All posts tagged: chinese

Daytripping | Chinatown

  The only official “Chinatown” in Korea is located in Incheon and takes a long, boring ride on the subway to get out there. It’s a full on tourist destination and it has a quintessential selfie tourist trap, the barf-worthy Fairytale Village. But, as much as those things irk me, and they do, don’t let it stop you from heading out there just once. It’s an interesting and quirky place. There is a different feel to the area, in no small part due to the different smells and different building styles. There are many restaurants and spots to buy a snack. We found a dim sum restaurant that squelched some cravings I’d been having for weeks. It’s also the birthplace of the ridiculously popular Chinese-Korean dish, Jjajangmyeong. After eating, you can wander around and find a beautiful cafe, like one we found that doubled as a gallery. TLDR: A Brief History The history of the area is…interesting. When Incheon Port opened in 1883 a small settlement of Chinese people grew.  The population has remained small for …

GongBoo Cha | Traditional Tea House

Never underestimate the power of wandering around aimlessly. It’s honestly how I find most things in Seoul…or anywhere, really. So, when I suggested going for a walk last Saturday I was very happy to find a new traditional tea house in my neighborhood. And the place is ADOREable. They provide so many types of tea that you’re bound to find something you’ve never heard of. I didn’t want to be too adventurous though and opted for some oolong because I already knew I love it. Plus, it was quite hot, I was quite sweaty and an iced oolong sounded amazing… it was. There was a single staff member there and she was so kind to my talkative friend who asked her many questions.  (She also gave him a couple free samples.) They don’t just sell tea there, they know tea, like academics. They hold classes, ceremonies and even take field trips to China to learn more with fellow tea enthusiasts.  There are walls of tea and tea sets. There is a small, beautiful room for classes as well. It …