Noryangjin!!

I arrived in Seoul 4 weeks ago today. How is that possible? Time needs to slow a bit.

Saturday, December 5th, 2009 is a very special day for me. I spent that weekend in San Sebastian. Aside from being one of my favorite towns, it holds a place in my heart because it was in San Sebastian, at a pintxos bar that I ate some seafood that I actually loved. It was a little red pepper stuffed with tuna. It was drool worthy good. So one time, in 28 years, I have really enjoyed eating seafood. Otherwise, I could take it or leave it. Most times, I prefer to leave it. Given that fact about me, where is the most natural place I would spend my 28th birthday? The Noryangjin Fish Market.

I wasn't drugged and brought there against my will. I chose to go. I want to eat a wide variety of Korean food. I am trying to eat at least a bite of everything that is put in front of me. So far I have stuck to that, except for my third night here when I was served a bowl of steamed silkworms. I couldn't do it. But hopefully before I leave...

The Noryangjin Fish Market is very famous, and HUGE, but the real reason we went there was for sannakji, aka live octopus. It isn't actually alive, more like just killed and still moving. Here are some more pictures from the market. The market is actually really cool, and such a neat experience. Any visitors I get in the next year will be going to Noryangjin. I won't force the octopus on you, but you do need to at least see the market.

The afternoon started with cake! Starting with the cake is how a birthday should be.

We then went to the market. The vendors are all on the ground floor. We walked in on the second floor.

On the ground floor, looking for dinner! We bought some shellfish of some kind, I don't remember the name.

And a flounder!

Which he immediately killed, cleaned, gutted,

cut it chopstick size pieces, and put on a plate for us. Ready!

And we bought some crabs

And octopus

In the basement (as well as second floor, I believe) of the fish market are tons of little restaurants. You bring your recently purchased, and sometimes still living seafood to the restaurant, and they prepare it for you.

The mystery shellfish (for all I know it is something completely common in the US)

Prawns! These were actually my favorite thing from the market

One of the Koreans I was with convinced me to try the prawn's brain. They swore it was the best part of it. I disagreed.

The octopus-the sucker still worked, it stuck to the plate, the chopstick, and my tongue.

And the crabs!

So there's my birthday, in a nutshell. It was a really fun night. I have no desire to eat live octopus again, but I am happy to say I have.

AND, the last two weeks in September I am getting a visitor!!!!!