Story of My Life - Sokcho Travels

Sokcho is a must visit for those who are looking for a clean and clear blue water beach in Korea. Located in the northeast region from Seoul, it is a bit of a hike to get to, but definitely worth it. With buses running from two of the main stations in Seoul, the travel is roughly three hours. It is a good rest to have after a long day of tanning and body surfing.

 Although Sokcho is far from Seoul, there are a number of tourists and foreigners that visit the area. In addition to the physical appearance, you can distinguish the locals from the rest by beach habits. Koreans are usually hiding from the sun, in every way possible, so there are a number of tents scattered around. In addition, although bikinis are recommended for the beach, Koreans will jump into the water fully clothed. An alien feeling to us, but you will see some locals in bathing suits and swim wear, with minor influences from foreigners.

With all the peculiar habits of Koreans that we are not used to, there are a handful of benefits as well. This includes the drop off menus as you tan for delivery services of all kinds-fried chicken, pizza, full meals-the best is McDonald's. If you thought New York was convenient with cold drinks and icecream, McDonald's in Korea has someone walking around to take your order and deliver it, everything but cones that is. I wouldn't get too picky since I can still order an Oreo McFlurry with my full value meal!

For those looking for an authentic meal in the area, seafood is the big recommendation. Seafood includes king crab, there are a number of restaurants serving up fresh crab, as well as a variety of other seafood (fish, octopus, squid, conch, and more) that is cut up and served fresh when you order. Talk about good sashimi! There is also a bunch of other dishes which includes the Squid Sundae (squid roll), Potato Pancake, and Naengmyeon 냉면 (cold noodle).

Nonetheless, Sokcho is a must visit, being that it is one of the top beaches in Korea. It is easy to plan and have a one day getaway without knowing any English. As a heads up, there aren't as much coffee shops as there are in Seoul so be ready!

Street Food Yum - Shredded Squid

Squid is a popular street food yum in Korea that comes in all different styles; some are soft, some fried, some grilled. Depending on what you are craving, you will find a kind to satisfy your taste buds. I randomly chose what I thought to be a grilled squid but instead it was a flat slice of squid that was slapped on a press pan. After lathering on some peanut butter, cinnamon and a bit of sugar, this squid is then placed though a machine that slides it through while simultaneously cooking. 

I thought it was a weird combination at first to have peanut butter, cinnamon and sugar on something that is supposed to be a salty snack but this baby was delicious! It is the right combo for someone with a sweet tooth like myself who is in love with peanut butter also. For just five dollars, it was not enough to keep me going because it was just that addicting. If you are not so big on the sweet salty combo, be sure to try out the other squid snacks!