Seoul shopping

I decided to check out a mega shopping complex owned by Lotte. It also incorporates an entertainment centre which I didn't visit. I had probably budgeted too many days for the second part of my Seoul visit. This was just outside where I had a lunch of Pad Thai noodles. The taste was ok, but the texture not quite right because they didn't cook it on a very hot wok.

These adults were playing this augmented reality game outside a hamburger chain store. Their hands appear as mitts on the screen and they grab falling food items like buns, fries, patties, etc. for points. It seems that if you get enough points you get an e-voucher for free food which you can claim by entering your mobile number for a SMS. I saw several players come back for more rounds.

Back in the suburb of Hongdae, I stopped for an afternoon coffee at a boutique café overlooking a small park. If I recall correctly the park area used to be a waste water treatment plant and when that was put underground, the land was given over to municipal use as a park.

This photo is out of sequence and taken in the evening in the same park. A sax busker is playing to a small audience.

In the evening I explored another area of Hongdae. I'm posting only one of the photos because really they all just show Koreans shopping and enjoying company. I suppose that as many live in the suburbs, their preferred way of socialising is to meet at one of the many cafés in Seoul.

I did stumble upon something I had read about, a cat café, where people who can't keep one at home can appreciate felines for a while.

It was in an upstairs apartment. There were already some visitors there, but no sign of the owner. After a while the other visitors left and I was left alone with the cats. The beverage counter was closed and the owner was nowhere to be seen.

One Scottish Fold cat with a flat face was especially appreciative of the petting it got.

Eventually the owner returned and pointed out that I had neglected to remove my shoes and paddle around in slippers. Embarrassment time. I had been there long enough anyway so I mumbled my apology and left.