12 April 2012 - Getting to 개미마을 Ants Village

I took my jackets to the laundry room to wash before going for my breakfast.  Yeah, lesson learnt from previous experience.  I didn't want to waste my time waiting at the laundry room.   I asked the receptionist if there was any clothes dryer in the laundry room.  She told me the dryer is beside the washing machine.  OMGggg...I felt so stupid!  I thought there were two washing machines. 바보!!  This was my second attempt to use the washing machine. Yes, its much easier!!  Hahahaaa...  Today's itinerary includes 개미마을  Ants Village, Yeouido Park and dinner with my cousin and her hubby  ^^   

I went back to the laundry room after my breakfast. The timing was just nice. Took my jackets out and put them in the dryer. Another 40mins before they are ready, so I went to the nearby money changer to change some money and did some shopping first.

This money changer caught my attention.  I did not go around to compare the rates so I didn't really know whether it was really a nice exchange a not!  

Once my jackets were dried, I set off for 개미마을 Ants Village by taking the subway to Hongje Station, exit 2. This is what you will see when you come out from exit 2. Make a 180 degree turn to your left the moment you come out from exit 2.

You will see this pharmacy on your right.  Just walk straight.

As I walked straight, I saw many stall vendors along the roadside.
 Is the lady selling some kind of tteok?

Some seafood.

Will they be fresh??

You will also see KFC on your right.  The stalls will be on your left.

Woooaaaaaa...Their KFC looked tempting!!
We don't have rice or the pastry puff soup in Singapore KFC.

Ouchh..

Waooo...they ate the squid raw on the spot.  This shows how fresh the squids were!
Good sales tactic!

Nicee.  

Its like a mini market along the road!

Passed by KFC and you will see this shop with orange sign board.  The bus stop to take bus no. 7 to 개미마을  Ants Village is outside this shop. I thought I smell some brewing of Chinese herbs as I passed by here but I couldn't see any Chinese herbal shops around.   * Curious

This is the bus stop to take bus no. 7.  It took me about 3 mins from exit  2 to reach here.

You will see a petrol station across the road.

I board the bus no.7 at 11.45am.  The information that I had was to get off at the last stop.  Yeah, I didn't have to worry about getting off at the wrong stop  ^^  

Curious how the neighbourhood looked like.

Not long after, the bus travelled up the hill slope and the slope gets steeper and steeper. Although the hill slope was steep, there were still bus stops along the route.  I guessed the residents were used to it. 

Here's the final stop.  Its at the hill top.  Its not difficult to identify the last stop becos many people will alight here and the driver will stop for a toilet break.  There's no more road ahead, so the driver will simply make a U turn and make its way down the hill slope again.  

I reached here at 11.59am due to a slight traffic jam, otherwise it would be faster.  When I tried to stand up to alight from the bus, I almost couldn't stand up straight cos the slope was so steep.  I told Jae its about 70 degree.  Ermm...my mistake.  Maybe about 60 degree???  Anyway, I had difficulty to stand up and almost fell back to my seat!  That's how steep the slope was!  Hahahaa...

One can also board the bus from the final stop.  There's only one bus serving the village but from what I observed, the number of trips by bus no. 7 was quite frequent.  I walked down the slope to explore the place.  This place is not too far from centre Seoul but it emits a totally different feeling.  I can felt the difference the moment I got off the bus.  Very excited to check out the place  ^^