I'm Seould, South Korea, Part 2 #11

From May, 2015

The site of the 1988 Seoul Olympics was inspirational. I learned about the history of – arguably – the most significant Modern Olympic Games, I saw some of the most extraordinary pieces of artwork in one of the world’s largest sculpture parks and I was fortunate enough to witness several sports from the International Blind Sports Federation (IBSA) World Games.

Asia’s first IBSA Games saw 60 nations compete in ten disciplines including swimming, bowling and chess – yes, chess. Men’s blind football was remarkable and looked the most difficult of the four I witnessed. That didn't stop a small skilful Argentinian making his mark in the game though...Weightlifting wasn't really my cup of tea, but it was impressive how some men managed such triumphs with varying disabilities and/or old age. The strangest sport was goalball – an adaptation of handball in which three members of a team attack and defend their low, wide goal on each side of the court. I saw British and Danish blind female competitors triumph by throwing the ringing ball into their opponents net. Perhaps not the most entertaining of sports, but it certainly displayed the passion of the IBSA games. I also saw a high standard of tennis in the impressive Olympic Tennis Court, but spectators were not allowed to watch showdown – similar to table tennis or air hockey – which took place in a small closed room.

It's sad to say though, that the standout part of the competition was the lack of crowd support. Every event I watched had more athletes in the venue than fans and the competitors deserved more as the promotion clearly could have been better. Nevertheless, the two days of early-round matches I saw were still incredible and the experience is up there with the one-legged high jump at the London 2012 Paralympic Games.

The Seoul Olympic Museum taught about the development of the competition and how political values, race and women’s rights played a key part in recent history. The 1988 Seoul Olympics saw the most participating nations during the Cold War era, thus contributing greatly to the peace and harmony South Korea were looking to achieve worldwide. In contrast, the Hanseong Baekje museum was good if you like pots and can read Korean. I think I've seen far too many ceramics for one man now…

Gangnam. There is unfortunately only one thing you think of. Well stop thinking about it. And stop singing it in your head. Hard, isn't it? It certainly is for Korean locals who have to witness a large musical tribute to possibly the most impacting song of the 21st century next to Gangnam Station. The town is known for its great shopping district and nightlife – instead I went to Dos Tacos and ate a vegetable burrito with my mate. Finally, my pallet was cleansed after the previous night’s atrocities.

I concluded my final night in South Korea with a night of luxury bathing in probably Seoul’s most popular jjimjilbang – spa and leisure resort – the 24-hour Dragonhill Spa. The cheesiest establishment I had ever entered had seven floors including cleansing rooms, baths, massage parlours, a fitness suite, an arcade, a cinema and more! Some rooms – such as the ice room – felt ineffective, and some – like the fire sweating bathroom – were scorching and unusable for myself. I indulged in the varying temperatures of the onsen-style baths, the Hinoki bath and saunas, and – best of all – I paid an unbelievable £6.60 for all of this! Oh, and I had 12 hours, so I spent the night. Dream.

I visited the international haven of Itaewon and sat in a few bars, bought one drink, declined a ‘massage’ and before too long I was on the last train back to the spa for more cleansing. Waking up the following morning feeling fresh and relaxed for a considerably cheaper sum than a drunken night of regret was a surprisingly pleasing feeling. Can't see it catching on though…

I then trekked to find a recommended hidden vegetarian restaurant to be told – for the second time in the country – that it had closed down. Saddened, I went to take the airport bus when a tourist advisor informed me it would be 28,000 Won (£17), despite already being pretty close! She could tell I was livid and about to quote When the Whistle Blows so she panicked and then laughed, realising that she meant 2,800 Won. I smiled. I got it. She got it. You could say, we were all getting it.

South Korea will be most remembered for the magnificent Olympic Park (did I mention that?), my friend’s inability to walk short distances and my experiences with non-living animals. So, let’s see which is worse – finding prawns in my ‘vegetarian’ dish (I can muster a smile at this one), seeing numerous meat restaurants using their respective animals smiling as logos without irony (a chick holding a cooked chicken leg or a pig with a chef hat, for example), or the awful containment of about 30 large immovable alive fish in a tank which would be more suitable for goldfish (this is the worst one by the way). My heart sank as I could see from their painfully helpless eyes that they knew the end was inevitable and near. South Korea, you have no Seoul. Other than that though, a lovely place.