Day 97: Banpo Bridge & New Years Eve

I've been holding off on writing these last two posts for quite a long time, partly because school has started and I am drowning in assignments and job applications, but also because writing the last posts feels so final. It really means that my trip is done. It's been exactly one month since I came back to Canada though and I have convinced myself that I really can't put this off any longer. So here we go...

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Today was my last full day in Korea! I decided to walk to Banpo bridge where BTS filmed part of their Run music video. I haven't been to this bridge yet, but it's been on my list because it has two 'layers' to it and looks super cool, plus I wanted to see the Han River one last time. It was so cold out that I took the subway one stop over and then walked underground for as long as I could. I had to walk between a bunch of apartments to get to the water and I definitely thought that I was lost, but I kept following my map. I finally made it to a little tunnel and I could see the water on the other side. I could see Namsan Tower from where I was standing and it was cool to look around and recognize areas that I had been to.

I walked right to the edge of the water and stood there for a few minutes just thinking. I felt very sad thinking about how this was the last time I would get to walk along this river for quite a while. I was happy that I got to see it one last time though! The Han River has been one of my favourite places to visit and it always makes me feel calm when I walk along it. There was a moment where I was standing, looking out over the water and I realized that, wow, I had really done this (even thinking about it now makes me a little teary). I remember feeling so overwhelmed and homesick the first few weeks that I was here. There were several times where I considered going home, but I am so glad that I didn't. I have absolutely fallen in love with Seoul and these have been the happiest three months ever! I also can't get over the fact that I went travelling alone for 3 whole months to a very different country on the other side of the world.

I walked over to the bridge and then wandered across to the other side. The water was so beautiful and the sky looked amazing.

The place where BTS filmed some of their music video was on the north side of the bridge.

Taehyung and Namjoon also filmed a short scene in Run near the bridge. I didn't know the exact location so I wandered up to the road and tried to find a random walking bridge that looked like the place they ran along.

I finally found it just past the railroad tracks. I stood on the walkway for a few minutes trying to compare the traffic and angles to see if it was actually the right location (I probably looked like a crazy person, but oh well haha).

It was so chilly out and I needed to go home and start packing so I walked back along the railroad tracks to get to the closest subway station.

I had to wait for the subway for almost 10 minutes and I was so cold! At one point a girl came and sat beside me on the bench and she was wearing cropped pants and slippers and I was so confused as to how she could possible stand wearing that out in this temperature.

I finally made it onto the subway and back to my place. I then spent the next few hours trying to figure out how on earth I was going to fit everything into my suitcases. It took so long but I was surprisingly successful and I felt pretty proud of myself for the neat packing. The only other thing I was worried about was the suitcases possibly being over the weight limit (they weren't though so it was okay). I tried to go out for dinner around 9, but the majority of the places near my room were closed or they were all seafood. So I went to a convenience store... I know right, look at me having a great dinner to celebrate my last night haha. I got ramen, red bean porridge, and crackers (super fancy). The man working at the store was really kind though and he asked me about my trip and where I was from so it made me feel a little less lame for getting convenience store dinner on my last night. I went back to my room, made my ramen, and then watched a bit of the song festival that BTS was attending.

I left my place around 11:30 to go to the COEX Mall to watch fireworks (since it was New Years Eve). Sophia (who is a friend from Waterloo) was in Seoul for a week and we had planned to try and meet at the mall to watch the fireworks together. When I arrived I realized there was no way that was happening. The area around the mall was absolutely packed and Sophia was somewhere near the stage. It was so uncomfortably crowded and squishy, but I was glad I got to see the countdown and fireworks. The fireworks went on for quite a while... Every time I thought they were finishing up there would suddenly be another huge display. I haven't watched fireworks on New Years for a few years though so it was nice to experience it again. I was also really surprised at how many foreigners I saw!

The process of getting to the station after the fireworks had ended was a whole other story. I strongly dislike crowds so this was an absolute nightmare! I could barely even walk and everyone just seemed to be moving because they were being pushed so hard in every direction. I don't know how I even made it out without falling over or being squished, but I finally go to the station and began to breathe easy again. I called my mom to say hi and wish everyone a Happy New Year, then I hopped on a subway. It was pretty late by now and many of the subway lines had stopped running so I decided to take the subway to a station that was about 20 minutes away from my place and walk the rest of the way home. I got a yuja tea when I got off the subway and then I slowly walked back to my room. I felt very nostalgic as I walked by places Ella and I had visited and I was thankful that I had taken the longer way home.

Hope everyone is doing well,

Emily

(December 31, 2018)