Jan Bono’s Blog

My (now deceased) friend Alex would laugh his butt off over this, since he could never, ever, get me to try sushi during his lifetime. But maybe a little in his honor, I braved the wild seaweed and rice rolls and... and... and found I actually ENJOYED them! In fact, I...

After non-denominational church at the school on Sunday, we took the subway out five stops in a new direction toward Dobongsan. We crossed the busy street and headed “up” and into Bukhansan National Park, which offers a myriad of well-maintained hiking trails. But...

Our first Saturday, both Don and Chris took us on another “tour” lasting nine hours! It was one jam-packed day, brimming with visual and culinary delights, deeply affecting (in a positive way) both my emotional and physical well-being. We began at the Jungmyo...

After lunch, we were all well-fortified, and plunged back into the market to power shop. Before we ate, we’d bought hardly a thing, but now we were on a mission! Besides the usual tourist souvenirs I normally buy, like refrigerator magnets and chopsticks for friends...

All that shopping made us hungry, so Don took us to my first authentic Korean barbecue, right on the corner of one of the market alley intersections. We sat on short plastic stools at a small, low, round table with a big hole (recessed area) in the center. Our grill...

Namdaemun (Nom-day-moon) Market is the oldest and largest traditional market in Seoul. It dates back to 1414, and is adjacent to the main southern gate to the old city. If you want to immerse yourself in the hustle and bustle of a place both local and tourist, this is...