Complete Seoul

Josh and Jody, Ella and Abi are in Seoul now too - arriving Thursday night on the same excellent Asiania (Qantas partner) service we'd used earlier in the week.

We met up over breakfast and enjoyed a slow start to the day while the girls explored the hotel's garden.

I took them on a modified version of Joel's tour of Buk Chon (the old town district) just north of the Somerset Hotel, adjacent to the Palace.

First stop of the morning was the same traditional style tea house we'd visited with Joel on Tuesday.

With everyone ready for lunch, we took them back to the same bar-b-que joint in the Jongno district we'd been to last night.

That was a great hit with everyone, especially Ella!

The kids enjoyed the afternoon in the pool / jacuzzi while the adult members of the family enjoyed a rare extended conversation together while not doing too much at all.

The kids had found a great hat/sunglasses shop in Buk Chon this morning.

All the sisters - and their families are here in Seoul at last!

On this night, the night before the wedding, Kay's Mum, Dad and brother are hosting a family dinner at the beautiful Buddhist temple complex adjacent to the hotel.

This was the first of many courses - a vegetarian feast that was fresh and refined, full of unique ingredients and presented with an exquisite, considered aesthetic.  

This was the "main course" and probably the favourite of most people. 
The sticky rice encased in lotus leaf in this course contained gingko seeds!

...and after all that - dessert: Cinnamon iced tea and grape flavoured sticky rice cake filled with chestnut and fig.

Once again there was much hilarity on the Kang's table. Mr Kang gave a funny speech (translated by Kay). The Kangs could not have been more warm and welcoming to Joel and his extended family.