. And Kev, our guide, told us that they used to do the whole thing, the whole'cause it they're like mini And uh their tradition was you would stick it on a stick and then they would grab her on the stick and you would just eat it. But too many people were dying of because of when they were doing this because the octopus would just like not want to go down it would just

clamp onto your throat and then people would suffocate. So I guess that's the revenge of the octopus. So that's when they started. Way anyway, it was a cool experience and it was a fantastic food walking food tour. It was really good. We ended with a twisted So good. And the question we had talks, Kevin is like, you can ask me anything. And we had such good conversation. It was really, really I wonder.

experience. And then what else do we do? Um oh on that tour we also had beef tartare which is just like raw, fresh raw beef. He's like this is the top quality beef and it's crazy'cause you're getting At one point we were in a restaurant. Usually you're doing all street food and there was an egg on top, but he just ha put his hand in the glove and then he mushed it all up so you eat it with the

Normally uh like that might gross me out just the thought of it. But I enjoyed it. It was really tasty, ve and very happy.

Um and then let's see, what else did I love about Korea? I loved like there's just a or a lot going on, like so much going on. Um where I was staying there's the food carts and there was this one old lady and she would serve street pancakes and egg bread. And the street pancakes I was obsessed with them. They were just made out of egg and a little bit of

sweetener. I don't know how they were made because of course this woman isn't not speaking English to me, but um she just makes them fresh there and they they were so good that I got two and I brought them back with me so that my kids could Like oh it was one of the best things.

I don't even know how to describe it. Anyway, it was funny because I put them in my suitcase and my suitcase. I only took one small suitcase and by the time I got back, those pancakes were so flat stuck together because my suitcase was. Anyway the we peeled them apart and the boys got the the idea of what they taste like and they were really

Um I also went on the DMZ tour, which was the demilitarized zone tour. And this was a highlight. This one is like you if you're going to so It was very, very um well organized, very specific, very um Strict like there's a lot most places you're like, okay, you cannot take pictures here. Do not even think about So there's very few places where you could take pictures. Um and you go up uh to the like lookout spot and you can look through there's like tons of big but And you can see people in North

And they're gardening and, you know, doing their thing. And it's weird because you know when you're watching them, somebody else from North Korea is watching you watch them. You m they are watching you for sure. And our guide, Lucy, she was Lucy, um she was telling us how uh the the village that you could see was just a decoy. Like it did it wasn't even real. They just constructed it to make it look like there was a big city that's

But off to the left there was an actual village and that's where people were gardening. It's like d drought. There was not it was not a big full garden.

they live off of rice, like they're they're jar they're the people over there have minimal to eat and th it looked like they were I don't know what they were trying to grow because it didn't look like rice because it was so it was so growing there but it was really weird look watching these people just live their daily lives knowing like how hard they're Struggling for survival for food every day. Now and these are the stories that we are told by, you know.

But we got to talk to a defector. She came on board and we got to ask, she told her story. And she defected and then got caught, put in prison, where her husband died in prison. Then she finally got released and then she did it again. She she defected and this time she was successful. is living in South Korea and you could ask her. And she was so lovely. Linda of course she's not speaking English. But she was so grateful to be lived in her.

Happy and bubbly and excited just to be there. And we could ask her any questions. Because what are they learning in what are they being taught in North Korea and what they're being taught is just all about the leader. should know his name. I can't remember what his name is. But in school all you learn about is him and his family and that's it. You don't learn math or science or anything like that. That's all you learn. And if you take money with him or

crumple it up, you'll go to jail. There was a a little um USB that floated across. Sometimes they float stuff back and forth, and a school age school uh got a hold of it and he took it to class and it was full of K drama K drama. That's huge there. K drama, K pop, like they they have a huge and people love their K drama. And this kid took it to class and thirty kids watched it and all

Except for the boy that brought it in, he was executed. So just these stories of how horrible it is there and it's all about the family that's Nothing else matters. That sounds familiar. Hmm, where do I know that? Okay. But the interesting part was when I asked my question, I said, Hey What are you guys taught about North Americans? Now I'm asking about North Americans because I'm Canadian, but when p most people think of North America.

And she said that they were taught that the Americans were at fault for all of it. Why they're living in poor conditions and all this. It's all the Americans' fault. So that's where it taught. She said, but then when I got out over to South Korea So they're being um taught whatever it is that they want them to believe. I like anywhere. the government is controlling what we see in here. And so you have this whole country that's that's brainwashed or only no

It's not very different from every other country, but it's very it's it's s more extreme. And so I found that fascinating. And then that at the end of her thing she's like, But we like Americans and I'm like, I'm Canadian. I just want you to know I'm Canadian. That was so funny. So that was such a powerful experience. Just being able to go and see and experience like what's happening in these two countries divided but and just totally different lifestyles and beliefs.

