Finlay's Ninth Birthday (posted 2 months late)

Being in a new country I feel like we need to make our celebrations even better than they were back in the States. Try as I might I could not find invitations anywhere! Haven and I even took an evening to search out and eventually find what turned out to be a fabulous book/stationary store. But...still no invitations. Oh well, I bought birthday cards and they did the trick.

So our family birthday started with a yummy breakfast at home and some gifts from the States as well as here in Korea. Then we set off to spend money at the toy market. Unlike back home, the toy market here is in Dongdaemun. Here there are streets and streets of little shops lined up one-by-one. We were searching for the street dedicated to nothing but toys.

The shops were basically giant stacks of boxes with narrow aisles. No beautiful displays, no frills. Just toys and toys and toys.

We saw a Lego banner stretched across the street and knew right where to head. Finlay found just what he wanted.

A stop in the Hello Kitty store rounded the whole thing out!




Next, we headed back on to the subway and toward Itaewon for dinner. Finlay desperately wanted Fettucine Alfredo for his birthday dinner. That is not easy to find in Korea. But, as we were walking along, looking at every menu at the Italian restaurants we happen to strike up a conversation with a gentleman outside smoking. He was super friendly and invited us up to the restaurant to meet his brother, the chef. Now, this is the type of thing that in a lot of other countries you would blow off as a tricky way to get you in their restaurant. Turns out it was totally true. These brothers are from Napoli, Italy and happen to live here in Korea and work at this Italian place.

 Finlay was introduced to the chef and treated like a birthday King! The chef visited our table during the meal and had a special birthday dessert sent over as well.

Mission accomplished! Plus, the food was Fantastic!!!

Bellies full we headed to Seoul station which is a major hub for the subway, buses and the rail way.

The place was bustling at 11:00 PM.

Luckily we found our bus AND even got seats to rest in on the way home.

Happy 9th Birthday Fin!