Cold Chinese food

 

November 14 2025

Incheon Korea

This hotel is kinda close to some places and kinda far from others.

The Cruise Terminal is close enough to walk to, but would be a trial to go there with a full suitcase in tow along with two day pack sized pieces. So it looks like a taxi is in order since this hotel does not seem to have a shuttle.

Chinatown is a short walk away. Maybe a 10 minute walk and then a two block climb up a hill.

There is an amusement area, Wolmi about a mile and a half away, but the streets to get there are not pedestrian friendly.

This hotel goes by the King Gillette of Gillette Razor fame’s marketing philosophy. Give them the razor almost free and overcharge them on the blades. The room is reasonably priced and everything else is high.

I went to sleep around 9pm, given the time zones in between here and home, my body thought it was 4am and I hadn’t slept since waking at 6am in Seattle. Except for an hour of bed floundering between 3 and 4am I slept good until 730 in the morning. I hope that was enough to kick start the jet lag into resolution quickly.

After reviewing my email over a cup of Starbuck’s instant, a shower and some window gazing I went to the hotel’s restaurant for breakfast. The hostess greeted me warmly and said that my room did not include breakfast , that would be $25 please. Uhh… that seems a bit excessive. I realize that is for the fancy buffet, but all I want is some coffee and a couple pieces of toast. How about an Ala Carte’ menu? Sorry, buffet or nothing. What can I do?

The buffet was nothing to rave about, they did have toast and coffee. I never found any eggs other than hard boiled, no cold scrambled eggs in a warming tray, no omelette. Hard boiled was the offering. I guess the chickens are safe to make more chicks, since eggs aren’t offering at the Harbor Park Hotel. I did eat more than the toast and coffee, but never felt I was getting my money’s worth.

Back to the room to text with friends back home and view the day from my window.

Low clouds, slight wind and low 60’s. Not especially beckoning me to leave the comfort of my hotel room, but it would be a waste to stay in the room all day. Google maps said Chinatown was close so I headed out. Down in the lobby, what did I find? A sorta Starbucks, with coffee and rolls. That woman upstairs could have told me about this. Now I am even less enamored with this property.

Out the back door and a left turn and six blocks later Chinatown. 1030 on a November morning you wont find much open. The majority of the stores open at 11 and even after killing time over a surprisingly great cup of coffee, they still weren’t ready for business at 11. It seems tourist season is over for this year. I roamed the streets for a few hours, before heading back to the hotel.

I have traveled extensively alone for the best part of 30 years and have only felt lonely in two places. One New York City and the other Hong Kong. I think I could easily feel lonely here if I was to spend any time in this area. If I’m walking down the street and my eyes meet another person’s gaze I smile and nod or say Hello in passing, and generally get a nod, a smile or as word in return. Here, I get a cold, not glare, that with intuit I existed on the human level. No, not even recognition as anything more than a leaf blowing down the street or a pigeon on a wire. I don’t see Korea as being a place that I would want to revisit in the future.

I packed everything in the house for the trip, but in my haste, left floss and toothbrush at home. There is a 7- 11 next to the hotel, so popped in for them and some water and something crunchy and salty in a bag. The woman rang my things up and then pointed to the toothbrush and said “Get another. 2 for 1!” And there was no questioning her, that I was to do this !! So I now have an extra toothbrush for next trip.

Read my current novel and watched the world go by. Thought about dinner and it was a toss up between 7 - 11 and Chinatown. Chinatown won. Boy! I thought it was dead at 1030 in the morning, at 7pm there are tumbleweeds blowing down the street, except for a couple restaurants.

I found one, the atmosphere was red and gold, and the service was efficient and alien like. I got food, ate and left. At least now I know what to expect if I go to a robot kitchen in Japan.

That is all for now. Tomorrow is ship boarding day. I’m not sure what to expect.