Coke in the Land of Convenience

Many of my friends and family will know that my favourite soft drink and a weakness of mine is Coca Cola. The fact that you can find Coke in South Korea isn't anything to marvel at since Coke can be found in virtually every country around the world. Instead, what makes it interesting is the packaging. I've already touched on the convenience of things in Korea and this one doesn't disappoint. Most people would be used to the standard sizes for Coke (2 Litre bottle, 1.5 Litre bottle, 500ml, etc). However one thing I've noticed in Korea is that Coke can be purchased in more sizes than I have seen anywhere else, perhaps to cater to how thirsty you are. The above picture is a cute, squat 300ml bottle which is a good thing to have in case you're more thirsty than a 250ml bottle but not thirsty enough to finish a 500ml bottle.

Bing bong, could you bring me some napkins please?

One of the greatest inventions, or more like an adaptation of an existing invention is the table doorbell in restaurants. I've only ever seen this in Korea or in some Korean restaurants found overseas. In restaurants that offer this fabulous feature, you will find a doorbell fitted to the side of your table. When you're ready to order or need something, you simply press the doorbell and a waiter or waitress will come immediately to your table. This eliminates the need to track down a waiter or to yell "excuse me" or the Korean equivalent "yogiyo" across the restaurant.

Gotta love the packaging

Tonight I was treated to my partner not only cooking dinner but also picking up a few things for dessert. This included a honeydew melon. Most of my North American and Australian readers will wonder "what's the big deal?" Well, it is a big deal when your melon comes wrapped completely in cellophane, tissue paper and a big pink bow on top. Even the stem was wrapped in green tape (see pic above, no words can possibly do it justice).

I have also experienced takeout being delivered in a gift bag, individually wrapped bananas and brownies boxed in tissue and ribbon. Don't get me started on what jewellery comes in or what they do when you actually ask for something to be gift wrapped!

After reading this post, you may conclude that Korea is a wasteful society with over packaging, however I try to look at it in another way. Koreans are always putting a lot of care into their packaging, as well as making everything special and beautiful. I seem to have a constant struggle between feeling guilty about all the plastic being used and the warm fuzzy feeling I get when an everyday item is wrapped up like a present.

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.

Mr Pizza, Love for Women

One of my favourite places to eat in Seoul is Mr Pizza. Sounds a bit like Pizza Hut but believe me, it has a very different marketing strategy. The sole aim of Mr Pizza is to provide quality food and a comfortable atmosphere for women. You're probably wondering, are men allowed? The answer is yes, however they should probably think twice about going in. Mr Pizza restaurants are usually decorated in very bright, red, pink and white colours with hearts EVERYWHERE! The portions are "small" and "ladylike" and there's a massive salad bar because apparently "women love salad" (I have a feeling that's a nice way of saying, women are always on diets). It has a great atmosphere because the booths are big and comfy, there are groups of women (friends, mothers/daughters, etc) having a great time chatting and laughing and the only looks you're going to get are from other women wondering where you got your shoes or is that a fake Louis Vuitton slung over your shoulder.

Mr Pizza restaurants are everywhere! The food is yummy, reasonably priced and a great place to go for lunch. You can even order takeaway and instead of a greasy pizza box, you're pizza is delivered with a red bow wrapped around it.