I have been unfairly negflectful of the day-to-day life I have been living in Daegu. I go on and on about the other towns and cities I have visited, but, quite shamefully, I haven't talked about life as I know it in Daegu.
Well - NO MORE.
This post will be cover a wide range of topics and adventures. All with the purpose of giving you a glimpse into all the things I have loved about this city.
So without further ado.
Suseongmot (Suseong Lake)
I visited Suseong Lake many times over the last 14 months in Daegu. It is one of several large 'nature' areas within the city, and it comes complete with some of the only wildlife I have seen in Korea.
And by wildlife I mean birds.
Several species of Korean waterfowl call this lake home. It is a special treat for me to just go sit along the edge of the lake and watch them swim. There are many cafes and resturants in the area with amazing views, as well as a walking trail that completely encircles the lake. There is usually a fountain feature running during the day and fun light displays at night.
I am especially fond of the swan shaped paddle boats you can rent every summer. They are impossibly hard to use, but getting close to the small island where the birds roost is worth it.
I am never disappointed by a trip to the lake, no matter the reason that led me there.
Seomun Market
Seomun Market is the largest and most diverse of the (at least) three traditional street markets in Daegu. It contains more than 4,000 shops featuring all sorts of wares including textiles, sewing services, traditional antiques, crafts, jewelry, Korean trinkets, and souvenirs. It is an extremely popular place to visit in Daegu for Koreans and foreigners alike. Prices when shopping at a traditional market are also hard to beat!
But, without a doubt, the real reason I find myself visiting this market over and over again is the food. It doesn't get more Korean than eating street food from a tradtional market and the food here is INCREDIBLE. There are literally dozens of different types of food you can try at Seomun Market and it's so cheap to do so.
These are some of my personal favorites:
Kalguksu
Kalguksu is a bowl of handmade knife-cut noodles topped with either green onions, fried tofu, or seaweed flakes (sometimes a combination of all three) and served up in a flavorful broth. The portion size is excellent and more than enough to count as a full meal.
Mandu
Mandu are Korean dumplings filled with a minced meat (usually pork), glass noodles, tofu, green onions, and garlic and they are served either steamed or fried. Although I personally prefer the fried dumplings, the steamed ones are more common.
Hotteok
Hotteok is a Korean sweet pancake. It is a dessert snack that consists of fried dough filled with a sweet syrup made of cinnamon, brown sugar, and sunflower seeds. It is hands down my favorite street food in Korea. I have never visited the market without grabbing one of these before I leave. In fact, I love them so much I usually just buy two from the start. I walk around double fisting hotteok until it cools down enough to eat.
Druyu Park
Druyu park is another one of the large 'green spaces' locaated inside the city limits of Daegu made all the more popular by its inclusion of E-world, the only amusement park in Daegu.
If you read my post about cherry blossom season in Korea then you already know I am a fan of the dainty, whimsical bloom. However, fall is undoubtedly my favorite season in Korea. I have visited Druyu Park on numerous occasions, but seeing the sun shine through a kaleidoscope of fall colors is a hard experience to beat.
There are a variety of trails that will take you all through the park and even up to the top of Druyusan Mountain. Druyusan is quite a small mountain compared to the likes of Apsan and Sanseong, which are located on the outskirts of the city, so it is a relatively easy hike that takes less than an hour to complete. Your reward is a very pleasant view of the city and the fall foliage.
Overall, it is a great place to take a break from the hustle and bustle of city life. Whether you take a relaxing stroll around the park or order some food and picnic with your friends, a trip to Druyu park is always a breath of fresh air.
This concludes the first part of my deep dive into living in Daegu and the journey is by no means over. When I sat down to outline the various activities and locations I wanted to highlight in this series, I was a bit startled by just how much there was to cover. I will continue to write about my travels around Korea, but I will also make sure to cover, in equal detail, my life in Daegu.
Comments