Aquarium

Continuing with the tourist theme, we headed to the COEX mall - a huge underground shopping mall and allegedly the largest shopping centre in Seoul.

On the subway journey there, an elderly man struck up conversation with the interrogative "Where you from?" Amused, I participated in the exchange. After going through the usual, "How long you in Korea?" and, "What you do in Korea?" he took me by surprise by asking, "You marry?" I replied negative. This in turn provoked, "Every month you send money family?" I replied confusedly, "Er...no...?" to which he then said with an air of realisation, "Ah, because when you marry you need the money." Uh huh, that's my reason for keeping my earnings to myself...^^

Anyway, we arrived at the COEX in time for lunch. The plan was to go to the Aquarium, though naturally we had to stop off at the various stationery shops along the way^^

We came across the clothes shop Bongzi&Bongzi, with the fantabulous claim, Made by Jesus. In an increasingly Christian country, I'm not entirely sure how they feel they can justify such an assertion...



Finally at the aquarium (having felt like we'd been taken on the long way round by the signs to the back of the store) we came across plenty of interesting and exciting sea-life.

We were:

• dismayed at some of the tiny enclosures, especially for the larger creatures like the crocodile (but were relieved at the small, locked cabinet for the tarantula);
• simultaneously appalled and intrigued by some of the genetically modified goldfish (see above picture);
• confused by the twin-headed tortoise;
• amused by the inventive displays including fish in the toilet, fish in the washing machine, fish in the vending machines;
• excited by the walkthrough shark tank.

All in all, an afternoon filled with wonder and excitement as we fulfilled our inner children, meandering around the huge display of underwater creatures.

More fishy pics