And then they talk about like we ask, Oh, do they want to be reunited? And feels like the older generation does because they have people over on the north side that they want to see. But the younger generation is like, nah, like we're good because that's not what we believe and you know, it's so there's that separation that's happening and as probably as time goes on and Reunify.

So anyway, there you have it. And then oh here's I went to there's a lot of Buddhist temples. So I just walked to the Buddhist temple and hung out. It was so beautiful, so amazing. Um and I went and I tried. at Korean barbecue. So Kevin our guide is like, you gotta try a Korean barbecue, but if you go, you gotta know. Do the do the um pork belly. Like that's awesome in Korean

But if you go by yourself, because we were all solo travel, she's like, you're gonna have to order two. You can't just do one uh at a Korean barbecue. There's a limit, uh minimum that you have to order. And so I really wanted to do a Korean barbecue because it, you know. authentic when you're in that country like doing a hot pot. We did a hot pot in Vietnam and it's like wow this is because that's how you you know they eat a lot

Have that actual experience. So I wanted to do a Korean barbecue because you see them everywhere. It's so funny because I don't know, like I was I found this one street, you know, with all these cool things on that place that I was telling you about. And then I couldn't find it again. And then I also found the street with all these hot pot places. Like all it was was like or sorry, all it was was Korean barbecue.

And then I went to f and it was right near my place. And then I went to find it again and I couldn't find it'cause I had gone down the wrong street and if if I was just one street over I'm like, Oh, there they are But I thought I was losing my mind. Like I knew that that this place was here. Where did it go? It was so crazy and funny.

So I found the street of Korean barbecue zum and I went in knowing, armed with this knowledge, that, you know, you gotta order two and people don't go alone and I was like, out of all the things that I've done travelling by myself, this one made me the most like I was a little bit uneasy for it because because I'm going by myself and it's like it's people don't usually do that. So I was really it was one of the things that I was most resistant to but I really wanted to do it. So I did it.

And they're like, Oh and of course they don't sp speak English so it's like we're talk about Korean barbecue and it's like, Oh, but you need two people and I'm like, I'll order two. I'll order two. And he's like, Okay, come on in and and I went in there and as you get your table and you get the like vent coming down to suck up the smoke and they come and organize it.

And this girl comes and she speaks she spoke a little bit of English and I'm like h and dad I'm like I've never done this before. What do I do? First of all when you go in they're like they give you a plastic bag and they're like W everybody knows what to do with a plastic bag except for me. And he's like, Put your jacket in here. And I'm like, I look around, like, yeah.

You take your jacket off and put it in there so it doesn't get smoky and covered in fat and all that kind of stuff. I'm like, Well, this is gonna be good if you have to like put your jacket in a plastic bag and so this girl came and she helped me because the way you eat in Korea is like

it's very social and there's a whole bunch of things and you share and you kinda make it as you go. You can have a little bit of this and put it on the like k kimchi you can put it on there and you can put garlic on there and all these things and cook'em and you just share. So social all of Southeast Asia, all the meal times were very

And so she's showing me how to do it. Big things of like pork belly and you put it on and then you have to let it cook a certain amount and then when it's cooked a certain amount you take scissors and you just cut it into smaller pieces. So she would come and check on me and she would help me do the first one and

I really appreciate it. I'm like, do I cook this? And she's laughing. She's like, No, that's a sauce. You dip it in here like Sh again her English wasn't very good but we communicated but she was so sweet and so helpful and she come check on me and then the pork was in her mind it was done so she'd move it down low but I'm like no I want it crispy like really crispy so I kept putting it up and she kept moving it.

And then I'm like, I like it really crispy. She's like, Oh, okay, he, I'll leave it for you. Anyway, it was amazing. It was such a cool experience. I'm so glad I did. And you just see people getting together and laughing and eating and having the best time ever. So yeah, I just love that experience.

Um, and then'cause I was in Korea for maybe five days, I'm not sure. It was my last stop before going home. And so the the and then I went on this pff, dou I can't remember just shopping uh shopping street after shopping street. And they had all these outdoor s street food and everything. It was just insane how how much food and how many people there were. And that's not like that's too much for me, but I went to check.

