Saturday: The hunt for the elusive Jogyesa temple

I was kind enough to allow Dan some 'me time' this morning by taking the opportunity to catch up on some much needed sleep for me! In the mean time he planned our day around visiting this incredible Buddhist temple, there are big celebrations taking place because it happens to be Buddha's birthday (a national holiday). All went well with the subway, very crowded and warm but fine. As it tends to happen it is that moment you step out of the subway onto the street and realize "where in the world are we? this map is lying!!!"
I have said those words so many times today I am tired of hearing myself. I consider myself a map lover have since the 6th grade but I am working off a multiple array of guide books, printed off, and a big tourism/folded map. I get that it isn't going to always be to scale but get the landmarks correct - they don't move!!
We took a frustrating walking tour around insadong, tapgol, and gwanghwamun in search of the temple. I was not feeling very Indiana Jones-like but in a way looking back could have been, thankfully no bad guys chasing us just cramping legs and hunger pains!

The more Dan wanted to give up the more it push me to conquer the map. Happy to report thanks in part to the handy compass on my iPhone we found the temple. Found myself thanking Jesus we had finally located it then wondered how He felt about that? It was more of thankful we didn't consider divorce in the process of hunting!

We were beat at this point and feeling like we wasted a day but couldn't bring ourselves to go back to the hotel so we ventured to Namdaemun Market, an open air market where they sell a little of everything, ended up almost like wholesaler booths, everything from luggage, socks, trinkets, serving dishes, lots of street food. I think we were both so worn out it was a bit overwhelming. Very crowded, I was so hungry I opted for a "crab stick" kind of like a chunk of crab meat rolled in a thick cake batter, not going to lie, horrible after taste, I quickly switched to pineapple on a stick. Dan found some sort of suger donuts.
I think we would have been more apt to make purchases but we thought hey it is only sat, not realizing much is closed on Sunday and Buddhas birthday is Monday so that may have been our chance.
It felt like we walked most of the way back to the hotel in search of the subway but after 30 minutes we were again scrunched like sardines in the subway car.

I used to talk a big game, wanted to move to a big city because of all it had to offer, hear me now: I'm so happy in my tiny village of Rochester! I know there had to be more people on a single subway than there are in my hometown.

After a quick bite near our hotel (BBQ). Dan fell fast asleep while I decided to wash some clothes. I figured I would pack light and wear everything twice. I didn't anticipate the sweat factor! Well our fancy room is not well equipped for doing ones laundry and I stopped up the sink and had to have maintenance come to the rescue. Clothes are drying now but probably will still stink. Maybe no one will notice if I stand near the food vendors.