Shop and Eat Seoul Part 2: Insadong and Lotte Mart

Insadong was our last stop for shopping.  This time, we didn't have any specific items to buy, but it was nice to stroll around this area for unique specialty items, usually from local crafters and galleries.  I managed to find three special items from here.

We visited Insadong on a Monday afternoon, just before sending off one of our travel buddies.  We took the subway train from Seoul Station to Anguk Station and took Exit #6, walked the street and joined the subway again on the station before Anguk.

The street gives you a bit of the local but modern culture as products sold here are either new creative crafts or art from street galleries.  Souvenirs of course are abundant here, but people are most amazed with the unique finds.

I myself got a miniature set of Korean sochu and beer bottles since I love to collect miniature items.  I also found those cute socks whose design cuts across both sock.  I got a fat penguin design and a Paul Frank monkey design.  At Samziegil, I got myself a personalized casual bracelet made of unique charms like camera, padlock, watch, etc - a little bit like the Pandora style bracelets.

Very nice quaint little shops

Caricature Drawing Booth

Recycling ;-)

Looks like S__t!

Looks like the love padlocks are now out of date

Inside is a small cafe

Samziegil

Giant Chinese Writing Brushes

Ice Cream in a J-shaped cone

Ice Cream in a J-shaped cone

Alive Museum

Alive Museum

We then headed back to the Seoul Station and walked around Lotte Outlets and Lotte Mart. Lotte Outlets were okay but I didn't need any of the products, most branded sports items. I love Lotte Mart on the other hand, it's like a giant Daiso and supermarket all in one. Well, it had a Daiso inside as one of the departments, a big cosmetics area, and a supermarket. I got some seaweed snacks and Korean noodle soup packs, and an interesting sample of new products to bring home like Iris Cookies and Cream White bits, chocolate covered Sunflower Seeds, rice rolls with spicy sauce so that I can control the spice (I'm sure the street version is better but I'm can't take too much heat ;-) so at least with this I can control it) and black sesame filled chocolates.

Read about our other shop and eat experience in Shop and Eat Seoul Part 1: Myeongdong