Tuesday 9 February 2010

Insadong Tea Shop - a paradise for birds


I thought it was about time to combine my love of food and shopping with some culture. On my first visit to Seoul, my cousin who's been here teaching English for years took me to a great spot in one of the more traditional parts of Seoul....Insadong. Luckily for me Insadong is only a stone's throw away from where I'm living. It's a fabulous network of streets and alleys that are full of interesting little shops, museums and restaurants. This is the place to go for all things Korean and the best place to purchase authentic souvenirs.

In a very ordinary building, I was taken up a flight of stairs which opened into a unique place. I've had trouble finding this place since because there aren't any defining markers. The tea shop is located on the top floor and includes one very large room stuffed full of furniture, knick knacks and live birds. We sat at a table which consisted of glass covering a large stone basin with fish swimming around inside. We were given a menu with hot and cold tea choices which all sounded delicious. I had a mulberry tea served with little rice sweets. It was very delicious. To add to our experience, there were very small birds flying around, swooping around our heads. It was a magic experience and one that shouldn't be missed.

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