Korean Stopover

 Stage 1 - the arrival

my motel

I’m writing a brief note from the Hyatt regency in Seoul. Not a bad little place. Full stopover is part of the deal – the room is mine until 3pm tomorrow when I have to return to the airport for my flight.

All meals are also included and I’ve just enjoyed a nice little three course buffet even if I was sitting by myself like a loser. [there were quite a few other losers however.]  You’ll expect me to detail the food; first course - salads including anti pasta plus smoked salmon. The mozzarella and tomato salad was particularly good. Second course a mixed bag of bean ragout, chicken stew, tomato pasta, pork ribs and fried veges. Third – fresh fruit plus sweet Korean rice cakes. Yum.

Poor photo of Brown eared Bulbul

Seoul airport was cool. I mean cold rather than a 'groovy' airport. Zero degrees outside and the ground is covered with snow. Our hotel still has Christmas decorations everywhere including a huge silver lit tree in the lobby. 

Stage 2 – the morning

Woke up at 6am local time and that was it. Dawn came at about 7-45 and a good breakfast buffet filled the time between dark and light. Went for a brief walk outside with only ‘light’ clothes to experience the minus two degrees cold. It was ok – I kept to the street and avoided the snow. No birds. Soon I returned to the hotel and then my room and watched as a small trickle of tourists did what I did; nervously walking the road across to the snow covered field opposite and stood at its edges just for the experience. One couple stood taking pictures of each other until a Korean man offered to take their photo together. [I could tell he was Korean only by the length and depth of the bows after the event..] When the sun rose a little more one could see footprints crossing the snow like ants in the sugar.

There are no parks around here; “only airport” the Concierge informed me so I’ve signed up for a 5 hour Seoul City tour for forty bucks. It will get me back to the hotel one hour before check out. Did not really pay any attention to what was on the tour but noticed that lunch was included..

Stage 3 – now at the airport two hours before Vancouver flight.

Eurasian Magpie

The day tour was a little bit mickey but ok . The Gyeongbokgung Palace we saw was interesting and the Korean food [Bibinbob] for lunch was good and quite spicy. And saw some birds. First near the hotel and then on the tour. I could identify Large-billed Crow?, Eurasian Magpie, Great [actually Japanese Tit according to a checklist] and Varied Tit [plus a probable Willow Tit - seen only briefly], Tree Sparrow, plus a Yellow- throated Bunting, a Daurian Redstart, plus a Brown-eared Bulbul.