26 April 2023
Leaving Korea
Incheon airport on the Arex
Now I am at Incheon airport. It is far from Seoul as I have written previously, but I took the Arex express train so it is only about 45 minutes away. The train was full but has reserved seating. The timings of my journey have been great, I arrived at the airport just as the check in counters opened, and then I discovered that Singapore airlines have finally reopened their lounge here, and they let me into the first class lounge for some reason. Either that or they no longer have 2 lounges here, but either way it is new and great. Much better than the lounges in Singapore including the Silver Kris lounge.
The interesting thing about the train ride to get here was that most of the way the TV screens in the train were again showing information about how Japan is currently at war with Korea over Dokdo island. It was relentless and sensationalised a lot. But very interesting.
Going back a step as I often do, before I left Seoul there was time for one more walk around the polluted city at dawn. This took me to the FREE folk centre, which is basically more palace and tomb stuff, rather than folk music. So that was disappointing, I wanted to hear some Peter, Paul and Mary.
So anyway, back to the present, I have an hour or so until boarding, I am full of beef, cookies, cake and chocolate, and I still have to spend some Won, so I better wrap this up and go and find something to spend it on.
The early morning pollution light made for some moody shots of the building with a hole in it.
The old and the new.
Next I got caught up in a Hanbok scrum.
I don't know and I do not want to know.
Now for some folk culture park, first some presumably fake pre history grave markers.
Then.. a 1980's street. I know it is 1980's because one of the stores had movie posters, including Rocky III.
Then a giant pagoda just by it. You can see all of Korea in one spot here.
This is the excellent new Singapore airlines lounge at Incheon airport. I did not realise it had reopened, I had previously photographed it closed down since Covid.
My main course of beef rib stew, stuffed zucchini and cakes.
Followed by cookies and chocolate. There were a lot of different cookies and chocolate options to choose from.
Now to go waste time before my flight, a 6.5 hour flight to Singapore.