2018 Pyeongchang Olympics!!!

When Jane asked if I wanted to go to the Winter Olympics, there was only one answer, "YES!" I was on sabbatical, love the Olympics and wanted to go to Korea so it seemed perfect.

We looked at events and booked our flights accordingly, a month before the games. It was not an easy feat to plan. Order of operations: buy tickets to events, book airbnb, secure train tickets to events. Korea was not exactly forthcoming in the transportation plans and at one point we thought we wouldn't be able to make it to our events because the trains were blocked off to foreigners during Soleil Holiday (New Year's). It was madness. Shout out to Sharlene: thanks for helping me as I spent hours trying to book train tickets while visiting her in NYC.

But alas, it all worked out! While my colleagues went into their second week of the semester I set off for 5 weeks of travel. First stop: Korea!

 Right when I landed at Incheon Airport. Olympics!

Beware: you are going to see a lot more of this adorable tiger in upcoming pics!

My first Airbnb in Seoul.

Cozy space for 3 occupied by just 1. Little room with full kitchen and bath centrally located inbetween Myeongdong and Insa-dong. Not bad. Very common in Seoul.

Day 1: Sightseeing

My first 3 days were solo. No Olympic events my first day so I explored. I only rushed through Seoul on an 8 hour layover with Jane back in winter 2011 so it was nice to actually explore.

 Changdeokgung Palace with Huwon (Secret Garden)

Definitely winter. 

 Amazing hole in the wall dumpling soup find (kalguksoo).

Perfect for a cold winter day.

Wandering the alleys of Bukchon Hanok Village

At night, I explored the Namdaemun Market, which was eerily dead. Maybe it was more of a daytime place. I got some interesting anchovy based meal. Very local.

Day 2: Men's Snowboard Halfpipe Finals

Commute to event consisted of walk to subway. Subway to train. Train to mountains. Shuttle to event location. Walk to event. About 2 hours total. And, it went smoothly. Korea pulled it together.

Shaun White (#2)!!!

I saw him right when I entered the venue. AHHH! 

Olympics are REAL!

Men's Military Drill Team warming up the crowd before.

Only in Korea. They were actually pretty good, unlike the cheerleaders.

I'm at the Halfpipe! 

It's huge! And the athletes went even a good 10 feet above the edge.

A clip from Shaun White's Gold Winning Run. Hear the crowd!

Shaun White steals the Gold!

Seeing Shaun White snatch the gold on the final run of the competition was pretty EPIC.

Jyongmo Shrine

I got back to Seoul in time for half day of sight-seeing. I hopped on a Korean tour of the palace above so I didn't have to wait around.

Gwangjang Market for early dinner

I squeezed in with the locals and got blood sausage and jop-chae. Much better market experience. Then walked along the Cheong-gye-cheon, a demolished highway line that revealed a stream going through the city. Not bad. After a little breather at my airbnb, I went back out to explore Myeongdung for shopping.

Day 3: DMZ (Demilitarized Zone)

No real spectacular events this day so I decided to trek out to the DMZ as I have been intrigued with North Korea and have given a lot of thought to its citizens and way of life.

 DMZ  train

I decided to take public transport on Korail. This train is so bizarre. It's very cheery and plays upbeat music yet you are going to a somber area. It is suppose to represent freedom, peace and reunification with North Korea. The train first opened in May 2014 and the dream is yet to be realized.

After arriving, a bus took us to Peace Village, another desolate icon of the peace that is yet to come. Then we went onward to the closest border point viewing.

 Looking out into North Korea over the DMZ. 

In the distance you can see the iconic North Korean flag pole in Kijong-dong, the closest town to the border.

North Korean town through binoculars.

It's hard to imagine that it's only 35 miles from Seoul.

Dorasan Station: connecting North and South Korea

This station was built to be the thorough way between Pyongyang, North Korea's capital, and Seoul. Only unused border checkpoints are present. The only train is the DMZ that comes and goes once a day.

It was such a bizarre feeling to be at the DMZ at a time when tension with nuclear weapons were surmounting, yet the Olympics was in full force which is suppose to represent world peace and cooperation. All the while, it was just me and a handful of tourist wandering the desolate grounds awaiting years for the reunification that is yet to come. 

After a full day on tour, I gathered my luggage from the storage locker (thank goodness it was still there), and headed to a new airbnb (closer to the train station to get to the Olympics) to meet Jane. As always, so great to have a reunion with a friend, who I don't get to see often, in a foreign country. I was also super grateful that she is fluent in Korean and spent a fair amount of time in Seoul in her childhood. Finally someone who can interpret the menus for me! We got some delicious soup in our local neighborhood and caught up.