And at night of course it's the best. So I went just as it was getting into nighttime and and it was a good experience, but um too too many people. But it was funny'cause out of the whole time travelling I never had any bad experience, nothing like dangerous about happening except when I was in social I was on the bus so anywhere I go I figure out h how to buy a bus pass and I just take the transit and a bus everywhere

super easy to do once you figure it out. And I get on this bus and there's two seats, one right behind the driver and one next. But they're just single seats and they're raised a bit. I don't know why, but they are raised a bit. And so the one behind the driver, somebody was sitting in it and I just

kind of uh was leaning like kind of sitting leaning on the on the big part. I wasn't touching him or anything like that. Um and he just elbowed me and he goes, Don't sit there, he yelled at me. And so I got up and weird because I'd seen other people doing that and then after I watched yeah other people do that and I'm like that is weird like what the heck I didn't I wasn't touching him I wasn't in his space or

And I'm like, oh, I guess that's my first experience of, you know, not being welcomed in a country, like not wanting me to be here. Because the guy doesn't know me. It was just looking at me, going like you're And the guy who was sitting in the other seat saw this, heard this, got up, tapped me on the shoulder, and he said, You can't. Oh my God, so sweet and kind. Cause he saw what happened and he was kind of horrified.

And I didn't take a seat because I'm like, No, no, it's okay, thank you. Like I appreciate it. You sit there. And he's like, No, I'm getting off soon. And he didn't get off. later so he was being really kind because he saw what happened and he didn't approve of it and he didn't like it and he I think was also like shocked by it. And

So for me it was the first time that I had been made like I didn't feel welcome there, that I was an outsider, I didn't belong, or somebody didn't want me there. Um but Right away the sky's literally stuck in. Like he was so kind and so sweet and that just made up for the like just like far and away the kindness that he showed me just warmed my heart and made me feel. even better. So that was the only out of all the experiences I had, that was the only time

felt that situation and it was like instantly rectified by the kindness. Like that guy was way more kind than the other guy was angrier mad. or whatever it was he was feeling, right, for me. And like I said, he I didn't he had he knew nothing about me, he didn't know where I was from or anything. He just didn't like me because

People a lot of people experience that every single day. So it's uh it's interesting to have those experiences so you can really appreciate what it's like to be somebody who experiences that every day. And that would be horrible. That would be like A horrible existence to be to be made to feel like that for no other reason than d the color of your skin. terrible and horrible and I like to think that I would always be the guy that tried to give

Because for every person that's like this that has hate in their heart, there's way more that have love in their heart. Way more. And that's what we want to focus on. And I want us to be So, anyway, that and that was my adventures. And then I went home. And I'm gonna tell you, it was so easy to arrive to an airport.

where you speak the language and you have a ride, my kids picked me up and you know where you're going and you don't have to think like it's not like a full time job to get yourself to your first Like that's always the hardest, right? Like is when you're new to a country and I and I hit so many. I did 10 countries on this tour and it was amazing. It was the most amazing trip so far.

that only because I went to so many different countries and experienced so much culture and so many people and so many experiences that it was like wow when I was thinking about this trip I had tears in my eyes and Like, wow, it was amazing. My other trips have been really good. Amazing just because you of like the the breadth of all the things places I went and things I did. Like I was just amazed. And always experiencing something new, and the people were just instantly across the board.

Of Southeast Asia were amazingly and some just some countries were like even nicer. Like how can these people be even kinder than And so that's really what makes it, right? It's always about the people you meet and the and the people in the country that um show you their culture, their share with you, they make you feel welcome and they're happy to see you and always smiling, like I think about When I was in on the island, Erigidly, every time I would ride my bike and music was playing.

And people were singing out loud like just happy, chill, go lucky, like Indonesia, uh Thailand,'cause that's where I People are just really chill and relaxed and they're enjoying life and they're and they're happy and grateful and and excited just about the basics but all the good things, you know, like the sun and the beach and the food and the the community. Like just Wonderful community. Wow, wow, wow, wow, wow. Anyway, I get excited when I talk about it because it was just

If somebody asks me what you know, what was the best part of your trip? I can't even say because I'll start talking about one thing and then I'll remember this other thing that I did. And it was just like ten out of ten. A hundred percent ten out of ten. Like I said, I went by my things on my own. Sometimes I did like a day tour and sometimes I just wandered on my own. Like and I just kinda made it up as I went along. And I wouldn't change not even one thing. It would

Ten out of ten. So if you're thinking about going anywhere You go girl. You go. So anyway, that that is the end of my travels. That was my trip. And thanks for coming on my journey with me. So thank you Love yourself first and have an amazing day. Yeah.