Day 4: Women's Snowboard Cross Finals

 Snowboard Cross

6 snowboarders hurling down the course with this as the finale. We would watch on the big screen then turn to see the live finish. Usually only 4 or 5 would make it across the line. It was much more fun to share the excitement with Jane. She's an Olympic junkie too! Sadly Lindsey Jacobellis for the U.S. got 4th. 

By the way, it was COLD! No matter how hard we tried, we could not keep our feet from freezing. We both had hardcore boots with fur lining. We tried double socks, heat packs, standing on cardboard. Nothing worked. It was about 20 degrees F and we were standing on snow after all.

We decided to take the subway a few stops over to explore Dongdaemun for dinner. It was Lunar New Year so most places were closed.

 Heungin Jimun Gate

 

Korean BBQ!

Notice the kimchi is below the pork. The drunk father next to us kept raving how it was the best kimchi ever because of the pork fat drippings. It was pretty tasty.

Dongdaemung Design Plaza

Seoul has really stepped it up in urban planning lately with these futuristic buildings.

February 16, 2018

Day 5: Women's Super G Finals, Olympic Village and Women's Skeleton Finals

This was our big full day with two events. It was hard to double event it in a day because venues often took at least an hour to travel between.

 Women's Super G

They zoom down the mountain at 80 mph! It's pretty insane! And even crazier seeing it live.

 Jane and me at the Olympics with our paraphernalia!

For all events we stood, but this one was sold out so Jane splurged on seats. It was nice since it was an hour delayed due to high winds.

Next, we were off to the Olympic Village. We've been dying to go to the super store and buy all the tiger paraphernalia that we could. Each venue was very isolated and had limited food and souvenirs. We need to go to the source!

 Jane and the rings

 Here I am!

 The torch

 Women's Skeleton

Who ever thought: Hey! I want to go down a track at 80 mph miles on a dinky little sled, HEAD first?! See video below. Unfortunately, we only got an hour here as we needed to catch the last train back to Seoul.

Women's Skeleton

The crowd responded the same way every time! Even after 20+ athletes went.

Tiger and me. I just can't get enough of this cutie!

Day 6: Men's Alpine Slopestyle

We were super stoked for this event! The athletes go down an obstacle course individualizing their tricks ending in a series of spectacular jumps. But first...

Gimbop sold on the street near the train station

We smuggled these into the events as they were delicious, cheap and lines for the food at the venue was insanely long. 

Impressive Slopestyle

Celebrity sighting in the Spectator Tent (ie. place where you can defrost)

We chilled here for an hour in between the quals and finals. It's hard to stand in the cold for 5 hours straight!

We were pretty tired when we got back to our airbnb at 5 so we chilled, grabbed Korean BBQ for dinner again (not much was open still), and crashed.

Day 7: Last Day Exploring Seoul

Jane left in the morning to catch a flight to Hokkaido to go snowboarding powder. I couldn't join because I had plans to go to Patagonia with Christopher. So we parted ways.

 Gyeongbokgung Palace

Early in the AM before tour buses arrived. I loved how these temples were in the middle of the bustling city. I saw the changing of the guards here.

 Special Winter Exhibit at the National Folk Museum. 

Great Museum on the grounds of the above palace.

I hit up the Jogye-sa Temple which reminded me of Tibet and then spent the afternoon and evening wandering around Hongdae. It was a fun hip area.

 Random gallery that I stumbled upon exploring.

KFC: Korean Fried Chicken

The street food was epic, delicious and cheap.

 Hongdae at night

 I picked up pens, stationary, face products and all sorts of fun things here.

 View from our airbnb

I would totally come back to Seoul. There's so much of the city I didn't explore and seeing it in warmer weather with some greenery would be nice.

Day 8: Back home via Tokyo

I was just going to chill in the airport for my 5 hour layover but I found out I could take the JR/Kensei rail one stop (10 min) and walk another 10 minutes and see this lovely temple.

 Great Pagoda of Peace at Narita-san Park

Beautiful grounds.

I wish I had more time to walk around

Matcha green tea ice cream

I ate my way down the street. I spent $20 on two ice creams, red bean bread, mochi, rice crackers and rice milk wine. Oh Japan how I miss you! It's been too long since 2004.

Yeah! Olympic success!

This has been one of my favorite travels of all times. I mean, it was the Olympics! But Jane and I decided Winter Olympics might be a once in a lifetime event. It's sooooo cold! But, I'm excited for my first Summer Olympics! Perhaps 2028 in LA?!